Episode 200
*Pow!
* *Quad-d-d-d!*
The vast forest area directly in front of the Radianor Castle Wall.
In that place, half-burned and covered in soot, a chaotic battle was still raging.
“Lord Black Dragon, everyone has arrived.”
After a short while, Avantgarde appeared.
The other troops were scattered throughout the forest.
Hanbit accepted the King’s Ring he handed him and said,
“Thank you. How many Holy Kingdom flags did you bring?”
“I brought hundreds of the ones that stand out high enough to be conspicuous. By now, troops have probably arrived on the other side of the forest as well, and the battle has likely begun.”
“Perfect.”
There was one thing he had requested from Avantgarde via message.
It was to prepare tall flags bearing the Holy Kingdom’s national flag.
“But why did you suddenly need flags? At this point, it seems you have definitely secured the victory.”
“If things continue like this, it will end with the image that Artua and the nobles together repelled the invasion. So, I intend to stage a situation where the anti-state forces turn the tables.”
Lakmos, having shattered the alliance, must be personally surveying the battlefield and receiving reports.
The variables were Hanbit's attack, which had set the forest ablaze, and the Legion of Madness, wreaking havoc
across the entire region. The consequences of this chaos were evident in the voices echoing from all directions.
“Those bastards of the Holy Kingdom, they really did have a hidden power!”
“These traitors, not content with a surprise attack, now use fire and even monsters…!”
The anti-state forces and the armies of Artua failed to identify the true nature of the newly appeared enemy.
As this was a battlefield created by betrayal, they merely mistook it for a hidden weapon held by the other side.
And the object that would drive the wedge into this confusion was the flag of the Holy Kingdom.
'Lachmos will get desperate, too.'
A betrayal driven by his own unilateral will. He
had made that decision convinced of the victory of Artua and the Nobles.
But what would happen if the anti-state forces—and the flag of the Holy Kingdom at that—suddenly covered the forest?
Wouldn't his vision go white at the thought that something had gone terribly wrong?
“First, let's split up and clear out the remaining forces. We need to deal with them all for the main quest to finish.”
“Understood.”
After a brief explanation, Avant-garde headed toward where the other troops were stationed.
Hanbit’s Legion of Madness had been returned to its original position to prevent any incidents.
“Do you think you’ll be safe like this! Do you know who I am, you lowly commoners!”
As they moved to a slightly distant spot, the bound Emeter burst into rage.
Haneul, who was keeping watch beside her, looked at her with a disgusted expression.
“Pathetic, isn’t it?”
“Yes. You don’t seem to understand the situation yet.”
“Of course you wouldn’t. After all, you were just a puppet to be used as a king.”
Hanbit looked at Emeter, who had slumped to the ground.
He glared and raised his voice.
“Who do you mean a puppet! I am the legitimate Crown Prince of the Raven Kingdom! You are not someone you dare lay a hand on! If you release me now, I will not order my execution…”
“Legitimate? You killed hundreds of your own people just because you were in a bad mood, didn’t you? You were kicked out the moment you were caught.”
“Ha! Those wretched fools are expendables to be replaced at any moment. How dare you compare your life to mine, a member of royalty!”
“Can’t we just kill him?”
Holding a dagger, Haneul lowered his stance and spoke coldly.
He was a man who would feel no guilt even if killed, but that choice had to be made by the King.
“Leave him alone. He will be punished by the laws of the Kingdom anyway.”
“Don’t make me laugh. You will not be able to take a single step out of this forest. Do you think you can defeat an army of 50,000? Can’t you see the flag of the Holy Kingdom over there!”
Emeter, holed up in the tent completely unaware of the situation,
pointed with his chin at the flag of the Holy Kingdom visible high up in the trees in the distance. He
had mistaken it for all allies.
“That is our force. I ordered them to hold the flag. Almost all of the troops who came with you are dead.”
“What a joke! How could you possibly…”
“You saw that Holy Kingdom guard earlier, he was dead, didn’t you?”
“Ugh…”
When asked while recalling Berdict, who had been guarding the barracks, Emeter's gaze wavered significantly.
Should one call this the fate of an NPC bound by a main quest the player failed?
In any case, with such a strong bodyguard dead, reality was bound to be grim.
“You bastard… who sent you? Is it Aldenius after all?”
Emeter gritted her teeth and uttered her brother’s name.
Deep hatred lay in her voice.
It was only natural, considering she regarded him as the enemy who had usurped her position.
“If that is the case, turn this way immediately. You know who the real power in the kingdom is, don't you? It is the House of Artois, the founding heroes. I will release them from their contract, and they will become my strength to establish a new throne. You are despicable, but considering your capabilities, I will give you a chance to serve me…”
“It was Artois and the nobles who attacked your army.”
“…What?”
Emeter wore a dumbfounded expression at the truth that had been blurted out.
These were the people called the ringleaders of the invading forces, hiding in the tents within the curtain.
Naturally, from the Holy Kingdom's perspective, they were treated as nothing more than mere props.
Since the Northern Lore Alliance also communicated directly with the Holy Kingdom, there was no reason for them to relay the situation on the ground to the tents.
Simply put, they were of no help.
“You expect me to believe such nonsense? My fiancée is in Artois. Do you think that family would throw away the first chance to become royalty?”
“What if the decision to betray was Lakmos’s own doing?”
“…Lakhos?”
Emeter’s expression changed when the name of the incompetent sword was mentioned.
Knowing full well what kind of person Lakmos was, no elaborate explanation was necessary.
“If you’ve grasped the situation, shut up. It’s a hassle to drag you along while you’re unconscious.”
“…….”
Emeter, her expression hardening, quietly closed her mouth.
It felt as though she could hear the sound of all sorts of thoughts swirling around inside her head.
“Lord Black Dragon, aren’t there any strong people on the Artois side? There are strong NPCs too, right?”
Haneul asked, as they advanced together, fighting through the remaining enemy forces.
He must have been curious if a knight of Verdict’s caliber existed among the knights of Artois.
“There are knights of the vanguard level, but not on Verdict’s level. They were probably all killed by the Legion of Madness.”
As befits the family of the founding hero, Artois has produced quite a few skilled individuals.
However, the people currently in the kingdom are, at best, at the level of the lower vanguard or lower.
They are insufficient to face Hanbit’s party and the Legion of Madness.
Of course, the investigators from Artois were on a different level.
Swish!
Splat!
Hanbit and Haneul, continuing to advance through the forest, dealt with quite a few enemies.
Now, there were far more corpses than living people.
“This is ridiculous…”
Emeter, who had been dragged along, had completely lost her will to fight.
I would be grateful if she just kept quiet.
‘Didn’t they even bring the Monster?’
The Monster, one of the Holy Kingdom’s weapons.
Even though they had lost Isis, it was possible to maintain at least a minimal level of skill.
However, it seemed they had not used it for the invasion of the royal capital.
Was it the confidence stemming from their 50,000 troops?
Or was it the arrogant judgment of the Holy Kingdom player?
[Time Remaining: 21 minutes 22 seconds]
Just over 20 minutes remaining until the quest was complete.
From now on, Hanbit’s power was no longer needed.
(Lord Black Dragon! There is a problem inside!)
Just then, Noeul’s voice was heard from the party voice chat.
On the shared screen, knights and soldiers were seen moving in a swarm.
They were the soldiers of Artois.
Hanbit, who had been observing the situation for some time, stopped in his tracks and said,
“Let’s go inside the royal capital.” With a whooshing sensation of teleportation enveloping his body, they arrived at the fortress walls.
Zenith , who had been waiting for Hanbit’s arrival, approached and spoke. “Lord Black Dragon, Artua has made a move.” Her expression, as she surveyed the situation inside and outside, was low and somber. The implication that Artua—or rather, Lakmos—had taken action. Zenith knew this all too well. “J-Zenith…?” Emeter, who had been hanging her head, opened her eyes wide. It was because Zenith, whom she had thought was dead, was standing right before her. “Ah, so you’ve already been captured.” She replied in a cold voice. But as if oblivious to such things, Emeter raised her voice. “Use that wits of yours quickly and save me! If we are defeated, you will never be able to avenge your dead family! Who but a king like me could possibly execute Artua!” He spat out a torrent of words. Her fiancé is from the House of Artois, and she intends to consolidate her power with them upon ascending the throne. In the process, it is you, Zenith, who will be executed without a trace. She believed that her true intentions had not been discovered. *Smack* —Zenith approached without a word and pulled a dagger from her bosom. “Fine! Release these bonds immediately! And explain to these fools…!” *Whoosh! * Instantly, Emeter’s gaze turned red.
And then, immense pain struck her left eye.
“Aaaargh!”
Emeter screamed, clutching her eye. Her
left pupil, severed by a sharp sword blade.
Watching this, Zenith tore off her clothes and immediately began to stop the bleeding.
“I will do my part here. As for the rest, you will pay for your crimes according to the laws of the kingdom.”
Having finished the appropriate treatment, she approached Hanbit again.
She looked as if she had simply completed a minor task.
“So, what do you intend to do?”
“The invading forces are almost completely dealt with. Let’s head to the royal palace now.”
“Understood.”
Hanbit used the ring again and headed to the royal reception room with the four of them.
The King and Leon were waiting there.
“…Brother?”
The King, who had been surveying the situation with his magic tool, sprang to his feet.
His gaze fell upon Emeter, clutching her eyelids and groaning.
“…Ah, Aldenius?”
Emeter, her eyes wandering, spotted the King.
He crawled over and grabbed his younger brother's trouser leg.
“Save me… please save me. This whole affair is the work of those scumbags from the Holy Kingdom and the House of Artois. My will was absolutely…”
At the tearful plea, the King’s expression turned bitter.
While watching this, an alarm rang in his ears.
Ding-
[Main Quest #7 completed.]
[Rewards are being increased to the maximum based on contribution and time taken to meet conditions.]
[11,000,000 Gold received.]
[50 Stat Points awarded.]
[Experience increased by 25,500,000.]
[Level increased by 2.]
[2 Stat Points awarded.]
[Progress rate increased significantly.]
The enemy forces had been completely wiped out by the reinforcements that had arrived at the Kingdom.
In other words, it meant that the military capabilities of not only the anti-state forces but also Artois and the nobles who sided with them had been annihilated.
And.
BANG-!
The entrance to the reception room smashed violently, revealing a group of knights and soldiers. Standing behind
them stood the incompetent sword, Lakmos.
'You came in quite a hurry.'
The knights and soldiers were in poor condition.
They had recklessly pushed through a trap set on the path leading to this secret space.
It was palpable how desperate they were, to the point where they failed to realize it was a pre-arranged lure.
The last remaining forces of Artua in the royal capital.
It was their final desperate struggle.
Ding-
[Main Quest #8: Execution]
You have eliminated all anti-state forces that invaded the kingdom.
You must now face Lakmos, the incompetent sword, who has appeared to cover up his failure.
Objective: Eliminate the knights and capture Lakmos.
Rewards: 4,000,000 Gold, 8,000,000 Experience, 15 Stat Points
*Current Progress: 92 percent
