Chapter 332: The Great Warring Period (13)

“Count Crew Hail, please don’t take a single step away from this place.”

Holy Knights wearing ornamented silver armours and a purple ribbon around them had stiff expressions as they gave a command in the form of a request.

“I, I understand. You’re the only ones I can believe in.”

Trembling his entire body, Crew repeatedly gave nods. Then, he rested himself by sitting down on the bed as he heaved out a deep sigh.

“If, if the Seventh Imperial Prince comes and cuts my neck…”

Before his wholehearted acting could finish,

“Such a thing will never happen. Tens of Holy Knights are protecting this bedroom and the area outside without not even a single room for mice to go unnoticed.”

The Holy Knight shook his head with a smile.

‘A truly fainthearted bloke.’

Ridicule was apparent in his two eyes.

It was then.

“Who are you!”

The corridor outside the bedroom turned rowdy. Hearing that, Crew shrank his body in and formed a frightened expression.

“Lucia Empire Army’s First Regiment Leader, Bennis. I came running as I feared for Grand Commander’s safety!”

It was a powerful yet urgent voice.

“Ohh! The First Regiment Leader is here!”

Crew heard the voice flowing into the bedroom and stood up on the spot with joy. However, the Holy Knights inside the bedroom were prudent in their actions.

“Please wait for a bit.”

Baynun, who was pretty much the leader amongst the current Holy Knights opened the door with a slightly tense expression.

“Bring the First Regiment Leader here.”

In response to his words, the Holy Knights that had been standing in a row outside the room brought a middle-aged man who had a deeply-lowered decorative helmet on. Instead of bringing, it was more correct to say that they dragged him there.

“Count Hail. Is this the First Regiment Leader of your country?”

Facing Crew, Baynun asked with a low voice. His right was moving towards the sword hanging on his waist before anyone could realise as a suffocating tension instantaneously filled the area. However, the tension that seemed to be resembling a tight rope was broken all too easily.

“He is! He is the First Regiment Leader of our Empire’s army! Hahaha!”

Crew let out a laugh as he gave claps. In that instant, the previously tense Holy Knights let out deep sighs of relief before quickly gesturing to each other with their eyes. The Holy Knights released Bennis’ arms which they had a tight hold on and only then did Bennis enter the bedroom as he knelt down on one knee.

“I was a bit late.”

Hearing that, Crew returned an awkward smile and a nod.

“You truly were. I was worried that you might not be coming.”

An oddly polite tone left his mouth as a light of relief appeared on his face. Meanwhile, the Holy Knights closed the door tight and once again stood on guard. The ones inside the room were five – not too many and not too little. They did not care too much about Crew and Bennis’s chat as Crew’s coward-like appearance lowered their guards a little.

“There’s no way.”

Bennis gave a grin as he got rid of the helmet. His face having a humoured expression was revealed under the broad daylight.

“Uh?!”

One of the Holy Knights formed a startled expression after seeing Bennis’ bare face. It was an extremely familiar face, and was definitely a face that was included in one of the portraits which they had memorised off by heart a few days ago.

“What’s wrong?”

With a frown, Baynun followed the Holy Knight’s gaze and looked at Bennis’ face.

“Hmm?!”

In that instant, his expression turned stiff because he too knew Bennis’ face all too well. In an instant, a person’s name surfaced in his head.

“Reil Baker?”

His voice trembled towards the end. Bennis, who placed the helmet down on the ground, formed a smile and gave a shrug with his shoulders.

“Ohh! You know me? It seems that I’m more famous than I thought.”

A humoured tone filled the bedroom and echoed away. Lucia Empire Army First Regiment Leader Bennis, he was actually Viscount Reil Baker who had infiltrated the Church after receiving a secret command from Roan.

“H, how are you here…”

Baynun’s voice slightly quivered and a look of disbelief was revealed on his face. His gaze then connected onto Crew.

“Count Hail. What in the world is this all about?”

Crew, who had been wearing a frightened look until just then, gave a bright smile and slightly tilted his head.

“What is this about?… Well, something good.”

As soon as his words ended.

Taat!

Reil kicked off the ground and dashed in at the Holy Knights. His body moved at the speed of lightning.

“Huhuk!”

“Damn!”

The Holy Knights immediately took a few steps back and reached out to their waists. It was to unsheathe their swords, while buying some time until they could call their comrades standing outside the room.

However, Reil’s movement was a lot faster and more agile than they expected.

Paak! Pabak!

Reil’s fist bisected the dimension as it struck their necks. Its trajectory was extremely deft that they could not even dodge the fists properly and they lost their consciousness. As their bodies fell, Crew, who had been remaining silent, quickly walked up and gently supported the Holy Knights. While making sure not to create any noise, he laid them on the ground next to the bed.

In the blink of an eye, Reil completely suppressed five Holy Knights.

“Huu. Bare fisted martial art is quite useful, I see.”

After giving a smile at Crew, he casually shook his hands off. Then, he once again faced Crew and slightly lowered his head.

“Let me officially introduce myself again. I am Reil Baker of the Amaranth Kingdom.”

“I have long heard news of Viscount Reil Baker, the genius of spearmanship. I am Crew Hail of the Lucian Empire.”

Wearing a smile, Crew lowered his head back.

‘To think that the reinforcement mentioned by His Majesty Lancephil was Viscount Reil Baker…’

Inwardly, he couldn’t hide his astonishment. He thought that it would at most be a few knights and never did he imagine that it would be a noble of the kingdom, let alone Reil who was widely known.

‘That’s how important a task this is but…’

Heaving out a deep breath, Crew looked at Reil.

“What should we do now?”

It wasn’t that he had no plans whatsoever. He was asking Reil to see if he had alternate plans and just as he had expected, Reil took out two long containers that were each the size of a finger.

Before anything, he took out a circular egg which was similar to a pea in terms of size from the white container.

“Take this first. It is an anti-poison pill which was made by our Alchemy Department.”

“Anti-poison as in that it is a pill that protects against poison?”

Crew asked back in surprise. Giving a slight nod, Reil first swallowed one of the anti-poison pills and then, he opened the black container to pull out a marble which had the size of a fingernail.

“Inside this marble, there is a poison that induces slumber. If this is broken, a sleep-inducing fog will escape.”

“Ah…”

Immediately, Crew understood Reil’s words.

“And if you take the anti-poison pill, you won’t get affected by the sleepy fog.”

“That is correct. On the other hand, those that do not take the medicine will all enter a deep sleep as soon as they take the smoke in.”

For a short period of time, Crew’s pupils flashed in a strange light.

“With a weapon like that, we might be able to end this war rather easily.”

He seemed excited but Reil soon shook his head with a bitter smile hanging on his lips.

“Unfortunately… This sleepy fog is weak and only shows its power in small narrow places. Its time of effect is also short and more than anything, it is extremely difficult to make the anti-poison pill. If we use it during a war, it might result in a greater loss for our allies.”

“Ah… so there is that problem, I see.”

Soon, Crew nodded to show his understanding and swallowed one of the pills as there was no need to waste any more time after solving his doubts. Wearing a smile, Reil chucked the poisonous marble.

Slam!

Along with a thud, the marble cracked as a thick sleep-inducing fog rose up. In front of that bizarre scene, Reil shouted from the bottom of his lungs.

“Damn! Help! An attack! It’s an attack!”

Soon after, Crew also let out a pained scream.

“Uaaaaaaak!”

Loud urgent voices flowed out of the bedroom and the moment they did, the door was pushed wide open as the Holy Knights guarding the outside dashed into the room. Despite the heavy fog covering the area near the entrance, they walked in without a doubt because they thought that it was because the room was either on fire or that it was due to a smoke grenade.

“Uuk!”

“Mhmm?”

Thanks to that, the Holy Knights that entered the room after vigorously entering the room collapsed and fainted without even realising what was happening to them. They entered a deep slumber, with not a single exception.

Dozens of Holy Knights all lost their consciousness in a split second while Reil and Crew, who consumed anti-poison pills appeared normal just as always.

“This is amazing.”

Seeing the effect of the poisonous fog which surpassed his imaginations, Crew showed his admiration but on the other hand, there was a slightly rushed light inside Reil’s eyes.

“The effect immediately dies down once the fog weakens. We must move right now.”

“Ah! Yes. I understand.”

Crew came to himself, as he gave a nod. The first one to move was Reil who left the bedroom with quick steps while Crew immediately followed after him.

“Then now…”

With a very soft voice, Reil whispered.

“Should we go rescue Lancephil?”

Hearing that, Crew nodded with a smile.

His words weren’t wrong.

Saving Io Lancephil was the same as saving Roan Lancephil. The two of them diligently carried their steps in order to save the two Lancephils.

Battles weren’t limited to battlefields.

*****

The Gold Dragon, Europas was perfect in all fronts. At least he was close to being perfect.

His ability and personality were perfect while his heart was also warm and clear. It was to the point that the mad Black Dragon Lunark, who looked down on both the Divine and the Demon World let alone the Middle World, also didn’t dare treat him with disrespect.

And the gift given by that Europas before using the Impencia spell was his lair, which had been used from the day of his birth to his death.

Europas’ lair was the only place where Astrum, the core ingredient of Tempestas, could be mined and was also filled with all sorts of precious treasures, weapons and objects.

As he had been the Dragon Lord for a long time, his lair was at least three times greater than those of other dragons and even dragons could never enter it without permission. It was also by this reason that Lunark, who had entered with greed, had been caught in a trap.

Since Kalian was well aware of this, he had set the location of the teleportation spell to the entrance of the lair instead of the inside.

And the only being that could now enter Europas’ lair was Roan. Thus, even Kalian, the one that actually conveyed his will, was also unaware of what was inside the large lair, as well as the arrangements left behind.

There was no way to check it, as he wasn’t even allowed entry. It was just that he was following it without a single doubt because it was a plan made by Europas.

Same was the case for Roan.

What Kalian couldn’t discover obviously couldn’t be seen through by Roan, and the only thing he could do was to lay his hand on top of the tightly sealed large gates.

The moment he did, an extremely bright golden light befell his body. It was so bright that Kalian’s Tears could not stop it.

“Hmm.”

By relying on the sharply toned five senses, he felt the bright golden light vanish from his surroundings and slowly opened his eyes.

“Ah…”

In that instant, a low mutter escaped through his lips.

It was a new world. A scenery that had never been seen or heard of before unravelled before his eyes.

‘Because it was called a lair, I was imagining a place similar to a cave but…’

There were no caves.

Above his head, there spread a blue sky clearer and bluer than anything he had seen before. Plus, there were clear rivers and forests, wide grasslands as well as tall mountains with their tops covered in white snow, inside the lair.

What was more surprising was the fact that everything was an extremely dense accumulation of mana.

‘A single sip of the river water would be enough to fill my body up with mana.’

Roan was baffled and wearing an absentminded expression, he carried his steps.

It was then.

Paat!

Above the vast grassland appeared a hazy form. The form wobbled like wind before finally becoming clear.

“Ah…”

Roan let out another gasp as he immediately understood the identity of that hazy form.

‘Europas.’

The clear shape of a being that had risen above the grasslands was that of a large dragon with its body covered in golden scales. Although it was his first time seeing it, he could instinctively sense that it was Europas.

‘Is it magic? Or perhaps sorcery?’

Looking at Europas, Roan tilted his head.

<Nice to meet you. Chosen one.>

That was when Europas, who he thought was merely a fake imitation greeted him. Roan, with a slight frown on his forehead, glanced at the surroundings in caution before carefully opening his mouth.

“It is an honour to see a great being. I am…”

Before his words ended.

<Roan Lancephil, right?>

Europas continued from his words.

“Hmm?”

Roan widened his two eyes in surprise. He wasn’t expecting the ghost-like form of Europas to be able to share a conversation.

<There is no need to be surprised. Dragons’ magics cannot be judged by human standards.>

Without a word, Roan merely nodded his head.

<Since there is no time, let me go straight to the point.>

Europas appeared rather rushed.

<Roan Lancephil. You…..>

A magnificent voice shook Roan’s head as a completely unexpected array of words smashed his eardrums.

<You are imprisoned here.>

Roan widened his two eyes.

“What?!”

It was a natural reaction. Europas, with a stiffened expression, repeated the same words again.

<You, are imprisoned here.>

In that instant, a strange silence covered the lair.

The silence was heavy. But even within the silence, time flew across like the wind.

<The Great Warring Period (13)> End.