CHAPTER 136…………………………………………………………………….
Light and Shadow
The reason Pope Lucarion decided to hold the deployment ceremony was that a large-scale troop movement had been observed in the Empire.
The strange thing was that their destination wasn’t the south, where the Papal Seat was…
“North…?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“Why… that’s unusual.”
“According to our analysis, the northern region harbors supporters of the Second Prince. It seems likely that while the Second Prince is away, they are being targeted to be eliminated…”
Pope Lucarion nodded at Dreivan’s cautious speculation.
It was widely known that the Second Prince was gathering support.
The northern region, which had been noisy about rebellion, had gone quiet, clearly connected to this.
Moreover, it seems they were also forming forces in the east this time, which would make them a thorn in the side of the First Prince.
“This works out perfectly.”
Pope Lucarion stretched his mouth into a wide smile.
The north was a distant and treacherous place.
And if the First Prince moved his troops, it meant he intended to completely wipe out the Second Prince’s forces.
He wouldn’t just gather a motley crew to boost numbers, nor would he move troops without even that.
A large-scale troop movement.
For Pope Lucarion, this was a golden opportunity.
Even if it wasn’t a war where victory mattered, it was advantageous to threaten the Empire as much as possible.
“We should bring the deployment ceremony forward.”
“If we do… how soon…?”
Pope Lucarion chuckled slyly.
“Let’s make it tomorrow. Inform the leaders of the various knight orders.”
“Understood, Your Holiness.”
“Ah, and… what about the Dawn Knights’ commander? Is he still in Norgil?”
“Yes, he is. But by now news must have reached Norgil too, yet there seems to be no significant movement.”
“Really?”
Lucarion tilted his head.
Knowing Valen’s personality, it was even more puzzling.
He should have rushed to Solanis immediately…
To prevent that, shadow knights had been deliberately assigned to intercept him before reaching Solanis.
If the Dawn Knights gathered around him, it could become uncontrollable.
“…Are you sure? The commander of the Dawn Knights wouldn’t stay quiet.”
“The last report indicated so, but since you mention it, we’ll position knights along the way.”
“Good. Send them as an elite unit.”
“I will go personally as well.”
“Very well. Do that.”
“Then…”
Dreivan bowed respectfully and disappeared into the darkness of the shadows.
Pope Lucarion exhaled deeply and looked at the worshippers gathered in the plaza.
“Now… nothing can stop it… Hehe… hehehe…”
The sound was so sinister it was hard to imagine it came from a man who worships God.
From Norgil to Solanis took a full five days.
“How did you manage to traverse that distance with magic?”
“I can go even farther, you know?”
“I’m not dismissing it, just… amazed.”
“I know.”
Leonis shook his head at my smugness as if to say, really?
For teleportation and other space-related magic, the most important thing isn’t distance—it’s the exact location.
Coordinates.
“I had to use it in a hurry, so I couldn’t set the coordinates precisely.”
“Then can’t we just teleport to Solanis?”
Valen, who had been listening beside us, suddenly interjected.
His eyes, though aged, sparkled with curiosity and interest.
“We could, but it would require time to recover mana. Will you buy us that time?”
“Against the Pope’s knights? Impossible.”
Valen laughed heartily and slammed his hammer down.
“Don’t bother the horses.”
So we procured horses in Norgil and headed toward Solanis.
“Once we get out of this forest…?!”
Rival, leading the path, leaned forward sharply.
The ground that had seemed solid just moments ago collapsed as Rival’s horse’s hooves struck it.
“Rival!”
“It’s a trap!”
Before the horse could stop—
Bam!
Dark knights surged from both sides of the forest.
“Shadow Knights!”
“Ronan!”
“I know!”
Valen immediately drew his hammer and charged at the shadow knights.
Ronan drew his sword and protected Leonis’ side.
“<Primordial Wind, Breath of the Verdant, come and strike at me>!”
I quickly completed the spell.
“!”
A violent wind swirled around me.
The startled horses reared.
But the Shadow Knights didn’t just raise their heads.
Clang-clang! The slicing wind scraped against their swords and armor mercilessly.
“What…?!”
“A mage!”
“Be on guard!”
The charging knights stepped back, creating distance.
“Their method of handling mages is flawed.”
“They’ve never faced a real one.”
“This works to our advantage.”
In the meantime, Leonis joined me, and Ronan covered the opposite side against Valen.
Valen naturally moved closer to us.
“If you were going to ambush, you should’ve done it properly!”
“Didn’t you at least reduce one of them?”
Among the surrounding shadow knights, a rugged man stepped forward.
“Long time no see, Sir Valen.”
“Dreivan… so you’ve become the captain of the Shadow Knights?”
“That’s correct.”
“Ah, that explains it… I noticed the Shadow Knights’ level has dropped.”
Valen chuckled and provoked Dreivan, whose brows twitched.
“So there was a reason, huh.”
“You’re calm.”
Shrrrk.
Dreivan drew a massive greatsword.
Its blade glowed with the same golden holiness as the other knights.
“Do you think you can survive against us?”
“Why? You think I can’t?”
“Unless there are more Dawn Knights’ paladins…”
Dreivan sneered at me and Ronan.
“You’ve lived long, so I assume no regrets. I’ll send you to your master soon enough.”
“Master?”
“…?!”
At that moment, Rival, who had survived the trap, leapt forward.
He scattered golden holy light from his sword among the Shadow Knights.
Kahng!
Clashing swords spread golden light everywhere.
“This guy…!”
“Ha ha! The dawn will rise!”
Simultaneously, Valen charged the Shadow Knights.
The paladins stabbed and swung their weapons, but Valen’s hammer shattered the encirclement.
Watching this, Dreivan roared:
“Kill them!”
The ten or so Shadow Knights surrounding us charged simultaneously.
“Hold them off.”
I instructed Ronan and increased the mana circulation speed in my circle.
“It’ll be over soon.”
Dreivan’s gaze had turned cold.
…No variables.
The ambush failed, but it didn’t matter.
This was an elite strike force of the Shadow Knights.
Those with the most intense holiness among the Shadow Knights.
They shone within the black darkness, their faith unwavering.
No matter Valen or his disciples, they couldn’t defeat all of them.
Indeed, the young paladin struggled against the Shadow Knights.
Surviving the trap was commendable, but he was still inexperienced.
Against the Shadow Knights, seasoned veterans who had endured all the hardships of the order, it was too soon.
On the other hand…
Crack!
“Ha ha! Come at me!”
“Ugh…!”
“As expected… the commander of the Dawn Knights…!”
Valen’s side was not struggling against the Shadow Knights.
Though aged, his body seemed untouched by time.
Most importantly, his holiness shone from faith in his beliefs and actions.
Among the others, no knight could match him.
…Looks like I’ll have to face him. But first—
Rival.
Dreivan sprang forward, targeting the blond mage, Esric.
He remembered Esric’s spatial magic in the saintess’ chapel vividly.
Moreover, it was Esric’s magic that had stopped the ambush.
Dreivan concluded that unless he dealt with Esric, he couldn’t focus on confronting Valen.
Leonis’ guardsmen tried to intercept him as he charged at the mage.
As he drew closer, I saw his lips move:
“<Spreading lightning, chain it together, pierce the enemies>.”
…Magic?
Pointless.
Dreivan enveloped his entire body with the holiness that only Shadow Knights could wield.
“.”
Golden holiness spread, protecting Dreivan.
A divine shield granted only to those who claimed the Sun’s shadow, defending paladins from external attacks.
…No matter how strong your magic is, it cannot pierce my holiness!
With firm faith, Dreivan closed the distance to the mage.
The moment his greatsword reached Esric—
Whoosh!
He swung the greatsword toward Esric’s head.
Right before it hit—
“.”
Blue lightning arced from Esric’s fingertips.
Crack! The lightning turned golden and pierced Dreivan’s chest as he swung.
No chance…?!
Pain surged, muscles twisted.
was stripped away in an instant.
…Impossible?!
While Dreivan grimaced, frozen,
Fzzzt!
Lightning pierced his holiness and spread in all directions.
“Ugh—!”
“Wha…?!”
“C-c-ck?!”
The lightning struck all ten Shadow Knights.
The elite Shadow Knights trembled and fell to the ground.
Only one remained standing…
“The captain, indeed.”
Only Dreivan was left.
“He endured this.”
“Ugh, ugh!”
Gritting his teeth at Esric mocking him, Dreivan tried to swing his greatsword again…
Thud.
“…?!”
The sky flipped upside down.
Below, a guardsman protecting Leonis’ face reflected briefly.
Plop.
Dreivan didn’t realize he had died until his head hit the ground.
“Nice.”
I gave a thumbs-up to Ronan, who had swung his sword.
He scoffed and sheathed his sword.
“Thank… you.”
Rival, surrounded by Shadow Knights, came over and bowed.
“Thanks to you, I survived.”
“Since I held them off, it was easier to use magic.”
Even without him, I could have used magic, but it wasn’t entirely false.
“Truly remarkable!”
How many heads had been crushed in just a short while?
Valen approached, blood on his face and armor.
“Targeting only them precisely… and removing Dreivan’s holiness as well. Not lacking in faith, this one.”
“From this ambush, they’re clearly on alert.”
“Then there’s no reason to delay. Sir Rival, come with me.”
Leonis pressed closely into the saddle.
“Then excuse me.”
Rival mounted Leonis’ horse, and Ronan mounted his again.
Valen also retrieved his horse…
“…Why are you carrying that?”
He pointed at Dreivan’s head.
Valen let out a dry chuckle.
“It’s a gift, a gift.”
“…Huh?”
“What the heck is…?”
We all shook our heads as Valen nearly hummed a tune while hoisting Dreivan’s head onto his horse.
…It seems magic isn’t the only thing that’s broken in this world.
