Chapter 118
Silent cheers and quiet joy enveloped the Baies Fortress.
It was the ecstasy of victory, the scream of awe, and the hymn of the saved.
In front of the blood-soaked gates, soldiers covered in dust, sweat, and blood looked at Dante and Acrasion with shining eyes.
No fear remained in their expressions.
Instead, there was faith.
“Long live Lord Dante!”
Someone shouted at the top of their lungs.
And soon, it spread like wildfire.
“Long live Acrasion!”
“Long live Lord Dante!”
On the walls, soldiers still tense, holding bows and standing guard, reddened their eyes.
Just a few hours ago, there had been no hope.
They had thought they would die at this very spot under the endless tide of enemies.
But not now.
They had survived.
And the miracle that allowed this survival was none other than Dante and Acrasion.
“Wahaha!”
“Did you see those filthy barbarians running away?”
“How many arrows did I bury in the backs of those bastards!”
“We won! We won, you bastards!”
The soldiers all shouted in unison.
Dante looked at them and slowly began walking.
‘I should step away to rest.’
If he stayed there, they would shout all day and surely exhaust themselves.
Disappearing quickly from their sight was helping them.
Boom, boom, boom!
The soldiers stomped their feet in sync with Dante’s movement.
It was the greatest respect they could show.
Even as Dante watched, he did not respond.
Not for any particular reason.
It was simply…
“Embarrassed, huh?”
“Ahem!”
Jionhak’s sharp remark and Mileon’s cough were heard at the same time.
“It’s about time you got used to this. Our captain is still embarrassed by this.”
“…Shut up.”
Dante frowned as he spoke, but naturally, it did not affect Jionhak.
Instead, with a sly smile as if he had caught him well, he slowly approached.
“How about waving your hand? They’re cheering like that. You can at least do that, right?”
What would the soldiers of a frontline fortress have to laugh and cheer about?
It probably hadn’t happened for years.
Dante admitted that part.
The northern border, adjoining the Kingdom of Caldion, had also been a battlefield full of countless fights, if not as much as the Derkan Plains.
Naturally, it had been filled with tension and restraint rather than laughter and cheers.
Dante quietly observed the soldiers waving their spears and swords and shouting, then finally spoke.
“Not now.”
“What?”
Jionhak’s smile deepened.
“Later.”
Fixing his gaze on the soldiers, Dante continued.
“After a complete victory, then we’ll consider it.”
With that, he quickly moved forward.
Mileon and Elaine swiftly followed his sides like bodyguards.
The red cape fluttered in the wind, almost covering the Baies Fortress.
At the sight, the soldiers shouted even louder, and even the wounded crawled forward, bowing their heads while clutching their injuries.
A path was created for Dante and Acrasion.
‘Yes, later.’
Once the threat of Caldion was completely eliminated.
Once all traces of the war demon were removed.
By then…
‘It should be fine to wave my hand once.’
Dante forced his blushing face to remain calm as he walked on.
“…What’s going on here?”
Trisiel blinked, looking at the people blocking the way.
She had been slowly heading toward Baies Fortress with Aina when suddenly about thirty people appeared.
“Barbarians?”
Aina quietly whispered, moving her horse behind Trisiel.
It made sense. Their attire was far from imperial.
“Leather?”
Armor made of what seemed to be animal hides, wide swords, and rough appearances.
Clearly, they were not from the Empire.
“Are they warriors of Caldion?”
Trisiel crossed her arms and asked.
Judging by their appearance, they were probably remnants—retreating after taking a beating from Dante and Acrasion and ending up heading the wrong way toward the Empire.
Trisiel looked at them with disdain.
“You…!”
One of the warriors grit his teeth and pointed his sword at Trisiel.
Though they exuded a fierce aura, they were strangely unsteady, as if facing a truly terrifying opponent.
“Those armors and cloaks!”
“They’re allies of those monsters!”
“Kill them!”
“I’ll tear them apart!”
Hearing the sudden shouts, Trisiel roughly understood the situation.
‘They must have seen our captain.’
They had fled in fear, only to run into them.
Could luck be this bad? Trisiel sighed.
“I’m not really looking to fight. I’ll let you go, so return quietly to your country.”
She had no desire to fight warriors who had fled from Dante.
After all, they were remnants who had given up on battle.
‘And Aina is here.’
She didn’t want to get dragged into trouble.
But things didn’t go as she hoped.
“Are you part of that knight order?”
Thud—.
Heavy footsteps approached as several walked forward.
They were different from the mere shouting remnants.
“…Great warriors?”
Surprisingly, they were Caldion’s great warriors, treated on par with imperial knights.
And there were five of them.
Not easy.
Trisiel instinctively reached for her sword.
“Answer my question.”
One of them, radiating strong mana, spoke in a voice full of murderous intent.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
Trisiel sighed and replied.
“Probably right?”
A grin spread across her face.
If you are at a disadvantage before the fight even starts, it’s over.
Already in a difficult situation, being defensive would only bring more loss.
“I see.”
The great warrior nodded and stomped the ground.
Crack—!
The ground cracked as his figure surged forward with incredible speed.
But Trisiel, already prepared, calmly drew her sword.
“Step back.”
She told Aina and swung her sword.
Screeeech—!
Blades clashed head-on, producing a piercing metallic sound.
The impact unleashed a massive shockwave.
“Kyah!”
Aina, moving her horse with Trisiel’s command, screamed briefly.
The great warrior’s attack had been too fast to avoid.
Trisiel gritted her teeth and pushed her mana to the limit.
‘Now is not the time to hold back!’
If they targeted Aina, it would be disastrous.
Whooosh-!
Her sword wildly surged, deflecting the great warrior’s blade.
Kraaaang—!
The ground split with the explosive force.
“Ugh!”
The great warrior, unable to withstand the power, retreated with a groan.
“Hit them all!”
“She’s just a little girl!”
“Compared to that monster, she’s nothing!”
Bang—!
A vein popped on Trisiel’s forehead.
Yes, she was young.
And yes, compared to the monster Dante, she was insignificant.
‘Not wrong, but…!’
Still, it made her blood boil.
“Do they know who I am?!”
Cold energy emanated from Trisiel’s sword.
“Today, they’ll all die.”
Special Trait Activated: Ice Flower.
In the midsummer north, a single ice flower blooms.
So cold that just looking at it freezes the eyes—a deadly flower.
“Watch out!”
The great warriors screamed in shock.
They could never have imagined Trisiel activating her trait.
But it was too late to warn them.
Swish—!
The sword moved, leaving frost along its path.
Crackle—, crackle—!
Three attacking warriors had their chests shattered, and one great warrior’s neck was severed.
No bleeding.
Even their blood froze, turning into white crystals.
In an instant, four were dead.
The warriors’ legs froze.
Even without the ice flower touching them, their morale froze cold.
The only thing to break this was the shout of the strongest great warrior.
“Five of you, catch the fleeing girl, the rest follow me!”
Flinch—!
Trisiel’s face twisted.
The feared scenario had happened.
If they tried to use Aina as leverage, Trisiel had no way out.
She could either give up on her or herself.
Neither choice was acceptable.
‘No!’
Biting her lips, Trisiel leapt from her horse.
Determined to let no one behind her escape.
Her thin sword began to dance like madness.
Krrrrashhh—!
The charging warriors fell and were obliterated.
Even their throats froze solid, unable to scream.
Yet they still charged, trying desperately to reach Trisiel and capture Aina, as if that were the only way to survive.
“These bastards!”
She swung her sword in fury.
Screeeech—!
Blocked.
The remaining great warriors all engaged, defending against her sword.
“Ugh!”
“Gghhh!”
Three died as a result.
Only one great warrior remained.
“Hehehe—.”
But instead of despair, he laughed.
While Trisiel dealt with the great warriors, a few other warriors were approaching Aina.
At this rate…
‘No!’
Trisiel’s eyes widened.
“I don’t know why Caldion’s remnants have come this far.”
At the same time, a deep, old voice echoed from the sky.
Roooaaaarrrrr—!
A massive flame surged upward, reducing the warriors rushing toward Aina to ashes.
It was magic.
