Chapter 114
Judging by the flags, there were a total of five kingdoms that had come to provide reinforcements. Even if each sent only 200 soldiers, that made at least a thousand. It was more than enough manpower to overwhelm the Grand Duke’s forces, who were at a numerical disadvantage.
In response, Amelia pulled Kyle—who had been bound as a hostage—closer to her side.
“I have the Emperor. Everyone, lay down your weapons peacefully.”
However, the deal between the Emperor and the kingdoms was not about Kyle’s safety or his life. Their primary task was to dispatch troops and strike the Grand Duke’s side. In other words, the hostage was effectively useless.
Moreover, amid the soldiers surging forward like crashing waves, her voice could not be heard properly. She panicked and floundered, and Kyle’s complexion looked no better than hers.
Although it was called a joint deployment, there had been no proper combined training, so it was hard to expect coordinated movement. Each group had its own leader, so they moved independently. But since most of the Emperor’s troops on the battlefield had already fallen, the Grand Duke’s forces inevitably became the target.
The soldiers pouring in quickly identified the enemy. At the very least, five men clung to each individual target and began to lead the fight. Strong swordsmen like Raymond handled it with ease, and most of them were skilled enough that it wasn’t a major problem—but not everyone was a seasoned fighter. There were also somewhat clumsy knights like Eden. A five-to-one fight was not something an ordinary person could manage. As expected, situations quickly arose where they were pushed back and forced to flee.
‘This is really bad. What should I do?’
I could no longer guarantee my own safety. Poseidon was dodging well, but I couldn’t keep relying on a horse’s evasive ability forever. I dismounted from Poseidon and looked over the fallen enemies, searching for a weapon I might be able to use.
A longsword was out of the question. With my lack of skill, I might end up cutting myself instead of the enemy. Daggers were too short. Ah—this would do! I picked up a hammer with a thick, long handle and a blunt head. Using my strength, I could at least manage some defense.
Whoosh.
“Aileen.”
Just then, the wind stirred and Nyan appeared beside me. Urgency was etched across his face.
“I’ve surveyed the battlefield, but the situation isn’t good.”
“Is it very bad?”
“At present, they’re holding up fairly well, but only just. In the end, because of the numerical disadvantage, their stamina will give out first.”
Compared to that rabble, the Grand Duke’s side was clearly more skilled. But as Nyan said, there was no answer to sheer numbers. Growing anxious, I looked at Raymond. He was cutting down the enemies rushing at him with ease, but the number of enemies kept increasing exponentially.
“If it comes to it, I’ll have to step in.”
Nyan bit down hard on his lower lip as he stared at the battlefield. If he were to be deployed, the Empire, the kingdoms, and even the Mage Tower would all be mixed together—true chaos would break loose. But we couldn’t just stand by and watch the Grand Duke’s forces get crushed, so the dilemma was immense.
“But, Aileen.”
“Yes?”
“What is that?”
“This? A hammer… I think?”
I answered uncertainly since he was asking about something obvious. But that didn’t seem to be the point of his question.
“Why are you holding it?”
“To protect myself.”
“Ah.”
“That’s extremely threatening,” Nyan muttered softly, just barely audible.
Does he not realize how strong I am? If I swung it and hit someone, it would hurt like hell.
Even in such a dire situation, he was joking—I found myself newly impressed by his personality.
That was when it happened.
The clear sky began to darken.
As a massive shadow fell over the ground, I looked up, thinking storm clouds were gathering—only to see something unexpected. What covered the sky like clouds was a flock of tens of thousands of birds.
“Aren’t those birds?!”
Nyan asked me in shock. They looked like birds to me too, so it didn’t seem like my eyes were deceiving me, but I was just as confused. As I stood there dumbfounded, a familiar sound reached my ears.
“Hoot.”
“Okhee!”
Encountering an owl in broad daylight was extremely rare. Come to think of it, Okhee was flying at the very front of the flock. When I called its name, it changed direction and descended toward me.
The others also began to draw closer to the ground—but not to approach humans in a friendly way like Okhee. The birds began attacking the allied forces of the Imperial army and the kingdom troops, deliberately excluding the Grand Duke’s side.
“Aaah! What on earth is this?!”
“Where did all these birds come from—agh! My hair, stop it!”
The allied forces fell into utter panic, screaming as their hair was yanked out or their scalps were stabbed by sharp beaks.
“How could this happen…!”
As Nyan and I stared with our mouths agape, Okhee crossed its wings, puffed out its chest, and shook its shoulders. Anyone could tell it was proud of itself.
But the surprises didn’t end there.
“Aaah!”
“Someone save me!”
This time, screams erupted from far away. Nyan made a telescope with his hands and began reporting what he saw.
“Animals are joining in and attacking the allied army.”
“What? Animals?”
Animals—out of nowhere?
Then Nyan gave an astonishing answer.
“Yes. Bears, tigers, wolves, ostriches, monkeys, deer—there’s quite a variety.”
“What on earth is going on?”
The examples only made it more bewildering. I could accept the birds helping because of Okhee, but what about the animals?
“That one seems to be their leader.”
“Who?”
“The light fox that escaped from the Mage Tower.”
“Oh, Gwangho!”
I snatched Nyan’s fist-telescope and held it up to my eyes. He obligingly maintained the awkward pose. Just as Nyan said, Gwangho stood at the center of the animals, bringing down the allied troops.
“Wow. I can’t believe this!”
“It seems they’re repaying a debt.”
Nyan looked at me and smiled warmly. I didn’t know what made him so happy, but he was beaming.
Right. We’ve got reinforcements too now! My mood lifted, and I grinned along with him.
“I should lend some strength to our little soldiers.”
Nyan raised a hand glowing with light. The light whirled around the birds’ and animals’ bodies, sparkled, and then vanished.
“What did you do?”
“A buff. It’d be troublesome if an investigation started after using it on people, but birds and animals are fine. It would be hard to gather scattered wild creatures again for questioning. They’re perfectly suitable troops who appeared at just the right time.”
The moment he finished speaking, changes began to occur. The cute support troops that had received the buff started transforming into something terrifying.
The birds grew larger, their beaks becoming sharper, while the animals bulked up into massive, muscular forms with huge, razor-sharp teeth. They looked less like animals and more like dinosaurs.
The change wasn’t just in appearance.
Bird attacks that had required several pecks now drew blood from a single strike to the crown of the head. When a wolf charged and bit, the enemy would often be knocked unconscious in one blow. Their strength matched their fearsome looks.
The scene unfolding before my eyes felt like a dream.
For me, it was a dream of hope. For them, it was a living nightmare. The nature of the dream was completely different, but a dream nonetheless.
‘Okhee is the hero of this wedding revolution.’
I was completely overwhelmed with emotion. Turning such a dire situation around—this was an enormous favor to me.
It was then, as I stood staring ahead with my mouth hanging open, that it happened.
I failed to notice that Chief Attendant Keln had come up very close behind me while I was watching the battlefield. I only realized it when he was just a few steps away, charging with a shout of “Hyaah!”
Even Nyan, excited from casting buffs, didn’t notice. As a result, I was only a moment away from being struck by the blunt weapon Keln swung at me. Instinctively, I covered my head and curled up.
At that moment, a figure leapt between Keln and me.
“Aileen! It’s dangerous!”
The one who shouted and stepped forward was Diel Livingston. He was struck by Keln’s blunt weapon in my stead and fell to the side.
“Gasp. Diel.”
“Tch. Damn it! To interfere at a time like this.”
The chief attendant looked thoroughly venomous. Having just become chief attendant and finally grasped power, he was probably the one who most desperately wanted Kyle’s Empire to remain intact—more so even than Kyle himself. Kyle, after all, looked half-bewitched by Amelia, as if he could barely think at all.
“How dare you aim for Aileen!”
Enraged, Nyan turned around and unleashed light. The light coiled around Keln’s body like vines, wrapping him tightly from shoulders to legs and crushing him.
“Gah!”
Keln let out a pained scream as his entire body was constricted, but Nyan showed no sign of loosening his grip. Looking closely, his eyes were half-mad.
“Nyan. Stop it!”
I shouted to restrain him. I didn’t care whether Keln lived or died after targeting my life, but it would be problematic if Nyan—the next Master of the Mage Tower—killed someone. Thankfully, my shout reached him, and Nyan released his power at that moment. Freed from the light, Keln collapsed on the spot from the pain of the constriction.
I hurried to check Diel’s condition. It was a huge relief that Keln’s weapon hadn’t been a sword. Diel had only dark bruises from the impact, with no serious injuries. With Nyan’s help, I created a healing potion and poured it over his shoulder. As if time itself were reversing, the injury melted away and healed.
“No matter how many times I see it, this is always amazing.”
Nyan murmured in admiration as he watched the treatment closely. Diel, who had been groaning in pain, looked visibly brighter once the pain faded. When the healing was finished, I offered him my heartfelt thanks.
“Diel, thank you. You jumped in to save me.”
“It’s nothing. I owe you a great debt from before, Aileen.”
Diel’s pale skin flushed red. Nyan stood there with his arms crossed, looking down at the scene with clear displeasure.
