Episode 132
The tide of battle turned in an instant.
While Mikhail Lancaster broke away from the main front to intercept Philip’s “Mobile Defense Unit,” Dale and the elite forces of House York seized the opportunity to launch a decisive breakthrough.
The core unit of House York, led by the “Black Prince,” was no exception to the influence of York’s enchantresses.
Officially, their abilities remained hidden. Yet, the impact these women had on the battlefield from the shadows was anything but negligible.
The magic of the Blue Tower extended far beyond the manipulation of water or ice. It encompassed a myriad of mental manipulations, brainwashing, and illusions—aptly named for its pursuit of cunning and deceit.
Brainwashing need not always target the enemy.
“For the glory of House York!”
“Never falter!”
Just as political officers instill ideology and patriotism in soldiers, these enchantresses deliberately infused specific value systems, bestowing unwavering conviction.
“Fight for your beliefs.”
“The future of York rests upon you.”
“Imagine a world where your heroics are celebrated and revered as the heroes of York.”
The blue aura blades wielded by the Blue Rose Knights shone brightly. Yet, the knights themselves were far from the level of Aura Knights. At best, they were mere Aura Beginners.
And yet, these mere beginners wielded the crystallized ideology of an “aura blade” with ease.
Only then did it become clear—the true power of York’s enchantresses.
Mental manipulation, brainwashing. The blue aura blades shone with the false ideologies they implanted.
These enchantresses bore no demonic wings or tails like the succubi of legend. Their true terror lay not in their allure but in their ability to enchant and manipulate minds with ease.
Through the hands of York’s Margaret, Catherine, and other noblewomen, mere Aura Beginners were elevated to the level of Aura Knights.
Moreover, the ideological constructs injected by the shadowy Mistress Titania of House York were evident.
There stood knights projecting the armor of ideology, known as Aura Masters or Avatars.
“You are the heroes of House York.”
Knights floundered within the “false ideologies” crafted by the Queen of Nightmares.
“Oh, we will never forget your sacrifices.”
As if guided by Titania’s words, the knights deployed their avatars, proclaiming York’s honor. In their minds, they likely envisioned a rosy future where they emerged victorious and were hailed as heroes of the empire.
Even if it was but a fleeting daydream.
“So this is the true power of House York.”
Finally, it was understood. As Titania had said, war was not solely the domain of extraordinary individuals.
The aura of a knight was ultimately the crystallization of ideology, and York’s enchantresses infused that “ideology” through their mental manipulation abilities. In a sense, it was not unlike the hymn magic of the White Tower, which strengthened ideology by inspiring faith and spirit.
Only then could one comprehend the composure Mistress Titania displayed during the First Rose War. Even Dale could not be entirely confident of victory if he had opposed her to the end.
With strategic advantages already secured through Dale’s maneuvers, the power displayed by the York family far exceeded Dale’s expectations.
“Perhaps it’s fortunate they’re not our enemies.”
Dale mused, turning his head. Nothing had changed. Dale would claim victory, and Titania and the sorceress council of the Blue Tower would fulfill their promises.
Through a decisive breakthrough, York’s forces seized the rear of Lancaster’s troops, and the battle shifted to a scenario where York’s forces surrounded Lancaster’s army from both front and back.
York’s fortress and defensive forces blocked the front, while the elite forces of the “Black Prince” and Titania, along with the Blue Rose Knights, took control of Lancaster’s scattered rear.
By the time Mikhail’s elite unit arrived, the main front had already suffered irreparable damage from piecemeal defeats.
A single strike exploited the enemy’s vulnerabilities, tying down powerful combatants with bait.
Every time the cavalry led by the “Black Prince” appeared, Lancaster’s forces were annihilated, leaving a sea of blood in their wake. It was a display of unrestrained prowess, as if reading the palm of one’s hand.
Belatedly, Lancaster’s side began to gather all remaining forces, preparing for a final showdown.
The Rose Cross Knights, bearing the emblem of the white rose, charged in unison, while the cavalry of the Blue Rose Knights braced themselves for defense.
At the war’s end, the main forces clashed to drive the final nail.
The plains where York and Lancaster’s territories met were stained with blood. Unlike York, who had taken a leisurely position on the hills early on, Lancaster, unable to contain their urgency, launched an offensive.
The cavalry charge, capitalizing on the mobility of the Rose Cross Knights, was met by the Blue Rose Knights, who dismounted and fortified their defensive stance.
The “Black Prince” was there as well, officially hidden, operating as a sniper among the archers on the flanks.
Bang!
In the chaos of clashing steel and flying blood, the presence of a sniper rifle was hard to detect, even for the “Aura Master” knights.
Amidst the rain of arrows, a single “Shadow Bullet” pierced through, targeting the knights’ skulls.
“I’d love to project a Gatling gun, but…”
Officially, the “Black Prince” did not exist here. To deny Dale’s involvement, it was necessary to avoid actions that could draw excessive attention.
“For York!”
Soon, Lancaster’s cavalry ascended the hills, and the two forces collided. The front line of Blue Rose Knights, facing the Rose Cross Knights, raised their shields with cries bordering on fanaticism.
It was then.
Lancaster’s charging knights began to deploy their “avatars,” enveloped in a red and white glow. Mikhail Lancaster, the second son of the ducal house, was no exception.
The red and white knight, symbolizing the apostle of fire and light, the knight of the sun.
“It’s finally here.”
Seeing this, Dale did not hesitate.
“Facing the duke’s second son will be our task.”
“Understood.”
With those words, the shadow sniper rose from silence. As the “Shadow Lord,” he moved to determine the war’s outcome.
The high-ranking assassins of the Shadow Court, following Dale, vanished with the wind.
A blinding white light, like the sun’s corona, erupted.
Plasma, known as the fourth state of matter, was wielded as a weapon, unleashing a solar storm.
It was a scene reminiscent of a 21st-century bombardment.
Amidst the standoff between the two large forces, everything in his path vanished. A literal void opened up.
The defensive formation of Blue Rose Knights, dismounted and holding shields, was swept away, and Mikhail, without hesitation, charged with his subordinates to breach the gap.
It was then. A murderous intent swept in from all directions, and Mikhail and his Rose Cross Knights braced themselves.
The wind blew, and where there should have been no one, shadows of people appeared.
They were clad in black coats, wearing bird-beak masks.
“The Shadow Court…”
Mikhail spoke upon seeing them.
“And it seems the ‘Black Prince’ is with you.”
”…”
Silence fell.
“We have a contract.”
After a pause, one of the Shadow Court assassins spoke.
“We are merely a criminal organization fulfilling a client’s request.”
“Who is your client?”
“That’s a trade secret.”
Facing the extraordinary Mikhail Lancaster and his Rose Cross Knights required an “asymmetric force” of similar or greater strength.
“Isn’t the Grand Duke of Lancaster participating in this war?”
“After the war, my father vowed not to use the sword to invade other territories.”
“And yet, here you are, falsely accusing and invading another’s land.”
One of the men in bird-beak masks sneered coldly.
“Will you not unfold the world of ideology?”
Mikhail asked the Shadow Court assassin.
“Your Highness… or rather, regardless of the ‘weight of your blood,’ I will give it my all.”
As the apostle of fire and light, he adjusted his grip on the “Warrior’s Sword,” ablaze with plasma. The Rose Cross Knights following Mikhail also assumed combat stances.
On the open field, a fair duel without even the advantage of being an assassin. Moreover, the Lancasters had an overwhelming numerical superiority. It was hardly an ideal situation for the assassins of the Shadow Court.
But this was never meant to be their battlefield.
“We’re prepared for that,” one of the assassins in a bird-beak mask said, snapping his fingers. Dark energy swirled at his feet.
In an instant, the ‘Winter Night’s Darkness’ descended, engulfing Mikhail Lancaster, the Knights of the Rose Cross, and the assassins of the Shadow Court alike.
A towering black fortress loomed in the white and dark winter night, where embers danced in the castle’s hearth.
This was the realm of ideas, a desperate stand with the resolve to fight to the end as a mage.
“Damn, it’s bone-chilling,” muttered one of the men in the bird-beak mask, shivering slightly. Despite the grim standoff, he spoke with a casual detachment, as if it were someone else’s problem.
There was no doubt he was an extraordinary force, the master of the deadly sword, Baro.
“We already have one of the Continent’s Seven Swords and several other formidable warriors on our side,” the masked man continued.
“And having witnessed ‘my world,’ we can’t afford to let Prince Mikhail’s knights live.”
”…You make it sound like I’m an exception,” Mikhail replied.
“The ‘weight of blood’ flowing through us is not equal,” the masked man said.
Witnessing the realm of ideas carries profound significance. It’s either complete denial or complete affirmation. Yet, deploying the realm of ideas against the prince’s knights was a necessary act of self-defense.
“This isn’t personal. It’s merely business, a contract the Shadow Court has undertaken.”
“What is the contract?” Mikhail asked.
“To secure victory in this war,” the masked man replied.
“To that end, I plan to capture Prince Mikhail and propose a ceasefire negotiation with the Lancaster family.”
”…That’s somewhat reassuring,” Mikhail said, nodding calmly, unfazed.
“I have no intention of being a pawn in the ‘Black Prince’s’ game any longer.”
He adjusted his grip on his sword.
“Isn’t that right, Sir Sephelia?” Mikhail addressed one of the Knights of the Rose Cross following him.
One knight removed their cumbersome helmet, revealing unforgettable black hair cascading down. The ‘Soulbringer’ they wielded finally unleashed its eerie aura.
“In battle, there are no lifelong enemies or allies,” the knight said.
”…!”
Once summoned back to the capital by the imperial family, one of the Continent’s Seven Swords had returned.
Just as Dale had abandoned Lancaster to wield his power for York…
The ‘Ghost Blade Sephelia,’ who had once fought for the York family as a distant relative, now stood with Lancaster, readying her sword.