Chapter 601

“Waaah!”

The great gates swung open, and soldiers led by Lautan charged straight ahead.

Bariel’s troops held their formation, waiting for orders—but there was only silence. The enemy was rushing at them to kill, yet no commands came.

Is this really right? The situation was unlike any battle they’d faced before, leaving everyone bewildered.

“Bring it on! If you want to get through, you’ll have to trample over my corpse!”

“Waaah! Protect Purpato and Burgos!”

“We will hold! No matter what, we will hold!”

Thud thud thud!

With fierce shouts, the pounding of hooves shook the ground.

As Bariel’s soldiers faltered, confused, the mages under Ian’s command raised a protective barrier stretching from one end of the line to the other.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

“Raise it higher!”

“Move the shield forward!”

The barrier was meant to blunt Purpato’s initial charge.

Seeing this, Lautan’s eyes gleamed with exhilaration. His charge had been born from a mere suspicion—one he himself wasn’t even sure of. But now, Bariel’s mages weren’t counterattacking; they were drawing a line on the ground with their shield. His suspicion was proving true.

A glimmer of hope appeared. Could it be that they truly swore an oath of nonviolence while passing through Purpato’s forest? That they would never harm Purpato?

“The mages are forming a defensive line!”

“Ready your arrows! We keep charging!”

“Let’s cut through everything with every breath!”

Crack crack!

Piiing! Ping!

At Lautan’s signal, arrows rained down from the walls. Those unable to draw their bows shouted their battle cries, showing their resolve. Bariel’s soldiers swallowed dryly, watching the enemy surge forward.

“Hyaah!”

Cheng! Chang!

Krazzzt!

At last, Lautan’s sword carved a wide arc.

Gripping the hilt with both hands, he bit down hard. Whether this strike could break the mages’ shield was uncertain, but that wasn’t the main point.

This attack would shift the tide of battle.

“We have the initiative!”

“Purpato has struck first against Bariel!”

“Forward! Follow Lautan’s lead and attack!”

Cheng! Chang!

Each time Purpato’s soldiers swung their swords, the shield buzzed and trembled.

Though it wouldn’t break, the mages glanced anxiously at Ian. The enemy’s fierce onslaught was making them feel, falsely, that the battle was slipping away.

“Ian, should we keep holding?”

“Should Bariel’s soldiers fall back a bit?”

“Enough. Hold your ground until their fervor cools. Focus on maintaining the shield. No gaps can be allowed that would let Bariel’s side suffer damage.”

“Yes, understood. This isn’t Idgal after all. We can handle this.”

“Keep pushing! Let’s see whose arms will ache!”

“Trying to settle this with words, huh? Tch. You’re making a mistake.”

Idgal might react to physical blows, but the shield was made of special material—no worries there.

The mages calmly curved the shield to cover the Bariel soldiers from above, blocking incoming arrows from afar.

“Good! Stay focused!”

As the mages concentrated on the shield, Lautan’s men shouted with growing confidence.

“It seems we’re right, Lord Lautan! Bariel isn’t counterattacking! They don’t even try to engage. Looks like the Purpato forest oath is real.”

“Thank you, guardians of Purpato!”

While everyone was moved and praying, Lautan lowered his sword and caught his breath.

It was clear Bariel wouldn’t attack Purpato. But he needed more precise, detailed proof. At this rate, Purpato would collapse under its own weight. Human stamina has limits, and their supplies and weapons were finite.

Swish.

Lautan, who had been rallying morale, raised his hand—a signal to pause the attack.

Watching quietly, Tweller stepped forward, facing Lautan across the shield. From a distance, his size hadn’t been obvious, but he was a large man. After a brief glance, Tweller spoke.

“…Allow me to introduce myself again. I am Maxim Tweller, Minister of Imperial Defense of Bariel.”

“How long do you intend to keep this up? If you’re true warriors, remove that shield and settle this here.”

“I would like to, but His Majesty the Emperor’s will forbids it. Tell me, does this shield seem to you to be for Bariel’s sake?”

“If not?”

“It’s a shield for you. If even one soldier is wounded by Purpato’s attack, we will not spare you in Bariel’s name. For those who have sacrificed for the Empire, we will never stand idly by. So cease these pointless, wasteful attacks for now. I wish to speak with you sincerely.”

Lautan slung his sword over his shoulder and looked down at Tweller. Minister of Imperial Defense—likely the highest authority here after the Emperor.

If they talked, he might gain valuable information. Lautan nodded in agreement, silently inviting him to proceed.

Tweller watched Lautan with a calm gaze.

‘He’s on edge.’

It was clear he wanted to learn about the Purpato oath. Thinking it wise to consider his words carefully, Tweller pulled a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

“The Purpato oath is true. The forest’s guardian cherishes Purpato and offered it. But it was only a proposal. If your resistance harms Bariel, we will gladly kill you and trample your corpses. We will burn the Purpato that the guardian loved and erase it from history.”

“You bastard! How dare you speak so boldly!”

“You trespassers, don’t act so high and mighty! This is our home, the proud Burgos!”

“I’m giving you a choice. If you don’t resist, you can keep your lives and your land. Otherwise, only despair awaits.”

Lautan’s eyes narrowed.

“You swore to the guardian—how can you say you’ll kill us?”

“If you’re curious, I’ll show you. Nothing can stop Bariel.”

It was Ian who swore to the Purpato stag. Ian’s orders forbade the death of Purpato’s people, but other methods were fair game.

They wouldn’t have the mages’ help, but Bariel had tens of thousands of soldiers—and Verosion to lead them.

Lautan pondered briefly, then smiled.

“So you’re not the one who swore to the guardian.”

“…!”

Tweller faltered at the unexpected remark. Was there a flaw in what he’d said? He replayed it several times in less than a second but found nothing.

As smoke slipped from his tightly pressed lips, Lautan laughed aloud.

“Every Purpato knows the legend of the guardian.”

Whenever great calamities struck Purpato and the surrounding lands, the guardian raised the ‘Labyrinth Forest’ to protect this land.

“To pass through the forest, you must swear an oath. And every oath carries both a blessing and a curse—without exception.”

A curse.

At that word, the mages glanced at Ian, bewildered. There had been no mention of a curse before. Tweller didn’t look at Ian but focused all his attention there.

Lautan surely noticed this. He turned his head to look at Ian.

“Is it you? The one who has seen the forest’s guardian?”

Ian’s hand, which had been fiddling with a twig inside his sleeve, stopped abruptly.

He was no ordinary man. More than anything, he seemed fearless. Beyond simply risking death, there was something aggressively resolute about him.

“And?”

“Let’s hear it. What exactly was the oath? Only then can I seriously consider whether to cooperate with Bariel. If a Purpato dies here, an unavoidable curse will fall upon you. Wouldn’t that be better?”

A lie. Ian knew Lautan was lying from the phrase ‘seriously consider.’ It was just a ploy to extract information.

With time mercilessly slipping away, Purpato would eventually have to kneel before Bariel. Before that happened, they sought to find a weakness by gathering intel. Bold and right.

“Ian, an unavoidable curse? Is that true?”

“Why didn’t you tell us?”

“What kind of curse? Ian, please, tell us. Don’t you trust us? If that’s the case, just scold us. Don’t bear it alone.”

As the mages whispered their grievances through clenched teeth, Ian raised a hand, signaling for calm and asking them to listen.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you.”

“Then what is it?”

“It’s simply my judgment. I am your superior and a mage bearing Bariel’s burden. I judged that mentioning the curse would not help the war effort. So please, don’t be too upset—”

Ian hesitated mid-sentence as the wizards’ eyes narrowed sharply. Taking a moment to steady his breath, he finally gave in.

“…I suppose I have no choice.”

“Yes, that will do. Honestly.”

“Just this once. No second chances!”

Soon, a report about the curse would reach Jin in the rear. It was best to get things sorted before that happened.

Ian lifted a branch and approached Lautan.

“As you guessed, I am the one who swore an oath to the forest’s master. This is proof—snapped off before the forest vanished.”

Lautan and his men stared at the branch in astonishment. It was the very thing they’d only heard of in legends. Hope blossomed naturally—the hope that they could survive, that Purpato could be protected.

Snap.

But Ian smiled and broke the branch in two, his hand steady and resolute to a chilling degree.

“If you wish, I will grant your desire.”

“The curse is absolutely unavoidable!”

Lautan shouted, but Ian whispered back.

“It cannot be avoided, yes—but it can be endured.”

…This author is no ordinary person.

Lautan felt a chill run down his spine. For a moment, all the legends about Purpato flashed through his mind. Considering the overall situation and Dweller’s attitude…

“The author must not be killed.”

“What? Lord Lautan, what do you mean?”

“The author! The one who swore directly to the guardian and put their name on it. It means Dweller or others could lead an attack on Purpato!”

Since he was the Minister of Magic, wizards would be effectively excluded from battle. Though General Bariel remained, victory was still possible.

Swish.

At that moment, Lautan pressed his sword to his own throat and shouted.

“Let all Bariel hear me! If Purpato is attacked under orders from anyone other than the Minister of Magic, I will wail to the guardian and take my own life! I will die from the pain, fear, and despair the author has given me!”

What was that? The wizards exchanged indifferent glances, but the Purpato natives reacted differently. Their eyes sparkled with deep respect. They knew the legends passed down from Purpato.

“Think it won’t work? There’s a legend with a similar story. Simply declaring my death your fault will have an effect.”

Lautan growled fiercely, and the wizards took a cautious step back. Unfamiliar with the legends or the guardian, they thought it best to be careful.

But Ian stepped even closer to him.

“If you die because of me, the forest’s master will be angered. But for that to happen, you must first understand me.”

“Of course! Ian Hielro, Minister of Magic of Bariel!”

Ian shook his head lightly, smiling faintly as if he’d expected this.

“No. I mean the real name I gave to the forest’s master.”