Episode 604

“Your Majesty!”

At the wizards’ call, the palace guards instinctively gripped their swords tighter.

They had heard that bodies of those who had committed suicide were still being found. Could something have gone wrong? Jindo glanced at Ian, startled.

“Your Majesty, it would be best to hurry past Purupato.”

“We weren’t planning to linger anyway. What’s going on?”

“It seems those who followed Lautan have offered themselves as sacrifices, praying to the Guardian. We can’t gauge the situation, so please remain on high alert.”

“Sacrifices? Was that ever a custom in Burgos? I’ve never heard of it.”

“My apologies. It’s new to me as well.”

At that moment, one of the wizards cautiously raised a hand.

“Excuse me for interrupting, but could you take a look over here? I think I’ve found something that might be a clue.”

Behind a massive deer statue, a stone tablet was affixed. Though weathered and worn in places, the inscription was still legible.

Ian bent slightly and quickly scanned the text.

“This appears to be a Purupato legend, right?”

Ian nodded in response to the wizard’s question.

“Yes. This central passage here seems to be the key. Your Majesty, it looks like the practice of human sacrifice didn’t originate in Burgos but stems from the local Purupato legend. It says here: ‘People offered a girl to call forth the deer.’”

“Fascinating, in many ways.”

Ian traced the faded letters with his fingertip. He began to understand why Lautan thought that simply shouting his name would have an effect.

Wondering if there might be more clues, Ian gestured to the wizard.

“Copy every single line without missing a word.”

“Yes, understood, Ian.”

“Your Majesty, we should hurry. The Guardian oversees this area, so as we get closer to Kalamath, its power will naturally wane. We should inform Minister Tweller—”

Ian’s words trailed off as he looked up at the sky. Not a cloud in sight, yet something felt off.

Tweller, Jarrett, and even Beric, who was riding a dragon, all turned their heads. Their instincts screamed that something was wrong.

The wizards exchanged puzzled glances, then alternated their gaze between Ian and the sky.

“What is it, Ian—”

Flash!

KRAAAASH!

In an instant, before the wizard could finish his question, lightning struck. The deafening roar tore at their eardrums, heat surged sharply, and a blade-like wind whipped around them.

Ssshhh.

Until the dust settled, neither the wizards nor the guards could make sense of what had just happened. They only struggled to grasp the situation.

“Y-Your Majesty…?”

“Your Majesty!”

Jindo’s eyes were wide with shock. Frozen in place, he stared blankly at Ian’s back, who was standing between him and the danger.

Suddenly, a magical barrier spread out around Jindo. Ian had reacted with astonishing speed. Without him, they would have died on the spot.

Crackle! Snap!

The lingering energy flowed down Ian’s shield. Without breaking his breath, Ian’s eyes darted left and right, assessing the situation.

The attack had struck precisely near Jindo. Was this the work of Toorun? No, the nature of this assault was different from anything they’d seen before.

“‘Suddenly, lightning struck from a clear sky, and people died on the spot.’”

“What did you say?”

“It’s written right here.”

The wizard who had been copying the tablet broke the silence first. Indeed, the legend described lightning being used as punishment—just like now.

“L-Lord Ian.”

“I’m fine. Please don’t worry.”

Anyone who had just witnessed that lightning strike up close would hardly be reassured.

Yet, surprisingly, Jindo felt a calm settle in his heart. Ian’s gaze was steady, his voice full of conviction, and his protective barrier held firm despite the sudden attack.

“I will personally escort Your Majesty. Do not leave my side. Captain Jarrett! Provide protection!”

“Understood. I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Yes, sir. Everyone, form ranks!”

“Wizards, prepare yourselves!”

“Y-Yes!”

“It’s coming again.”

Again? Ian muttered under his breath just as another bolt of lightning crashed down. This time, the roar was even louder.

Having already experienced it once, realizing it meant they were too late to react. The speed and trajectory were beyond human perception.

‘Damn it. How does Ian know this?’

‘This is driving me crazy.’

“Keep moving.”

As the heat surged toward them, the wizards clenched their teeth and raised their own protective barriers.

Meanwhile, Ian’s gaze remained fixed on the sky. The clear blue above held not a speck of cloud, yet he deflected every merciless strike, guarding Jindo’s side.

“Do you know where the source is?”

“No idea. Honestly, it’s hard to even track the attacks with my eyes! Sorry!”

“Palace guards! Captain Jarrett! Can you see it?”

“No. But after a few more strikes, I think we’ll know.”

As the commotion around Jindo grew, the soldiers too were thrown into confusion. Lightning? Out of a clear sky? And only targeting the Emperor?

No doubt about it.

“It’s a monster!”

“L-Lightning keeps striking from a clear sky!”

“Ahhh! What the hell is going on now?”

“Don’t panic! Keep your formation and keep moving forward! Don’t stop!”

“Help that one who’s collapsed up ahead!”

“It seems the Purupato people are committing suicide and… doing something else.”

“Damn it, you fools! We said we’d pass through quietly. Why are you making such a scene? Do you want to die?”

“Calm down. Didn’t you hear the orders? We’re not to touch the Purupato.”

“Hmph. Then how about this? Kyaaah! Tch!”

The Bariel soldiers vented their fear and anger, while the hidden Purupato sensed a strange hope and began to reveal themselves one by one.

This was problematic. If the Purupato realized their prayers were having an effect, they’d all start sacrificing themselves to stop Bariel.

“Move the soldiers outside the city walls, and assign some to watch the Purupato. No more suicides are allowed.”

“Yes, sir!”

First, they needed to identify the deer.

Judging by the pure energy Ian had sensed when facing it, it wasn’t a monster. That meant it was some kind of being born from divine will. Defining it precisely was tricky.

Swoosh.

Suddenly, tree trunks planted throughout Purupato stretched out, rapidly engulfing the entire city. Thick leaves covered everything, obscuring the buildings.

“W-What is this?!”

“The horses can’t move! The trunks are too strong!”

It was a familiar sight. Hadn’t the mysterious forest that blocked the Bariel army looked just like this? Ian realized the deer had come here and immediately crouched low.

“The gates are blocked. We can’t get out of Purupato!”

“Damn it. It’s the same phenomenon we saw earlier today!”

They were trapped inside Purupato. The deer had created its own forest within the city.

The wizards and palace guards were momentarily stunned, but then they detected a massive purple glow in the distance.

“…L-Lord Ian.”

“The deer. Was it always this big?”

“No. When I saw it before, it was smaller. It must have grown stronger through the prayers.”

The golden-eyed deer. When it raised its head, its antlers nearly touched the top of the city walls. It stared coldly at the square—specifically at Jindo—radiating a chilling aura.

Ian shielded Jindo behind him and shouted.

“Listen carefully, master of the forest. This man is Jin Verosion, Emperor of the Great Bariel Empire. He is here by divine will. If you cause harm, the gods will not forgive you.”

—I am the one who hears prayers. Moving in response to them is the will of the gods, and no one can stop me.

“…Who exactly are you?”

The deer’s golden eyes shone brightly. Ian suddenly realized they radiated the same energy as the wizards’ golden eyes.

—I told you. I am the one who hears prayers.

Originally, a messenger who conveyed human prayers to the gods, but at some point, humans began praying to him instead of the gods. Along with the title of Guardian came divine power.

Since then, he no longer relayed prayers to the gods but gladly accepted those offered by nearby humans.

“So, basically, you’re a deserter?”

Thud.

Beric leapt down from his dragon and stood beside Ian. No matter how grand the words, it was just dodging responsibility, wasn’t it?

“Beric.”

“I’ve never eaten deer meat before.”

“…Blasphemous.”

“That guy’s even more blasphemous. You’ve been enjoying the taste of those prayers humans desperately offered with their lives, haven’t you, Mr. Deer? Keep this up and I think the gods will shut your mouth. Better repent and go back now.”

“Beric, you madman!”

“Why? I’m right, aren’t I? You only showed yourself because the lightning didn’t work. ‘The will of the gods’? They just left you alone, didn’t they?”

The wizards covered their mouths in horror, and the deer’s golden eyes flashed even more fiercely. Its murderous intent intensified.

“Prove to me that you truly serve the will of the gods. If you can, I will grant you a painless death.”

“If you still don’t understand, then you must have drifted far from the divine.”

Thwack!

The stag lifted its head and let out a roar, shaking the leaves violently. At the same time, Ian drew his Idgal sword and charged toward the beast, with the mages swiftly following behind to provide cover.

Ziiing! Ziiing!

“Recollection.”

The opponent took the form of a stag, the guardian of the forest. Since it was aligned with fire’s opposing element, this should be an easy fight—if only the attack landed.

“Ian! It’s coming!”

A violet aura shimmered around the stag, quickly spiraling into a massive whirlwind that disoriented the area.

As expected, the attack surged toward Jin’s position. The mages raised their protective shields, and the Imperial Guard stepped forward to hold the line.

Shhhhk!

“…!”

It wasn’t enough. This force was far stronger than the earlier lightning strike. The guards were thrown back helplessly, and cracks began to spiderweb across the shields.

Ian, having closed in on the stag, glanced back—but it was already too late.

Ziiing! Pwoom!

The mages’ shields shattered under the pressure.

Ian unleashed a burst of flames, then tried to retreat, but thick foliage blocked his path.

Shhhhk!

“Your Majesty!”

“Damn it! Hold the line, everyone!”

“Reform the shields immediately!”

“Focus your minds!”

Sharp energy pierced through the newly formed shields. Jarrett and Tweller swung their sword and axe to intercept, but the attack slipped past, unbroken.

“Your Majesty!”

Just as Jin drew his sword to defend—

Thwack!

Someone stepped in front of him.

A pure, radiant energy washed over the moment.

Jin’s eyes widened as the woman swung her sword boldly. The cold wind of the blade brushed past her neck and shoulder, loosening her tightly bound brown hair and revealing a scar etched into her shoulder—a cross carved directly by the blade.

“…You are.”

Ian immediately recognized her.

The woman from Jin’s dreams—Eirin. A holy knight, sworn to uphold the gods’ will and divine order with sacred power.