Chapter 678

Awooo—

The soldiers of Clifford marched on, their voices rising in an endless chant.

Reluctant as he was to admit it, the landscape of Luswena was as breathtaking as Clifford itself. Vast reed fields stretched out beneath gracefully rolling hills… Prince Noah peered ahead through his telescope, murmuring to himself.

“We’re almost there.”

“Yes, Your Highness. We should arrive within the hour,” Mei nodded in agreement.

Since losing their capital, Frodhona, to the Rift disaster, Clifford had established a temporary capital to the east and had lived in relative peace for nearly a decade.

Losing such a historic land to the Rift had been heartbreaking, but it wasn’t all downside. Being closer to the Luswena border now meant they could move more freely—an advantage in times like these.

“Mei, keep checking if there are any messages from Bariel.”

“Of course. I’m making sure we don’t miss a thing.”

The situation southeast of Bariel was chaotic. The Hwan Kingdom had been wracked by repeated rebellions, which, as Bariel feared, had pushed them into alliance with Luswena. It was exactly as Emperor Jin had warned when he first set out on the Burgos expedition.

“If Luswena and Hwan try to pressure Bariel from the east, Clifford will step in.”

The western border of Luswena—where it met Clifford—was far from their capital, Elbasa, so their garrison was weak. They likely prioritized Bariel, closer to their capital, over the declining Clifford. That was why Prince Noah could step onto Luswena soil with relative ease.

“Let’s move out!”

Hiiing!

Their target was a small town at the far western edge of Luswena. Clifford had sent word ahead, telling residents to surrender or evacuate, but those willing to die for their homeland had gladly given their lives.

Awooo—

Though Clifford’s soldiers were generally relaxed and easygoing, when it came to wielding their swords, they were steadfast and unyielding. At Noah’s firm command, the soldiers charged through the vineyards, singing in unison, and easily opened the town’s gates.

“The lord of the manor?”

“The lord’s castle has been abandoned for some time. It seems he either fled or went into hiding. In the meantime, a mayor appointed temporarily has been managing things, but I’ll look into the details further.”

“That’s odd. Even if it’s the western outskirts, it’s not a royal domain. How could there be no lord?”

Noah’s gaze fell on a worn, shabby painting as he surveyed the castle. It was a self-portrait—yet just then, the eyes seemed to flicker.

“Hm?”

Frowning, Noah stared harder at the painting. Mei called out to him.

“Your Highness! This isn’t the time to be admiring paintings!”

“Ah, right. We’ll move soon.”

“We’re planning to send a scouting party back to the capital. It would be good if you could come and check things out…”

As the two walked away, the eyes in the painting slowly returned to their original position.

‘Looks like there’s no chance of refuge here either.’

The man in the painting sighed. He was a Luswena official who had fled from Elbasa. Seeing Clifford soldiers patrolling the castle, he reluctantly decided to return to the royal palace. Danger was the same everywhere.

* * *

“But there are no mages in the west. It would be better to take refuge there and watch over Clifford—”

“No. Look at us! Even if there are no mages there, can we really fight properly? Unless we could bring a dragon or two, but the capital we can retreat to is fixed, isn’t it?”

“What do you suggest then?”

“I think it’s better to hold out at the palace, even with fewer troops, where we have soldiers and can communicate with the ‘Hunters.’ The dragons and black-armored knights are still strong. We should manage this well now and plan for the future.”

“Is that even a plan? The mages have already reached the palace gates! No, Your Majesty. You must cross west and find a breakthrough.”

“Perhaps Tolrun will send more mages. You must hold out. The moment the king abandons the palace, all will be lost, Your Majesty!”

“Your Majesty! Hurry! Time is running out!”

“Your Majesty!”

“Everyone, quiet—!”

Eldert clutched his throbbing head, about to shout, when—

Kugugung! Thud!

The entire palace shook violently, far beyond any tremor felt before. Officials staggered, clutching walls for support, and Eldert flailed his arms to keep his balance.

“Ugh!”

Unable to stand it, one official pushed past Eldert and leapt into the painting. For a moment, Eldert was stunned, but then he saw the edges of the painting stained with blood and stepped back.

“Damn it—!”

Madmen! He headed toward the stairs, determined to find the dragons. His bow was still intact, and he had plenty of arrows. If only he could shake off the pursuing mages…

Crack!

The glass dome ceiling of the main hall began to fracture. Eldert looked up just as it shattered into countless pieces.

Chaeaaang!

Sunlight sparkled on the shards like stars falling at midday—beautiful, but the situation was anything but.

Eldert hurriedly covered his face with his sleeve. Through the gap, he saw mages floating above, looking down.

It felt like being trapped in a toy box. The fierce wind whipped their hair and robes, but their gazes were unyielding. One mage whispered softly.

“Found him. Eldert.”

Though barely audible, the words seemed loud—was it the building’s acoustics? Or Eldert’s heightened senses? Reflexively, he drew his bow and aimed upward.

Peeing—!

Swoosh!

The arrow flew true but was nothing more than a desperate act. The mages’ protective shields blocked it completely. The arrow shattered and fell uselessly. Eldert’s heart sank, as if that broken arrow reflected his own helplessness.

“Ugh, aaargh!”

“Protect the king!”

“Damn mages! Who do they think they are!”

“Ah, they’re back again. I told you to clean them up properly!”

Screams echoed from outside. The black-armored knights near the palace had shaken off the mages at the barrier and were closing in. The fierce wind was likely caused by the dragons’ wings.

Eldert backed into the corridor, still watching the mages above.

Tap, tap, tap!

The palace was a labyrinth. No matter how skilled the mages, it wouldn’t be easy to navigate—

Kwaaang! Boom!

A massive explosion erupted down the corridor ahead. The mages’ attack magic blasted away an entire wall.

Columns collapsed, and what had been inside was suddenly open to the outside.

“Keep running like that. That way, we can destroy this damn palace piece by piece.”

Eldert turned and entered the reception room. Room within room, and then another inside that…

Bang! Tat-tat-tat!

Every step he took was met with magical attacks from the pursuing mages. Centuries—no, more than that—of history were being destroyed. The ceiling twisted as if about to collapse, and the palace’s pillars leaned dangerously.

‘Tolrun!’

There was no other way now. If he couldn’t go west into Luswena, he’d have to use the painted passage the ‘Hunters’ had used to reach Tolrun.

Eldert raced up the spiral staircase.

Tap!

Shadows flickered in and out of the window beside the stairs. The mages were watching him from outside.

He staggered but reached the upper floor, gasping for breath, and flung open the door to the study.

Bang!

“…!”

What he saw was—

“Later than I expected.”

Ian Hielo was already there, examining documents. He sat casually on the desk, as if it were his own office, reading through papers—wondering why the Luswena king had sealed them, and if there was some secret he didn’t know.

Eldert stared at Ian, speechless.

“Eldert. You resemble Eriphoni quite a bit.”

Thwack.

Ian snapped his book shut with a loud sound. He wasn’t just talking about Eldert’s teal hair, tall stature, or sharp features.

“You don’t know your limits.”

Trapped by the title of king, blind to the lines you shouldn’t cross—that was the part he resembled Eriphoni most.

“Even though it’s been ten years, you should remember. Didn’t you flee the palace carrying the corpse of your dead superior? I thought you knew better than anyone what happens when you cross the line Bariel drew—”

Ian laughed coldly.

“It was all my mistake. I underestimated your arrogance.”

“Shut up!”

Eldert pulled his bowstring with all his might. The silver string stretched taut, as if it might snap at any moment.

They were close. Ian’s pale neck caught Eldert’s eye. If luck was on his side, if the gods favored cruel jokes, he could let the blood flow along that white line.

“Hielo is my domain.”

“…”

“They were the ones who lived under my name, the ones who would remain forever in my memory. Especially my father, who met his death because of the wizard you sent—”

“Ah, so you call that lowly beast your father? Ha ha!”

Eldert cut Ian off with a shout. His laugh was awkward, his body visibly trembling, but his mouth kept running.

“…They were the stars of the Great Desert, true warriors who understood honor. They mingled freely even with the lowest of the Empire’s subjects—bold and generous souls.”

“Still, they’re nothing but beasts! Deny it all you want!”

“And they were also the love my mother chose.”

Snap!

Eldert’s hand, drawing back the bowstring, shook violently. The tension in the air was like standing on the edge of a cliff. If he let go now, if he attacked Ian Hiel, he would plummet into an abyss so deep it was impossible to see the bottom.

Whether that fall meant death or a path to something else, one thing was clear: he was at a crossroads.

“Eldert.”

Ian looked at him with a strangely pitying smile.

“How shall I kill you?”

“…!”

“Shall I slit your throat awake, just as they did to my father? So that all the people of Luswena will forever remember your foolish choice? Or shall I bury you quietly, so no one knows if you’re dead or alive, and you’ll be recorded as a king who abandoned his country and fled?”

“Y-You—!”

“I have so many options. I can’t even bring myself to choose which one will be the most terrible for you.”

“Shut up!”

Eldert shouted and was about to release the bowstring.

But at that moment—

Ting!

Hail suddenly appeared behind Eldert and lightly snapped the bowstring. The silver string snapped back fiercely, slashing across Eldert’s cheek. He screamed in pain, staggering.

In a flash, Ian grabbed Eldert’s neck and slammed him against the wall.

Bang!

Half-collapsed, Eldert tried to steady himself, but the overwhelming magical force pressing down on him kept him frozen. To think, this little child—me…

Ziiing, ziiing!

Ian’s golden eyes blazed. The grip on Eldert’s throat tightened, and his neck and eyes flushed red.

As he etched the image of Luswena’s king falling into death into his mind, Ian whispered softly:

“Tell Eriphoni… your world has fallen.”