< Chapter 88 - The Holy Spirit's Horn #6 >
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The fight with the Kraken was literally short and sweet.
In reality, the fight itself only lasted about twenty minutes.
But the damage the Sirens suffered during that short period of time was by no means small.
Nearly half of the entire force was injured due to the multiple area-of-effect attacks used by the Kraken.
“Is it fortunate that the number of deaths is small?”
Of the hundreds of wounded, only about thirty died, and the cavalry that had come into direct contact with the Kraken suffered the greatest losses.
Although there were some cases where they were directly hit by the Kraken’s legs or tentacles, they were also strongly affected by mental attacks because of the close distance.
“I was too complacent.”
Siren Queen Illyana felt responsible.
Block the Kraken’s movements and then focus your firepower to take it down.
The operation itself was simple and seemed promising, but the reality was completely different.
Although they sealed it, they were not able to completely confine it, and the firepower that the Sirens had prepared was not enough to defeat it.
‘Is this the reason why it had to be sealed······.’
The reason why the elves of the ancient kingdom of Perzio were only able to seal the Kraken.
It was impossible to take him down with just any amount of firepower.
‘Even if the Sea God’s Trident had hit, it would have been impossible to completely take it down.’
Because the bastard’s power was that great.
If there had been no Uther and Cordelia, if the two of them had not sealed the Kraken again.
Many Sirens would have died as the Kraken finally broke the Seal of Light and began to show its true movements.
“It is not the Queen’s fault.”
There was no way for the Sirens to fully experience the Kraken’s might.
It was the Kraken’s power that no one could know until they encountered it themselves.
“Thanks to the bastard crouching in the seal, we were able to seal it again. If we had left it alone, the kingdom would have suffered great damage without being able to do anything.”
Iliana shook her head as Malthias spoke comfortingly.
“That may have been the case in the end. But… as the leader of the kingdom, I should have investigated the Kraken a little more and prepared a little more firepower.”
That was the leader’s responsibility.
Malthias felt a mixture of regret and joy at Iliana’s words.
The pity came from the fact that Illyana was suffering from a sense of responsibility even in the midst of victory, while the joy came from the realization that she was serving a wise and compassionate king.
“Your Majesty, we have won. The wounded will recover before long. If we guard the seal well, the Kraken will no longer be a threat.”
When Malthias spoke with a smile, Iliana smiled slightly as well. For Malthias’ sake.
“Yes, we must be very thorough in guarding the seal this time so that something like this doesn’t happen again.”
In fact, up until now, the Sirens had barely been guarding the Kraken’s seal.
For hundreds of years, no one had thought of breaking the Kraken’s seal.
‘We must also find the culprit who broke the seal.’
As Malthias said, protecting the seal was important, but finding the culprit who caused it in the first place was the top priority.
Iliana, who had renewed her resolve about what she had to do in the future, began to tell happy stories instead of embarrassing Malthias with depressing stories.
“So, Malthias, where are our heroes now?”
Malthias smiled brightly and answered, as it was clear that he was referring to Uther and Cordelia, who had played the greatest role in sealing the Kraken.
“They are resting at the Gallas family mansion. They are both tired, but not particularly injured, and will attend the victory celebration tonight.”
“That’s fortunate. I owe you both a great debt, so I should prepare compensation accordingly.”
“But… Your Majesty. Haven’t you already taken too much?”
Because the amount of things that have already been taken away under the pretext of summoning the Spirit King is enormous.
‘Wait a minute, come to think of it, you didn’t even call the Spirit King in the end?’
Are you kidding me?
Wasn’t it true that you never intended to summon the Spirit King in the first place?
If Cordelia had heard it, she would have been so shocked that she wouldn’t know what to do – and if it had been Uther, he would have calmly said, “No way? I tried to summon you? It’s just that the situation was different from what I expected?” – this was the moment when Malthias recalled these thoughts.
“That’s not true, Malthias. And weren’t most of the goods they took used to activate the seals?”
“That’s true, but······.”
There are many things I took, like the Trident of Lightning, but never used.
But even Malthias had a conscience that prevented him from nitpicking about such things.
As someone in charge of the kingdom’s finances, I was a bit nervous, but it was true that I had overcome a major crisis thanks to Uther and Cordelia.
“But you have a point. We’ve already given away a lot, so it’s true that what we have to give up right now isn’t easy.”
Although it was a short battle, the cost of the battle was not small. The cost of recovering and rehabilitating the wounded was also enormous.
“then······.”
“But I don’t think this is something that can be resolved with just a few words. So, I think······.”
Iliana, whose words trailed off for a moment, smiled brightly and revealed the name of the item she was thinking of as a prize for Uther and Cordelia, and Malthias’ expression became quite delicate.
If Illyana had handed over the items she had in mind to Uther and Cordelia, she might have saved money in the short term, but in the long run, it could have caused much bigger problems.
“Maltyas, it has already been decided. Follow it.”
“All right.”
In this respect, she was secretly a very stubborn queen.
‘And actually… it’s something to be thankful for.’
If it weren’t for those two, the kingdom might have been devastated by the Kraken.
Malthias, who was feeling good, turned his gaze again towards the direction of the Galas family’s mansion.
&
Same time.
The mansion of the Gallas family.
Uther and Cordelia, the main characters of the victory, were busy sitting across from each other and praising each other.
“If Melissa hadn’t been there, we would have been in real trouble.”
“Melissa is the best.”
“As expected, high performance! An expert from the ancient elven kingdom! It’s truly amazing that even the Sirens had given up on the sealing technique and were able to use it in an instant!”
“That’s right, that’s right! Pretty, kind, cool, and trustworthy!”
Uther’s compliments were specific, while Cordelia’s were simple but heartfelt.
And to this barrage of compliments, Melissa responded in a classic way.
[Huh, I’m not a child. I’m not simple-minded enough to fall for such sweet talk.]
But for all that, his voice sounded strangely excited.
Maybe it was because of my mood, but the jewel part of the moonlight seemed to be glowing red.
Because of that, Uther and Cordelia exchanged a glance and then started to get even more excited.
“No, what are you talking about? You’re just saying the truth. Right, Cordelia?”
“That’s right, that’s right. It’s all just facts. Our Melissa is kind, pretty, cool, and trustworthy. It’s just a fact.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to come up with a plan B without Melissa.”
“That’s true too. Melissa saved us all. We can’t do it without her.”
[Ahem.]
It worked. If he were a person, he would have shrugged his shoulders and couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from rising.
“Melissa, thank you so much.”
“Yes, thank you. Not only the two of us, but the entire Siren Kingdom is grateful.”
[Joe, a little more.]
Melissa’s true feelings were finally revealed after receiving a barrage of compliments.
Perhaps it was because she had lived alone for over a thousand years, waiting for her masters who never returned, or perhaps it was her natural personality that Melissa was always hungry for attention and affection.
Uther and Cordelia nodded and continued to compliment each other.
“Melissa is nice.”
“Melissa is pretty.”
“Melissa is trustworthy.”
“Melissa is smart.”
[Hmm, hmm.]
Cordelia looked at Uther with a laugh at the sound of a cough that was clearly suppressed.
‘All right, all right. Can you hear me? Melissa feels so much better.’
‘This gives me peace of mind for a while.’
‘Huh? Why for a while?’
‘Will Miss Cordelia of the Chase family forget again?’
‘No, right? You’re really going to talk to me often now? You’re going to chat all the time? You’re going to do girl talk?’
‘Yeah, if that’s what you’re saying, then that must be it.’
‘Oh my, it’s true.’
Anyway, Uther and Cordelia succeeded in calming down Melissa and smiled again without saying a word.
The fact that we can fight like this is thanks to our victory in this battle.
“Whoa… That was hard.”
Cordelia, who was speaking with a slurred voice as usual, leaned into Uther’s arms, hugging Moonlight, and Uther hugged Cordelia’s shoulders and kissed her head.
“I’ll just rest for a bit.”
“Go to sleep. I’ll wake you up later.”
“huh.”
Because I was very tired from pouring all my magic power into the seal.
Unlike Uther, whose stamina replenishes in real time thanks to the Life Orb, Cordelia’s stamina needs to be refilled once it is discharged.
[good night.]
“Yeah, Melissa too.”
Cordelia closed her eyes, and Uther adjusted her position so that Cordelia could rest comfortably. Closing her eyes, she once again recalled the battle that had taken place today – the power of the Black Sun that she had used at the end.
&
The scale of the Sirens’ victory banquet held in the central square was truly enormous.
Almost everyone attended, except for those who were too seriously injured to attend the banquet, and even the men of each family who had not been seen at the meeting or battle showed up.
Most of them had been captured, but surprisingly, they all had good expressions on their faces, perhaps because they liked living here or because they only brought out those who had adapted well.
‘I wonder if the cost of this banquet alone will be more than the total cost.’
But it was also necessary.
Because people aren’t machines.
When I was sad, I had to cry, and when I was happy, I had to smile to express my emotions.
While Uther was walking around the banquet hall, thinking about such things, Cordelia was thinking about something completely different.
‘Yeah, okay. Our Yuder is the coolest.’
Although all the men brought by each family were well-dressed, they were still no match for Yuder.
Cordelia, who was feeling very happy, hugged Uther’s arm a little tighter and lifted her chin, and Kaisha, who was watching from behind, clicked his tongue. It was obvious what Cordelia was thinking.
‘It’s a match made in heaven, really.’
How can they love each other so much they want to die?
They must have been fighting since birth.
Wasn’t it originally called a prenatal engagement?
“I must have been a troublemaker since my past life.”
“It could have been.”
Caesar, who agreed with Bentham’s unexpectedly penetrating words, turned his gaze toward the men of each family. He wondered if there were any familiar faces among them.
And then half an hour.
As the banquet grew more mature, Illyana climbed up onto the high platform erected in the center of the square and called out to Judah and Cordelia.
The purpose was to congratulate both people for their achievements in front of everyone and then award them with prizes.
‘Somehow it reminds me of the king.’
‘It’s a similar situation to that time.’
Cordelia smiled brightly as she recalled the time when she had been granted the title of count and a new castle in front of so many people after preventing the tragedy of the royal capital, while Uther looked away slightly and looked at Illyana.
Unlike Cordelia, who was delighted with the position itself, Uther’s interest was more focused on the reward Illyana had prepared.
‘What have you prepared?’
As Malthias had already complained to Iliana, he had already received almost everything he deserved.
‘Surely it’s not money.’
Although the more the merrier, the better, money was a factor, Uther and Cordelia were already financially overflowing.
‘Because I don’t have time to spend money in the first place.’
Looking back, ever since I awakened to my memories of my past life, I’ve almost always been busy running around trying to prevent future destruction.
I don’t remember being particularly extravagant, except for when I bought various things in preparation for a ball in the royal capital.
“This way.”
As Uther and Cordelia ascended the podium, Illyana informed the people of their achievements, just as King Henry II of the Kingdom of Cailun had done in the royal capital, and added words of congratulation.
Cordelia really liked moments like this.
Because, whether in the wild land or in the royal capital, being recognized like this made me feel like I was doing the right thing.
You’re doing well.
You’re doing a good job.
Please continue to do this from now on.
In fact, everything that had happened to Cordelia since she had awakened to her previous life had been extremely burdensome.
How many times have I had to fight for my life?
During that time, I was injured many times and suffered extreme pain, both physically and mentally.
A future destined for destruction.
Just knowing that fact always made her feel heavy-hearted.
‘If there had been no Yuder.’
If I were alone.
So if I had to endure everything I’ve been through up until now alone.
Cordelia, who was scared just thinking about it, quickly shook her head.
And at the same time, one question arose.
How about Uder?
I wonder if Yuder is having a hard time on the inside?
Is Uther as mentally dependent on Cordelia as Cordelia herself is?
I wish that were the case.
Cordelia looked up at Uther again, and at that moment, the thunderous applause that rang out brought her back to her senses, and she looked straight ahead again.
“I present this to you in gratitude for your hard work and efforts.”
What Illyana held out was a horn-made flute, or whistle.
‘what?’
This is something I’ve never seen before in Heroes Chronicle 2.
And it couldn’t be otherwise. In the world of Heroes Chronicles 2, where the Kingdom of Siren was destroyed by Malekith, the whistle in front of you didn’t have much meaning.
But now that the Siren Kingdom is still alive, things are different.
As Yuder accepted the white object, which looked like a conch shell, Queen Illyana spoke in a soft voice.
“It is the whistle of the Holy Spirit. Wherever you are, blow it loudly three times and we will hear it. Then our entire kingdom will rise up to help you.”
At Illyana’s explanation, Uther opened his eyes wide and Cordelia blinked. Something suddenly occurred to her.
‘Buster Call!’
Of course, it was quite different from the one in the comics, but it was still a similar item.
It was said that if you blew the bell three times loudly, the army of the Siren Kingdom would appear and help you.
“thank you.”
“You are the benefactors of the kingdom, so it is only right that the entire kingdom repay the favor. But my dear, do not use it too hastily. The whistle must be used when the power of our Siren kingdom is truly needed. Do you understand?”
“I will do so.”
Yuder, who answered Illyana, felt a little strange.
‘Because I have to blow it soon.’
Agent Black Dragon Malekith.
He was already a powerful being capable of going toe-to-toe with the Demon Prince, and he even had an army of dragons under his command.
In order to fight such a Malekith, this side also needed a powerful army.
‘Anyway, it turned out well. This is much better than receiving just any item.’
Yuder, who was in a good mood, picked up the whistle and smiled once again with a wonderful smile that seemed to be drawn on a painting, and Illyana – or rather, Malthias, who was standing behind Illyana – shivered with an inexplicable sense of anxiety.
“Now, cheer once again for our two heroes!”
“Wow!”
The Sirens responded to Illyana’s words, and Uther and Cordelia smiled as the applause began once again.
And that night.
As always, Uther and Cordelia wrote love letters in preparation for a quick getaway.
It was because Illyana was Illyana, but the Galas family, represented by Elektra and Chloe, seemed unwilling to let go of Uther and Cordelia for a while.
“My, my beloved Prince Yude and······.”
Cordelia, who was writing down what Uther said, blushed and glared at Uther.
“Hey, isn’t this a bit strong?”
And then I thought about it and wondered why I was writing again.
But Uder just smiled slyly and shrugged his shoulders as he said.
“Then should I just write it? That would be good. It would also make the content richer.”
“Oh, no. I’ll just write it down. Yeah, I guess I’ll just write it down.”
Because I was scared of what they would say if I just left it to them.
When Cordelia quickly turned her gaze back to the letter, Uther smiled slightly and began to think of sentences that would embarrass Cordelia.
And then I wrote half of the letter like that.
Cordelia, who was writing in pretty, round letters with a blush on her face, suddenly raised her head.
“Cordelia?”
“Huh? Uh… What should I say? I just suddenly had an idea.”
“uh.”
“I… I can’t say it clearly, but I feel like I’m forgetting something again.”
[Me?]
Melissa had good timing to add, but not this time.
“No, not you.”
Anything but Melissa.
No, someone else.
Who could it be?
Who am I blinking at?
“Well, maybe it’s not that important?”
So you must have forgotten.
“That’s right.”
Cordelia nodded to Uther’s reasonable words as always, and erased the person who had been floating around in her mind.
I started writing love letters again, fighting against my shame.
And same time, completely different place.
Someone completely forgotten in Cordelia’s mind was sitting on the roof of a splendid noble house, puffing out her cheeks.
“Oh, really! When on earth are these going to come!”
See you in the south!
Let’s fight in the South!
Scarlett, the descendant of Log Master and rival of Pink Bomb.
The red-haired woman looked north with resentful eyes.
< Chapter 88 - The Holy Spirit's Horn #6 > End
