< Chapter 98 - Wedding #2 >
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The Holy Cross Guardians, operating across the continent, took the form of a sort of sectarian organization.
A small number of people reside in over a hundred branches and gather together to solve cases as needed.
There were two reasons why it developed in this way: one was the reluctance of both kingdoms and empires to have a pan-national armed group within their own country, and the other was a lack of personnel.
The Defenders of the Holy Cross were men who dedicated their lives to the fight against demons.
Naturally, many of its members held grudges against the devil or his followers, and ironically, the stronger the devil’s followers became, the more numerous these grudges became.
‘That means that now that the power of the devil followers has weakened, the number of those who hold natural grudges has also decreased.’
Of course, it was only a superficial weakening.
As the series of events that occurred in the Wild Lands and the Royal Capital show, the demon followers of the time were by no means weak.
Rather, they were closer to beasts of prey that hid in the shade and waited for an opportunity.
However, it is true that the activities of the devil’s followers have steadily decreased over the past hundred years, and as a result, the size of the Holy Cross Defenders has also inevitably decreased.
‘We have a small number of people, but we have to monitor the entire continent, so the organization has no choice but to form in the form of a natural cell organization.’
It is thin and wide, covering the entire continent.
However, if they simply scattered, they would not be able to properly fight the demon followers.
That is why the roles of the six commanders in the Order of the Holy Cross were extremely important.
They are focal points that travel across the continent and bring together branches of the Holy Cross Defenders as needed.
In the case of ordinary knights, it was common for the captains to wait at headquarters rather than go out to the front lines.
In fact, even Adelia, one of the seven captains of the Royal Magic Corps, usually just sat around in her office.
But the Order of the Holy Cross was different.
Even Kamael, the leader of the six captains, traveled all over the continent and fought in battles.
One of those six chapters.
The knight Joanna looked straight ahead with a frown.
Until just a week ago, she was a very serious person who was searching for demon followers in the eastern end of the Kingdom of Seilun.
Strict, solemn, serious.
Among the six captains, the eldest, the high elf Eltharion, chose these as the three elements that make up Joanna, and received enthusiastic cheers from all the captains except Kamael and Joanna.
“You don’t seem to be feeling well?”
“If it’s good, wouldn’t that be stranger?”
Among the members of the Holy Cross Defenders who had been conscripted from all over the place, those who could be considered veterans muttered in small voices.
That would be the case, since Joanna, who usually has a blank expression, was now slightly frowning.
The reason why it happened like that.
A pair of lovers clinging closely to Joanna’s side.
Kiss kiss.
Kiss kiss kiss.
Knock knock knock knock.
Of course, it wasn’t really a licking sound. But if you looked at them, they were two people who made it seem like licking letters were floating around them.
Count Juder August Bayer and Countess Cordelia August Chase.
The couple of the century known to all the people of the Kingdom of Seilun.
“Aren’t you jealous?”
“Why, are you jealous?”
“Then aren’t you jealous?”
“I’m jealous. I’m really jealous.”
“Then what about me?”
“If you were the only man left in the world, I would reconsider it three times.”
The veteran soldiers who had been chattering among themselves immediately tried to say something more, but quickly shut their mouths. This was because Joanna’s gaze was turned in their direction.
Joanna of the Iron Wall.
Her natural brute strength was further enhanced by the blessing of the Holy Cross Guardians, and she was armed with a large and massive shield that seemed capable of blocking even siege weapons, as well as a war hammer that seemed capable of destroying even castle walls.
The entire body was also covered in pure white plate mail with black cloth added, so it could truly be called a moving steel castle.
‘Not yet.’
As Joanna turned around and asked with her eyes, one of the members answered in a small voice.
“There are three minutes left until the operation begins.”
Because we decided to raid branches across the country simultaneously.
At the unit’s answer, Joanna frowned once more, put on the helmet she had been wearing at her side, and grabbed her warhammer.
Clank, clank.
It wasn’t something I should have done while ambushing, but I made a little noise on purpose and fortunately there was a reaction. The fantasy couple flinched and looked at me with concern.
But Joanna was not satisfied.
It was because the two people realized that the operation was about to begin and started to get even more squeamish.
‘Judy, Judy. Joanna is staring at you too much.’
‘Good, let’s continue.’
‘Ugh.’
I don’t know what went well, but it was good.
But now it was time to really get down to business.
Cordelia pursed her lips as if trying to soothe her regret, then pushed Yuder’s chest slightly to increase the distance between them.
[in the end!]
As Melissa shouted in her head, Cordelia coughed and looked beyond the bushes.
If you just look at the outside, it’s just a ruin.
The remains of a collapsed castle.
But in reality, it was the headquarters of the central branch, which boasted one of the largest scales among the branches of the Devil’s Hand.
The branch is led by the senior mine Koros.
For today’s surprise attack, Cordelia herself, Judas, one of the six captains, Joanna the Iron Wall, and over a hundred members of the Holy Cross Guardians were mobilized.
Moreover, even the royal army was involved in this operation.
A thousand or so kingdom troops, led by the Seven-Salgeom Seryu, were forming a loose encirclement in the distance.
Once the battle began, their role was to quickly close the encirclement and prevent the demon followers from escaping.
‘Whew, good.’
Cordelia, who was holding the Moonlight that had been reborn as the Awakening Mythic Dragon Equipment, stroked the Ultimate Five – Grand Order hanging on her waist with her empty left hand. With the Heavenly Judgement on her back, Cordelia looked like she could be either a magician or a swordsman.
‘Rear support.’
It was the role of Joanna and Judas to stand at the forefront and clear the way.
So Cordelia counted the numbers in her head and started to pour all kinds of magic on Uther.
“Strength, Haste, Eye of the Tiger.”
Joanna, who was standing next to him, opened her eyes wide as the orders continued nonstop.
Not only was Cordelia amazing at using more than ten spells without breaking a sweat, but Uder was also amazing at accepting so many auxiliary spells without a problem.
‘Indeed, he is Lord Landius’s disciple.’
Normally, the durability would not be able to accept that much auxiliary magic.
Because his face was so smooth and handsome, I didn’t get the feeling that he was bulky, but maybe what was underneath his clothes was really amazing.
“Sir Joanna.”
Yuder spoke softly, and Joanna, who was imagining what was underneath the clothes, flinched, but soon nodded.
It was time to execute the operation.
“May the light of the holy sun be with you.”
The abbreviation of the now defunct Solari sect.
Uther responded with a sign of the Solari Order, and Joanna felt her affection for Uther rising deep within her.
And right after that.
As Yuder looked straight ahead, Joanna closed her visor.
One of the Guardians fired a red signal flare into the sky. The Seven-Slaughter Sword Seryu, who was stationed far away, saw this and transmitted the order.
Initiate the attack.
The battle has begun.
&
The basement of the devil’s followers’ branch was like an ant hole.
After wiping out the small number of troops stationed on the surface in one breath, Yuder and Joanna dug underground without hesitation.
And along the way, Joanna was surprised several times.
‘Strong.’
It was such a simple expression, but Uder was quick and sharp.
Perhaps because it was naked to begin with, its speed was incredible. Furthermore, it was not only fast, but also had strong attack power.
Moreover, the story that the limbs were like swords was not false.
Not only did Yuder casually take the swords of the demon followers with his arms, he even went as far as to split the wall with his sword and destroy it.
It’s truly a matchless battle.
The speed at which the enemy was defeated was so fast that even Joanna herself was busy just keeping up.
‘He really looks like a commander.’
It wasn’t just the strength that naturally made him follow. Yuder’s movements were reminiscent of Kamael.
Although he wasn’t using a sword, it was clear that what Yuder was wielding now was the Twelve Swords of Snow Flower.
“Koooooooo!”
A demon came charging through the dark corridors with a roar. But by the time Joanna raised her shield and grabbed her hammer, the situation was already over.
The Twelve Swords of Snow Flower.
Twelve snow flowers blooming with a sword.
The moment Yuder collided head-on with the demon, a pure white blizzard covered his vision. Yuder’s sword strike swept across the demon’s entire body, which was momentarily frozen in its movements, and the demon with the head of a lion and the body of a giant fell to the ground, broken into nine pieces.
Thump thump!
A dull sound rang out as the frozen ground and the pieces of ice collided. It was the extreme power of the Snow Flower Twelve Swords.
‘No, that’s not all.’
As a knight, Joanna could tell that Juder’s slash was imbued with holy power.
Holy Blade.
Sacred weapons imbued with the power of heaven.
And then Joanna finally realized.
Cordelia didn’t just give Uther the usual auxiliary magic.
‘Enchant!’
Magic spells that strengthen weapons.
Normally, it was impossible. Even those who had strengthened their bodies through arduous training could not withstand enchantment magic that was originally intended to be cast on inanimate objects.
But Uther could endure it.
It was Yuderman’s strength to have Sword Origin.
“Keep going! Light!”
Even as Joanna stopped in her tracks in surprise, Yuder was still moving. Despite being a prosecutor, he used magic to illuminate the darkness and literally exterminated the demon followers who were hiding and waiting for an opportunity.
Joanna, whose affection for Yuder had grown slightly in her heart, grabbed her war hammer and shouted the holy words, injecting new vitality into herself and everyone around her.
“Follow His Majesty the Count!”
“Wow!”
The resistance of the devil’s followers was fierce, but the power of the Holy Cross Guardians was stronger.
As Yuder and Joanna opened the way and Cordelia and the Guardians finished off the attack, all the remaining troops in the branch were swept away like fallen autumn leaves.
And about thirty minutes later.
Reaching the lowest level, Uder stretched out his arms and caught his breath.
Behind Yuder, a giant gargoyle, the epitome of a goalkeeper, lay frozen in place.
A demon with power equivalent to that of an intermediate mine.
It was the strongest enemy he had faced since the battle began, and so Uder let out a long breath.
Because I had a gut feeling that this battle would not achieve its goal.
‘He ran away.’
Most of the enemies I encountered on my way here were demons.
The number of lower-level mines has decreased due to various events that have occurred in the Kingdom of Seilun over the past year, but the ratio is excessive.
Moreover, the head of the branch and a high-ranking mine, Koros, was nowhere to be seen.
‘Did you notice?’
It wasn’t impossible. Even though they were careful, the six captains who were scattered across the continent had gathered in one place.
Even from the devil’s followers’ point of view, there was clearly room for them to notice.
Furthermore, although imperfect, there was a mine on the Solusia side that had the ability to prophesy.
‘Still, there are results.’
In any case, only Koros and some of the mines escaped.
The central branch of the Devil’s Hand would virtually be annihilated in this battle.
Wipe out the forces of demon followers throughout the kingdom of Seilun.
In order to cause a large-scale disaster like the one that occurred in the Wild Lands or the Royal Capital, a large number of troops were needed. Even if the Mines survived, there would be clear limits to what they could do without troops to act as their hands and feet.
‘The most likely thing is that he will just run away to the empire.’
Since all the plans made in the Kingdom of Seilun had failed, there was a possibility that they would instead give strength to the Empire.
‘Anyway… one thing is resolved.’
Cordelia was talking about flags, but I guess I should be satisfied since it ended without any problems.
Yuder, who smiled slightly, reached into his arms again and caressed a small object. It was an item he had specially ordered for Cassius.
“Your Excellency Count August Bayer.”
At Joanna’s call, Jude turned around, still holding the object in his hand.
“It seems that the upper-level minions have escaped.”
Joanna frowned at Yuder’s words, but soon changed her expression and spoke.
“But just in case, I will order a search operation.”
“Yes, please take care of it.”
Yuder, who had given an example, looked back at the room on the lowest floor.
It was a scene I had seen several times in games, but it was still somewhat different from reality.
‘The devil’s hand.’
A group of demon followers who serve Asmodeus, the overlord of Hell.
As I entered what appeared to be the room of the branch manager, Koros, the emblem of Asmodeus painted on one wall caught my eye.
He is the monarch of lust and also the greatest swordsman in hell.
In the original, he was a great monarch who descended to the earth on the day of the Great Summoning and announced the start of Armageddon.
‘You really ran away properly.’
There were no items of note left in Koros’ room. It seemed that they had taken what they could and disposed of the rest so that they would not fall into the hands of the Holy Cross Guardians.
“Hey, Yuder! Do you have anything?”
Uther turned around at Cordelia’s call from afar. He put the object he was holding in his hand – a small ring – back into his bosom and shouted.
“No! Nothing much! I’ll go now!”
“Come quickly!”
“okay!”
It was a bit of a silly conversation, but that made me smile even more.
‘Next.’
After the wedding of Brother Gayle and Sister Adelia.
What happens next?
Yuder, who had once again touched the ring on his chest, hurriedly took a step forward.
&
A rain of fire was pouring down from the sky.
Keynes and Sarah are dead.
Adelaide informed them of Kamael’s critical condition, and Joanna, weeping, brought them the news of the death of Eltharion, the eldest member and spiritual leader of the Order of the Holy Cross.
Things weren’t going well.
Malekith’s dragonflight, which had laid waste to the south, began to advance northward, and the barbarians who had taken control of the north began to advance southward.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that the destruction of the Kingdom of Cailun was imminent, as the central government, having lost its royal family, had no power to fend off attacks from the south and the north.
Uther was sitting in the middle of the battlefield.
His whole body was covered in blood.
Some of the blood was shed by Yuder himself, and some was shed by others.
Perhaps Keynes and Sarah’s blood was also mixed in.
Uder took a deep breath. He tried to forget everything for a moment by blocking the magical power of the communicator that was continuously transmitting bad news.
But that couldn’t be done.
It was impossible to find peace in this place, where the corpses of the Holy Cross, the devil’s followers, and many innocent people were piled high.
‘father.’
The sword of gale force inherited from my father.
Count Bayer no longer existed.
No, the Count Bayer family itself was virtually extinct.
In the fighting in the north, Count Bayer and his heir, Gale-Uder’s only brother, were killed.
The Bayer Counts were burned down, and the only one Juder could save was Maia.
“That’s fortunate, Young Master.”
Maia was shedding tears as she looked at Yuder’s own face.
Even though her lower body was crushed and she lost both legs, she smiled at the fact that she was safe.
A month after Count Bayer disappeared, Maia died.
It was the result of accumulated injuries and curses left behind by demons.
Uther gritted his teeth.
Thinking of Maya’s face made me want to cry again.
But it was no use.
A tear ran down Yuder’s cheek, which was stained with sweat and blood.
Father, brother, Maya.
All of the Counts of Bayer.
I lost everything.
The devil followers took it all away.
All that remains is the imperfect sword of the gale that he learned from his father.
However, Uder could not abandon the Sword of the Wind. Although it was imperfect, he mastered the Nine Heavenly Swords and received the Twelve Swords of the Snow Flower from Kamael, but he still used the Sword of the Wind as his foundation.
Because it was the only thing he had left.
Uder continued to cry.
Just eighteen now.
He was not yet twenty years old.
Yuder eventually started to cry like a little child.
And then the sound of footsteps was heard.
A soft call settled in Yuder’s ears.
“Hey, Yuder.”
Affectionate whispers.
Uder turned his head.
A red-haired girl appeared beyond my tear-blurred vision.
“Cordelia.”
Instead of answering again, Cordelia crouched down and smiled at Uther. She then spread her arms and hugged Uther. She buried Uther’s head in her chest and shared warmth with him.
Cordelia also lost a lot.
Count Chase was killed along with Count Bayer, and his older sister Adelia was killed in the Royal Rebellion. Edward, the eldest brother, was still alive but had lost his mind and become a madman.
But Cordelia didn’t lose her smile.
He was the only light in Uther’s world, which was filled with ashes.
And how much time has passed?
When the red sky turned pitch black and a sea of stars spread out.
Uther sniffled and pushed Cordelia away. And at that small gesture, Cordelia smiled again.
“Are you okay now?”
Uder nodded with a blush on his face.
Even though we had already slept together several times, it was still embarrassing.
“Ugh. I told you, you’re such a baby.”
Cordelia pinched Uther’s cheek and sat down next to him. She held Uther’s hand once more.
A devastated battlefield.
Desperate news continues to be heard.
But it wasn’t completely ashen. So Uther took Cordelia’s hand and said impulsively.
“Cordelia.”
“huh?”
Cordelia looked this way.
He looked at me with blue eyes that seemed to have grown up too quickly.
The location was not good.
It would be difficult to say that the atmosphere was particularly good.
But Yuder couldn’t resist the urge and took out the object he had been hiding in his bosom.
small ring.
Not flashy, but beautiful, my mother’s heirloom.
They were already engaged.
If it was an engagement ring, it was already divided.
But still, Uther held out the ring containing his heart to Cordelia, and Cordelia smiled again. She accepted the ring with slightly reddened eyes.
“pretty.”
Cordelia said that while looking at the ring that Uther had put on her, and Uther blushed again.
He whispered to Cordelia, the only light in a world dyed in ashen grey.
“love you.”
“I love you too.”
Cordelia smiled shyly, and so did Uther.
For a moment, the two of them smiled together, forgetting the despair that had enveloped the world.
We looked up together at the dark, black sky without even a single star.
&
< Chapter 98 - Wedding #2 > End
