Chapter 96

Oto knew well how heavy Kairos's buttocks were. He knew that if he just called out, Kairos would get angry and say, "Who the hell are you to order me around?" Therefore, Oto wrote the following in the letter he sent through a messenger:

If Kairos refuses to move, tell him that Agato, Hildegarde, Maximus, and the other old subordinates are waiting for His Majesty the Emperor.

...That's what he wrote.

Oto believed that even if Kairos was stubborn, arrogant, and self-centered, he would not be able to resist moving if his old subordinates were mentioned. And his judgment was correct.

"Speak!"

"Choke!"

"What did you just say? Didn't I tell you to speak!"

"Choke! Sir! Choke! Let me go so I can speak... Choke!"

Kashim felt wronged.

'No f*cking way! Let me go so I can speak! I can't even breathe!'

Kairos was holding his collar so tightly that he was almost suffocating.

"I lost my composure for a moment. Ahem."

"Choke!"

"Now, speak. What did you mean by what you just said?"

"I, I don't know. I just delivered the content of the letter His Majesty wrote and sent."

"So, that scoundrel said Agato, Hildegarde, and Maximus are waiting for me?"

"Yes."

"And he told you to come to the Principality of Kuntachi immediately?"

"Yes, sir."

"Agato, Hildegarde, Maximus..."

Kairos repeated the names.

All three names belonged to subordinates who had spent time with him in the past, people he cherished.

'Your Majesty! Let's grill some meat and have a drink on the back mountain tonight?'

'Your Majesty, please send me off to marriage. I'm already fifty.'

'Please stop acting like an idiot. What are you, the Emperor, doing wandering around?'

Suddenly, the faces of those guys flashed through Kairos's mind.

"Surely that scoundrel really said that?"

"There's no doubt about it."

"If it's a lie... I'll pluck out that scoundrel's corns."

"That, that's something for the two of you to resolve amicably. I don't know much about it. Haha. Haha."

"Let's go and see if it's true."

Kairos said this and then dashed out of the tavern with a whoosh.

He then went to the newly built stable and stole the largest and strongest-looking Tatar breed horse.

"Yah!"

"Neigh!!!"

And so, Kairos began to gallop towards the Principality of Kuntachi at a terrifying speed.

His mind was full of questions.

'How can they be waiting for me? Could they still be alive? That's impossible. Then, did they resurrect like me? No matter how I think about it, it's strange. But there's no way that scoundrel would lie to me.'

However, he couldn't know anything for sure until he went and saw it himself, so Kairos decided to go and check.

He would see it with his own eyes.

* * *

Meanwhile, Oto had to fight the ghost knights that attacked every night with all his might.

Since the ghost knights appeared through thick fog every night, it was impossible to defend the Principality of Kuntachi without fighting all night.

After the third battle ended,

"My voice... is... hoarse... Ugh..."

Oto's voice sounded like metal.

He had used the "Barbarian Warrior's Roar" skill all night to give buffs to his allies, and his voice was completely gone.

"Here."

Camille brought a warm drink and offered it to Oto.

"A warm drink helps when your voice is hoarse."

"Thanks."

"Still, can you hold out? Until Sir Kairos arrives?"

Camille looked around and said.

The surroundings were in a terrible state.

"Ugh. Ugh..."

"My legs... my legs!"

"I can't fight anymore. Really, I can't..."

Most of the soldiers were completely exhausted, and there were many injured and dead.

Moreover, many soldiers who were physically unharmed were suffering from mental anguish due to the ghost knights' aura.

"Ugh! Ugh!"

"Die, die!"

Even after the battle ended, some soldiers were still swinging their weapons at the air.

The mages and magic knights were also suffering from extreme fatigue, making further battles difficult.

Conrad was leaning against the wall, eyes closed, taking a quiet rest, but it was clear that he was also exhausted to the limit.

He just didn't show it as the prince of the Principality of Kuntachi and the head of the family...

"The next battle will be really tough."

"I know."

Oto answered with a hoarse voice.

"We'll collapse in the next battle. If we somehow survive, we'll definitely collapse in the one after that. I can't hold out any longer... Ugh."

Oto was in pain, unable to continue speaking.

His voice was so hoarse that he couldn't even speak properly.

'Why now? Kairos is still far away.'

This attack by the ghost knights was not part of Oto's calculations.

He knew that the ghost knights would attack, but he didn't expect them to go berserk so soon.

'I need to respond. The situation is never as I wish. Think. Think of a way to hold out until Kairos arrives.'

During the previous battle with Togril, Togril was stronger than expected, which caught Oto off guard.

Oto vowed not to be caught off guard like he was during the battle with Togril and focused on finding a solution.

Then,

"Huh?"

Oto suddenly had a good idea and his eyes lit up.

"Why?"

"Call all the mages and magic knights together."

"Have you found a solution?"

"Maybe."

Oto wasn't sure.

It was a method he hadn't tried even when playing the game, so he didn't know if it would work.

But it was worth a try.

"Call them together. We have to try."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Oto gathered the magic knights and mages and explained his plan.

"Now, from this point on..."

The magic knights and mages who heard Oto's plan couldn't understand what kind of strategy it was.

Oto's words were so difficult to understand.

"Since this is the only method we have now, please follow it once, even if you don't understand. I beg you."

"Yes, Young Master."

A few hours later,

"Revenge... I want revenge."

"Traitors... will be punished."

The ghost knights began to appear, breaking through the fog.

It was broad daylight.

The fog was so thick that it obscured the sun, allowing the ghost knights to appear even though it wasn't night yet.

"Enemies!"

"All troops! Prepare for battle!"

The army of the Principality of Kuntachi quickly formed ranks and prepared for the upcoming battle, surprised by the early attack.

Then,

The magic knights and mages began to chant the same spell in unison.

Swoosh!

Hundreds of illusions appeared in front of the wall.

All the illusions had the same appearance.

"Revenge... Revengeuuuuuuu!!!"

"Traitors... are there... Punish the traitors!!!"

The ghost knights immediately went into a frenzy and attacked the illusions with faster attack and movement speeds.

But no matter how much the ghost knights attacked, the illusions didn't budge.

They were just illusions, so the ghost knights' attacks were just cutting through the air.

Decoy Spell.

A spell that creates illusions.

The illusions were just illusions and had no effect.

However, they wouldn't disappear from any attack during their duration.

"Wow!"

"Wowwww!"

People were amazed to see the ghost knights stumbling as they attacked the illusions.

No one thought that such a simple method could deceive the ghost knights.

But it wasn't a simple method.

Why?

Because not just any illusion could deceive the ghost knights.

"Is that... Julius?"

Camille asked Oto.

The illusions created by the magic knights and mages all looked exactly like Julius.

"No."

Oto shook his head.

"It's not Julius."

"But they look the same?"

"They're similar, but it's not Julius. It's Emperor Argon."

"......!"

"The only one who can hold the ghost knights is Emperor Argon."

Oto smiled.

* * *

After creating the illusions of Emperor Argon with the Decoy Spell, the battle no longer took place.

"Revenge... Revengeuuuuuuu!!!"

"Die... traitor...!!!"

The ghost knights continued to attack the illusions of Emperor Argon, thinking they were real, so there was no need to fight and repel them.

"Hehehe!"

Conrad laughed heartily, pleased to see Oto's ingenuity in tying up the ghost knights.

"What a clever kid! What kind of magic did you use? How did you solve a situation that couldn't be resolved in 35 years so easily!"

"I happened to learn the story behind this situation."

"The appearance of the ghost knights was related to Emperor Argon?"

"Yes, Grandfather."

"How did you find out?"

"I used clairvoyance to check the forest..."

Oto told Conrad the story.

"Ah, so that's the story."

"I was lucky. If I hadn't used clairvoyance, I wouldn't have found out the story."

"Luck is also a form of skill. If you didn't have the power of the Invincible Emperor, how could you have glimpsed the memories of the ghost knights? With the ability, you can seize the luck that brushes past you."

"Hahaha..."

"Truly loyal. Even as wandering spirits, they continue to show loyalty to their ruler."

"It's a pity. Isn't it tragic that such loyal subjects are wandering as spirits? They should be resting in peace in a hero's tomb."

"You're right. It's a pity..."

Thanks to Oto's ingenuity, the battle no longer took place, and the Principality of Kuntachi could catch its breath.

After a day and a half,

"......!"

"......!"

"......!"

The ghost knights, who had been diligently attacking the illusions, suddenly stopped.

Then they all looked up at the same spot on the wall.

Soon, the ghost knights knelt on one knee.

"I greet His Majesty the Emperor..."

"I greet His Majesty the Emperor..."

"I greet His Majesty the Emperor..."

Standing where the ghost knights paid their respects was their emperor.

The emperor who had traveled at full speed day and night from the Kingdom of Iota.