Chapter 19

A state of emergency was declared in the capital. The situation was already serious with a tower descending near the capital, but for it to be descending directly onto the palace! The palace was in chaos, like a disturbed beehive. Evacuation orders were first issued for the royal family, officials, and ministers working in the palace, and the staff began to evacuate in sequence. At the moment when everyone was fleeing the palace, Lionel Valder, the Minister of Defense and the head of the knights, ran towards the point where the tower was descending. The elite knights of the Royal Guard, led by Lionel Valder, were gathering in squads. They were the empire's finest, having once held off the tentacles of a Level 2 tower for an entire month without the support of mages. Lionel estimated the diameter of the descending tower.

"…It looks like a Level 4 or 5."

Nodding at the deputy commander's words, who was looking up at the massive tower descending from the sky, Lionel replied.

"Fortunately, it's coming down in the garden. It would have been much harder to stop if it had come down on a building."

Though the palace's pride, the rose garden, would be devastated. BOOM!!! The ground shook with the thunderous sound of lightning striking and the sky tearing apart. The trees bent and groaned in the fierce wind, and even the seasoned knights couldn't hide their fear. The red sky, which seemed to reek of blood, was enough to evoke the deepest terror. Lionel shouted firmly to the knights, who were trembling with unease.

"Don't look up! Fear grows as much as you imagine it, and the more fear you have, the duller your sword becomes!"

At his words, the knights, who had been staring blankly at the sky, quickly lowered their heads and looked forward. Lionel quickly surveyed the terrain and began issuing rapid orders.

"First Battalion, Second Squad, move forward! Third and Fourth Squads, support the Second Squad from behind!"

Lionel was not only the most skilled knight in Ehmont but also excelled in situational judgment, adeptly deploying troops where they were needed. Despite facing numerous situations where they had to fend off the tentacles without mage support, the casualties in his knight corps were minimal, thanks not only to the individual capabilities of the knights but also to Lionel's leadership. To the knights, Lionel was an object of absolute loyalty and trust. Following Lionel's orders, the knights moved in unison, maintaining their individual attack ranges and forming a massive formation that resembled a doughnut-shaped chessboard. The knights would hold their positions and block the tentacles rushing out from the tower. Lionel took a few more steps forward from the formation.

"Our goal is to hold off the tentacles until the tower is destroyed! Form up, take your positions!"

The sky, now a deep crimson, was being crossed by a towering black disaster that was drawing closer by the moment. Lionel looked around and whispered.

"Where are the mages?!"

"Yes, sir. They haven't arrived yet."

Even as the tower was descending so quickly, the mages were still not here! They might only show up after the knights had died in droves. Though he didn't say it out loud, Lionel had already witnessed such events several times. However, he couldn't let the mages make the knights shed unnecessary blood, even from the palace where they were so close.

"Go to the Mage Corps headquarters and bring the mages here immediately!"

"Understood."

The deputy commander quickly turned and disappeared. But both Lionel and the running deputy commander knew that it was uncertain how diligently the mages would respond to this summons. The frustration of having to submit to this reality was bitter. After all, the only thing that could destroy that towering disaster was not the knights' swords but the mages' magic.

＊＊＊

Those who can freely use magic in response to the tower's magic are generally called 'mages.' In Ehmont, the country's mages were affiliated with the Royal Mage Corps, which, though a military unit, was directly under the Emperor's jurisdiction, not the Ministry of Defense. Mages are divided into two main types: offensive mages, called 'Strikers,' and defensive mages, called 'Keepers.' The head of the Royal Mage Corps is Duke August Ulrich Despoin, and the deputy commander is Count Renox Poitier. Renox Poitier, a Level 1 Striker, is the undisputed top mage in Ehmont. His acquisition of a hereditary count title, despite being a commoner, was not without reason. Count Renox Poitier looked at the panting deputy commander of the Royal Guard, Henri Jacal, with a bored expression.

"So?"

Even under the deputy commander's fierce gaze, Renox leisurely fastened his robe's buttons and asked again.

"Right now?"

Henri Jacal, his eyes narrowing, spoke in a biting tone.

"It's an order from the Minister of Defense. The Mage Corps is to assemble immediately in the rose garden where the tower is descending."

"It's inconvenient right now. Besides, we are directly under the Emperor's jurisdiction, so we don't necessarily have to follow the Minister of Defense's orders. You know that, right?"

"..."

"Ah, really, I've got the buttons wrong."

Renox showed his misaligned robe and grinned.

"Just a moment, just a moment~ I know it's urgent. I'll go."

However, despite his words, his leisurely movements and the way he was adjusting his robe while looking in the mirror showed no sign of urgency. Henri Jacal clenched his fists tightly.

"Oh, by the way, Sir Jacal. Didn't you not get your salary this time? It's fine for you, of course, as the second son of the Jacal family, but if any of your subordinates are struggling, I can tear off one of my buttons for them. It's gilded and should fetch a good price."

"Prepare yourself quickly, Renox Poitier, instead of saying such things."

When Henri Jacal warned him in a deep, stern voice, Renox turned from the mirror and approached him closely.

"You shouldn't do this, Henri Jacal. You really need my help, don't you? The longer I take, the more casualties the knights will suffer. Isn't that right?"

"A tower is descending on the palace, and you think the mages will be fine? The Royal Mage Corps cannot avoid its responsibility!"

At this, Renox smiled and took a gilded button from his pocket, dropping it at his feet. The button rolled to a corner with a loud clatter.

"Not me."

"..."

"Even if the mages face any repercussions later, not me. What does it matter if the world becomes a hell, as long as I'm not in it? So, Henri Jacal, don't cross me. There's a way to avoid going all the way."

Renox patted Henri's shoulder and walked away leisurely. Henri Jacal closed his eyes in frustration. Though it was infuriating, with the backing of Dian Poitier and Duke Despoin, Renox could indeed act this way. There was no way to resolve this humiliation and disgrace. His heart felt like it was burning black. But...

No matter how well Lionel Valder led the knights, if the mages didn't come, only the knights, the first line of defense, would bleed. Hadn't he seen this happen before? The tower would soon touch the ground, and the knights would have to fight desperately to hold off the tentacles. Enduring personal humiliation and disgrace was better than watching his comrades die meaninglessly.

"Sir Poitier!"

Henri Jacal bit his lip and then shouted loudly. At his shout, Renox Poitier, who had been walking leisurely with his hands in his pockets, turned halfway around. Henri Jacal, with a stiff face, looked at him.

"Why? If you called me, you should say something."

Though his tone was mocking, Henri couldn't afford to cross him anymore. He took a deep breath and bowed respectfully. As his head lowered, Renox's blue eyes flashed. It was thrilling.

"I request the mages' assistance."

Ah, thrilling. How grateful this crimson sky is. The black disaster descending from the sky was a blessing and a gift from the gods to Renox Poitier. When he saw the black disaster rushing towards the palace, he was genuinely happy. Thanks to it, a noble knight was bowing his head. But this isn't enough. Renox turned and approached the bowing Henri Jacal, placing both hands on his shoulders.

"Is this enough to make up for the rudeness?"

"..."

"At least kneel. Isn't that right, Sir Jacal?"

Henri, still bowing, closed his eyes and clenched his teeth. Renox pressed down on his shoulders more firmly. The young deputy commander's shoulders began to lower. Renox stepped back as if to engrave this scene in his mind, staring intently at Henri. Thud. It sounded like that. The proud deputy commander of the Royal Guard's right knee touched the ground, followed by his left knee.

"I request your assistance."

I might melt from this. Renox closed his eyes in ecstasy, thrilled. It was always new and enjoyable. Renox couldn't hold back the laughter welling up from his stomach. The laughter echoing amidst the crimson sky and the approaching black disaster was truly bizarre. But if everyone is in hell, what does it matter? If I alone am in a flower garden, does it matter if it's a pool of blood?

＊＊＊

Madame Gix was perplexed about what to do. The person who should have evacuated first was not only not leaving but had even found and put on a perfectly fitting training uniform. Just that was enough to make her anxious, and then she tied a long, slender sword to her back. Even the seasoned old lady couldn't grasp the situation. But Adel had no intention of making her understand and only said what she wanted to say.

"There's no need to run. If the red sky scares you, just cover yourself with a blanket and take a nap."

"What are you planning to do...?"

"I'll be back soon. Don't follow me. It's an order."

"Your Majesty!!!"

Leaving behind Madame Gix's heartfelt cry, Adel quickly left the palace like a swift black leopard. The palace was in chaos. Adel began to move against the flow of the rapidly evacuating staff. In the chaotic situation, it was difficult for anyone to think that a woman in a black training uniform was the Empress, so people didn't recognize her as she passed by. The sky was already a crimson spectacle. What lay beyond the sky? The sky, always close yet unreachable, continuously stimulated human imagination. Poets sang of the world of the gods, and astronomers read the movements of the stars. Until that appeared. The tower that suddenly appeared in the world one day turned the sky into a realm of fear. The sky, turning crimson, was a manifestation of hellish terror. In the face of overwhelming disaster, human flesh was too fragile. The disaster evoked the most primal fear in humans. People were busy screaming and running away. But Adel vividly remembered that day. The thrilling feeling, the shiver of something long dormant in her body awakening, was a new experience. It felt as if a dead body had gained new life. Was it like a young eagle spreading its wings for the first glide? Or a young leopard running across the wilderness for the first time? At the age of ten, Adel awakened as a mage that day. Since then, she had always tried to suppress the thrilling sensation of magic. She thought that even a moment of ecstasy was unacceptable when thinking of the suffering of people in the face of tragic disasters. Adel moved faster. The closer she got to the tower, the stronger the wind became. Trees were groaning as they collided, and objects were being blown around by the wind. Fortunately, the epicenter of the tower was not on a building. Strangely, not a single mage was in sight, only knights. Adel immediately recognized the leader of the knights, who were forming a circular formation and looking up at the tower.

＊＊＊

When a massive tower descends from the sky to the ground, a terrifying updraft is created. At the moment the deputy commander Henri Jacal went to fetch the mages, the knights were facing the powerful updraft. The late summer roses, in full bloom, were uprooted and soared into the sky, and the windows of nearby buildings shattered with a loud noise. The knights were already bleeding from flying debris before the tower even touched the ground.

"Commander!!"

At the adjutant's shout, Lionel instinctively moved, and the glass shard flying towards him was swept away by the wind.

"Be careful of falling debris from above!!! Watch out for glass shards!!!"

Even with the squad leaders' repeated warnings, injuries were still occurring everywhere. Lionel, deflecting the flying glass shards with his sword, shouted to his subordinates.

"Where are the Keepers?!!!"

Due to the shadow cast by the tower, the rose garden where the knights were gathered was as dark as a night.

"Kieeeeeek!!!"

"Kraaaaaaak!!!"

The eerie cries mixed with the fierce wind increased the knights' fear. The powerful vortex that seemed to devour even solid bodies, the black terror, and the eerie cries of the monsters evoked images of hell. Lionel gave up hope that the mages would arrive on time. As always, the sacrifice of the knights would be inevitable. He steeled his resolve, hoping that his sword could protect one more of his subordinates this time.

"Draw your swords!!!!"

At his loud command, the squad leaders drew their swords, and the rest of the knights quickly followed. When the overwhelming tower, crossing the swirling wind, touched the ground, that would be the true beginning of hell. Lionel opened his eyes wide and tensed his muscles. The deafening wind seemed to have numbed his hearing. But then, a calm, low, and refreshing voice, like an autumn breeze, suddenly pierced through the terrible noise and reached his ears.

"Why are you just watching?"

"?!?"

Lionel, startled by the calm voice that didn't fit the situation, turned his head. The strong wind blew his long black hair across his face.

A woman in a perfectly fitting black training uniform, with her flying hair casually grabbed and neatly tied up, stood there. Her small stature was particularly delicate among the robust knights. She looked at Lionel with intense golden eyes that no one could forget once seen.

"Her Majesty the Empress?"

Empress Adelaide had suddenly appeared in the midst of the disaster.