Chapter 66

The blue-tinged iron reflected the sunlight. The saber soared from the ground, tearing through the air toward Lougis' throat.

The eyes, known as those of a lizard, bulged with bloodshot veins, as if determined not to miss this well-aimed opportunity to fixate on the object of their hatred.

Each time the pain shot through his jaw, it scratched at the depths of his heart with fury. Every time he spoke, it felt as if his teeth might shatter with hatred. All of this was due to this scoundrel, who had the audacity to wound him, a man of higher standing. Because of this unjust act, he was now forced to harbor unnecessary humiliation in his heart.

But it would all end here. The lizard's cheeks twisted into a crooked smile.

The conversation between Captain Helt Stanley and the War Goddess Caria, which had leaked into the hallway, was not entirely clear, but he had heard one word distinctly.

—The adventurer named Lougis would appear to respond to the attack by the Emblem Cultists.

The moment he heard this, the lizard's face contorted into a grin. Wonderful. That War Goddess had given him the chance for revenge, for retribution. Therefore, he fully endorsed the strategy proposed by the young captain and, on the battlefield, silently pursued that green figure.

All for the sake of erasing his humiliation. To set the world right.

The rich are born rich, and the poor are born poor. And the power dynamics should never be reversed. For a scoundrel to raise a sword against a superior is like spitting in the face of heaven. Such a person cannot be allowed to live.

And so, he appeared. Lougis' achievements were commendable. The young captain, who was untouchable, had been brought down, and that was a feat in itself. A path formed in the lizard's mind.

—You've done a good job. That's enough for a scoundrel. Now, die by my hand. Then, I will be appointed captain. You, a used-up tool, will die like a rat in the gutter.

His revenge was complete, and his rise to glory was promised. As captain, he would repel the Emblem Cultists even in a disadvantageous situation. The exhilaration pushed him forward, and his baseless confidence grew.

The opponent was already in a wretched state, barely able to move. In normal circumstances, this would be a cowardly strategy. But the opponent was just a rat. There is no honor or decency in killing a rat. All that was left was to thrust the saber into his neck. The scene was supposed to be vividly reflected in his eyes.

But the next moment, the deputy, known as the lizard, saw not the sight of Lougis with a saber through his neck, but the saber's perfect strike being blocked by a silver light.

*

The silver light exploded. The longsword, with the agility of a conductor's baton, shattered the saber as if it were nothing.

The longsword's melody did not stop even after severing the core of the saber. It seemed to naturally continue, as if it should have been that way, and its sharp tip was directed at the thug who had attacked Lougis.

It was a momentary event, and the steps were strangely light. The longsword, with eyes like a reptile, pierced deeply and dug into the brain behind it. It was a thrust that promised certain death.

The lizard's eyes moved for the last time, looking at Caria and uttering a voice of despair.

"Why... why, my lady..."

Caria, hearing the words, her eyes filled with contempt, and her lips let out a small sigh.

"A scoundrel who knows nothing of the respect for battle. I'll give you a letter of introduction to the gatekeeper of hell."

Her slender wrist twisted, and the silver longsword stirred the brain itself.

And that was the end. Now, only Caria and the motionless form of a man remained.

Her eyes, shifting from contempt to exhilaration, turned to look at Lougis.

"You were in a tight spot, Lougis. Well, I've returned victorious. I'd like to hear some words of gratitude from you, wouldn't you say?"

Stepping over the motionless form on the ground, Caria stood beside Lougis, who could barely maintain his stance. She supported him without touching him, as if ready to catch him if he fell, very close.

But seeing his face up close for the first time in a long while, it seemed to have matured. He was exhausted and wounded, but there was a shining force in his eyes. Caria's cheeks softened.

"You... Caria, you... you set me up, didn't you?"

The words, spoken with a twitching cheek, made even Caria's spine shiver slightly. Her shoulders, unusually, drew inward.

The extent of Lougis' suspicion was unknown. It could be minimal, or it could be the truth. However, it seemed that Caria was confident that her intervention had, to some extent, contradicted Lougis' expectations.

Even if she couldn't tell how close to the truth it was, since her intervention was a fact, Caria couldn't deny the question.

Even if it wasn't her intention to set him up, the fact that it appeared that way was undeniable. If she denied it here, it would go against her pride. Moreover, lying here would trample on the trust and respect Lougis had for her. That was not an option.

Caria moved her small lips slowly, as if choosing her words carefully.

"What are you talking about? I said I would act for our best. And indeed, this is the best outcome, isn't it? — Look, I'll give you a victory embrace."

She then embraced Lougis, hiding her slightly trembling brows and lips. His body, almost devoid of strength, felt unusually heavy. But that heaviness was also comforting. Her silver hair swayed, expressing her emotions. Joy and anxiety mingled in her heart, filling it.

Her slender, white fingers dug into Lougis' back. She held him tightly, as if her fingers were sewn into his back, for a brief moment until his next words.

Of course, Caria believed she had done what she thought was best.

Even if they had defeated the Emblem Cultists and cut off their leader as planned, the world would never recognize Lougis. He might gain a small amount of honor and a pitiful reputation.

But that was it. In this small-minded world, there was no one who would correctly recognize his achievements. Such magnanimity did not exist in this world. Therefore, he had to throw himself into a world that would recognize his achievements. That's why Caria had thrown him into the whirlwind of change.

She believed it was right. It was still the best choice, she was certain. It was what Lougis needed to walk the path of glory.

But whether Lougis would accept it was another matter.

A chill ran through Caria's fingertips.

He might reject it. He might say he didn't want such a thing. If he said that, could she convince him? Could she teach him that this was truly necessary? What expression would the burning obsession in her heart take if he refused? It was terrifying.

The brief moment felt unusually long to Caria. The wind blew, and Lougis' words slowly spilled out.

"Really—knights don't move as I expect, you know. But, yeah, it's not bad. In fact, it's good. It's you, after all, that I trusted."

The voice, perhaps, was one she had never heard from Lougis before. It was as if he had put down a heavy burden he had been carrying. It was as if he had finally been freed from the oppressive weight that had been pressing down on him.

"This result is far from what I expected, but it's good. I feel strangely clear and refreshed now."

So, with heartfelt gratitude, Caria, as soon as Lougis' lips stopped moving, felt his body lose its strength. It must have been his limit. The weight on Caria's slender frame grew heavier.

But it didn't matter. No, in fact, it was better. Wonderful. Caria couldn't stop her expression from softening. It was fortunate that no one was watching. Her heart was filled with unbridled joy.

—So, my choice was not a mistake. It is the best.

As Lougis had said, this outcome was far from what he had expected. It was not a detour. Yet, listen to his words just now. He expressed gratitude, saying that she was right. The man. Caria's silver eyes narrowed, trembling.

Ah, what a hopeless man. I've returned with great achievements, and I haven't even received my reward yet. A mere word of comfort. Really, what a hopeless man. Because of his exhaustion, I'll let it slide this time. But don't forget that it will come at a high cost, Lougis.

I'll pave the way for you to reach glory. Therefore, it's only right that you give me something in return. Caria's profile, reminiscent of a time past, bore a stinging smile. It was a beauty that made the air tremble.

Then, softly, Caria's eyes shifted to the unfamiliar sword that Lougis still clung to, even as he lost consciousness. The sword that had appeared in his hand as if floating in the air during the duel with Helt Stanley.

Caria had an idea about its existence, though it was only a guess.

To save the near-dead Lougis, the ancestral sword had been embedded in his body in the underground temple. It was probably that, as there was no other possibility. She hadn't expected it to manifest as a new sword, but it had.

The beautiful blade, with a single line of purple, made Caria's eyes widen in surprise, and she let out a light sigh in the next moment.

Such an inscription had never been there before. If it had been inscribed for Lougis, it was a dubious thought, but it was more plausible than the sword appearing out of nowhere.

The series of inscribed words. If they were to be translated, several meanings came to mind. The one who stops the breath of glory, or the one who grasps the neck of honor. All of them were extremely ominous. Caria cleared her throat, considering another interpretation.

—The one who kills heroes. The hero killer.

Absolutely, a fitting and fateful name, Caria narrowed her silver eyes.

She then held him even tighter, her face twisted, as the mage named Fialart ran toward them. To show her that this man belonged to her.

*

The prelude to the Holy War. The victory in the siege of the walled city of Galuamaria fell into the hands of the Emblem Cultists.

The city, which had never recorded the word "fall" in its history, disappeared with its legend.

This fall became the devil's hand that dragged the nobles into the whirlpool of war. What was seen as a mere rebellion or conflict escalated into a major uprising and war, climbing the steps of tyranny.

It could no longer be stopped by anyone. The anchor was raised, and the ship set sail into the stormy sea. All sails and nets were taken, and the course to be taken was lost by everyone.

Here, there was no longer good or evil, only the cries of the suffering common people and the cheers of the victorious soldiers.

—Amid the great storm that swallowed history, two names were inscribed in the records of the Great Holy Church.

One was a woman called both a saint and a witch, Mathia. As a symbolic figure in the Holy War, her head was sought by the nobles.

If someone called her an agent of God, someone else would call her a witch who deceived the people. A name that remained unchanged throughout history.

And, as if to add to this, the existence of another young man was revealed. A name that had not appeared on the main stage until then.

His name was spoken with even more hatred than Mathia's by the Great Holy Church.

During the fall of Galuamaria, he, a citizen, betrayed the city and incited the slum dwellers to the edge of a collapsing cliff. A wicked man.

A great sinner. A man who feared no god. A man who took the hand of the devil. Surely, from the beginning to the end, he had everything in his devilish mind.

Naturally, his name was also inscribed in the records of the Emblem Cultists. Unlike the exaggerated records of the Great Holy Church, the Emblem Cult, which pursued wisdom and truth, simply listed the facts.

—This man, who achieved great feats in the battle of the walled city of Galuamaria. His name, Lougis.

Thank you for reading.

This concludes the third chapter and the first part. The next chapter and the second part will follow, and due to changes in my real life, there might be a delay in the next update. I apologize for this.

I have been able to continue updating thanks to your support, your feedback, and your reviews. Thank you very much.

If you enjoyed it even a little, I would be grateful if you would continue to follow this work.