The spreading heat and a fierce, murderous intent.
Liana's crimson aura was tainted, as if corrupted, mixed with a murky black hue.
Like a sorrowful wail, her crimson aura surged violently into the sky, roaring like a dragon.
"Run away from me."
Had those words not been spoken, the soldiers standing before her might have frozen in shock, unable to move, and died.
Liana's near-moaned words snapped the guards in front of the royal palace into action, forcing them to move urgently.
Piiiiiiii!
The long, echoing sound of an alarm whistle.
Even just one blow in the midst of peaceful daily life was enough to drastically shift the situation.
At the very least, the emergency had been signaled.
Now, what were they supposed to do?
What could they do?
There was nothing left for them but to be swept away by Helmut's greatsword.
Helmut's greatsword—once called a deterrent of war.
Now, in the very moment it was about to be swung toward the royal palace—
"Get behind me—!"
At Liana's strained shout, the soldiers' eyes snapped open.
They weren't the target—the palace was.
Understanding this perfectly thanks to Liana's warning, the two soldiers trembled before quickly rushing toward her.
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
"Understood!"
The two soldiers, who had served as comrades, dashed past Liana just as—
BOOM!
A tsunami-like wave of crimson aura shattered the main gate and surged inward.
Though the two soldiers had technically failed in their duty,
Anyone could see that staying there would have been nothing but a pointless death.
Thud.
Liana's greatsword, Ragnavel, scraped against the ground. Dragging it forward as she stepped ahead was already a far cry from her usual demeanor.
She stepped over the shattered remains of the gate, now flattened beneath her feet.
The crimson aura from her strike still rippled around her like flames,
As if clearing a path for its master.
Liana's footsteps carried hesitation and resistance,
Yet her body moved against her will as she raised her greatsword once more.
Thud.
Then—a man descended from the sky.
The princess's knight, Heirad, leaped from a window and blocked Liana's path.
But he wasn't alone.
The royal guards, having heard the urgent whistle, poured out in droves.
Though Evergard was considered the rear, their movements were disciplined, swift, and precise.
In a situation where the unknown Transcendents were attacking,
Preparations hadn't been limited to just the frontlines.
Liana, her expression hardened, tightened her grip on her sword.
"Don't think of me as human."
Unlike the surging crimson aura, brimming with hostility and rage, her voice carried worry and regret.
"Think of me as a Transcendent."
Liana desperately wished for it.
"The target is Princess Adeline. Keep her out of sight. The moment I see her, I'll head straight for her with everything I have."
Even as she revealed her own objective, Liana swung her sword.
"I'm counting on you."
Though her voice carried a heartbreaking sincerity, the blade she swung was fierce and violent.
"Kill me."
The words, carried on the crimson aura, lingered in the guards' ears—
But they had no room to dwell on her plight or pity her.
"Hold the line!"
"Keep your heads down behind the shields!"
"Do not retreat!"
Even if it was Helmut, she was just one person.
No one denied her strength, but could she really wipe out the entire royal guard alone?
Heirad drew his sword, judging as much.
'The moment the crimson aura falters, I strike.'
Theoretically, Heirad's judgment was sound. Crimson aura was not infinite, and even Helmut's power was ultimately bound by stamina and willpower.
'Helmut is still human.'
That was the underlying assumption.
Unfortunately, the one thing Heirad overlooked was that Liana was no longer in control of herself.
Waiting for the crimson aura to weaken, Heirad sharpened his gaze.
But the energy continued to pour down like an endless fountain of blood-red light.
The waterfall-like flow showed no signs of stopping, and the thick shields began to buckle as the guards were slowly pushed back.
"This can't be…!"
Amid the groans slipping through the guards' gritted teeth, Heirad's bewilderment mixed in.
Heirad had crossed blades with Arandel Helmut before.
Though the man had been dying of illness and had just fought the primordial Transcendents for days on end.
Now, Heirad felt a terror similar to what he had felt that day.
Liana Helmut's growth and the boundless, unrestrained power unleashed by her transformation into a Vassal.
The deterrent of war.
The weight of that meaning now pressed down on Heirad's shoulders, his arms trembling as he shouted,
"Don't give up! Hold the line!"
But despite his desperate cries, the guards were gradually forced back, some dropping to their knees.
Thud.
Liana's heavy footsteps approached.
Gazing at those who had failed to stop her, she wept in sorrow.
"I'm sorry…"
[Image]
With a sorrowful groan, the sweeping slash of the sword finally shattered the royal guards' formation.
Amid the fallen soldiers—
Heirad, gripping his sword tightly.
As the princess's knight, he threw himself at Liana, determined to uphold his pride and duty.
But unfortunately, before the name "Helmut," the fate of those who clung to their pride was all too similar.
"...!"
It felt like being crushed by an overwhelming mass.
Though it was clearly a greatsword, the impact was like being struck by a hammer the size of a human body.
His vision spun violently.
Only belatedly realizing he was rolling across the ground, Heirad collapsed with a groan, unable to speak.
"Ghk—Ugh!"
Liana stepped past the guards and moved inside.
Through the window, Clarice bit her lip.
They didn't have enough knights to fight.
Had sending their own forces to aid the chaotic north backfired?
'No… Even if they were here, could they have stopped her?'
The only one who came to mind was Uldren Caldias—but he was currently busy in the north.
'First, I have to get my sister—!'
Clarice turned urgently.
Though Heirad's fallen figure weighed on her mind, there was no time to spare.
Just as she was thinking she had to evacuate Princess Adeline—the true power behind the throne—
BANG!
The door to Clarice's office burst open, and Princess Adeline stepped inside.
"Sister—!?"
Clarice was about to ask why she was here, but—
Princess Adeline assessed the situation with chilling clarity.
"I've briefed my secretary on document organization, the current situation, the location of the secret vault… Everything that must not fall into the wrong hands."
"S-Sister…?"
Adeline placed a bundle of keys into Clarice hands and continued swiftly.
"There's no time to explain each one. But I know you'll handle it well, Clarice."
"Wait—Sister!"
What was she saying?
Clarice called out desperately, but Adeline's resolve was already firm.
"Clarice, listen carefully. From now on, you—"
"Your Highness!"
A robed man burst into the room—
A court mage dispatched from the Magic Tower, currently stationed at the palace.
"The—The Magic Tower has sent reinforcements! If—If Your Highness permits, they can deploy immediately—!"
The mage began rambling about some complex magical procedure that required authorization, but—
"Wait—The Magic Tower? This quickly? The timing is too perfect!"
"I—I'm not sure either… Teleportation magic is a high-tier spell requiring immense mana and preparation time, but it's almost as if they anticipated this—"
Adeline cut him off with a gesture.
Whatever the case, it was welcome.
In this situation, even the devil's aid would be a relief.
"Permission granted."
The moment Adeline nodded, the mage rushed to the window, stretching out his staff like a prophet receiving a revelation.
Though it looked somewhat ridiculous, he waved it fervently—
And then—
A blue star streaked across the darkening sky.
Like a wish-granting shooting star, it descended upon the earth in answer to the princess's plea.
BOOOOOOM!
A long, crushing, destructive noise erupted, sending waves of mana rippling outward.
"...."
Liana turned toward the entrance as something landed where she had entered.
From the billowing smoke emerged three figures.
"Ghk—Bleh—Ugh! H-Helmuts are strong against motion sickne—BLEHHH!"
Sharen, retching violently, clearly having had a rough trip.
"Hah… The energy here is far from ordinary."
The Grandmaster, patting her back encouragingly.
And the one who stepped forward—
"Isaac…"
The moment his name left her lips, it was like a drop of water.
Brief, fleeting—but it quenched the burning thirst in her throat.
Isaac took a deep breath and stepped forward, meeting Liana's gaze.
"Seeing you like this… doesn't feel strange at all."
"...."
"Was it because of our sparring in the Abyss? No trembling, no pressure."
A faint smile tugged at Isaac's lips. The moment she saw it, Liana's pupils trembled violently.
"That smile…"
Flooded by the influence of her Vassal transformation, Liana's thoughts spilled out unfiltered.
The smile he had shown her when they were alone on the ship—her heart pounded wildly at the memory.
"Remember our sparring record?"
Isaac's tone was light, almost teasing. Liana nodded.
49 matches. 0 wins. 49 losses.
He had wondered if he could ever win even once—but the wall of the "Blood Rose" had remained unbroken.
Isaac slowly took his stance.
"Don't come—!"
Unlike sparring, she could kill him now.
Terrified, Liana tried to stop him—
But her body was already dragging her greatsword toward Isaac.
Her instincts had marked him as a clear obstruction.
"Isaac, right now—!"
"I didn't come here to listen to that."
"...!"
"So shut up—"
In an uncharacteristically rough tone—
Draw your sword."
He unsheathed his sword.
*
*
*
[TL Note]
Access 18 additional chapters on my Ko-fi page.
https://ko-fi.com/astrascans