Chapter 48: Living Corpses and Living Corpses (2)

“I’ll go on ahead.”

I left the star behind and walked forward.

“Grrraaagh!”

A mass of corpses charged straight at me.

Was it because the Faith drawn forth by the star wasn’t to their liking?

A savage fist came flying at me.

I swung my sword to meet it.

Swick—!

Thud, the corpse pile’s right hand fell to the ground.

Black, dead blood seeped from the severed stump, staining the earth.

Without pause, I split the creature’s massive body apart.

Its body, crudely stitched together from rotting corpses, was slow and bulky, but to me now, it was no threat at all.

“Grrrroaaar!”

Every time the star cut through it, pungent black smoke rose from the rotten flesh.

The corpse pile’s unique regenerative power couldn’t function under the power of Faith.

It must have been excruciating.

Pitiful, really.

Even in death, it suffered endlessly; among the maggot-ridden mass were corpses that looked like Knights from the Alliance Army.

Let me bring you peace.

“Grr, grraaaagh!”

I raised my momentum and struck.

I cut off one of its legs, forcing it to its knees, then severed both its arms at the joints, leaving it unable to resist.

And yet, the creature still thrust its maw at me, gnashing its teeth like a wild beast.

A pitiful, yet horrifying existence.

“Rest in peace.”

The star drew a gentle arc.

The creature’s neck was caught in the middle.

For a high-level Undead, it was a pitifully anticlimactic end.

“Young master!”

As I looked down at the headless corpse, Aaron came running up to me.

His eyes still burned with the heat of the battlefield.

“We’ll go wild too!”

He shouted energetically and dashed toward the heart of the battle.

The other Knights also began to fight, each tangled up with their own Undead foes.

It seemed my actions had fired them up.

“What, you’re all excited now?”

The Alliance Army, who were supposed to be the ones bolstering morale, looked around in confusion, failing to grasp the situation.

This wasn’t why I went out of my way to wield Faith.

Even so, just defeating one high-level Undead wasn’t enough to completely change the mood of the battlefield.

I headed for the walls of Riot Castle.

***

“Chiiiik!”

Huger brought his axe down with a fierce swing.

The Undead, taking the full force of that brutal blow, was split clean in two from the head down.

“Well, smashing these things is just the worst! Chik!”

Honestly, I felt a bit disappointed.

What Huger wanted was a true warrior’s battle—a clash of fighting spirit and strength, a contest to see who was braver and stronger.

But what unfolded before his eyes was far from that.

There was no way the dead could have fighting spirit, nor was there any reason for the living to burn with fighting spirit toward the dead.

“Hmm???”

Suddenly, Huger glanced toward one side of the battlefield.

While the Third Knight Division was fighting bravely, someone stood alone, apart from the others.

“Comrade?”

It was Moritz, who had reluctantly followed Richard von Bartenberg.

His face was pale, and the tip of his trembling sword made him look as frail as a newborn Orc.

“Comrade! What’s wrong?”

Huger quickly ran over and asked.

“Don’t tell me you’re scared?”

“Sh-shut up! I’m not scared!”

Moritz shouted back, but in truth, he was afraid.

He’d been swept up in Richard’s momentum and charged ahead, but he lacked real combat experience.

The suffocating Demonic Energy pressed in on his heart, and the enemy before him was a terrifying Undead.

For Moritz, it was a cruel joke.

“Hmph!”

Watching him for a moment, Huger brought his axe down.

At the same time, the Undead targeting Moritz was cleaved in half.

“H-hiiik!”

“So you are scared after all! Chik!”

Huger curled one corner of his mouth as he watched the pale-faced Moritz.

“Hmph, you’re a coward, comrade. Why did you even come along?”

“I’m not a coward!”

As if struck to the core, Moritz shouted back with childish defiance.

His wide-open eyes showed not courage, but recklessness.

Fear must be overcome, not ignored.

The brave Orc, Huger, wanted to teach this inexperienced Orc a lesson.

“Comrade, when you’re that afraid—”

Thump—he pointed a thick finger in one direction.

Moritz reflexively followed Huger’s finger with his gaze.

“If you look at a great human warrior, your heart will be at ease. Chik!”

Where the finger pointed stood Richard von Bartenberg.

When had he climbed up to the top of the wall?

Standing there with imposing dignity, Richard held the Banner in his hand.

It was the Alliance Army’s Banner, emblazoned with the Crests of Bartenberg and the five noble families of the Baren Kingdom.

“Richard…”

What’s he doing up there?

As Moritz stared blankly, the Banner Richard held exploded with light.

“Kuhuhu! Isn’t that amazing? What’s with that light, it’s like a sun!”

Moritz nodded unconsciously.

As much as he wanted to deny it, Huger was right—Richard was magnificent.

That light, impossible to comprehend.

Why did seeing it alone make all his fear vanish?

Why was he the only one who could shine with such light?

clench

Moritz remembered why he’d followed Richard all the way here.

Hadn’t he set aside his pride just to break free from his current pathetic state?

“Damn it, damn it! I can’t just stand here like a coward!”

His eyes blazed as he raised his sword.

He charged at the Undead, no longer hesitating.

And that change wasn’t limited to Moritz alone.

“Ah… ah…!”

“We have to defend Riot Castle!”

The Alliance Army, seeing Richard, was transformed.

On that shining Banner were the Crests of the families to whom each had sworn loyalty.

A sense of duty, buried under fear, returned to its rightful place, and the obligations of a Knight resurfaced.

Strength returned to the hands that gripped their swords and spears.

“If not us, then who will fight! Attack them now!”

“Uwooooh!”

Was the terror they’d felt from the Demonic Energy just a dream, or was this newfound courage the dream?

It didn’t matter.

All that mattered was that they were no longer afraid, and that alone set the Knights’ hearts ablaze.

In an instant, the flow of the battle reversed.

Watching all this unfold from atop the wall, Commander Avart could hardly believe it.

“J-just who are you?”

He was certain that all of this was the work of the young man standing next to him.

A man who radiated an unknown light.

He answered.

“Saint…”

“Saint….?”

As Avart repeated the word in a daze, Richard simply grinned.

At that moment, Leon’s shout echoed across the battlefield.

“Alliance Army! Annihilate the enemy!”

“Waaaah!”

The Alliance Army surged forward, pressing the attack on the Undead.

They brought peace to their fallen comrades who had become mere corpses, and their spirits blazed as they fought to defend Riot Castle.

Yes. This is what it means to be a Knight.

Just a moment ago, the Knights had looked like corpses at a mountain funeral, but now their eyes sparkled brightly.

Richard smiled, satisfied with the transformation.

***

Once morale drops, it’s hard to raise it again.

Likewise, once morale soars, it’s not easily dampened.

Today’s Alliance Army proved that.

I silently looked around.

Freed from fear and despair, the Alliance Army crushed the Undead Army with overwhelming force, and in the end, we managed to defend Riot Castle once again.

“Waaaah!”

The Knights raised their weapons high and roared to the sky, then all turned to look at me.

Their gazes were filled with gratitude, respect, and goodwill, but only for a moment.

“No time to rest! Gather the corpses in one place!”

“Move quickly!”

The Commanders shouted at the top of their lungs.

The bodies of the Undead polluted the land and spread foul energy, so they had to be disposed of quickly.

Fwoosh—!

Soon, thousands of severed bodies and heads were gathered and set ablaze.

Those who had left comrades among the dead watched grimly.

“Young master, are you unharmed?”

As I stepped back from the horrific scene, the Third Knight Division hurried over.

“Yes. And you?”

“All present and accounted for!”

I nodded and checked over each member of the Third Knight Division.

Thankfully, it didn’t look like anyone had lost their spirit in this battle.

Then I spotted Moritz.

“Moritz.”

“Huh, huh? What?”

I’d only called his name, but he was flustered to the extreme.

That kind of reaction was more fitting for the second son of Bartenberg, Sieghante.

“If you ever become an Undead, come to me. I’ll personally send you off.”

“You bastard!”

I knew Moritz had fought hard, but seeing his unexpectedly earnest side made me want to tease him.

As I was bantering with my companions—

“Young master Richard!”

Leon came running up.

Behind him trailed the core members of the Alliance leadership.

“Are you truly Young master Richard?”

Though he asked with his mouth, certainty filled his eyes.

“Congratulations on your promotion, Sir Leon. You’ve even become Commander of the Alliance.”

“So it really was you, young master… Ha, if it weren’t for that light, I never would have recognized you.”

He pressed a hand to his forehead, as if he couldn’t believe how much I’d grown.

Not only him—the other leaders of the Alliance stared with wide eyes.

“Young master, please wait just a little longer. I’ll gather the Knights.”

Leon suddenly made an odd statement.

“Gather them? Why call everyone together in the middle of cleanup?”

“With two members of the Bartenberg Bloodline present, it’s only right to show proper respect. Besides, you’re the hero who made this victory possible.”

“That’s not necessary. This isn’t the time or place for that.”

I glanced at the Alliance Army.

Even though we’d won, their bodies and spirits were battered and weary.

What use was it to receive their formal greetings now?

‘If the Alliance Army’s forces were normal, they should have held out without heavy losses.’

That’s why momentum is so important.

If you lose your nerve before the fight even begins, nothing will go your way.

“Sir Leon—or should I call you Commander now?”

“Call me whatever you wish.”

Leon bowed his head as he replied.

He was clearly struggling to contain his curiosity.

Well, he was always an intensely curious person.

“Then, Sir Leon. Can we hold a meeting right away?”

“A meeting?”

“Yes.”

The hard-fought battle had just ended, so everyone must be exhausted, but there was no helping it.

Just as Leon had many questions for me, there were things I needed to know as well.

“I want to hear what’s happened so far, the extent of the damage, and what countermeasures are in place.”

“Understood.”

“And… since you’ve kept your promise, I should tell you my secret as well.”

On Leon’s finger, the Faithful Ring I’d given him was still worn.

At last, the time for reaping the rewards had come.