It had been ten days since the Union returned to Riot Castle.
During that time, Richard had been surveying the continent bit by bit.
To put his impressions simply…
“This is utter chaos.”
That was the most accurate description.
Whether in the Northern Continent or the Southern Continent, it was all because of the Demonic Energy.
The Demon King’s lingering Demonic Energy, along with the residual magic shattered from Polin Castle, had quietly spread across the entire continent.
Those with weak minds turned into Demons and rampaged wildly, while lowly beasts were possessed by Demonic Energy and transformed into Beasts.
From their very breaths, Demonic Energy leaked once more, plunging the land into total pandemonium.
Under normal circumstances, such Demonic Energy wouldn’t have produced even a single Demon.
But now, believing in gods was nothing more than chasing after clouds.
The Demonic Energy had seeped into the gaps left by humans with nowhere else to place their faith.
“Right now, the problem isn’t the Mages.”
They were busy dealing with the Demons and Beasts as well.
Moreover, the Magic Alliance, which had gathered so ambitiously, had just suffered a severe blow.
It wouldn’t do to act recklessly at this moment.
What Richard had to watch carefully was the movement of Allan and the Demons and Beasts.
Especially Allan Marks—he observed him without missing a single day.
Indeed, was he worthy of the long epithet, ‘the greatest genius prodigy of the Magical Family of Marx’?
Even after absorbing the Demonic Energy of two High Demons on his own, he still maintained his sanity.
But that was a fragile state, about to collapse at any moment.
Soon, his violent nature would rise to the surface, and his cold reason would flare red with rage.
He would turn into a horrifying Madman, with nothing left but fury and murderous intent.
That was why Richard had stepped in.
It was just yesterday.
“Losing 200,000 points with just one divine power!”
Richard muttered repeatedly as he recalled the events of the previous night.
Yet, his true feelings were somewhat different.
The power of the divine ‘Revelation’ was, upon reflection, incredible.
Connected to Divine Sight and inevitably using it as a medium, the power manifested as a divine manifestation.
The divine power that escaped the human vessel called Richard was extraordinary in itself.
That even a high-class mage like Allan Marks had no hesitation kneeling showed just how potent it was.
Thanks to that, things seemed to be going smoothly.
However, the price of that power wasn’t just a few scraps of faith.
After using Revelation, a piercing pain seized his heart.
It seemed that invoking divine power placed a heavy burden on the body.
Even so, despite the risk, its usefulness remained unchanged.
“I tried to sound dignified while delivering the message, but I wonder if I overdid it,” Richard said with a wry smile.
The three Revelations he gave Allan were actually rather pointless requests.
There was no real need for him to deliver those divine messages personally.
Spending three days meditating and ten days nourishing mana was one thing, but the phrase about ‘impatiently waiting for the right time’ felt more like a lovers’ tease.
And yet, it worked.
What Richard wanted was a little bit of playful teasing with Allan.
Just enough so Allan would think of him once more, leaving a deeper impression.
Because if he turned Allan into a believer too hastily, the Saint would be invaded by Richard’s presence, and Allan might take unpredictable actions.
After all, Allan was a Knight… and one who regarded the Bartenbergs as eternal enemies.
Meanwhile, Richard realized one truth.
“Love and procreation are separated by a thin line!”
Those who rushed headlong into romantic relationships often ended up being harshly rejected.
Allan was no exception.
Taking things slowly, putting in effort, and gaining trust was more stable.
“From now on…”
Richard smiled slyly, showing his confidence.
Come to think of it, he had even heard he was quite an expert in romance.
***
“Aya! The banquet’s starting—”
The men jumped up, cheering loudly.
From what they said, it sounded like the banquet had just begun, but that was a huge misunderstanding.
The banquet had already been going on for three full days.
In fact, several hours had passed since the drinking party began today.
The flushed, drunken faces were proof.
“Haah… I never thought feeding the Holy Grail would be such a hit.”
Richard muttered.
The Holy Grail that had been willingly offered to relieve their hardships had turned out to be unexpectedly popular.
Whether alcohol or Holy Grail, both got you drunk.
But the Holy Grail contained faith that maintained just the right amount of intoxication.
Thanks to that, the knights could pour out their drinks at a pleasant buzz, which explained why they were so ecstatic.
Because of this, the amount of faith poured into the drinks over the last three days wasn’t insignificant.
“Drink! Drink!”
“Pour! Pour!”
The knights clinked their glasses and shouted at the top of their lungs.
In one hand, they held meat as big as their own faces, gulping it down so recklessly it was hard to tell if they were Orcs or knights.
As for Vallach… he had his face completely buried in the barrel.
It was a scene of utter madness.
“C’mon! At this point, shouldn’t someone sing a song?”
Huger suddenly stepped forward, proudly showing off his yellow teeth.
The heavily drunk knights responded by blowing their horns.
I was the only one whose appetite dropped at the thought of hearing his awful voice.
Soon, Huger cleared his throat and began singing.
“Ooh! Chweek! My goddess, Mary!”
Oh no.
My goddess Mary?
I immediately wanted to shut that horrible mouth.
“Your eyes are full of Light~”
“Waaah!”
The song had neither pitch nor rhythm, and the wretched lyrics made it an unparalleled cacophony.
I stuck my fingers in my ears and glanced around.
I saw knights laughing uproariously at Huger’s singing.
But Mary, the very subject of the song, was quietly avoiding eye contact.
I don’t blame her.
That madman.
As an expert in romance, I could say without hesitation that Huger had absolutely no chance of ending up with Mary.
“Young master.”
Leon spoke to me as I was putting on my boots.
“About what you said earlier, truly… Bartenberg…”
“Why, are you already feeling regret?”
I asked teasingly, and Leon avoided my gaze.
While I chuckled, he was busy only eating meat.
“Depends on Father’s reaction. But more importantly, Sir Leon…”
“Yes?”
“No matter what happens, it won’t be easy next time either. That goes for you too, Lord Leon.”
Leon had never suffered a single injury.
Even through dozens of repeated battles with the Undead, he had never felt the threat of death.
He was one of the few strong ones on the continent to whom the Undead posed no real threat.
Of course, just because he hadn’t been injured didn’t mean he fought sloppily.
He just deliberately held back, leaving himself in a way others couldn’t see—almost as if training the Union.
To be precise, it would be more accurate to say training me and the Union.
“I don’t know what instructions Father gave, but if he wants to be a drill sergeant from now on, he’d better stop.”
Leon gave no answer.
He only stared at me with a strange look.
I silently looked back and turned my head away.
By now, he probably understood well enough.
***
The Barentis King visited Riot Castle only after the banquet ended and some time had passed.
The king’s eyes took in the magnificent sight of Riot Castle.
Countless flags fluttered on the castle walls.
The guardians of the castle stood firm, saluting with resolute faces.
Riot Castle, which had once lost sleep over fears of a siege, now greeted the king firmly.
“Aya!”
The king was deeply moved, almost unable to contain his emotions before the castle.
Despite his worn and battered body from years of war, he wished to pat the knights on their shoulders many times over.
But there was someone he absolutely had to speak to first.
Richard von Bartenberg.
The fourth bloodline of the Bartenberg family, the true rulers of the Northern Continent.
At a time when blood and death ruled supreme, the king was shocked to hear Richard had knocked on the gates of the capital, insisting he was headed here.
Considering the status of the Bartenbergs, Richard should have been treated lavishly, but by then he had already left the capital and was on his way to Riot Castle.
What could he accomplish here?
No matter how powerful the Bartenbergs were, Richard was judged separately.
The nickname ‘Disgrace of Bartenberg’ was infamous throughout the Northern Continent.
But that judgment was completely wrong.
Along with the news of victories that marked the end of the war came one after another surprising tidings that left the king stunned.
‘He led the Light.’
‘He received divine Revelation and completely foiled the enemy’s special plan.’
‘The endless nightmare was like a bad dream in front of the Saint.’
The king found it hard to believe these stories.
God? Saint?
He thought it was just propaganda to glorify a great divine being.
But even that belief turned out to be wrong.
“Your Majesty, King of Barentis.”
A young man with a youthful yet mature demeanor gave a polite greeting.
No, he was a boy, but he carried himself like a man—Richard von Bartenberg.
The king’s eyes trembled slightly at the sight of him.
He was a king who prided himself on his keen eyes and could tell from a few strokes of a sword the level of the swordsman before him.
The prayer Richard emanated was at least top-tier, if not supreme.
Perhaps he was already standing before the threshold of Swordmaster.
And what an atmosphere that was.
Brave knights all spoke in unison, praising him as a Saint.
Even quietly, the subtle radiance he exuded soothed the king’s weary heart.
“On behalf of the Barentis Kingdom, I pay my respects to the Bartenberg bloodline. Truly, we have received a grace beyond words.”
Though he had much to say, decorum restrained him.
At that moment, Richard spoke with a serious expression.
“Your Majesty, King of Barentis. I have something to tell you.”
***
I quietly studied the king’s expression.
His hair had already begun to turn white.
Although known for his wisdom and intelligence, he did not seem to possess the ‘caliber’ needed to overcome the Demonic Energy.
Of course, I did not expect even the most capable knights to manage what he could not.
After all, a king only commands.
“My lord?”
As I spoke carefully in front of the king and the Union’s leadership, Leon gave me a sharp look.
He seemed to say, ‘If you called us here, say what you need to say.’
Hmm.
It was time to be direct.
I spoke toward the king.
“The war is not over.”
The atmosphere in the conference room froze.
Especially the king’s face stiffened to an unyielding hardness.
“… What exactly do you mean by that?”
“Just what I said. The leaders here know.”
I cast my gaze to the other knights.
“You’re talking about that Red Beast mentioned in the reports.”
“We also sensed something strange at Polin Castle.”
Their words were blunt and hesitant.
They were already foreseeing the future.
But they hadn’t dared tell the knights who were celebrating the war’s end.
“Do you know the true identity of that beast, young master?”
“Yes.”
I nodded at Avart’s question.
“He is a Grand Army commander.”
“Whose Grand Army commander?”
Thunk, thunk—
I struck the table with my finger.
That name was one I was reluctant to say.
“The King of the Demon Realm.”
But one day, the truth must be known.
“Another name is Skeleratus, the Origin of All Plagues.”
The air became heavy with pressure.
Just uttering the name filled the room with dread.
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