Book 9 Chapter 22

Episode 221

Sun City, Bara.

The stench emanating from outside the city was so terrible that the soldiers standing on the city walls always suffered from retching.

"Please…"

Starving children had their bellies swollen blue, and adults, with sunken eyes, died from endless diarrhea.

"My child is sick, please, the gates…"

Ashka, the gatekeeper of the West Gate, had to close his eyes with a sigh.

'Luminous stones that absorb the light of the sun to illuminate the darkness of night, a triangular fortress built solely from those mysterious stones…'

What a state this fortress, originally built to block the Abyss, has fallen into.

To think it's blocking fellow humans, citizens of the same nation, no less.

As a woman holding a dead child staggered towards the city gate, Duke Shantani, the First Dispatch Official, shouted.

"Woman, come no closer! If you dare to bring your sacrilegious plague to the holy gates of Bara, you will not be forgiven!"

The woman either didn't hear him, or perhaps she thought her child would be cured if she just reached the gate.

She didn't stop her faltering steps despite Shantani's scolding, continuing to approach the city gate.

Veins bulged on Shantani's ugly, aged, and wrinkled forehead.

"Archers!"

The archers stared blankly, looking between Shantani and Ashka.

"What are you doing?! Shoot! Turn her into a beehive!"

Ashka, too, couldn't believe his ears.

"Are you telling us to kill her?"

The nobles claimed that the people had rioted and surrounded Sun City, but in reality, they were just people who had gathered because they wanted to live.

No one had committed any violent acts, not yet.

They simply asked for food and shelter. The officials' response was to close all the gates of Sun City.

"Initial action is crucial in such matters, to prevent the plague from spreading to this great city. Hurry!"

"That woman is a citizen of this nation!"

"Are you, a mere gatekeeper, defying me now? I suppose I'll have to lock you in jail to teach you the gravity of insubordination!"

Shantani roughly snatched a bow from an archer standing next to him.

In Solond, archery was a basic accomplishment for nobles, so Shantani was also quite skilled with a bow.

In the silence where everyone's eyes widened in horror, the bowstring twanged, and the woman soon fell to the ground, her neck pierced.

"…"

"…"

"…"

Thousands, no, tens of thousands of eyes stared at the scene.

In the suffocating, overwhelming silence, only Shantani, tidying his disheveled attire from shooting the bow, raged at Ashka.

At that moment, he was unaware that the anger and resentment the people had suppressed in their hearts, as an act of faith towards the dead queen, had exploded all at once.

"Kill them all…"

"Why must only we die…?"

"They say there's so much food inside the city…"

Patients who seemed too weak to even move slowly began to rise.

The murmuring of one person became a wave of thousands, tens of thousands, shaking the city like a massive roar.

So much so that the faces of the soldiers looking down from the city walls turned ghastly pale.

Thump.

Within their souls, within the dark emotions of humanity, the Abyss pulsed, its rate of diffusion accelerating.

Some of the people surging towards the city gate began to scream. Their skeletons hideously twisted and broke.

As a primitive man scaled the city wall with grotesque fingers, Shantani gasped and scrambled down the wall stairs in a panic.

The soldiers gasped for breath.

Still unable to properly grip their spears and swords, they looked at Ashka, their direct superior.

"My lord, what on earth should we do?"

"Do we shoot? Do we shoot? Do we really shoot?"

"Do we set fire to the pitch and roll it down? My lord? My lord?!"

Ashka's head was spinning.

He was completely flustered.

What should he do? It was the gatekeeper's duty to protect the royal fortress from the kingdom's enemies, but were the people before him truly enemies?

"It's a barrier. Activate the barrier first! Don't harm them! You must not harm them! Everything will be over the moment you do!"

The defense mage waiting on the turret immediately blew a whistle.

Two bells installed on the turret amplified the sound loudly, emitting a heavy range of notes outside the city gate.

Solond was a nation where music magic was developed, and the melody of the bells wrapped around the people's bodies like ropes, holding them fast.

'This country is going mad.'

No, it's already gone mad.

When the Queen was alive, everyone could enjoy peace, even with the King's tyranny.

What is Regent Predal doing?

Didn't closing the city gates on the people like this, even before they caught the plague, lead to this situation?

'If only the Queen were still alive…'

No.

If the Prince were here.

'This country has no king. That's why the crazy king's brother struts around as regent.'

By the time all three city gates were in chaos due to the people's 'rebellion,' the royal council attended by all officials had also concluded.

"49 votes in favor, 7 against. We recommend the immediate activation of Taeseongjin, Your Royal Highness."

"Taeseongjin…?"

"To do so, Your Highness must release the barrier spread over Asahat Mausoleum, the tomb of the Great King Leegwind."

"That is…"

"Do you wish for all the people in this city to kill each other and then contract the plague?"

Under Regent Predal's cold gaze, Princess Obira, terrified, looked around before turning her eyes to Priest Ramasa.

Obin had told her not to rely on Ramasa, but…

Unlike the officials who always showed frightening expressions, Ramasa often displayed a bright smile.

"If Taeseongjin is successfully activated, the plague will end. Leegwind's barrier can then be returned to Your Highness's will."

She couldn't understand what he meant.

But if she did as the priest said, would this chaos truly end?

Would she no longer have to see the frightening eyes of the officials?

"Your Highness, it cannot be. The barrier left by the Great King is a bulwark erected to block the Abyss. If that bulwark is dismantled like this…"

"Speak sense! Isn't the capital on the verge of collapsing before we even block the Abyss? If the capital falls to the plague, what good is that barrier?"

"We can protect that barrier with our lives, Your Highness! You must uphold the will of Archmage Leegwind and protect the barrier!"

As the Chief Inspector came before the throne, banging his head on the ground in supplication, other officials roared as if to drown out his cry.

"Have you ever seen such an ignorant fool!"

"Listen, Chief Inspector! Are you telling us to die now? Are you saying you'll let all of Her Highness's people die?"

"It seems you mean it's fine for Her Highness's royal person to be harmed. I've never seen such a scoundrel. Your Highness, strike him down immediately to show the dignity of the royal family!"

All of this was so frightening, her ears ached, and her chest felt numb.

The Princess took the hand that Priest Ramasa politely extended. She rose from the throne and walked towards the corridor.

"Your Highness, Your Highness! It cannot be, Your Highness!"

The frantic voices of the Chief Inspector and the officials who sided with him, trying to dissuade her, were buried by the opposition of the other officials.

Asahat Mausoleum was located in the center of the inner courtyard. More precisely, it was the central part of the Solond Kingdom.

All royalty had a tradition of performing worship at the Great King's tomb every dawn, tidying their conduct for the day.

"Your Highness, here."

Musical notation was engraved on Archmage Leegwind's tombstone, and only royalty could read and play that score.

They say the score speaks. They say it makes one feel.

Leegwind's dying wish to his descendants, and his feelings of longing for his teacher, Emitsa.

- Ah, A'eh, A'euh.

Princess Obira recalled Obin, gripping the ocarina she cherished around her neck.

It was an item Obin had personally carved and given to her as a gift.

It was an object that couldn't produce the mysterious tones of a master craftsman's instrument. It was just an instrument that made flat, uninspired sounds.

But Obira liked this ocarina. Her own playing was so clumsy to begin with that she wasn't in a position to be picky about the instrument…

The moment the Princess put the ocarina to her lips, an irrepressible smile bloomed on Elamas's face.

'Yes, it's all over with this.'

A similar thought occurred to the members of the Dawn Brigade dispatched to each city gate.

'The trash has surrounded the city like a swarm of ants.'

They're going to break through here?

It would be harder to break through that procession than to face us in the city.

By the time they broke through that, everything would already be over…

"Hmph."

Gaha (No. 2), who was guarding the South Gate, playfully flicked a gold coin.

He snatched it from the air and checked the omen of luck. Of course it would be heads… hmm?

Pel's eyebrows rose blankly.

'Tails?'

Around that time, Daltar (No. 3), who was guarding the West Gate, also furrowed his brow.

'Why such a sudden, deep shadow…'

It was gloomy weather to begin with, so there shouldn't be any clouds?

Only then did he notice the anomaly.

All the soldiers and citizens were staring blankly at the sky. More precisely, at a boat that, somehow, was racing along the Meia River at tremendous speed before leaping up and flying through the sky.

"Ha, it's obvious at a glance!"

Genyaz's reason and instinct simultaneously made a clear judgment.

"Hoo-hahahaha!"

Unlike humans, fairies, who can wield all the miracles of the gods, have excellent sensitivity to divine power.

"This is amazing, I'm the first one to hit the jackpot!"

Now, having fallen to the Abyss, it is also not difficult to manifest the abilities of the <Forgotten Kings>.

"El Vek Decim Opat K츠reiha Aktum."

The moisture in the atmosphere froze a dark blue and exuded a putrid stench.

Losing its power of levitation, the boat slowly began to fall under gravity, and the Abyss's freezing energy rushed forth, surrounding it.

The moisture absorbed into the boat's timber was instantly eroded by the Abyss, freezing and shattering, and the beings within it too──

────!

A fierce, momentary flash of lightning that could only be described as a thunderbolt, crackling, erupted from the boat as if exploding.

"Ugh…?!"

Genyaz, who had been staring directly at the boat more than anyone else, suddenly lost his sight, experiencing a painful burning sensation in his retina.

"My, my eyes… Dammit, what is this!"

Unaware that the seasoned Archmage, who was at the bow of the flying speedboat, had aimed for exactly that.

"Found you."

At that moment, the eyes of the Archmage, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, suddenly flashed open.

"Let's go, Nen."

[Arooh!]

Eyes blazing with red light accurately pinpointed the coordinates of the enemy aiming for the boat.

The first move takes away vision.

And the second move takes away life. This was the Archmage's tactical warfare, which had subdued the top-tier dark mages who ran rampant during the turbulent times.

"Rune alteration."

Few mortals in all of history could match this Archmage's combat experience in long-range supernatural battles.

"Flash Thunder Heaven Strike Cannon."

Five-layered (成), now a refined form is bestowed upon the magic circle that was previously filled purely with explosion (爆) runes.

Five new runes are woven in.

The manipulation of already cast magic's runes, an act only masters who have left their names in magical history can perform.

Cannon (砲), the cannon muzzle.

Open (闡), opening.

Annihilate (殲), annihilating the target.

Thunder (雷), lightning.

Strike (激), strike and flow.

So that the light that exploded pure white in the sky, leading thunder, could fiercely plunge into the ground. So that the target could be annihilated.

"…………………!"

In that blinding yet ferocious dragon's radiance, the arrogant body and soul of the fairy priest instantly turned to ashes.

Because the dragon's lightning strike didn't even allow for a death scream.

Even if it could have been uttered, it would have been buried by the thunderclap that brought instantaneous silence to the chaos engulfing the city.

"Rune alteration, once more."

The Archmage, who had incinerated the wreckage of the speedboat with flames to prevent it from harming people as it shattered and scattered above Sun City, shouted.

"Valencidis!"

"I know!"

The dark mage immediately brandished a fan.

Though not as much as the Archmage, he displayed skill in simultaneously controlling wind sorcery and telekinetic magic.

So that the three adults and one child aboard the boat could safely land on the city wall.

"…?!"

Gatekeeper Ashka's eyes widened as he stared at the uninvited guests who appeared, leaving an inexpressible first impression.

"Oh, Your Royal Highness the Prince?!"

As she was about to kneel, Obin, having descended from Miria's arms, urgently shouted.

"D-don't f-fight! N-nobody must be k-killed. I-I can turn everything b-back to normal."

How had the Prince, who had been missing until now, returned at this very moment?

How could the Prince, who had been unable to speak, now speak?

Countless questions swirled in his mind, but the trembling in his chest was greater and hotter, suppressing all those doubts.

'The Prince, so much like the Queen.'

Prince Obin, who cared for all the people just as the Queen used to, following her dying wish to first embrace the lowly places of the world.

The prominent and high-ranking mocked him as a mute, but the powerless and lowly ardently supported Obin.

The reason why the people who surrounded Sun City, those hungry and sick individuals, had never truly rioted, lay with that young prince.

Because there was anticipation.

Because there was a sliver of hope.

"This situation is—"

Valencidis, judging that momentary silence to be doubt or defiance, tried to explain the crux of the situation, but Rein stopped him.

"—Just trust your disciple a little."

No sooner had he said that, Ashka respectfully bowed and spoke, and the military officials immediately followed suit.

"Your Highness, what would you have us do?"

Valencidis's eyebrow twitched, and then a wry laugh escaped him. Obin replied.

"F-first, we have to stop Ramasa. We have to go to the inner palace."

"The path to the inner palace is guarded like an iron fortress by the Regent's faction soldiers."

A military official replied, and Ashka nodded.

"Therefore, Your Highness, we will need the King's faction soldiers."

"I-I'm okay. Please p-protect this place. Please don't let anyone die."

"Your Highness?"

Obin pointed at Rein, Valencidis, and Miria standing behind him, and smiled.

That clear and innocent smile was so reassuring, and so beautiful, that the gatekeeper forgot even the thought of protesting and smiled back.

"You've returned, Your Highness, even more like the Queen than before I last saw you."

"There's no time, Obin. Judging by the situation, Elamas's plan is already in motion."

"I know. Then, I'll leave it to you."

Watching the Prince and the unidentified figures hurriedly run down the city wall stairs, Ashka wiped away tears and spoke to his adjutant.

"Vanya, keep ringing the bells to control the people's movements. You must not harm them. It is the Prince's command."

"Understood."

"Spearmen, excluding archers, should go to assist the Prince under the guidance of the military officials as soon as you are free. Guebal, you contact the signal corps and ring the signal bell. Five times."

"You mean five times?"

The military official, though knowing the meaning, asked in a trembling voice as if still unable to comprehend the situation. Ashka grinned and nodded.

"Yes, it's the King's triumphant return."