Chapter 573 – The Final Chapter. To Julian’s Future (1)
Teria, the capital of the Holy Ramir Empire.
The expressions of the high-ranking officials gathered in the place commonly called the Imperial City were hardened.
“It has already been more than ten days since Your Majesty left the Imperial Capital. Even His Majesty failed to ask for help in the end…”
The chancellor of the imperial palace could not hide his discouraged voice.
A count named Lislich.
As a collateral member of the imperial family, he was an aristocrat close to obscurity who had been silently concentrating on his work in the imperial palace.
It was a new chancellor who was promoted as Lillia became the new emperor.
He compiled reports from all over the empire and finished explaining them to the high-ranking commanders of the imperial army gathered here.
At this rate, the empire will soon perish.
Nearly 30% of the Empire’s people have already died.
When the current situation of the place where even the reporting system collapsed, it was concluded that more than half of them had already died.
Like Essenmund, unless it’s a territory where even ordinary citizens can fight.
Everywhere in the empire was a living hell.
“The long history of the empire is here…”
In the end, Count Rieslich bowed his head as it was.
But at that moment.
One gray-haired old general said quietly.
“It’s not over yet. Count Lieslich.”
At that, all the commanders and nobles gathered here paid attention to him.
Wilhelm von Reinhardt.
The era of the great war against the demons. He is not only a hero of his time, but also a Margrave of the North who is writing a new legend even today.
Now, Wilhelm, his knights, and the midnight sun have entered the ecliptic.
If it weren’t for those elites, the imperial capital would have been on fire long ago.
In fact, it was the Margrave’s knights and soldiers who were creating surprising results against the Demonic Beast Army that dominated the outskirts of the imperial capital.
And most of all, the dazzling major was Wilhelm, the old general himself created it.
Wilhelm was proving to himself day by day that his reputation as the strongest in the empire had not rusted at all.
“Your Marquis. To say it’s not over…”
“The Empire’s greatest power is all gathered in the ecliptic. Duke Gerard’s Central Army and General Tyrese’s Knights Guard are still in good health. It’s not yet time to bend. If there was a change in His Majesty’s position, the archbishops would have already noticed. Hope remains.”
“If His Excellency the Marquis says so… I understand.”
At Wilhelm’s words, Rislich put on a slightly relieved expression.
Until last night, Wilhelm and the Knights of the Midnight Sun fought a fierce battle with the Demonic Beasts on the outskirts of the ecliptic.
Now, the white night retreats back to the ecliptic and is resting and receiving treatment.
The vacancy was filled by the imperial army and the enlisted privates of Duke Gerard de Aitern, the central army.
“Duke Gerard is also active enough to be called a grand master now. You don’t have to worry.”
Saying that, Wilhelm thought for a moment.
Gerard, the leader of the Central Army.
The famous nobleman and the owner of Aitern Firm was also a very famous alchemist.
He’s been hiding his skills for a while.
Through recent battles, his alchemist Rosa has revealed all of her skills.
A grand master beyond the realm of a master.
Of course, it was close to a miracle that his skill, which was evaluated as a master overnight, soared.
It wasn’t that surprising now.
The emperor, Lilia, before leaving the imperial capital, took out all the imperial family’s weapons stored in the secret storage of the imperial palace.
Asterisk’s treasure.
Surprisingly, the treasures were legendary relics from the Old Kingdom era.
Sacred weapons containing the power of the god Jedin.
The mere appearance of that weapon could cause chaos in the world.
The emperor of the empire sealed its power for generations.
In the first place, if she didn’t have the qualifications of a proper emperor like Lilia, she couldn’t even inherit the memory of that existence.
It was a sacred weapon of the same type as Siertia, the great holy sword passed down in the Reinhardt family.
‘Of course, compared to Siertia, it could be said that all weapons have deteriorated, but…’
Siertia is the only sacred weapon that Jedin gave directly to humans in the first place.
So, it can’t even be compared to that special holy sword that makes it possible to use the power of a god directly.
But now, thanks to the castle armor, he was able to delay the fall of the imperial capital for a considerable period of time.
Although Jedine would never recklessly grant that power to humans.
Now, even those holy places have had their restrictions lifted.
It was a clear proof that even Jedine had an intuition of the end.
‘It must be that the end in front of us is more dangerous than the chaos… That could happen by using the power of a god on earth.’
Of course, those holy weapons were only given to those who were at least as strong as the masters.
And, if you use it on someone other than the demon army, you will receive divine punishment by attaching the torch to your body.
That’s why the strong masters like Duke Gerard can become grand masters and fight.
At the same time, Wilhelm, who had already reached the level of Grand Master, had already surpassed the level of Apostle.
He was the hero who hunted the Fallen Angel, the Apostle of Permafrost, even without Jedin’s holy armor.
‘Julian… Are you all right…’
However, even he, a strong man who transcended humans, couldn’t see the future right now.
Right now, the defense line of the empire is outside the ecliptic.
Conversely, far from preparing an opportunity for a counterattack, they were barely holding on.
Knoia, who had already been consumed, completed all of her incarnations on the ground.
Duke Pedro, the first apostle.
Just yesterday, Wilhelm clashed swords directly with Pedro.
‘I barely survived.’
It wasn’t even a game to discuss victory or defeat.
Even Wilhelm, who was evaluated as the strongest human.
The apostle Pedro was overwhelmingly pushed.
The reason he could barely endure it was because Pedro’s magical power was limited near the ecliptic, where a large number of sacred obelisks existed.
If it was near Guhwang Island, where the fifth Keiatic Gate had already been opened.
There was no one who could stop Pedro, who had become the incarnation of Knoia.
I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it through tonight.
‘No. We must not despair yet.’
However, he has not arrived here yet.
His only blood relative. Julian von Reinhardt.
The only daughter who was so precious, the grandson of Agnes.
The last time I saw the grandson in Essenmund.
I still remember the look in his eyes at that time.
– The lord. I will be the light of the new era.
At one time, the one and only grandson I was so worried about.
However, the grandson became a stronger adult than anyone else, became a knight, and returned to his grandfather.
‘Okay. If this old man doesn’t trust you to the end…’
And that determination has not changed.
It was like Agnes.
A future for their descendants to live in.
The mind was always the same.
He has dedicated his life to a future in which the people of Essenmund can live.
And his grandson was dedicating everything to save this island beyond Essenmund.
‘So even if it means giving my life…’
Until the grandson comes back here.
It was absolutely necessary to protect the imperial kingdom.
That is what Wilhelm thinks is the last remaining mission for him.
That night, Wilhelm again set out for the battlefield outside the ecliptic.
***
It was a very cold night.
The knights of the midnight sun went to the battlefield again.
“Whoa… Isn’t this the central part? It’s still only mid-November, so why is it such a familiar night?”
One of the knights exhaled white breath and said.
Like he said. It is now mid-November.
Central Island, where Zodiac Teria is located, is normally late autumn. Even though it was cold, it was a season that could be called the beginning of winter.
But now the night was very cold, as if it would freeze everywhere.
There was no severe cold like this even in the middle of winter in the central region.
The current temperature measured by the Imperial Army alchemist was minus 40 degrees Celsius.
Even in the cold winter of Essenmund, extreme weather that can only be felt near permafrost came to the ecliptic.
Of course, it wasn’t normal climate change.
It was an artificial cold created by the magic power.
“Isn’t this, freezing to death before being killed by the witch beast?”
And another knight murmured.
Although he has a handsome face, he is a dark-skinned blonde knight.
At Fabian’s words, one of the knights next to him answered.
“The breastplate is enchanted with fire magic, so we have to endure this much. I’ve experienced it once in Essenmund anyway, so it’s not that cold.”
He was a riff Another member of the party, Eric, also muttered.
“As expected, if you are not from Essenmund, you are weak against the cold. I was born in Essenmund, so it’s not a big deal.”
At that, the other two laughed.
Shu Woo-wook-
Even so, the bodies of the three did not stop even for a moment.
An aura sword that is not flashy, but draws a neat sword.
The pure white aura sword turned the approaching demon beasts into corpses.
All three of them were outstanding cadets of the Pantheon Academy’s Combat Order.
And they were excellent knights who had risen to the status of regular knights of the midnight sun thanks to their recent performances.
“Okay. Well, this fucking weather and witchcraft don’t matter. Shouldn’t we all survive until Yulian-sama returns?”
The other two nodded at Leaf’s words.
“Yes. Didn’t Julian-sama make a pact with us! Let’s have a promiscuous party again!”
“Shhh. Fabian! It’s hard for other knights to hear it!”
Riff quickly quieted Fabian.
However, Riff soon noticed that his eyes were different from his usual.
Although Fabian is always frivolous and famous for revealing women.
The fierce battle that continued in the imperial capital was so inferior that it made even Fabian discouraged.
Many soldiers gathered here died.
It was the same with the colleagues in the midnight sun.
Fabian recalled the Pantheon days spent with Yulian in his mind.
‘It was fun. The combat order’s training…’
All three felt the same way.
Knights who swore allegiance to Yulian.
I wanted to raise my sword on this battlefield with him once again.
Every day, the premonition of death, like the scythe of the god of death, felt as if it was close to my neck.
If they were to die, their feelings were that they wanted to die holding the sword high in front of their master.
Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwa Kwa-
A great light shone from beyond.
Marquis Wilhelm and Duke of Aitern. The two of them were confronting Pedro, the apostle who had reappeared in the night.
But even Fabian could see it now.
Even those who were supposed to be the strongest among mankind were now clearly being pushed back by Pedro.
Even if the two of them worked together, they couldn’t beat Pedro at all.
Although fierce battles continued every day.
Since that frontline has already come close to the ecliptic.
‘Maybe it’s hard to get past tonight.’
But that was the time.
The atmosphere of the battlefield began to change.
“What happened?”
Fabian muttered. Riff also stopped there and looked out over there.
“Is the demon army retreating?”
Something is clearly happening on the battlefield.
