Chapter 243
Blink!
Emperor Yurian Caballan.
No, it was Bahamut Caballan, the founder of the nation, who widened his eyes in astonishnt.
The various jewels embedded in his back quivered, and green liquid bubbled around them.
A hooded attendant, waiting nearby, bowed respectfully. “Have you obtained satisfactory results?”
“Kehehe...,” Bahamut chuckled darkly.
He recalled the scene he witnessed during the mont of transmigration. A young man nad Yan, dual-wielding a dagger and a sword, demonstrating his swordsmanship.
Up to this point, the mystery remained: How did Yan know about Bahamut’s swordsmanship?
Bahamut possessed the “Divine Eye,” allowing him to see mana invisible to others. His mastery surpassed even Vila, who shared the sa eyes. During that crucial mont of “Soul Transference,” he had regained forgotten mories.
“Could it be that gods truly exist?” Despite his atheism, Bahamut couldn’t help but doubt their existence now.
The divine intervention—unless it was rely a coincidence—had led Yan to discover the “Dragon’s Breath,” a technique Bahamut had used to compensate for lost mana during the transference.
Even with the severe side effects of “Soul Transference,” Bahamut pondered. He raised a glass of wine on the table with a smirk.
“Or perhaps the gods favor , allowing to grasp the Dragon’s Breath?”
To replace the lost mana manipulation techniques, Bahamut had resorted to using the “Breath of the Dragon,” an inheritance from his royal lineage.
However, the discrepancy between his original swordsmanship and the newly acquired techniques hindered him from fully utilizing his forr strength during the founding era.
“Now, I can finally reclaim my true power.”
Having observed Yan’s use of the Dragon’s Breath, Bahamut believed that focused exploration would grant him the complete technique.
“Hehe, what fortune awaits on this grand stage?”
The hooded attendant, witnessing Bahamut’s transformation, fell to his knees. “I humbly serve! All is as the hero wills!”
Bahamut’s lips curled into a smile as he raised his hand.
But then, the fallen attendant’s legs straightened, revealing an unexpected sight.
“Such divine presence, undetectable by mana flow!”
Even without an opponent, how much stronger would he beco once he reclaid his original power?
Perhaps... he could ascend to godhood in this world?
Bahamut lay back in his chair, closing his eyes.
“Investigate the northern regions. Even if other Seven Sins mbers perish, do not intervene. Observe everything ticulously and report back.”
“The northern regions?” The place where “Pride” had unexpectedly abandoned his post, thinking the task was already complete.
Had His Majesty issued this command?
The hooded attendant bowed, suppressing his curiosity.
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
* * *
“Move faster! Any delay, no matter how small, could be irreversible!”
“Where are the priests? These damn people are dying, and they’re not moving fast enough!”
“Keep channeling mana to those villagers who look like they’re about to die! Don’t let them slip away!”
The knights of the Eastern Duchy raced around, desperately trying to save their fallen comrades and the villagers whose life force had been drained from their bodies. They poured out their mana without hesitation, grasping the lifelines of those on the brink of death. anwhile, inside the sanctuary within the duchy, they pleaded with the priests to use their divine power.
However, the priests, despite their sacred abilities, had initially refused the knights’ impolite demands.
A Burst of Light!
“Are these worthless fools forgetting that they owe their very existence to the villagers of this land?”
“Even though they didn’t believe in the gods, they helped build these sanctuaries. Now they dare hesitate to save the dying?”
The knights, who could face an army without flinching, found themselves reluctantly complying with the priests’ wishes. The priests’ intimidating presence left them no choice but to attend to the ailing villagers.
Huuuung.
Huuuung.
The knights and villagers, who had been on the verge of collapse, gradually regained strength as the priests channeled divine energy. Their breathing stabilized, and their emaciated bodies filled out.
Yan watched this scene unfold, relief washing over her. “Thank goodness there are so many priests.”
Despite the devastating losses caused by the emperor’s unleashed technique, the nurous priests in the Eastern Duchy managed to save everyone. Perhaps the threatening presence of the knights, who stood ready to retaliate, also played a role.
“Until now, I thought the Eastern Duke was a devout believer, constructing all these sanctuaries. But maybe it was just a façade to hide his true identity.”
Sun Duke, observing the busy priests, chuckled. The Eastern Duchy housed an impressive number of priests—far more than one would expect for a ruler who followed the Magi. Who would have believed that the duchy’s master was a mber of the Seven Sins, skilled in magic?
Yan nodded in agreent, her mind racing. “But did you also hear the voice of the Envoy?”
“Yes.”
“Then where is she...?”
As Yan searched for the Envoy, Sun Gong interrupted. “She’s probably not here. She likely observes the situation from her own domain.”
He touched the necklace he wore—a gift from the past Envoy. Earlier, just before his confrontation with the emperor, he had noticed a faint glow emanating from the necklace.
“Most likely, she’s using this necklace to monitor the situation here.”
“Really? Is that even possible?”
Yan’s eyes widened in surprise. The Envoy possessed an array of diverse abilities, making it impossible to predict what she could or couldn’t do.
“With her mastery of both magic and mysticism, she’s beco a formidable practitioner, akin to a second-grade knight. If she wants to, she can do it. Although, given the lack of communication lately, it seems unlikely.”
Yan nodded, realizing that if the Envoy had witnessed this, she would harbor resentnt toward the emperor. In that case, there was no need to convince her further.
As Yan finished her thoughts, she sensed soone rapidly approaching from a distance. Sun Duke, too, noticed her realization and fixed his gaze in the sa direction.
Tatatatat!
Yan squinted as she and Sun Duke confird the identity of the approaching figure.
“Theo?”
“The Grandmaster of the Beowulf Duchy?”
Before they could finish speaking, a breathless Theo stumbled into view.
His clothes were soaked in blood, and exhaustion etched deep lines on his face. It was clear he had been attacked and relentlessly pursued, pushing his fatigue to the limit.
Yan grabbed Theo’s trembling shoulders. “Theo, what happened?”
“It’s a disaster.”
“...?”
Theo’s unexpected response furrowed Yan’s brow.
A disaster? But his subsequent words left Yan with no choice but to acknowledge the severity of the situation.
“The Silent Gauntlet Knights are here.”
* * *
As Theo recovered from his injuries sustained during the war with the revolutionary forces, the Silent Gauntlet Knights of the Beowulf Duchy arrived.
“We’ve heard that Theo Beowulf is here. Tell us where he is.”
Theo sensed the intensity emanating from them. If he stayed here any longer, not only would he be in danger, but the clueless villagers would also be caught up in the turmoil.
With their arrival, Theo decided to reveal himself.
As he stepped forward, the command echoed:
“Seize him!”
The rangers and Silent Gauntlet Knights, hidden throughout the area, pursued him relentlessly. Although Theo could easily defeat the knights, he had no intention of doing so. Their surrender would lead to their self-inflicted demise.
Fleeing from the relentless pursuit, Theo managed to reach the Eastern Duchy.
“Ugh, gasp. I only ca this way because you were the only option... If you’re struggling, we can head elsewhere.”
Yan raised an eyebrow at Theo’s self-deprecating comnt.
It seed Lorena’s attempt to persuade Duke Beowulf had failed. So, what should they do now?
Smiling, Yan replied, “No worries. Conveniently, there’s sothing I need to attend to in the Beowulf Duchy.”
The Eastern Duchy had already sided with her, and the dukes in the West and South harbored resentnt toward the emperor. That left Duke Beowulf in the North.
Despite the likely negative feelings he held toward her...
‘Well, I’ll just have to resolve that.’
* * *
As the Eastern Duchy worked to recover from recent chaos, a group of knights clad in black armor erged.
“Are we sure this is the place?”
At the inquiry from William, the Silent Gauntlet Knight Commander, a ranger stepped forward, brushing off leaves from his clothing.
“Yes, we’ve confird that we’re here to et Lord Yan.”
William’s expression hardened. To think they would point their swords at a hero who had once fought valiantly against the barbarians...
‘Clear your mind of distractions.’
With that resolve, William drew his sword. As he did, the other Silent Gauntlet Knights, who had been waiting silently, followed suit.
And so, ard and ready, they stepped into the heart of the Eastern Duchy.
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