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“…”
The contract that binds fates.
That contract from the past had become the power allowing Luna to hold onto Ray’s soul.
But even as she held Ray’s soul and froze the fabric of space-time with her technique…
Ray’s body and soul were gradually crumbling away.
To halt Ray’s annihilation, it was necessary to at least partially activate the system of the Imperial Capital.
And to activate the system of the Imperial Capital, a member of the royal family who survived and completed the contract with the Ancestral Dragon was required.
“…”
Luna lowered her head and gripped the throne tightly.
Then, with an expression filled with what appeared to be a painful mockery, she looked at Ray.
“Your existence has protected that child until the very end.”
*
“Huff…!”
Jimy exhaled sharply.
Until just moments ago, Jimy had been floating in the strange liminal space between dimensions.
After experiencing unfamiliar sensations within the dimensional rift that he had never encountered before, returning to reality left him momentarily disoriented.
As Jimy steadied his ragged breathing and rose to his feet,
“Hoo…”
The creation of a dimensional rift was originally a function of the artifact ‘Valerius,’ created by dragons.
The relic Valerius, discovered by Ulte, was delivered to Luna at Alimo.
Luna had already fully dismantled Valerius long ago.
At that point, Valerius had lost its original functionality.
However, Luna successfully recreated Valerius’ function using the Dragonheart that acted as its core.
While being pursued in the Imperial Capital, Luna had activated this recreated function, guiding everyone into the dimensional rift before moving alone.
Recalling the recent memory, Jimy picked up the Dragonheart of Valerius that lay rolling on the ground.
Overcoming a slight dizziness, he attempted to look around.
“Huh, is everyone alright…?”
However, before he could check if others were safe, Eira, the highest-ranked wind spirit, descended nearby.
Whoosh!
Eira immediately summoned a storm, lifting everyone who had emerged from the dimensional rift into the air, beginning a low-altitude flight.
Jimy didn’t resist the gusts of wind pushing him away, despite worrying about interception.
Their destination after a brief flight was the front of the Imperial Palace.
Thud!
As the storm subsided and Jimy planted his feet on the ground again, he glanced around once more.
The group that had entered the dimensional rift seemed unharmed at first glance.
Jimy briefly relaxed, but soon his face gradually revealed shock.
“…!”
The landscape of the Imperial Capital had changed drastically.
In the short time they had spent in the dimensional rift, the once-brilliant civilization had plummeted into flames.
Everywhere he looked, collapsed buildings could be seen, and beyond the horizon, flames danced wildly.
Not only Jimy, but Matthew and the knights also stood silently, staring dumbfounded at the burning horizon.
Though Bella, whose body was frail, didn’t yet have the leisure to look around, she still felt the intense heat in the air and embraced Lea protectively during her confusion.
Lea remained unconscious after the transplantation of the Dragonheart.
At that moment, Luna, appearing from the Imperial Palace, approached Bella and grabbed her wrist.
Crack!
Gripping Bella’s arm holding Lea roughly, Luna forcibly snatched Lea away.
Startled by the sudden theft of Lea, Bella let out a sharp scream.
“No!”
Bella instinctively reached out for Lea.
Simultaneously, Luna manifested her magic.
Ssszip!
A magical sigil inscribed in mid-air aimed directly at Bella.
Just as the sigil began to emit light and spew a red beam of energy…
Jimy hastily drew his sword and swung it.
Screech!!!
The red beam scratched the ground.
Having twisted the trajectory of the beam capable of reducing a person to ashes effortlessly, Jimy turned back to Bella.
Fortunately, Bella was unharmed, and upon confirming her safety, Jimy shouted at Luna.
“Luna, what is the meaning of this…!”
“Shut up. Or I’ll kill you before you finish speaking.”
“…”
Jimy stared into Luna’s silver eyes… and slowly lowered his sword.
It wasn’t because of the hostility Luna displayed that he redirected his blade.
Rather, Jimy instinctively sensed something upon seeing how coldly withdrawn Luna’s gaze had become.
He realized that the moment he had continuously avoided had finally arrived.
“…”
Jimy swayed slightly in place.
There was something he wanted to ask Luna, but his lips wouldn’t part easily.
With his increasingly erratic breathing, Jimy exhaled and reddened his eyes.
His focus kept slipping while standing beside him, and Luna turned her head back toward Bella.
“…”
The surrounding mana began to fluctuate.
An intense murderous intent powerful enough to unsettle even seasoned knights poured forth toward Bella, yet she didn’t take even a single step back.
Bella had to protect Lea, and thus couldn’t run or faint alone.
Her courage and dedication…
were loathed by Luna.
“…”
Bella.
A woman of humble origins and a humble past.
A powerless woman who lacked both specialized skills and academic knowledge.
Her humility and powerlessness were not sins.
However, the excessive ambition harbored by someone without strength became a sin.
Bella had cherished an ambition far beyond her capacity to bear… and that ambition ultimately killed Ray.
Did Bella realize that her ambition was suffocating Ray to death?
“…”
Bella trusted her proud son.
Even though he grew up under the care of a humble and powerless mother, she trusted her commendable son who blossomed with talent on his own.
But in Luna’s eyes, Bella’s “trust” was merely another name for selfishness—ignoring the sacrifices and pain Ray endured and turning a blind eye to them.
Even if Bella’s trust was pure, the results it brought about could no longer be considered pure.
Finally, Luna turned her back after unleashing her murderous intent.
“…Follow.”
Luna moved toward the Imperial Palace with Lea in her arms.
Bella hurriedly chased after Luna, and the others followed them into the palace.
Was it really appropriate to enter the Imperial Palace so casually?
Such doubts naturally arose, but no one voiced them.
Everyone silently trailed behind Luna.
In the midst of this, Jimy stopped the rest of the group except Luna and Bella.
“…Hold on.”
Breathing heavily, Jimy gestured with his hand.
“Hold on, wait here… Everyone stay here. I’ll go talk to Luna.”
Karen and Alesya hadn’t regained consciousness yet.
Thus, Jimy almost yelled at them to remain here and guard the surroundings without unnecessary movement before rushing off alone after Luna and Bella.
Meanwhile, Bella worried restlessly whether Luna might harm Lea.
This was a legitimate concern any mother who loved her daughter would naturally harbor.
Listening to Bella’s trembling breath, Luna, who had been walking ahead, moved her lips.
“The price of your excessive ambition… Ray paid for it.”
Luna’s voice was arid and desolate.
Only then did Bella tear her eyes away from Lea and turn to look at Luna, who approached the door leading to the throne room.
“You clung to Ray’s devotion like a parasite, gnawing away at his life until the very end.”
Pushing open the half-closed door leading to the throne room, Luna met Bella’s gaze.
“Look closely. This is the price Ray had to pay to fulfill your excessive ambition.”
Beyond the door, seated on the throne, was someone.
Lifeless, their body torn apart and shattered.
If it weren’t for the familiar clothing, it would have been impossible to recognize due to the horrific damage.
They rested there, eyes closed, in silence.
“Are you satisfied now?”
The corners of Luna’s mouth twisted endlessly.
*
Anthonyus regained consciousness.
The revival of the wielder of the Sacred Sword and one of the strongest individuals on the continent sparked joy even amidst the hellish landscape.
After regaining consciousness and recovering physical damage at an unbelievable speed, Anthonyus firmly gave orders after assessing the situation.
“We’re retreating. We can’t afford further unnecessary losses.”
This did not mean abandoning the restoration of the Imperial Capital.
The entity known as ‘Ray’ was a temporary but insurmountable calamity, and it was difficult to determine his survival status at present.
Rushing in now and finding out Ray was still alive would result in even high-ranking forces being obliterated instantly.
Moreover, the mage who had cast a meteor straight into the capital had taken refuge in the palace.
Although the rapid shutdown of Luna’s access to the Royal Magic Tower prevented further deployment of meteors…
With control over the palace, Luna could harness some of the mana flowing through the veins beneath the Imperial Capital—the most blessed vein on the continent.
No one could estimate how much more casualties would be incurred trying to breach the Grand Mage who now controlled such resources.
If even a fraction of the defensive systems established in the palace were usable by Luna, the situation would grow even more dire.
“The assistance of an Absolute Domain-wielding Swordmaster is needed.”
The support of a Swordmaster capable of deploying Absolute Domain was absolutely necessary.
Pushing forward recklessly with the current level of casualties was unacceptable given the immense losses already suffered.
Isolating the traitorous forces occupying the Imperial Capital and waiting until Ray’s demise is confirmed before advancing to annihilate them was the opinion of Anthonyus, currently representing the Holy Order here.
This suggestion, which could provoke resistance from the imperial army serving the emperor, faced no opposition.
“…”
Currently…
The top-tier forces directly under the emperor and the royal family were nearly halved.
Nevertheless, they maintained robust organizational capabilities and command structures, preventing arbitrary withdrawal or dispersal from the battlefield.
The Royal Guards focused on regaining control over the disintegrating imperial army.
Though halved, the Royal Guards and other top-tier forces of the empire remained overwhelmingly powerful.
When they forcefully attempted to regain control of the troops, the dissolution of the military units was temporarily suppressed.
“…”
The Royal Guard Tirpits turned his head away after briefly gazing at the palace.
The burden placed on Tirpits and the Royal Guards was heavy.
The emperor’s seal, the royal Dragonheart, and the crown prince, who could barely walk, all now fell under their protection.
Tirpits turned his back on the palace.
“To carry out His Majesty the Emperor’s order.”
For the Royal Guards, fleeing without protecting the emperor was a disgrace worse than death.
Most of the Royal Guards wished to die in the same position as Michael.
Still, they obeyed the emperor’s final decree because it was right for the greater good.
“Reorganize the troops swiftly.”
Reorganized forces were needed to guide and monitor the refugees.
And those not assigned to these tasks…
“We’re heading south. After contacting Archbishop Alexander, we will collaborate to reclaim the palace.”
It wouldn’t take long to reclaim the palace.
It mustn’t take long.
Demon King (3)
