Chapter 294

Chapter 294 - Advent (3)

"Are you Sir Alzhar?"

As Eugene dismounted, Alzhar bowed his waist so swiftly it made a swooshing sound.

"Just Alzhar is sufficient, Your Excellency the Count."

"I saw such an excellent golem, so I cannot do that."

"I am deeply honored. It is a companion I have cultivated like a child for twenty years since becoming a summoner. Since Your Excellency acknowledges it, it feels like that effort is being rewarded."

Alzhar rubbed his hands togAether with a silly smile. Behind him as well, crumbled dirt fell with a pattering sound!

"Indeed. It is a skill worthy of Gaius's trust."

"T-trust is too far; it is merely favor."

It is said that words can carry vastly different nuances despite sounding similar. The former gives a strong impression of a loyal subject, but the latter could just end at being an obedient and capable dog.

In front of Eugene, Alzhar hoped to be perceived as a single dog rather than the Emperor's loyal subject.

"The battle will end soon."

Eugene scanned the imps, which had dwindled to about twenty. Even monsters would despair if they fell into this kind of situation, but as expected of hell's seeds, they scratched at everything with ferocious faces until the end.

"As you may know, we originally came to fight you all. But the situation has become peculiar. It would be good if it ended without shedding blood."

Now, both armies were conscious of each other even more than the demons. They briefly joined fOrces in front of a common enemy, but officially, they were in a state of war.

"Lower the crossbows! Do not buy unnecessary misunderstandings!"

"Stay still even if the opponent curses. You must absolutely not react."

The Central army, which was at a disadvantage and even had their leader missing, was much more cautious. Nobles conTrolled the soldiers from various places and prevented trouble. In particular, they attached themselves man-to-man to the knights and patted them down. Because they were bombs that could accidentally spark a skirmish at any time.

"Your Excellency the Count. May this lowly summoner offer a word?"

"Of course. Where is the monarch who would refuse a summoner's advice?"

Alzhar mustered even more courage at the favorable reaction.

"The former king Gaius had his body stolen by an Outer God. The demon army that appeared here now is also a disaster originating from that. We summoners have nothing to do with demon worship. Please believe in our innocence."

"I believe you. Where would there be a summoner who could call forth this number of demons? That is an impossible task even if there were dozens of people like Lord Marbas."

Alzhar was surprised by the magic knowledge Eugene possessed, even more than him believing his words.

'The enemies have reached right up to us. Call forth the golem right away!'

'Marquis. It is impossible in the forest. Because tree roots cross through the underground, earth elementals cannot interfere. Unless a forest magician helps...'

'What, you could not call it out last time, and yet again?'

'Was that not a sandy area without a single drop of water? Dirt and sand are different.'

'Be quiet! I will certainly report your uncooperative attitude to His Majesty!'

'...'

Nobles considered magic excessively omnipotent. There was practically no one who understood the importance of catalysts and preparation periods, casting environments, and the weight of the price.

'As expected, he is different because he has the sage of the Emerald Forest as his wife.'

Alzhar could not have even imagined that Eugene himself was a powerful magician.

"Considering Duke Leray's disposition, he will try to form an amicable relationship with the Central region. King Damian, who would be in the capital, will also urge the two fOrces to reconcile."

Duke Robert, who represented the South, might push back. However, his right to speak could not be compared to Eugene and Leray.

In fact, when all the demons fell, Duke Leray personally held up a white flag and requested a conversation. From the Central army, a certain high-ranking noble came out accompanied by Valter from the Internal Affairs Department.

"If it becomes like this, the nobles will exchange handshakes while smiling even if just on the outside. Then they will say 'Ah!' and simultaneously look at you all."

Was it not as expected? The Central noble representative, who had been conversing in a quite decent atmosphere, glanced at Alzhar. And then he also glared at the exhausted summoners on the other side.

"It does not look like a particularly good intention, but what do you think?"

Thump!

Now was the last chance. Alzhar knelt in front of Eugene. As if he had done it often, there was a knife-like angle caught in his posture.

"Gaius has crossed a river of no return forever. Bringing that person down will soon become work for the safety of this world. I, Alzhar. I am confident that there is no one in the world to follow me when it comes to golems. If Your Excellency takes me in, I will pledge my loyalty."

"Oh!"

Eugene was planning to recommend defection by saying, 'Remain as my prisoner for the time being for your safety.' However, the opponent came out more proactively.

"..."

Hind and Homi, who were escorting by his side, had an atmosphere that was quite displeased. Was it because it was the appearance of a treacherous subject lacking loyalty?

Eugene personally raised Alzhar and even brushed off his dust. It was merely a trivial consideration and taking credit, but the story is different in a strict caste society. Especially to one who was desperately in need of the patronage of power.

"A place where someone must take the lead but a certain death is expected. Please entrust such places to me. Because a golem neither hurts nor dies."

Alzhar, whose floodgates opened, eagerly appealed his usefulness. As he slowly gained composure of mind, it seemed interest regarding his new workplace was also springing up.

"Good. I welcome you becoming a family member of the Moving Castle."

No matter what anyone said, that number one priority was as expected the Moving Castle.

"When Gaius got drunk, he always chattered to me about the ancient castle. He believed that if he were there, he could see descendants without miscarriages."

"I think I roughly know what kind of ancient book that person read."

It seems the artificial womb that reincarnated Might had remained as a record. The Meat Flower that collapsed and rotted back then was only just now sending up a sprout.

'In a few years, we will be able to see a second World Charger.'

'Please do not do that.'

'Why is that so?'

'Because there is no guarantee that a new Meat Flower will grow next time too. It must be left for the most important person.'

'I understand that using the grand magic regarding reincarnation on a person is a taboo among taboos?'

'...I do not know. Such things.'

However, it was a situation where the difference in opinion between the married couple was severe regarding where to use it.

"Stories were also circulating in the Allied fOrces that Gaius offered his children as sacrifices, so was that not the case?"

"Uh, that is..."

"That bastard is already sufficiently a demon. WhAether physically or in reputation. So there is no need to falsely demonize him just to be conscious of me. Just tell me the truth."

Alzhar, who gained courage, shook his head.

"It is a misunderstanding. No matter how much he was an out-of-control person, it was not to the extent of offering even his own flesh and blood as a sacrifice."

"So it was. From what I heard, he had a lot of interest in summoning arts since the past."

"Since his accession, he fell deeper into it while coveting the Moving Castle to secure legitimacy. In that process, both his physical body and mind..."

Alzhar blurred the latter word 'mutation'. No matter what, was he not his former master?

"The consecutive stillbirths were probably due to physical reasons. Because when heavily drunk, he lamented about the babies he could not hold. If he had actively offered them as sacrifices, he would have spoken of regret."

"You know many interesting stories. I look forward to working well with you in the future too."

Summoning arts and high-grade information. Alzhar was more confident than anyone in the Emperor's army in this part.

"Lord Marbas and my wife will also have a lot they want to share in conversation with you. Because someone who handles golems is truly rare, and forest and dirt also have many overlapping parts."

"Uhm, if it is alright with you, I would like to introduce other useful people to you too."

Territoriality exists everywhere. Since he had changed jobs anyway, it was better in many ways to take all the people he knew and got along with rather than going in alone.

* * *

The leaked demons were mostly imps. Their physical abilities were not much different from sturdy human men, but their combat power was not similar.

A fighting spirit that knows no fear. A ferocity that does not know morality or conscience. Energy efficiency that even takes the emotions of the consumed target as nourishment. Dealing with them with conscripts in an army versus army fight is close to impossible.

However, the imps Eugene was seeing right now had turned into a single meal.

"It is the summoner Trent. As you can see, he has a talent for handling Guardian Plants."

Alzhar introduced like a guide next to Eugene.

"A large flower bud with teeth attached. It caught the eye extremely well on the battlefield. But is it dead?"

The buds varied from those that only swallowed the upper body of an imp, those that swallowed up to the ankles, to those that succeeded in swallowing whole. However, all of them had no movement.

There were also several entities whose stems tore while trying to fOrce a large prey to be swallowed. The sight of half-digested imps peeking out was terribly unsightly.

"It is true that they are dead. Because I was lacking..."

The young summoner Trent did not know how to inflate himself, so he answered honestly. Thus, Alzhar stepped forward instead.

"The original Guardian Plant is bigger than this. But because such demanding catalysts go into it. Sub-adults grew because they were summoned in a hurry with incomplete preparation. Still, conTrolling plants with sewer rat level intelligence this cleanly is a great talent."

"That is correct. A conTrolled campfire is more beneficial than a forest fire that cannot be conTrolled. They also distinguished friend from foe clearly."

"Then the person to introduce next is..."

Alzhar diligently collected useful summoners.

"Hey! Come out!"

He even excavated and dragged out a person who was hiding pretending to be dead under a collapsed tent. There were summoners terrified of being purged or disillusioned with court life, but none of them could shake off the temptation of the Moving Castle.

However, it was impossible to gather everyone. Because there were also several who relied on other camps or were caught, and those who ran away or died during battle.

"..."

"Stop staring. Because you might unnecessarily pick a fight with the count."

"I know."

Alzhar felt a chill every time he met the resentful eyes of the Central nobles. It seemed summoning a golem and helping in the battle with the demons was far lacking to receive remission.

"Gaius was highly suspicious, so he hid truly precious treasures separately. I know that location. Please come this way."

Gaius, who did not know satisfaction. The survival skills polished and honed while catering to his whims were fully mobilized.

* * *

Both armies signed a 3-day ceasefire agreement under the leadership of Duke Leray.

"We must attack those bastards who would not be satisfying even if chewed up and eaten right now! The Southerners who died will not be able to close their eyes even in the nAetherworld!"

"Your Highness. The Western nobles who were expecting ransoms will also express dissatisfaction. When negotiating again 3 days later, we must definitely point out and move past the reparations issue. Because the amount they offer will be less than half of our expected value."

Not only the Southern nobles whose eyes flipped over at the blood price, but even Leray's vassals were agitated. The mandatory conscription period had long passed. Right now, they were serving in the military with loyalty to their lord and expectations for making money.

If they could not salvage ransoms or something corresponding to it, the vassals also became troubled. Expenditures were expenditures, but it was because they too had to control the mercenaries and subordinate knights who joined hoping for wealth.

"Please spare me! If you only spare me, I will pledge my life and be loyal!"

"I only did as His Majesty ordered..."

"Hang them."

Amidst that, all the magicians went up to the gallows. They were the ones who bought resentment for captivating Gaius's heart while dedicating exceptionally wicked secret arts.

A summoner naturally communicates with various worlds, but a magician who handles the mysteries of the present world must use much more twisted methods.

Unlike Alzhar who took the blame for being the leader, they were villains even Eugene would shake his head at upon hearing the inside story.

'That bastard who would not be satisfying even if chewed up and eaten! To think he ran to the enemies and wagged his tail in that meantime!'

The Central nobles wanted to kill Alzhar too, but since Eugene was standing his ground next to him, they suppressed their anger inwardly.

"Your Excellency the Count. Would you give us some words?"

"Several people who requested duels have already come out. If Your Excellency mediates..."

The 3-day ceasefire and reparations issue created more trouble than Eugene had thought.

Since it was to the point where even the two dukes could not control it, people flocked to Eugene. Despite being one of the three great leaders of the Allied fOrces, he had silently focused only on battle and supplies. Thanks to that, it seemed he had given the nobles an image of fairness and neutrality.

"Even if the civil war has ended, the danger has not disappeared. That is, before we catch and execute the Outer God that swallowed Gaius's body."

Eugene was resolute. They searched the battlefield thoroughly, but could not find Gaius. The summoners who were in the tent said with one voice that he headed to the Onkalo Monastery.

"I understand what Your Excellency is worried about, but that bastard is now no different from a wild man. What can a person without capital, supplies, or an army serving him do?"

Those who did not want military operations beyond this hesitated, but there were also many who did not.

"Are such words coming out even after seeing the demon army? It does not take a long time for a single queen bee to give birth to thousands of bees. We must hurry and pursue him before that bastard spreads disaster."

"Let us think after catching Gaius first. I and my vassals will be togAether with Count Mayer."

Now there was no need to maintain the Allied fOrces as a single mass. WhAether it was wealth or talented personnel from Gaius's camp, they had packed all there was to pack.

'It has dragged on long enough already.'

Eugene intended to take only the sympathizing nobles, pursue that bastard, and finish it.

* * *

More personnel than expected followed the army heading to the Onkalo Monastery. Because many Central nobles also participated.

"That was no longer His Majesty."

The appearance of Gaius coming out from the Emperor's tent where flames soared. Those who saw that were not just one or two.

'His Majesty! His Majesty! Just where are you going? You must lead us... Eek!'

Startled nobles and knights ran over, but they all stiffened rigidly.

'Step back.'

Gaius staring with eyes that seemed to burn. There was no crown on his head.

Clatter.

Clatter.

Every time he advanced with a bizarre gait, the crown shook from tens of centimeters above. While caught on the two horns soaring like Hermes's lyre. The hand reached out to the knights was also in a state mutated to be several times longer than an ordinary person's.

The Central nobles could neither harm nor catch their king who had turned into a demon, and just had to stare blankly.

However, the Allied nobles did not believe those words as they were. Because it seemed like a trick to push all the responsibility onto Gaius.

"Your Excellency the Count. Can we trust them? If by chance they try any nonsense during battle..."

"If they had, they would have wanted to be deployed somewhere else rather than the vanguard. They will suffer the greatest damage when a battle breaks out."

"Even if he is a terrible king, he is the lord they swore loyalty to, but the sight of them taking the lead like this is rather..."

"Gaius had his body stolen by an Outer God and has become not even human anymore. Releasing him so he cannot commit any more sins as the duty of a subject. Is it not a sufficiently knightly action?"

The Allied nobles diligently slandered, but every time, Eugene defended the Central nobles.

"Thank you for recognizing our sincerity!"

"Your Excellency's honor and tolerance will be revered as a virtue by all knights of the kingdom!"

The Central nobles shouted in deep emotion. In any case, the civil war among Romans was practically over now.

* * *

The Roman army arriving at the destination spat out groans.

"It seems we are late."

"That sturdy monastery is already..."

The Onkalo Monastery had already changed gruesomely. As much as its location was its location, it was built sturdily like a fortress, but it seemed enduring the demons' attacks was too much.

The destroyed castle gates were rolling about in front, and the holy flags were all snapped too. Inside the monastery, only darkness, death, and the smell of blood surged.

An entity compressing all that evil overwhelmed the people at the monastery entrance.

"Lord Marbas. What is that?"

"It is Corruption. I have also only seen it through records, it is the first time I am actually seeing it."

Proliferation. A lump of meat that seemed to have grown for solely that one purpose was blocking the castle gates.

"If there are mushrooms in our world, there is Corruption in the demons' world. According to records, those guys also take it as food and use it as a barrier to block enemies."

"It certainly looks to have high nutritional value."

"Please refrain from jokes that are hard for an old man to keep up with."

Marbas looked alternately at Eugene and the Corruption.

"The Outer God inside there does not seem to want to confront you right away."

"Then that would mean we must go in right away."

However, demolition was not easy even when the Dwarf engineer corps stepped forward.

"Hammers will not work. Bring axes!"

It was a material neither wood nor iron. Even if smacked with an engineer's hammer operated by several people, getting a bruise was the limit.

"Why is it this tough?"

"Damn it! The wound is closing up!"

There was no big effect even when trying to chop it with large axes.

"Shall we rather prepare ladders?"

"Space is not coming out because of the moat. We would have to fill the moat first, but then how long would that take."

"Then shall we just set it on fire?"

Arson also had no effect. It died down as if the fire was being swallowed.

"That is not a simple lump of meat. It is more appropriate to view it as a building of hell. Present world fire will not see much effect."

"It is an absurd defensive power. Do demons not lose their teeth while eating something like that?"

Eugene, who was clicking his tongue, felt a vibration at his waist. There was the Bloodletting Dagger there, as if asking to use itself quickly.

"There is nothing bad about trying."

As Eugene approached, the Dwarves who were working politely gathered their hands.

"We apologize. Please give us just a little more time."

"We will stake our honor and certainly break through."

Instead of answering, Eugene held the Bloodletting Dagger with both hands in a reverse grip and stood in front of the Corruption.

To the others, it was merely an eyesore, but Eugene could see it. The wicked mystery flowing inside the twisted flesh lump.

Chasing that flow, he reached one point. That is, a place like a station where the blood flow gathers.

Tap.

As he put the tip of the dagger there, the massive meat wall flinched. It was a definite movement enough for both the Dwarf engineers and Allied nobles to see clearly.

[Heu. Ha.]

Eugene put strength into it while feeling the joy transmitted from the Bloodletting Dagger.

Riiiip!

As he slashed down diagonally as if tearing a drum, an unpleasant crack appeared. As if trying to fill that bloody cross-section, the meat lumps squirmed hideously. However, it was a futile struggle.

Eugene, Marbas, Alzhar, and other summoners outside could see it too. An alien power spreading like deadly poison through the meat lump full of hell's mystery.

"Is this what catching poison with poison is? No. In this case, the venom of a viper catching the venom of a viper would be correct."

As soon as Marbas's admiration ended.

Splaaaaash!

Blood poured out with tremendous momentum from the cracked gap.

Crackle.

Squirm.

The solid meat lumps rapidly shriveled. It was a sight of it twisting and crumbling down like a mummy hundreds of years old.

"Oh. Dear God."

To the knights and soldiers who knew nothing, it seemed as if Eugene exhibited a miracle and drove out the evil.