Raising the Princess to Overcome Death-Chapter 288: Engagement Ep – The Egg’s Aviker
287: Engagement Ep – The Egg’s Aviker
Throughout ten thousand years of history, three fortresses stand out.
Badobona, which oversaw the southern region of the Arcaea Empire and served as a second capital.
Toridom, restructured in honor of Azura, the saint who commemorates Toddler Akiunen.
And then there is Manubium.
Built by the Aslan Kingdom after the ‘Magic War,’ the fortress of Manubium was constructed with a single purpose in mind: anti-magic warfare.
The entire fortress wall was built from a mysterious mineral called Manubium, which was impervious to magic, and a canal was constructed to divide enemy forces.
Depending on the situation, the canal could cause floods or be used to launch surprise attacks.
Though it had never been attacked, Manubium was built as an impregnable fortress and eventually became the capital of the Aster Kingdom over centuries.
In the peace treaty that concluded the Nine Days’ War, it was agreed that the Aslan Kingdom’s ancient capital, Barnaul, would be ceded to the Astin Kingdom.
The Aster Kingdom needed a new capital.
Several major cities were considered, and it would have been economically viable to select one of them, but the king who ascended the throne by killing his father, Petra de Klaus, chose a fortress instead of a city.
Despite fierce opposition, the nobles who accompanied the king on a tour nodded in agreement, persuaded by his stubbornness.
The fortress, surrounded in a wide circle by a canal, and its dazzling white walls were captivating.
Manubium was beautiful.
Its massive white walls resembled cascading waterfalls filled with bubbles, and the canal, fed by diverted river water, seemed more than adequate to supply the new capital with drinking water.
Swayed by Petra de Klaus’s sweet words and the beauty of Manubium, the nobles changed their minds. They believed this would be the place where the thousand-year history of their families and the kingdom would be rewritten. But that belief was a grave miscalculation.
They rode their horses until they were exhausted, galloping the entire day. By the time Ray arrived, Manubium was not shining white, but a menacing red.
The canal encircling the city was pitch black.
It was as if the infernal river of the underworld had materialized, plunging the citizens of Manubium into terror.
The citizens tried to flee in droves, but a day into the chaos, those attempting to cross the river were greedy ones. They had packed up all their belongings to escape, and now they were paying the price.
[Call of the Battlefield]
Countless spires had risen around the outskirts of Manubium.
Flags were raised to distinguish victors from the defeated. Citizens who hadn’t escaped in time and were caught in the call of the battlefield had no choice but to fight. Each person had to either kill someone and offer their blood to the red victor’s spire, or, if they lacked the courage, enlist as Halpas’s soldier at the loser’s spire to avoid death.
If they tried to cross the river without doing either, the “兵” (soldier) brand on their foreheads would burn painfully.
“I-I’m sorry.”
There were ways to avoid enlistment or crossing the river.
However, the ominously glowing fortress and the war clouds hanging over the city drove them mad.
Those who were stronger roamed the streets, eyes alight, searching for weaker targets. The strong prowled, and the weak became soldiers. The weak, once drafted, trickled into the fortress of Manubium.
Watching this, Arpen summed it up in one word.
“It’s a shitshow.”
“We have to go in. Prince Pablo de Klaus is inside the fortress right now. He’s surely fighting, so we need to help him.”
“How the hell do you know that?”
“...”
“Well, whatever. But do we really need to go in? It’s already a mess in there; wouldn’t it be better to wait for the Crusaders sent by the Holy Church?”
“Then it’ll be too late.”
Ray wasn’t trying to play the hero, but he spoke as if they had to save the dying citizens.
In truth, waiting would be the better choice, and he shared the same thought as Arpen.
But if they delayed for months, that fortress would fall into Halpas’s hands. Then, the Crusaders alone wouldn’t suffice, and the military would have to be mobilized. The Saintess might even need to be called upon.
That might not seem like a big deal... and it wasn’t, really. Now that his identity was exposed, Halpas was as good as dead.
There was no way he could continue to draw divine power smoothly. For now, he was putting on a show as if he were about to plunge the whole world into chaos, but soon, he’d wither like bread in winter and be hunted down.
So, the only real issue was the delay of about half a year, but for Ray, even that was too long to wait.
In that time, Rera would become a knight. Her skills had already surpassed what was needed to become one, and once she did, she would propose to him. The signs had already started showing since yesterday.
When that time came, Ray doubted what he would do...
He didn’t trust himself. Even if it meant wasting this round, he knew he wouldn’t be able to refuse Rera’s proposal. It had always been that way.
It was clear what the main god wanted from them, but [Raising Lena] still tightened its grip around their necks.
Raise Lena. Continue the Guardian Quest if you don’t want to lose her, who has become your inseparable companion. But once a profession is decided, that’s the end.
It would end if they got married, if either one of them died, if their relationship broke down, or if Rera despaired and abandoned her dreams.
They were limited to only six retries, and with five out of six lives already spent, they had only one spare left. Just thinking about it was suffocating.
If they didn’t deal with Halpas now, they’d have to hunt Malpas all over again. And catching him after an ending didn’t count toward their achievements. Moreover, if things escalated to the point where the Saintess was involved, who knew what effect that might have on Astroth, who was lurking in the Bellita Kingdom...
It might even lead to the same ending as the last round. So, Ray remained adamant that they had to go help Prince Pablo de Klaus.
Arpen clicked his tongue, rinsing his teeth, as he looked at the chaos that had become of Manubium. He seemed to mull it over before turning to the knights.
“We’re going in. If anyone’s scared and wants to run away, speak now. No one? Then let’s move.”
“...”
“...”
Without giving them a chance to protest, Arpen set off. Echoing in his ears was the same call he’d heard when they had confronted Malpas:
—Kill.
The knights didn’t have much of a choice, but they thought, ‘Honestly, we’re more scared of you,’ and silently coaxed their exhausted horses to cross the river.
Once inside, it was even more chaotic.
Many citizens, despite their fear, pretended to be unfazed, swinging their weapons recklessly so as not to appear weak. They were the type often seen on the battlefield.
However, unlike a typical battlefield, they were not alone—they had families with them.
Whether it was a strong father, a married couple, a son caring for elderly parents, or a daughter married into another family, everyone was desperately fighting to protect their loved ones—parents and children alike. It would be hard to call such scenes disgraceful.
As a result, the number of casualties was surprisingly low compared to what they had seen from outside. The real problems were caused by thuggish individuals, warriors who had come to participate in the Reti Tournament, and wandering mercenaries and traders with no one to protect. They stirred up chaos on the outskirts, as they could kill anyone and offer the victim’s blood to escape.
Of course, none of them dared to confront the knights. The knight order, including Ray and Rera, crossed Manubium’s outer boulevard without hindrance.
Occasionally, they threatened those attempting murder as they passed by, eventually reaching the crimson-glowing gates of the fortress. That’s where the real trouble began.
They were blocked by citizens wielding gray spears. These people, wearing shabby gray helmets, had run to the black loser’s spire, having judged themselves incapable of defending themselves, but that had been their worst decision.
With vacant eyes, they had become soldiers of Malpas. Most were women and children, but they gripped the spears given by Malpas and charged recklessly.
“Kill them. We have no choice.”
Arpen said nonchalantly. He had a cruel streak.
Amidst a storm of bloodshed, the knight order pushed through the gates. Once inside, they finally encountered the defenders of Manubium.
“Who are... are you knights?”
“We are the 1st Knight Order of the Kingdom of Astin. Where is the prince?”
The soldiers looked flustered, hesitating as Arpen Albacete pressed them.
“I asked you, where is the prince?”
“C-could it be that even the Kingdom of Astin has... Before anything, answer us. Whose side are you on?”
Arpen realized he had to be careful with his words. After clearing his throat, he spoke.
“Do you think this is the time to be dividing sides? We’re on no one’s side! We’re here to punish the ones who caused this chaos!”
“Is that... really true? Then why are you looking for the prince?”
“Isn’t it your king who caused this chaos?”
“What... no? We received orders last night that Prince Pablo de Klaus, deceived by Count Jacob Mordred, had instigated a rebellion. We tightened security, but then we heard the palace was under attack, and all this broke loose.”
It’s a total mess.
The defenders of Manubium couldn’t even distinguish friend from foe. There was no time to argue, so Arpen resorted to force.
“I don’t care who started this. Move aside. We’re going to the palace to sort this out.”
“But we still don’t know whose side you’re on...”
“But what? Can’t you see people are dying right now? We don’t have time, so move!”
“We can’t allow... Ugh! S-sir...”
Arpen finally drew his sword. The blazing aura blade left no room for argument.
“Listen well. I am Baron Arpen Albacete, the Sword Master of the Astin Kingdom. I don’t care if it’s the king or the prince who’s causing this chaos—I’ll take them down myself. Now move aside!”
Ignoring the street battles erupting everywhere, the knight order dashed toward the palace.
The palace was small.
It was smaller than any palace Leo had ever seen, not even comparable to the grand estates of high nobles commonly found in Orville, as Manubium was never originally intended to function as a capital.
Nevertheless, extensive expansions had been made since the king resided there. What was once the command tower of the fortress had swallowed up the surrounding land, and thick walls had been erected to bolster the king’s authority and protection.
Due to the narrow land and the thick walls, combined with the need to maximize interior space, Manubium’s palace was a single massive structure that combined fortifications and royal residence. Resembling the main hall of the capital church, the palace was also glowing red.
Ray felt uneasy.
First the walls of Manubium, and now this—why is everything glowing?
He set aside his unease for the moment and stepped inside. The palace guards, who should have been defending the area, were nowhere to be seen, and as Ray passed through the main gate of the palace, he felt a surge of power.
[Achievement: First Palace Entry - You are stronger in a royal palace.]
This was an achievement from long ago, received when Lean de Yriel first entered Lutetia’s royal palace. Ray Dexter, who distinguished his own past from the experiences of other Leos, found this somewhat unfamiliar.
As Ray passed through a similarly glowing red corridor, he felt another achievement activate—one that had also activated when he previously confronted Malpas.
[Achievement: Ashin - You are stronger against Ashin and the Apostles.]
This was another ancient achievement, gained when Lean de Yriel first encountered Oriax. Stronger than ever (except for the time he had been Barbatos’s apostle), Ray groaned as he spotted his opponent.
A black crow with eight eyes.
Halpas was flying around a grand hall nearly 500 feet (150 meters) tall. He swooped through the hall surrounded by a dozen layers of corridors, evading knights who rushed at him and pecking at them viciously.
The creature seemed furious. Ray quickly realized why.
On the floor of the grand hall, something that looked like an egg lay broken and shattered. Beneath it, a knight without a jaw lay sprawled, prompting Arpen to exclaim in shock.
“Jacob! Damn it! Why the hell are you dead here? I warned you to be careful of the king because he’s an evil god.”
Meanwhile, Ray, who didn’t recognize Jacob’s face, was shocked by someone else. Draped half-inside the broken egg was a dead woman, a feathered hairpin in her hair and a sword-breaker lodged in her chest.
It was Anne Aviker, Ran’s younger sister.
.
!
Chapter 288: Engagement Ep – The Egg’s Aviker
Comments