CH 64

Chapter 64 Behind the curtains(4)

Translator: BaeBae Editor: BaeBae

The moment the Hugin knights slammed into the masses of undeads, the swarming herd flinched and shook.

The Hugin knights mercilessly, tore into the army of undeads. Bones were shattered into fragments before scattering into the air.

With this momentum, they continued to cut deeper into the army of undeads.

But it didn’t take long until their advancement slowed down. If their opponents were fellow normal beings then they may have fled from their frightening morale. But these were dead beings.

One Hugin knight fell after a spear drove into one of his legs. Moments after splitting with the main group, the knight was torn into pieces.

Their breathing started to get rough. Another knight disappeared. Then, someone’s sword broke. Then, another knight.

“May the emperor’s glory be with you.”

A knight grasped the ankle of an undead knight to slow it down as he fell. As the undead knight eventually caught back up, they saw the remaining hand of their fallen comrade around its ankle. Then, another knight died. And again……”

Juan then noticed how his body was covered in blood. It wasn’t his own.

Dilmond’s back was covered in blisters, scald and blood.

Injuries he received from Ethan and the undead and burned from carrying Juan to safety. Any normal knight wouldn’t have survived it.

“I told you to abandon anyone that falls behind…..”

“Don’t think that I did this out of good faith. I’m simply saving you for later when I can throw you and your flames down Nigrato’s throat. I found some new strength in me when I imagined the pain Nigrato would feel from that.”

Juan grinned.

“A rational decision then.”

“My first offering to the god of death will be a brat. Hah!”

“I’ll gladly accept it. Though it’ll only cause indigestion for him.”

For more,

Dilmond weakly spoke as he waved at Juan to go on. Juan stared at him for a moment before nodding. He strided forwards, leaving Dilmond behind.

He wasn’t sure how long Dilmond could last while alone in a space where even a healthy person would quickly find their skin decaying and throat drying up.

After a few steps, Juan heard another voice. Not a voice amplified through magic but a scream.

The scream that floated through in the wind carried sounds of despair and gruesome. Beyond the darkness, Juan soon came across something bright red. He could feel an evil aura from within the cumulus cloud in front of him.

Juan immediately recognised what it was.

“Lars.”

Lars was standing in the middle of darkness. A flaming sword was embedded in his chest.

Around the hilt of the sword, a burnt black hand was hanging on.

The scream appeared to be coming from somewhere inside Lars’s body. And it sounded as if it was coming from several people.

“Dilmond, can you se…..”

Juan who’d turned around stopped speaking. He had barely taken a few steps, but Dilmond was now nowhere to be seen. Nothing noticeable but a black stain on the ground from his bleeding. Juan fell into silence as he looked at the empty spot.

[You are.]

A voice could be heard from behind his back. Lars stood still like a statue, and quietly observed Juan from afar.

[The black haired boy.]

Sound of creaking was heard as Lars moved his body. The flaming sword made sharp sounds as it cut through the wind.

Everywhere Lars’s feet touched, ash followed.

[Where are the other Paladin knights? Why is it so dark? What am I…….my hand? What happened to me?]

Lars muttered in a confused voice. His shoulders were shaking. It appeared Ethan had been swallowed along with Lars.

It was hard for Juan to gauge Lars’s condition. If Ethan was still alive, Lars was too.

But how much of him was still there and what actions and steps Nigrato took were a mystery.

[Is this my sword…….in my chest? How could thi……]

As if something hit his neck on the side, Lars stumbled sideways along with a creaking sound.

His shivering head pointed and looked towards Juan. Nothing could be seen in his eye socket that was full of black smoke.

[Juan, no I mean. Your majesty. No, father.]

“………Lars.”

Although Juan muttered in a suffering tone, he knew it wasn’t Lars that he was talking to.

He figured Nigrato was going to return to this earth by absorbing the minds of those that were offered to him.

Nigrato who’d taken control over Lars’s body slowly approached Juan and stretched out his hand. He embraced Juan’s face in his arms before quietly mumbling.

[No.………..you heretic.]

Instantly, Nigrato began to squeeze Juan’s body in his arms, crushing him.

*****

In the midst of slaying countless undeads and rescuing fleeing residents of Hiveden, Sina noticed a flame rise from the darkness.

Compared to the giant darkness, the flame was only a small spark, but to Sina it seemed dazzling bright.

Now it was the second time. Sina, who looked at the flame rise, started to feel the burn covering her left eye, hurt. It felt as if the pain she received on that fateful day was returning. Camille hastily came over and supported her from falling.

“Sina, what’s wrong? Weren’t you like this just before?”

“Its nothi, nothing……..”

“Sina, your eye……..”

At Camille’s word, Sina placed her hand on her left eye but quickly took her hand away due to it being extremely hot.

Sina’s burn on her left eye was shining in bright orange. Sina didn’t know what was happening to her.

But one thing was for sure. That the small fire that arose in the middle of the darkness was related to Juan.

“Kyung, if you’re in discomfort, stay back and guard Bishop Rieto.”

Right now, the usual energetic and mad Bishop was nowhere to be seen and instead a feeble weak old man was shivering in his place. Unable to abandon him, Camille had a few residents supporting his side, protecting him.

Sina shook her head.

“I’m alright now. Actually my body feels a whole lot lighter for some reason. We should quickly gather the re………”

Sina’s words stopped. Among the residents who were fleeing from the darkness, she saw a few that stood out. Sparks ignited from Camille’s eyes upon seeing them.

“Hugin knights!”