Chapter 477: 3,000 Soldiers for Him

On the outskirts of the Bolvat Dynasty’s capital. A small hill surrounded by a forest that overlooked the capital was the initial meeting point for the Heraldic Order and Mastigius’ armies.

The original plan was for them to meet at that hill and coordinate with the rest of the city to drive away the demon army.

But creating that plan was all in vain, since all that stood there were 3,000 Heraldic Order soldiers on the death snow. No one else was there.

That was only natural. Mastigius was no longer in a state to join them. That was probably why he sent Lugis the previous message.

Lugis looked down on the capital of the Bolvat Dynasty while holding a stick of chewing tobacco between his teeth.

A dazzlingly shining hall of magic. It was the royal road that anyone who aspired to the path of magic had to take at least once.

Lugis had heard rumors about it, but this was the first time he had seen it with his own eyes. While the city was smaller in size than the Gharast Royal Capital, the quality of its walls and the splendor of the city structure was far superior. The magic and technology pinnacles could be seen throughout the city.

It was truly in its prime. The Gharast Kingdom was on the verge of collapse, and this city had the momentum to eventually swallow it up.

But now, sadly, the capital was also under the control of demons. Sorcerers and citizens alike had their necks in the palm of the hands of demons.

It was ironic, as the Gharast Kingdom and the Bolvat Dynasty, who had been enemies throughout history, were now in equal footing in the fact that their capitals had both been taken by demons. Lugis wondered what future historians would write about this event.

He didn’t know if humans were prepared for something as meaningful as “future”, though.

「I see you’re lost in thought, how unusual. Unfortunately, you don’t have time to be lost in your thoughts. 」

Caria said those words in a manner that could only be described as proud and stood shoulder to shoulder with Lugis. Her silver eyes were shining as she looked at him.

He exhaled the smell of chewing tobacco from his mouth and answered after a moment.

「I’m not the type to be lost in thoughts. Leave that sort of thing to a poet. I only have one thing on my mind. 」

Scheming was only for evil people. Lugis took the chewing tobacco out of his mouth and showed his teeth.

The messenger from Mastigius had told him something very important.

He said that Mastigius had come into contact with the demon army led by a sorcerer of the Bolvat Dynasty while marching. After several clashes, Mastigius was forced to retreat, but he regrouped his army and continued the battle.

The battle was still undecided. Mastigius said that there were no problems although he had suffered some losses.

The enemy must be very wary of Mastigius’ power. According to the messenger, demonic reinforcements were pouring in one after another, and the demon army was growing in strength day by day.

It was impressive that Mastigius himself could say there were no problems in that situation. Surely that wasn’t empty confidence, but pride backed by real ability.

Also, as most people expected, it seemed that many of the sorcerers of the Bolvat Dynasty had genuinely switched to the demonic side. There was nothing that could be done about this.

It had nothing to do with sorcerers per se. In fact, that was how humans were in essence. Humans lived their daily lives building nations under the authority of kings and lords with immense power. If an absolute being with more power than a king appeared, then it would be inevitable there would be people who would bow down to that superior being.

It was an unfortunate incidence for Mastigius, but there was no other way to describe it. However, burning down villages in the name of submission was a very bad idea.

But the current situation was ideal even if that were the case. At least for Lugis himself.

After all, many of the evil forces controlling the Bolvat Dynasty had been attracted by Mastigius’ rebellion, and the capital was in chaos, quite typical during war.

Also, if Lugis were to believe the words of their now-suspicious companion Shad, the enemy leader Vrilligant was asleep and unable to move. In other words, the ones who held power in that city, no, in the Bolvat Dynasty, were the magical devilish beings under his command.

In that case, wasn’t it really simple? Lugis didn’t know where that poisonous magical devilish being were, but the Gear Rabel was definitely in the capital. He didn’t know why, but he knew exactly where she was every time his heartbeat increased. There was no doubt that Filaret was being held captive nearby.

The only troublesome thing was that many of the sorcerers were still in the city.

Caria opened her lips, sharply pointing them out.

「So how is it going to be? Have you finished your evil scheme, huh? 」

She slowly raised her lips and folded her cheeks as she playfully said those words.

「Yeah. Caria, do you like chivalry tales? 」

Caria opened her big silver eyes as if taken by surprise by Lugis’ words. She frowned in amazement for a while, but after thinking for a moment, she answered.

「I’m not like those who likes chivalry tales a lot. 」

What an unexpected reaction. Lugis thought that someone like Caria, who was destined to be a knight, would have one or two chivalry tales that she admired. But maybe she didn’t have that kind of interest after all.

She lightly moistened her lower lip and continued speaking.

「I know some of those chivalry tales. But a great knight liberating a city on his or her own is just a dream. 」

Lugis noticed that Caria’s gaze became unusually stern when she professed such words. Her characteristic ferocious aura began to emanate from her entire body, and her silver eyes became more menacing like a bird of prey.

Lugis had come to understand her weak points lately. She probably didn’t like the fact that he often rode alone. No, it wasn’t that she didn’t like it. It was more like she was about to bite him in the neck.

She was like a hungry lion.

Lugis gently touched Caria with his hand, gazing at her beautiful, flowing silver hair and said the following.

「Perhaps it’s just a dream, but hey, Caria…Let’s take that city ourselves. We can’t keep Filaret waiting. 」

Lugis turned his gaze back to the capital of the Bolvat Dynasty. The city was messy and full of chaos and turmoil although it had a brilliant atmosphere.

It was impossible for one person to do anything about that whole city. Including the surrounding villages, hundreds of thousands of people who lived there.

But Lugis had 3,000 soldiers. He had Caria, and ironically, he also had two demons. With all those people, he could conceive a plot.

His cheeks swelled with excitement. Strangely, heat was steadily flowing out from the depths of his chest, and at the same time, a muddy substance was beginning to fill his chest. He didn’t know what it was, but he didn’t feel bad.

The image of the magical devilish being floated before his eyes. Then, Caria spoke.

「…What? You can say it properly, Lugis. There’s no need to say such dreamy words. If you give the command, I will naturally carry it out. 」

Caria spoke with a sharp smile without losing her dignified aura. It seemed like she was waiting for something, but she also looked satisfied.

When Lugis looked back, he saw that 3,000 soldiers were already there. Caria must have had them prepared. They were lined up in neat rows.

Looking around, Lugis noticed that everyone had sustained some injuries from the battle at Garoua Maria, since scars were visible between their armor. But their eyes were filled with fighting spirit.

Many of them were believers of the Heraldic Order. They were originally those who sacrificed themselves for the teachings of the Heraldic Order and took up their spears for their faith. They were by no means Lugis’ soldiers.

But at this moment, they weren’t defending Garoua Maria, the holy land of the Heraldic Order, nor were they following Saint Matia, but simply following Lugis.

They had traveled far from their homeland, all the way to the east, all the way to the Bolvat Dynasty, just to fight against demons.

Looking around, Lugis saw that many of them had familiar faces. Some were people he had seen since they first took Garoua Maria, some who had survived deadly battles with him at the Battle of Sanyo, and some were mercenaries who had fought side by side.

Everyone looked tense, and yet, like Caria, they looked as if they were waiting for something.

If Lugis had to sum up their actions in one word…it would be madness. They weren’t saints, and they weren’t here for a noble cause, so there was no reason for them to die in vain.

But still, they followed Lugis.

So Lugis had an obligation to live up to their expectations. He had to be someone worthy of their expectations. He had to be someone worthy of their deaths.

Lugis raised one arm and declared.

「Don’t be so tense. It’s the same as always. 」

Lugis looked at each soldier’s face. He realized that all their gazes and consciousness were focused on him alone.

「…It’s the same as always. We go, we win, and we come back. 」

In an instant, 3,000 barbarian voices and 6,000 eyes answered after hearing Lugis’ words. There was no way that those people would turn back now.

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