Chapter 589: Human King

The Great Holy Church’s Army. A force where valiant soldiers bravely fought alongside those who rose again even after death. Combined with the advance army, the total number easily exceeded 100,000. But how many among them were imbued with demonic power, or who lived on even in death?

Should this be called a righteous human army? Or should it be given another name? It was unclear.

But one thing was certain: Altia, the supernatural being of this era, had designated them as the main army of humanity, and intended to establish kingship upon them.

And while it could be seen as horrifying at first glance, wouldn’t it be considered to be a magnificent, heroic tale?

Gharast’s capital had fallen into the hands of evil. The great evil that had subdued a giant, a dragon, and even a great spirit wielded its power, and demonic power filled the very heart of the nation.

To save humanity, heroes who were supposed to have died in the past had awakened once again and taken up arms.

The Lightning Hero, the transcendent Human King, and the Silvery Hero. If history had followed its righteous path…if human history had not been distorted by evil…they would have left behind a brilliant legacy.

The sight of heroes, a Saint and her guardians fighting together was truly a story in itself.

This must be their story confronting destiny.

「Medic! Hey, Medic!? That idiot! 」

The witch Baronuis turned her self-destructed eyes around, searching for her master’s figure using her magic and shadow. Her call sounded less like she was addressing her master, and more like she was speaking to a comrade or ally.

King Medic was a towering giant, even by the standards of this era. He also constantly caused minor disturbances wherever he went, making him quite conspicuous. There would be no need to search all the way here if he were staying in this camp.

Of course, Baronuis understood that much. Yet, she couldn’t believe it, or rather, she didn’t want to believe it.

She didn’t want to believe that the King, who had spent a thousand years as a soul, would act so recklessly as he did in life.

「Can’t you manage one human, Baronuis? 」

「…How troublesome. I don’t have time to talk to you. I am impressed by how skillful you are, even as just a soul. 」

Shaking her blue hair, the Guardian Giluel crossed her arms beside Baronuis as if to scold her.

Baronuis looked down at Giluel, narrowing her eyes, which could barely perceive light anymore. In reality, she was perceiving Giluel with other senses, including magic.

「There’s no way I could ask you for anything in that form. Have you seen Medic? 」

「The Human King is no longer under my jurisdiction since I’ve given him a body. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with his function in this form. Please stop looking down on me. 」

The Guardian Giluel had transformed from the physique of a mature woman to that of a child of about ten years old.

The menacing look in her eyes had faded, leaving a strong sense of childishness. This body didn’t hold much significance. It was simply more convenient for her to take the form of a child than to recreate a large body as a purely spiritual being.

However, that didn’t matter to Baronuis.

The problem was that Giluel, who constantly kept an eye on Altia and the Heroic Guardians, didn’t seem to know about Medic. Therefore, the most likely scenario was…

「…Ha. He said he was going to the capital. It was quite amusing, you know. He must have a lot of free time. 」

A young man’s voice interrupted them. He was a man with a certain kind of presence.

His silver hair was striking. His eyes were large, clear, and ferocious. He had such a menacing presence that you felt he might bite your neck if you looked him straight in the eye. He wasn’t as tall as the Human King Medic, but he was still tall, and his physique was unmistakably that of a well-trained warrior.

Above all, his aura was different. This young man possessed an intensity that was not inferior even standing next to the magical devilish beings like Giluel and Baronuis.

He brought the chewing tobacco to his mouth with practiced ease, took a breath, and then said.

「Hey, don’t you think there’s not enough alcohol for a military camp? And there’s not much tobacco either. 」

「…Bringing in large quantities of things that unnecessarily disrupt discipline are… 」

「You idiot. Soldiers never know when they’re going to die. Let them enjoy this moment. I don’t even know when I’m going to die either…」

The man added. There seemed to be a hint of hostility in his tone towards Giluel. The Lightning Hero. The key figure who halted the first monstrous beast catastrophe on the continent, a hero unrivaled by his contemporaries…Richard Permilis was at his peak here.

He exuded an energy like crackling lightning, and the sword bearing the inscription “Glory” at his waist seemed like an extension of his limbs. His presence remained unshaken even when facing two magical devilish beings.

Giluel looked at Richard with a cloudy look in her eyes, but it was Baronuis who reacted immediately.

「In any case, I must thank you for that information. That idiot has headed to the capital. Then, I’ll bring him back…」

「…There’s no need. Let him do as he pleases. He’s not the type to listen to anyone anyway. 」

A pure voice rang out through the camp. Giluel, Baronuis, and even Richard’s presence had already attracted attention, but her appearance made this the center of the camp.

「Bold and courageous. No one can stop him once he sets out. Building a human nation amidst demonic forces…he’s the epitome of such great achievements. Therefore, it would be best if he acted in his own way. Yes, I don’t mind. 」

「If that’s what you say, then so be it. 」

Richard and Giluel were the first to nod in agreement with Saint Ariene’s words. For them, as followers of the Great Holy Order, the Saint’s words were absolute and irreplaceable. There was no room for opposition.

However, Baronuis, after a moment of apparent defiance towards Ariene, calmed her voice and said.

「He won’t die fighting the enemy, but…what you’re imagining is a little different, or rather, it’s incredibly troublesome. 」

Baronuis stopped herself from speaking, but Ariene continued. In any case, they wouldn’t pursue the Human King Medic with an army. There were more important things to do.

「The Guardian is nearing the end of securing control of the advance forces. He has talent, so he should be able to handle that much. Next is securing a position for His Majesty Ameritz and myself. 」

Brackenberry’s talent as a commander was undeniable. He should be smoothly winning over nobles like Roymetz and soldiers, like Valerie. The clash between them was imminent.

Brackenberry had the capacity to usurp power using military force even if he didn’t directly resort to violence against Ariene and the King.

「Continue your preparations. As long as we live and move forward, we will inevitably face adversity. Those who never experience adversity are no different from ordinary people. Only those who overcome adversity through their own will be called heroes. 」

—

An imposing figure appeared with a sudden shock. He thrust his spear into the ground with such force that it seemed to gouge it out, stopping the Heraldic Order’s carriage, and was about to attack the guarded carriage all by himself.

「Actually, I was on my way to the capital city, but this surprise is a blessing, isn’t it? To encounter someone with such immense magical power! So, are you willing to come out? 」

His actions, appearance, and words…everything was utterly insane. It was not something a normal human being would do. It would end up as nonsense if this being were regarded as human.

The problem was that his opponent was a being who could see through that insanity.

「Shad, is that it? 」

Shadraput, the Copper Dragon, muttered, staring intently at the imposing figure from inside the carriage. A strange sense of reality and emotion permeated each word.

「You can tell just by his presence. He’s definitely the Human King. 」

「I see. 」

I was half certain myself too. His presence was clearly different from an ordinary human, yet different from a demon. He was a simple human yet possessed an immense amount of energy.

A hero from history…the Human King Medic himself. A person I’d only ever heard of in stories was standing there.

I asked myself what I should do, but the answer came quickly. There was only one thing to do in this situation. I said, readjusting my gloves.

「Matia, head to the negotiation venue first. Caria, I’ll ask you to guard the way. I’ll catch up soon. Shad, you can run away as you please. 」

「…Hey, you! 」

I jumped out of the carriage with my treasure sword at my waist. Caria’s voice called out to me from behind, but I didn’t turn around, stepping into the death snow.

I knew that Caria, and possibly even Matia, would try to stop me.

However, Matia had the responsibility of negotiating with the Old Kingdom, and Caria had to accompany her as a bodyguard. Shad wouldn’t want to directly confront the Human King, and I certainly wouldn’t want to burden Leu with such a role.

And unfortunately, the cavalry that was originally assigned as guards would likely be killed.

In short, it was best for me to go out and keep everyone safe. If Medic was using magical power as a guide, then I, having absorbed a considerable amount of magical power from Filaret, would be an easy target.

The imposing figure…the Human King Medic…twirled his spear around and rested it on his shoulder, looking at me.

「That’s good. Things are better when they’re simple. I love straightforward people like you. 」

「But if it’s too simple, that can be troublesome too. Humans themselves aren’t simple to begin with, are they? 」

I raised my treasure sword and stared down at the Human King. His attire wasn’t particularly extravagant for someone claiming to be a King. In fact, he looked as if he’d been wearing worn-out clothes for ages. Perhaps his lack of armor was a sign of his confidence that he couldn’t be harmed by his enemies.

A shiver ran down my spine. The wind on my cheeks felt strangely cold. Right before me stood a hero from history. It filled me with awe, and at the same time, with an indescribable tingling sensation.

People contemplated figures from history at least once in life. Sometimes they admired them, sometimes they even tried to imitate them. Even knowing it was an impossible dream, they couldn’t help but pursue them.

But now, history itself stood before me. The starting point of human history was here.

「Let me introduce myself. I’m Medic. I’m no longer a King. Just Medic. Let me hear your name. 」

Even his declaration was majestic. The way he held his spear with both hands was exactly like the figures described in mythology. I let out a white breath before speaking.

「Lugis. Just Lugis. If possible, I’d like to hear some old stories…I have comrades, and people I want to protect. No matter who you are or where you’re from, you’ll die here. 」

I could see Medic’s long eyebrows twitch. He smirked, clearly amused, as he spoke.

「What a stroke of luck! This is fantastic! Just as I thought. No matter how many humans there are now, I don’t want them to kill each other senselessly! …I’ll be taking your head, you so-called great evil. 」

Previous | Next

We apologize for the delay!

—————–

Support us on Patreon and get access to early chapters