Chapter 88. Battle of Agulena

The mercenaries gathered in the square after reading the announcement. The air was filled with excitement and anticipation of victory in the upcoming battle. Amidst the lively chatter, news spread that none other than Emperor Marseus would be leading this expedition.

“I’m going on an expedition with Emperor Marseus, one of the three heroes! Haha!”

“Stop bragging. Isn’t everyone here for the same reason?”

“Do you think we’ll get to see enchantments?”

“I wonder if your frail body will fly away with the undead.”

“Shut up! You want to try me?!”

Everyone was brimming with energy. The fact that they would fight alongside a hero greatly boosted their morale.

Among them, Marc was trying to suppress his urge to speak, looking around. He had heard that Seraphina would also participate…

‘Why is everyone only talking about the Emperor, and there’s no mention of the purifier?’

Well.

She’ll probably arrive with the Imperial Knight Order, right?

Thinking it wasn’t a big deal, Marc tried to calm his excited heart. Rumors had it that Emperor Marseus was bringing an entire division with him, the elite Imperial Knight Order.

“Hey, Marc!”

Just then, a familiar face greeted him warmly. Marc raised his hand in acknowledgment.

“Hey, Jack! Did you get warmed up?”

“Just a bit? Enough to wipe out the undead.”

“You’re exaggerating.”

“By the way, isn’t that frail healer who used to stick to your side coming this time?”

Mercenaries who remembered Seraphina referred to her as the ‘frail healer.’ The title of ‘purifier’ seemed too distant, so they called her that to feel closer.

Marc shrugged.

“I don’t know.”

“You said you were close, but you’re not much of an informant.”

Marc just chuckled.

He hadn’t been able to contact Seraphina for a few days, so he couldn’t be sure. She might have been dispatched without a word again.

He’d know when the Imperial Knight Order arrived.

“There’s the Imperial Knight Order!”

Someone shouted at that moment.

Turning his head, Marc saw the elite Imperial Knight Order approaching, their blue eagle banner fluttering. The ground vibrated rhythmically with their precise movements.

“Wow…”

Marc couldn’t help but be impressed.

The imposing sight of the knight order was overwhelming to the crowd. Leading them was Emperor Marseus, exuding an aura that made it clear he was not to be approached lightly.

‘To think such a remarkable person visited Seraphina’s house…’

Recalling the event from two years ago, Marc nervously swallowed.

It wasn’t just Emperor Marseus. The Guardian of the North and the leader of the Holy Knight Order had also visited that small house.

Despite trying not to, Marc couldn’t help but feel that Seraphina belonged to a different world. It would have been nice if he could have a one-sided love in the same world.

Sighing deeply, Marc stretched his neck to scan the knight order.

‘Looks like she’s been dispatched again.’

Seraphina was nowhere to be seen.

Where could she have gone this time?

The Grodes Mountains? The Sahar Desert?

He’d find out from the articles in the newspapers later.

‘Hmm?’

Marc blinked.

If it wasn’t a mistake, it seemed the Emperor had glared at him…

Looking again, he saw the Emperor engaged in conversation with another knight. Though he couldn’t hear what they were saying, the Emperor’s serious demeanor and nodding as he gave instructions looked impressive even to another man.

Not only that.

His radiant silver hair shining under the sun enhanced the already striking beauty of the Emperor.

Seraphina seemed oblivious, but…

‘He seemed to regard her as someone special.’

Not as a purifier, but as a woman.

Being a man himself, Marc could tell. Having harbored a one-sided love for Seraphina for a long time, he was all the more certain.

Emperor Marseus liked Seraphina.

Resolving to take that fact to his grave, Marc turned his head. It was a small revenge against the Emperor who had once pointed a sword at his neck two years ago.

He hoped the two would never end up together.

Wishing for that, Marc walked toward where the mercenary corps was assembling.

* * *

What am I doing here?

Johann couldn’t understand why he had come all the way here without Seraphina. He had originally decided to participate in the Battle of Agulena because she had said she was scared.

But now that it was clear Seraphina had fled, he should have been focusing all his efforts on finding her, yet he was here, leading the mercenary corps.

It wasn’t a scale that warranted the presence of a hero. Two divisions of the elite knight order should have sufficed.

But he was too angry not to come.

What was so scary about this that she had to run away?

Johann couldn’t contain his emotions without sweeping everything away.

So he came.

To stretch his body after a long time.

It took exactly five days to reach the Agulena Plains.

Johann narrowed his eyes as he looked at the undead rising in the distance.

“A death knight, huh.”

An advanced undead so close to Elmon, just five days away…

It wasn’t good.

The knight commander riding beside the Emperor marveled inwardly at Johann’s muttering.

‘How good is his eyesight?’

Having risen to the position of commander of one of the elite divisions of the Imperial Knight Order, he was an exceptional talent. He was also an enchanter.

Yet even to his eyes, the land where the undead were rising was too far to discern anything more than black masses gathering. It wasn’t a distance where one could distinguish the type of undead.

Clop, clop.

At that moment, the scouting party that had gone ahead returned.

At Johann’s signal, a scout reported briskly.

“There are death knights and durahans mixed in.”

“Any other unusual signs?”

“None.”

“Good.”

Johann nodded slightly and raised his sword high.

Srrng!

The sunlight reflected off the silver blade, shining brightly in the Emperor’s hand.

“Charge!”

Uwaaah!

At the Emperor’s signal, the knights and soldiers let out a resounding battle cry as they charged forward.

A war against the undead was slightly different from fighting humans. The undead had no strategy; they simply charged at any human they saw to devour them.

There was no lining up face-to-face.

Thus, they had to maintain their formation and charge from afar, especially on a plain with an unobstructed view in all directions.

The distance to the undead closed quickly.

The plain, covered in dry grass, trembled.

“Bastard of Light Speed.”

Johann rampaged like a fish meeting water after a long time.

War against the undead…

He was sick of it.

He hated it.

The strength of his anger was expressed strongly, enhancing the power of his enchantments. Each time Johann swung his sword, the advanced undead, death knights and durahans, fell helplessly.

It wasn’t a battle that required a hero to intervene.

This battle would be over within an hour.

Without Johann, they might have struggled more. The mercenaries might have had a proper chance to shine instead of just cleaning up where the knight order swept through.

But such an opportunity was not given.

Many mercenaries were pleased, feeling they would earn money easily.

The plain was soon devastated.

Swoosh…

Shortly after, Johann lowered his sword diagonally as a cold wind blew across the land. His blue eyes took in the grotesque number of undead corpses.

“What was there to worry about?”

Was she afraid she might die to things like these?

Though the appearance of advanced undead was unexpected, Seraphina was a talent who had survived the rugged Grodes Mountains.

With her extensive and powerful purification ability, she could have turned these things to ashes.

Johann sheathed his sword.

It ended almost too easily.

The mercenaries were overly excited about a victory without casualties. Among them was Marc.

Johann impulsively approached him.

The mercenaries parted to the sides like the miracle of Moses. Standing at the center, Marc was very flustered, unsure whether to move right or left, shaking his head in confusion.

“You.”

“Yes, yes? Are you, are you talking to me?”

“Yes. You’re Marc, right?”

Johann’s voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for the mercenaries nearby to hear. They murmured loudly and began to look at Marc with different eyes.

For Emperor Marseus to remember the name of a lowly mercenary…

Wasn’t this an incredible honor?

What on earth was happening?

The murmuring that spread like wildfire quickly died down as Johann opened his mouth to speak.

“When was the last time you had contact with Seraphina?”

“Th-that was about a week ago…”

Marc answered with difficulty, feeling as if his throat was being squeezed. At the same time, he wondered why the Emperor was asking such a thing.

“Did she mention going anywhere?”

“N-no, she didn’t. I thought Seraphina was coming to today’s battle…”

“I see.”

Though Marc was answering diligently, Johann abruptly cut him off, leaving him feeling awkward. With a frighteningly calm expression, Johann stared at the ground, lost in thought.

Everyone held their breath as if a mouse had died.

There was a tense atmosphere, as if any slight annoyance to the Emperor could lead to an unfortunate end to one’s life. Marc seemed the most likely candidate to face that unfortunate fate.

“Ha.”

After a long silence, Johann let out an inexplicable sigh.

Marc sensed his life was over.

He didn’t know what he had done wrong, but he closed his eyes…

Srrng!

The sharp sound of metal being drawn from its sheath resonated clearly in the air.