MTLNOVEL Chapter 62
Chapter 62: The Sword Emperor's Humble Demise
“Clone, listen to me carefully.”
Clone was warily scanning his surroundings with fierce eyes.
He turned his gaze slightly at Gareth's words.
“Has it finally begun?”
Gareth gave a small smile.
“Yes.”
“As expected, I knew you’d do something like this. Just say the word, and I, Clone, will take a few of them down with me, even at the cost of my life.”
It was a reassuring statement.
Gareth spoke quietly with a glance.
“Can you throw me up there?”
Clone looked up.
Magical surveillance devices floated in the air.
“Above the Watcher’s Eye?”
It was a rather high position.
At least five meters above the ground.
“Yes. Is it possible?”
“……”
Gareth was a mage, and his jumping ability wasn’t exceptional.
In other words, he was simply asking to be thrown.
But logically, how could someone without mana be thrown five meters into the air?
Of course, Clone could do it.
“Of course. I can throw you twice that distance.”
“…As expected, you’re the world’s number one brute, Clone. Truly manly.”
“Kuhaha! Thanks for the compliment.”
“Hey! Quiet down over there.”
One of the rangers aiming at the cadets pointed his bow.
Gareth raised both hands and stepped back.
While doing so, he exchanged glances with Clone.
-Nod.
Clone gave a small nod.
Gareth shook his head and mouthed the words.
‘Not yet.’
Clone seemed to understand, nodding twice more.
‘Alright, as soon as the opportunity arises, we’ll execute the plan.’
All the conditions were set.
At that moment.
“Boss! Gessen is coming over there!”
“Really? Oh, he’s caught two rabbits.”
‘Beatrice!’
The opportunity had arrived.
The man called Gessen was dragging Airy and Beatrice along.
Their arms were bound behind them, indicating they had been restrained.
‘…Even so, has she taken down everyone but one?’
The one dragging them was the only one left.
Beatrice’s bright blonde hair was stained with blood.
It was probably not her own.
She appeared to have dealt with nine of them. Truly an impressive feat.
‘That’s enough. Beatrice, leave the rest to me.’
Gareth looked at Beatrice with such eyes.
However, she didn’t notice. Her head was bowed low as she walked.
“Haha! How fortunate. My last concern has been resolved.”
The leader grinned widely.
“Gessen! You scared us. What about the others?”
“They’re all dead!”
Gessen shouted from a distance.
For them, comrades dying was an ordinary occurrence.
But it was always painful.
The grief of the fallen comrades had to be soothed.
Airy, being a high-ranking noble, couldn’t be touched, but that Beatrice Cenci woman seemed fair game.
Suddenly, the leader had a great idea.
‘This is perfect. To crush their spirit.’
And, …to satisfy his subordinates' pent-up desires.
It seemed wise to let them do as they pleased. It would also serve as a strong provocation to the crown prince.
At last, Gessen approached.
“Up close, she’s even more stunning. So, this is the Kingdom of Krapos’ most beautiful woman?”
-Sneer.
The leader smirked, clearly pleased, as he approached her.
With his right hand, he grabbed Beatrice’s cheek and lifted it.
Beatrice’s golden eyes were so captivating he wanted to extract and keep them as trophies.
“Such provocative eyes. Taming you will be fun.”
“Boss, are you really going to let us ‘do it’?”
“Of course. I can’t grant the gift of death to such an insolent wench. She must be utterly trampled first.”
“Kahaha! I like the sound of that.”
The men in black robes licked their lips.
Beatrice watched the scene indifferently.
“You’re not even afraid in this situation. Don’t you understand your position yet?”
The leader sneered and leaned his face close to hers.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you think? I’m about to thoroughly enjoy you.”
“Gareth. Stay still.”
“…?”
Before he could understand her sudden words.
“Clone!”
“Go!”
Gareth soared through the air.
-Fwoosh!
The archer who was keeping watch fired his bow without hesitation.
The trajectory aimed to pierce Gareth’s throat precisely.
‘…Wait a minute.’
At that moment.
A thought flashed through the leader’s mind.
The control devices installed within a 50-meter radius.
They had deliberately avoided the areas monitored by surveillance magic to communicate with the crown prince.
The place Gareth was flying toward was a blind spot of the control devices.
“…!”
By the time he realized this, it was already too late.
-Ting!
“Finally, I can breathe.”
Gareth was floating in mid-air, shielded by magic.
He had occupied the only spot in this field where magic was effective.
-Whoom.
“Die, all of you, you trash.”
The space around him began to distort.
A tremendous amount of mana gathered.
The leader's eyes widened.
Judging by the amount of mana, something massive was about to happen.
‘I can’t let that happen.’
The leader adjusted his stance to throw his spear.
“Whew.”
He planned to personally deal with Gareth.
-Huff!
He mustered all his strength to throw the spear.
But then.
“Airy. The sword.”
-Squelch.
“…?”
The leader slowly looked down.
A sharp sword shone as it pierced through his abdomen.
-Swoosh.
The sharp sword soon disappeared.
-Kwahahak!
Blood gushed out like a fountain.
“…This is…”
The leader blinked in confusion, unable to understand the current situation.
“Die.”
A youthful female voice accompanied the sensation of a sword approaching.
-Clang!
The leader desperately turned around to block the sword.
There stood Beatrice, gripping her sword with cold eyes.
-Cough.
The leader spat blood.
“How fascinating. Can humans here survive even with their abdomen pierced?”
-Clank!
The two were locked in a struggle of strength.
Normally, a woman like Beatrice would have been overpowered.
But the leader, gravely wounded, could barely cling to life.
Before long, Beatrice’s sword was inches away.
“Y-you wench, h-how…”
“What does the reason matter? You’re going to die regardless.”
At that moment.
-Swish.
Beatrice tilted her sword slightly and smoothly rode along the spear’s shaft, aiming for the leader’s neck.
-Slash.
“…!”
“Farewell. It wasn’t particularly fun.”
As a fine line was drawn across the leader’s neck.
-Splash!
Blood sprayed out.
“L-leader!”
“The leader is dead!”
“Damn it, kill them all!”
Beatrice thought to herself.
[Well done. In the end, you managed it somehow.]
‘…I really wanted to make a contract this time, but it’s unfortunate.’
[Lies. I think you…]
“Beatrice! Behind you!”
Airy shouted urgently.
-Slice!
Beatrice sliced Gessen’s neck as he attempted to ambush her from behind.
[Even if it costs you your life, you refuse to make a contract.]
-Whoong!
At that moment, Gareth’s magic casting was complete.
“It’s over.”
A barrage of lasers emerged from the distorted space.
At last, the grueling battle was coming to an end.
It was a relief.
She no longer had the strength to hold her sword.
Now all that remained was to listen to the cries of the collapsing enemies.
But then.
“How pathetic. It was such a simple plan, yet you failed to handle even that. Unbelievable.”
Beatrice slowly turned her head.
Even amidst the chaos, there was someone calmly observing the situation.
He wore his black robe more deeply than the others, but soon removed it.
He was an elf with black skin.
Unlike the elf she had encountered in the Alps previously.
-Whoong.
Despite the control device being active.
He imbued his sword with an Aura Blade.
Then, he swung it lightly with his wrist, as if it were a nuisance.
Gareth’s eyes widened.
-Boom!
His magic exploded in midair.
No, to be precise, it was canceled just before casting.
Gareth immediately lost consciousness and fell helplessly to the ground.
When magic is forcibly canceled, the recoil returns entirely to the caster.
Beatrice stared blankly at the sudden event, murmuring to herself.
‘Solid. It seems something big has happened.’
[…Contractor Beatrice Cenci. Will you form a spirit contract with me, Solid, the God of War?]
Solid recited the contract proposal without a long-winded explanation.
‘…….’
But Beatrice didn’t budge.
[Agree. Now!]
The elf walked straight toward Beatrice.
“I’ve been watching quietly until now, and it’s clear you’re the cause.”
“…It’s not me.”
“…There’s no point in pretending otherwise in this situation.”
The plan had failed.
Beatrice raised her sword with a resigned expression.
“Then come.”
“…Interesting.”
-Clang!
Beatrice lightly raised her sword to block.
“Oh?”
The elf observed Beatrice with interest, then swung his sword again.
Beatrice narrowly deflected the elf’s strike.
-Bzzzt.
Her wrist throbbed with pain.
Perhaps it was from pushing her body too hard.
She even felt like throwing up.
‘…Solid, can I win this fight?’
[Stop being stubborn!]
-Clang, Clang!
The elf swung his sword roughly with one hand.
Beatrice managed to block, but it was becoming burdensome.
Even so, there’s a saying: "Rotten mackerel is still fish."
A Sword Emperor is still a Sword Emperor.
-Whoosh!
“…!”
Even amidst the chaos, she used the opponent’s strength to counter.
The elf, whose neck was nearly severed, recoiled in surprise and stepped back.
“…What incredible talent. You still look so young.”
“Come.”
Beatrice murmured mechanically, pointing her sword.
“Or I’ll come to you.”
“How reckless.”
-Clang!
Beatrice’s eyes were filled with killing intent.
The elf looked down at her with impassive eyes, casually pressing her back with his strength.
“It won’t take long to kill you. Someone as skilled as you must know that. Do you wish to die so badly?”
[Will you form a contract?]
“I am curious. What turned you into this?”
“B-Beatrice! Stop! Please stop!”
‘Be quiet.’
Even as she fought, Beatrice looked toward the sky.
A clear, cloudless sky stretched above.
A low hum and voices echoed in her ears.
Beatrice suddenly thought.
It was too noisy here.
However, the scenery was to her liking.
“If you want to die so badly, fine.”
“No!”
Airy tried to rush toward Beatrice.
“Precious lady, our leader can die, but you mustn’t.”
One of the subordinates grabbed Airy’s arm and restrained her.
“I will kill you.”
-Whoong, whoong.
An excessive amount of energy gathered on the elf’s sword.
It was an immense amount of mana, about five centimeters thick.
It was an Aura Blade.
Beatrice felt like she finally understood something.
‘That control device doesn’t work on Masters.’
[…No way.]
‘It means Aura Blades can be used.’
The control device didn’t affect Masters.
And.
‘I have a chance.’
She could use an Aura Blade for a single strike as well.
Though it would only last for one second.
To cut through a person—or an elf’s neck—0.5 seconds was enough.
-Step.
Beatrice dragged her weary body toward the elf.
“If you’d stayed still, I would’ve killed you painlessly. It seems you’re eager to die quickly.”
Beatrice leaned forward.
“Come. I’ll grant you that.”
“…Don’t regret it after you die.”
Aura and Aura Blades were different.
They weren’t called “Masters” for nothing.
If Aura manifested through mana and internal techniques, the Aura Blade came from mental imagery.
The ultimate realization of the sword, achievable only under specific conditions.
It seemed the control device couldn’t block this.
…It was a relief.
At least she could make a final desperate stand.
[Beatrice, you’re the worst contractor, past and present.]
‘I haven’t made a contract yet.’
-Whoong!
Beatrice’s sword began to faintly glow.
It was the precursor to an Aura Blade.
‘There’s only one chance.’
As she always had, she would achieve the impossible today.
The elf twitched an eye.
He looked at Beatrice with a perplexed expression.
“Well, this is…”
More precisely, he was looking behind Beatrice.
“There are so many intruders today. I thought this would be an enjoyable time for a change.”
“…!”
“Papa!”
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, the timing was everything.
“I heard the Arvanceco cat had returned home, but I didn’t expect to see him so openly.”
Carde Arvanceco.
He had appeared.
“…Airy.”
-Embrace.
Half-crying, Airy leaped into her father’s arms.
The Duke of Arvanceco lowered himself and stroked her head.
Beside him, Crown Prince Luel glared coldly at the elf.
“You were correct.”
He spoke without taking his eyes off the elf.
“Central was the culprit. They violated international law.”
Beatrice calmly lowered her sword, halting the Aura Blade, and turned around with composure.
This was still a secret.
“I informed you beforehand.”
“We’ll discuss this matter separately. For now, we need to deal with the uninvited guest. Duke Arvanceco, kill him.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
A small nation.
Two Masters stood opposing each other.
Arvanceco approached the elf with a leisurely gait.
His presence was overwhelming.
Each step he took seemed to slow down the world.
-Sneer.
The elf let out a small laugh.
“Whoa, whoa.”
He raised both hands.
The Duke stopped walking only when he reached Beatrice’s side.
“This makes me look like the villain, doesn’t it?”
“……”
Without a word, the Duke raised his hand upward.
-Rumble.
A foreboding sound spread as the sky was enveloped by a massive magic circle.
“…Are you planning to obliterate Krapos?”
The elf blinked in disbelief.
“This is why I hate mages. No sense of romance, and they see the world only in two colors.”
The enormous magic circle gradually formed its shape.
The elf scratched his head.
“Let’s leave it at that. I only intended to loosen up a bit, but it seems you don’t understand the concept of sparring.”
“……”
The magic circle was about halfway complete.
The elf shook his head as if looking at someone incomprehensible.
“This is terrifying. I’m leaving. You’ve all worked hard.”
And with that, it was over.
-Swish.
The elf disappeared, and the Duke of Arvanceco, seeing no further need to cast magic, dispelled it.
The duke looked to his side without a moment's hesitation.
“Are you unharmed?”
Beatrice replied in a faint, almost dying voice.
“…You’re late, uncle.”
The situation had been resolved.
Beatrice wanted nothing more than to collapse onto a soft bed.
“I asked if you’re unharmed.”
“…I’m fine. As you can see.”
Beatrice shrugged her shoulders and slowly turned around in a full circle.
Her long hair was stained with blood, but she appeared unscathed.
At least on the surface.
“…It doesn’t seem that way.”
-Tap.
Arvanceco swiftly grabbed Beatrice’s wrist.
-Stiffen.
Beatrice’s golden eyes widened. She felt her hair stand on end.
In fact, it actually bristled slightly.
-Smack!
She quickly smacked Arvanceco’s hand away.
“You seem to be quite injured.”
“…Not at all. I’m perfectly fine.”
Even in this situation, she couldn’t forgo keeping up appearances.
“You’re clearly not fine at all.”
“……”
The duke glanced back at the crown prince and spoke.
“Your Highness, may I make one request?”
“What is it?”
“I’ll take this child. She can return to the battlefield later.”
“…!”
Luel let out a faint chuckle.
“Do as you wish.”
“I refuse.”
Beatrice glared at him with eyes full of hostility.
“I’m going to fight in the war. Wounds like this heal with some ointment.”
It wasn’t a lie.
Beatrice had once gone on a raid while her shoulder was dislocated.
At the time, it hurt at first, but later, it seemed to heal on its own.
[Please, just listen for once!]
‘You don’t understand how long I’ve waited for this war.’
“……”
Arvanceco said nothing.
Instead.
“…?”
He simply grabbed Beatrice by the back of her neck and began dragging her away.
-Struggle, struggle.
Realizing the situation too late, Beatrice started resisting.
“L-let me go, uncle.”
-Thud.
But with no strength left in her body, she could only stumble.
-Drag, drag…
She was dragged along, slumped on the ground.
[Serves you right.]
‘If I make a contract, can I escape this man’s grasp?’
[Not a chance.]
‘…….’
Even Beatrice was rejected for a contract.
With a bewildered expression, she muttered.
“This is just pathetic.”
Thus ended the Sword Emperor’s humble demise.