CH 192

EPISODE 192 – INTENSIFICATION (4)

“This way!”

With the shelter collapsing, Jude and Cordelia could hear Princess Daphne’s voice.

Standing on the side of the passage, she faced the wall.

Another secret passage in the secret passage.

As Princess Daphne moved her hand, the walls split, revealing stairs that headed down. The sound of the other royal family members’ footsteps as they descended the stairs could be heard in the pitch-black darkness.

“Hurry!”

At the urging of Princess Daphne, Jude and Cordelia went down the stairs instead of saying anything.

Princess Daphne swallowed hard before she immediately followed the two.

The stairs were much longer than the two had thought.

It was only after going down several tens of meters did they reach the floor.

“Ah!”

While still in Jude’s arms, Cordelia opened her eyes wide and exclaimed.

Because she realized it when they arrived.

‘The barrier’s room!’

The center of the barrier that covered the royal capital.

A place that could be called the core of the barrier.

In the middle of a wide and circular space of about 50 meters in diameter stood a pillar of blue light, with complex magic circles spread all around it.

‘That means…’

Cordelia looked more closely at the pillar of light. The blue light was so intense that it was hard to recognize it, but she was able to distinguish the silhouette of a beautiful sword in the center of the pillar of light.

‘Divine sword, Claíomh Solais.’

The sword of the sun god, Solari.

The heavenly weapon they left on earth.

‘Isn’t that completely awesome?’

It was a sword that the sun god Solari, who was a heavenly archangel and not just anyone else, had used themselves.

How powerful is its attack?

What are the additional effects? There should be a special move built in with such a sword, right?

Will my stats go up by just equipping it?

It was a weapon that had never appeared in the game, so there was plenty of room for imagination.

Several heavenly weapons appeared in Legend of Heroes 2, but those swords were not used by the archangel themselves.

‘I want it.’

It would be nice if we could put that in our inventory.

I really think it would be nice if my Jude can have it.

If Landius has the Solar Blade, though he doesn’t use it, shouldn’t Jude do the same?

My Jude should have a good sword. He should.

Cordelia’s eyes began to sparkle with greed as her gamer brain began to work.

[Cordelia.]

[Eh?]

[Get a hold of yourself.]

[Huh? Ah, yes. I have to calm down.]

Cordelia was freed from temptation because of Jude’s message magic, and she shut her eyes and pushed away all the distracting thoughts in her mind.

And perhaps it worked because she realized something then.

[Put me down.]

[Huh? Ah… You are quite light, so I forgot I was carrying you.]

[Hmph.]

Why do lies always come out of your mouth?

Cordelia slightly glared at Jude who smirked and put her down.

“Wait, wait.”

The Fairy Queen sitting on Cordelia’s chest flapped her wings and moved over Cordelia’s shoulders.

She could go back if she was alone, but it seemed she stayed with them for a while.

And right after that.

Princess Daphne came down the stairs and closed the passage door, and Jude and Cordelia glanced at the royal family gathered on one side.

“Baron Bayer. And Baroness Chase.”

It was an elegant and dignified voice.

First Queen Justina stood up and looked at Jude and Cordelia. Prince Dion stood next to the First Queen but kept his mouth shut, while Princess Darianne had an uneasy expression as she hid behind Prince Dion and was at a loss on what to do.

As for the Second Queen and the Third Queen.

The Second Queen was sitting next to Henry II who was completely unconscious, but unlike the First Queen, she had a very scared and worn out face.

And unlike the Second Queen who took care of Henry II, the Third Queen looked anxious as if she would burst into tears at any moment.

“We greet Your Majesty, the First Queen.”

When Jude and Cordelia politely bowed, Princess Daphne passed by the two and stood next to the First Queen.

And at their actions, Jude thought.

‘They’re willing to listen to us.’

The royal family had run ahead of them.

They could have left Jude and Cordelia and hid themselves here without the two knowing.

But Princess Daphne stayed and showed them the way.

It was proof that she did not view the two as enemies.

‘But that doesn’t mean that they consider us as complete allies.’

Nevertheless, it was important that there was room for dialogue.

Furthermore, First Queen Justina was different from Henry II. Unlike him who had such deep faith in the Lord Protector that rational thinking was impossible, she was able to look at the current situation calmly.

‘We can convince them.’

They weren’t in such a dangerous situation as when they were in the shelter.

Even if he was the Lord Protector, it was unlikely for him to know that there was another secret passage in the secret passage.

‘If he knew, they wouldn’t have come here.’

The First Queen and Princess Daphne wouldn’t hide in a place the Lord Protector knew, especially when he was accused to be an enemy.

‘Okay, we just have to wait now.’

The Lord Protector had caused a huge uproar, but that did not mean he overturned the entire royal palace. The Royal Guard Knights would soon put an end to the situation, and the fathers of the two would come help them too.

The only variable was First Sword.

If he ever beat Jude’s father…

Jude clenched his teeth. It was a painful assumption, but he came to a conclusion soon.

‘It’s all right.’

Even if he was First Sword, he couldn’t occupy the palace by himself.

Even if there was the Lord Protector and his disciples, they would have to eventually get out of the palace.

‘Because there’s Seven-Killings Sword.’

In addition to her, there were many strong people in the royal capital such as the commanders of the Royal Guard Magic Corps who First Sword couldn’t easily defeat.

And it was just his assumption of a worst-case scenario.

Perhaps his father already defeated First Sword.

‘The Sword of Wind.’

Jude swallowed hard and stopped his thoughts. He came back to reality and heard the voice of the First Queen.

“Explain. The words and actions that you did.”

At her order that she said in a low voice, Cordelia turned to Jude who slowly opened his mouth to answer.

“As Cordelia said, the Lord Protector is the leader of this incident. This is his plot to annihilate the royal family, and he has already killed the other royal family members.”

Jude explained the situation one by one.

He revealed the plan of the Lord Protector to kill the royal family after they had gathered in the shelter, and he also told them about the royalty whom he had already killed, and even played the Lord Protector’s voice Jude had recorded as evidence.

“Lord Protector, you traitor.”

“I know all your plans! You’re planning to cut off the blood of the royal family and neutralize the barrier of the royal capital!”

“Indeed, you’re the demon hunters.”

“It’s the end.”

Following the voices of Jude and Cordelia, the low voice of the Lord Protector played in succession.

Cordelia was surprised as she stared at the mana stone in Jude’s hand, and Jude sent her a glance.

‘I did that on purpose.’

He did not bring up the word ‘traitor’ simply to infuriate the Lord Protector. Securing a means to persuade the royal family was also part of his plan.

‘My Jude is smart.’

Cordelia looked at him in admiration and praise, and Jude had a small smile before he continued to play the voice.

The words of the Lord Protector that seemed to admit rather than deny his crimes were followed by the voice of First Sword.

When the playback of the mana stone was over, the First Queen shut her eyes tightly. Princess Daphne and Prince Dion also gritted their teeth with angry faces.

It was a natural reaction since two of the Ten Great Swordmasters – the Lord Protector, who was a hero of the country, and First Sword, who was the best swordsman in the Sword School, had betrayed the royal family.

“Okay, I heard your story well. But we have to do a final confirmation. Daphne.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Princess Daphne replied to the call of the First Queen, and looked back at Cordelia, saying.

“Baroness Chase, please come here. I have to verify the truth.”

“Your…Highness?”

“The direct descendants of the Sälen family each possess a special ability. I can tell if anyone in contact with me is speaking the truth or lying.”

It was the first time they had heard of it, but it was also natural for that to be so.

Princess Daphne was a character close to a background setting, so her special ability as a royalty was never revealed in the game.

“I understand.”

They were telling the truth to begin with, so there was nothing for her to be hesitant of.

Cordelia calmly replied and walked towards Princess Daphne after she looked back at Jude.

“Come a little closer.”

“Yes, Your Highness, the Crown Princess.”

Cordelia drew closer and Princess Daphne touched the forehead of Cordelia and closed her eyes.

“Tell me one more time. Is the Lord Protector the main culprit of this incident? Are you two moving to stop him?”

“Yes, that is correct.”

“Did he kill the other royal family members? Did you actually see their bodies?”

“Yes… that is all true.”

Cordelia was a bit embarrassed because their faces were too close, but she answered calmly, and Princess Daphne bit her lips.

Because all that Cordelia said were true.

“Two people of destiny…”

Princess Daphne mumbled before she raised her head again. Having confirmed it, she turned around to convey it to the First Queen.

But it was at that moment.

“He’s coming.”

The Fairy Queen sitting on Cordelia’s shoulder suddenly said, and everyone in the room looked at her. In particular, the faces of Princess Daphne and Prince Dion, who knew that she was no ordinary fairy but the Summer Fairy Queen, immediately turned serious.

It was the words of the Fairy Queen who could go somehow see the past and future time, so her saying that he was coming was believable.

“He’s coming straight. He’s very angry. He has a frightening murderous look.”

The Fairy Queen had become completely frightened by the end of her words and turned to the entrance.

And Jude and Cordelia could also hear it.

On top of the stairs.

They heard the sound of someone breaking the door.

How?

It was somehow understandable if he had pierced through the collapsed shelter, but it was hard to understand how he came through the hidden passage immediately.

‘The demon followers were the ones who took Claíomh Solais in the game.’

It wasn’t the Lord Protector. He did not know the exact location of the room.

‘No, even if he had known it.’

How did he get here right away?

Even if he knew the hidden passage, it would have been the exit that led outside the royal palace and not this place.

And it was at that time.

The First Queen looked into the chest pockets of the unconscious Henry II and took out a small trinket with a blue gem, holding it out to Prince Dion.

A feeling of frustration spread on Prince Dion’s face.

“It’s a tracking device.”

It was similar to the one Jude gave to Count Bayer and Count Chase.

Perhaps Henry II directly handed over the other tracking device to the Lord Protector.

Because for him, the Lord Protector was a hero he could trust and rely on at any time.

“He’s coming.”

Cordelia was the one who spoke this time. They heard the sound of footsteps quickly approaching from beyond the door. They no longer had any time.

Jude turned to the First Queen and urgently cried.

“We’ll stop him! Run!”

They had to save the royal family. They had to grab the foot of the Lord Protector and buy enough time for the royal family to escape.

He might have become weak, but he was still one of the Ten Great Swordmasters.

It was obvious that he would be a tough opponent.

But even so, they had to fight.

Jude glanced at the Claíomh Solais and the core of the barrier. He opened the fifth door of the Ninth Heaven’s Nine Doors and began to use the Supreme Sun Divine Art. Cordelia also switched into Fallen Angel Mode by unleashing the powers of an angel and a witch at the same time.

“He’s here!”

Princess Daphne quickly shouted and pulled the sword she had hidden under her skirt.

Prince Dion cast various support magic to Princess Daphne in succession while the First Queen did not hesitate. She picked up the unconscious Henry II again and ran towards the exit in the opposite direction.

The most important thing was the king’s life. The king and the other queens would only be a burden to the four if they stayed here.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The stairs echoed. The Second Queen hugged Princess Darianne and ran, and the Third Queen cried and followed the two queens.

And right after that.

A dark blue aura blade split the door.

The Lord Protector finally appeared.