December 25th, Imperial Calendar Year 231.
“An announcement from the Holy Knights of the Church!”
The long-awaited ‘Birkender Crusade’ in the Laperci Empire had begun in the Giraden Plains, right in front of the Rockefeller estate.
“Having received a revelation from Justitia, we have come here! Those who are persecuting our Messiah must cease all actions immediately and guide the Saint!”
The church forces numbered 300.
However, these were not just any 300, but 300 distinguished Holy Knights, including seven cardinals and one prospective pope.
On the other hand, the Rockefeller estate was defended by 300 poorly trained soldiers, an empress, and only one Teutonic Knight.
Before the crusade had even begun, the outcome seemed all too obvious.
“Repeat after me: Surrender! If you do not surrender, you will all be considered heretics!”
After the ultimatum, a deep silence settled over the Giraden Plains.
The Holy Knights, filled with the mission to retrieve the saint, fixed their gazes on one spot.
Through the swirling sandstorm, a single figure appeared faintly.
“Your Holiness. The enemy is here.”
“Please hold for a moment.”
A brief conversation with the commander of the Holy Knights occurred, and Cruyff assessed the situation.
“The Empress?”
But when the sand cleared, it was Sylvia. Cruyff relaxed his facial muscles.
“It’s been a while, Sylvia.”
“Let me ask. What made you start this?”
Precisely outside Sylvia’s sword’s range, Cruyff stood with his arms crossed.
“You will know when it’s over.”
“I never imagined that you, of all people, would do such a thing.”
“Indeed, I didn’t expect myself to get this far either.”
“Please stop now. Do you really think this is what Senior Sena wants?”
Cruyff smiled warmly.
“Trying to buy time, are you?”
“…”
Sylvia’s expression hardened.
She hadn’t expected to be discovered so quickly.
It wasn’t for nothing that she had been mentioned as a pope candidate from a young age.
“If you do not step aside, I have no choice but to consider you a heretic.”
“Go ahead.”
“Are you not afraid for your life?”
“Senior’s safety is more important to me than that.”
Sylvia grinned and drew her sword.
“It seems you won’t move.”
If he was going to stop here, he wouldn’t have started in the first place.
With a heavy heart, Cruyff spoke.
“Send her off without pain.”
“Yes.”
A Holy Knight in heavy plate armor approached Sylvia, closing the distance.
“Drop your sword, woman.”
“…”
“It is disgraceful to clash swords with a woman. If you surrender willingly, I will spare you the pain.”
Seeing Sylvia’s silence, the knight’s brows twitched. He sighed and raised his sword.
“Foolish.”
The knight’s sword aimed at Sylvia’s neck. Just before it reached her, Sylvia slightly turned her head. A few strands of her hair were cut. Maintaining her balance, she swiftly countered the attack with an upward strike.
The knight’s eyes widened as he bent backward in surprise, showing an incredible agility not fitting his size. However, he could not block Sylvia’s follow-up kick.
As he lost his balance and staggered, Sylvia’s sword accurately pierced his neck.
“…”
Silence lingered. Sylvia withdrew her sword and swung it through the air, standing still with her weapon ready for the next opponent.
“Who else wishes to go to Justitia?”
Actions spoke louder than words. Before Sylvia’s sentence was even completed, about five knights drew their weapons. It was a good choice. If more had moved, their movements would have tangled and obstructed each other.
‘Do you have no shame?’
Knights are fundamentally composed of pride. Among knights, one-on-many combat is not done. It’s done one by one.
Of course, since the opponent was a Holy Knight, Sylvia didn’t expect to fight only one-on-one. Still, she thought she would at least kill a few before starting…
‘In that case.’
Sylvia quickly ran towards the city wall. It was a bit early, but the time had come to use this device.
“Now!”
Countless arrows rained down from the top of the city wall. The approaching Holy Knights frowned.
For a knight who manipulates magic power, arrows are no hindrance.
‘It seems they’re in a hurry. Resorting to such a shallow trick.’
The leading Holy Knight, even seeing the arrows coming, made no attempt to dodge.
He merely focused his magic power at the point of impact.
At that moment.
Whoosh—!
“…!”
The Holy Knight’s eyes widened. Despite being surrounded by magic power, the arrow had pierced his body.
“We need to fend it off—!”
The knight, instinctively sensing that the arrows were not ordinary, shouted urgently.
“Damn it!”
Hiiiiing!
The horses neighed in alarm, raising their legs high. The knight looked up at those on the city wall firing arrows.
Half of them were ‘knights’, meaning the arrows were imbued with magic power.
“Do you lack the pride of knights?”
“What pride of knights!? Five of you coming up at once!”
Sylvia immediately counterattacked and charged.
The arrows flew indiscriminately, not distinguishing between friend and foe. Of course, not all of these arrows were imbued with magic.
Using magic arrows puts a significant strain on the user. Moreover, it’s inefficient because if the arrows miss, it’s all for nothing.
Out of ten arrows fired, about three were magic arrows. The problem was distinguishing them. Judging whether an arrow was imbued with magic or not while it was flying as fast as an arrow was challenging.
But.
Sylvia could do it.
“Ugh!”
Sylvia, confident in her magic detection, could distinguish which arrows were real and which were fake just by feeling amidst the countless arrows.
‘The tactic seems to have worked to some extent. But…’
With so many arrows to fend off and Sylvia wreaking havoc on the battlefield, handling five opponents wasn’t difficult.
However, the enemy was no fool.
‘They’re advancing slowly. Judging too quickly.’
After taking down the last knight, Sylvia breathed heavily.
She touched her shoulder and found it stained with blood.
The Holy Knights were exceptionally skilled.
Even under such dire conditions, she had managed to land a hit.
Sylvia forced a wry smile and re-entered between the city gates.
The enemy was advancing slowly. Deflecting arrows and proceeding cautiously.
There were no openings. Fighting outside the city gates was s*icide.
What remained now was…
A one-on-one battle utilizing the geographical advantage of the narrow city gates.
“Excellent.”
Grand Master Greol dismounted from his horse.
He approached Sylvia, who was blocking the city gate, and applauded.
“Sending such inexperienced troops into battle directly was a poor decision. It was a good move to have them shoot arrows from afar.”
Sylvia infused her sword with magic energy.
“Moreover, the resolve you showed even facing so many Holy Knights. I must acknowledge it. You are stronger than any knight I have seen in the Empire.”
‘How ridiculous.’
There were plenty of knights stronger than Sylvia.
As soon as she joined the Teutonic Knights, she realized how limited her talent was.
It was fortunate. If what this knight said represented the order’s view, the order could never be a true enemy of the Empire.
“That’s why it’s a shame.”
Greol spoke with a sad look in his eyes.
“The sorrow of having to cut down such a beautiful flower. Even now, do you have no intention of repenting?”
“No!”
Sylvia swung her sword with all her might. However, the sword, held loosely, only raised it to block her attack.
A knight with a certain level of skill could gauge the opponent’s ability with just the first exchange.
Sylvia’s eyes momentarily reflected despair.
The knight before her was at a level she could not defeat.
**
[10]
“Let me go.”
Sena lay on the bed, his hands and legs bound.
Of course, untying these bonds was not difficult. However, once freed, he would be bound again immediately.
Unless he convinced those two, he couldn’t leave this room. Sena shot them a fierce glare.
Ellie and Lucia exchanged glances.
‘What should we do? We’ve tied him up, but…’
‘I was against it.’
‘T-This is it?’
“I hear the sounds of battle. Cruyff has arrived. I need to go.”
“But… Her Majesty’s orders were to not let you move an inch from here.”
“Since when have you followed Her Majesty’s orders? What you follow is Justitia.”
‘There’s nothing I can do. It’s a little underhanded, though.’
Sena stared intensely and said.
“And, I am Justitia’s angel. Have you forgotten? The sin of intimidating an angel won’t be forgiven no matter how much you pray.”
However, Sena was unaware.
No matter how fiercely he glared, he only looked cute to them.
“Don’t worry. Nothing you’re worried about will happen.”
Having given them a metaphorical whip, Sena thought it was time to offer a carrot.
He was convinced, on his own, that he had succeeded in making a formidable threat.
“I’m definitely not dying today. I’m going to resolve this through conversation.”
‘Now, I have only 10 days left.’
Sena, who was not some kind of grim reaper, had the ability to see lifespan.
Even so, he had spent years with this ability.
And he knew. Lifespan was paradoxical.
Unless one committed s*icide, one would not die during those 10 days, no matter what.
In other words, unless there was intervention from ‘God or oneself’, a predetermined lifespan would not change.
“I have things I want to do. I want to live more than ever right now. So, will you move aside?”
Sena was serious. He couldn’t afford not to be.
Sylvia had been missing for a while. She should have been by his side.
But the fact that she was absent meant she was in battle. She was likely confronting the Holy Knights Cruyff had brought with him.
He needed to run as fast as possible. There was no time to waste.
However, these religious zealots had no intention of moving aside. Why?
“…Even if Sena goes, it won’t change anything. The Empress’s orders were accepted because her words have merit.”
“Right now, Cruyff is not the Cruyff you know. The Cruyff you know most wants you to appear right in front of him.”
“I have my own thoughts on the matter. If you keep this up, I’ll get angry.”
Sena made a serious expression.
‘…I shouldn’t be thinking about this in this situation.’
‘You’re just too cute.’
But the sight of Sena, bound and struggling, looked only adorable.
However, the two felt guilty for finding him cute in such a dire situation where the fate of humanity was at stake.
Sena misunderstood their expressions. As devout believers, they must have been swayed by his threat, he thought.
He tried again, narrowing his eyes.
“Move aside. If you don’t want divine punishment.”
“No, we can’t.”
“I’m sorry, Sena. Even if you look that cute, we can’t untie you.”
Sena was shocked by the word “cute”.
And then, he lost his composure and became agitated.
“There’s no time for this! Untie me, I said untie me!”
Sena began to struggle violently.
The problem was that his frail body, with only 10 days left, couldn’t withstand the strain.
His divine power started leaking.
Eventually.
“…!”
Something that had always been suppressed, like holding in a bathroom urge, burst forth.
It was his wings.
The room where Sena was confined was soon filled with white feathers.
The two looked at Sena with wide eyes.
Sena’s face flushed red. This was something he really hated.
‘…I’m not in a position to be picky right now.’
Sena first untied the bonds that had restrained him and stood up.
Now was the opportunity. If he missed it, he would remain tied up here.
He closed his eyes for a moment, imagined Astria, and then opened them. Hoping for some semblance of dignity, he walked slowly.
Lucia, hiccuping, knelt down, and Ellie quickly knelt down quietly.
Sena looked down at them coldly.
“…I won’t let you go to heaven?”
Fortunately, this threat seemed to have had an effect.
