“Clack! Snap! Clack clack!”
“…”
So, you’re saying you’re going to be forgotten.
This would be a perfect time for an exit, yet here you are resurrecting.
The Archduke of the North couldn’t hide his discomfort and swallowed hard.
“Clack clack! Snap snap, clack?”
“It seems we’ve become bodies that cannot die. We wish to pretend that we fell gloriously fighting the wyvern monsters. What do you think, descendant?”
“What do you mean by ‘pretend to have fallen’?”
“Clack clack, snap! Clack clack clack!”
“We’ll leave behind the swords with our names inscribed and disappear again. If everyone here agrees, it shouldn’t be too difficult, right?”
“…”
Understanding the skeleton noble’s intent, the Archduke nodded.
Thanks to the necromancer, they had been granted new life, but the plan was to waste that life here and fall again.
It seemed that the young necromancer wasn’t ready to send them back to the earth just yet.
“Snap! Clack, clack! Snap! Snap!”
“Everyone, remove your swords, armor, and helmets that prove your identity. Forget all the glorious memories of your past lives. We are no longer the proud Demon Realm Expedition of the Empire, but merely a shabby undead army.”
“Clack clack! Snap, clack!”
“Worship our master. We pledge our loyalty… Aah! That’s embarrassing, stop it, skeleton grandpas!”
As they removed their rusty yet ornate armor, the soldiers, now mere skeletons, knelt before Julia.
This new life brought with it no ambitions, desires, or regrets.
There was only one thing to do: repay the master for the gift of new life with loyalty.
Who would think that these were the elite soldiers led by the ancient royalty of the Empire?
At a glance, they appeared to be nothing more than ordinary undead monsters.
This would be our new identity from now on.
The skeleton soldiers pledged their loyalty to the great necromancer.
Even though they hadn’t fully awakened their own powers yet, their current state was already impressive.
One could only wonder what would happen once they mastered their abilities completely.
A slight fear crept in.
“I’m truly relieved. I was worried that a senior councilor might settle into the imperial palace.”
“Clack! Clack clack clack!”
“Hey! Keep such thoughts to yourself! I really want to head straight to the palace…”
[We have a problem.]
Boom!
Suddenly, something burst forth from the ground between the skeletal noble and the Archduke.
It was the serious voice of Dirt-Dirt warning them.
Aslan’s expression hardened, and the Archduke realized the seriousness of the situation and kept silent. In the solemn atmosphere, only the skeleton noble continued to clack away without care.
“What is it?”
[It’s too late. I can no longer suppress it with my power. It’s better to see it for yourself than to explain.]
Boom!
The ground trembled with a terrifying roar.
The earthquake caused by Dirt-Dirt was not to be taken lightly.
When the group looked down from the battlements, they could see the earth boiling violently in one of the traps where many wyvern monsters had been buried.
Bang!
A massive wing erupted from the ground.
Its size was unbelievable for a wyvern.
As it slowly revealed itself, the group froze in shock.
It was at least five times larger than an ordinary wyvern. The Archduke’s eyes widened in disbelief.
“The Wyvern King…!”
So that’s why they didn’t come out.
The sudden appearance of a thousand wyverns.
It didn’t make sense that they naturally bred to that number, given the strict surveillance.
The only other possibility was that the wyverns had come from outside.
However, there was no way that a savage, low-intelligence creature like a wyvern could sustain a population of a thousand.
It meant there was a leader, the Wyvern King.
They had assumed it fled since it hadn’t appeared until now!
“Clack! Snap!”
Under the command of the skeletal noble, the undead army picked up their weapons and charged.
The wings of the Wyvern King flapped, creating a gust that swept away the skeletal soldiers like leaves in the wind, scattering bones everywhere.
Could the skeleton grandpas even handle this!?
A look of confusion crossed Julia’s face.
‘Ah. This is when I need to step in.’
The Wyvern King soared into the air, effortlessly crossing over the battlements.
Sensing the impending fate, Sylvia gripped the hilt of her sword.
It felt strange.
It was the first time facing such a gigantic monster, yet I felt surprisingly calm, with little tremor in my hands.
Could it be because of this sword?
I hadn’t removed its leather wrapping even once, but just holding the hilt brought an inexplicable sense of reassurance—an odd sword indeed.
Had I come here for this moment?
I instinctively understood.
Without hesitation, Sylvia drew her sword…
“Ugh!?”
But it seemed stuck, as if caught on something.
What’s going on? Why can’t I pull it out?
Now was the time to test the new sword’s capabilities!
“Everyone, step back! I will stop it!”
While Sylvia struggled, the Archduke unsheathed his massive sword.
Few could match a monster of this caliber, and if anyone could, it would be someone at the peak of the Sword Expert level.
The Archduke had once nearly reached the level of a Sword Master.
‘This is my city and my people. I relied on my ancestors until just now, but in this moment, if not me, who will step up?’
Come at me.
I will stop you, even if it costs me my life.
The Archduke raised his sword high, bursting into a hearty laugh.
“Daddy…!”
From behind, I felt Merilda’s desperate gaze, her hands tightly clenched.
Don’t worry, my daughter.
I will survive.
I promise I will live to see you grow.
The Archduke of the North gritted his teeth.
Just as the Wyvern King charged forward with fierce speed, a shrill voice rang out from behind.
“Archduke, get out of the way!”
“What…!?”
“Rumbling Thunder!!!”
Flash!
a massive purple aura soared into the dark night sky, illuminating everything around it.
Moments later, Charlotte swung her Super Super Strong Sword, and the aura split the sky in two as it fell.
With a deafening noise, the Wyvern King was cleaved in half.
However, it wasn’t just the monster that was severed; the wall it passed through was also split in two.
The Archduke and Sylvia wore expressions of disbelief, while Aslan’s face was lit with shock.
***
Charlotte had caused a major incident.
The overwhelming force of her “Rumbling Thunder” was powerful enough to cleave mountains.
She had recklessly unleashed that forbidden technique.
As a result, not only was the Wyvern King bisected, but the wall beyond it was also split in half.
It was the moment when a fortress that had stood unscathed for hundreds of years was torn apart.
“Mister… how long are you going to keep my hands raised…?”
“Until the wall repairs are finished.”
“That can’t be…!”
[The Evil God ‘Kali’ scolds you very much, asking what our dark knight did wrong!]
I had set a light punishment for Charlotte as a reprimand.
While I would have liked to praise her for eliminating a dangerous monster using “Rumbling Thunder”, I couldn’t just forgive her without considering the repair costs for the wall.
If I did so, I might incur the Archduke’s wrath.
If forgiveness was to be given, it should come from him.
Perhaps because I had visibly set a punishment, the Archduke soon returned from calming the chaos and approached Charlotte.
“Why is this audacious girl still standing here?”
“Charlotte, apologize quickly.”
“I’m sorry! I miscalculated my strength and split the wall!”
“Hahaha! It’s alright! What is the original purpose of the wall? Isn’t it to defend against attacks without causing any casualties? We can say the wall fulfilled its duty since no one was harmed! You did well! How does such great power come from that tiny body of yours?”
With a cheerful laugh, the Archduke generously forgave Charlotte.
With that, Charlotte sheepishly lowered her hand.
I agreed with the Archduke’s sentiment.
As long as there were no injuries, that was what mattered.
Sylvia seemed a bit gloomy about not being able to test her new sword, but it was much better than getting hurt in battle.
“Count Vermont, I’ll be honest with you. When I brought you along as a peer escort, I thought they were just some random sl*ves purchased to fill a quota. Please forgive my rudeness.”
“No, you merely thought that. How can that be considered rude…?”
“It becomes rude once it’s spoken. However, I have something important to say despite this rudeness. I was greatly impressed by you, Count. The thoroughness in preparing such elite forces for a modest operation to bring along a troublesome daughter, and your composure in responding to crises without fluster, was commendable. I’ve heard rumors that Vermont Security is just a front for laundering black money, but now I can refute that as complete nonsense!”
“Thank you, Your Excellency. I am truly honored by your high praise.”
“So, I would like to propose a regular exchange meeting between Ester and Vermont Security. I believe both your staff and our soldiers could learn a lot from each other. What do you think?”
“I think that’s a very good proposal, Your Excellency.”
As I grasped the Archduke’s offered hand, a powerful grip nearly made me scream in pain.
An exchange meeting.
Although Sylvia conducts near-real combat training, there are limits.
However, in Ester, where every day is practically a real battle during the monster wave period, the staff would certainly gain rich practical experience.
To be honest, I questioned what our elite soldiers could learn from their staff… but this was effectively the Archduke extending goodwill under the guise of a proposal.
I decided to accept it gratefully.
“We should get going soon. The real monster wave will start shortly. Where is my daughter? Ah, there she is, with that masked bodyguard… What the h*ll. Is Merilda really hugging that bony guy? Count! Hand that brat over to me…”
“Then let’s head out right away. I truly appreciate everything, Your Excellency. I look forward to your next visit.”
“See you again, Archduke!”
“Ah, goodbye…!”
I grabbed Charlotte and Julia by the heads and forced them to bow in farewell.
Then I turned and hurried toward the carriage.
If I delayed even a moment longer, the Archduke and his nine sons would be coming for Yuri, ready to make a mess of things.
