Side Story Chapter 123
After absorbing all the raging demonic power in the barrier, Kireua opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Such was the result of embracing Coal—the power of Greed—wholly, and consuming the powers of Lust and Gluttony.
“...You’ve changed,” Theta said, allowing his mana to come to rest.
Iceline already collapsed on the ground from exhaustion, and Marcus, the Earth, was drenched in sweat. However, all of the knights and paladins had stabilized thanks to their efforts.
“The Prince of Avalon... absorbed all the demonic power?”
The paladins of Hubalt were the most surprised. After the death of the Four paladins, their superiors, they had completely lost the will to fight, but what had just happened crushed the last trace of defiance.
“Why don’t you answer that yourselves? Does His Highness over here look like a Demon King?” Theta pointed at Kireua. “Not only did he trap the demonic power that was tormenting you in himself, but he also retained his sanity. Who could possibly call someone like thatevil?” Theta asked.
The quiet allowed his mana-enhanced voice to quietly hang in the air.
Not one paladin dared to say a word to the Second Prince of Avalon as he stood high in the sky. Kireua Sanders may have been from an enemy country, but he had, without a doubt, saved all the paladins there.
“No matter what anyone says, he’s the son of Joshua Sanders, the great spear knight who annihilated the Demon Spirit and saved the continent!” Theta continued.
The paladins went down on their knees one after another—the invaders fully admitted their defeat.
“You’re our savior!”
“Thank you for saving us from the evil corrupting us!”
“We’re sorry! We’re truly sorry! We apologize a thousandfold for causing harm to the innocent by invading this country.”
Duke Tremblin nodded in satisfaction, and Iceline smiled faintly as well when she finally managed to open her eyes.
The war was over—no, the real war may have just begun, but they could forget about that and enjoy the peace, at least for today.
“Wowwwwwww!”
“We wonnnnnnn!”
“Hurray for Her Majesty! Hurray for His Grace! Hurray for His Highness!”
Kireua slowly descended to the ground, paying no mind to the thunderous applause erupting around him. To his surprise, he was totally tranquil. His head was clearer than ever, and the voices inside of him had stopped completely.
“...Kireua.”
Kireua’s attention was drawn outward.
It was unclear when Selim had pulled himself together or approached Kireua, but he was standing right in front of Kireua now.
“We’ve been avoiding the matter, but I don’t think we can delay it any further,” Selim said.
“...Huh?”
“Look over there.” Selim pointed to the plains outside the north gate.
All of the foreigners, in their dazzling variety of clothing, had their crystal balls in hand and were busily speaking into them.
“They’re probably sending the messages to their homes, so that won’t take long for what happened today to become known to the entire continent. You know what that means, don’t you?”
Kireua nodded quietly. He had his Evil Sin’s powers under perfect control, and Hubalt had lost the justification for their invasion. In other words, the Hubalt Empire had undeniably committed war crimes. Those facts would serve as an excellent card to persuade the rest of the continent to unite and pressure the Hubalt Empire, along with the Tetra Kingdom, Hubalt’s supporter.
“The other countries will be quick to send emissaries to the Palace bearing messages from their rulers, suggesting we band together,” Selim surmised.
“...Those sly dogs.”
“That is diplomacy.”
Kireua’s silence was an obvious agreement. Yes, that was diplomacy—prioritizing their own country’s benefits and never doing things which would bring loss to their country; Ulabis’s Thran Kingdom was the only country that tried to help Avalon at the risk of his own country’s safety. It didn’t matter—all those who had been feeling out Avalon and Hubalt, Avalon would treat in kind. It was Avalon who had seized victory, after all; it was unlikely that anyone but Avalon would lead this alliance, if it was even formed.
“This matter we can’t delay any further—you mean the succession, right?” Kireua asked.
Selim readily nodded. “Yes, indeed.”
Kireua, of course, agreed that it was necessary. No matter how big of an accomplishment Avalon made, the Emperor of Avalon was away now. Perhaps it would have been different if the Emperor of Avalon was present, but without him, what country wouldn’t want to sit in the seat of the leading nation? Since the other countries were sending their troops, they would want to be in command. That was the most beneficial position for their country, and therefore their obvious goal.
“The Queen Consorts said that they don’t mind which of us inherits the throne,” Selim mentioned.
“...That is because they’re worried that we’ll fight until one of us dies. I’m not surprised—that’s the history of the Avalon Empire.”
“Agreed. So let’s put an end to this matter using a method that no one can dispute.”
“What are you suggesting?” Kireua asked.
Before the eyes of all the people gathered around them, Selim pointed his spear at Kireua.
“Let us fight in three days,” Selim quietly intoned, “and whoever wins will become the crown prince of this country.”
* * *
Bel arrived at Kraise, the capital of the Hubalt Empire, three days later, and headed straight to the Great Temple of Hermes, where all the people of power in this country would be.
“Sir Bel...?” The two paladins guarding the entrance were surprised to see him.
“I feel so light.” Bel grinned. He had tossed all of his baggage onto the floor of his inn. “All I have to do now is focus on what I have to do, don’t I?”
“Pardon?”
The two paladins didn’t get to find out what Bel meant—their heads exploded like watermelons in the blink of an eye.
“I knew it. They really can’t even respond to my punches. All those who serve god are too weak.” Bel clicked his tongue and strode right into the temple.
“Who is it?!”
“We haven’t received any communications from the entrance. Wait... Sir Bel?”
Thirty paladins poured into the wide lobby of the Great Temple. They hesitated for a moment, but their eyes widened when they noticed the two headless corpses behind Bel.
“Adel? Trois?”
They figured out the situation quickly and immediately sprang into action. The moment they noticed the slightest off feeling, the paladins drew their swords in spite of the fact that their opponent was Bel, the strongest person in the Hubalt Empire.
“Everyone, draw your swords!”
“Oh?” Bel’s eyes gleamed. Even considering the fact that he had sent two of the paladins’ comrades to the afterlife, their response was hard for him to understand. On a usual day, the paladins would have thought that those weaklings lying on the floor had done something wrong. It was only natural, given the countless knights, as well as paladins, who had been reduced to corpses by Bel’s punches over the years.
“...Hehehehehe. I see, I see. The Great Temple must have been preparing for this day for a very long time.”
“Gather your divine power!”
White light spread throughout every inch of the lobby. Every one of the paladins that were permanently stationed in the Great Temple were highly skilled—at least B-Class—because this place was as important as Hubalt’s palace. Hubalt had an emperor, of course, but the Pope was the one who wielded true power in Hubalt now.
“Hahahahahahaha!” Bel laughed for a moment, and then took a look around. “Where are my knights? You people wouldn’t have been strong enough to even pick a fight with them. Wait... it may have been possible if you people ambushed them.”
“Surround him!”
The paladins rapidly encircled Bel. Bel didn’t even blink despite the fact that he was going up against an entire horde of paladins.
“Heh. I see what the Great Temple’s decision is. It’s my turn to answer, then,” Bel casually said.
The Temple shook like thunder had struck within its halls. The forms of a fire dragon and a silver dragon flickered around each of Bel’s fists.
Bel slammed the fire dragon on his right fist against the marble floor, instantly cracking it.
“Wh-What the hell...?”
Bel sneered at the paladins. “Do you think you’d win if you ganged up on me?”
A wave of explosions began around Bel and gradually spread in all directions.
“R-Runnnnn!” a senior Paladin shouted at the top of his lungs.
But he was too late. Over ten paladins had already been swallowed by the cataclysm.
“Arrgggghhhhhh!”
Gouts of fire shot out of the ground, indiscriminately devouring the paladins. They screamed at the top of their lungs from the pain of their entire bodies melting, but it didn't take long for every last bone to be burned to ash in the powerful flames.
“Temir! Decker! Aisen! Utmir!”
“I still have one fist left, you know,” Bel said.
The senior paladin’s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. “Scatter!” he shrieked. “Everyone, scatter! Distance yourselves as much—!”
“You’re already too late.”
It was bolts of lightning this time.
“Hi-yah! Hi-yah! Hi-yah! Hi-yah! Hi-yaaaaaah!” Bel shouted. Whenever he threw a punch, he launched white lightning bolts from his fists that struck the paladins like the fury of a god. His victims were wracked by intense seizures while simultaneously being reduced to lumps of charcoal by the mad power of Bel’s lightning.
“Hahahahahaha! How long are you going to keep sending nothing but paladins?! They’re so weak. Come out, cardinals. Come out, high priests! I, Bel, am here!”
When Bel finally stopped, none of the thirty paladins was left standing.
“Stop!”
Only then did the people Bel had been waiting for appear. Bel’s smile deepened when he saw them. They should have hidden. Since they showed up in front of Bel, only one end was left for them: annihilation.
“Your destinies were decided just now. Hehehehe.” Bel strode across the distance between them.
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