Chapter 135: Revealing The True Identity (3)
The situation in Gehel was handled by Euclid and Iriel.
With a 6th circle grand sorcerer and the saint Iriel in command, overcoming a few thousand soldiers was more than feasible.
Moreover, the enemys morale had hit rock bottom, while that of the Holy Nation was soaring.
Naturally, there was no reason for the Holy Nation to lose.
On the verge of a crushing victory, the Holy Nation managed to recapture Gehel Castle that night.
They did not become complacent, but the joy of victory was indescribable.
A festival broke out in Gehel Castle, once a sea of flames.
Soldiers opened the wine from the underground cellars and enjoyed themselves.
There was no chance of the enemy forces attacking again.
Most of Proxias commanders were dead, and their soldiers were too busy fleeing.
Having experienced the power of Euclid and Iriel, they would be safe for a while.
Euclid stood on an old-fashioned balcony, her blue hair fluttering in the wind.
A pleasantly cool breeze brushed past her.
Iriel approached her with a glass of wine.
What are you doing here all alone in such a place?
As soon as she saw her, Euclid knelt on one knee.
Greetings, Saint.
Enough of that. No need for formalities now.
At her words, Euclid slowly stood up.
It was a tough day, wasnt it?
It was a day where they exerted themselves to the point of exhaustion.
They repelled Proxias army, brought Zik, and relocated them to Gehel Castle.
The day ended only after receiving reports about the situation in Selonia and Siliene and devising countermeasures.
It was a day so exhausting it almost brought tears to her eyes.
Yet, Euclids expression remained calm.
Its okay.
Iriel looked closely at Euclids profile.
She said it was okay, but it probably wasnt.
Having led the battle in Siliene to victory and then joining as reinforcements in Gehel, she must have had the hardest time of anyone here.
She showed no sign of difficulty, masking the extent of her inner pain.
The pair maintained their silence on the balcony, gazing at the star-filled sky.
The stars shone beautifully, indifferent to the days events.
How much time had passed as they quietly observed the sky, sipping wine?
Euclid broke the silence.
Lately, Ive watched many people die or been present at their deaths. It makes me wonder. What is life, exactly? Can one truly be proud of living it correctly?
Her tone was neither inquisitive nor confessional.
Yet, Iriel sensed profundity in the ambiguity.
Is achieving a set goal really all life is about?
Her voice, softer than usual, reverberated across the balcony.
Euclid, already small in stature, seemed even more diminutive that day.
Iriel, still staring at the sky, replied.
I dont know No one can say wandering without a purpose is wrong Perhaps only the gods have that knowledge.
Even she, held in high esteem as a saint, could not claim she knew the correct way to live.
Thus, she had little to offer.
Given my short life so far maybe living as one desires is the right path?
Euclid took a sip of her wine in response to the ambiguous answer.
It wasnt a freeing solution, nor one that could lift the spirits, but somehow, it was a satisfying one.
She nodded slightly in agreement.
Thats true.
Afterward, neither spoke again.
Only the moonlight, spilling onto the balcony, and the distant laughter of soldiers provided illumination.
The toll of constant warfare had worn down not only the soldiers.
Arghh!
Ray, who had inserted a tumor sample into the Necromancer, was in the midst of surgery.
Be quiet. Youre disturbing my concentration.
He was determined to analyze the tumors behavior and compare it to contemporary tumors.
Some might deem his actions inhumane.
But Ray thought there was no need to show humanity toward the Necromancer who had killed countless people to become what he was.
Therefore, he did not hesitate to proceed with the surgery.
The Necromancer was bound by a hold spell, unable to move except for his mouth.
Moreover, unlike those who had interrogated him before, this madman showed no signs of fatigue.
In fact, he seemed to be enjoying it.
He observed his own condition, turned with excitement, and scribbled something on parchment.
And though the pain was excruciating, he could not lose consciousness.
If only he could faint, but Rays quick hands and magic prevented the Necromancer from slipping away.
He was a doctor with impeccable gentleness.
Somehow, it felt as if this could continue for a week or even a month.
Wouldnt it be wiser to speak up quickly?
If this pain persisted, he would eventually talk anyway, so wouldnt it be better to speak sooner to reduce his suffering?
Such thoughts crossed the Necromancers mind.
At that moment, Ray took out an artificial implant used on Eclair from his bag.
He still had questions about this procedure.
He had confirmed that there was no rejection when transplanting orc body parts to another person.
However, he was unsure what side effects might occur after the procedure.
He also wondered if this could only be used as a substitute for implants or if it had other applications.
Such experiments must be conducted at times like these!
As you age, your eyesight worsens, right? Ill make sure you see well.
In a certain light, that could seem like a positive thing.
In the modern world, it would be an honor to receive his treatment!
But it seemed not for the old man.
He suddenly felt fear at the strange objects Ray was holding, knowing nothing about them.
People are tremendously afraid of the unknown.
That fear compelled the Necromancer to open his mouth.
Ill talk! What do you want to know?
Ray paused for a moment, then looked at the old man and said,
The identity of Proxias army. Ah, if you know, their base location too. And the reason theyre targeting the Holy Nation, or any other objectives they might have?
Alright! Proxia is Uh!
Just as the old man was about to speak, Ray covered his mouth with his hand.
The Necromancer looked at Ray, confused, and Ray laughed sinisterly, shaking his head.
Hehehe. Dont rush. Lets take our time.
Ugh!
This, this madman!
Screams echoed once again in the underground dungeon.
Uhm
Violet hair rustled softly as it cascaded down.
Zik slowly opened his eyes.
Right, I was dead.
Could this be the afterlife?
When he cautiously moved, his body responded without any pain.
Yet, everything felt too real.
From the softness of the bed beneath his hand to the lively breeze caressing his whole body.
Why was he alive?
His injuries should have been fatal.
Even his vision, which seemed fine, indicated that his previously severed eye had been restored.
What on earth
Zik hastily dressed and stepped outside.
Gehel Castle came into view immediately.
The grandeur of the castle, the refreshing wind, the grass swaying in it, and the fresh air struck him with a sense of reality.
The renewed sense of life, which he thought he had lost, inexplicably brought a lump to his throat.
A few knights passing by quickly bowed their heads to him.
Lord Zik, youre awake!
What a relief!
Zik, almost tearing up, quickly turned away.
Im fine. Instead, report to me in detail what happened while I was unconscious.
Though they were not directly under Ziks command, as the leader of the Duke of Trays House, they had a duty to answer.
Moreover, they held personal respect for Zik.
The youngest ever Sword Master.
The weight of that title was no small matter.
Here was the man who had reached a realm all swordsmen aspired to.
Not long after you collapsed, the Saint arrived.
At their words, he immediately reacted.
Zik quickly turned back, almost shouting.
You mean the Saint woke up!
The knights awkwardly smiled and replied.
Yes The Saint killed most of the monsters on the battlefield. He also fought the Sword Masters. Then he carried you and went into the forest
Did he owe his life again?
It was the second time he had been protected by the very lord he was supposed to guard.
He clenched his fist.
Despite being a Sword Master, he had recently felt insufficient.
Far from serving the Saint, he felt like a burden.
What a useless person I am.
As Zik trembled, two knights approached him.
Ah! By the way, if you wake up, the Saintess asked to see you.
The Saintess?
Yes. The knights on duty were repeatedly told to convey this message.
Understood. Go ahead, you may leave now.
The two knights bowed and left.
Zik watched them for a moment before moving.
He didnt know why the Saintess wanted to see him, but he had to respond if called.
Considering they were in Gehel Castle and not Selonia, she would likely be in an annex or office.
He re-entered the annex where he had been resting and started to tidy up.
He wouldnt allow himself to meet a saint in an unkempt state.
After checking his appearance again, finding nothing amiss, he sheathed his sword at his waist.
He then headed to the lords office where the Saintess was likely waiting.
The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr(e)𝒆webnovel