Chapter 158: Proof of Love

Warning: Heavily implied rape.

I came to the temple, the Temple of the Goddess of Mercy that had been built with golden bricks. I didn't have it built because I adored the Goddess, but because Neran was the deity my goddess Aramis served, and I wanted to give her the best. It was a small recompense for choosing me, who had nothing, and following me through wind and rain.

In the circular apse was a golden cross. She was kneeling with her hands together before the Holy Relic of Neran, offering a devout prayer, so absorbed in whatever she was praying about that she didn't notice I had come in. Falling loose down to her waist, her long, silverish blue hair gleamed under the dim light of the magic lamps that produced the sacred atmosphere permeating the temple with the high vaulted ceiling.

The sight of her was a balm for the mind. Aramis was someone who exuded the warmth of a mother's embrace from her entire body.

"Oh Holy Neran... This feeble servant prays to thee. Please grant Nerman, this garden of the gods, with blessing upon blessing, and permit this land peace. May you show all of the young lambs that thy will is not light, but almighty. This young servant of yours... prays with tears. I beg of thee to not reject my request."

Aramis sobbed quietly. Her thin shoulders were shaking from her weeping. I felt my heart pang, deeply touched by the feelings of this noble woman who was just as worried about Nerman's wellbeing as I was. Her intense wishes plunged into my soul like stars in the sky.

"This servant has another wish... May thy hand of mercy protect that person. May you grant that person the blessing of overcoming all the world's evils, filth, and envy to guard over thy young lambs in good health."

'Aramis...'

Aramis was earnestly praying to the gods for my sake. My heart thumped wildly.

"He is the person this young servant loves and respects. I know these are feelings I should not dare to have as thy servant, but... like the love and respect I have towards you, I love him just as much. Oh Holy Neran, you who knows and understands my heart in full... I pray for thy forgiveness and blessing. May you prove with thy strength that love is never a sin."

When Aramis said that she loved and respected me, I bit hard on my lips. Even without hearing this, I had known how she felt, but this was my first time getting such a passionate confession of love. From what I heard, a priest in the service of God must never get close to the opposite sex. Only priests who revered the Evil God, Kerma, prostrated themselves before the altar of lust. For the priests of the other temples, from the moment they were chosen to the moment they died, they had to live with only God in their eyes.

But Aramis, a priestess the people revered as a saintess, dared to make a request of this nature to God, saying that God knew her love and asking for proof with God's power for the sake of someone she loved as much as God. She was firm and confident before her love. Even in front of a transcendental being, a deity, Aramis never belittled or concealed her love.

'For you... I will overcome all adversity, without fail. My beloved woman.'

Even before God, an existence that was everything to a priest, my girl wanted to be blessed and did not beg for permission to love. If only to protect her, I absolutely had to surmount the upcoming trial. Because the moment I fell, so too would Aramis' love.

'Poltviran, wait for me. I'm coming!'

Just in case, I finished the magic array I'd been working on with sheer force of will. It was a great castle wall defensive array that the beastmen, territory mages, or prisoner mages couldn't even touch. With that, and my loyal Nerman knights and soldiers, we could definitely endure the onslaught.

'Huhu...'

A cold smile appeared on my lips.

I could never forgive them. I would purge them in the name of love. That was the only way to prove that Aramis' love was being blessed in the name of God...

* * *

"AAAAAHHH!"

On some unnamed plains at one of the origins of the Perkone River, in clear view of the Rual Mountains, hundreds of wyverns were dotting the plains. The command had been given, so the soldiers, civilians, and knights of the surrounding territories had prepared supplies like food for the army's comfort in advance.

One tent was located right in the middle. From within the enormous magic tent airlifted from the Imperial Palace, came a woman's cry. Silence magic was cast on the tent, so it should be impossible for most screams to be heard, but the woman's pain was intense enough to penetrate the spell.

Despite the scream coming from within the tent, the crimson-cloaked Skyknights of the Imperial Guard standing guard in front remained stock still. Their Emperor was essentially unable to sleep if he had no woman on his bed. The Imperial Skyknights were incapable of condemning their lord's behavior as dirty or shameful. The master of the empire had more than enough right to do what he wanted with the likes of a countryside noble's daughter.

"Huhuhu..."

Not long after the woman's scream was heard, Emperor Poltviran emerged from the tent with a smile of satisfaction bare on his face.

"Salute!" cried out the Imperial Skyknights.

"Heheh, was she to Your Majesty's satisfaction?"

Silveron, the man who had risen to the rank of a count by scratching the dirty itches of the Emperor, was able to confirm from the Emperor's smile that tonight's sacrifice had been satisfactory.

"The bitch pleases me. Have her sent to the Imperial Palace."

"I will have it done, Your Majesty."

The night was still young. Earlier today, Silveron had interrogated the territory soldiers and civilians in order to find a noble daughter of outstanding appearance, one that was undefiled by the touch of men. He was able to confirm that the sixteen-year-old daughter of a baron not far removed from this camp was an impressive beauty. A command dressed as an imperial mandate was passed down, and Imperial Skyknights brought the girl over. She possessed a pure beauty of a degree that couldn't be seen even in the capital, and it seemed the difficult-to-please Emperor had enjoyed himself for the first time in a while.

"Are all the nobles gathered?"

"They are all waiting in the meeting room."

The Emperor could have used a nearby noble's mansion instead of camping out in the wilderness, but he insisted on enjoying the flavor of warfare and had a tent sent up on the plains. Poltviran leisurely walked to the meeting tent, where the nobles had been waiting long in advance.

After tomorrow, the Nerman invasion would begin in earnest. The Emperor's face was bright with the first electrifying thrill he was feeling in a long time. He was someone who would only be happy by feeding on another's pain, a depraved human no different from a demon.

"What about the old men from the magic tower, they're still not here?"

"They will arrive shortly. They were dispatched from many different places, but upon receiving Your Majesty's stern command, they are flying over with great urgency."

"Hmph!"

Upon hearing that the mages were late even though he, the emperor, had arrived a day early, Poltviran harrumphed. Now, he held no one in high regard. These days, even his mother Elmiane's words were ineffective on the Emperor.

Whooooooosh.

Just then, a strong wind suddenly blew in from the Rual Mountains, so strong that it threatened to blow away the carefully set-up tents.

"P-Protect his Majesty!" barked Silveron at the knights, alarmed by the sudden gust.

"I'm alright."

Because he could use mana, Poltviran was unshaken by the squall.

At that moment, the large flag that had been driven deep into the ground in front of the Emperor's tent broke with a crack, unable to resist the wind's force. It was embroidered with a Black Wyvern on a golden background, the emblem of the Imperial Family.

Bam!

"Gah!"

"Y-Your Majesty!!!!"

The flag was sent flying right into the arrogantly standing Emperor. Silveron and the knights clustered around him in shock.

"Dammit!"

Crack.

Using mana, Poltviran broke the flag that smashed into him. The sharp edge of the broken shaft left a deep wound on his right cheek, and red blood splattered everywhere from the wound.

Alarmed by the sight of the Emperor's blood, Silveron shouted "B-Bring a potion! Quickly call the priest!!!!"

Poltviran, who was standing still after knocking away the broken flag, wiped his blood with a hand and brought the red smear to his lips.

"Kuku..."

And then, a dark smile appeared on his lips. Rather than feeling pain from the injury, the red blood had excited his twisted brain.

"Your Majesty!!"

"Gasp!"

Hearing the shouts outside, the nobles jumped out of the meeting tent and ran over, but stopped short in their tracks upon seeing the Emperor, who was licking the blood smeared on his hand from the wound on his face.

For a moment, they had the impression that they weren't looking at a human, but a bloodsucking demon from hell.

* * *

Reaper Scans

* * *

"Men, we shall be writing a new page in history today. For the glory of Nerman, which we achieved with our blood and sweat, we will once again go into a battle with our one and only lives on the line."

All of the Skyknights were gathered. Excluding Igis and the Bajran Empire's knights, I had all of my territory's Skyknights secretly moved towards the Rual Mountains. And then, on the dark plains, I relayed my feelings to all of the knights standing before me.

"Not being strong will always be a sad thing. It is because you and I are lacking that the enemies are baring their fangs at Nerman once again today."

There was no need for me to explain that this world was ruled by the strong. It was a matter of course in the history of humankind that those who were unable to protect themselves and their borders with their own strength were one day invaded by another person or nation.

After emphasizing my and Nerman's still-lacking-strength, I continued to speak. "However, I believe that today will be the last time such a thing will happen! Once today is over, no one will dare to belittle me, you, and Nerman! As your liege and the Lord of Nerman, this I promise, on my name as Kyre de Nerman!"

My passionate, sincere words swept over the land.

"My knights! Board your wyverns! Tonight, we shall make a mighty stride for Nerman's future together! Everyone, follow me!!!!"

My mana-charged shout shook the heavens.

"YEAAAHHHHHH!"

"FOLLOW THE LORD!!"

"FOR MIGHTY NERMAN!!!!!!"

Whipped into a fervor by my short speech, the knights cheered as they leapt swiftly onto their wyverns.

'Nice!'

The knights of Nerman had survived the fiercest fights of continental history by my side. From the very beginning, fear did not come into question. Everyone grasped their wyverns' reins with an aura of bravery.

"Let's go, Bebeto!"

Guoooooooooooooo!

At my urging, Bebeto let out a big bellow as he flapped his enormous wings that overshadowed the other wyverns.

Flap flap, flap flap flap flap.

He kicked off the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

And then, I felt us lifting into the sky, a feeling that was as exciting as the first time. Relishing that electrifying tingle, I turned Bebeto's nose westward.

When the morning dawned after the passage of the night, I was determined to make that asshole Poltviran bleed from both nostrils.

* * *

"Can he truly be trusted?"

"If this were to reach the Emperor's ears, even we would not be spared from the aftermath."

Besides Duke Ormere, who had been dispatched to the force by the Emperor, the highest ranking nobles of the three kingdoms had urgently gathered in secret late at night. Upon hearing Duke Hardaim's words, the other two nobles were shocked. A variable that would disrupt the Nerman invasion planned to begin two days from now had appeared. It was no ordinary variable, but one that would determine the fate of the empire and kingdoms.

"In any case, right now is the time when we wait for the result. If he fails, we simply have to invade Nerman... but if he succeeds..." Hardaim trailed off.

"Ho..."

"Mm..."

The two nobles in the dark meeting tent groaned. If everything happened like Duke Hardaim said, there would be no better outcome. If the crazy Emperor of the Bajran Empire, who was putting so much strain on the kingdoms that they were buckling under the pressure, were to have a taste of hell and be weakened, there would be no need for the kingdoms to submit to the empire anymore. In fact, it would even become possible for them to ride the wave and erase the empire's name from the continent's ledgers for all of eternity.

"One more thing. Around now, the Krantz Kingdom's Crown Prince, who was hiding on Ibartz Island, should have crossed the ocean. At the same time, the Krantz Kingdom nobles who were laying low will have taken up arms. Also... the knights and soldiers of my kingdom have likely crossed into the empire's borders by now."

"Goodness!"

"T-That's...!"

The highest ranking nobles from the Kuviran and Andain Kingdoms exclaimed aloud, unable to muffle their surprise. This was not a matter of simply waiting for their moment. The Kerpe Kingdom had chosen to cross the river of fate, a decision that could not be reversed.

"As you all know, this is our last chance. Our kingdom has unsheathed our proud swords in order to avoid stepping on the same route of demise as the Krantz Kingdom," said Duke Hardaim with an unfaltering voice.

The minds of the two nobles listening to him raced. If what Duke Hardaim guaranteed came to pass, they could not stay on the fence like they were now. It was an eternal truth that the one who raised his fork first would be able to eat the most. If the three nations combined their strength, there was no need to fear the empire. Moreover, if the Krantz Kingdom rose up and the Emperor faced a crisis, there would be no better opportunity than this.

"Tomorrow... When the Bajran nobles start moving in a panic, that's when we will strike. Be aware of that and prepare appropriately."

Hardaim finished speaking with a command rather than a suggestion. The highest ranking nobles of the two kingdoms found themselves nodding, all while desperately hoping that the Lord of Nerman, Kyre, would successfully smash Emperor Poltviran's face in...

* * *

"It's time for us to prepare as well."

In the newly built Nerman Castle, Princess Igis and Prince Razcion, the precious guests residing there, were having a serious conversation. Having been called to the Princess' room, Razcion blinked at his sister's calm words.

"Once tomorrow morning passes, the Bajran Empire will become a candle before a tempest. Some of it is the fault of our older brother, Poltviran, but the Empire will face a crisis because of its rotten roots. And... you and I will have to write the history of a new empire. No, we must survive as a kingdom, if not as an empire. That is our obligation to repay the grace of our Imperial Father and our ancestors."

Igis was fully aware of what was going on. The moment the wyverns stationed in Denfors flew west, she realized that the decisive moment was upon them. Kyre had also come and told her the gist of the situation, telling her that Poltviran had raised an army to conquer Nerman.

"Razcion."

"Yeah."

"No matter what anyone says, you are a legitimate prince of the Great Bajran Empire. Never forget that. Rotten roots can be pared away. Build your empire with an iron will. Like the Lord of Nerman, Kyre."

"Don't worry! I'll never sully the name of the Bajran Imperial Family! I will definitely become a wise king. Like Kyre hyung, I'll become a great man who receives respect from all his people!"

Razcion energetically revealed his dream. Igis lightly embraced her little brother. Becoming a wise king might be easy to say, but Igis knew how difficult that path really was. Moreover, Bajran would be dealt an enormous blow from the coming events, and Igis was well aware that putting down new roots in the aftermath would be no easy feat.

'Kyre... This powerless woman will believe in you. Please, please protect our dreams."

It pained her, but the Bajran Empire had to undergo a rebirth. And once again, Igis knew that an enormous amount of blood would accompany the pain of rebirth.

* * *

Swoooooooosh.

The mountain breeze was still cold. Spring had arrived inland, but deep in the Rual Mountains, winter was still the mistress of the peaks.

'We're almost there.'

Actually, even though the breeze was cold, I couldn't feel it. I could simply see in the slowly brightening, last gasp of nighttime that it was cold from the icy condensation on the fur around Bebeto's horns.

'Did you sleep well? Huhuhu.'

After taking one break, we resumed our flight. We drank holy water and fed it to the wyverns to keep our focus up as we brought our wyverns' physiques to the highest level. The time to meet Poltviran had drawn near. The Skyknights I sent as scouts had determined their location. The bastard hadn't strayed one inch from my expectations. He had set the location of his grave perfectly on the plains for me.

'Just wait a little longer. I'll show you guys what peace really means, my knights.'

I turned around to look at the knights following me. The wyvern flight was following me without a single misstep in a triangular attack formation, which had excellent expandability.

'We've arrived.'

The silhouette of the mountains slowly thinned out, and in the distance, a faint burst of red was starting to push back the darkness.

As we flew, I reflected on the feeling of leaving my territory and going into another country's lands. It felt completely different from the battle with the Roen Principality in the Havis Kingdom. No matter what anyone said, the flight of over 200 wyverns I was leading could be called a force of an entire nation. This was no different from Nerman rising up in revolution.

'The strongest offense is the strongest defense. Poltviran... I'll hope for your sake that your last night was very restful.'

Grasping the reins tighter, we emerged from the shadow of the Rual Mountains. Underneath us was Bajran Empire land. And far in the distance, I could see a campsite with smoke billowing out.

I relayed my last farewell to the poor souls who were entrusting their bodies to the languid sleepiness of the early morning, completely unaware that the Grim Reaper was coming.

Because from this moment on, I was no longer a person who valued human life.