Huuuh. Huh!”
“Princess! Please hold on a little longer…!”
Maxim, carrying the panting Princess Delphina on his back, who looked as though she might lose control at any moment, was determined to escape the royal castle as quickly as possible. The mysterious energy emanating from the castle was agitating her. Once outside, his plan was to regroup with Captain Aser and gather the castle’s forces to reclaim the citadel.
But his plans were halted by another obstacle.
“S-s-Sir Maxim. Stop…!”
“P-Princess?!”
Delphina, who had been unconscious and breathing heavily, suddenly gripped Maxim’s shoulder with terrifying strength, urging him to stop immediately. Shocked by the unbelievable strength from her frail fingers that dented his armor’s shoulder, Maxim quickly set her down in a secluded spot.
“Your Highness. Are you alright?”
“…I wish I could say I am, but I’m not.”
Despite her sorrowful smile, Delphina’s face was still marked by vivid, pulsating veins—proof that she was exerting every effort to suppress her bloodline’s rampage. Maxim, understanding this, hardened his expression.
“Don’t make that face. I can hold on.”
“Princess, we should get far away from the castle immediately…”
“No. We mustn’t run away, Maxim.”
Maxim flinched at Delphina’s firm refusal.
“The events unfolding in the castle are likely a continuation of His Majesty’s efforts to cure my brother. This is our original sin. Someone must take responsibility.”
“Your Highness, that’s…”
“Maxim, even though I’m just a half-wit who couldn’t properly inherit the bloodline. I am still a member of the royal family. If not me, then who? Besides, something inside me is telling me: there is no safety anywhere.”
Maxim, unsure of what to say, kept his mouth shut.
Having served Delphina since childhood, he knew that sometimes she displayed a maturity that was alien to her age. Previously, he marveled at her exceptional royal lineage, but seeing her suffer from it now left his heart conflicted.
“We can’t hide and scheme anymore. It was fun feeling like a villain, though.”
“Understood. In exchange, I will lay down my life to protect you. If there’s danger, abandon me. With His Majesty and the Crown Prince’s fates uncertain, you must be preserved.”
“… I will.”
Her response came after a brief silence. Maxim could easily guess that Delphina wouldn’t follow through with it. That strengthened his resolve even more. If someone had to die, he would ensure it was him first.
“Sir Maxim.”
“Captain Aser.”
At that moment, Aser, who had left to regroup the scattered Royal Guards along with the black-winged warrior, returned.
“I greet Her Highness the Princess─!”
Alongside the Royal Guards, the kingdom’s shield and final bastion.
“I greet Her Highness the Princess──!”
In unison, the Royal Guards, who had arrived around Delphina and knelt with their heads bowed, proclaimed their loyalty loudly, echoing throughout the castle grounds.
Excluding those swayed by Prince Alan and the palace steward, the Royal Guards present were the genuine protectors, devoting themselves solely to protecting the royal bloodline. Their presence was like an impenetrable wall. If faced with the threat of death, they would willingly lay down their lives.
“Lucia de Negras and 17 others, assembled on the captain’s order. Please, give your command.”
“Good.
With a face twisted in pain, Delphina lifted the corners of her mouth into a smile and turned towards the castle.
“Due to the errors of the royal family, an unprecedented disaster is about to strike. However, heroic figures from foreign lands have boldly stepped forward to avert this. How can we proudly say we are not ashamed?”
Knights are those who vow to live their lives for loyalty and honor. Among them, the Royal Guards are those who have devoted their lives to becoming the shield of the royal family. The realization that they were unable to function properly during internal strife brought them immense shame and anger.
“I… No, I do not wish to be the shameless one who stands by while foreigners resolve the kingdom’s original sin. And neither do you, do you?”
The restrained determination emanating from the Royal Guards was sharpened like a single blade.
The regal authority that Delphina began to exude had them all completely captivated. The talents that had been hidden were now blossoming through the process of her bloodline’s rampage. Everyone was entranced, unable to look away from Delphina.
“We will restore the kingdom with our own strength. If we can achieve that, today will be the cornerstone of a greater kingdom.”
Her quietly spoken words dominated the dozen or so knights.
***
Yes, let’s fight-.
Though deciding to fight didn’t mean immediate combat could commence. Given the formidable opponent, a resurrected ancient dragon, it was crucial to proceed cautiously. Khan quickly surveyed the sacred grounds where the battle would take place.
The royal sanctuary was quite expansive, resembling an ordinary baseball stadium in size and shape. However, the golden dragon, with its massive body, occupied half of the circular space. The remaining half was the only area where the party could move freely. Yet, if the golden dragon decided to rampage and demolish the entire area, even that would feel inadequate.
‘It’s better to launch a proactive offensive.’
Above all, the dragon’s speed was an issue. With its huge body and explosive acceleration, it could generate lethal force. Limiting the dragon’s movements with aggressive attacks seemed prudent. Thus, it was essential to strictly separate and assign attack and defense roles.
“Can you play shield? Little fellow.”
“Of course.”
“As long as the blessings bestowed by the Goddess of Justice are maintained, I won’t fall easily.”
Believing that Aries could withstand the golden dragon’s forepaw, Khan ordered Maya to accumulate power in her spear until the blessing wore off. If necessary, he considered using her spear himself.
『Feel it.』
Just as the golden dragon began to lift its belly off the ground, the fight resumed.
Khan and Aries accelerated almost simultaneously towards the dragon’s snout. The golden dragon, seemingly indifferent to their presence, rolled its eyes towards the ceiling. It was as if they were of no concern.
Of course, such arrogance was natural. If the dragon possessed hardness that only scratched its surface despite Khan’s full-strength strike, the claws of mere mortals wouldn’t even register. Khan didn’t take it as a blow to his pride.
He would merely prove his point.
‘Unleash it now.’
As the spirit of vengeance’s thought akin to a sigh escaped, flames sparked in Khan’s eyes. The blazing fire began to spread throughout his body, burning him from the inside out. Unable to do anything but grit his teeth through the agonizing pain, he swung his sword. The curse of dragon-slaying etched a red trail in the air, following the Antares’ Sword Technique.
Splat!
Scales covering a part corresponding to a human’s shoulder blade shattered and scattered. Not just a few scales but a markedly deep sword wound that left noticeable gaps. In response, the golden dragon swung its other arm with a bizarre sound.
It was the claw of an ancient dragon that had ruthlessly torn apart ancient civilized nations. Before such absolute physical power, which even past grand mages couldn’t easily defend against, the two paladins advanced, scattering pure white light. The paladins, with their pure white swords and shields, clashed with the golden dragon’s claw.
The shock was deafening. It was a strike that had previously nearly killed Khan.
But, thanks to the blessings from the Goddess of Justice, the two paladins stood firm like deeply-rooted trees. Though their hands gripping their weapons felt like they might break, they succeeded in creating an opening.
Thud!
Khan’s form, which had just sheared the scales near the wing base, now aimed for the dragon’s wing joint. Who knows if it would try to break through the ceiling and escape if the situation became unfavorable? First, its mobility had to be destroyed.
There was no better opportunity. The golden dragon, likely due to the aftereffects of its resurrection, hadn’t regained its full consciousness. It was merely reacting reflexively and not attacking proactively.
‘At the very least, this one wing…!’
With the power of the blood magic activated, augmented strength was infused into the blow. The dragon must have sensed the mortal clinging to its body. But trusting Aries and Leo, he didn’t bother defending and struck mercilessly.
Crunch!
He plunged the sword into a previously exposed spot, then twisted his waist. He intended to completely sever the wing base and the wing itself. However, contrary to expectations, the dragon’s body was incredibly tough. The unimaginable resilience nearly broke his wrist, but missing this opportunity was not an option.
Crack. As the sword cut halfway through the wing joint, smashing the resistance,
『Screech─!』
The golden dragon’s pupils, roaming around the ceiling, dilated. It was a clear abnormal reaction. Aries and Leo, who were drawing the dragon’s attention near its head, quickly assumed defensive stances. However, the dragon’s response far exceeded their expectations.
“Princess…! Move!”
A mountain arose. The colossal body of the fully upright golden dragon cast a massive shadow within the sanctuary. Khan’s eyes filled with shock as he realized the dragon was raising its entire enormous body.
Leo’s warning aside, his combat instincts screamed a dire warning. If he didn’t move, he would be crushed immediately!
‘…Damn it!’
Since acquiring his combat foresight, Khan had never ignored the signals it sent. The reason being that the warnings from the skill always manifested into a real and tangible threat to him. But now, he couldn’t afford to heed it. This was the first and last chance. If he missed this opportunity, he might have to face the golden dragon flying in the sky. On the other hand, just running away wasn’t a viable option either.
Crack!
Ignoring the risk of dislocating his wrist, Khan forcibly pushed through the recoil and severed two-thirds of the dragon’s wing.
『Got it!』
A psychic wave carrying a barely discernible yet clear meaning reverberated throughout the sanctuary. Immediately, the dragon lowered its legs slightly. Even an idiot could tell what that movement presaged.
“Princess!”
“Grab the Black Wing Duke and follow─!”
Shouting towards his comrades, the moment Khan completely severed the golden dragon’s wing, the dragon let out a silent roar and leapt towards the ceiling.
Boom─!!!