Chapter 122
“Hack…! Hack…! Hack…!”
Godfrey barely controlled his breath, which had risen to his chin, as he raced through the mountains.
The continuous battles and full sprints made even a knight nearing the Master level taste iron in his mouth.
Though known for his unparalleled stamina, there was nothing he could do now.
“Are you alright?”
He was looking at the back of Karl, who had taken the brunt of an explosion head-on while trying to save him.
Despite having large and small wounds all over his body, Karl was still running forward.
Moreover, his breathing showed no signs of disarray.
“Do I look alright?”
His slightly joking question eased Godfrey’s tense shoulders a bit.
“Let’s rest there for a bit.”
Thanks to moving as quickly as possible, they managed to put some distance between themselves and the elves, known as the Forest Clan.
It was a bit regrettable that they couldn't move directly towards Amberg in a straight line and had entered the mountains instead, but it was probably better than dying while moving straight ahead.
The two entered a natural cave in the mountains, disinfected their wounds, applied potions, and wrapped bandages.
“Where did you get all these potions?”
“I know a certain Saintess. Someone Sir Godfrey knows as well.”
Just when his potions had run out, Isabel, whom I met again in the north, had given Karl numerous potions under the guise of a gift from the Pope.
Thanks to her, I had quite a stockpile of potions that others found hard to obtain even one bottle of.
“Is that so… Come to think of it, Sir Karl, it seems like there’s light shining from your bosom?”
He hadn't noticed at all due to the fighting, but just as Godfrey said, light was flowing out from his bosom.
The light was bright enough to illuminate the cave quite well.
Karl rummaged through his bosom and took out the object emitting light.
[Philosopher’s Stone (1st Stage Function Unlocked): A stone containing hidden power. Understanding its mystery allows one to gain abilities related to that mystery. Elf blood has unlocked the seal of the Philosopher's Stone.
- 1st Stage: When stained with elf blood, it can reveal the true identity of disguised elves.]
It was an item I had received a very long time ago and had completely forgotten about.
While organizing the rewards I received recently, I happened to put it in my bosom and obtained something useful.
‘It’s a bit disappointing that it doesn’t exert any special power unless stained with blood, but it could be used to reveal the identities of disguised ones.’
Karl carefully placed the Philosopher’s Stone back into his bosom.
Seeing that the 1st stage function was unlocked, it seemed to have functions spanning several stages.
If the key to the first seal was blood, I could cautiously speculate that the rest might also be related to blood.
‘Anyway, for a stone to absorb blood… this is also bizarre.’
It seemed that when elf blood touched the Philosopher’s Stone, it was absorbed directly.
That must be why, as there were no traces of blood stains on the stone at all.
“If we go just a little further, the members will come to rescue us. The Commander and Vice-Commander Karim would have surely sent reinforcements.”
“Well… If they were coming, they would have arrived already. They wouldn’t have sent Sir Godfrey alone in the first place.”
“They probably didn’t think something like this would happen.”
“Is that really so?”
At Karl's skeptical response, Godfrey also fell silent.
For a moment, he thought that, just as Karl said, the Knights might have known and deliberately neglected the situation.
“Let’s head down this way first. This place should be good for joining up with the Knights.”
Karl, after checking the direction Godfrey indicated on the map he took out, shook his head.
“It would be better to move this way.”
“But, that place is… Understood. I will follow your words, Sir Karl.”
Thus, the two began to move, detouring as much as possible towards a place where it seemed unlikely the Holy Knights' reinforcements would join them.
***
“They should be visible by now.”
“Let’s wait a little longer, if the elves launched a surprise attack, they might need time.”
Erno Krisa, Commander of the 3rd Knight Division of the Holy Knights, was extremely on edge because Karl and Godfrey were nowhere in sight, even though considerable time had passed since they should have arrived.
Dududududu.
Just then, along with a sound that shook the earth, a group of knights approached them.
“Sir Aldo!”
“Sir Erno?”
“Why are you here? Where are Karl and Godfrey?”
“You mean you haven’t seen them while coming here?”
The moment their gazes met, they realized that Karl and Godfrey had moved in a different direction, not towards here.
“Those bastards changed direction even while being pursued by elves! It means they’ve figured out something about us!”
“We must stop them from entering the headquarters somehow. They will surely try to join forces with that Karim.”
“….”
The two looked at each other, nodded, and immediately spurred their horses.
“There aren’t many roads to the headquarters anyway. He will likely move through the mountains, so if we move as fast as possible, we might arrive first.”
Thus, the 3rd and 4th Knight Divisions, led by Aldo and Erno, rapidly dashed towards the location where the two were predicted to descend from the mountain.
***
While running through the forest, Karl and Godfrey had to experience just how terrifying and hellish the continuously flying arrows were.
The elves' pursuit and shower of arrows continuing in the forest were enough to make one's hair stand on end.
If their movement slowed even slightly, they would quickly catch up, and arrows would mercilessly fly in from all directions.
The two had to keep moving without being able to rest properly.
It was a distance that should have taken 5 hours, but even after 10 hours of travel, they still hadn't reached Amberg.
This was because moving through the mountains and constantly detouring instead of moving directly had continuously extended their estimated arrival time.
“Once we descend from here, it’s the main road. From there, we must move as quickly as possible. The travel time has been delayed too much. If the Knights have arrived, this is enough time for them to reach here as well.”
As Godfrey said, if they were unlucky, they might have to face hundreds of mounted knights.
And among those they met next, there would surely be no hesitant ones like last time.
“Survive somehow. It would be unfair to die here.”
“I must. You must absolutely not die either, Sir Karl.”
“I won’t be the one to go first.”
Karl summoned Silver and then helped Godfrey onto its back.
“I’m counting on you, Silver.”
The moment Godfrey, riding behind, deflected an incoming arrow, Silver, carrying the two men, started running forward like the wind.
Even carrying two adult men wearing armor, albeit chainmail, Silver’s speed did not decrease at all.
As the two advanced rapidly along the main road, the sound of numerous horse hooves approached from their side.
“Capture the traitor Godfrey and his accomplice!”
Although the riders clearly looked like Holy Knights, they radiated killing intent as if to kill the two, closely chasing behind them.
“Silver, keep going straight like this!”
Thus, a chase began, with over one hundred and fifty knights following behind Silver, who was galloping forward at tremendous speed.
By some devilish means, arrows shot by elves from somewhere flew even this far.
Some knights even threw javelins, making their chase even rougher.
“Sir Karl, ahead…!”
“….”
Karl, hearing Godfrey’s scream-like utterance, also saw the roughly 50 knights blocking the main road ahead.
Considering the knights chasing from behind, stopping here was not an option.
[Karl Meyer Style. 3rd Form. Lightning]
Gripping Léctĭo tightly in his right hand, Karl drew up the energy within his body to the fullest.
The moment the golden aura flashed from Léctĭo.
Like a thunderbolt, the golden aura struck down upon the knights.
Kwaaaaaang!
Karl was certainly strong.
But the Holy Knights were not weak either.
Each one of them an elite, they maintained their formation despite Karl's aura.
“Stop the traitor and his accomplice!”
Karl enveloped his entire body in aura, extending it even to Silver, and then clashed with the charging knights.
Kwaaaang!
With a fierce collision sound, the knights at the forefront were crushed, and Karl relentlessly broke through the ranks.
During the collision, a knight's spear pierced Karl’s side, but he shattered the spear shaft with aura and continued forward.
Seeing him advance, his eyes shining fiercely even as he sprayed blood all over, several Holy Knights flinched.
“Block me, and I’ll cut you down.”
Karl did not stop and dashed forward, and Silver, as if unwilling to be outdone, ran even faster.
Finally, Silver, carrying the two who had barely broken through the encirclement, reached the Holy Knights' headquarters.
Trrrrrrr!
By the time the pursuers reached the front of the Holy Knights' building, the 2nd Knight Division led by Karim was already blocking the entrance.
“Aldo, Erno…!”
Karim glared at the two knight commanders who had chased the pair like demons, his eyes burning fiercely.
When the two knight commanders, facing Karim's imposing presence, turned their heads away, Karim urgently rushed towards Karl.
“Sir Karl…!”
“How do you manage your household affairs that… Cough.”
Karl pulled out the spear embedded in his side with his own hand, coughing up black blood.
He sprayed a potion taken from the subspace, but it wasn't easy to instantly heal the numerous deep wounds covering his body.
“….”
Karim quickly scanned the surroundings, looking at the Holy Knights facing off with the two men caught in the middle.
“Commander, the 3rd and 4th Knight Commanders, instigated by Vice-Commander Massimo Robrodic, attempted to kill Sir Karl Meyer and Sir Godfrey. Now that all circumstances have been brought to light, please arrest them and punish them severely.”
Karim bowed his head towards Ricardo, who had quietly emerged, and spoke.
He believed that since all the circumstances were revealed before his eyes, his Commander would resolve everything properly.
But.
‘….’
Several minutes passed since Karim had spoken, yet no words came from Ricardo’s mouth.
“Commander, what are you waiting for? Haven’t all the circumstances been revealed!”
“Well… I don’t know what circumstances have been revealed.”
At Ricardo’s very quiet yet clearly audible reply, Karim’s head snapped up.
“Don’t tell me! It was you, Commander…?”
Karim’s voice trembled as he looked at Ricardo, where his uplifted gaze landed.
“What are you trying to say?”
“Are you behind all of this, Commander?”
“I don’t know what Sir Karim is talking about.”
Unlike Karim’s trembling voice, Ricardo’s voice was calm, without highs or lows.
“I am asking if it was you, Commander, who ordered the killing of those two.”
“Well, perhaps it seems so.”
“Why on earth…?”
“Because they are traitors to the Holy Knights.”
“What does that mean? Commander, you heard everything I told you, didn’t you!”
“I heard. But what of it? Godfrey dragged Karl Meyer into this to cover up his own crime of colluding with the elves and killed our members. That is all I know.”
Karim’s eyes wavered drastically.
“What kind of bullshit is that! You know too, Commander! Why those two risked their lives to come here! How could you, Ricardo, of all people!”
“Vice-Commander Karim, let’s continue this detailed discussion after capturing those two. If you interfere, you too will become a traitor.”
Seeing Ricardo speak with an indifferent face, Karim drew his sword.
“Holy Knights, protect these two men!”
Quite a number of knights responded to his shout.
However, caught between the conflicting orders from the Commander and Vice-Commander, which they were hearing for the first time, those who were conflicted in this chaotic situation sided more with Ricardo.
Amidst the confusion, the Holy Knights loyal to the Commander surrounded the knights loyal to Karim.
“Ricardo… I thought you were, at least, a proper knight.”
Amidst the tense standoff, Karl’s voice quietly echoed through the Knights.
“Sir Karl, are you dreaming? This is reality.”
“When I heard the story of the Knight Order you envisioned and dreamed of, I also thought it would be nice to join someday.”
“Are you trying to beg for your life through pity?”
“I even thought that if knights truly existed in this world, they would be like you.”
“What are you trying to do now?”
Ricardo’s expression crumpled like never before.
“I envied you. Ricardo. But seeing you now, there was absolutely no reason to.”
“….”
“Ricardo, how about settling this with me? Is there really a need for comrades to fight amongst themselves? As you can see, I’m a mess right now. Even if I lose, wouldn’t it be better to let them leave safely in exchange for my life?”
“Sir Karl…! What are you saying!”
“That’s right, Sir Karl! When you think about it, why should you, an outsider, Sir Karl!”
Looking at Karim and Godfrey shouting at him, Karl took out a ring from his bosom.
“This is the Ring of the First Holy Knight Commander. You would know it well, wouldn't you?”
“…Why is that in your hands.”
“Well, it just happened that way somehow. They say the one acknowledged by this ring is the true master of the Knights? I also heard that, until now, no one except the First Commander has ever been acknowledged by this ring.”
“A mere ring like that does not decide the master of our Knights. Are you treating us like children, thinking humans would be moved by such stories?”
“No, I also don’t think such stories matter. But.”
Karl put the ring on his finger.
Then, a shield emblazoned with the diagonal cross symbolizing Essus emerged from the ring, and a sword was thrust into it.
It was the symbolic emblem of the Holy Knights.
“We fought together once, and I’ve been acknowledged by this ring, so I guess I’m not entirely an outsider. If I die, I’ll give this ring to you as well. How about it? Fighting once for the price of my life. Are you afraid? Even seeing me in this state?”
“….”
Ricardo looked at Karl with indifferent eyes.
He remained completely unshaken by Karl's provocation.
However, his eyes were fixed on the ring Karl was wearing.
‘Legitimacy…’
That was the single word that surfaced in his mind after closing his eyes for a moment.
“I accept that proposal.”
Thus, the two men stood facing each other.