Chapter 543
You’ll Have to Get to Work. (1)
Once the battlefield was cleared, Ghislain stood before everyone and introduced Jerome.
"This guy's name is Jerome. An 8th-circle mage from the Tower of Dawn. The Tower of Dawn is right next to Greenhill Village in the Kingdom of Polred. And since Greenhill Village is next to the Tower of Dawn, don’t keep asking me where it is. Also…."
Jerome nodded repeatedly, grinning ear to ear. But then, he suddenly realized something strange and flinched in shock.
"Whoa! What the ! How do you know so much about me?! What’s going on here?! We just met today!"
Ghislain answered with a supremely confident expression.
"I know everything."
"……."
Jerome looked at the others with a dazed expression.
Everyone nodded.
"Our young master knows everything."
"His Lordship is never unaware."
"He’s basically a prophet."
As everyone affirmed this, Jerome became even more bewildered.
'B-But our tower is a secret tower, passed down through a single lineage! Master said no one knows about it!'
Even the villagers who had lived next to the tower for generations didn’t know about it. But somehow, someone from the distant Ritania Kingdom did?
It was clearly absurd, but since everyone accepted it so naturally, Jerome felt like he was the odd one. He turned to the person who seemed the most rational Julien.
Julien, who had simply been standing with his arms crossed, just turned his head away.
Jerome stared blankly at him.
'He… he probably doesn’t know either, but he doesn’t want to admit it.'
Regardless, by the standards of this place, he was the strange one. As a mage, he didn’t want to acknowledge this incomprehensible phenomenon.
"H-H-How did you know?!"
Once again, Ghislain responded confidently.
"We're friends."
"That doesn’t make any sense!"
"It's a secret."
Everyone nodded. Ghislain had never given a proper explanation. Yet, he always knew everything, and as long as they followed his words, the results were always good.
At that moment, Parniel, who seemed particularly annoyed by the situation, answered on Ghislain’s behalf.
"It’s a revelation."
"A revelation?"
"I heard rumors from the capital. Archbishop Porisco of the Juana Order and the Duke of Fenris both were called Holy Ones. It’s well known that they received the goddess’s revelation, foresaw a drought, and prepared for it."
"O-Oh…."
Jerome nodded continuously. That explanation actually made some sense.
Parniel smirked confidently. She had always wanted a chance to bring this up.
"He must be receiving revelations through dreams or some other method. That’s how he’s handled so many things. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make any sense. Isn’t that right, Duke of Fenris?"
"……."
Ghislain swallowed dryly at Parniel’s challenging gaze.
If he denied that it was a “revelation” here and now?
He might end up facing a grueling and notoriously harsh inquisition. And judging by Parniel’s expression, she seemed to be eagerly hoping for that outcome.
It felt like she was still holding a grudge from their last fight. Ah, that hadn't been intentional.
Ghislain chuckled helplessly and said,
“Wow, as expected, the Holy Maiden’s eyes see right through me. Yeah, it was a dream, but it’s similar to a revelation. I think… it might be from Lady Juana.”
“Oh! I knew it!”
The priests who had followed Juana with the Mobile Corps fervently made the sign of the cross and began to pray.
Meanwhile, Piote and the others looked like they had just tasted something bitter.
If nothing else, they were absolutely certain about one thing. There was no way that man was someone who would receive a revelation. They could say that with absolute confidence.
Especially Elena, who muttered under her breath,
“A revelation, my ass… more like something suspicious.”
She didn’t finish her sentence because Arel was beside her, but her frustration was evident as always.
In the awkward atmosphere, Ghislain smacked his lips.
‘Well… I have been having strange dreams lately.’
He still didn’t know what they meant, but he felt as if those dreams were leading him toward something.
Wouldn’t that be the same as a revelation?
Jerome, too, nodded as if he could accept that logic. He might be a mage who toyed with the laws of the world, but he wasn’t one to deny divinity.
“Alright, alright! In any case, since our friend here has decided to join us, let’s all get along from now on!”
With that, the Mobile Corps now with Jerome in tow headed back to where the Parsali Kingdom’s army was stationed.
The army’s Supreme Commander, Marquis Suffolk, was so moved that he teared up.
“Th-thank you! Truly, thank you!”
The kingdom had been on the brink of destruction. The legion of corpses had been an enemy far beyond their ability to handle.
But now, that entire force had been wiped out.
Indeed, as the rumors claimed, the Ritania Army was the strongest on the continent.
The kingdom’s soldiers and people, having heard the news, erupted in cheers.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
“Long live the Ritania Army!”
“Long live the Duke of Fenris!”
Praising the duke and the army of another country so openly was something that should never be done. But at that moment, no one cared.
For those who had lost their homes and spent their days running in terror, the Duke of Fenris had become their beacon of hope.
Yet, Marquis Suffolk’s gratitude wasn’t directed only at Ghislain. This miracle had only been possible because of one person who had bought them enough time.
The marquis grasped Jerome’s hands tightly, eyes glistening with tears.
“Thank you. Truly, if it weren’t for you, we wouldn’t have been able to hold out this long.”
Jerome had fought alone, time and again, to stall the advance of the undead.
If not for him, the kingdom would have been doomed before reinforcements could even arrive.
No matter how powerful one was, it was not something easily done. Only a person of unyielding will and noble spirit could have shown such resolve.
“Haha… it was nothing. I was here anyway,” Jerome replied, scratching his head awkwardly. He was just glad he could use his power to help people.
That was the very purpose of the Mage Tower’s existence. It was his master’s will, and he was fulfilling his duty.
Ghislain turned to the ever-thankful Marquis Suffolk and spoke.
“I know it’s tough, but we need to mobilize the army immediately. We must strike the Kingdom of Atrode.”
“Of course. We gathered this army for battle. We’ll deploy at once.”
The Parsali Kingdom’s army left behind only a minimal force for internal affairs and moved to join the allied forces.
There were no immediate threats to the kingdom at the moment. It was better to lend their strength to the allied army than to hold back.
If the alliance fell, the kingdom would be doomed regardless.
For that reason, forces from all over were converging upon the Kingdom of Atrode.
Ghislain also sent Dark to the Ritania Army, which was following as the reinforcement unit.
Helgenik has been dealt with. Redirect the army to the Kingdom of Atrode immediately.
Upon receiving the order, Claude adjusted the army’s marching route.
The Ritania Army had been following behind the Mobile Corps in preparation for the possibility that Helgenik might lead the rebel forces.
Unlike the undead, the living could think. A force of over two hundred thousand was too much for the Mobile Corps to handle alone.
But with the entire rebel army turned into corpses, the Mobile Corps had found them surprisingly easy to deal with. It was simply a matter of eliminating Helgenik himself.
“We’ll rest for two days before moving out. Half of the priests will stay behind to assist with disease control and corpse purification.”
At Ghislain’s command, the Mobile Corps disarmed and settled in for some much-needed rest.
Everyone was exhausted from the relentless march and battles, especially the priests who had struggled to keep up.
But given the Mobile Corps’ speed, even after resting, they would likely reach the Kingdom of Atrode before the other armies.
That night, Ghislain dreamed once again.
* * *
“Can you do it?”
It was the same voice he had heard in his previous dream.
Ghislain opened his eyes slowly, his mind still hazy.
Was it because Dark wasn’t blocking it this time? His senses were clearer than before. Yet, he still teetered between dream and reality.
As he surrendered to the sensation, the surrounding environment gradually took shape.
“Uwaaaaaah!”
A roar echoed.
Ghislain’s vision remained hazy and indistinct, but it was clearer than before clear enough to understand the situation.
‘A war?’
Soldiers charged forward with deafening cries, their ranks led by knights stationed throughout the battlefield.
‘Where is this?’
The attire of the soldiers and knights, as well as the weapons and armor they wielded, were unlike anything he had ever seen before. Despite his vast knowledge, he couldn’t determine which nation’s army they belonged to.
Grrrr…
However, he could tell exactly who their enemies were.
Because these were foes he had fought countless times across both his past and present lives.
Kaaaang!
An Equidema lunged at the soldiers, and behind it, a horde of Riftspawn and Mutants followed in endless waves.
‘What the hell…?’
He couldn’t believe his eyes. Mutants were one thing, but Equidema and Riftspawn moving outside of the Blue Mist’s domain?
And it wasn’t just a handful of them.
Kaaaaang!
Equidema swarmed from all directions, and as expected, an overwhelming mass of Riftspawn trailed behind them like an inky tide.
Kwoooom!
The battle erupted. It was a catastrophe beyond comparison to anything he had ever seen.
If Equidema had ever moved like this in the present time, half the continent would have already fallen.
“Hold the line! Do not falter!”
Yet, the human army was no pushover. Their numbers were immense, a force gathered as one.
A war of devastation raged on. Countless men fell to the claws of the beasts, but just as many monsters were slain in return.
And in the chaos, Ghislain recognized a familiar face.
“Protect the Holy Maiden!”
‘Ereneth.’
Ereneth was fighting. She stood at the front, summoning spirits and confronting the beasts head-on.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
She was powerful. He wasn’t sure exactly when this was, but it was clearly the past yet even then, she displayed the same formidable strength as in the present.
Behind her, countless elves fired arrows and summoned spirits, waging war alongside her.
It was a sight he had never seen before.
Humans, elves, dwarves multiple races fighting together. As if the entire continent had united against the catastrophe.
But as time passed, the human army began to lose ground.
“Ahh, Goddess…”
“Kill them! Do not stop!”
“Just a little more strength…”
Some despaired. Some grieved. Others burned with fury.
It was a scene he had witnessed on countless battlefields, emotions he had experienced countless times.
The beasts, their eyes ablaze with madness, continued their relentless charge. It was as if they had a purpose beyond merely fighting the army before them.
And the humans, realizing this, struggled even harder to hold their ground.
Their voices rose in unison.
“Protect the Holy Maiden!”
“Protect the Holy Maiden!”
“Protect the Holy Maiden!”
‘The Holy Maiden.’
Ghislain found himself turning his head unconsciously.
At the center of the battlefield, a woman stood, shielded by the many soldiers protecting her.
‘So, that’s the Holy Maiden of old.’
Judging by the situation, it had to be her. Ghislain quietly observed the woman they called the Holy Maiden.
She was neither as breathtakingly beautiful as Piote nor as strong in appearance as Parniel. She looked incredibly ordinary plain, even.
To someone who knew nothing, she wouldn’t seem like a Holy Maiden at all.
But the miracle she displayed was anything, but ordinary.
She had been standing still, eyes closed in prayer. Then, slowly, she raised both hands toward the sky.
“Oh, Deana, I, your servant, beseech you. Grant these warriors an unyielding will and a radiant hope in the face of fear.”
Deana the Goddess of Light and Justice, Truth and Wisdom, Mercy and Devotion.
At the mention of her name, Ghislain deduced that this woman must be Deana’s Holy Maiden. But she did not stop there.
“Oh, Moriana, grant them an immortal victory and glory, and the courage never to retreat.”
Moriana the Goddess of War and Honor, Battle and Victory, Authority and Dignity, Pride and Valor.
“Oh, Juana, grant them tireless vitality and the strength to protect their comrades.”
Juana the Goddess of Beauty and Love, Prosperity and Growth, Nobility and Grace, Economy and Order.
“Oh, Seraana, let them forget the horrors and pain of war, and guide them on the righteous path.”
Seraana the Goddess of Life and Death, Oblivion and Fate, Emptiness and Darkness.
She prayed to all the goddesses.
And all the goddesses answered her prayers.
Paaaaah!
The dark sky split apart, and light poured down in all directions.
“Waaaaaaah!”
The exhausted soldiers roared, their weapons rising once more. Everyone, without exception, unleashed incredible strength.
Kaaaaah!
The Equidemas and Riftspawns began to falter.
With the Holy Maiden’s miraculous power, the tide of battle turned in an instant.
Even through the hazy distortion of his vision, Ghislain could clearly grasp the situation.
And he could think of only one thing.
‘Impossible.’
A Holy Maiden was a being beloved by a goddess. And each goddess chose only one Holy Maiden. That was an absolute truth.
But the woman before him shattered that reality.
A being loved by all the goddesses? Not even legends had ever spoken of such a thing.
And yet, this plain-looking woman was exactly that an existence beyond reason.
The Holy Maiden watched the battlefield with worry in her eyes, her gaze lingering on the soldiers fighting the monsters.
Then, without warning, her expression went blank.
And suddenly everything stopped.
The Equidema and Riftspawn, mid-roar, froze.
The soldiers, mid-swing, halted in place.
Like a scene frozen in time, the battle ceased in an instant.
Only the Holy Maiden remained.
Slowly, she turned her head.
Her eyes met Ghislain’s.
And around her neck… hung the same simple necklace that Ghislain was wearing at this very moment.
He tried to speak to her.
But no voice came out.
His body refused to move.
Then, the Holy Maiden parted her lips.
“You must not… come… yet.”
Flash!
The dream shattered.
Ghislain opened his eyes.