Chapter 474 – You Should Have Realized by Now? (2)
Ghislain took a slight step back and spoke.
“This isn’t a good place. Let’s take this outside.”
From the moment Parniel exuded her presence, Ghislain had instinctively known that a fight was inevitable. That was why he had already drawn his sword.
Even in his past life, she had always acted on her emotions. However, he couldn’t say that the results had ever been particularly bad.
After all, she had a conviction to punish evil.
Following Ghislain’s suggestion, the two of them stepped outside. Naturally, the atmosphere grew even more tense.
The Fenris Mobile Corps, waiting outside, gripped their reins tightly, ready to charge at any moment. Meanwhile, the priests and Temple Knights accompanying Parniel stood on edge.
“Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Fwoosh!
As Ghislain drew upon his mana, the dark energy surrounding him thickened.
Parniel narrowed her eyes at the sight.
“That is quite a suspicious energy.”
“It just turned out this way.”
It was convenient that Dark allowed him to amplify his power, but the situation itself was irritating.
Still, aside from Ereneth and Parniel, hardly anyone reacted this strongly to his aura. It was simply because those two were particularly sensitive to it.
And Parniel was different from Ereneth. Once they started fighting, she would realize that his power was distinct from that of the Salvation Church zealots.
That was the nature of divine power.
Boom!
Parniel approached with her mace in hand.
“You had better give it your all.”
Whoosh!
Without warning, her mace came crashing down toward Ghislain’s head. It felt as if a landslide had been unleashed.
Even a single hit from that would mean death. Yet, her expression remained utterly indifferent, as if it didn’t matter.
Kwaaaang!
Ghislain’s sword rose to intercept Parniel’s mace. But absorbing all that force head-on would be foolish.
Ka-ga-ga-gak!
Spinning along with his sword, Ghislain redirected the force, letting it flow past him. His blade extended forward in one fluid motion, like water coursing downstream.
Slash!
A wound opened on Parniel’s cheek, blood seeping out.
Ghislain’s gaze was chillingly devoid of emotion. His expression seemed to say he didn’t care if she died.
Without that level of resolve, even scratching an opponent like her would be impossible.
Whoosh!
The moment Parniel felt the blade graze her face, she swung her mace again. If it landed, Ghislain’s side would be completely crushed.
Boom!
Ghislain blocked the attack with his sword and retreated.
As expected of someone born with divine power, Parniel’s strength was overwhelming. Every time they clashed, he had to dissipate the force.
Parniel smirked coldly.
‘He moves like a ghost.’
Her raw power wasn’t landing properly. She had to admit that his technique was superior.
But if skill wasn’t enough, she would simply overpower him with sheer strength and speed.
Crack!
Her muscles swelled, veins bulging as her body became wrapped in a faint light.
Then, she charged at Ghislain with tremendous speed, swinging her mace.
Kwaaang!
The ground took the brunt of the attack. But those watching couldn’t breathe a sigh of relief just because Ghislain had dodged.
The earth at the point of impact erupted like a geyser, sending up a cloud of dust and forming a deep crater. It was as if a meteor had struck.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The ground let out agonized screams. Like a hammer crushing insects, her mace left massive craters everywhere it landed.
Even though Ghislain had dodged all of them, he couldn’t recklessly close the distance.
‘Damn, her strength is absurd. Elena needs to reach this level too.’
Among the Seven Strongest on the Continent, Parniel had the roughest fighting style. That was something everyone acknowledged.
Ghislain had no choice but to draw upon more power.
Fwoosh!
Dark energy surged around him. Activating all three of his cores, he moved as swiftly as a streak of light.
Boom!
Just as Parniel’s mace struck the ground again, Ghislain slashed at her arm like a bolt of lightning.
Ka-ga-gak!
It was an attack powerful enough to sever an arm. Yet, all it left behind was a thin, shallow line, accompanied by a sound like steel being scraped.
‘As expected.’
Ghislain clicked his tongue and withdrew. The terrifying thing about a Holy Maiden was her defense.
Unless an attack was imbued with an immense force, it wouldn’t properly harm a body fortified by divine power.
And because of that defense, she could afford to pour all her strength into her attacks without hesitation.
‘Tsk, I have no idea how long this will take.’
That wasn’t the only frightening thing about a Holy Maiden.
With her divine power, she possessed an inexhaustible stamina, making her an even more formidable opponent.
The Holy Maiden could fight endlessly for days on end, continuously healing herself. That was precisely why she was able to stand against the Master of the Dead, who commanded countless corpses.
She always referred to the priests of the Salvation Church as cockroaches, but to the eyes of others, that title seemed more fitting for someone else.
They were simply too afraid to say it outright in front of Parniel.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaaang!
Parniel swung her mace relentlessly with incredible force and speed. Yet, none of her strikes landed properly.
‘Amazing. How could such skill exist...?’
As a battle priestess, she had honed her techniques diligently since childhood.
Her position as the Holy Maiden of War meant she had never been lax in her training. She dedicated each day to discipline, always expressing gratitude to the goddess.
As a result, she had reached a point where there were no knights who could surpass her skill alone.
Blessed with divine power, a sturdy physique, and exceptional technique, it was no exaggeration to say she was born for battle. Truly, it was a blessing bestowed upon her by the goddess.
‘And yet, to encounter someone who surpasses me...’
She, too, was a Holy Maiden, but one who walked the path of combat.
She understood that reaching such a level required relentless effort, and for that, she felt nothing but reverence.
And there was one more thing.
‘Battle is...’
Having lived solely within the confines of the church, she had never met an opponent on equal footing. Everyone worshiped her, bowing at her feet.
Even the priests of the Salvation Church were no different. No matter how strong their energy, their skill was always inferior to hers.
She had no friends. Her life revolved solely around reading scriptures, praying, and training.
Thus, she had always been a lonely and isolated existence.
But now…
‘I never knew it could be this fun!’
For the first time in her life, Parniel found joy in battle.
She wanted to prolong the fight, even just a little longer.
Grit!
Parniel grinned, clenching her teeth tightly.
KWA-AAANG!
Each time her mace struck the ground, massive explosions erupted, tearing up the earth.
Now, her swings were distorting even the very space around her.
Ghislain watched this spectacle and grinned in response.
"So, she's finally getting into it."
It was the same in his previous life. The more Parniel fought, the more she found exhilaration in combat itself. Especially when she faced powerful foes like the Seven Strongest on the Continent.
This was the true nature of a Holy Maiden who served the Goddess of War.
"I suppose I should join in a little more."
Fwoosh!
Ghislain’s entire body became enveloped in a black aura.
He, too, enjoyed the heat of battle. If he had disliked fighting, he never would have risen to the throne of the King of Mercenaries.
At last, Ghislain’s sword clashed against Parniel’s mace.
KWA-AAAAANG!
Ghislain’s mana and Parniel’s divine power collided, unleashing a powerful shockwave.
The explosion of light forced the spectators to squeeze their eyes shut.
Kwaang! Kwaang! Kwaaang!
The battle between the two intensified, forcing the onlookers to retreat several times.
With an expression filled with exhilaration, Parniel shouted.
"Count Fenris! You are truly incredible!"
"I know."
KWA-AAAAANG!
The two of them unleashed their full power and skill without restraint.
Since Ghislain couldn’t maintain his mana amplification for long, he compensated for his lack of strength with pure technique, driving the battle forward.
The longer their fight continued, the paler Maurice’s face became.
He had been in an excellent mood ever since the Holy Maiden had joined them. And when he heard that Ghislain had utterly annihilated the Delfine Forces advancing on their position, he had felt as if he could fly.
‘But why the hell are they fighting?!’
Ghislain’s recklessness was well-known, so he could understand that much. But for the reliable Holy Maiden to be just as much of a lunatic?
Groaning like a dog desperate to relieve itself, Maurice turned to the priest beside him.
This priest led the order of clerics who followed the Holy Maiden.
"Excuse me, could you stop the Holy Maiden? At this rate, one of them might actually die."
The priest closed his eyes and shook his head.
"Whatever the Holy Maiden does is the will of the goddess."
There was a reason why the Holy Maiden was called the goddess’s representative. Once she decided on something, no one could stop her. Frankly, even if they tried, she wouldn’t listen.
Annoyed by the response, Maurice snapped.
"What do you mean, ‘the will of the goddess’?! They’re not even enemies! Why are they fighting so fiercely? Just stop them already!"
"This too is the will of the goddess."
"Oh, for ! Then I declare that whatever our Fortune-Teller Crone says is also the will of the goddess!"
"M-Marquis! That… That is a dangerous statement! You could be charged with heresy...!"
The Holy Maiden was terrifying, but the priests weren’t. They only held back in her presence. Morris had always lived recklessly.
“Is this the Holy Nation? No! This is the Ritania Kingdom! I’m the Supreme Commander of this country! Don’t you know even the priests around here have to bow to me?”
“How can you insult a mere fortune teller before the Goddess!”
“Ah, whatever! Stop her! Does the Holy Maiden have muscles for a brain?!”
“Sir! That’s too much!”
“What do you mean ‘too much’?! You people are worse!”
Instead of stopping the fight, Morris and the priests simply escalated into a war of words.
The surrounding commanders and soldiers wore uneasy expressions.
On one side was the Holy Maiden, and on the other, the Northern Army's Commander. It was clear to everyone that nothing good would come of their conflict.
That unease quickly spread through the fortress, causing an uproar.
The Fenris Knights twitched, looking like they were moments away from charging in, while even the horses stamped anxiously, snorting in distress.
Morris, now grabbing a priest by the collar, shouted furiously.
“Damn it! Are you here to help or to get us all killed?! Look over there! Do you not see them?! That’s the strongest army in the kingdom!”
The priest hesitantly turned his head to glance at the Fenris Mobile Corps.
Their aura was menacing, as if they were ready to charge at any moment. If that entire force stormed in, they’d all be slaughtered.
He had no desire to claim his own death as the will of the Goddess. People weren’t that noble.
“…Fine. We’ll try to stop her.”
There was only one way to restrain Parniel. It wasn’t something they could use often, but desperate times called for desperate measures.
The priests and Temple Knights who had followed her wore determined expressions. They had to stop the Holy Maiden before she lost herself completely.
“Holy Maideeeeeen! Please, stop nooooow!”
They rushed forward and prostrated themselves around Parniel.
She had been about to bring her mace down on Ghislain, but now she hesitated. If she struck with full force here, the surrounding priests would be utterly obliterated.
The ground around her was already in ruins.
As she halted her attack, Ghislain took a step back and grinned.
“I think we should stop here.”
“I haven’t even warmed up yet.”
“If we take this to the end, one of us is going to die.”
“If that is the Goddess’s will, then so be it.”
“Enough. By now, you should realize I have nothing to do with the Salvation Church.”
“……”
Parniel’s lips twitched. He was right.
Ghislain’s power felt similar to that of the Salvation Church, but it was different. Having fought against their priests for so long, she could tell.
His power opposed divine energy, but something about it was distinct.
Still, the fight had been too fun to stop.
Lowering his energy, Ghislain continued.
“If either of us dies, the Salvation Church will rejoice. Is that what the Goddess wills?”
“……”
“The mood here is already bad enough. If you push this any further, I won’t have a choice but to see it through.”
His gaze turned cold as he stared at Parniel. He needed her strength, but if she kept being stubborn, he had no other choice.
He’d end this as quickly as possible with all his might.
“Phew…”
After hesitating for a moment, Parniel let out a regretful sigh and looked around.
Indeed, everyone was watching with anxious expressions. If she went any further, a real catastrophe would unfold.
Before that even happened, the priests who had come to stop her would be the first to die.
And that was exactly what the Salvation Church would love to see. She couldn’t let that happen.
“…Fine. Let’s end it here for today.”
“There will be plenty of chances to fight. There are strong foes everywhere.”
“The Goddess shall guide me. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Suppressing her disappointment, Parniel nodded.
There were plenty of nobles allied with the Salvation Church, along with skilled knights and powerful warriors.
Not to mention the high-ranking priests of the Salvation Church themselves. Bloody battles awaited.
She wasn’t sure if any of them would be as fun as this fight had been, though.
As the two ceased fighting, the tense atmosphere finally settled. The priests who had thrown themselves to the ground sighed in relief, as if they had returned from the dead.
Morris approached, looking immensely relieved.
“Whew, I was about to have a heart attack. Let’s not fight among ourselves, alright? Come on, let’s head inside. Hey! Bring the prisoners along! Ghislain, we’ll discuss what to do with them in the strategy meeting.”
The waiting Northern Army was finally able to enter the fortress.
As the commotion settled and the situation was finally brought under control, Maurice could finally let out a sigh of relief.
At times like this, it was best to quickly change the subject. He gathered Ghislain, Parniel, and the remaining commanders and strategists.
Although the real power lay with Ghislain and Parniel, he was still the Supreme Commander in name, so the responsibility of leading the meeting fell to him.
"Alright, let’s set aside personal feelings for later and focus on the current situation. The Northern Army is fighting well, but overall, we're being pushed back, aren't we?"
That was indeed the case. Two enemy legions were still advancing towards the capital.
Most concerning was the 5th Legion of the Delfine Forces, which had moved toward the east first and remained completely unopposed.
Maurice spoke while studying the map.
"Saintess, I think you need to move to the more urgent front…"
His voice trailed off, prompting Ghislain to explain the situation.
"The Northern Northern Army has already moved to stop the 4th Legion of the Delfine Forces that broke through the southern front."
"Oh-ho! Then that leaves only the Eastern Army. If we can hold the east, we can block them completely!"
While the Northern Army held off one legion, the Saintess could swiftly move to the east. With the priestly order following her, their combined efforts would be a great help.
As long as they held out there, the situation could be managed.
Once the Northern Army secured victory and moved eastward, the Delfine Forces advancing toward the capital would be completely crushed.
"If that happens, this war is as good as over!"
They still didn’t know exactly how many Delfine troops remained in the south, but at the very least, they could say the tide of battle had shifted in their favor.
Just as they were deep in strategic discussion, a messenger rushed in with urgent news.
"The 5th Legion of the Delfine Forces, which was fighting in the east, has halted its advance!"
"What? Why?"
Maurice was startled. Could it be that the newly established defensive line had managed to stop them?
However, the name that came from the messenger’s mouth was entirely unexpected.
"Count Raypold has made his move!"
"Count Raypold? Amelia? But why would that make the 5th Legion stop advancing?"
The Delfine forces rampaging through the east numbered fifty thousand. Raypold’s forces were strong, but they were no match for an army of that size.
The messenger hesitated slightly before responding.
"Count Raypold launched a surprise attack, which was successful, dealing significant damage to the Delfine Forces. They are currently reorganizing to recover from the losses."
"Ohh! That’s great! Then Count Raypold must be moving to join the defensive line!"
"T-That’s not the case. Count Raypold has not joined the defenses."
"What? Why? Then what is he doing?"
"He ran away."
"Huh?"
"As soon as he inflicted damage on the Delfine Forces, he immediately withdrew from the battlefield…"
"And after withdrawing?"
"He’s claiming the empty lands of the lords as his own, insisting that since he inflicted damage on the Delfine Forces, he has upheld his end of the agreement…"
Maurice’s jaw dropped at the absurdity of the report, unable to believe his ears.
Meanwhile, Ghislain chuckled as if he had expected this all along.