Episode 230
* * *
In the dark land beyond the Demon King’s territory, a scream echoed through the twilight where not even the sunlight could reach.
It was an incredibly strange land, as if one were looking at the deep sea above land, and even the creatures living on it were no exception.
And in that land that even the North’s proud war horses were too scared to enter, two rich men were walking side by side.
Heedless of the hordes of monsters rushing in to hunt their prey.
Dale stretched out his arm. At the same time, shadows scattered along his fingertips, and bullets of darkness without even a hint of a chant rained down.
It was a shadow bullet with incomparable power, and the pouring bullets slaughtered the beasts of the demon world one-sidedly.
After striking, Dale glanced away.
His father, the Duke of Saxony, spoke calmly.
“I guess we’ll end the night here.”
“yes.”
Hearing that, Dale nodded silently.
They did not even have any subordinates or servants, and there was not even a knight to escort them, so each of them carried a backpack full of bags.
After finding a suitable place to spend the night, Dale lit a bonfire on the land of the underworld.
“You’re using red magic.”
Knock, knock.
The black ball opened its mouth as it looked at the burning bonfire.
“The power obtained through the power of Shuve against the Purifiers of the Red Tower.”
“Yes, you said you fought them in the Wars of the Roses under the Duke of Lancaster.”
The black ball nodded silently.
Before we knew it, the meat of the game that Dale had hunted earlier was cooking on the campfire.
“It looks like the meat is cooking.”
“I think it’s time to start eating.”
“Hmm, okay.”
It seemed that he was not used to cooking, so the black ball awkwardly stretched out his arm. Looking at him, Dale smiled bitterly and said.
“I will do it, Father.”
“… … Okay, please.”
Dale skewered the meat for two, sprinkling it with the spices he had brought for the occasion.
“Thank you.”
‘It’s like going camping with my dad.’
It wasn’t uncommon to eat with family in the duke’s castle, but it was a completely new experience to eat the meat they had hunted together around a campfire.
Even if the destination they are heading to is the darkest and most ominous land on this continent.
“Thank you, Father.”
“What are you talking about?”
“All you gave me.”
The black ball smiled blandly at Dale’s words.
“I wish we had talked like this a little longer.”
“It’s not too late.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
The black ball nodded quietly.
There were so many things. The truth about Dale and Elena was revealed, and yet this man never showed his weakness. Yet in his shadow, there was always a black ball crying like a child. The weight of this man as a father was something that Dale could not even dare to fathom.
“What do you think about your relationship with Miss Charlotte?”
“… … .”
Just then, the Black Lord asked back. It was no longer a light question like before. Now, the Black Lord knew the truth about Dale. And yet Charlotte of Saxony still did not know it.
That he was the hateful otherworldly warrior who had defeated her father.
“Was saving her an attempt to atone for your own mistakes?”
“To be honest, to some extent it was.”
Dale said.
“But at the same time, the talent she had was shining brighter than anything else.”
“I guess so.”
The black ball nodded silently.
“You are not as cruel as you think. Just as Elena was not as cunning a sorceress as she thought.”
“… … .”
“Just have the cool-headedness to decide without hesitation what to do when necessary. Just like you.”
Dale couldn’t answer right away and just smiled bitterly, because he just didn’t know what to say.
Seeing the truth in a person doesn’t necessarily require relying on a different ability. At least in that regard, Black Gong had insight.
“As the head of the House of Saxony, you are already worthy of the title.”
“I appreciate you saying so.”
Dale smiled and bowed his head.
“But still, Father is too upright to sit there.”
“There is a chance that none of us will return alive from the Shadow Tower.”
Just then, the black ball opened its mouth. Hearing those words, Dale swallowed softly.
“And if one of us is to die, I hope it is mine and not yours.”
“That won’t happen.”
Dale shook his head quietly.
“Because I will never let that happen.”
“Yes, very trustworthy.”
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The black ball laughed.
Knock, knock.
The bonfire between the two was burning, scattering embers. Involuntarily, Ray Yuris’s figure appeared in the embers. It was a fleeting flame that would burn out and disappear in the cold and darkness.
* * *
In the freezing cold, two people were sleeping, wrapped in blankets.
For an ordinary person, it would not have been strange to leave it as it was, but the two of them were by no means ordinary people.
A human being who is precariously hanging on the edge of the human boundary.
Wrapped in a blanket and tossing and turning, Dale listened quietly to the silence around him.
Let’s head to the Shadow Tower where the Immortal Frederick is. What can we get?
By defeating him and proclaiming himself the Shadow Lord, he could become the conqueror of this continent? I couldn’t figure it out. Dale simply had things he had to protect, and so he couldn’t just sit back and do nothing. That was all.
To go higher.
It was just then.
In the darkness, I felt something. Something that was extremely suspicious.
And in this dark land, it meant only one thing.
“Keeeeeek!”
A scream rang out. At the same time, the shadows cast across the darkness began to move madly.
‘Shadow Sorcerer… …!’
Dale scrambled to his feet, but then.
Before that, the black ball had risen and was stretching its arms out towards the writhing shadow.
“Show yourselves, you shadowy wraiths.”
Eight circles centered on the ground accelerated, and darkness spread out in all directions as if racing. The living darkness writhed and stretched out its arms, and soon hundreds of arms were chaining the presences hidden in the shadows.
The robed wizards appeared as if they were being dragged out, like prisoners bound in chains.
However, the figure could not be seen because of the thick darkness beneath the robe. Soon, the robe was removed, and Dale took a deep breath at the sight beyond.
There were no bones.
Literally silhouettes made of shadows were kneeling all at once.
The wizards who live in this land of darkness are, without a doubt, shadow magicians.
And in that shadow, their truth was shining. They were loyal servants who were loyal to the Immortal Lord, and furthermore, they became the dogs of the Eldritch.
The black ball looked at them with an emotionless expression.
“Are you thinking of blocking our path?”
“Hehehe, that, that’s not possible.”
A shadow chuckled.
“We, we have only received orders from the Lord of the Tower to respectfully take care of the two children of Saxony.”
The lord of the Shadow Tower, Frederick the Immortal, the founder of Saxony.
“… … .”
The black ball remained silent for a moment.
After a moment of silence, he snapped his fingers.
Kwajik!
There was a sound of something exploding. It was a disembodied shadow exploding, like a human skull being shattered.
One by one, their darkness burst forth, and the shadow magicians’ expressions froze.
The last one.
“Return to the Immortal Prince, the founder of Saxony, and tell him what I say.”
The black ball opened its mouth towards him with an emotionless expression.
“By the ancient ordinances, we will determine the Lord of Shadows, and the test must be equal for all, including the Immortals.”
“All right.”
One of the shadow magicians lowered his head with an ominous smile. Then the black ball waved his arms, and the dark arms that had bound him melted back down to his feet.
Once again, Dale and the Black Gong, the two rich men, were left there.
“It looks like it won’t be an easy journey.”
“I was prepared for this.”
His father spoke with concern, and Dale shook his head blandly.
The ruins of the Shadow Empire, which fell into ruin after being defeated by the Golden Empire.
The Immortal Frederick and the Eldritch are nothing more than a group of defeated soldiers who fled after being defeated by the Golden Lord.
But Dale never intended to become a defeated soldier and hide at the end of the world.
That was why I had an even greater obligation to prove myself to those in this ruined empire.
The Shadows will rise again, and once again the ancient conflict will begin: the war between Gold and Shadow.
Furthermore, the monarch who will lead the shadows in that war is none other than himself.
But it was never a fight for ancient fanaticism or beliefs. As my father had said, I had no intention of dancing any longer as a puppet of the shadows.
This is by no means a holy war.
It was just a task that had to be done for the sake of things that had to be taken down, and things that had to be protected.
A war that must be prepared for peace.
Despite the irony, Dale stepped out into the land of darkness once more.
With the most trustworthy father in the world.
* * *
The ruins of the Shadow Empire, which was once defeated by the Golden Empire and fled to the end of the world.
Shadow Tower.
Right there, the old lords of Saxony had gathered, kneeling before the one who stood atop their shadow tower, the Immortal Frederick.
“I can feel my daughter getting closer.”
The Immortal opened his mouth softly.
“My dear daughter, Lize, is getting closer to this father.”
It was a voice filled with an obsession that was beyond comparison.
“My children, a test is coming for you.”
The Immortal spoke. At those words, the Eldritch, clad in black robes, let out a sound like air escaping from under their hoods.
“Brother.”
It was just then.
Next to the Immortal, a woman wearing a robe opened her mouth. Like the Immortal, she was a girl wearing black bandages.
“In keeping with ancient traditions, I ask that you refrain from resorting to cowardly tactics.”
“… … .”
“This is a test that must be conducted fairly and squarely. All those who claim to be the Shadow Lord cannot be an exception.”
At those words, the Immortal remained silent. It was a silence that was extremely ominous.
“Even if it’s my brother.”
