Chapter 67 Eighth Champion (6)
8.
A canyon, the headquarters of the Desert Cult.
The front line, where fierce fighting had been repeated, fell into a temporary lull. This was because the giant warriors suddenly chose to retreat.
‘I don’t know the exact reason… … .’
Thanks to this, I had time to reorganize.
Istan turned around, shaking off the giant’s blood that had stuck to his sword. It was to replenish his troops and reorganize his formation.
It was a time when I was having such a busy time.
Suddenly, I felt a familiar presence.
“I will report to the commander.”
“Marquis Gorpant has returned.”
Agents from the Crow Brigade.
According to what they said, the three masters who had deserted the front line to carry out the rescue operation for the empress candidate had just returned.
“i get it. “Go right away.”
Istan nodded and moved straight towards the barracks where Seorik was located.
After a while, Istan’s expression changed subtly when he arrived inside the barracks. For some reason, the atmosphere inside the barracks was quite cold.
‘what? Was there any problem?’
In particular, the way the Sword of the East, Limer Yen Lapidis, looked at him was unusual.
Eyes filled with anger and distrust.
When Istan made a puzzled expression at the clear hostility felt beyond the burning eyes, he suddenly tilted his head.
“hmm?”
I felt a strange sense of discomfort earlier, but now I finally realized what it was. So she asked the question without hesitation.
“And where is Lord Varka?”
Sword of the North, Barka.
It was because I couldn’t see him as he went on a mission together. Immediately afterwards, Seorik’s answer came back with a heavy tone.
“I was seriously injured during a mission and was moved to a temporary ward. “Currently undergoing treatment.”
“… … yes?”
Istan’s eyes widened.
It was worth it. Barka was known as a rival with almost similar skills to himself.
Of course, unlike Istan, who is always cold-hearted, he has a fiery personality, but he is not a person who can be defeated by a heretic.
“Why Lord Varka…” … .”
So, the moment I was about to say out loud the question that arose purely, Rimmer’s sharp eyes suddenly fell upon me.
“… … Are you going to deny it until the end?”
“Yes? “What does that mean?”
“Ibella Eleaad.”
She suddenly spit out Ibella’s name.
Immediately Rimmer’s face scrunched up. Then he said with a venomous expression.
“I met the Lord’s daughter in the underworld of the canyon, in the den of heretics. “He was with the pagans.”
“… … .”
The moment I heard her answer.
Istan closed his mouth quietly. It was only now that I realized it. Why did Rimmer suddenly show such a hostile attitude towards him?
“It is just as Lord Lapidis said.”
Seorik, who had a stern expression the entire time, also briefly summarized the situation he experienced down the canyon.
“While we were on a mission underground in the canyon, we encountered a gang that had kidnapped a potential empress, and your daughter was among them.”
Additionally, he encountered Noah Darshen.
Istan silently let out a low sigh at the explanation up to this point. As if I sensed that something I was worried about had happened.
‘at last… … .’
We met.
But strangely enough, I didn’t feel that embarrassed. Perhaps it was because I vaguely anticipated that a day like this would come.
“Moreover, Ibella Eleaad sided with the heretics and pointed her sword at us. This is a grave crime of betraying the empire and siding with heresy!”
Rimmer, whether aware of this or not, wrinkled his face and growled fiercely. Likewise, Seorik let out a cold voice.
“Actually, one of the reasons Lord Varka became like that has to do with your daughter.”
“… … ? “What do you mean by that?”
Istan asked back as if he couldn’t understand the sudden continuation of the words.
This was a natural reaction.
As far as he knew, Ibella had just reached the level of expert.
‘On the other hand, Barca… … .’
He is the Master, one of the five swords of the Empire.
Expert and Master.
Between the two, there is a huge wall called ‘territory’ that cannot be crossed.
But since Ibella was one of the culprits who seriously injured Barca, it was natural to wonder.
Seorik then confessed the shocking sight he had witnessed underground in the canyon.
“I went into a trance during the battle.”
“… … yes?”
“You have overcome the master’s wall.”
Istan’s eyes are getting bigger.
Finally, at the moment when the eyes became indescribably large, a shout-like retort burst out from the lips that were open in a daze.
“T-is that really?! Ibella… … !”
——————
faqwiki.us
Join our Discord for new chapter updates!
https://discord.com/invite/xr7SxG5T6V
——————
“I saw it clearly with my own eyes.”
Seoric nods with a stern face.
Istan looked blank again. As if the thought came to a halt due to unexpected news.
It was a natural reaction.
Ibella, who had become an Expert just a few months ago, went into a trance and became a Master.
‘Is that possible?’
Even though it is related to his daughter, it is not easy to believe. However, the period of disbelief did not last long.
‘No, maybe…’ … .’
It might be possible.
Because currently, there is a monster beside Ibella that makes the impossible possible.
‘Ulaanbaatar.’
Although he is the same age as Ibella, he is a monster-like strongman who has already reached the level of master.
Considering what he had done so far, I felt confident that it would be possible.
In the first place, Ulan recognized Ibella’s talent that Istan had not yet realized and helped her grow.
‘Okay, then you understand.’
When Istan remembered Ulan’s existence, he felt the feeling of disbelief that had been lingering in his heart disappearing.
Also, there was no way Seoric could have seen it wrong, so it would not have been a lie that Ibella entered the trance and reached the level of a master.
“ha ha ha.”
A smile slips from your lips.
A bright smile soon appeared.
It was a smile of pure joy as a parent and as a swordsman walking the path of the sword together.
Then at that moment.
A voice was heard that shattered the feelings of joy.
“Are you smiling now?”
A brown-haired female knight.
Limeren Lapidis glared at Istan with fierce eyes. Then he gritted his teeth and asked harshly.
“Can we accept that the fact that you are not surprised when this fact was revealed in the first place means that you already knew the whole story?”
At the same time, Seorik also looked at Istan.
A complicated state of mind hidden around wrinkled eyes.
His eyes trembled slightly as if to say no. Istan calmly nodded while receiving the two’s gazes.
“Yes, I knew.”
“… … !?”
“Now, how did you…?” … .”
Rimmer’s face hardened like stone.
Then, Seorik also couldn’t speak as he felt a strong sense of betrayal. In response to the two’s violently agitated reactions, Istan quickly continued speaking.
“But there is a reason for this.”
“Why?”
“Yes, I couldn’t refuse your help with something related to the Abyss. “In the end, it is also for the good of the empire.”
As soon as the word abyss was finished, Seoric’s eyebrows twitched momentarily. Then Rimmer hurriedly turned to Seorik and shouted.
“Don’t listen, Lord Gorpant!”
“… … .”
“What you see before your eyes is a traitor who collaborated with the heretics! “The recruits must be arrested and their command rights revoked right now!”
Rimmer maintains a hard-line attitude.
On the other hand, Seorik seemed to be thinking for a while and then opened his mouth with a low groan.
“… … “Tell me in more detail.”
“Lord Gorpant!”
“Stay still, Sir Lapidis. “If the incident in the desert is truly related to the abyss, this is definitely not something to be overlooked.”
Seorik’s eyes became cold.
He is a person who has clashed swords directly with the being of the abyss. Therefore, he knew better than anyone else how threatening the abyss was.
After making Rimmer close his mouth, Seorik looked at Istan again. As if asking me to explain the whole story.
“I will tell you everything.”
Soon Istan’s story began.
Civil war between the Desert Cult and its successors.
There is even a story about the existence of the abyss and the giant king Largtan.
Most of it was information I heard from Ulan and Noah.
After some time had passed, and the detailed explanation was over, Seorik looked at Istan as if he had finally realized something.
“Then the reason why you were able to respond so calmly even to the attack of the giants… … .”
“Yes, thanks to hearing about it in advance.”
Giants’ weaknesses, information, etc.
So, they were able to face the giants relatively easily without panicking. In response to the reply, Seorik immediately crumpled his face.
“Wow, it’s an abyss.”
The kidnapping of the empress candidate alone was a pain in the ass, but hearing that it was connected to the abyss made me feel a little uneasy.
Then.
“No matter what, it’s hard to understand that Ibella is with those who kidnapped the princess. How do you explain that?”
When Rimmer asked a rebuttal, Istan responded that there was no need to worry.
“That’s something I don’t know.”
“Where are you lying now… … !”
“On my sword and my honor, it is true. All I did was open the borders. “I don’t know anything about the candidate for empress.”
Above all, if I had planned to lie, I wouldn’t have reported this in the first place.
Istan answered confidently, as if he had no shame under heaven. Just as Rimmer was about to say something again.
Suddenly, Seoric shook his head.
“I understand. “Let’s just count it like that for now.”
“Oh, Lord Gorpant?!”
Rimmer was startled by this and shouted.
The words I just heard sounded as if I was going to forgive Lord Istan and move on.
So did he acknowledge Rimmer’s concerns? Seorik put a condition on his face with a serious expression.
“But that doesn’t mean we’ll just move on like this. “I cannot trust you until you face them again and your innocence is clearly proven.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Istan obediently bowed his head.
As if he agreed with what Seorik said. But Rimmer didn’t seem to think so.
“no! “Absolutely not!”
“Lord Lapidis.”
“You can’t go on like this! If they really joined hands with the heretics… … .”
“Don’t get caught up in your anger and lose your temper.”
Seorik’s words continued softly.
Rimmer gritted his teeth and responded.
“I am always cool!”
“Then I ask. “Where is this place?”
“Suddenly what…” … .”
“This is a desert.”
He tapped the floor with the sheath of his sword.
Along with the sight of loose sand flying, Seorik fixed his gaze on Rimmer.
“And the desert is Lord Istan’s domain. “It may be a blasphemous thing to say, but Lord Istan’s power is greater than that of His Majesty the Emperor.”
“… … .”
At the same time, Rimmer’s mouth closed.
It was because I realized it too late. As for what Seoric’s intention was when he said this.
As you just heard, Istan is a warlord noble who has been active in the desert for over a dozen years.
If he decides to resist, it will be Theoric and Rimmer who will be at a disadvantage. That’s why Seorik whispered in a low voice.
“So you have to endure it here.”
“… … Yes, I understand.”
Rimer bit his lip and lowered his head.
However, it was not possible to hide the hostility flowing towards Istan. Then, a voice was heard, resuming the conversation that had been briefly interrupted.
“Marquis Gorpant.”
None other than Istan El Deorg.
He took long strides and approached the side, and opened his mouth with a very serious expression.
“I also want to ask you something.”
“Hmm? “Something suddenly?”
“Where is Count Dermore, who went on a mission with you now?”
Demuel Ron Dermore.
Seorik tilted his head as if he was puzzled when a question asked him out of nowhere.
“Why are you asking that?”
“This is important. Please answer.”
“… … We returned to the unit together. Afterwards, he disappeared, saying he had something to discuss with the wizards of the Magic Tower.”
Seorik answered truthfully.
In fact, DeMuel was separated from the unit as soon as he joined it. But then, suddenly, Istan shook his head.
“No, you’re wrong.”
“what?”
“Shortly after returning to the unit with the Marquis, he turned around and headed back towards the canyon. “The Raven Brigade is currently on their trail.”
What does this mean?
Seorik blinked his wide eyes blankly, as if he didn’t understand Istan’s words.
Istan, on the other hand, continued talking.
“I don’t know the detailed reason yet. “The only thing that bothers me is that when he reaches his destination, I plan to go there myself.”
“If it’s something you’re concerned about… … ?”
“I heard something from Ulan.”
Immediately after mentioning Ulan again.
Istan’s eyes turned cold.
“Among the great nobles of the empire, there is a person who is in secret with the Abyss worshipers and is collaborating with the Abyss.”
“… … !”
The face of Seorik with his eyes wide open.
Faced with a hardening expression, Istan expressed the doubts he had always harbored in the form of a report.
A worshiper who serves the Lord of the Abyss.
A story about an apostle.
fantasy,
