Chapter 209: That is correct. You have won (3)
It would have been nice if Levidian had sent a sweet note asking for a secret rendezvous, but the sender of the note was Artshever.
《A manly one-on-one duel. Wouldn’t you like to?》
Tsk. I was planning to go alone anyway. Until now, it was a war between the Empire and the Kingdom, but from now on, it’s a fight between me and Artshever.
Now that he’s proposed a one-on-one, he won’t be sending out Silvan, Baius, or the crazy red mage. Besides, doesn’t the outcome of the entire Pelasion capture operation hinge on the battle between me and him?
In fact, this war started because I wanted to face Artshever’s schemes head-on. But before that, the personal duel between me and Artshever was the beginning of everything.
In the end, the fight that started like that comes down to a fight between me and him. There’s still the battle for the Imperial Capital left, but I guess you could call this capture operation my own personal revenge match?
He has attacked me several times so far. Each time, I had to frantically block the crises that could have led to a series of dangerous situations.
After that, there was a war and all sorts of things happened, but I’m still behind. To use a chess analogy, he still has one more victory point.
Therefore, before the battle in the Imperial Capital, I need to take back that one point he took.
Today, I will thoroughly win. I will win and fight him on equal footing.
“Risel, what are you thinking so seriously about?”
“I’m thinking about whether we can attack after resting for about an hour. As I said, I’m a little tired.”
Levidian, who had asked with concern whether my expression had become serious, widened her eyes and laughed with a silly expression. I smiled back at her and stretched.
“Ah, my body is stiff. We have time, so I’ll rest for about an hour. Hmm, that building looks good. Sispa, we will launch the attack in an hour. Before that, prepare and deliver a surrender request document according to tradition.”
“Yes, Grand General-nim.”
“Well, you must be tired from using your brain, unlike you. Go and rest. We’ll protect this place in the meantime. While bossing your subordinates around. Hehehe.”
Aila chuckled, tilting her head back. I smirked and shrugged as if to say do as you please. Then, I entered a tavern that I had just noticed.
Since the residents around here had already been evacuated, the tavern was completely empty. After making sure no one was following me, I took the note out of my pocket.
My enemy, who would be in the castle over there, kindly informed me of a secret passage that could be used to sneak into the castle. This is like a brave servant sneaking in to have a secret rendezvous with the princess in the high tower, isn’t it?
I opened the basement door of the tavern and examined the inside of the warehouse. And soon, after discovering the secret passage, I threw the note away and took out a small vial from my waist pocket.
“Three bottles left……”
The potion prepared at the temple not only heals wounds but also has the excellent effect of relieving fatigue. I gulped down one of them, and soon I could feel the vitality filling my whole body.
I threw away the empty bottle without hesitation and drew my sword. I left Brandione behind. Thanks to that, my whole body feels light even though I’m wearing armor.
“Wait for me, Artshever.”
I’m coming.
Of all places, the place I came out of was the entrance to some underground warehouse in the middle of the castle courtyard. Artshever, you bastard, your intention to screw with me is blatantly obvious.
“Take this!”
“Are you crazy!”
I dodged the spear thrusting towards me with a classic shout and pulled the spear shaft. And then I brought the opposite elbow to the soldier’s face.
Crack!
With just that, the soldier’s nose was broken.
“Ugh!”
“He’s here! He’s here!”
“Damn it!”
As soon as I took down one, a force close to a whole squad came rushing in. I’m just looking for the stairs to go up from the first floor of the castle, and I’ve already taken down more than ten Imperial soldiers.
Unfortunately, the moment I came out of the secret passage, I caught the attention of three soldiers who were smoking and slacking off. Unless I was Levidian, I didn’t have the skill to neutralize them all before they could even shout.
The chase that started like that intensified as I entered the building.
What kind of absurd situation is this?
I didn’t know the structure of the castle!
Artshever only wrote that he would be waiting in the audience room of the central tower. Of course, I could just go up and find the stairs leading to the tower, but the problem was the historical fact that this castle was a fortress.
As is characteristic of all buildings built as fortresses, the location of the stairs, the rooms, and the arrangement of the corridors in this building were so bizarrely twisted that the building itself was a maze.
Therefore, even though the Imperial soldiers were also wandering around, I was also wandering around, so we ran into each other more often.
“Tsk! I was going to think slowly as I went up.”
“He’s here!”
“Shut up! Who are you pointing at!”
I gave a flying knee kick to the soldier pointing at me. The soldier who received my knee in the face collapsed before he could even raise his spear. At that moment, soldiers poured out from a nearby room.
It just had to be the passage I needed to take.
The soldiers quickly aimed their spears and said.
“Who are you!”
“I’m Arisein!”
I was so annoyed that I blurted out the answer, and a look of surprise crossed the faces of the soldiers who heard my reply.
“What? C, could it be the Kingdom Army’s Grand General……!”
“Hey! Come here! It’s the Kingdom Army’s Commander-in-Chief!”
“What?!”
And at the sound of the thundering footsteps, I momentarily wore a blank expression. I frowned and pursed my lips.
“How many are there?”
The soldier grinned and said.
“About 30?”
“Damn it.”
I sighed deeply again and raised my sword.
Considering the path I’ve taken so far, there should be stairs leading to the upper floor there. But of all places, 30 people are standing in front of it.
“At least it’s a comfort that the path is narrow……”
“What are you babbling about!”
“I need to pass through that way, so you’ll have to step aside.”
I calmed my mind.
Levidian said that if you rely on the terrain, fighting one against a hundred isn’t that difficult. Of course, from her perspective, even fighting one against a thousand would be a piece of cake.
With a feeling of apology for her, who would be thinking I’m sleeping soundly outside, I swung my sword.
The sword she taught me.
The reason I’m fighting my way up like this is to meet Artshever and say his real name. Only then will he completely retreat, and after that, I have to go and bring down the Imperial Capital.
That will put an end to the long and arduous history of the Empire, and at the same time, the fight between me and him will also end.
Do I know his name?
Good question. Certainly, when an unknown person is using an alias, only a mage or a seasoned patrol officer would be able to guess their real name.
“Haat!”
With a short shout, I deflected the sword that was flying towards my shoulder. Sparks fly in the hallway that is gradually becoming brighter with the dawn.
Clang!
Before the sparks could die out, I punched the opponent’s chin with my dagger-wielding fist. Caught off guard by the sudden blow, the soldier fainted before he could fall.
“Haa! Haa!”
I exhale roughly. I’m already on the 4th floor. The number of soldiers I’ve knocked down or killed while coming up is close to 50.
Among them were some damn bastards who managed to injure me due to various factors like exceptional skills, excellent luck, or numerical superiority.
Thanks to the armor, I wasn’t hurt that badly, but the scratches on my face, the cut on my neck, the nail marks on my forearm, and the teeth marks on my thigh were annoying enough.
Damn it, were you a dog in your past life?
I slowly walked down the hallway with a dagger in my left hand and a longsword in my right hand. Looking ahead with my eyes and listening to all directions with my ears.
Where was I in my thoughts? Oh, right. I said it would be difficult to guess his name.
Yes. If he was really a stranger, there’s no way I would know his name.
Or even if he was passerby A that I brushed past on the road, or merchant B whose face I saw when buying travel necessities, would anyone remember such things in detail?
However, I can guess his name.
Because I can answer the question he poses.
Just like many of the questions Aila throws at me are things I already know but haven’t realized, Artshever’s real name must also be something I already know.
I recalled all the names I knew. And I compared them to Artshever, but I didn’t get any satisfactory results.
“Tsk!”
I twisted my waist, turned around, and performed a back swing. It was a swing packed with tremendous rotational force, but there wasn’t enough space. My sword was blocked by the wall.
Clang!
The eyes of the soldier who would have only made a low-level mistake while facing me sharpened. You idiot! I bumped into it on purpose!
Using the momentum from hitting the wall, I struck the waist of the soldier standing in front of me. And letting go of the sword, I plunged the dagger into the Adam’s apple of the soldier behind him.
“Kuhurk!”
“Kuhuk, huk……! Heek!”
The soldier who was hit in the waist collapsed with a death rattle, and the soldier who was hit in the Adam’s apple collapsed with a bizarre, air-leaking sound. To take down these two, I had to add three more wounds to my body.
I pulled out the sword, roughly wiped off the blood, and looked out the window.
The morning sky seen after staying up all night was clear and intense, as if it would shatter my eyeballs. The sun hadn’t shown its face yet, but its chilly dawn light covered the sky, making it dazzling.
“Artshever, you damn bastard.”
The more I walked, the more my head filled with thoughts of him.
The reason I’m going through all this trouble is, of course, because of my own choice. But if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t have to do this in the first place. So, it’s all because of him.
Hehe, what a wonderful syllogism.
With a wry smile, I stepped up the stairs.
His name.
This is the key to everything. It is the key to the miracle bestowed by God, and the all-purpose tool created by the Archmage.
I delved deeper into my thoughts. In my head, the time I’ve experienced so far was passing by quickly.
I remember when I first heard his name.
The place was the Grand Temple of the God of Light, Lynin, in Ast, the royal capital of the Azot Kingdom, and my counterpart was the Head Priest, the gardener I met at the Light of Origin.
At that time, I felt it.
A feeling that was familiar because it was unfamiliar, and repulsive because it was familiar.
A contradiction.
The unfamiliar cannot be familiar, and it’s difficult to feel repulsion towards something familiar.
Contradictory feelings that are mutually exclusive.
What should I call this?
I thought of him as an enemy. That’s how I felt. Ever since I saw the clown dressed as a clown at the masquerade ball held after defeating the demon in the Imperial Capital.
Why?
Even though he made things difficult for me, I’m not originally the kind of narrow-minded person who easily holds grudges against others.
Although it’s me saying this, I’ve even forgiven and embraced Levidian, who left me silently and even thought of dying alone.
But only him, Artshever Le Setrife, only this guy feels like an enemy I cannot tolerate.
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