Chapter 185: Snow Falling in Summer (1)
[‘Airian’s Peace’ will be bestowed at a later point in time.]
Airian, the kingdom whose fate was twisted by Cain.
And Airian, where Cain had disappeared.
The current state of Airian was on the verge of explosion.
“I will kill her.”
It was Abel.
He was dressed in plain but obviously luxurious armor, scanning the other nobles from the head of the table.
“Princess Oleciren killed my brother.”
“…….”
The murderous intent contained in each of Abel’s words was so heavy.
Count Brediol Lamaring, Garick Crowl, and Count Digrid Wareham, who were present, found it difficult even to breathe.
“That’s right!”
And one more person.
Bang!
Cardinal Mauro Senoch, one of the Eight Cardinals who had crossed over to Airian with Saint Caterina, slammed his fist on the table and shouted.
“That despicable witch killed the hero wielding the holy sword, so we must repay her with death!”
Abel nodded silently.
And looked to the side.
The blue sky visible through the small window of Ethelred Castle. And the giant aerial fortress that occupied half of that sky.
Celestial Temple Mimesis.
The Holy See’s strongest fortress and temple weapon was floating in the sky above Ethelred.
“Of course…….”
Cardinal Mauro also followed Abel’s gaze and looked up at Mimesis.
He wanted to lead Mimesis and march straight to the royal capital to kill Oleciren, who had awakened as the ‘Pure White Demon King’.
“But we need permission…….”
Although its very existence was a secret, the existence of Mimesis was already recorded throughout history books.
The reason why the once mighty empire had prostrated themselves at the feet of the Holy See was not only due to the depletion of national power caused by continuous power struggles, but also due to the existence of an asymmetric weapon called Mimesis.
Thanks to that, it even earned the nickname of the ultimate weapon against the Demon King. However, as a cardinal, Mauro was well aware of the limitations of Mimesis.
Abel looked back at Mauro with cold brown eyes.
“Is the Holy See’s Cardinal Conference still opposed?”
“It is said to be strong, but that is only under the laws of the human world…… If it’s a Demon King, it cannot be harmed by human laws…….”
Mauro’s words trailed off.
Abel nodded curtly.
At first, he had wanted to take the enraged Saint and Mimesis and kill Oleciren right away.
However.
━……Abel.
Oleciren, who looked at him with eyes full of sadness but no tears, waved her hand.
Clickety-clack, clickety-clack━.
And the world moved.
All the white in this world obeyed her every word, completely separating Abel and Oleciren’s world.
━Someday.
Just one word.
Neither Abel, who was becoming a true Sword Master, nor Mimesis, which was praised as the strongest weapon in the human world.
Neither could penetrate the white barrier created by that one word.
Oleciren took it all in and disappeared.
“The holy sword, ‘Summer’.”
This was the reason why the Holy See had seized ‘Summer’ from the Empire and cherished it.
The 〈Sacred Treasures of the Four Seasons〉 to overcome the overwhelming difference in class.
Of course, the Saint also possessed the Holy Crown, ‘Autumn’, but unlike the holy sword, which was in charge of attack, the Holy Crown specialized in recovery and support.
Therefore, it was not a suitable sacred treasure to fight against the Pure White Demon King Oleciren.
“And.”
Mauro forced out each word, though he didn’t like it.
“The Holy See rather welcomes this situation.”
“……?”
Abel’s brow furrowed.
Cardinal Mauro also continued speaking as a representative of the Holy See present, though he disliked it very much.
“Usually, when a Demon King is born, they do everything they can to destroy our world right away, but this new Demon King is just staying put.”
“…….”
Abel clenched his fist.
The Holy See’s judgment was not wrong.
Oleciren, who had awakened as the Pure White Demon King, returned to the royal capital that day and shut herself away.
━We are suspending all trade between Airian and the continent indefinitely.
She had isolated Airian Island.
Except for a few things, there were no major problems because they could be self-sufficient, but the Holy See was puzzled.
Why?
Why not invade the continent?
Or were they preparing to invade the continent?
They were wary with such doubts, but surprisingly, Oleciren really did nothing.
Except for her hair color turning white, she acted exactly like the princess she used to be, and she didn’t particularly build up her forces in the royal palace.
Only two things changed.
One was that a thin, pure white barrier surrounded the entire island of Airian.
The other was the formation of the so-called ‘Spring Rebel Army’, led by Abel, who opposed Oleciren’s reign.
But that was all.
A Demon King had appeared, but the Demon King did nothing.
The rebels had raised their flag, but since Oleciren’s side remained still, it was difficult for them to make the first move.
The Holy See, which supported such rebels, was also secretly in favor of this confrontation.
“They would rather confine the flames of the Demon King to a single island than have them spread to the continent.”
“To put it bluntly, it’s a very comfortable choice that the top brass of the Holy See would make.”
Unlike the hawkish Mauro, the other Cardinals and the Pope were thoroughly oriented towards safety and peace.
It wasn’t like they could just sit back and do nothing since a Demon King had appeared and the hero had gone missing, so they were just observing the situation while keeping the Saint and Mimesis stationed there.
“I understand.”
Abel put the holy sword he had placed on the table back on his waist.
Seeing this, Count Garick hurriedly asked.
“Young Master Abel, don’t be hasty.”
“No.”
Abel shook his head firmly.
Fwooosh━.
The summer wind blew into the castle.
The warmth was hot enough to feel like the heat, but it didn’t affect Abel’s frozen heart in the slightest.
“If neither this nor that is acceptable, then I will do what I can.”
“The opponent is a witch and a Demon King!”
The counts vividly recalled.
When they faced Glumiêm, who had assimilated with the World Tree, they remembered the lava giant that Oleciren had summoned to block her.
It was unacceptable for Abel, who was not a superhuman like Edmund or Cain, to rush into battle like this.
“Then.”
Abel’s cold eyes swept over everyone.
“Who will avenge my brother?”
“…….”
“I saw it. So I will avenge him.”
Abel’s eyes were not cold.
Looking closely, his eyes were half-red, consumed by revenge.
Only the content of his words was logical; his heart was already burning with the flames of revenge.
“I will do it.”
“I’ll go too!”
It was Mauro.
While the other counts hesitated, he jumped out of his chair.
“Cardinal Conference or whatever, why are you thinking so hard about killing a Demon King!”
It was a choice typical of Mauro, who was known for his quick temper.
At the same time, as a priest who was willing to give everything for the ‘light’, he could come to this conclusion without hesitation.
Abel and Mauro locked eyes for a moment.
Woooong━.
At that moment, the Communication Orb placed on the table began to glow.
Whoosh━.
Mauro reached out.
Beyond it appeared the figure of Saint Caterina, currently aboard Mimesis.
[I found him.]
Caterina’s expression was bright.
[Cain.]
“……!”
There was almost nothing that could escape the influence of the Holy See, which extended throughout the human world inside the Great Wall.
[The location where the holy sword, ‘Summer’s’ wave was detected is in the southern part of the empire.]
Abel, who was about to thrust his sword into Oleciren’s neck, sat down without a word.
Cardinal Mauro also sat down and looked up at Caterina, who was illuminated by the Communication Orb.
[I don’t know the details yet, but it seems that the Empire’s Special Intelligence Division is involved.]
“It seems that my brother has not been found yet.”
Abel accurately pointed out the part that Caterina had omitted.
She slowly nodded.
[I’ve sent Paladins, so we’ll have an answer within a few days. But think about it. Who else but Cain could wield ‘Summer’, which no one has been able to hold for all these years?]
Edmund.
Abel.
And the rightful owner, Cain.
Given that he had disappeared along with ‘Summer’, the appearance of ‘Summer’s’ wave meant that it was safe to assume he had reappeared.
[And the holy sword protects its owner. If the Demon King’s attack didn’t kill Cain instantly, there’s a good chance he’s alive.]
“My brother wouldn’t go down so easily.”
A crack appeared in Abel’s icy face. And a smile formed, like a hairline fracture.
Abel looked east.
Hoping desperately that Cain was alive.
“But I can’t just stand by and do nothing about Demon King Oleciren.”
Being alive and taking revenge were two different things.
Abel now looked northwest.
[But you can wait for us, right?]
At Caterina’s question, Abel, who was about to jump out at any moment, slowly nodded.
“Yes.”
He had that much time.
[Then I’ll let you know as soon as we have more information.]
Caterina also smiled.
It was just one person.
But he was big enough to make or break the peace of Airian with just his name.
🔹🔹🔹
“Princess……?”
Summer had also come to Academy City Märchen.
The southern part of the empire was warm all year round. However, the early summer sun was so hot and scorching that it was hard for everyone to bear.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Märchen was located in the middle of a vast grassland, so the cool breeze eased the heat a bit.
“Yes.”
It was Elena.
She stopped walking and looked back at the other cadet’s question.
“Uh…….”
It was different from usual.
Elena, who always kept a low profile, so quiet that no one would know she existed if not for her title as princess, was gone.
Her face, which became more beautiful the more you looked at it.
Her bent back straightened naturally, making her look so tall that one might wonder if she had always been this tall.
“Is there something you need?”
And her way of speaking.
Elena, who always sounded weak and hesitant, was gone.
Her words were accompanied by a firm breath, and it was clear what she wanted to say.
She was clearly the same person, but her completely changed appearance made the female cadets hesitate before speaking.
“I heard that the new combat instructor was recommended by Your Highness. Is he a member of the ‘Order of Summer’ by any chance?”
“No.”
Elena chuckled and shook her head.
Then another girl next to the cadet who had asked the question asked Elena.
“He’s a noble, right? It doesn’t matter if you’re old nobility or new nobility.”
“Yes, he’s a noble.”
Elena recalled Cain’s information.
He might not fit directly into the Empire’s aristocratic system, but as someone who was born the son of a count and rose to the rank of duke in Airian, he was certainly a nobleman.
Even if he wasn’t, someone of his strength could practically be considered part of the nobility.
“Is he married……?”
“Not yet.”
“Then he doesn’t have anyone he’s seeing?”
The female cadets’ eyes sparkled.
Elena didn’t answer right away. She looked them over for a moment before speaking.
“I don’t think that’s something I should be discussing.”
“S, Sorry!”
Startled by Elena’s firm words, the other cadets quickly bowed their heads and scattered.
Elena brushed her slightly disheveled blonde hair back and smiled.
“This isn’t so bad either.”
She was a little grateful to Procell.
For making her face the despair she had experienced as a child again after she had grown up.
And.
“I prefer it to before.”
“You’re quite popular yourself, Mr. Cain.”
Cain replied from behind her, leaning against a tree with his shirt half-wrinkled, two buttons undone, and his tie loosely tied.
“……I’m not bad at teaching.”
As the Lord of the East of the Great Wall, a land where one would die if they couldn’t teach, he was quite adept at teaching.
“Of course, I never thought I’d be teaching kids at an academy.”
A smile spread across Cain’s lips.
“It’s only temporary anyway.”
The peaceful and warm sunlight glinted on his jawline.
It was the peace before the devil passed and the Steel and Blood Festival arrived.
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