The Dark Grand Duke and the Dark Legion. They were the Empire’s greatest military force, nightmare-like beings to the Kingdom of Luhan.
The two periodically committed enormous massacres along the borders of the Kingdom of Luhan, where the Blessing of the Snowfield was active.
Whenever they appeared, maps had to be redrawn, military formations reorganized, and the household registers of the border territory surveyed again.
At this point, one might wonder, ‘No matter how weak it is, shouldn’t the Blessing of the Snowfield still be there?’
Those who had faced the Dark Grand Duke and the Dark Legion answered that question with one voice.
They had only managed to hold out this long because the Blessing of the Snowfield existed.
***
She had been prepared for history to change. If anything, it would have been strange if it had not. But……
‘The Sunwell Ring was within my expectations. But the Dark Grand Duke…….’
Lucifurne glared at the Chancellor. She thought of the Evil Empress behind her. The Witch of Ashes remained silent with her head lowered.
“Marquess Moonlight and his knights have hastily headed toward Volka Fortress, but they do not appear likely to hold out for long.”
Commander Haimar’s report continued to ring in her ears.
“Could the Butcher Grand Duke and the Dark Legion have already finished recovering?”
One minister spoke with a trembling voice.
“That is impossible. This cycle is far too short. To think they recovered from the Punishment of the Snowfield so quickly……”
“I cannot believe it. They got the hell beaten out of them by the Punishment of the Snowfield!”
“Have they developed a resistance?!”
Everyone shook their heads as they shuddered.
“I cannot believe it. To replenish an elite army on the scale of the Dark Legion this quickly……”
Regent Lucas’s eyes trembled in disbelief.
“I find the Butcher Grand Duke even more questionable. I am not even certain that he is human. How can a person be struck by the Punishment of the Snowfield countless times and suffer nothing more than injuries……?”
“With the Kingdom of Luhan’s currently recovered forces, we cannot hold out until they are rendered unable to fight by the Blessing of the Snowfield.”
“We may have to abandon the outer reaches of the border territory.”
The ministers’ expressions rapidly darkened.
“Um…… I apologize for adding this late, but I have been told that the Dark Legion observed at Volka numbered only one-third of the force from the previous invasion.”
At that moment, Commander Haimar continued his report.
“Even for the Empire, replenishing the Dark Legion must be difficult. A small blessing in misfortune.”
Lucas muttered to himself at those words, and everyone in the audience hall let out a sigh of relief.
“Now I understand their intentions.”
“The ordinary soldiers are making up the Dark Legion’s numbers.”
“It was to allow the Dark Grand Duke to focus on capturing Volka Fortress.”
Only now did they understand why the Empire had moved in such a manner.
“The Empire is surely after the Sunwell Ring in Volka Mine.”
That was their ultimate objective.
Volka, at the southernmost edge of the Kingdom of Luhan. It was where the Blessing of the Snowfield was weakest, but it was also a place where neither the Empire nor the Kingdom of Luhan had carelessly engaged in battle.
“Does the Empire have a clever strategy to kill the Volka Demon?”
An ancient demon had made its nest there.
―If you carelessly cause a disturbance, you shall not escape death.
The demon was highly sensitive and vicious, reacting sharply to even the slightest disturbance.
Thus, battle near Volka had been forbidden for a long time.
“They must have found a way. That is why they came directly to Volka.”
“Honestly, it had been strange. The Dark Grand Duke who led the invasion of the Kingdom of Luhan had shown particular disinterest in Volka Mine.”
“But apparently that was not the case. He had been secretly seeking a method behind the scenes.”
Everyone frowned at the Empire’s and the Dark Grand Duke’s meticulousness.
“Whatever happens, we cannot hand Volka over to the Empire. In the worst case, the Sunwell Ring could fall into Imperial hands. The moment that happens……”
One minister could not bring himself to finish. Even without saying more, everyone knew exactly what he meant.
The Sunwell Ring was an ancient magical artifact containing tremendous heat.
It might be a clue to resolving the Curse of the Snowfield carried by the Queen.
However, if it were misused, the worst possible outcome could occur: the Blessing of the Snowfield would weaken, while the curse would strengthen.
“But…… there are no more troops we can send. With the tight encirclement, it is difficult to pull units away from the border as well.”
The Kingdom of Luhan had long since deployed every force except the minimum necessary to maintain public order to the outer reaches of the border territory.
“Sending ordinary soldiers would be pointless to begin with. They would be facing the Butcher Grand Duke and the Dark Legion.”
The atmosphere in the audience hall was heavy and chaotic, and the brazier’s one-hour limit was nearly over.
“…….”
Queen Lucifurne sat with an expressionless face and listened to their conversation.
She habitually fingered the bracelet that smelled of grass.
In one corner of her mind, events from before her regression resurfaced.
‘The Sunwell Ring.’
Before her regression, Lucifurne had given Solacius the trial of retrieving the Sunwell Ring, and Solacius had obtained it.
However, the Chancellor had intercepted the Sunwell Ring along the way, using the excuse that it needed to be inspected just in case.
‘Aria Desmo.’
The Chancellor had then misused the Sunwell Ring in the Grand Magic Formation, Innocentia.
She had strengthened the Curse of the Snowfield and weakened the Blessing of the Snowfield.
‘……Solacius.’
The foolish Lucifurne of the past had known none of this. She had supported the Chancellor and diligently created Innocentia alongside her. Whenever it had no effect or the curse grew stronger, she had suspected Solacius of being the cause.
Her eyes reddening, Lucifurne hurriedly pulled herself from her thoughts. If she recalled any more of the past for no reason, she felt as though she would have nightmares tonight.
Then she turned her gaze toward the Chancellor, who had been unusually silent until now.
“……?”
For some reason, the Chancellor, who had kept her head lowered since the meeting began, lifted it and looked directly at the Queen.
‘What was I thinking in the past, relying on a witch like that……?’
The sight of the Chancellor’s red eyes gave Lucifurne goosebumps.
“…….”
Lucifurne silently watched the Chancellor staring at her. The Chancellor’s expression made it clear that she had something to say.
‘She intends to openly ignore the Regent.’
Normally, the Chancellor would convey her opinion to the Regent, and the Regent would convey it to the Queen. Yet Aria Desmo did not seem to have any intention of doing so.
‘Come to think of it, the Chancellor did not speak during the previous two Royal Councils either.’
“Chancellor, if you have an opinion, speak.”
The Queen eventually called upon Aria.
“Your Majesty.”
Once she had been called on, the Chancellor opened her mouth as though she had been waiting for this.
“It is a truly unfortunate reality, but the Kingdom of Luhan currently has no talented person capable of stopping the Dark Grand Duke.”
Lucifurne flicked her head as though telling her to continue.
“Of course, if the Royal Witch Council and Mage Tower act in their entirety, they may be able to face him. Though the damage would be immense.”
“Get to the point, Chancellor.”
Lucifurne furrowed her brow at Aria’s words.
The ministers, who had been chattering noisily, had fallen silent and now watched the Chancellor’s mouth.
Lucas merely glared at the Chancellor with a stern expression.
“Your Majesty.”
The Chancellor gave a cold smile.
“Order Knight Roan Shalut, who is currently on his way to the royal palace, to go to Volka.”
At Aria Desmo’s words, Lucifurne sprang up from her throne.
Regardless of the Queen’s reaction, the gray-haired witch continued speaking.
“He is a knight among knights, one who defeated the Necromancer. He will surely be of great help. You never know. Perhaps he will defeat the Dark Grand Duke and the demon, then present the Sunwell Ring to Your Majesty.”
The Witch of Ashes’s cold smile reflected in Lucifurne’s eyes.
“……!!”
The Queen clenched her mother’s bracelet and glared at the Chancellor.
‘What did that detestable witch just say?’
Send Solacius to Volka?!
The Chancellor tilted her head with an innocent expression, as though asking, ‘Why are you glaring at me?’
―Bring the Sunwell Ring from Volka Mine.
Suddenly, the cold voice with which she had ordered Solacius in the past rang in her head.
‘Then this is the same as before my regression!’
It was the first trial she had given Solacius before her regression.
It was remarkably similar to the situation the Chancellor had just proposed.
‘Actually, this is even more dangerous!’
No, it was even more dangerous because the Dark Grand Duke and the Dark Legion had been added.
“…….”
She closed her mouth and thought of a way to resolve this without sending Solacius.
She recalled the possibility the Chancellor had first mentioned.
‘I cannot send the mages of the Mage Tower and the witches of the Royal Witch Council. They would not agree to it in the first place.’
It was not yet clear who stood on whose side. If she sent them carelessly, they might only end up helping the Imperial Army.
‘I cannot send Commander Haimar and Regent Lucas, either.’
To begin with, neither of them would be a match for the Dark Grand Duke.
The Chancellor found few people as bothersome as those two, so she would surely have them killed on their way to Volka Fortress.
‘Should I go myself?’
She thought of a spatial-transfer magic circle. She considered going personally, killing the demon, and defeating the Dark Grand Duke, but quickly shook her head.
She had only been able to remain for thirty minutes when she briefly traveled to a place ten kilometers from the royal capital.
Let alone traveling to faraway Volka Fortress, how long would she be able to stay there?
‘Solacius…….’
No matter how she thought about it, the most ideal option was to send Solacius.
‘After doing him such a wrong! Before I can even atone, am I to wrong him again?!’
The Queen truly did not want to.
If she sent Solacius there?!
‘The Dark Grand Duke!’
Before her regression, the final trial she had given Solacius was the assassination of the Dark Grand Duke.
Solacius had accepted her order……
In the end, he had failed.
The image of him returning to the royal palace, covered in blood and barely clinging to life, came to mind.
THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP, THUMP.
Her heart pounded, and a dry heave rose in her throat.
‘If I send him…… if something happens to him…… could I endure the hatred I would feel for myself……?’
She wanted to see Solacius in person as soon as possible.
She wanted to examine the curse that had afflicted him with her own eyes and lift it as soon as possible.
‘Above all, if he becomes active in the border territory…… he might meet Yuria, that female knight of the border territory. She was a woman who had a deep connection with Solacius! She is more dangerous than that woman named Rina!’
She was too anxious. She did not know when Solacius might meet a connection from before her regression in the border territory.
―But Lucifurne, what if the Sunwell Ring falls into the Empire’s hands? The tragedy from before your regression will repeat exactly as it did.
Separate from that anxiety, another version of herself kept whispering.
―You know it too, Lucifurne. The only man who can resolve this matter is Solacius.
It was the foolish Lucifurne of the past, who had not yet completely disappeared.
“…….”
The Queen’s agony only deepened.
“Your Majesty, send Knight Roan Shalut to Volka Fortress.”
Unaware of the Queen’s feelings, the Chancellor kept repeating the same words.
“…….”
The Regent standing opposite them silently glared at the Chancellor.
“What nonsense! Roan Shalut is an exiled imperial royal and a wandering knight who has not yet chosen a lord! What if he refuses, becomes disappointed, and leaves for another country?!”
The Queen spoke as she fixed the Duchess with cold eyes.
“However, for now, sending him to Volka is our only option. We simply need to promise a reward too great for him to refuse Your Majesty’s command or leave the Kingdom of Luhan.”
“A greater reward?”
“Yes, a greater reward.”
“We have already promised him a title and territory. What greater reward could we possibly give him now?”
“That is something we must consider carefully. If necessary, could we not simply offer him a blank check? Even if he makes an excessive demand, I, Aria Desmo, will share the burden. Land, power, money—whatever it may be.”
The Chancellor’s red eyes gleamed meaningfully. The ministers murmured at her words, then began shouting while watching her closely.
“Your Majesty, we will share the burden as well! Send Knight Roan Shalut to Volka!”
“If he wants land, we will also donate part of our territories! Your Majesty! Send Knight Roan Shalut to Volka!”
At Aria’s words, the ministers on her side all stepped forward, offering to share the burden.
“Your Majesty, send Knight Roan Shalut to Volka Fortress. He is the knight who slew the Necromancer, who easily killed high-ranking witches and mages.”
“Your Majesty, send Knight Roan Shalut to Volka Fortress. With his skill, he will surely be of great help.”
Now every minister who followed the Chancellor was raising their voice together.
Even the ministers standing with the Regent did not particularly oppose it, perhaps believing it was not a bad idea. They merely watched the Queen and Regent’s reactions.
‘Aria Desmo……!’
Lucifurne fixed both eyes on the Chancellor with an expressionless face.
The reason she had kept the Chancellor alive was because of the Empire and the Evil Empress.
If she dealt with the Chancellor, Evil Empress Octana would surely resort to some other scheme. If that happened, Lucifurne would no longer be able to use the advantage of her regression.
But at this moment, she wanted to freeze that detestable witch.