NOVEL NEXT chapter 113
113 – 113. Witch Hunt (1)
It was the worst reunion.
There was no other way to put it.
I let out a heavy sigh as I gazed at the scene that had met its tragic end.
There was no way to restore the relationship.
Jeblinne had declared her severance, casting aside even the last shred of attachment.
As I left the parlor, I followed the girl with her flowing silver hair. Eventually, I found myself speaking with Jeblinne in the garden outside the cathedral.
“I’m sorry, I wasted precious time because of those brazen, shameless people.”
“It’s fine.”
Clumsy consolation would only leave Jeblinne with new wounds.
Thus, I responded in a flat voice.
“I never imagined the Kingdom of Berus would fall. The small nations located in the heart of the continent are known for their insularity.”
“So what are you going to do about your family?”
“I no longer consider them family. Just as they do not see me as one of their own.”
“…….”
If my family had truly repented, could we have restored our relationship?
If they had said they were sorry for selling me out,
that they would spend the rest of their lives seeking forgiveness and atonement,
perhaps Jeblinne would have granted them at least a modicum of mercy.
But even after all these years, my family remained unchanged. They had not deviated one bit from the moment they sold their youngest daughter for their own safety.
To them, I was nothing more than a tool, just as I had always been.
Realizing this once again, Jeblinne could not help but feel despair.
“…Let’s go back tomorrow.”
“Okay.”
Just being in the same space as those bitter enemies, akin to sworn foes, would feel like a piercing pain in Jeblinne’s gut.
Thus, she gently stroked Jeblinne’s head, urging her to return home.
“Saintess.”
As she was gathering her thoughts, leaving behind the past grievances,
heavy metallic sounds echoed.
A multitude of paladins approached, surrounding the Februa Cathedral.
The figure commanding the paladins of the sanctuary was a young man with an androgynous appearance. Clad in heavy armor, he displayed hostility as if confronting a heretic, exuding a menacing aura.
“…Sir Bailede.”
“Bailede? Isn’t he Maximilian’s rival?”
Cirelle Bailede.
A rival who envies the male protagonists typically found in romance fantasy.
His personality was rough, bordering on obsessive cleanliness.
Despite being from the same school, he harbored a pathological hatred for Maximilian.
As his unpleasant name slipped out, anger began to cloud the face of the commander of the knights. Especially upon facing me, it seemed Maximilian came to mind, and his displeasure became even more evident.
“Who’s a rival?!”
“Right, strictly speaking, since I’ve never beaten him, I’m not even a rival.”
“Shut up! How dare you speak so insolently in front of me!”
“…….”
Who would have thought I would meet Cyril Vailede, Maximilian’s classmate and rival, who has achieved the pinnacle of the Seven Kingdoms?
It was fortunate that the Dark Cardinal, Maximilian’s mentor, was not present, but Cyril Vailede, the leader of the Guardian Knights and the First Sword of the Holy Kingdom, was an incredibly formidable opponent.
I had prepared myself to some extent, but…
I never expected he would barge in with his troops so abruptly.
“Jebeline Albion Russell. A report has come in alleging that you may be a witch serving the forces of evil.”
“A witch?”
Witch.
A stark contrast to the saint, a symbol of purity and sanctity, representing evil instead.
It was an outrageous accusation.
To dare to brand the First Saint, who represents the Holy Kingdom, with the mark of a witch.
This was undoubtedly a provocation from the Holy Kingdom to awaken Jebeline as an apostle of the calamity god. It was certainly a scheme to bring misfortune upon the sanctuary.
Knowing this, I gripped the hilt of my sword and stepped in front of the paladins.
“Since inheriting the blessing of the White Dragon, I have never forgotten my duties as the First Saint. I have revered the Earth Mother and His Grace above, and led the devout believers below. To dare call me a witch, when I am as noble and beautiful as a pure white lily… this is the first time I’ve encountered such absurdity.”
Despite being surrounded by dozens of paladins, Jebeline protested with a calm voice. Her demeanor was as pious as ever, to the point that even the paladins assigned to arrest her were taken aback.
The First Saint.
Her opponent was the heir of the White Dragon.
Moreover, the guardian protecting her was a newly chosen hero of the Earth Mother.
If they were to commit the grave sin of subduing a saint and a hero, they would surely incur the wrath of the One True God. The paladins exchanged uneasy glances, wary of Cyril.
“The report has been received, and a trial will be held soon. Allegations related to witchcraft are to be handled by the Guardian Knights of the Holy Kingdom, regardless of status. I ask that you comply with the trial, First Saint.”
“How arrogant. To think a Guardian Knight would dare to put the First Saint on trial.”
A thunderous roar struck the heavens.
And fierce bolts of lightning spread out in an instant.
As Jebeline declared a show of force as expected, Cyril’s expression stiffened, and he slowly drew his sword. The sharp blade emerged with a chilling metallic sound.
“To point your blade at the hero newly appointed by the Earth Mother… the Holy Kingdom must be in its twilight. Have you already forgotten the divine oracle bestowed by the Earth Mother?”
“Shut up. I will expose your treacherous face to the world.”
Cyril Vailede, though perpetually overshadowed by Maximilian, had reached the realm of the absolute, and thus could never be underestimated.
He was the rival of the male protagonist, inheriting nearly all the settings that favored him from the author who created the work, and had been consistently undervalued. I, as the reader, knew this all too well.
“The Holy Sword? Ah, is it the sacred artifact said to be modeled after the Earth Mother’s Holy Sword?”
A blade stained red, as if forged from flames.
The vast divine power concentrated solely in a single sword was undoubtedly a holy sword.
A weapon modeled after the Four Sacred Swords of Demon Extermination.
It was a weapon created by the Holy Kingdom to confront the Demon Lord’s army and the cultist forces.
When holy swords come close to each other, they emit their inherent divine power and resonate. However, despite facing the crimson-stained holy sword, Aldebaran did not react. This was because the holy sword before him was merely a counterfeit that had exhausted all its efforts to resemble the original but ultimately failed.
“First, I will put you on trial.”
“Who do you think you are? A wretch that looks like a girl.”
It wasn’t an incorrect statement.
Cirelle Bailede, Maximilian’s rival, was a woman disguised as a man.
A wretch that looks like a girl.
It was only natural for Cirelle to grit her teeth at such a cheap provocation.
“The hero has arrived!”
As the genuine and the counterfeit were about to clash,
another holy sword user intervened, further igniting the already tense situation.
Maximilian Argon Hoenberk.
As the holy knights who had surrounded the Februa Cathedral withdrew, Maximilian revealed himself.
“…As expected.”
Creak. Creak.
Aldebaran’s grip on his sword trembled.
While he had shown no reaction to the counterfeit, Aldebaran displayed intense responses to the holy swords possessed by Maximilian.
“Hmph.”
As the dark-haired man joined the fray late, Cirelle scoffed in greeting.
As anticipated, Maximilian seemed to have joined the Holy Kingdom’s side. Cirelle’s demeanor, revealing her displeasure yet not showing hostility, spoke volumes.
“Damn it. Have you really decided to side with them?”
“……”
What an absurd fellow.
To think he would join hands with the Holy Kingdom after attempting to resurrect the calamity of death.
What kind of deal did he strike?
If he had indeed made a deal with the Holy Kingdom, it was surely connected to Beatrice.
Cursing under his breath, Aldebaran drew his sword.
Though he didn’t know the full details, it was clear that the once-great hero had fallen to the status of a lackey for the Holy Kingdom. Thus, he made the insane decision to confront both Maximilian and Cirelle simultaneously to protect Jebeline.
* * *
The One Hero of All Time, Maximilian
The Invincible Sword, Cyrel
The strongest of the Seven Kingdoms stood side by side.
It was truly a desperate situation.
There was no way to defeat them all at once.
As Maximilian slowly closed the distance, Jebeline swallowed hard, revealing her fear. If a fight broke out like this, Edanant would surely face defeat.
‘Should I join Edan? No, if it’s against the One Hero and the Invincible Sword, I would only be a hindrance. Compared to the monsters that have entered the realm of the absolute, I am far behind. But still…!’
A method was needed.
A way to take down at least one of them.
Was there no good way?
Even if just temporarily, one had to be removed from the fight.
Jebeline looked at the man with flowing black hair, her eyes filled with anxiety. It seemed easier to persuade Maximilian than to deal with the knight, who was almost obsessed with his own perfectionism.
‘But how…! I’ve heard that Maximilian is as stubborn as a wall! What on earth can I use to persuade him?’
She faced a once-in-a-lifetime dilemma.
Feeling the heavy pressure as if a passing storm was looming, Jebeline squeezed out her wits.
“Please help me, my lord! I don’t care if I die here, but… please save the child of Edan in my womb!”
“……?”
The girl with flowing silver hair collapsed, her voice trembling with desperation.
At that moment, both Edanant and Maximilian’s thoughts came to a halt.