Weapon Master of the Count’s Family

Chapter 75: The Queen’s Tears (2)

As I absorbed the red gem, the Blood Ruby,

I felt an unfamiliar yet intensely powerful energy coursing through my body.

This is far more potent than most elixirs.

I finally understood why even the already powerful sought vampire power.

If anyone had the chance to gain such strength,

it would be near impossible to pass up.

“How does it feel? Overflowing with power?”

“Absolutely.”

“Then let’s go. Before they regroup.”

“Before we go, let’s try a different approach this time.”

“How?”

This might be our last attempt.

Instead of opening the mansion’s door,

we broke through the roof and soared upward.

Boom!

The populace pointed at the full moon.

At its center was Gaiard, wings spread wide.

“A vampire!”

“Look, there!”

But there was nothing they could do.

Not even the Vipers.

They could only watch as Gaiard flew toward the capital.

“But wasn’t something dangling below him?”

“You must’ve seen wrong. Or did you?”

They hadn’t seen wrong.

A human was hanging from Gaiard, flying with him.

And that human was the only variable that could end this infinite regression.

“Listen! No mistakes allowed. Approach this like it’s our last shot, because if we die, it’s over!”

“I got it, so shut up. You’re breaking my focus!”

Reaching the wall, Gaiard deftly dodged the familiar barrage of arrows.

Even the incoming lightning was avoided with reflexive movements, not a hair touched.

Countless spells and arrows rained from below,

but he twisted his body lightly, evading them all as if mocking them.

“There’s a barrier around the inner castle, so this is as far as I can fly.”

“Perfect.”

We landed right above the barracks, away from the palace gate.

Touching down, we drew every soldier’s attention.

“Not a bad landing, right?”

“Of course!”

Gaiard had landed here on purpose.

To deal with the small fry all at once.

“Hup!”

Gathering strength, he spread both arms.

A wave of blood surged, repelling all the soldiers.

“Let’s go.”

With one strike, he drastically reduced their numbers and breached the inner castle’s wall.

Entering through the hole, we steeled ourselves.

The real trial began now.

“Gaiard!”

Aster, the Executor guarding the palace, was seen charging toward us.

I stepped in front of Gaiard.

“Leave her to me and go to the study.”

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Though we’d agreed beforehand, he seemed uneasy now that the moment had come.

But I had no such doubts.

My only thought was to block the obstacle before me.

“What if I’m not? Besides, I’ve already fought her once.”

“It’s not just Aster—stronger ones will come.”

“Doesn’t matter. I’ve been through worse.”

“A young guy like you, been through that much? Fine, I’ll trust you.”

Gaiard launched himself toward the study.

Since he needed to meet the queen himself, and I’d been given power, it was the right move.

At that moment, Aster unleashed a sword aura imbued with a gust.

I countered, striking her aura head-on to block it.

“Where do you think you’re going!”

“Are you a traitor too?”

Her attack was blocked,

and Gaiard slipped through the gap.

Furious, Aster directed her hostility at me.

“Is that how it is? But what does that matter?”

“I don’t have time to waste on the likes of you!”

No matter how competitive she was, eliminating Gaiard was her top priority.

With Gaiard, who held a grudge against the king, infiltrating the palace, anything could happen.

For this reason, she unleashed her everything, Tempest, from the start.

Time to test this power.

I’d already experienced her ultimate technique.

It was not to be underestimated.

I infused my sword with a portion of the power Gaiard had given me.

Even that small amount made the sword tremble violently, as if it would leap from my hand.

It felt like holding a freshly caught fish.

Ugh! Even Venus can’t handle it.

So, I condensed the sword aura into a single point and released it.

Doing it with a sword instead of a spear is new, but if I know the principle, it’s possible.

The signature technique of Bryden, the Blue-Eyed Knight, “Breakers.”

A strike that compresses qi into a single point and fires it.

The power of this technique grows stronger the more qi is compressed.

For instance, Bryden, its creator, was said to be able to pierce black iron as thick as a human torso.

It may not be that level, but it should disrupt the flow of qi.

My version of Breakers shot straight, colliding with the storm-like sword aura.

Whoosh!

The condensed qi scattered, spreading like a sword wave in all directions.

Grind!

Deep sword marks were instantly carved into the floor and walls,

and the careless guards standing nearby were cut down before they could react.

“How…”

Aster was visibly shaken as her ultimate technique was blocked.

She didn’t think herself the strongest.

But she hadn’t expected her sincere attack to be stopped by someone she saw as several steps below her.

While she was rattled,

I surveyed my battlefield.

This place is too open. I can feel powerhouses gathering nearby. I won’t last a minute here.

Assessing the battlefield, I moved toward a more defensible position.

Tap!

A beat late, Aster followed me.

“Don’t run!”

Ignoring her, I soon found a suitable spot.

There. The chapel!

The chapel within the inner castle.

Used by royalty and imbued with the kingdom’s sanctity, it was built sturdier than anywhere else.

This meant that if I entered and blocked the door, I could hold off multiple foes alone.

Of course, the enemies might bypass me.

But through Aster, I’d shown I wasn’t to be ignored.

So, I could likely hold back half the forces heading for Gaiard.

Boom!

I kicked open the door and entered.

Inside, I saw a priest praying before a burning chalice.

“Sorry. I don’t mean to harm you…”

At that moment, I recalled something Gaiard had said.

They killed me, sealed me, and took me to Ernst. He might be my nemesis.

It didn’t take long to realize the priest before me was the Saint he’d mentioned.

“A guest has arrived.”

A visible holy aura emanated from the Saint as he slowly rose.

Damn. Did I poke the hornet’s nest?

The priest closed the scripture in his hand and approached.

“Why is our guest aiding a demon?”

“There’s a reason for it. So, please turn a blind eye just this once.”

“Hmm… As a servant of the divine, I dislike harming fellow humans. If you’d step back, I’d be grateful.”

As the priest raised the scripture, the chalice’s flames began to flicker.

“Sorry, but I can’t do that.”

“Whether you say no, it won’t change anything. Though I, as a priest, may not harm you, they will.”

The “they” he referred to were the Executors and guards already nearing the chapel.

“We’ll see about that.”

“You’re too stubborn. That’ll get you broken.”

The entire chapel began to glow golden from the chalice’s flames.

“I’ve been broken once, so I know it well.”

There was no hesitation in my choice now.

I only hoped Gaiard would meet the queen quickly.

***

Having entrusted his back to me, Gaiard flew straight to the study.

Then, the kingdom’s advisory mages emerged, firing spells in unison.

“We must stop Gaiard!”

“Bring him down!”

But they couldn’t use earth-shattering magic,

as Gaiard was flying over the palace.

In contrast, Gaiard didn’t care if the palace was destroyed and unleashed his power.

“Disgusting pawns of that filthy king.”

As he waved his hand, the black sky turned red.

He had covered the heavens with his blood.

“Die, all of you.”

A rain of countless blood droplets began to fall.

Each one was as hard as steel.

“Argh!”

“Raise a barrier!”

The relentless steel rain threatened to shatter both people and the palace.

Yet, amidst it all, one place remained untouched.

The study, frequently visited by the queen.

Bellain…

Gaiard flew there and landed at the entrance.

Thud!

Five Iris members stood guard in front.

“Get lost.”

Gaiard glared with red eyes, issuing a warning.

He would’ve killed them silently, but he held back in case she might see.

“We can’t!”

“We won’t let a monster like you pass!”

As all five Iris members raised their swords and formed a formation,

Gaiard’s figure vanished like vapor.

In the blink of an eye, he appeared before the leftmost Iris.

“Guh!”

Gaiard pierced her body and ripped out her heart.

“One down.”

“Spread out!”

The remaining four scattered, forming a perfect encirclement around Gaiard.

As their four swords united in the sword technique Astra, Gaiard created a sword of his own.

Clang clang clang!

Amid the fierce exchange, Gaiard flinched at something.

The Iris didn’t miss the chance.

“Die, monster!”

One sword split into four,

each piercing Gaiard’s vital points.

Stab!

Yet, he stood still, staring at one spot,

unaware that his body was impaled.

“Bellain…”

Queen Bellain had emerged due to the commotion.

Sensing her presence, the Iris leader turned.

“Your Majesty!”

As the Iris panicked, a massive hand rose from the floor, shoving them all away.

“Kyaa!”

“Ah!”

The remaining four crashed into the wall and collapsed.

“Bellain!”

“Gaiard!”

With the obstacles gone, they approached each other.

Gaiard enveloped them in a circular barrier of blood.

“Your Majesty!”

The fallen Iris members rose and swung their swords, but the barrier formed faster.

Clang!

Clang!

The sound of strikes on the barrier didn’t reach them.

“You’re really alive.”

“Gaiard, what do we do…”

The queen, teary-eyed, looked at the blood staining his clothes.

Though his wounds healed, the bloodstains couldn’t be hidden.

“It’s fine. It’s not enough to kill me.”

“I’m so sorry…”

The queen, embraced in his arms, wept.

And Gaiard didn’t push her away.

“It’s alright. It was my choice. So don’t feel guilty.”

“But…”

“I’m glad I saw your face. I really thought you were dead.”

Gaiard looked down at Bellain in his arms.

“Seeing you so unharmed is such a relief.”

And he smiled.

The cold-blooded man smiled genuinely for the first time in centuries.

“Sob…”

In contrast, Bellain shed tears,

as if sensing the tragic end of this reunion.

“Why did you come…”

“Because I wanted to see you.”

“Run away now. I’ll try to hold them off.”

“I’d like to, but I didn’t come alone.”

A loud noise interrupted.

Feeling a familiar presence, Gaiard dropped the barrier.

This guy… still alive?

There, I stood, bloodied, blocking the Iris unit.

“Don’t even think about interrupting this touching reunion.”

My body was tattered and battered,

but the fighting spirit in my eyes burned fiercer and hotter than anyone else’s in the room.