Chapter 70

“Wha—surrender?”

Everyone was stunned by the completely unexpected turn of events.

At the same time, the monster knight sharply diverted its spear.

Thud!

The tip of the spear, which had been aimed at Dante’s chest, pierced the ground right beside him.

A moment later, and it would have been Dante impaled, not the earth. The hunters let out a collective sigh of relief.

The monster knight, having reined in its frenzied demonic beast, asked quizzically.

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

“Yeah, you win. Are you going to kill me now?”

“An honorable knight does not point their sword at a surrendered foe.”

“An honorable knight does not point their sword at a surrendered foe.”

“An honorable knight does not point their sword at a surrendered foe.”

“So we’re done, right?”

“Indeed. As the price of victory, I shall take the spoils of war.”

“Indeed. As the price of victory, I shall take the spoils of war.”

“Indeed. As the price of victory, I shall take the spoils of war.”

The hunters whispered among themselves, their expressions incredulous.

“Does that mean it’ll just leave if it gets its spoils?”

“It seems so.”

“…Then it should have just said so from the beginning…”

Compared to the power the monster knight had displayed, it was an anticlimactically simple resolution.

Amidst the bewildered hunters, Dante continued his questions.

“What are the spoils?”

“The head of the Red King.”

“The head of the Red King.”

“The head of the Red King.”

“…!”

“Present the spoils.”

“Present the spoils.”

“Present the spoils.”

The Emperor, who had been watching comfortably while surrounded by his knights, turned deathly pale.

Dante ran a hand through his hair with a troubled look.

“If I refuse, do we start over?”

“Refusal means annihilation.”

“Refusal means annihilation.”

“Refusal means annihilation.”

Dante turned to the Emperor and asked nonchalantly.

“Your Majesty, you heard him. What should we do?”

“W-why are you asking me!”

“It won’t stop until it’s killed not just us, but every citizen of the Empire.”

“…And?”

“But if Your Majesty makes a sacrifice, everyone can live. I was just wondering if you had any thoughts of sacrificing yourself for the greater good.”

“Second Prince! Is this any time for jokes? I am the Empire! If I perish, it is no different from the fall of the Empire. Are you suggesting I hand the Empire over to a monster?!”

The Emperor was practically jumping out of his skin.

Logically, no one would offer the Emperor to a monster. Yet his reaction was excessively agitated.

“How long will you listen to the ramblings of a mere monster! All of you, combine your strength and destroy it!”

The hunters’ expressions turned sour.

It may have been a monster, but it was a foe that could communicate and had shown a sense of chivalry.

And he wanted them to swarm it all at once. Wasn’t that a cowardly act?

It wasn’t a command one would expect from the Emperor, of all people—a man known for his justice and integrity.

But the Emperor, seized by the fear of death for the first time in his life, failed to read the chilly atmosphere spreading among the hunters.

“What are you all doing! Get rid of it, now!”

The hunters moved reluctantly.

They didn’t like it, but a one-on-one fight was unwinnable.

To defeat the monster knight and close the gate, they had no choice but to work together.

“Let’s do as His Majesty says. We have no other choice.”

“It would be best to have the swordsmen take the lead.”

“I object.”

The hunters’ gazes turned to Kaiel. He analyzed the situation coolly.

“It is a being that values chivalry. We don’t know how it will react to a battle that isn’t a one-on-one duel.”

“Then what are you suggesting we do? His Majesty has given an order!”

Just then, Yulia whispered in a low voice.

“Master of the Magic Tower, don’t you think the phrase ‘one who is qualified’ might be the key?”

“Your reasoning?”

“It said it would take the Red King’s head as a spoil of war. Like in a real war. It seems the opponent it’s looking for is the enemy nation’s greatest knight… and there’s only one person who fits that description, isn’t there?”

It was a plausible theory. Kaiel spoke to the hunters.

“There is someone who can face it.”

“Who on earth possesses such an ability?”

“Hunter Astell.”

“…”

“She can do it.”

The hunters knew it as well.

Astell could undoubtedly fight the monster knight on equal footing.

But there was no way to persuade the Emperor. Besides, even if the Emperor permitted it, she could simply refuse.

Would she fight for them, the very people who had betrayed her and joined Bluebird?

The hunters shook their heads.

“W-what’s the point of bringing up someone who’s locked up?”

“Exactly. If you’re so scared, Master of the Magic Tower, then stay back. We’ll handle it ourselves.”

“…”

Kaiel was pushed back, as were Johan and Alex.

Those who stepped forward to attack were about fifteen swordsman-rank hunters.

They approached the monster knight, forming a circle around it.

Only the crunch of footsteps echoed in the silent rear garden. The air grew heavy with tension.

A moment later, the monster knight suddenly raised its spear high.

“Death to the cowards.”

“Death to the cowards.”

“Death to the cowards.”

In the next instant, the monster knight multiplied.

Its number was exactly the same as the hunters who had approached it.

They couldn’t even handle one, and now there were fifteen!

“W-what is this! Duplication magic?”

“It multiplied?”

The hunters froze on the spot, unable to believe the situation.

The monster knight did not miss the opening.

It rushed at the stunned hunters and swung its spear mercilessly.

It wasn’t an honorable duel, but an indiscriminate slaughter.

The hunters fled in all directions, but they could not escape the attack.

“S-save me… Aaargh!”

“Ghk! G-guh…”

The screams were cut short.

In a matter of moments, fifteen hunters had fallen.

The monster knight, now returned to a single body, twirled its spear.

Whoosh! A deadly whistle cut through the air. The knight’s voice followed.

“O qualified one, challenge me.”

“O qualified one, challenge me.”

“O qualified one, challenge me.”

Incredible spearmanship and a body immune to magic.

On top of that, the ability to duplicate itself to match the number of its opponents.

From the start, it had been on a level they could never hope to match.

They should have admitted it sooner; their hesitation had led to a catastrophe.

The name they had tried so hard to erase resurfaced in the minds of the battle-weary hunters.

Astell Ruthius.

Rank 1, the greatest knight capable of facing this foe.

“Members of Bluebird! The beast must be tired! Reform your ranks and kill it! A great reward to the one who brings me its head!”

The hunters were too dumbfounded by the Emperor’s shouts to even laugh.

He had just witnessed fifteen hunters die pointless deaths, yet he issued the same command.

He was treating them like nothing more than worthless consumables.

Resentment began to sprout in the hunters’ hearts. Even those of noble birth looked displeased.

“Hunter Astell promised to give us the authority to clear gates…”

“That’s right. Not just bark orders at us like this.”

“She also said she’d deploy parties according to the gate’s level.”

“If we’d joined Guardian, we wouldn’t be dying pointless deaths against enemies far beyond our level.”

“But isn’t the Second Prince the head of Bluebird? Why is His Majesty giving the orders?”

“The Second Prince is going to Guardian, remember?”

“…Did we really make the right choice joining?”

Slowly, those who regretted joining Bluebird began to appear.

As the hunters merely hesitated, the Emperor exploded in fury.

“What is everyone doing? Do you not hear my command! I said fight!”

Just then, Johan, unable to stand it any longer, clenched his fists and spoke.

“Your Majesty, please release Hunter Astell.”

Had it been Johan’s opinion alone, he might have been ignored. But the atmosphere was not one that could be dismissed.

“The Paladin is right. We need Hunter Astell.”

“Only Lady Astell can face that thing!”

Everyone, even the nobles, was stepping forward to demand Astell’s release.

“W-what did you say?”

The Emperor shot to his feet, his face crimson with rage. But the hunters did not back down.

Instead, they met his gaze with defiant expressions.

“If Hunter Astell had been here from the start, they wouldn’t have had to die like this. Your Majesty, please release Lady Astell!”

“We need Hunter Astell!”

“She is the only one who can defeat it!”

Hunters shouted from all around.

The atmosphere was undeniably hostile toward the Emperor.

Only then did the Emperor realize his mistake.

*Damn it, I should have been more careful…*

It had been a mistake to let his fear expose his arrogant and selfish nature.

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

If he declared surrender now, the monster knight would disappear.

After claiming the head of the Red King as its spoil of war.

The Emperor couldn’t say a word. The hunters merely glared at him in silence.

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

“W-wait, give me a moment to think…”

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

“Surrender?”

“…”

A moment later, a suppressed command escaped the Emperor’s fiercely twisted lips.

“Bring me… the Princess.”