The Protagonists of Romance Fantasy Novels Have Escaped

57 – 57. The Dark Omen (1)

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There was no mistake.

The wrist accessory adorned with platinum.

It was the Magemongu offered by the Mage Tower, the headquarters of the Archmages, to the sage.

Vergri’sar.

An extraordinary creation of the Mage Tower, containing an almost infinite amount of magic within a small accessory.

The reason why the sage, a member of the Holy Order, could effortlessly wield close to a thousand bombardment spells was precisely due to the Magemongu of the Mage Tower. The inexhaustible flow of magic, like an ever-flowing spring, always brought victory to the sage.

Unleashing bombardments endlessly until the enemies were annihilated.

Hence, the crowds referred to the sage as the “Thousand Demons Sorceress.”

“Why does the envoy of disaster gods possess the Magemongu of the Mage Tower, you damn spectacled brat!!”

As the Holy Sword’s strike clashed with the gravity magic, surrounding objects and debris were swept away. At the same time, Edanant and the envoy of disaster gods charged towards each other.

Clang-!!

The sharp blade and the magical-infused fist clashed.

“Where did you get the sage’s Magemongu from? Speak!”

“Your keen response as soon as the Magemongu was activated… and your knowledge about it. Quite intriguing.”

In response to Edanant’s enraged shout, the black-haired woman showed an interesting reaction. Then, raising the platinum bracelet, she offered a faint smile.

She had no intention of speaking willingly.

Nor did she have any intention of handing it over easily.

From the woman’s skillful activation of the Magemongu, one could infer her intentions.

With that, Edanant gritted her teeth and brandished Aldebaran.

“Your, Your Highness…! Quickly, protect Your Highness!”

“We shall guide you to safety, Your Highness!”

Clad in sturdy full-body armor, the knights began to escort Barbados, guarding against the apostles of calamity.

They found themselves surrounded by rebel forces from all directions.

Venturing outside recklessly would have resulted in a rain of arrows like a downpour.

Yet, it seemed safer to be here, amidst the chaos of the rampaging monster that had laid waste to the palace. Overwhelmed by the eerie aura emanating from the apostles of calamity, the knights attempted to escort the Emperor and the First Princess out of the palace.

“The adversary is the apostle of calamity. I shall confront them.”

“H-How did they…!”

In response to Edanant’s words, Barbados glared at the woman with flowing black hair, her eyes filled with fury.

Apostles of calamity.

How had they breached the imperial palace?

They had purged the factions that embraced the forgotten deity fervently after the end of the racial war, especially targeting those who worshipped the deity of calamity, recorded as the root of all evils. Despite cutting off their lineage completely,

the remnants of the deity of calamity had somehow persisted.

Barbados clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles tore, expressing his frustration.

“Edanant, it’s dangerous to go alone! At least with the Imperial Knights…!”

“It’s fine. I specialize in dealing with cultists.”

In response to Isabelle’s outcry, Edanant shrugged his shoulders, replying.

Of all the adversaries he had faced since the end of the racial war, facing the cultists of calamity was the most vexing.

If one didn’t face them earnestly, they would surely fall victim.

The apostles of calamity who assaulted the Emperor’s palace were even armed with the wisdom of sages. Edanant, who had never lost his composure in any situation, had to prepare for death while swallowing his dry spit.

“You seem relaxed. Sending all your targets away.”

“Sending them away? No, just momentarily releasing them.”

Barbados and Isabelle, escorted by the Imperial Knights, escaped the partially collapsed palace. Despite their prime target fleeing right before their eyes, the apostles of calamity did not move.

They were overflowing with composure.

A sign of their overconfidence.

And also a sign of not regarding their immediate opponent with much concern.

“The Holy Sword user… Your name was surely Edanant von Hohenberg, right? I remember.”

“You even remember the name of the apostle of calamity.”

“I am Ariel Spellada. A disciple who worships the deity of fresh blood.”

“Fresh blood.”

The deity of fresh blood.

A name he had never heard before.

Fresh blood.

Could it be a deity of a heretical sect worshipped by vampires?

He quietly observed the woman with flowing black hair. Her corpse-like pale skin and chillingly beautiful features were undoubtedly characteristic of a vampire.

“Yes, I am a vampire.”

Her pitch-black eyes turned crimson in an instant.

Simultaneously, hundreds of familiars filled the space like stars in the night sky.

Similar.

It felt as if he was facing a sage.

Although skilled at imitating the original, they couldn’t completely replicate the power of a true sorcerer. However, by merging the protection of the deity of calamity with familiars, they had reached a destructive force comparable to the original.

“Damn it…! Where did this monster come from? I thought everything was over after the Demon King’s demise!”

The magical energies, now tainted crimson, began to spark and rise from the ground.

It was the protection of fresh blood.

The vampire with flowing black hair revealed her full power.

If she had displayed a haughty nature with vulnerabilities exposed, it might have been easier to deal with. Unfortunately, the beautiful monster before them was a being who gave her all in every aspect.

The partially collapsed palace began to tremble.

It would soon crumble.

The heavy fragments falling with a thud signaled its impending collapse.

* * *

The seemingly endless battle between the Imperial Army and the rebels, stained with blood, came to a halt as lightning struck and the Emperor’s palace collapsed.

───────!!!!

The palace where the Emperor resided had fallen.

The ground split like spider webs, swallowing numerous soldiers.

A monster had appeared.

It was the Earth Mother’s retribution.

Bolstered by the protection of fresh blood, the bombardment of spells rained down, crumbling the surroundings in an instant. Witnessing this, the soldiers screamed, abandoning even their war horses as they fled in panic.

“To think you could withstand all our attacks…! Impressive, Holy Sword user!”

“Keep your mouth shut.”

On all sides.

As banquets unfolded in all directions, a spectacle of fire and lightning was created.

Edanant, wielding the dazzling Aldebaran that emitted a radiant white light, displayed a skill of deflecting all attacks relentlessly.

Missing even one would lead to fatal consequences.

With each strike against the fire and lightning, a white trace was engraved in the air.

“But it’s meaningless!”

Pulling the trigger in case it might work, he fired bullets, but they couldn’t reach the vampire. Edanant licked his lips as he witnessed all the bullets bouncing off.

Today, suffering seemed particularly intense.

There had never been anyone who hadn’t been hit by a bullet on the head until now.

“Ugh!”

Like herding cats, a barrage of magic spells was continuously cast at the vampire.

Each time, Edanant had to fend off the attacks and move elsewhere.

“If I use the talisman, I might be able to turn the tide… darn it, there are too many humans around. Wherever I escape, there will always be a few humans.”

In the battlefield that had turned into chaos in the palace, it was likely that there would be witnesses everywhere. With numerous troops densely packed, there would be witnesses no matter where one went.

A place cut off from the outside.

An area where human feet could not reach.

Such a convenient and secluded space was unlikely to suddenly appear.

Nervously continuing the bloody race of the apostles of blood and death, Edanant suddenly raised his head as if he had remembered something. His golden eyes slightly widened.

“…That’s it!”

Turning his steps, he changed direction.

To Edanant’s dismay, the direction he headed towards was where Elizaveta and the nobles were gathered for the banquet.

“How long do you plan on running? It’s time to quietly become a sacrifice of blood.”

“……”

A chilling voice demanding death was heard, but Edanant, who was moving at full speed, did not respond.

There was no point in responding.

He quickened his pace even more, moving straight ahead.

“Rue!”

“E-Edan…?!”

He finally reached the vicinity of the banquet hall.

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Edanant called out to the small fairy with a deep voice.

The girl peeked her head out.

Successively witnessing the apostle of disaster casting bombardment spells, the girl turned pale and let out a scream.

──────!!!

With Edanant skillfully evading like a mouse, the apostle of blood intensified the bombardment, flashing his blood-red eyes, causing the ground to explode and dirt and dust to fill the air densely.

It felt like watching a scene of artillery fire with various firearms on display.

Seeing the devastation along with the attendees at the banquet hall, Rue trembled all over as she looked at Edanant. It wasn’t just to die alone, but because a multitude of people were bringing in a monstrous creature to where they were concentrated.

“W-What on earth are you carrying?!”

“Noisy… Open the door with the kids!”

“Open the banquet hall door…?”

“Now is not the time for jokes!”

Darn it.

She seemed like a jittery fairy.

If she’s supposed to be the best partner, she should understand even if I explain it like a piece of cake.

I made a mistake.

Unfortunately, I didn’t take into account the incompetence of the Luinongs.

“I’m telling you to open the passage to the fairies’ paradise. Hurry up, Rue!”

“Okay! Got it!”

Elizaveta, who was next to them, explained to Rue and the Luinongs. The small fairies, who were previously puzzled, nodded enthusiastically, exclaiming in excitement.

The fairies joined hands.

And a bright flash began to engulf the sight of the witnesses.

Edanant, who was desperately trying to prevent the banquet hall from being swept away by the bombardment spells, breathed a sigh of relief upon witnessing the bright flash. And he prepared to strike back at the apostle of blood.

“Ugh, what the…!”

“Prepare to fall into paradise. Apostle of blood.”

As the Luinongs opened the passage, the radiant and magnificent flash that emanated was enough to snatch the sight of the onlookers who were watching from nearby.

Likewise, Ariel, who witnessed the flash head-on, did the same.

She didn’t miss the opportunity.

Appearing like a shadow, she aimed the musket with a black gleam.

With sharp gunfire, a barrage of bullets aimed at the apostle of blood. Despite most of the bullets being blocked by the defensive magic instinctively deployed by Ariel, she still succeeded in counterattacking.

“Ah! Th-This can’t be…! Why would you!!”

The countless firearms deployed in the air were undoubtedly weapons formed by the protection of the apostle of disaster.

How,

How on earth could the chosen inspector of the Divine Sword of the Earthrealm wield the protection of the Disaster God…!

Unbelievable.

The fact that the inspector chosen by the Divine Sword of the Earthrealm used the protection of the Disaster God was beyond comprehension.

The beautiful vampire snarled sharply with a look of disdain.

However, Edanant did not allow even a moment of respite. As the muskets finished reloading, they resumed the baptism of bullets, spewing flames. Swept away once again by the immense firepower, Ariel was thrown into the center where a dazzling white radiance continued to emanate.