NOVEL WEB Chapter 83
Charlotte emerged from the portal alongside Isabella, finding themselves in the foothills of a mountain.
Since the medium doll was noted as a scout, Charlotte had secretly assumed they would end up in a forest or at a mountain slope.
Shaking off her dizzy spell, Charlotte looked around.
Isabella was also discreetly surveying the area.
Then, she pointed to a location with her fingertip.
“Lieutenant. Over there.”
“Yes.”
Their gazes fell upon an open plain beneath the mountain range.
A marching undead army came into view.
Isabella shuddered and turned pale at the sight.
Even Charlotte, a necromancer, couldn’t help but frown at the sight.
The horde of undead swarming like cockroaches triggered an instinctive revulsion.
Putting aside her disgust, Charlotte began to process the situation.
Considering their current position and the direction of the marching, it seemed likely they would invade the southeastern free city of Elang.
It looked like a massive army of over ten thousand.
Just passing through would turn the city into ruins.
“Are you going to be okay, Lieutenant?”
Isabella’s question was not born from merely observing the numbers.
She knew well Charlotte’s twisted intention to annihilate humanity.
“Yes. I will be fine.”
Stopping that legion would protect humanity, but it also coincided with her master’s wishes.
Charlotte deceived herself into believing she was completely aligned with that notion.
“I’m not doing this for humanity.”
“I know, of course. But I thought it might weigh on your mind.”
“My feelings don’t matter. It’s His feelings that are important.”
Reflecting on the grace bestowed upon her by Him, sacrificing her life would be too little.
Charlotte believed that who one acts for was more significant than the actions themselves.
She observed the staff tightly held in her hands.
This too was a blessing granted by Him. She felt guilty for merely receiving.
She resolved to repay at least some of the grace during this opportunity.
Glancing sideways, Charlotte flicked a gaze at Isabella.
‘…If only I were by His side.’
To be honest, it was a bit infuriating.
I wanted to serve by His side.
Regrettably, given the circumstances, there was no choice but to concede.
Resigned, Charlotte extended her staff.
A sigh escaped her lips as she met the gazes coming from a distance.
“The ambush has been thwarted.”
“Hmm… It does seem that way.”
The army, which had halted its advance, was watching them closely.
Yet for some reason, she felt no malice from them.
Amongst the unmoving legion, an Arch Lich and a Dullahan stepped forward.
At first glance, they possessed considerable strength.
Charlotte had memorized the corrupt officials of the decay faction, and as far as she knew, the Dullahan was a notable figure who had served as a 5th or 6th legion commander.
‘The other Arch Liches…’
An archmage of many colors.
Although decayed, a faint vestige of their former living self remained.
The treachery of the archmage was to be expected.
With the empire on the brink of collapse, disloyalty was inevitable.
“Did you think we wouldn’t sense the presence of living beings?”
As they approached, Charlotte kept her guard tight.
Isabella also braced herself, her veins seemingly visible in the air.
The Dullahan was alternating its gaze between Charlotte and Isabella.
“Lieutenant of the Shrine of Faith. And you, the 8th Lord.”
Charlotte squinted as she tried to gauge the Dullahan’s true intentions.
Despite knowing, why was the malice set aside?
Could they mistakenly think they were here to help?
“You’ve come to impede us, haven’t you?”
No, it was more than that.
Her back was against the wall.
“The Lich King has expressed interest in you. Therefore, I bring you an offer.”
“…Is it persuasion?”
Somehow, it seemed devoid of hostility.
The Dullahan nodded.
“Witch and Vampire. Doesn’t our mission to exterminate humanity align with your own? Moreover, the Lich King personally wishes to bestow grace upon you.”
“What kind of grace do you mean?”
“Eternal life. And boundless power. You see the three Liches behind me. They have all gained a level of further growth through the Lich King’s grace. You shall enjoy eternal life, thus growing indefinitely.”
“….”
“When the war is over, half of the world belongs to Him. This is your opportunity. Submit willingly before you are subdued. Then, He shall grant you mercy along with His grace.”
With those words, magic circles unfurled all around.
The magical energy of the Arch Liches filled the air.
Though refusing could mean magic was unleashed immediately, Charlotte disregarded it and held her head high.
“Are you saying to betray the Shrine of Faith?”
“Be honest. Aren’t you dissatisfied? How can the Seven Lairs act for humanity? You’ve chosen the wrong master. But now, you have a choice.”
By teasing the task, it seemed they had grasped her true feelings.
However, Charlotte had already become stagnant regarding her master.
Isabella felt the same way.
“I refuse.”
“Me too.”
The Dullahan let out a chuckle and stepped back a few paces.
“Then it seems I must show you His grace.”
Whoosh!
Along with the existing magic circles, various gigantic circles filled the area.
Three 8th circle magic circles appeared in succession, some possessing mixed attributes.
These were Arch Liches who had held the position of archmage even in life.
As undead, they had far surpassed the limits of humanity.
Moreover, with the Lich King as their master, no further words were necessary.
The Dullahan spread its arms wide in demonstration.
“To reach a realm you can only attain by breaking free from the shackles of mortality. What do you think? Facing the Lich King’s boundless grace, have your hearts changed?”
If it were the Lich King’s boundless grace…
Charlotte carelessly flicked her staff.
Eager to boast, she waved it conspicuously.
“I have received grace from my Lord as well.”
Ziiing—
Ten magic circles appeared in a line, encircling the tip of her staff.
These circles were larger than the others and represented a sorcery of the 9th circle—extermination magic.
The sight was so unbelievable that the Arch Liches gasped in awe.
Activating them in an instant without incantation was impossible. Yet, she unfurled those successive magic circles without a hint of wavering.
No matter how hard they combined their strength, it was a level they could never hope to reach.
“…Ah.”
The Dullahan involuntarily let out a gasp.
By the time it realized its mistake, it was far too late.
“This is the grace of my Lord.”
───!
A cacophony of roars and eruptions filled the area.
***
The Duchy of Cavendish fell to the undead army in mere half a day.
After the fall of two cities in the duchy, the fleeing populace congregated at the fortified city of Quehling.
A military stronghold taking advantage of the mountainous terrain, it was the last bastion prepared by the duchy.
By definition, it was a fortress built for desperate resistance.
If they continued to hold out while waiting for reinforcements, there would be a chance of victory.
That was merely a delusion.
“Oh no…”
The undead forces swarmed over the castle walls.
Whether casting spells or unleashing holy powers, regardless of the means, attempts to drive them away were futile as they continued to ascend endlessly.
The unending tide, declining stamina, dwindling arrows, and faded morale.
The barrier of the duchy fell as it did before.
“Ahhh!”
Finally, the undead horde broke into the inner walls.
The soldiers’ cries soon morphed into shrieks, and those shrieks transitioned into final gasps.
Grapple!
The undead that fell inside the walls neither died nor ceased the mayhem.
‘This is wrong.’
The face of the duke was painted with despair and defeat.
The legion filling his view was only the tiniest fraction.
The boss, Calandas, was nowhere in sight, which served as clear evidence.
Not only that, but Barugore of the Shrine of Faith must have allied with Calandas.
The duke had yet to see Barugore or Calandas until now.
Though they were likely unleashing havoc elsewhere, the helplessness of being unable to stop it was insufferable.
“Your Grace! Please compose yourself!”
“…It’s all over.”
After the Four Heroes and the Great Sage fell, the empire had lost all its focal superhumans.
It was certain that the entire empire would meet the same fate as the south.
All of this was Barugore’s doing. Simultaneously, it was Calandas’s scheme.
“Humanity… has no hope.”
Humans did not exist until now.
The Seven Lairs had sustained humanity.
While they were merely amusing themselves, they now wished to obliterate humanity out of boredom.
Resistance was meaningless. A crushed worm wriggling only invites more pain before death.
The duke grasped the hilt of his longsword in reverse.
He quickly changed his mind. Even if he pierced his heart like this, he could not rest peacefully.
His corpse would be claimed by the undead and fall into Calandas’s hands.
“Listen closely.”
“Yes! What is your command?”
“Convey to the priests and paladins. We must all take our own lives with the Holy Flame.”
“Your Grace! How can you abandon hope?!”
This is not surrender. It’s a last resort.
Meeting death through holy power would prevent being resurrected by necromancy.
That was the best choice for the empire, for humanity.
“Still don’t you understand? We can’t stop them.”
“But Your Grace, how can you do such a thing—”
“When we lose, death won’t be the end. Shall I let them mock my death? Didn’t you always say that dying comfortably in war could be considered a blessing?!”
Whoosh!
It was then that a brilliant light burst forth.
The sunlight of the Holy Fire soared over the castle walls, engulfing the undead horde.
In the place where the wretched beings had disappeared, only the sunlight illuminated the surroundings.
Even before the blinding light, the duke opened his eyes wide in astonishment.
“Your Grace! The Divine is watching over us!”
Could it be that support from the order had arrived?
The duke, clutching his racing heart, peered beyond the radiance of the Holy Fire.
The first thing that caught his eye was the Holy Sword. Impulsive hope washed over him in a wave of joy.
However, that feeling was fleeting. The thought of who wielded the Holy Sword crossed his mind.
A vague sense of despair draped over him as hope waned.
Black iron armor. The dull-colored antlers. A skull reminiscent of a crow’s mask.
The one who had killed the Four Heroes and thrown humanity into despair.
“Ah…”
From the Shrine of Faith, Death Knight Barugore.
The warrior betrayed by humanity had returned as the embodiment of vengeance.