156. Red Wave (7)

“Are you going back again?”

The Royal Capital Adventurer’s Guild Branch. The gazes of the adventurers looking at the party of the first princess who suddenly came in were filled with surprise and anxiety at the same time. Louis says that he hasn’t arrived yet, perhaps because his arrival is delayed. In a corner of his heart, Maxim tried to suppress an ominous feeling and looked at Marion, who had been talking to him.

“yes. have to go back Not only has His Highness the first prince arrived yet, but there are still too many people left in the palace.”

Marion grabbed Maxim’s collar. Maxim stroked the mask over his face. Marion put her hand on top of Maxim’s hand, as if trying to forget the anxiety from that touch.

“… Be careful, Maxim. No matter how you are, the palace is in danger right now.”

“I know. Marion. I’ll be careful.”

Maxim looked at the second floor where the first princess and the guild branch manager were having a conversation.

“Take care of Your Highness, Marion.”

Marion nodded. Maxim again entered the chaos of the royal capital. Baek-a, who was in the waist dance, was crying low as if she was nervous at the same time as Maxim’s heart. Armed men caught sight of Maxim, who went back the way he had come. They must be the soldiers released by Leon Benning. Maxim did not think of avoiding them.

“? It’s an intruder!”

A soldier spotted Maxim and shouted, but it was too late. Baek Ah had already slaughtered all the soldiers around her and was rushing towards the one who shouted. Maxim clicked his tongue as he looked at the fallen soldiers at his feet. The fact that Leon Benning’s soldiers roamed even near the side roads meant that the palace was already half-occupied.

“Damn it.”

Maxim swears softly and looks at the road leading to the palace. 1 Not only the palace of the princess, but the entire palace was burning with flames. Maxim gnashed his teeth and headed for the palace. Not meeting Louis meant that he still couldn’t get out of the palace.

“catch-!”

As soon as he entered the palace, Maxim faced the knights who surrounded him. All of them are capable enough to manifest an aura. The eyes of those who looked at Maxim’s sword were filled with life.

Can’t waste time here.

Maxim gripped his sword and inhaled. The wind blows at Maxim’s feet. Maxim lowered his sword and was wary of the knights. Even in the midst of this, the king’s roar was constantly flowing out. Maxim held Baekrang and closed his eyes. knock down all at once

It was the time when Maxim raised mana.

“I was in a place like this.”

A low voice heard after discovering Maxim. Maxim turned his head at the familiar voice and smiled.

—

‘You are the child of the Benning family, Theodora.’

My father used to say that out of habit. Those words also summed up Theodora’s childhood. It was a dreary day. A child who lost his mother and has lived his life immersed only in the sword, without affection or interest. Just as Leon Benning intended and thought, Theodora grew up to be a perfect knight. Theodora did not think of her childhood as a memory.

‘Listen to your father, Theodora.’

puppet? Brainwashing? In the first place, Leon Benning did not even think of placing a curse or brainwashing on Theodora. From the beginning, she had been growing up as Leon Benning’s puppet.

“… I won’t go back.”

Theodora’s first rebellion against Leo Benning was of no small significance. A man named Maxim gave him the key to unlock his shackles, which he couldn’t move on because he was bound by the shackles. go ahead Even in meeting and parting, Theodora moved forward little by little, loosening the restraints of the shackles. Finally freed from the shackles, the wolf again exposed its teeth towards the chains that were trying to imprison it.

“I won’t listen to you anymore.”

Those were the words he was telling his father who was not here, and also the words he was saying to himself. Bernardo Lennon looked at Theodora with genuine pity.

“My lady can’t beat me. Just like it has been since I was a kid.”

“Those words were always told to me by the opponent who lost to me.”

Heilang howled violently. It wasn’t just his own sword that let out ferocious cries. The airflow around Theodora reacted to Theodora’s mana, creating a whirlpool with the momentum to tear the world apart.

“You make a choice you will regret.”

“Regret,”

Platinum mist blooms in Heilang. Like wings, the aura overturned Heilang and enveloped Theodora as it rose. Theodora’s dark cloud-colored eyes opened in the raging torrent of mana.

“I’ve already done enough for my whole life.”

Bernardo’s mana surged sharply. As if trying to fight against the phenomena caused by Theodora, the aura shattered everything around her and dwelled in the sword. A storm rises from Bernardo’s sword. The red aura blade, so red that it hurts the eyes, grew in power against Theodora’s platinum aura.

“It wouldn’t be bad to test how strong the young lady has become.”

In a situation where other knights would have already broken their fighting spirit, Bernardo leisurely watched Theodora’s sword. Theodora grabbed her sword and ran forward as if responding to the provocation.

The light exploded. If stars and stars collided in the sky, would a scene like this be created? The palace, which had been in the middle of the night, turned into a completely bright day in an instant. No sound is heard. In the eyes of all who watched the scene, the process of destruction created by the collision was clearly remembered like a picture.

“You have grown a lot.”

Bernardo’s voice didn’t sound very emotional when he said that, and it didn’t seem like he was praising Theodora’s growth. Theodora narrowed her eyes as she looked around the completely ruined area. He went all out from the start, but Bernardo seemed to block it without much effort.

“I never imagined it would disrupt my aura.”

Saying that, Bernardo raised his sword. The bright red aura wrapped around the sword was distorted and shaking.

“But it seems to be not enough to defeat me.”

When Bernardo shook his sword, the distorted aura regained its shape and rang low. Theodora clicked her tongue and raised her sword again. No more words were needed. Theodora’s model shot forward. A bright red flame and a platinum flame exploded in the air, roaring violently, ready to devour each other. At first glance, a tight battle. However, Theodora knew that he would not be able to maintain this Baekjungsae for long.

Also, I can’t win.

I had no intention of doing anything wrong. If Bernardo loses by force, his determination and reconciliation with Maxim will be in vain. While pushing with all her might, Theodora figured out a way out of the situation.

Should I hit and run away? Or, should I buy as much time as possible and wait for the Jackdaw Knights to join me?

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Numerous choices filled Theodora’s head. As if reflecting the hesitation, Theodora’s sword began to become slightly disturbed.

“I told you not to think about it.”

bang-!

When the connection to the sword was not smooth, Bernardo dug into that loophole and stabbed the sword. Theodora rode Heilang and drew a long line on the floor, bouncing off the shock. Bernardo’s offensive had only just begun. Theodora exploded her aura in amazement as she quickly closed the gap.

“Ugh-!”

I managed to block the attack, but Bernardo’s blow was quite heavy. Meanwhile, Bernardo raised his eyebrows as if surprised that Theodora’s aura, which blocked his blow, had not been disturbed. Is Theodora’s Aura a talent worthy of being said to be the best of all time?

Bernardo’s attacks became more ferocious. What Theodora was thinking about at that time was the final match against Maxim during the martial arts competition. At that time, how he defended against the attack and what kind of sword technique Maxim drew. Theodora drew a sword in her mind.

“It is an excellent sword.”

Bernardo commented as he looked at Theodora’s sword, which blocked all of his own. There was no time to answer Theodora. Even at this moment, Bernardo’s sword was accelerating and aiming at him. One brushing sword attack was terrifyingly sophisticated, and it could never be said that it was completely blocked just because the sword was let go.

Like the dust accumulating in layers, Bernardo’s sword strikes persistently accumulated damage even if he didn’t directly cut down the opponent. Even so, the wings of the aura spread by Theodora did not break. He just patiently waited endlessly for him to receive the sword attack, shed it, and regain his flow.

“It is useless.”

In that case, it was enough to destroy it from the front. Bernardo’s aura roared even more violently. Drawing cuts again in the ruined area, Bernardo’s steel sword struck Heilang. For the first time, Theodora’s aura wavered. Bernardo’s ensuing attack knocked Theodora completely back.

“… You forfeited the opportunity to obey.”

Theodora’s eyes were still engulfed in fighting spirit as she stood up from her seat while leaning on Heilang. Still those platinum wings do not break. Bernardo narrowed his eyes and looked at the aura.

“This is the path you have chosen.”

the sword flew Anticipating that if he struck back, Theodora would receive a bigger shock, and tried to let go of the attack by raising the blade obliquely. But Bernardo’s blow pierced even that defense, so

bang-!

Theodora crashed onto the collapsed building with a roar. Theodora tried to force power into the hand holding the Heilang, but Bernardo’s foot landed on the Heilang, where the aura was drifting. Bernardo’s face, looking down at Theodora with a bright red aura, was terribly expressionless.

“Sure, lady. Please go with me.”

Bernardo widened his eyes at the resistance he felt under his feet. Theodora’s sword, Heilang, amplified the aura and roared fiercely.

“It’s not over yet, what are you talking about?”

Theodora’s gaze met Bernardo’s. Bernardo sighed and raised his sword.

“I hope you understand the slight hurt.”

Theodora watched Bernardo’s knife point point at her. Slowly he raised the sword, and Theodora looked at it to the end, vowing never to close her eyes.

“Sounds like a bit of a wound.”

bang-!

Theodora felt that the weight that had been weighing down Heilang had disappeared. The voice I heard was the voice of a very familiar person.

“Maxim… ?”

Theodora, who was about to call out that name, raised her body at an angle, and when she saw the two of them standing cross-legged in front of her, she put on a dumbfounded expression. The familiar brunette turned her head to herself and gave a troubled grin.

“Hi, Theodora. It’s a coincidence.”

The man standing next to Maxim followed Maxim and glanced at Theodora, then turned his head back to Maxim. It wasn’t long before Theodora could recall the man’s name. Hugo Bern. The one called the kingdom’s strongest knight glared at Bernardo.

“… I didn’t know the count had such a knight.”

Hugo, who was muttering as if he knew something, patted Maxim on the shoulder and gave an order.

“You take the leader of the Raven Knights and return to the First Prince as soon as possible. That knight in front of you is not yet an opponent you can defeat.”

Maxime approached Theodora and held out her hand before Hugo had finished speaking. Theodora stared blankly at Maxim’s hand extended to her. Maxim playfully waved his hand around, and only then did Theodora let out a chuckle and laugh, grabbing his hand and standing up. Theodora leaned against Maxim.

“… You fought hard,”

Like a child who kept his promise, Theodora smiled. Maxim laughed bitterly at that smile that had even reached the point of innocence.

“Good work, Theodora.”

“Because I was trying to keep that resolution.”

A decision not to submit to the Count any longer. Under the flames, Maxim knew that Theodora was trying to keep the promise she had made to him.

“Thank you for keeping that word.”

Maxim patted Theodora on the head and looked around. Here and there, people wearing the uniforms of the Jackdaw Knights were fighting against the forces of Leon Benning, but they were overwhelmingly lacking in numbers. More and more soldiers clung to the struggling members. If we continue like this, we will lose many of the members of the Raven Knights.

“-First of all, gather the members and retreat, Theodora. If you fight against the count’s forces while you’re not ready right now, you won’t even be able to plan the future and you’ll be annihilated.”

Theodora nodded heavily.

“Maxim, you… ?”

With a dark complexion, Maxim turned his head toward the first prince’s palace. There was no sign of Lewis yet. That fact was dragging Maxim’s steps heavily.

“… 1 We need to find out where the prince is, and check on the safety of His Majesty the King.”

Maxim looked at Hugo anxiously. Seeing that he defeated Theodora like this, that Knight of Benning was also not an ordinary strongman.

‘No, in the first place, Captain Hugo, who is facing me face-to-face, will know better than I do.’

Theodora did not tell Maxim to be careful. Maxim also did not tell Theodora to be careful. Absolute confidence in their skills. After exchanging final greetings with just a nod, they kicked off the ground and ran out.

The palace shudders in flames, smoke and ashes. Maxim hoped that he was not too late.