Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Mikhail’s white and crimson sword, Peacemaker, struck heavily against the dark blade.

In this place, he no longer possessed the protection of the “Enforcer of Peace.”

In his role as the Shadow Lord, Dale had flooded the terrain with a dense layer of darkness, summoning his subordinates. Both the Shadow Stalkers and the Shadow Knights advanced swiftly, following their leader’s directives.

Thus, the conflict between both parties erupted.

“Your evolution is truly surprising, a reflection worthy of the moniker ‘Black Prince’.”

Surrounded by the offensive coming from all sides, Mikhail Lancaster displayed a bitter grimace. However, faced with the unceasing hostility, he showed no signs of fear or disturbance in his demeanor.

That individual possessed great power. Even Dale, whose vigor increased day by day, understood that he must not grow careless before him.

However, Dale’s distrust toward Mikhail Lancaster did not derive solely from his combative capacity.

“This fellow represents a danger.”

It was his fixation on the paladin from another reality and the true essence of that “peace” he intended to achieve while wielding Peacemaker.

Dale was not in a position to judge, but this man’s conceptions were completely wild and risky.

A true monstrosity consecrated to peace.

In the end, wasn’t he just one more aristocrat within the Empire? No, it brought Dale a certain amusement to evoke the moment he supposed Mikhail Lancaster would make a difference. Different? Not at all. Deep down, Dale never harbored that conviction.

He simply had not deciphered that the prudence and rectitude exhibited by Mikhail in the combat arena possessed an utterly distorted background. Upon realizing this, he could not help but let out a laugh.

A relentless nobility. That red and white energy embodied the “force” coming from the Red Tower combined with the “falsehood” inherent to the White Tower.

It had been Dale himself who triggered the events.

That unforgettable and painful fall of the past. Coupled with the tranquility he obtained in his condition as a paladin of the other world.

Mikhail Lancaster was part of that same reality. In the same way as those who intended in vain to rid themselves of Dale’s influence, his “nobility” still resisted assimilating said situation.

Holding back the laughter that threatened to surface, Dale lunged decisively.

His dark artificial limb gripped “Gluttony,” the pitch-black cursed blade. At that exact moment, the Shadow Knights, wielding identical replicas of “Gluttony,” advanced in unison.

These dark entities emerged from the combination between the “Shadow Cloak” and “Gluttony,” united by the vibration of the darkness.

The warriors of the penumbra, submissive to the orders of the “Shadow Lord,” aimed their weapons toward Mikhail Lancaster. A precise attack that not even Mikhail Lancaster would manage to evade easily.

Right in that fragment of time, it happened.

Amidst the aggressive onslaught, the white and crimson energy bursting from Mikhail rose, emulating a whirlwind.

“…!”

Dale’s advance stopped abruptly. He swallowed hard in silence.

“Good heavens…”

Before him manifested the envoy of fire and clarity.

He left behind his ordinary human condition to transform into the “Knight of Fire and Light,” shedding burning flashes.

A warrior capable of bringing clarity to the earth just as the sun does, carrying a temperature comparable to that of the sun.

The glow emerged with strength. It resembled the clarity of dawn, which dissipates the darkness that precedes the new day.

The shadowy beings created by Dale dissolved before the clarity, as if it were impossible for them to coexist with it.

Even Dale experienced the weight of the energy coming from Mikhail Lancaster’s manifestation, evoking the sensation of a creature of the night exposed to the clarity of a clear midday.

Nonetheless, the warriors of the penumbra continued their march with the intention of extinguishing that radiance.

“We beg you to excuse us, Viscount Sachsen.”

Suddenly, two female warriors backing the “Black Prince” presented themselves with their energy blades ready for action. Lady Black and Lady Shadow.

Despite the situation, they chose not to manifest their own divine entities in front of the warrior who already displayed his.

They understood that Mikhail Lancaster’s weapon did not pursue a mortal end. Dale shared that same understanding. Due to this, he decided not to exhibit his own divine manifestation when Mikhail did the same.

The purpose of the blades of both warriors consisted of leaving a testimony of fidelity, a flat refusal to tolerate any slight toward their leader.

“—By pure instinct, I spotted a real risk before the onslaught of Prince Dale.”

Mikhail Lancaster revealed his divine manifestation only for a brief lapse. The envoy of fire and clarity. Shortly after, the energy extinguished from his anatomy, and he proceeded to kneel submissively in front of Dale.

“Had I not resorted to this manifestation, the aggression would have resulted fatal, preventing me from making it out alive.”

He expressed his words while maintaining serenity, as he drove his weapon vertically into the surface of the ground.

Behind his back, the two female warriors maintained their energy blades of crimson and dark tones pointed directly at his ribcage and his throat.

“Once again, I have fallen twice.”

“…….”

“You truly do justice to the title of ‘Black Prince’.”

Despite everything, a tone of defeat was not perceived in his declaration. It remained clear that this represented only an act destined to cause an impact on Dale. For that reason, Dale chose to keep silent, limiting himself to observing the scene.

Before the momentary radiance that dissolved the penumbra, the darkness covering the environment dissipated completely.

The shadowy beings suffered the same fate. The mystical object known as the “Shadow Cloak” seemed to agitate with pain before Mikhail’s clarity.

The dark residues that remained scattered across the defensive structure returned toward Dale’s position.

At the same time he stored the cursed blade “Gluttony” into its respective sheath fastened to his belt, Dale uttered a few words.

“Regrettably, if we intend to preserve this ‘peace,’ it is very likely that my defensive structure will end up destroyed.”

“I agree with that.”

Simultaneously, the white and crimson energy enveloping Mikhail’s weapon extinguished, and he too proceeded to sheath Peacemaker.

“Prince Mikhail of Lancaster, acting in his capacity as Viscount of Saxony and as spokesperson for the ducal lineage…”

After securing his weapon, the Viscount of Saxony, Dale, made a respectful inclination of his head.

“—Welcome to the domains of the Demon King.”

Establishing his position in that place as the boss of the territory belonging to the Demon King of the North.

The city of Labyrinth, characterized by its intricate passages and under the administration of Viscount Sachsen.

As the enthusiasm provoked by the search for mystical objects increased, the settlement found itself filled with individuals with the illusion of amassing fortunes, while the light of dawn began to bathe the locality.

With no intentions of hiding who he was, Mikhail Lancaster proceeded to register himself in the adventurers’ association, immediately obtaining the S-rank category, a condition that granted him the right to delve into the deepest sectors of the layout.

With this incorporation, the number of S-rank explorers authorized to roam the lower levels of the place rose to twelve. Among them figured Faceless, Mikhail Lancaster, the drake exterminator, and Edward, the youngest offspring of the lineage of Count Dulles, who captained the explorers integrated into the aristocracy’s faction. The remaining eight members were being evaluated through the espionage channels operated by Dale.

This demonstrated the influence of the city of associations, which had extended an espionage mesh similar to a spider’s web through the corners of the Empire, in coordination with the “Shadow Court.”

The category assigned to the explorers constituted, formally, a validation granted by Viscount Sachsen with the purpose of avoiding altercations inside the layout. At least, that was the version spread to the public.

In practice, it functioned in the same way as a tool to individualize the warriors of great capacity who arrived at the northern lands attracted by the interest in mystical objects.

Up to that moment, the presence of any faction with a colossal power comparable to that of the Seven Swords of the region was not recorded. Nevertheless, the authorities of the Empire and the monarchical lineage did not contemplate remaining passive while the flourishing of the city of the layout and the lands of the Demon King continued their course without setbacks.

Although that matter did not require priority attention at that exact instant.

In those moments, a covert messenger belonging to the Calimala Association, who performed constant transfers to and from the domains of Sachsen, arrived carrying data of an extremely reserved character.

Main office of Viscount Sachsen, Dale’s reading space.

The commissioner of the Calimala Association manifested his respects before the authority of “Viscount Sachsen.”

From among the seven main corporations of the city of associations, the leader of the Calimala Association, seated under the title of “Master of the City,” possessed as his sole task to periodically notify Dale about certain matters.

The envoy of the maximum urban authority took the word.

“The elder feline has made its sound… and the insect executes its dance leaning on the girl’s shoulder.”

Upon hearing said phrase, Dale nodded, showing serenity.

“The comedian places the blocks, the clerics celebrate a banquet serving themselves with creatures, and the walker stands up to the air currents.”

“Has the precious metal taken garments?”

“Negative, the precious metal continues without any coverage.”

“Have the air currents dragged the descendant of the walker?”

“It is a triple birth, all corresponding to the female gender.”

“What quantity of creatures have been devoured by the clerics?”

“They consumed three male specimens of bird and five pieces of laying, finding two of them damaged. Subsequently, the clerics removed the equines and undertook the retreat.”

“Were they dark-furred equines?”

“Negative, they corresponded to two light-furred specimens and six of a brown shade, all cataloged as combat specimens.”

Combat specimens. Upon hearing this detail, Dale’s features showed a slight, momentary alteration.

“Consequently, they do not dedicate themselves to the breeding of common equines.”

“Indeed, the totality corresponds to combat specimens.”

The interaction resulted as incomprehensible as an exchange between people without judgment, to the point that the city leader’s own emissary was unaware of the background of what was expressed. Only two individuals deciphered the content of those messages: Dale and the maximum authority of the city.

That same day, the agreement between Dale and the leader of the Calimala Association in the city of associations was ratified.

The exposed data corresponded formally to the details of the commercial movements settled in the main document of the leader of the city.

Said records, safeguarded by the seven main corporations of the city of associations with a presence in all the imperial territory, contained the totality of the exchanges carried out.

It was unfeasible to try to fix the details of such transactions in memory to later send a third party before Dale.

For that reason, the communication developed employing a previously agreed encryption system.

The dialogue continued under this unforeseen modality and, with each phrase poured, Dale’s writing tool moved with celerity over the paper.

“I appreciate the labor performed.”

Finally, the exchange of data concluded and Viscount Sachsen sketched a gesture of moderate pleasure.

“Regarding the petition to increase the space of the exchange center of the Calimala Association, a physical space has already been reserved in the corporations’ sector and we find ourselves in conversations with the group of stone workers.”

“I am very grateful to you!”

“Likewise, an ordinance will shortly be published in the corporations’ sector granting tax exemptions under the endorsement of Viscount Sachsen. I enormously value the transparency that the Calimala Association has been manifesting.”

Dale showed a smile loaded with intention, motivating the commissioner of the urban leader, who also exercised the provisional direction of the Calimala corporation, to perform a prompt inclination.

—Of course, Viscount Sachsen!

A scheme based on mutual correspondence.

Not even the commercial conglomerate of greatest relevance in the region, the City of Associations, managed to remain on the sidelines of the furor unleashed by the mystical objects and the changes that Dale had introduced in the territories of the northern frontier. Following this, the bond linking Dale with them, specifically with the Calimala Association, possessed singular characteristics.

In his condition as chief of the City of the Layout and the Northern Demon Territory, Dale harbored his own projects for the future.

Shortly after, the commissioner of the urban authority undertook the return, allowing Dale to direct his gaze toward the glass opening of the room. Despite the low temperatures of the domains of the Demon King, the sun rose according to its custom, expanding its clarity as a representation of fire and understanding.

He considered it rushed to put an end to his labors in his role as Viscount of Sachsen.

Nevertheless, Dale stood up without making a sound, resolved to give start to activities that could only be executed in that hour slot.

Stripping himself temporarily of his investiture as chief of the Demon Territory or as Viscount of Saxony.

To act simply under the identity of the anonymous warrior, the S-category explorer whom everyone called “Faceless.”