Chapter 297: HODL Elves (1) (1/2)
Terms used in this episode:
Rejuvenation – a martial arts skill that lets the practitioner return to their younger body through a process such as metamorphosis after they had achieved a higher level of realization. Rather than having their wrinkles disappear or their facial appearance turn younger, the body itself become young as their bones and muscles return to what it was in their youthful days.
Jude and his group traveled under the cover of night and by dawn, they arrived at a place where they could take a rest.
“We won’t get caught if we’re here.”
Most of the group nodded at Leon’s words.
A cabin stood on the rugged mountain with a forest that people rarely passed through.
It was quite large, but since the place was rarely passed through, they didn’t need to worry about being caught as Leon had said.
“Villagers can see those who are coming and going in this cabin in the mountains, but this place should be fine.”
One of the Royal Knights explained to the emperor whom he was carrying on his back, and the emperor nodded with a tired face.
The emperor didn’t care whatever it was as long as he could go in and rest.
[Jude, this is Sarah’s hometown, right?]
[It is.]
The birthplace of the playable character Sarah.
Cordelia glanced at Sarah who was at the front with Leon, so she could only see Sarah’s back.
‘Is she okay?’
Because in the game’s storyline, this cabin was a place that Sarah missed but didn’t want to return to.
A place that was filled with memories of her father.
But a place she wanted to erase from her memories because her father was murdered here.
Cordelia was slightly nervous as she looked at Sarah again.
But fortunately, her worries were unfounded as Sarah calmly moved forward as if she had already overcome the pain of the past.
[Ah, wait. Wait. Did she just hold hands with Leon now?]
It was only for a short time, but she did hold his hand, right?
And Leon seemed to have held her hand tightly as if to comfort her.
They did, right?
You saw that too, right?
As Cordelia’s face brightened up, Jude unconsciously had a bitter smile.
Because he thought that Cordelia was really interested in other people’s relationships.
“Don’t do that. Let’s focus on ours.”
“Eh? Huh?”
W-what do you mean?
At the time when Cordelia blushed and developed strange expectations.
[Let’s go in. Let’s move too.]
Melissa coldly and indifferently said, and Jude smiled before he held Cordelia’s hand.
Naturally, Cordelia shyly smiled as her fingers wiggled before she interlocked it with Jude.
[Seriously…]
Melissa quietly sighed and everyone in the group entered the cabin.
***
“It’s a little late, but let me give you my thanks. Heroes from a foreign country, the two people of destiny. The Imperial Family will never forget your help.”
The Empress Dowager sat in front of the fireplace and looked to be very tired. Her clothes appeared to be worn out from their escape, but she still had the dignity as the ruler of the empire.
If the First Queen of the Sälen Kingdom, Justina F. Sälen, had the unique dignity and robustness of a trained warrior, the Empress Dowager had the striking sharpness and ferociousness of a sword.
She had a fragile body that had never received combat training before, but the power in her eyes seemed to exceed that of the First Queen.
‘As expected of a regent.’
She should be around 30 now.
Even though she was young when compared to the former rulers of the empire, she had ruled the empire as a true regent for four years and was not just a puppet.
“I also commend you for your service.”
The young emperor, who was sitting next to the Empress Dowager, stiffened his neck and said. He seemed to be trying to show a dignified figure, but he was still too young and weak for that.
He seemed to be only eleven now.
“The emperor’s favor is immeasurable.”
Jude and Cordelia politely bowed their heads and replied, and smiles spread across the faces of the Empress Dowager and the emperor.
The Empress Dowager had a relieved smile while the emperor had a bright smile.
“As expected of the two people of destiny that the heavenly voice had foreseen. May I look forward to your future performance?”
When the Empress Dowager asked again, Jude slowly raised his head and answered.
“Me and my fiancée, Cordelia, came to the empire as members of the Guardians of the Holy Cross. We promise to cooperate with the Imperial Family until we defeat the Chancellor who had sided with the demon followers and eradicate them that had spread like a disease throughout the empire.”
“I promise too.”
Cordelia said the last words and promptly bowed, and the Empress Dowager sighed in relief again.
She seemed to be very relieved as she did not hide her expression this time.
She had not seen it in person, but she had heard in detail of the two’s performance from the Royal Knights.
It was unrealistic for a young man to be on the level of a Grand Sword Master and a girl to be on the level of an Archwizard, but in any case, what mattered was their abilities and not their age.
‘We can do it.’
With the power of a Grand Sword Master and an Archwizard, it became possible to make the impossible possible.
The Grand Sword Master was such an existence.
‘Furthermore…’
There was one more Grand Sword Master in the Royal Knights that they could absolutely trust.
If they could rescue him – Absolute Knight Galahad, their power would double at once.
A glimmer of hope shone on the Empress Dowager’s face.
But it was only for a moment, and the Empress Dowager soon had a stern face and said again.
“It is truly deplorable that the Chancellor and his subordinates are actually demon followers.”
She thought that they were just a group of rebels, but she now understood that they were monsters who gave up their humanity.
“As members of the Guardians of the Holy Cross, we will surely destroy them.”
“We will annihilate them.”
As Jude and Cordelia spoke again, the Empress Dowager smiled once more.
And it was then.
“Your Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager, may we ask you a question?”
Jude inquired and the Empress Dowager gently nodded.
“Is there something that you do not know the answer of? You may ask me.”
With the Empress Dowager’s permission, Jude swallowed hard and carefully opened his mouth.
“We would like to know about the heavenly voice.”
The mysterious being who pointed to Jude and Cordelia, calling them the two people of destiny.
Who was that being and how did they communicate with the Empress Dowager? Why did that being called Jude and Cordelia the two people of destiny?
At Jude’s question, the Empress Dowager glanced at Leon for a moment before nodding again.
“The heavenly voice… is a voice from a higher place that has given me advice since childhood. Perhaps they are the heavenly gods… that is what I think.”
To be more specific, she would sometimes hear a holy voice and receive an oracle.
The Empress Dowager explained that it was a one-way communication and she could not talk back to them, but they had greatly helped her many times in her life.
‘Are their true identities angels?’
Half of the gods in Pleiades were originally angels who descended from Heaven.
Even Solari was one of the seven archangels in Heaven.
‘Angels.’
Four archangels are still alive.
If one of them is the heavenly voice and that archangel is helping the humans on earth…
‘It makes sense.’
I don’t know about the other archangels, but it’s possible if it’s Raguel.
As the Archangel of Justice, she has cherished and loved humans very much in Legend of Heroes 3.
But Legend of Heroes have three episodes.
She originally did not exert much influence in Pleiades before the Great Summons in the second episode.
But she’s now involved in earthly affairs? And even through the Empress Dowager who rules the empire?
‘It’s not just the empire.’
Given the circumstances, if the heavenly voice is truly an archangel from Heaven, then the Sälen Kingdom must be also under the influence of Heaven.
Crown Princess Daphne who is now an adult and has begun to actively intervene in the political affairs of the royal family must have also heard the heavenly voice.
[It’s fine since they’re on our side, right?]
Jude nodded at Cordelia’s message, but couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable.
Are you saying that the butterfly effect that Cordelia and I had caused has even reached Heaven?
It’s possible, but honestly, I think it’s a bit too far-fetched.
There should be another cause.
Another reason.
A reason why the archangels have become interested in earth much earlier than the original.
“Count August Bayer?”
Jude came to his senses at the Empress Dowager’s call, and he bowed his head and stepped back instead of continuing to ask more questions.
Because what he found out from the Empress Dowager seemed to be enough for now.
“Then I would like to discuss about our future plans.”
When everyone’s attention focused on the Empress Dowager, the emperor who was watching then gently pulled the Empress Dowager’s sleeve.
“Your Imperial Majesty the Empress Dowager.”
And his small voice followed.