Chapter 19: I am strong (5)

The Fourth Imperial Prince sighed after noticing that everybody around them heard what his subordinate had said.

"The walls of the Imperial Palace?"

He pointed outside the terrace window.

"But it looks like a palace is blowing up over there?"

Cale's eyes clouded over.

'He's completely different?'

The bastard, who looked like the typical trash prince just moments ago, was calm right now. In fact, he seemed cold-hearted. Cale realized that everybody other than the Second Imperial Princess and the First Imperial Prince were looking at the Fourth Imperial Prince.

'I guess the Imperial family already knew that the Fourth Imperial Prince was like this.'

The subordinate saw the Fourth Imperial Prince's gaze, took a deep breath, and responded calmer than before.

"I am uncertain about the current situation as I came over as soon as I heard the news, your Royal Highness."

The Second Imperial Princess turned toward the Chief of Staff.

"Mr. Chief of Staff, what is going on?"

Cale could finally get a proper look at the Chief of Staff. He had no time to thoroughly observe the Chief of Staff as he had been focused on the Emperor and the patriarch of the Black Bloods.

'Mm.

This person isn't a joke either.'

"Please don't worry, your Royal Highness."

The Chief of Staff's eyes curled up in a smile so that his eyes could not be seen.

Although there was an explosion inside the palace…

"All you need to do is enjoy the celebration."

He was completely calm.

"They will not be able to get any farther inside."

He seemed certain that these so-called Agents of Destruction would never be able to leave a dent in the Imperial Palace.

He seemed certain that this issue would be over soon.

'But will it?'

Cale recalled some information the old priest gave him.

'They started to appear approximately 30 years ago but they were not a major force at the time and definitely did not deserve the name, Agents of Destruction.

However, they started to get bigger at some point and started to attack the surviving areas to follow their conviction.'

'They like to especially target the Empire and attack it.'

'Our church thought at first that there might be some sort of connection between the Agents of Destruction and the Empire. We suspected that the Empire had created such an organization in order to control people and the continent, but…'

'The Agents of Destruction have attacked the Empire the most since about five years ago.'

Cale had thought that a world like this was bound to have a group that believed that a new world would arrive once this world was destroyed. In fact, it would be weird if such a group did not exist.

Cale had asked for some more detailed information as he believed that the Agents of Destruction could end up being a variable in their task.

'…We have heard that the Empire managed to capture some members of the Agents of Destruction. However, that information was never released to the public.'

'Furthermore, we have still not learned who the leader of the group is or where their headquarters may be.'

'That is why the Empire and the remaining kingdoms have allied together and sent people throughout the continent to find the leader of the Agents of Destruction.'

Cale looked at Durst, wondering how they managed to get so much information. Durst smiled and responded.

There is a petty official working in the Empire's administrative offices and an attendant in the palace who are members of the church.'

Durst had added on.

'They will help you out, oh esteemed purifier.'

The Imperial Palace was not completely enemy territory for Cale's group.

However, Cale was surprised at the Church of the Fire of Purification's abilities that were greater than he had expected.

'It's amazing that there is someone who is willing to remain in the enemy lair despite the church being designated as a cult and its members targeted.'

'…It is a method for our survival.'

The fact that the church had a secret safe house in the Empire had Cale believing that the church could be quite helpful to him.

Cale did not ask Durst for more details as Durst still had a lot to say.

It had not been time yet.

"We will resume the celebration."

The conductor picked up his baton at the Chief of Staff's comment.

The music would soon start again.

"I don't think you can do that."

The man with disheveled hair looked toward the Chief of Staff and commented.

"I don't think you can stay true to your words about them not getting any farther in."

The man with disheveled hair pointed outside as the Chief of Staff raised his eyebrow.

"Mm."

Choi Han let out a short groan and moved in front of Cale while Eruhaben stood next to Mary.

At the same time…

Baaaaaaaaaang-!

Baaaaang—!

Baaaaaang—!

They heard continuous explosions getting closer and closer.

It was as if the explosions were approaching them.

And they would be right about that.

The explosions were happening in a straight line, getting closer toward the palace they were in.

Aaaaaaah-!

Aaaaaaaaah!

They then started to hear people screaming.

The people were not screaming because of the explosions.

"How is this possible?! A mutant monster made it all the way here?!"

"How did that monster make it into the palace?!"

Some of the people watching from inside the palace were commenting almost as if they were screaming.

'Oh esteemed purifier.

Humans are not the only ones who managed to survive in this changing world.

Animals and monsters survived as well.

There are two kinds of them.

They either live on the small amounts of land that are still livable like the humans, or-'

The only thing threatening humans was not the ground that had changed because of dead mana.

'Their bodies changed to ones that can adjust to this new world.'

There were animals or monsters that had adjusted to dead mana for the past 300 years and changed in the process.

A large monster covered in black mud was slowly headed toward the palace.

Boom-!

Boom, boom!

The monster seemed to be at least three times Cale's height in size.

There were ten of those monsters.

"How is it that these monsters that should be outside the Empire-?!"

"…Is it okay not to do anything?"

'I know, right? I wonder what we should do.'

Cale was a bit cold-hearted.

'This isn't our world and my friends have to be safe.'

Furthermore, the Imperial Palace… They need to know the abilities of their enemies.

"Did the Imperial Guards start to move?"

As Cale was about to pay attention to the Fourth Imperial Prince's cold voice…

"Crap."

Cale turned his head after hearing someone swear in a low voice and managed to see the Second Imperial Princess run out of the palace with a scowl on her face.

"Your Royal Highness!"

"My liege!"

Her three helpers ran after her as well.

It was at that moment.

"That monster."

Mary opened her mouth.

Cale and Mary made eye contact.

She warily observed Cale's gaze but calmly commented.

"I want to see that monster. I also hear some screams."

"Pffft." Cale nodded his head.

'Yes, just watching won't let us properly understand this world.'

"As you wish, my liege."

Cale responded respectfully, following proper etiquette and the group soon followed behind the Second Imperial Princess.

"What the hell? Do we need to do something as well?"

"Ah, damn it. Can we sit back and do nothing when two have already gone?"

"Boss, what are you going to do?"

Cale heard some whispers behind them but nobody stopped the group. Peek. Cale looked back to confirm that the Chief of Staff was quietly chatting with his subordinate.

He too looked quite shocked.

"Hey, hey, let's go together!"

The man with disheveled hair followed behind Cale's group.

"Ah, hyung-nim!"

"You're driving me nuts. Please let us know if you are going to start moving!"

His subordinates followed behind him as well. However, the man with disheveled hair… The former mercenary Zero, who was a mysterious individual, followed behind Cale's group without even looking back.

Zero smiled brightly when Cale looked at him and then looked forward.

'Why did he follow us?'

Zero looked forward and mumbled, as if he was talking to himself, as Cale had that thought.

"Hmm. Are the Agents of Destruction really responsible for today's chaos?"

It sounded as if he knew this was not something done by the Agents of Destruction.

One corner of Cale's lips curled up.

Mary asked at that moment.

"Do you know?"

"Aw. How the hell would I know that?"

Zero used to be a mercenary in the past. The ninth candidate responded slyly as if he knew nothing about it, but anybody could see that he looked suspicious.

'…What an interesting bastard.'

Cale's smile became thicker.

However, his gaze was cold as they headed toward the monster because of the injured people being carried away.

* * *

"Your Royal Highness! Please step back!"

The Second Imperial Princess ignored her subordinate's comments and looked around.

"Grrrrrrr-!"

They were large monsters walking on two legs while growling like wolves.

They were covered in black mud and every step they took splattered some of it on the ground.

'The ground is rotting.'

The ground became dyed black wherever the black mud landed.

This black mud monster was difficult for regular people to fight because of the mud that was full of dead mana.

"Where are the black mages?"

That was why they needed black mages.

"Your Royal Highness!"

Some of the knights who were defending against the approaching monsters rejoiced before speaking.

"I believe that they headed toward the walls because the explosion happened there to start, your Royal Highness!"

"The First Black Knights Brigade should be here soon! The Fifth Black Magic Battalion should be here soon as well!"

The Second Imperial Princess looked around.

The chain explosion had destroyed a palace, the nearby buildings, and the surrounding streets.

"Ugh...."

"S, save-"

The casualties from the explosions… The soldiers protecting and moving them to safety… The regular knights of the Imperial Palace who could not go up against dead mana…

'How the heck did these monsters make it into the Imperial Palace?!

Teleportation magic?

Is it possible to move monsters with that?'

"Fuck!"

She didn't know what happened before this.

Either way… Right now!

'Until the First Black Knights Brigade and the Fifth Black Magic Battalion get here-

I need to tie these monsters down!

We must definitely not kill these monsters!'

The real reason that these black mud monsters were dangerous…

The real reason that the core knights of the Imperial Palace could not even tie these monsters down and hinder them despite not having immunity to dead mana…

There was only one reason.

'These monsters explode the moment they die.'

The dead mana in the black mud will be released and scorch the area at the same time.

This was the reason the soldiers were quickly moving the casualties from the area.

"…Ten black mud monsters at once?! They usually only move in packs of two or three! Your Royal Highness, we need to gather at least three Black Magic Battalions!"

Her subordinate looked at the look on the Second Imperial Princess's face and quickly commented as if to stop her.

"This is a Grade 1 danger monster, your Royal Highness! You cannot overdo it with the test right in front of you! We definitely cannot have you getting injured!"

"Do you think that I do not know that?"

A fire was visible in the Second Imperial Princess's eyes. The subordinate shut his mouth and she looked around.

'I'm not strong enough!'

She could only stop two monsters max on her own. That was already enough for people to say that she was amazing, but…

'It's useless since there are ten of them!'

'It doesn't matter.

I still have to do it.'

The Second Imperial Princess heard a voice behind her as she made up her mind.

"What needs to be done, your Royal Highness?"

The Second Imperial Princess, who had only looked forward at the approaching monsters, turned her head.

"Ah."

She looked into a pair of purple eyes. She also saw the three subordinates behind her person.

Heni Wishrop.

'She can speak respectfully too?'

The Second Imperial Princess questioned that until she recalled something.

The white bone dragon that had risen above the entrance of the Imperial Palace…

"…We need to tie them down so that they cannot explode. We must make sure not to kill them."

Mary pulled a small pouch out of her pocket.

It was a compact spatial pocket bag that Raon had given her.

Mary looked at the Second Imperial Princess and the approaching Zero and then started to speak.

"Can we do it together?"

The Second Imperial Princess tilted her head.

'Isn't that obvious?'

"Yes...?"

"Hooooo. Should I help as well?"

As the two of them responded…

It was the moment that Mary made up her mind to use her necromancer powers with others who had the same power for the first time.

"Grrrrrrr-!"

"Grrrrrr-!"

The black mud monsters approached even closer. The knights were still unable to approach them.

There were still too many injured people who had not managed to escape yet.

The Second Imperial Princess gulped.

"I don't know if the three of us are enough to contain them."

She heard a relaxed voice respond.

"We can."

'What?'

As the Second Imperial Princess flinched at Mary's extremely simple response…

"It's simple."

Mary opened her pouch.

"Isn't the problem that the monsters are here?"

The Second Imperial Princess nodded her head with a confused look on her face once Mary looked at her.

"…Yes?"

"We also cannot kill them."

"…Yes?"

They could not kill the monsters.

But the problem was that the monsters were here.

Then the answer was simple.

"Then we just need to lift them up and move them."

Zero looked at Mary in disbelief.

"These large monsters? Ten of them at that? The three of us can do that?"

"Yes. Yes we can."

They just needed to make something big that was stronger than these monsters and use it to lift the monsters to an appropriate area.

Mary flipped the pouch she had opened.

Chhhhhhh–!

Numerous white bones poured out of the pouch.

Zero's eyes opened wide at the number of bones and looked at Mary who extended her hand toward the monsters.

– Mary, Cale wanted me to tell you not to overdo it. I'm sure you probably want to shake your head since the bastard who doesn't look after himself is saying that, but… I feel the same way.

Mary smiled at Cale, who was looking at her, while listening to Eruhaben's voice echo in her mind.

Her hand moved.

Black threads flowed out of her fingertips and the white bones soon started to move.

Boom-!

A skeleton monster that was much larger than these large monsters that were close to 3 meters in height appeared and the monster extended its wings and flew up into the air.

"…Bone Dragon."

Zero saw the white bone dragon he had only heard about.

He was not the only one.

The other candidates, who were finally making their way over and the ones who remained in the celebration palace to watch…

The other people in and around the palace…

Everybody saw Mary's white dragon.

The rumors about the nineteenth candidate were true.

—
Translator's Comments

THAT'S RIGHT! OUR LITTLE MARY ROCKS!

***

If you find any errors or have suggestions, please feel free to provide feedback.

Thank you for reading!

[Author – Yu Ryeo Han]

[Translator – Anowa]

[Proofreader – Rai_Mayank]