Survival 121

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The basic qualification of an artist lies in their sensitive and rich emotions, meticulously crafting rich works even out of trivial matters.

With a thought that perhaps the prince should have been a musician, I listened to the melody while narrowing my gaze.

‘He’s being overly dramatic. My side hurts more.’

Though I did manage to strike a vital point, the effect wasn’t as significant as I had hoped.

Aura isn’t only applicable in attacks. 

Muscle reinforcement.

In that critical moment, the prince utilized his aura to reinforce the space between his ribs. As a result, a tingling sensation emanated from the tip of where my shoe had brushed.

“Aaagh! Ugh…”

Well, although the prince didn’t lose his functionality as initially intended.

His distorted face from the agony, even his comical screams, the exhilarating thrill as if his mouth was being torn open to his ears!

“Hahaha! Your Highness, it would be best to face yourself properly. Doesn’t it feel like watching a clown in the circus? As the first step of the disaster cult Kerzo’s reign, it’s the best!” 

Laughing uproariously, I pointed at the prince.

One by one, dozens of eyes glanced at us. The original goal of disrupting the coming-of-age ceremony was a complete success, without a doubt.

“Shall we start wrapping things up?”

“Ugh…” Even in that pain, did he hear my voice? The prince, with a desperate, tearful expression, somehow managed to crawl away from me.

‘It’s about time to wrap this up.’ 

The purpose of this ambush was twofold. One was to raise the infamous reputation of Kerzo, the disaster cult, by attempting terrorism during the prince’s coming-of-age ceremony.

And the other was – “Step aside, Frost Mane.” – to counter that villain, the birth of an exceptional hero!

“Very well! All the expected actors have gathered!” A magnificent hero landing! Or should I say, a heroine landing? Luciana, who had leaped over the roof, stood before me with the prince on her back, blocking my path with dignity.

A cliché among clichés. Extremely classical and simple, but… As the belief of Luciana, who sought to save the weak and had been righteous and brilliant since childhood, was added, it became a moment of utmost beauty.

SIMPLE IS BEST. That is both the work and the art. It became an incredibly beautiful moment.

“You’re talking nonsense. Wouldn’t it be better to reflect on your own sins?”

“My sins?”

“Terrorism at the Academy, killing the guards, attempted assassination of the prince… You’ve far exceeded the limit.” 

– Shhh.

The sharp blade, gleaming with the pure aura, was immediately drawn.

“This is an immediate execution sentence.” 

[Boss] 

[Luciana Speda] 

Unconsciously, a smirk appeared at the sight of the red hostile NPC symbol.

‘When did she become a boss-tier?’ 

Knowing her majesty as a mid-boss better than anyone, I moistened my parched lips with saliva.

“Haha, you speak interesting words. Are you trying to judge us by human standards?”

Don’t tense up. After all, I didn’t come here to confront her properly, did I? Everything is solely for her, to deceive her.

I painted the image of a fanatic in my mind.

***

Like having eaten the sands of the West, her tongue was dry and rough.

Luciana tried hard to hide her tension.

Frost Mane.

One of the few figures who had made her taste defeat.

She had longed for revenge, but when she finally faced him, her whole body froze.

His gestures and words, impossible to read, whether he was a boy or an adult, an old man or middle-aged.

A man.

It would have been easy to mistake him for an illusion due to his peculiar and strong presence if not for his distinct aura.

‘Stay calm. You must be careful. His skills are top-notch.’

It was obvious, having experienced it firsthand.

Even seeing the Crown Prince fallen by her side, it was not hard to guess that Frost Mane had felled him.

It was the moment she was trying to draw out all her energy to counter his attack.

“Do you intend to judge us by human standards?”

“…What?”

Throwing an incomprehensible taunt, he did not continue speaking but knelt down.

The bizarre acts didn’t stop there.

With his arms wide open, he tilted his head back and looked up at the sky.

“An opening!”

Whatever his plans, he was completely defenseless.

She was about to thrust her sword into his unprotected chest when 

– Clang!

A sharp metallic sound rang out as sparks flew from the sword.

‘If you want to harm a fellow countryman, you’ll have to get through me first. You arrogant noble brat.’

Wearing a robe embroidered with a pattern of black and red stars, despite the attire being impractical for action, the one-eyed man skillfully parried her sword and smirked.

‘…What strength!’

As soon as their swords clashed, she realized it.

The heaviness transmitted from sword to sword.

He was at least her equal, if not superior.

“Hmph. Know your place and back off.”

It was impossible to face him directly while caring for the injured Crown Prince.

‘I must escape with His Highness… Ugh.’

The one-eyed man, his eyes flashing wildly, assumed a proper stance with his sword aimed.

Just as her own servant had done, she retreated for a moment and then planned to counter with a trick.

“Stop, Sword Demon.”

“…Frost Mane?”

“She must become our witness! To widely spread the name of the great calamity to the ignorant masses! To etch the fear deeply!”

A tongue suddenly protruded from behind a golden mask.

A visceral disgust surged at the sight of him trembling with emotion.

It was a different appearance from the warrior she had seen at the auction house in the northern underworld.

The overwhelming madness made the Sword Demon beside her tremble as well.

‘A calamity?’

It was a name she had definitely heard before.

Hadn’t her loyal servant, Hans Byron, mentioned it?

‘Although the duke is indeed endowed with remarkable martial prowess, even he cannot handle this realm.’

As far as she knew, even the strongest father could do nothing.

Truly a being that could only be described as a calamity.

“Yes. The great god of our Disaster Cult, Kerzo!”

Frost Mane, shaking the bloodied mud off his pants, got up.

His gaze turned towards her.

“There are four, no, five who will destroy the Manhett Empire and further, this rotten world.”

“It’s nonsense.”

Luciana softly retorted towards him as he burst into a fit of derisive laughter, ignoring the faint tremors in her heart.

At least in this moment, she could not be fooled by his serpent-like tongue.

…But.

“The empire stands firm against such nonsense.”

“Do you really think so? As far as I know, the calamity of domination has already started its activities in the north. Ah, maybe you’re more familiar with the name Demon Lord?”

At those significant words, Luciana inadvertently swallowed her breath.

‘Not just one, but five of them.’

She felt the sweat soaking her hand tightly gripping the sword.

Fear?

No, it was definitely something else.

The tension that had contracted her tongue earlier naturally loosened.

“…I am Speda. The sword of the empire.”

“Huh? What are you talking about suddenly?”

“If it threatens the Manhett Empire, I will gladly become the sword to strike down the opponent.”

Calamity?

So what about it?

Luciana could boldly assert.

Pride.

The desire every knight has when facing a formidable enemy.

It resonated in her chest.

The entity that Frost Mane, who had defeated her, worshiped?

If she could defeat such a being, wouldn’t she naturally surpass him?

“Frost Mane, whether it’s you or the calamity you believe in so much. Someday you will meet your fate under the sword of Speda.”

“…Ah, how arrogant.”

“Well, I don’t think it’s impossible.”

Suddenly, she remembered the many dangers she had faced with her loyal servant.

It started with the Direwolf.

Vampire, Levain…

What difference does a calamity make?

With him by her side, no danger was too great.

The moment Luciana, grinning fiercely, tightened her grip on her sword.

“Well, imagination is free. You just need to make us known to the public. Our goal is accomplished, shall we start heading back?”

As he finished speaking, something unusual happened.

From the granite pavement used for decoration.

From the crevices of the bricks in the high walls.

White smoke started billowing from various places.

Soon, the smoke combined, forming a fog that enveloped the entire academy.

‘What trickery is this following a terror attack?’

Luciana tensed all her nerves against the dense fog that perfectly blocked her vision.

‘Are they aiming for an assassination?’

Her gaze went to the Crown Prince who had fallen nearby.

Reluctantly, because of the ties formed by her family.

Shouldn’t she be ready to fend off an attack from where he had fallen?

‘It’s just disappointing. A warrior should face the enemy bravely, regardless of any injuries.’

Unlike Hans, who had steadfastly stayed with her during crises.

“Ugh…”

His form, hunched over and crawling on the ground, was far from her ideal.

“Sigh.”

Even as she let out a deep sigh, Luciana did not let her guard down.

It was only a little later that she learned that it was not a counterattack, but a smokescreen to make the cultist flee.

***

“Raise your glasses, compatriots! Today is the day when Kerzo revealed its true colors to the world!!”

“Waaaaah!!”

Although there were ‘some’ sacrifices, the results were more than satisfactory.

“Do you really like that piece of paper so much? Every time you see it, you can’t hide your laughter.”

To my side came the hero of our strategy, the Sword Demon, offering me a glass of liquor.

“I’ll decline. It’s the main culprit that destroys doubt and discord, and I don’t particularly like it.”

“Fellow, you are quite fussy. So, what does it say that makes you laugh like that?”

Maybe it’s because he’s from the underbelly of the dark world, assumed to be illiterate, that I explained kindly to him.

“It’s the proof that the ignorant masses have recorded our deeds. Shouldn’t I keep it as a memento?”

[The horrific ending of the Crown Prince’s coming-of-age. What kind of organization is the Kerzo Cult that even the dark underworld of the West trembles?]

[The eldest daughter of the Speda family who bravely stood against the evil. How did the pride of the Manhett Empire rise to the top of the academy?]

It kind of reminds me of nationalist TV from some country.

‘Where is this?’

During the time everyone was hushing up the tragedy related to the Crown Prince, someone turned the tide.

As people’s attention started to gather, initially with such tacky headlines, the attitude the media would take was clear.

“Hehe, surely the calmity would have been pleased as well.”

Even the eerie muttering of Fortune Teller had to be nodded at now.

That’s exactly it.

The Calamity of Many Faces is now thoroughly satisfied with the flood of messages in the status window.

[The faithful deepening their devotion to you for invoking the disaster…]

[The royal family issuing a warrant for a Kerzo official, increasing infamy…]

[The church on alert for a sudden heresy…]

Amid the religious system-related status window chaotically updating new messages.

Only one thing caught my eye.

[You have accumulated enough fame and faith.]

[Kerzo has been upgraded from a ‘primitive religious group’ to an ‘official religious organization.’]

[The Faith Skill has been unlocked.]

‘Finally!’

The Faith Skill.

Something that was never known to exist in the original work has excited me.

‘The more ways to become powerful, the better.’

Luciana, clearly labeled with a boss title and bedecked in relics.

Even comparing her to me, she’s not an easy opponent.

To keep up with her growth, I had to gather all means possible.

In the meantime, the Faith Skill was truly like rain in a drought.

I hurried to check the details.

[Ex rank: Call of God]

[Faith Skill]

[A faithful follower must rightly respond to the call of God.]

For a moment, my jaw dropped.

Ex rank.

I didn’t expect such a pinnacle of rogue skills to appear so prominently.

‘Come on, the ability!’

[You can summon a follower who is not in a state of disbelief whenever you want.]

“Damn, is this really Ex rank…?”

“Vessel? What are you talking about?”

“…My mistake. Just filter out some of it.”

With Fortune Teller bowing her head behind me, I let out a deep sigh.

Why are the skills I acquire always like this?

Because the expectation was high, the disappointment was also great.

“…No? Wait a second.”

This skill has no restrictions.

It doesn’t use mana, has no cooldown, and even has no limit on the number of people.

“Could it be…”

Experimentally, I repeated the names of the followers including the Sword Demon and Fortune Teller.

“Huh? What’s happened?”

“We were just drinking…”

“Oh, is this also a blessing from the Calamity?”

The followers, suddenly teleported in front of me, looked bewildered.

The Sword Demon and Fortune Teller too blinked, unable to grasp the situation.

“Insane…”

I can move a large army without any risk?

No need for marching or supplies?

I take back my hasty judgment from earlier.

This was the ultimate skill.

‘There’s no ability like this even for terrorism.’

Today’s cumbersome method of intrusion was unnecessary.

I just need to go wherever I want and deploy Kerzo’s personnel.

“Ah, the Calamity is pleased with this operation.”

“Woah~!”

As the followers cried out the name of the disaster, I leaned back in the chair, using their voices as background music.

***

“Heh, it seems Lucy is doing well in her academy life.”

Duke Speda grinned broadly at the article about his daughter in the newspaper.

“Darius, aren’t you happy too?”

“How could I not be pleased with my sister’s success? This too is a blessing for our family.”

But whether it was the Sword Duke or the heir speaking, dark circles were evident under their eyes.

An enormous amount of paperwork was laid out in front of them.

“Ugh, these creatures are becoming a nuisance at this point.”

“The name ‘The Three Great Monsters of the North’ must not be in vain.”

Creatures that swarmed in like clockwork at regular intervals.

But this time, it was particularly serious.

With the increasing invasions of demons day by day, there was no spare capacity to deal with monsters as well.

Various proposals were considered, but none seemed satisfactory.

“…Father. What if we seek support from the academy?”

“The academy’s?”

“Yes. That is…”

The Speda father and son found an unexpected breakthrough.

And a short while later.

Several papers were posted on the bulletin board of the academy.

[Recruitment for Dispatched Lessons]

[Subjugation of Northern Monsters]

[Benefits planned for those who achieve excellent results]

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