Paladin of the Dead God - Chapter 185



Only Krnovel

Episode 185 Battle of Elion (4)

Lyanna has no intention of reconciliation at all.

Isaac was sure of that much. If you have reconciliation in mind, you cannot act like this.

If the two sides keep fighting to the death like this and both become exhausted, then only then may they talk about reconciliation. Because they are exhausting each other’s anger by clashing with each other.

This is how the Kingdom of Elil preserved its form without being destroyed despite constant struggle, and it was something that happened often in Earth’s history.

Lyanna is just following that tradition.

‘In that sense, Ethelred is unusual in wanting to achieve peace without sacrifice.’

And judging by the current trend, there was a high possibility that things would go as Lyanna intended in the end. Both Lyanna and Ethelred want peace, but it is not easy to escape the pressure of hundreds of years of tradition, superiors, society, and tradition. Rather, Lady Rosalind’s forgiveness and reconciliation were something close to a sublime miracle.

“What do you think, teacher? In the end, will the war end if we sacrifice the blood of thousands of people on this land?”

Ethelred said with regret.

Isaac understood his feelings, but was worried about an even bleaker future. In fact, he thought he would be lucky if the future that Lyanna envisioned went forward.

Although countless blood will be shed, neither side has any intention of ending it by annihilating one side.

Unlike the time of Salt Ain, the Georg clan’s only goal was to regain their lost honor, and the Aldeon royal family’s goal was to solidify their rule, so there was room for compromise.

“If you’re asking what I think.”

Isaac sighed lightly and then opened his mouth.

“The situation is likely to get much worse than expected.”

“It’s not getting better? “Is there anything worse than people dying to the point where both sides are exhausted?”

“Your Majesty spoke with the idea that reconciliation would come at the end. But there is something you overlooked. Even after fighting this war, there is a possibility that we will still remain in the worst relationship. “It’s because of Yeomyeong-gun.”

“Dawn-gun… … .”

Ethelred muttered as if she was sighing.

Among the nobles who cooperate with the Georg clan, there are those who are reluctant to participate in the Dawn Army. Isaac thought it might be the work of an isolationist angel. And although only Isaac knows this, it was that angel who was preventing Elil’s oracle from coming down.

Isaac’s goal is to go to the holy land of Elion, perform a ritual, and come face to face with Elil. It was risky, but well worth it.

Until that task was completed, Ethelred could not be forced to participate in the Dawn Army. No matter how much you are an Elil believer who enjoys fighting, the Dawn Army is an event across the sea, a fight between unfamiliar pagans.

Until Isaac resolves the Elil Church scenario, participation in the Dawn Army is a long way off.

“… … I heard that there are people who are reluctant to participate in the Dawn Army. In fact, there are some among my subjects who are skeptical.”

As Ethelred said that, she muttered as if something suddenly occurred to her.

“Oh, right. Then, what if you declare that you will refuse to participate in the Dawn Army? … No, no. I made a mistake. hmm.”

Ethelred closed her mouth as she watched Isaac. Although I forgot that I depend on him for a lot, Isaac is ultimately a believer in the Code of Light across the sea and an envoy dispatched under the orders of the Emperor of Gertonia. And Isaac’s purpose is one.

Help Ethelred regain the throne and lead the Dawn Army to participate in the war.

If Ethelred refuses to participate in the Dawn Army, Isaac will have no reason to fight here, shedding blood and sweat.

Isaac noticed his thoughts and smiled bitterly.

“Don’t worry too much about that. There is absolutely no need for us to follow Lyanna’s ideas.”

“Oh, right? “I am also a teacher.”

In fact, having Ethelred’s royal authority recognized and deciding to join the Dawn Army are all problems that can be solved by receiving Elil’s oracle. Since it was an issue that Elil had no reason to reject, she did not even think that it would be difficult if she could get to the holy land of Elion.

But Isaac had something else to worry about.

“Actually, there is one more problem. In fact, there is a possibility that other forces are involved in this war. “We have been collecting evidence ever since the battle with Georg’s army began, and the possibility seems to be increasing.”

“Other factions? “Who are you talking about?”

“There is an enemy hidden behind this war that is more threatening than Georg.”

Instead of deliberately answering, Isaac spun around. Thinking about that was one of the things Ethelred had to do. Now that Ethel Red had become king, he needed to broaden his horizons beyond the domestic sphere.

Isaac turned his gaze and gazed at the holy land of Elion across the lake.

“The holy land of Elion is still under threat. “It needs to be restored as soon as possible.”

***

As Isaac expected, the atmosphere inside Elion Fortress was not much different.

The knights of Georg’s army, who returned from a fierce battle, talked about the afterglow of the battle and boasted about their respective specialties. He seemed to have completely forgotten all the insults he had received from Julich at the start of the battle.

“Did you see the Aldeon guys running away in a hurry while fighting? “If you’re going to walk all the way and run away, then why did you come here?”

“Haha! Still, I thought they were saennim living in the city, but they put in a lot of effort! “They told me not to compete with the Aldeon knights, and now I know why!”

“I don’t know how many years it’s been since we’ve had such a heated fight. Hasn’t it been almost 5 years? “It feels like it’s been a while since I’ve had a heart-pounding battle!”

The entire castle had a festival-like atmosphere due to the loud voices talking. No, in fact, a war in which numerous knights gathered and competed to see who was best could be considered a kind of festival. It’s fun to drive enemies through surprise, ambush, and strategy, but what Elil believers like the most is large-scale rotation.

This time, since it was a siege, I didn’t think there would be any heated battles, but thanks to Lyanna’s unexpected command, we were able to engage in a fierce fight.

However, even in this festive atmosphere, there was a space where there was an air of depression.

It was an intensive care ward that the technicians either unconsciously or consciously ignored.

This was the place where those who fought the most fierce battles gathered, but they could not talk about what a great feat they had made or what a strong enemy they had faced. This is because most of the patients had conditions that were difficult to treat even with Elil’s miracle.

Most of the patients lying on the floor were soldiers. This is because knights committed suicide with the help of their comrades rather than die quickly in the fiercest battlefield or lie down in an intensive care ward. However, the soldiers, who were merely conscripts, wanted to survive at all costs.

In a ward full of moans and sobs, only a few priests were busy going around, consecrating, healing, or performing ceremonies for the bodies.

Bilon Georg was quietly holding the hand of a knight there. Among his bunks full of soldiers, the only knight suffered a wound that completely crushed his jaw. He wondered how his life was hanging on, but it seemed difficult to get past this day.

“That’s why I told you not to jump in too hard.”

Bilon quietly muttered to his son, Beoul Georg. Beoul mumbled something, but all that came out was the sound of boiling blood and phlegm.

Bilon did not blame the person who made his son like this. All kinds of things happen on the battlefield, and whatever happens is Elil’s will. Whether it’s getting stabbed in the back, fighting one-on-one, or tripping over a corpse.

Bilon had also survived and killed his enemies several times with the same luck, so it was ridiculous to blame his enemies.

If there was one thing he resented, it was that he did not kill his son with a single blow, but let him live and suffer. Normally in cases like this, his colleagues or friends would end his life, but Villan was brought to the intensive care unit.

“Aren’t you still afraid of death?”

Bilon asked, holding Beoul’s hand tightly. Beoul wept quietly at his father’s words. Tears flowed down my blood-soaked cheeks, which became increasingly red.

It was a sight that Billon had already seen countless times. The young knights who went out cheerfully, saying they were not even afraid of death, actually became scared when they saw the battlefield of Elil in front of them.

The knights who were about to die seemed humiliated, and their companions also looked ashamed. Therefore, it was considerate and courageous to end his life early.

His son also always cried out to be a glorious warrior, but only now did he know his sincerity. Beoul wanted to live. He wanted to enjoy glory here on earth, not glory in the afterlife.

“Don’t worry, son.”

Bilon bent down and pressed his forehead against Beoul’s. After a while, a priest who was walking around checking on the patients came up and asked Bilon.

“Shall we proceed with the ceremony?”

“please.”

The priest came next to Beoul, sprinkled holy oil and waved incense around. After the ceremony, most of the dead soldiers will be buried, and the children of high-ranking nobles will be cremated.

But Beoul will not belong to any of them.

With gloomy eyes, Bilon thought about the battlefield where he would regain his honor.

***

Afterwards, similar battles were repeated several more times.

Aldeon’s provocation and challenge to a duel, Georg’s mockery and fight. They gave and took like a play, shedding blood and burning their fighting spirit.

Isaac realized that this fight was being handled elaborately by Lyanna.

In fact, since Georg’s army on the Mercury side had an almost unilateral advantage, the fact that both sides shed blood was itself a consideration of Lyanna. Does that mean Georg-kun’s loss? That wasn’t it either. The battle itself often ended in a decision victory for Georg’s army, and the morale of Georg’s army was higher as they were able to retreat to the fortress after the battle.

‘In the beginning, Georg had stronger negative feelings. It could be a plan to satisfy the clan’s pride and wear down their anger in this way.’

Isaac thought as he analyzed the battlefield. It was unpleasant to be dragged along by Lyanna’s thoughts, but if this was the ‘traditional’ conflict resolution method of the Elil Kingdom, this should be taken into account.

‘If it were a fight only for the Kingdom of Elil, it would be true… … .’

The problem was that this fight was not just for knights.

The unification of Elil by the Aldeon royal family means the participation of the Dawn Army, and the participation of the Dawn Army means that the kingdom of Elil breaks its previous isolation and becomes entangled with other faiths and interests. Just as Emperor Waldzemer dispatched Isaac, there could have been as many interventions by other interest groups.

Isaac doubted whether Lyanna would even take that into consideration.

“the right wing! The right wing is breaking through!”

Morse roared hoarsely and moved his troops. Soldiers waiting at the rear urgently filled the gap. Ethelred watched the battlefield where the fight was taking place with a nervous expression. His role as king was not only as a totem to boost morale, but also to threaten his enemies.

The pressure that Ethelred might enter the war with Kaldbuch if either side suffered severe damage even prevented Lyanna from participating in the war. Thanks to this, spinning became a battle solely for humans. There were a few knights who achieved miraculous feats or feats, but they were not enough to change the course of the war itself.

“General Mors, Georg’s cavalry… … .”

“also? These damn bastards… … .”

Morse muttered an insult after hearing the deputy’s report. The reason Aldeon’s army was repeatedly defeated was because of Georg’s cavalry, which was constantly disturbing the rear.

They didn’t attack and only showed themselves occasionally to get on the nerves.

But this time was different. Morse was not foolish enough to get hit by the same move multiple times.

Mors and Delfric made eye contact.

“Elil, live forever!”

Delphric suddenly roared loudly, and at the same time, the Aldeon army’s offensive suddenly gained momentum. The battlefield was slowly becoming lulled, and Georg’s army, which had predicted that Aldeon’s army would gradually retreat this time, was staggered by the sudden offensive. With Delphric and Reina at the forefront, they pushed forward with a fierce offensive as if there were no tomorrow, and cracks began to appear in the left wing of Aldeon’s army.

Only then did Georg’s cavalry begin to move. The Aldeon army, which was solely focused on the front line, was full of gaps. It was clear that the moment the cavalry struck, the line would collapse in an instant.

But that was exactly what Morse and Isaac had hoped for.

Doo doo doo doo! The moment Georg’s cavalry rushed towards the rear of Aldeon’s army as if they had been waiting for just now, a person suddenly rode up from the forest behind. Some of Georg’s cavalry felt a strange sense of déjà vu upon seeing this.

Isaac was running towards them.

“You get hit by the same move again.”

bang! Without waiting for an answer, Isaac immediately cut off the head of the leading cavalry leader.