The Monster Lady and the Holy Knight - Chapter 76

April 15, the Year 1522 of Holy Power.

Letters arrived from various cities across Whiteland, Chesania, Tanbia, and Kaisenmeer. Though the forms varied, the content was the same.

‘We request reinforcements due to the collapse of the defensive lines.’

“There has been no contact from the Ruega and Rom Archipelago, which are not bound by church law. However, we assume the situation is similar,” said Philip, who sat at the head of the oval table.

The senior members of the knights seated around the table all wore grave expressions, knowing what would be said next.

“The Bahamut have begun their final offensive.”

Boom, swish—

Leon, unable to sit at the table since he wasn’t a member of the knights, stood by the window, his back to the stormy night. Lightning flashed across the rainy sky—an unprecedented thunderstorm for spring.

“Half an hour ago, reports confirmed the Bahamut’s approach to Kart as well. Estimated numbers are at least fifty thousand, approaching from all directions: east, west, north, and south.”

“Damn, they’re going all in.”

Groans of dismay spread around the table at the horrifying number.

In weather like this, the cannons on the city walls were useless. Flaming arrows couldn’t be fired, and armor and weapons felt as heavy as soaked wool. It was the worst condition for humans to fight in.

It was almost as if the heavens were helping the Bahamut. No one said it aloud, but everyone thought the same. In a single day, over a dozen cities had fallen. It wasn’t normal. The tide of war couldn’t have shifted so suddenly—not without divine intervention.

“The imperial military has been consulted regarding our strategy,” Philip continued, ignoring the knights’ murmurs.

“Regular soldiers without holy power will not be deployed to the front lines due to the risk of assimilation. The proud knights of God will stand at the forefront, defending the holy capital.”

The restless room fell into silence. All knights were to be deployed to the front lines. Everyone in the room understood what that truly meant.

Death was at hand. Perhaps none of them would see the sun rise tomorrow.

“His Holiness has also agreed to the deployment. The yet-to-be ordained trainee knights will protect His Holiness and ensure the safety of the citizens.”

The damp air grew even quieter. Leon understood why Mecklenburg had chosen Philip as his successor. Only someone as dry and cold as Philip could press on through a storm without hesitation. The young knight had the composure and dignity expected of a noble.

“The fortunate thing is that we possess both holy swords. As long as we focus on defending the broken walls, we should be fine. With a millennium of holy power accumulated, nothing will climb the east, west, or southern walls.”

Philip spoke as if he had suddenly remembered something, turning his head. Leon met his gaze directly.

“Regarding the holy sword, there is also a directive from His Holiness. Sir Berg, given your familiarity with the assimilated one, do you believe she can be trusted on the battlefield again? Will she not betray us?”

Was the assimilated one on humanity’s side or the Bahamut’s? He wanted the opinion of someone who knew her well.

Philip’s eyes were dry, but beneath them, greed for victory burned. Leon knew Philip wanted to use Veronica as bait again. It made sense. The previous battle, where not a single person had died, must have left a deep impression on him.

The answer was simple. It was already evident, rendering any arms and armor unnecessary. Leon had been certain Veronica was the same woman he knew from the moment he saw her on the church’s steps. But…

“The assimilated one is dangerous.”

Leon, who had been silent all this time, lied without a flicker of emotion.

All eyes turned to him. The formality and respect in their gazes felt foreign—it had been a long time since he had spoken so politely.

“It’s too risky to trust her with our backs. We should keep her under observation until her lost memories return.”

She knew nothing of the holy sword—a voracious power that drained the life of those around it, including its wielder.

“Is that really true?”

Even if the excuse was merely a cover for his real resolve: to never let her face danger again.

“This complicates things. His Holiness has cited an ancient record stating, ‘The sword of God shall be present at the place of victory.’ At least one holy sword must be on the battlefield,” Philip said, drawing out his words meaningfully.

Swish—

The sound of rain grew louder, and silence settled over the room. No one dared interrupt the silent standoff between the two knights.

Leon, still not fully recovered from his recent berserk state, was in a precarious condition. The Pope knew well that pushing Leon further could put his life at risk. Despite how often Leon had broken the rules, there was no denying that he had been a loyal servant to the church. Thus, the Pope’s directive was effectively an order to send the assimilated one to the battlefield instead.

“Sir Berg.”

“I will go instead.”

Before Philip could finish explaining the Pope’s wishes, Leon cut him off.

“As long as one holy sword is on the battlefield, it shouldn’t matter which one.”

Flash—the room briefly lit up in response to his words, then dimmed again.

As stunned gazes turned toward him, delayed thunder filled the otherwise silent room.

***

Swish, crackle—as the thunderstorm rumbled away, the pouring rain seemed to grow even louder. A rainy night was terrifyingly noisy. Veronica pulled the blanket over her head, covering her ears.

After Leon had hurriedly left, she had been led to a new room. Outside, about a dozen soldiers stood guard in place of Leon.

If Oscar hadn’t stopped by for a while to keep her company, the evening would have felt unbearably long. He had shared news of Hannah’s well-being, the rescue efforts, and the situation in Kart, where relief efforts were underway.

Things had seemed fine until then. She thought she would be fine. Despite losing a week’s worth of memories, she had returned unharmed. Tanbia’s fall, after all, was inevitable for the vulnerable southern nation.

Everything will be alright. It’ll all be alright.

But as she finished dinner and lay down alone, anxiety slowly crept back in. Just closing her eyes brought back the image of the birds’ frantic wings, like an ominous premonition.

What’s really happening? And where had Leon gone, abandoning his watch over her?

She wanted to believe that her body was trembling just because she hated the rain. Veronica had hated thunderstorms her entire life. She couldn’t help it—it made her feel like a child.

On stormy nights, the sea of Bayern roared like a monster. Her father always came home late, leaving Veronica to curl up alone in bed.

Eyes shut, ears covered. Holding her breath beneath the blankets. Little Veronica had believed that exhaling might alert the monster to her presence, and that it would burst through the door in sync with the roaring thunder.

Boom, creak—

She heard the doorknob turn. Wet strands of her freshly washed hair stood on end. There hadn’t been a guard’s voice outside.

What’s going on? She listened carefully, but there was no other sound. Her unease deepened.

Unable to bear it any longer, Veronica took a deep breath and threw off the blanket. A dark figure stood right next to her bed. She gasped in shock, but the sound was muffled by a large hand that hurriedly covered her mouth.

“I didn’t think you’d be awake.”

Leon, looking flustered, frowned slightly as he perched on the edge of the bed. Veronica’s eyes widened in surprise, and she pushed his hand away, scolding him angrily.

“Why did you sneak up on me without making a sound? I almost misunderstood.”

“Oh, were you waiting for someone?”

No, I thought you were a monster. But she couldn’t say that aloud, or he would pretend nothing had happened and joke with her again.

She closed her mouth, unwilling to continue a playful conversation. She had clearly told him she never wanted to see him again. It annoyed her that her wishes seemed to hold no weight. Stubbornly turning her head away, she could feel his gaze on her profile. It was Leon who eventually broke the heavy silence.

“Bahamuts have been spotted approaching. A large-scale battle will take place at the barrier in one or two hours.”

Veronica’s shoulders flinched at the unexpected news. She glanced at him—his silver armor gleamed even in the darkness.

“So you’re here to tell me to get ready for battle?”

“No. Rest for today.”

“Then why are you here?”

Leon was silent for a while. Just as Veronica was about to ask again, he finally answered.

“To warn you about the holy sword.”

“Warn me?”

“During the battle earlier today, it seemed like you pushed yourself to the limit wielding the sword. That isn’t a miracle that grants power without cost. It’s a weapon that takes away life in proportion to what it gives.”

Takes away life force?

She was stunned, her ears suddenly sharp.

Leon slowly explained everything she needed to know. How she had to be wary of moments when power surged inexplicably. How her improved swordsmanship wasn’t her own strength. Veronica, too absorbed in his words, nodded without realizing it.

At some point, she had even forgotten the sound of the rain. In that darkness, their eyes met. Leon abruptly stopped talking, staring at her intently. When she gave him a puzzled look, he laughed softly, running a hand roughly through his hair.

“Oh, sorry. Honestly, all of this was just an excuse.”

“What?”

“I wanted to see you one more time before heading out.”

She couldn’t believe her ears. Her mind went blank. Leon laughed out loud, his voice echoing as he whispered, his boyish smile appearing—the smile she had once fallen for.

“Yeah, I wanted to see you.”