SWNOVELXO Chapter 543
Chapter 543: You Should Probably Do Some Work. (1)
Once the battlefield was cleared, Ghislaine introduced Jerome in front of everyone.
“This friend’s name is Jerome. He’s an 8th Circle Mage and hails from the Tower of Dawn. The Tower of Dawn is right next to Greenhill Village in the Kingdom of Polred. So don’t keep asking where it is because Greenhill Village is right by the Tower.”
Jerome nodded repeatedly and smiled broadly. Then he suddenly realized something strange and was taken aback.
“Whoa! What the heck! How do you know so much about me! What’s going on? We just met today!”
At this, Ghislaine spoke with great confidence.
“I know everything.”
“…….”
Jerome looked at the others with a blank expression.
And everyone nodded in agreement.
“Our young master knows everything.”
“Our lord knows nothing but the truth.”
“He’s practically a prophet.”
As everyone affirmed this, Jerome grew even more flustered.
‘W-where did our tower’s secret, one-person transfer go? No one was supposed to know according to my master!’
Even the villagers who had lived beside the tower for a long time didn’t know about it. But how could someone from the distant Ruthania Kingdom know?
This was definitely an absurd situation, yet everyone was accepting it as normal, making him feel all the more like the odd one out. So he looked at the one who seemed the most sensible among them, Yulien.
Yulien, who had simply been standing with her arms crossed, just turned her head away.
Jerome gazed at Yulien, looking dazed.
‘S-she seems to be acting like she doesn’t want to admit she doesn’t know.’
In any case, by the standard of this place, he was the strange one. As a mage, he didn’t want to accept this inexplicable phenomenon.
“W-what do you mean, how did you know!”
Ghislaine spoke confidently again.
“We’re friends, right?”
“That doesn’t make sense!”
“It’s a secret.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. Ghislaine had never provided a proper reason, yet everyone seemed to know, and whenever he spoke, the results were always favorable.
In this respect, Parniel, who looked quite displeased, answered instead.
“There were revelations.”
“Revelations?”
“I heard rumors in the capital. It’s said that Archbishop Porisco of the Juana Sect and Duke Penris are saints. It’s well known that they received a revelation from the goddess to foresee the drought and prepare.”
“O-oh…”
Jerome nodded repeatedly. That certainly made some sense.
Parniel wore a confident expression. He had wanted to bring this up if an opportunity arose.
“They must be receiving revelations through dreams or other means. They’ve dealt with many matters thanks to that. Otherwise, it wouldn’t make sense. Isn’t that right, Duke Penris?”
“…….”
In response to Parniel’s challenging gaze, Ghislaine gulped nervously.
What if Ghislaine denies that it’s a “revelation” here?
He could potentially face the notoriously exhausting and high-pressure inquisition. And it seemed like Parniel was quite eager for that right now.
It felt a bit like he had hurt Parniel’s feelings in the last fight. Ah, that wasn’t intentional though.
Ghislaine smiled as if resigned.
“Wow, indeed the saint’s gaze cannot be deceived. Yeah, it’s a dream, but it’s similar to a revelation. I was thinking… it might be Juana.”
“Ohhh! As expected!”
The priests who followed Juana fervently made the sign of the cross and prayed.
Of course, the others, including Piote, wore expressions of disgust.
That much, at least, was absolutely not the case. That person was not someone who would receive a revelation. That was a certainty.
Especially Elena quietly muttered.
“That guy receiving a revelation? It’s just enlightenment…”
Arel was next to her and couldn’t finish his thought, but she always seemed to be in a foul mood.
In the awkward atmosphere, Ghislaine licked his lips.
‘Well… I did have a strange dream recently.’
He still didn’t know the identity of the dream, but he felt like there might be something to learn from it.
If that’s the case, could it not be equated with a revelation?
Jerome also nodded, somewhat convinced. He was a mage who played with the laws of the world but did not deny the sacred.
“Well then, anyway, since this friend has decided to join us, let’s all get along moving forward!”
Thus, the mobile army, with Jerome now part of it, returned to where the Parsali Kingdom’s forces were.
The commander of the Kingdom Army, Marquis of Supork, was greatly moved and teary-eyed.
“Th-thank you! Truly, thank you!”
The kingdom had been on the brink of destruction. The legion of corpses was an enemy they couldn’t handle.
Yet they managed to deal with it all.
As rumored, the Ruthania Army was indeed worthy of being called the strongest on the continent.
The soldiers of the kingdom and the people cheered.
“Wowwwww!”
“Long live the Ruthania Army!”
“Long live Duke Penris!”
Praising a duke and military from another country was not something you should do recklessly. Yet, no one had even the slightest thought against it.
To those who had lost their homes and fled in terror, Duke Penris had shown them hope.
And Marquis of Supork wasn’t just thanking Ghislaine. This miracle was also made possible because one person had delayed time.
He grasped Jerome’s hand tightly, his eyes glistening with tears.
“Thank you so much. If you weren’t here, we wouldn’t have endured this much.”
Jerome had held off the advance of the corpses alone many times.
If he hadn’t been there, this kingdom would have met its end before reinforcement arrived.
No matter how strong you were, it wasn’t an easy feat. It required strong will and an upright heart to demonstrate such a stance.
“Hahaha… Come on, it’s nothing. I just did it while I was here.”
Jerome scratched his head with an awkward laugh. He was glad he could help people with his own strength.
That was the purpose of the tower’s existence and his master’s wish. He was faithfully fulfilling his mission.
Ghislaine spoke to the Marquis of Supork, who was continually expressing his gratitude.
“It may be tough, but I ask that you promptly mobilize the army. We need to strike the Kingdom of Atrode.”
“Of course. The army is gathered to fight anyway. I’ll send them right away.”
The Parsali Kingdom’s forces moved to join the allied forces, leaving behind only the minimum personnel needed for internal organization.
There were no immediate threats to the kingdom. It was better to lend strength to the allied forces than to save the army.
If the allied forces lost, the kingdom could not avoid annihilation.
For this reason, the allied forces from various regions were heading to the Kingdom of Atrode.
Ghislaine also sent word to the approaching Ruthania Army reinforcement.
― We’ve dealt with Helgenik. Turn the army toward the Kingdom of Atrode right away.
Claude received the order and changed the direction of the army’s advance.
The Ruthania Army was moving behind the mobile army in anticipation that Helgenik would lead the rebels.
Living humans can think, unlike corpses. A grand army of over 200,000 would be difficult to handle with only the mobile army.
However, since they had all turned to corpses, it was actually easier for the mobile army to deal with them. It was a matter of just capturing Helgenik.
“We’ll rest for two days and then move out. Half of the priests should stay behind to assist with plague control and corpse purification.”
At Ghislaine’s command, the mobile army relaxed and began to rest.
Everyone was exhausted from the forced march and the subsequent battle. Especially the priests who had struggled to keep up.
Considering the pace of the mobile army, even with rest, they would reach the Kingdom of Atrode faster than other forces.
And that night, Ghislaine dreamed again.
*
“Can you do it?”
It was the voice he had heard in the last dream.
With a hazy mind, Ghislaine slowly opened his eyes.
Was it because Dark didn’t block it? His senses were more alive than before. Yet, it still felt like he was on the edge between dream and reality.
As he let go of that sensation and surrendered his body, the surrounding environment began to take form.
“Whoaahhh!”
He heard cheers.
The environment coming into view was still vague and blurry, but it was a bit clearer than before, allowing him to understand the situation.
‘Is this war?’
Soldiers rushed forward, shouting. Knights were leading them everywhere.
‘Where is this?’
The clothing worn by the soldiers and the weapons they wielded were styles he had never seen before. Despite accumulating various knowledge, he had no idea which country’s army this was.
Grrr….
But he could tell what the soldiers were fighting against.
For they were beings he had fought countless times throughout his past and present lives.
Kahhhn!
Equidema charged at the soldiers. Countless Cracked Beings and Mutants followed behind it.
‘What the….’
He couldn’t believe it. Mutants were one thing, but Equidema and the Cracked Beings were moving outside the realm of the blue fog.
Not just one or two.
Kahhhhn!
Equidema surged from all sides. Naturally, behind those beasts, the Cracked Beings were following darkly.
Boom!
The fierce battle began. It was a disaster beyond compare.
If Equidema was moving like this, half the continent would have been destroyed by now.
“Hold on! Don’t give in!”
The human army was no easy match either. They were vast in number, gathered together as one.
The battle, reminiscent of a calamity, raged on fiercely. Countless people fell to the beast’s claws, and just as many monsters were brought down.
In this chaos, Ghislaine noticed a familiar face.
“Protect the saint!”
‘Ereness.’
Ereness was fighting. Summoning spirits, she faced the beasts with unmatched resolve.
Boom! Bam! Bang!
She was strong. Though he wasn’t sure when, she certainly displayed a strength just as powerful as now.
Behind her, countless elves were firing arrows and summoning spirits. It was a sight he had never seen before.
Humans, elves, dwarves, and various Other Races fought together. It seemed they had united against the calamity that struck the continent.
As time passed, the human army began to falter.
“Oh, goddess…”
“Kill them! Don’t stop!”
“Just a bit more strength…”
Some despaired, others mourned, while some burned with rage.
It was a scene he had witnessed innumerable times on the battlefield and emotions he had felt countless times.
The beasts, with crazed eyes, continued to surge forward. They seemed to have no other target but the army before them.
The humans, at some point, began to fight back. They all shouted in unison.
“Protect the saint!”
“Protect the saint!”
“Protect the saint!”
‘The saint.’
Ghislaine turned his head unconsciously.
In the center of the battlefield stood a woman, surrounded by countless people’s protection.
‘Is that the saint?’
Given the situation, it seemed so. Ghislaine quietly watched the woman called the saint.
She was neither as beautiful as Piote nor as formidable as Parniel. She was just a plain and ordinary-looking woman.
Anyone who didn’t know would never think she was the saint.
Yet the miracles she showed were anything but ordinary.
After a long moment standing in a prayer posture with her eyes closed, she slowly reached both hands toward the heavens.
“O Deana, your servant implores you. Grant them an unyielding will and a shining hope amidst their fear.”
Deana. The goddess symbolizing light and righteousness, truth and wisdom, mercy, and devotion.
Upon hearing that name, Ghislaine surmised that she was Deana’s saint. But that wasn’t the end.
“O Moriana, grant them immortal victory and glory, and the courage not to retreat.”
Moriana. The goddess of war and honor, battle and victory, authority and majesty, pride, and more.
“O Juana, grant them boundless vitality and the strength to protect their companions.”
Juana. The goddess of beauty and love, abundance and productivity, nobility and grace, economy and system.
“O Serana, help them forget the horrors and pain of war and guide them on the righteous path.”
Serana. The goddess symbolizing life and death, oblivion and fate, emptiness and darkness.
She prayed to all the goddesses. And each goddess answered her prayers.
Paaahhh!
The dark sky split open, shining light all around.
“Whoahhhh!”
Exhausted soldiers shouted as they swung their weapons anew. Everyone began to exhibit tremendous strength.
Kahhhhhh!
Equidema and the Cracked Beings began to falter. The situation on the battlefield flipped in an instant, powered by the saint’s miraculous strength.
Though it was a hazy scene, there was enough clarity to understand what was happening.
The only thought that sprang to Ghislaine’s mind as he watched the battle was one.
‘I can’t believe it.’
The saint was a being loved by the goddesses. And one goddess selects only one saint. That is the truth.
Yet that saint was now defying that common sense.
A being loved by all the goddesses. He had never even heard of such a legend.
Yet that seemingly ordinary woman was such an unfathomable existence.
The saint gazed worriedly at the battlefield, watching the soldiers fighting the monsters.
In the midst of this, her expression suddenly turned blank.
And suddenly, everything came to a halt.
The roaring Equidema and Cracked Beings, and the people who had been shouting with strength.
They froze in place as if captured in a scene from a painting.
Only the saint.
She slowly turned her head and locked eyes with Ghislaine.
Around her neck hung a simple necklace that Ghislaine was currently wearing.
Ghislaine tried to speak to the saint. Yet, his voice wouldn’t come out. His body wouldn’t move either.
At that moment, she opened her mouth toward Ghislaine.
“Not, yet, come, don’t.”
Bang!
The dream shattered, and Ghislaine opened his eyes.