The tiresome war of attrition continued.
When the war first began, Targayel had a clear upper hand. Many predicted a Targayel victory and a quick end to the war.
But as time passed, Targayel struggled more than expected. There were difficulties due to the difference in troops, but the biggest disaster that Targayel faced was the 'weather'.
The winter cold was bitter. Unlike Targayel, Heglatan was accustomed to the cold. They were a people who considered snow and ice their home.
They knew very well how to avoid the bitter wind, how to protect themself from frostbite, and how to keep food from freezing. They knew everything from the Emperor to the lowest soldiers, without the need for instructions or teaching from above.
But Targayel was not like that. In Targayel, winter was just a passing season. Naturally, their ability to cope with it was significantly inferior to Heglatan’s. Blahar calculated all of this and waged war in the winter.
Targayel fought defensively as much as possible, stalling for time, waiting for the weather to clear and spring to arrive.
But Heglatan did not leave Targayel alone. They pressed forward on a wide front and won battle after battle in which Shan and Elijah were unable to participate. The war began to tilt more and more toward Heglatan.
While Elze and Shan were struggling on the battlefield, back home, Astin was working hard to govern internal affairs together with Heyla.
However, Astin and Heyla were also having a hard time. It was because of the anti-war forces. They urged a ceasefire with Heglatan. The anti-war forces' argument was right. They said that Targayel could not endure the war. Even if they won, it would be a victory with only wounds, they argued.
“Ceasefire?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We can no longer continue the war.”
“No! That’s absolutely impossible!”
It was a state council where high-ranking nobles gathered. Amidst the fierce confrontation between the two groups that advocated for a ceasefire and war, Astin put his hand on his head. After silencing the crowd, Astin opened his mouth in a calm tone.
“Do you know what they will ask for in return for a ceasefire and say that?”
But the nobleman of the anti-war faction cut off Astin's words and shouted.
“Before that, the finances won’t hold up!”
The conference room that had barely calmed down became a scene of chaos again. The nobles were shouting at each other and pointing fingers, already beyond control.
Duke Wade was also shouting loudly, his bloodshot eyes on the table. The conference room door opened wide, and a secretary quickly approached Astin.
The room naturally became quiet due to the sudden appearance. The secretary, not paying attention to the eyes gathered around him, lowered his voice and reported to Astin. Astin’s face lit up after hearing the secretary’s report. Everyone looked at Astin with curious eyes.
Astin slowly stood up from his seat. The sound of his chair being dragged back echoed quietly in the conference room. Astin spoke clearly.
“We have decided to provide support from Ryeo. We are sending soldiers to the Kirkla Plain.”
“...!!”
“In addition, they have promised to provide various supplies to friendly countries, led by Britain.”
The nobles were all clearly surprised by the news of the flood of support. But the surprises did not end there. Astin brought out another bombshell piece of news.
“Finally, we have received word from Inesian that they will assist Targayel. Ilwooz himself is leading his priests to the battlefield to help heal the soldiers.”
The room was in an uproar at the mention of Ilwooz. It was a more intense reaction than when they heard news of support from allied countries.
It was well known that Targayel and the Cult of Ines had a special relationship. However, no one expected that they would support them even in the war.
The moment the Ines sect was mentioned, the atmosphere completely changed. The nobles who had been advocating for a ceasefire simply coughed in vain and remained silent. In particular, the nobles who believed in the Ines sect kept their mouths shut as soon as the story of Ilwooz came up. Astin continued speaking amidst the fierce opposition that had subsided.
“This is no longer just a war for Targayel. It is a war across the continent, involving other nations as well.”
At the mention of the Continental War, several nobles swallowed dry saliva. Tension filled the room. In a slightly more solemn atmosphere, Astin spoke.
“Targayel represents the allies. The moment we step down, the allies die along with us. And!”
Astin, who had been speaking calmly, spoke with a slightly raised voice.
“If Heglatan had simply accepted the ceasefire, there would have been no war in the first place. What they want is the destruction of Targayel. Do you understand?”
“...”
“We have nowhere to retreat. At times like these, we must unite and fight together.”
Some of those who had been vehemently calling for a ceasefire looked a little embarrassed at Astin's words.
It was a shameful thing to have their feet numb. Their demand for a ceasefire was due to a bit of fear for their own safety rather than concern for the Empire.
Astin slowly scanned the quiet room. Astin, who was making eye contact with each noble, was not his usual gentle self.
“I swear on the name of Targayel.”
With his eyes harder than ever, Astin declared firmly.
“The Empire will surely win!”
The sacred city of Inesian was like an island on a large lake.
In the center of the city, in a tall, towering tower, resided Ilwooz, the leader of the Inesians and the Pope of the Ines Cult.
And there, the bishops of the Order of Ines were gathered, talking to Ilwooz. The faces of the bishops sitting around the round table made of pure white marble were shadowed. They spoke in dark voices.
“Your Holiness, could you please reconsider?”
Ilwooz opened his mouth slowly.
“This is a decision I made after careful consideration...”
The gloomy voice was full of discomfort. However, the bishops did not keep their mouths shut, even while watching Ilwooz's expression.
“However, it is incomprehensible that the religious order is intervening in the war.”
“There are believers in the church in Heglatan as well. To abandon them and raise the hand of Targayel is to go against the neutrality of the church...”
Knock. A very small sound was heard. It was the sound of Ilwooz placing his hand on the table. It was just a small movement, but the bishop who had just expressed his opinion immediately shut his mouth. Ilwooz stared at the bishop.
The bishop bowed his head. Ilwooz's eyes were covered by the string, but he could not meet his gaze. Ilwooz smiled quietly and muttered.
“Neutrality……...”
Silence fell. Ilwooz looked around the room and asked slowly.
“What do you think is the reason for the existence of the church..”
The bishops looked at each other. They hesitated and then answered cautiously.
“Isn’t it to preach the words of Ines and strive for the happiness and salvation of mankind?”
It was a model answer that was even written in the doctrine. However, Ilwooz slowly shook his head.
“It is an important matter... but it is not the top priority... The original purpose of establishing the church was...”
Ilwooz put both hands behind his head. He slowly grabbed the knot of the string that had bound his eyes and untied it. The cloth came loose, and his eyes were revealed. They were eyes that mixed all the colors of the world.
A white halo of light rose above Ilwooz's body. The bishops all muttered a short prayer, "Ines," in unison as the waves of divine power spread softly. Ilwooz finished his words clearly with a clear voice.
“To prevent the destruction of the continent.”
The word destruction created a gloomy atmosphere in the room. Ilwooz spoke calmly, straightening his long sleeves.
“There is less than a year left until the millennium. The Order must do everything in its power to prevent the destruction of the continent. Now I will not hesitate to use any means necessary.”
All the bishops looked surprised at the words that he would not care about the means and methods. It was as if a small pebble had been thrown onto the calm water, and ripples like ripples spread out.
“Ensuring that Targayel wins the war, and protecting our savior, Erzenes Targayel. These are the highest priorities of the current cult.”
And Ilwooz threw a large stone onto the gently swaying water.
“I will not seal the power until the millennium comes.”
“Your Holiness!!”
The bishops screamed and shouted at Ilwooz, but Ilwooz was firm.
“It is my will.”
“Your, Your Holiness...!”
The bishops looked at each other, unable to continue speaking. After exchanging sorrowful glances, the old bishop was the one who spoke.
He had found this bishop and brought him to the pulpit, and he was the bishop he had brought closest to him that day. The bishop whispered sadly with his wrinkled old face.
“But isn’t that something that would be exchanged for life...”
There was one reason why the Ilwooz of all time lost their sight and always covered their eyes. It was because they had put the power of a god into their human bodies.
If the power was not sealed normally, the body would not be able to endure and would collapse. Since the state of sealed power is also very difficult, Ilwooz lived a life much shorter than the average lifespan. Even the Ilwooz with the longest recorded lifespan did not live to be half a century old, and most Ilwooz died young.
The Ilwooz who are about to turn the millennium have more power than any Ilwooz in history. That is why the religious community was already worried about the lifespan of this Ilwooz. However, Ilwooz has now declared that he will release his seal by the millennium.
Tears streamed down the wrinkled face of the old bishop. He wept as he remonstrated with Ilwooz.
“It’s as if Lord Ilwooz is telling us now that he will give up his own life..”
But despite the tearful pleas, Ilwooz did not give in.
“I’m not doing this to die. I’m doing this to survive.”
Ilwooz stood up from his seat. White light powder fell down in a flurry following his movements. Ilwooz shone alone in the dark hall.
“We will leave only the bare minimum of personnel to manage the cult, and devote all our efforts to supporting Targayel.”
The bishops also rose from their seats following Ilwooz. And they all bowed their heads. In front of them, who were paying their respects, Ilwooz spoke again.
“No matter what happens, Targayel must win.”
“Captaiiiiiiin!”
Tarkun shouted, swinging his sword vigorously. Elze leaped forward powerfully and stepped on Tarkun’s shoulder. She must have stepped too hard because Tarkun let out a groan.
"Sorry!"
Elze apologized to Tarkun and ran forward. The enemies were terrified at the sight of Elze falling on their heads.
Elze ran forward, cutting them down without mercy. As Elze scattered the formation, Tarkun followed behind her and cleaned it up. Rapine's arrows blocked and cleaned up the attacks that Elze could not block.
And next to Rapine, Ivanna was blocking the enemy who was approaching him. Ivanna let out a cute scream at the enemy who was swinging his sword at me.
“Oh my, oh my!”
Meanwhile, she was constantly throwing explosives with her hands. The enemies looked at Ivanna like she was a monster, but they did not stop attacking her.
It was because they couldn't lay a hand on Rapine without eliminating Ivanna. They rushed in desperately to eliminate Rapine's long-range defense. Ivanna hid behind Rapine as the attacks surged toward her and screamed cutely.
“Whoa! That’s scary!!”
Of course, the glass bottle that Ivanna threw hit the enemy exactly, melting half of his body. Tarkun, who saw Ivanna swinging her sword without thinking and going, “Wow, Wow,” opened his mouth wide and forgot to swing his sword. When Rapine came near, he asked a question in a dazed manner.
“...Did she eat something wrong?”
Rapine, who had been following Tarkun, stood next to him and explained.
“I think it’s because there’s a Captain nearby.”
“...”
Elze was too close for Ivanna to act as she usually did. When Tarkun clicked his tongue and said that it was the end of the world, Ivanna glared at him.
Ivanna waved the explosive in her hand threateningly. It was a signal that if his useless talk reached Elze's ears, he would not be safe either.
"Ack!"
Tarkun flinched and quickly concentrated on his swordsmanship, while Ivanna went back to pretending to be cute. Anyway, thanks to Ivanna’s efforts, Elijah was able to safely disperse the enemy’s ranks and advance. Elze, who was swinging her rapier and mangosh at the forefront, let out a sigh at the brief lull.
“Phew...”
It was more classic than she thought. As the heightened sense of excitement subsided, a tingling pain crept into her arm that had been holding the sword for a long time.
The battle took place today at Heglatan, Targayel, a strategically important point from which no retreat was possible. In Targayel, both Shan and Elijah participated in the battle to ensure an unconditional victory.
Heglatan did not participate in the war with Blahar, but it did send a large number of troops. Thanks to the countries supporting Heglatan on the continent sending reinforcements, Heglatan was recently pushing forward with a swarm offensive.
Although Targayel had excellent knights, the war was ultimately a fight between the many, not the individuals. It was difficult to hold out when they were pushed forward by numbers.
Today, Targayel was not able to easily gain victory, even though both Shan and Elze were present. The battle was unusually fierce, and both sides were exhausted.
Elze glanced to the side. Shan was in the distance. He was clearly visible from afar, swinging his sword with Liv.
Shan had an indifferent expression the whole time. Whether he was cutting off an enemy's arm or cutting off a head, he had the same expression on his face. In fact, if you just look at his face, he looks like someone reading a book leisurely in a study rather than on a battlefield.
As she was briefly looking at Shan's face, he looked back at Elze. Their eyes met at a completely unexpected moment.
Just as Elze checked on Shan from time to time, Shan also checked on Elze from time to time. Shan, who had been expressionless, nodded slightly when his eyes met Elze's. It was a greeting of his own.
A tingling sensation ran through her body, and her face turned hot. Elze quickly turned her eyes away, pretending not to notice, and then rushed towards the enemy again.
Concentrating on the battle, she was pushing the front line hard with Elijah and the others. Elze, sensing a subtle change, opened her eyes wide.
“...!”
The atmosphere suddenly became strange. Heglatan's camp began to murmur and boil. Reinforcements had arrived for them.
They were already outnumbered, and now they had reinforcements from Heglatan. It was the same situation. Elze quickly ordered Targayel to retreat.
“Retreat! Pull back the front lines!!”
But the numerous soldiers could not just leap back in one fell swoop. The Targayel camp began to crumble as retreats and advances became intertwined.
“Damn it, Shan!!”
Elze called out loudly to Shan. Shan was about to grasp the situation and take command. A loud roar was heard from behind the Targayel camp.
Elze's mouth slightly opened as she looked back. There, a flag with a large golden dragon on it was waving. Under the dazzlingly writhing golden dragon, there were knights in armor. They were the female knights of Ryeo, riding elegantly on horseback and charging into battle.
Queen Ryeo of the Ryeo Kingdom, Ryeo Hyeon, personally stepped forward and commanded them.
But Targayel's reinforcements did not end there. Hyeon smiled leisurely and stretched out his hand. A white halo of light flowed from Hyeon's hand and seeped into the air. The light rose into the sky, twinkling as if it were some kind of signal.
And at the sight that followed, Targayel and Heglatan alike opened their mouths in amazement.
A huge light appeared in the sky. The light that appeared in a circle slowly spread out to the sides, increasing in size, and then suddenly spread out.
When the dazzling light faded, priests with black robes fluttering in the air appeared. They were priests of the Ines cult, slowly descending to the ground while enveloped in white light.
At the head of the priests sat the Pope, Ilwooz. He looked at Elze with his rainbow-colored eyes, which were usually hidden, clearly visible.
Ilwooz's body slowly approached Elze. He cut through the air, stopped lightly in front of Elze, and landed on the ground.
The hem of his clothes billowed in the wind and then slowly sank with the light. Then Ilwooz smiled and greeted Elze.
“I’m back, Elze.”
The Pope appeared out of thin air. There was no way he could fight properly.
Until Ryeo's army showed up, it was just chaos, but when Ilwooz and the priests of the sect appeared, everyone was left breathless.
With the miraculous appearance of Ilwooz, the atmosphere that Heglatan had been leading in the ascendancy was instantly reversed, and Targayel ended up winning the battle.
That evening, the Targayel camp held a rare toast. It was a toast to the victory in an important battle and to commemorate the joining of Ryeo's army and the Cult of Ines.
Elze happily drank with those she had not seen in a long time. However, as always, the commanding officers, including Elze, only hung out for a short while and then left.
It was partly because they wanted to allow their subordinates to have fun at ease, but also because the commanding officers could not let their guard down.
The next day, all the major figures of the current Targayel faction gathered in the barracks for a meeting.
From the Queen of Ryeo to Ilwoos, each and every one of them was so amazing that it was surprising that they were all in the same place.
In particular, Ilwooz's transformation was amazing. He had released his seal, revealing his rainbow-colored eyes. His eyes, which shimmered with all sorts of colors, were so dazzling that it was hard to look at them. The divine power flowing from him was so overflowing that even when he was still, white light would flow out little by little.
Shan wanted to sit farthest from Ilwoos, but since they were both supposed to sit at the head of the table, they had no choice but to sit close to each other.
Shan couldn't hide his discomfort, but he still didn't act like a jerk. Instead of sitting quietly, he made a deal with himself to hold Elje's hand, who was sitting next to him. Elje also knew that Shan was having a hard time, so she held his hand without saying a word.
Before the meeting began in earnest, Liv, who couldn't hold back her curiosity, finally bravely asked a question.
“Excuse me, Your Holiness!”
At Liv's call, everyone looked at him. However, Liv confidently asked a question despite the pouring gazes.
“But how did you fall from the sky?”
Hyeon, who had been sitting leisurely, laughed out loud at the abrupt question. Ilwooz also smiled without showing any sign of displeasure.
Liv's question was something Elze was curious about as well. Divine power was not omnipotent. Since it was the power of a god contained in a human body, it had its limits.
Even if he was a great warrior, he could not use divine power to move to another country at will. Therefore, when traveling between countries, he had to infuse divine power into the mobile platform he had installed there.
But this time, as Liv put it, it fell from the sky. Everyone looked at Ilwooz with curious eyes, and he calmly explained.
“Thanks to you, Hyeon.”
The first Queen of Ryeo was brought to the continent by Ilwooz, and Hyeon, who inherited her blood, was able to receive Ilwooz's divine power. Hyeon, who received the divine power, arrived on the battlefield and acted as a sort of moving formation. Shan, who heard Ilwooz's explanation, raised his eyebrows and said a word.
“It could be used strategically.”
But Hyeon immediately refuted this. Hyeon raised his chin arrogantly and said,
“If you want to ask me for something, it will be difficult to do so in this position, Shan Cirxus.”
There was no need to explain that the two were enemies. Hyeon openly picked on Shan. But Shan was tolerant. It was because Elze was holding his hand.
After a moment of confusion, the meeting began in earnest. Ilwooz was the first to speak.
“It goes without saying that the priests of the church do not kill.”
Everyone nodded, as it was such an obvious thing that it was embarrassing to even mention. But the remark that followed was a bit surprising.
“We will treat the wounded of Heglatan equally, along with those of Targayel.”
As he spoke, Ilwooz looked at Elze for a moment. As he stared into his sparkling eyes, Elze felt strange. Ilwooz seemed to be hoping that Elze would give permission. He continued slowly.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to those who are suffering. This is the doctrine that Ines has given us, and it is the price we must pay if the Order is involved in war.”
What Ilwooz was talking about was the minimum neutrality that the sect had to maintain. Since the sect, which had been shrouded in mystery, went to war because of Targayel, this much had to be understood.
Everyone who was present at Ilwooz's words nodded. And Elze also nodded quietly to show her agreement. Ilwooz said with a much more relaxed expression upon seeing Elze's agreement.
“However, Targayel will always be my top priority. My first goal is Targayel’s victory. However...”
Ilwooz's mouth tightened. He paused for a moment, then continued speaking slowly.
“The second goal of the church is to reduce casualties and end the war as peacefully as possible.”
At that sight, Elze felt a pang in her heart for a moment. There must have been forces within the church that opposed supporting Targayel.
But Ilwooz came here despite everything. Only for Elze and Targayel. Shan, who had been quietly watching the situation, spoke to Hyeon.
“But is it okay for Your Majesty to come forward like this?”
Hyeon smiled brightly at Shan's words. It was rare for a King to intervene in his own country's war, let alone in a foreign country's war.
In fact, it was beyond rare cases; it was ridiculous. But Hyeon smiled meaningfully and looked at Shan and Elze alternately. She laid her hands on the table leisurely. And she tapped her fingers and said.
“We have our own pressing circumstances...”
Everyone looked puzzled by Hyeon's words, but only Elze, Shan, and Ilwooz understood what she meant.
Hyeon likes Elze, but she is not the type of person to go into such a dangerous battlefield just for that reason.
She participated in the war for the same reason as Ilwooz. To prevent the destruction of the continent, Targayel must win unconditionally. With that mission in mind, many people rushed into the battlefield.
Now the war is not just Targayel's...
Elze had tens of thousands of lives at stake. Suddenly, her shoulders felt heavy. Elze tightened her grip on Shan’s hand.
The map of the war, which seemed to be tilting toward Heglatan, began to shake again.
This was because the Kingdom of Ryeo and the Church of Ines had participated in the war. They supported Targayel in a way that was difficult to understand.
However, the Church's intervention in the war itself was welcomed by both Targayel and Heglatan, as the Church of Ines declared that it would focus on reducing casualties from the war and would treat the wounded on both sides.
But apart from that, it was an undeniable fact that the cult supported Targayel. The believers of Heglatan were shaken by the cult's actions. Some even surrendered to Targayel.
In addition to the support of the Kingdom of Ryeo and the Church of Ines, Targayel was blessed with many good news. As March passed and April began, the weather began to gradually warm up near the border.
The gradually warming weather was a great boon for Targayel. As the warm spring breeze began to blow, the morale of the soldiers who had been exhausted from winter also increased.
They vaguely hoped that things would work out when spring came, and indeed things were going that way. As the snow and ice melted, Targayel's soldiers began to move much more efficiently than before.
As the days passed, Targayel grew stronger and stronger, and they were gradually gaining the upper hand. And to solidify the situation that was turning upside down, Targayel came up with one plan.
“Ready to go, Captain!”
The idea is to use the bombs Ivanna made to cut off Heglatan's supply route.
After learning of Heglatan's supply route through the intelligence Shan had gathered, the Knights of Elijah moved secretly with Ivanna at the center. They buried her specialty, solid bombs, in the supply route in advance and waited in ambush in various places for Heglatan's supply force to arrive.
When she saw the supply unit coming from over there, Ivanna tearfully offered Elze the fuse.
“I’m scared of this. Can’t the captain do it for me?”
At Ivanna's appearance, Tarkun pretended to vomit next to her. Elze immediately scolded Tarkun.
“Tarkun, what kind of reaction is that when Ivanna says she’s scared?”
Tarkun tried to protest with a look of injustice on his face, but Heglatan's supply unit was too close for him to do so.
Rapine, who was checking the route of the supply unit, waved the flag to signal. Elze turned to Rapine and lit the fuse. The fire was lit with a hissing sound. The red spark quickly followed the fuse.
The knights of Targayel, including Elijah, all took out their earplugs and plugged their ears. Then they waited quietly, holding their breath.
Heglatan's supply corps walked along peacefully, oblivious to anything. And the moment they approached the bomb.
Kwaang! The whole place shook with a thunderous roar. Black smoke billowed out, and stone fragments rained down. Heglatan's supply unit rolled across the ground.
Before they could come to their senses, Targayel's knights quickly surrounded the supply line and surrounded it. Heglatan's soldiers were incapacitated in an instant without being able to respond properly. A few who came to their senses belatedly looked pale when they saw Elze. One of the supply linemen screamed.
“Hey, Elijah...!”
Elze commanded the front in front of the terrified people.
“Capture them all! Treat the wounded humanely! We’ll take all the supplies!!”
At Elze's command, the knights moved in unison. Then Ivanna also stepped forward, swaying.
She made sure Elze was far away, then walked over to the Heglatan supply corpsman who had fallen on the ground and whispered quietly.
“Give me everything you’ve got, you little shits.”
The supply trooper looked dumbfounded at Ivanna's whisper. It was incredible to hear a little girl chattering away.
But just as he was about to say something, he was hit in the back of the head. Tarkun, who had been sauntering behind Ivanna, hit him hard on the head. Tarkun imitated Ivanna and spoke in the same trembling voice.
“I told you to give me everything you have.”
“...”
The supply trooper had to keep his mouth shut without saying a word.
Heglatan's supply corps had to watch in vain as the supplies they had worked so hard to transport fell into Targayel's hands.
That day, Targayel succeeded in blocking Heglatan's supply route and stealing their supplies without any significant casualties. They also captured all of the supply crew members.
With their supply lines cut off, Heglatan, who was already losing the war, found themself in a dire strait. Now, it seemed clear to everyone that victory was in Targayel's hands.
But Heglatan was not going to collapse like this. They were cornered and began preparing their last move.
And Targayel, too, began to plan a plan to end Heglatan once and for all, so as not to prolong the war any longer.
Targayel and Heglatan are now entering the final battle.
When the war first began, Targayel had a clear upper hand. Many predicted a Targayel victory and a quick end to the war.
But as time passed, Targayel struggled more than expected. There were difficulties due to the difference in troops, but the biggest disaster that Targayel faced was the 'weather'.
The winter cold was bitter. Unlike Targayel, Heglatan was accustomed to the cold. They were a people who considered snow and ice their home.
They knew very well how to avoid the bitter wind, how to protect themself from frostbite, and how to keep food from freezing. They knew everything from the Emperor to the lowest soldiers, without the need for instructions or teaching from above.
But Targayel was not like that. In Targayel, winter was just a passing season. Naturally, their ability to cope with it was significantly inferior to Heglatan’s. Blahar calculated all of this and waged war in the winter.
Targayel fought defensively as much as possible, stalling for time, waiting for the weather to clear and spring to arrive.
But Heglatan did not leave Targayel alone. They pressed forward on a wide front and won battle after battle in which Shan and Elijah were unable to participate. The war began to tilt more and more toward Heglatan.
While Elze and Shan were struggling on the battlefield, back home, Astin was working hard to govern internal affairs together with Heyla.
However, Astin and Heyla were also having a hard time. It was because of the anti-war forces. They urged a ceasefire with Heglatan. The anti-war forces' argument was right. They said that Targayel could not endure the war. Even if they won, it would be a victory with only wounds, they argued.
“Ceasefire?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. We can no longer continue the war.”
“No! That’s absolutely impossible!”
It was a state council where high-ranking nobles gathered. Amidst the fierce confrontation between the two groups that advocated for a ceasefire and war, Astin put his hand on his head. After silencing the crowd, Astin opened his mouth in a calm tone.
“Do you know what they will ask for in return for a ceasefire and say that?”
But the nobleman of the anti-war faction cut off Astin's words and shouted.
“Before that, the finances won’t hold up!”
The conference room that had barely calmed down became a scene of chaos again. The nobles were shouting at each other and pointing fingers, already beyond control.
Duke Wade was also shouting loudly, his bloodshot eyes on the table. The conference room door opened wide, and a secretary quickly approached Astin.
The room naturally became quiet due to the sudden appearance. The secretary, not paying attention to the eyes gathered around him, lowered his voice and reported to Astin. Astin’s face lit up after hearing the secretary’s report. Everyone looked at Astin with curious eyes.
Astin slowly stood up from his seat. The sound of his chair being dragged back echoed quietly in the conference room. Astin spoke clearly.
“We have decided to provide support from Ryeo. We are sending soldiers to the Kirkla Plain.”
“...!!”
“In addition, they have promised to provide various supplies to friendly countries, led by Britain.”
The nobles were all clearly surprised by the news of the flood of support. But the surprises did not end there. Astin brought out another bombshell piece of news.
“Finally, we have received word from Inesian that they will assist Targayel. Ilwooz himself is leading his priests to the battlefield to help heal the soldiers.”
The room was in an uproar at the mention of Ilwooz. It was a more intense reaction than when they heard news of support from allied countries.
It was well known that Targayel and the Cult of Ines had a special relationship. However, no one expected that they would support them even in the war.
The moment the Ines sect was mentioned, the atmosphere completely changed. The nobles who had been advocating for a ceasefire simply coughed in vain and remained silent. In particular, the nobles who believed in the Ines sect kept their mouths shut as soon as the story of Ilwooz came up. Astin continued speaking amidst the fierce opposition that had subsided.
“This is no longer just a war for Targayel. It is a war across the continent, involving other nations as well.”
At the mention of the Continental War, several nobles swallowed dry saliva. Tension filled the room. In a slightly more solemn atmosphere, Astin spoke.
“Targayel represents the allies. The moment we step down, the allies die along with us. And!”
Astin, who had been speaking calmly, spoke with a slightly raised voice.
“If Heglatan had simply accepted the ceasefire, there would have been no war in the first place. What they want is the destruction of Targayel. Do you understand?”
“...”
“We have nowhere to retreat. At times like these, we must unite and fight together.”
Some of those who had been vehemently calling for a ceasefire looked a little embarrassed at Astin's words.
It was a shameful thing to have their feet numb. Their demand for a ceasefire was due to a bit of fear for their own safety rather than concern for the Empire.
Astin slowly scanned the quiet room. Astin, who was making eye contact with each noble, was not his usual gentle self.
“I swear on the name of Targayel.”
With his eyes harder than ever, Astin declared firmly.
“The Empire will surely win!”
***
The sacred city of Inesian was like an island on a large lake.
In the center of the city, in a tall, towering tower, resided Ilwooz, the leader of the Inesians and the Pope of the Ines Cult.
And there, the bishops of the Order of Ines were gathered, talking to Ilwooz. The faces of the bishops sitting around the round table made of pure white marble were shadowed. They spoke in dark voices.
“Your Holiness, could you please reconsider?”
Ilwooz opened his mouth slowly.
“This is a decision I made after careful consideration...”
The gloomy voice was full of discomfort. However, the bishops did not keep their mouths shut, even while watching Ilwooz's expression.
“However, it is incomprehensible that the religious order is intervening in the war.”
“There are believers in the church in Heglatan as well. To abandon them and raise the hand of Targayel is to go against the neutrality of the church...”
Knock. A very small sound was heard. It was the sound of Ilwooz placing his hand on the table. It was just a small movement, but the bishop who had just expressed his opinion immediately shut his mouth. Ilwooz stared at the bishop.
The bishop bowed his head. Ilwooz's eyes were covered by the string, but he could not meet his gaze. Ilwooz smiled quietly and muttered.
“Neutrality……...”
Silence fell. Ilwooz looked around the room and asked slowly.
“What do you think is the reason for the existence of the church..”
The bishops looked at each other. They hesitated and then answered cautiously.
“Isn’t it to preach the words of Ines and strive for the happiness and salvation of mankind?”
It was a model answer that was even written in the doctrine. However, Ilwooz slowly shook his head.
“It is an important matter... but it is not the top priority... The original purpose of establishing the church was...”
Ilwooz put both hands behind his head. He slowly grabbed the knot of the string that had bound his eyes and untied it. The cloth came loose, and his eyes were revealed. They were eyes that mixed all the colors of the world.
A white halo of light rose above Ilwooz's body. The bishops all muttered a short prayer, "Ines," in unison as the waves of divine power spread softly. Ilwooz finished his words clearly with a clear voice.
“To prevent the destruction of the continent.”
The word destruction created a gloomy atmosphere in the room. Ilwooz spoke calmly, straightening his long sleeves.
“There is less than a year left until the millennium. The Order must do everything in its power to prevent the destruction of the continent. Now I will not hesitate to use any means necessary.”
All the bishops looked surprised at the words that he would not care about the means and methods. It was as if a small pebble had been thrown onto the calm water, and ripples like ripples spread out.
“Ensuring that Targayel wins the war, and protecting our savior, Erzenes Targayel. These are the highest priorities of the current cult.”
And Ilwooz threw a large stone onto the gently swaying water.
“I will not seal the power until the millennium comes.”
“Your Holiness!!”
The bishops screamed and shouted at Ilwooz, but Ilwooz was firm.
“It is my will.”
“Your, Your Holiness...!”
The bishops looked at each other, unable to continue speaking. After exchanging sorrowful glances, the old bishop was the one who spoke.
He had found this bishop and brought him to the pulpit, and he was the bishop he had brought closest to him that day. The bishop whispered sadly with his wrinkled old face.
“But isn’t that something that would be exchanged for life...”
There was one reason why the Ilwooz of all time lost their sight and always covered their eyes. It was because they had put the power of a god into their human bodies.
If the power was not sealed normally, the body would not be able to endure and would collapse. Since the state of sealed power is also very difficult, Ilwooz lived a life much shorter than the average lifespan. Even the Ilwooz with the longest recorded lifespan did not live to be half a century old, and most Ilwooz died young.
The Ilwooz who are about to turn the millennium have more power than any Ilwooz in history. That is why the religious community was already worried about the lifespan of this Ilwooz. However, Ilwooz has now declared that he will release his seal by the millennium.
Tears streamed down the wrinkled face of the old bishop. He wept as he remonstrated with Ilwooz.
“It’s as if Lord Ilwooz is telling us now that he will give up his own life..”
But despite the tearful pleas, Ilwooz did not give in.
“I’m not doing this to die. I’m doing this to survive.”
Ilwooz stood up from his seat. White light powder fell down in a flurry following his movements. Ilwooz shone alone in the dark hall.
“We will leave only the bare minimum of personnel to manage the cult, and devote all our efforts to supporting Targayel.”
The bishops also rose from their seats following Ilwooz. And they all bowed their heads. In front of them, who were paying their respects, Ilwooz spoke again.
***
“Captaiiiiiiin!”
Tarkun shouted, swinging his sword vigorously. Elze leaped forward powerfully and stepped on Tarkun’s shoulder. She must have stepped too hard because Tarkun let out a groan.
"Sorry!"
Elze apologized to Tarkun and ran forward. The enemies were terrified at the sight of Elze falling on their heads.
Elze ran forward, cutting them down without mercy. As Elze scattered the formation, Tarkun followed behind her and cleaned it up. Rapine's arrows blocked and cleaned up the attacks that Elze could not block.
And next to Rapine, Ivanna was blocking the enemy who was approaching him. Ivanna let out a cute scream at the enemy who was swinging his sword at me.
“Oh my, oh my!”
Meanwhile, she was constantly throwing explosives with her hands. The enemies looked at Ivanna like she was a monster, but they did not stop attacking her.
It was because they couldn't lay a hand on Rapine without eliminating Ivanna. They rushed in desperately to eliminate Rapine's long-range defense. Ivanna hid behind Rapine as the attacks surged toward her and screamed cutely.
“Whoa! That’s scary!!”
Of course, the glass bottle that Ivanna threw hit the enemy exactly, melting half of his body. Tarkun, who saw Ivanna swinging her sword without thinking and going, “Wow, Wow,” opened his mouth wide and forgot to swing his sword. When Rapine came near, he asked a question in a dazed manner.
“...Did she eat something wrong?”
Rapine, who had been following Tarkun, stood next to him and explained.
“I think it’s because there’s a Captain nearby.”
“...”
Elze was too close for Ivanna to act as she usually did. When Tarkun clicked his tongue and said that it was the end of the world, Ivanna glared at him.
Ivanna waved the explosive in her hand threateningly. It was a signal that if his useless talk reached Elze's ears, he would not be safe either.
"Ack!"
Tarkun flinched and quickly concentrated on his swordsmanship, while Ivanna went back to pretending to be cute. Anyway, thanks to Ivanna’s efforts, Elijah was able to safely disperse the enemy’s ranks and advance. Elze, who was swinging her rapier and mangosh at the forefront, let out a sigh at the brief lull.
“Phew...”
It was more classic than she thought. As the heightened sense of excitement subsided, a tingling pain crept into her arm that had been holding the sword for a long time.
The battle took place today at Heglatan, Targayel, a strategically important point from which no retreat was possible. In Targayel, both Shan and Elijah participated in the battle to ensure an unconditional victory.
Heglatan did not participate in the war with Blahar, but it did send a large number of troops. Thanks to the countries supporting Heglatan on the continent sending reinforcements, Heglatan was recently pushing forward with a swarm offensive.
Although Targayel had excellent knights, the war was ultimately a fight between the many, not the individuals. It was difficult to hold out when they were pushed forward by numbers.
Today, Targayel was not able to easily gain victory, even though both Shan and Elze were present. The battle was unusually fierce, and both sides were exhausted.
Elze glanced to the side. Shan was in the distance. He was clearly visible from afar, swinging his sword with Liv.
Shan had an indifferent expression the whole time. Whether he was cutting off an enemy's arm or cutting off a head, he had the same expression on his face. In fact, if you just look at his face, he looks like someone reading a book leisurely in a study rather than on a battlefield.
As she was briefly looking at Shan's face, he looked back at Elze. Their eyes met at a completely unexpected moment.
Just as Elze checked on Shan from time to time, Shan also checked on Elze from time to time. Shan, who had been expressionless, nodded slightly when his eyes met Elze's. It was a greeting of his own.
A tingling sensation ran through her body, and her face turned hot. Elze quickly turned her eyes away, pretending not to notice, and then rushed towards the enemy again.
Concentrating on the battle, she was pushing the front line hard with Elijah and the others. Elze, sensing a subtle change, opened her eyes wide.
“...!”
The atmosphere suddenly became strange. Heglatan's camp began to murmur and boil. Reinforcements had arrived for them.
They were already outnumbered, and now they had reinforcements from Heglatan. It was the same situation. Elze quickly ordered Targayel to retreat.
“Retreat! Pull back the front lines!!”
But the numerous soldiers could not just leap back in one fell swoop. The Targayel camp began to crumble as retreats and advances became intertwined.
“Damn it, Shan!!”
Elze called out loudly to Shan. Shan was about to grasp the situation and take command. A loud roar was heard from behind the Targayel camp.
Elze's mouth slightly opened as she looked back. There, a flag with a large golden dragon on it was waving. Under the dazzlingly writhing golden dragon, there were knights in armor. They were the female knights of Ryeo, riding elegantly on horseback and charging into battle.
Queen Ryeo of the Ryeo Kingdom, Ryeo Hyeon, personally stepped forward and commanded them.
But Targayel's reinforcements did not end there. Hyeon smiled leisurely and stretched out his hand. A white halo of light flowed from Hyeon's hand and seeped into the air. The light rose into the sky, twinkling as if it were some kind of signal.
And at the sight that followed, Targayel and Heglatan alike opened their mouths in amazement.
A huge light appeared in the sky. The light that appeared in a circle slowly spread out to the sides, increasing in size, and then suddenly spread out.
When the dazzling light faded, priests with black robes fluttering in the air appeared. They were priests of the Ines cult, slowly descending to the ground while enveloped in white light.
At the head of the priests sat the Pope, Ilwooz. He looked at Elze with his rainbow-colored eyes, which were usually hidden, clearly visible.
Ilwooz's body slowly approached Elze. He cut through the air, stopped lightly in front of Elze, and landed on the ground.
The hem of his clothes billowed in the wind and then slowly sank with the light. Then Ilwooz smiled and greeted Elze.
“I’m back, Elze.”
***
The Pope appeared out of thin air. There was no way he could fight properly.
Until Ryeo's army showed up, it was just chaos, but when Ilwooz and the priests of the sect appeared, everyone was left breathless.
With the miraculous appearance of Ilwooz, the atmosphere that Heglatan had been leading in the ascendancy was instantly reversed, and Targayel ended up winning the battle.
That evening, the Targayel camp held a rare toast. It was a toast to the victory in an important battle and to commemorate the joining of Ryeo's army and the Cult of Ines.
Elze happily drank with those she had not seen in a long time. However, as always, the commanding officers, including Elze, only hung out for a short while and then left.
It was partly because they wanted to allow their subordinates to have fun at ease, but also because the commanding officers could not let their guard down.
The next day, all the major figures of the current Targayel faction gathered in the barracks for a meeting.
From the Queen of Ryeo to Ilwoos, each and every one of them was so amazing that it was surprising that they were all in the same place.
In particular, Ilwooz's transformation was amazing. He had released his seal, revealing his rainbow-colored eyes. His eyes, which shimmered with all sorts of colors, were so dazzling that it was hard to look at them. The divine power flowing from him was so overflowing that even when he was still, white light would flow out little by little.
Shan wanted to sit farthest from Ilwoos, but since they were both supposed to sit at the head of the table, they had no choice but to sit close to each other.
Shan couldn't hide his discomfort, but he still didn't act like a jerk. Instead of sitting quietly, he made a deal with himself to hold Elje's hand, who was sitting next to him. Elje also knew that Shan was having a hard time, so she held his hand without saying a word.
Before the meeting began in earnest, Liv, who couldn't hold back her curiosity, finally bravely asked a question.
“Excuse me, Your Holiness!”
At Liv's call, everyone looked at him. However, Liv confidently asked a question despite the pouring gazes.
“But how did you fall from the sky?”
Hyeon, who had been sitting leisurely, laughed out loud at the abrupt question. Ilwooz also smiled without showing any sign of displeasure.
Liv's question was something Elze was curious about as well. Divine power was not omnipotent. Since it was the power of a god contained in a human body, it had its limits.
Even if he was a great warrior, he could not use divine power to move to another country at will. Therefore, when traveling between countries, he had to infuse divine power into the mobile platform he had installed there.
But this time, as Liv put it, it fell from the sky. Everyone looked at Ilwooz with curious eyes, and he calmly explained.
“Thanks to you, Hyeon.”
The first Queen of Ryeo was brought to the continent by Ilwooz, and Hyeon, who inherited her blood, was able to receive Ilwooz's divine power. Hyeon, who received the divine power, arrived on the battlefield and acted as a sort of moving formation. Shan, who heard Ilwooz's explanation, raised his eyebrows and said a word.
“It could be used strategically.”
But Hyeon immediately refuted this. Hyeon raised his chin arrogantly and said,
“If you want to ask me for something, it will be difficult to do so in this position, Shan Cirxus.”
There was no need to explain that the two were enemies. Hyeon openly picked on Shan. But Shan was tolerant. It was because Elze was holding his hand.
After a moment of confusion, the meeting began in earnest. Ilwooz was the first to speak.
“It goes without saying that the priests of the church do not kill.”
Everyone nodded, as it was such an obvious thing that it was embarrassing to even mention. But the remark that followed was a bit surprising.
“We will treat the wounded of Heglatan equally, along with those of Targayel.”
As he spoke, Ilwooz looked at Elze for a moment. As he stared into his sparkling eyes, Elze felt strange. Ilwooz seemed to be hoping that Elze would give permission. He continued slowly.
“We cannot turn a blind eye to those who are suffering. This is the doctrine that Ines has given us, and it is the price we must pay if the Order is involved in war.”
What Ilwooz was talking about was the minimum neutrality that the sect had to maintain. Since the sect, which had been shrouded in mystery, went to war because of Targayel, this much had to be understood.
Everyone who was present at Ilwooz's words nodded. And Elze also nodded quietly to show her agreement. Ilwooz said with a much more relaxed expression upon seeing Elze's agreement.
“However, Targayel will always be my top priority. My first goal is Targayel’s victory. However...”
Ilwooz's mouth tightened. He paused for a moment, then continued speaking slowly.
“The second goal of the church is to reduce casualties and end the war as peacefully as possible.”
At that sight, Elze felt a pang in her heart for a moment. There must have been forces within the church that opposed supporting Targayel.
But Ilwooz came here despite everything. Only for Elze and Targayel. Shan, who had been quietly watching the situation, spoke to Hyeon.
“But is it okay for Your Majesty to come forward like this?”
Hyeon smiled brightly at Shan's words. It was rare for a King to intervene in his own country's war, let alone in a foreign country's war.
In fact, it was beyond rare cases; it was ridiculous. But Hyeon smiled meaningfully and looked at Shan and Elze alternately. She laid her hands on the table leisurely. And she tapped her fingers and said.
“We have our own pressing circumstances...”
Everyone looked puzzled by Hyeon's words, but only Elze, Shan, and Ilwooz understood what she meant.
Hyeon likes Elze, but she is not the type of person to go into such a dangerous battlefield just for that reason.
She participated in the war for the same reason as Ilwooz. To prevent the destruction of the continent, Targayel must win unconditionally. With that mission in mind, many people rushed into the battlefield.
Now the war is not just Targayel's...
Elze had tens of thousands of lives at stake. Suddenly, her shoulders felt heavy. Elze tightened her grip on Shan’s hand.
***
The map of the war, which seemed to be tilting toward Heglatan, began to shake again.
This was because the Kingdom of Ryeo and the Church of Ines had participated in the war. They supported Targayel in a way that was difficult to understand.
However, the Church's intervention in the war itself was welcomed by both Targayel and Heglatan, as the Church of Ines declared that it would focus on reducing casualties from the war and would treat the wounded on both sides.
But apart from that, it was an undeniable fact that the cult supported Targayel. The believers of Heglatan were shaken by the cult's actions. Some even surrendered to Targayel.
In addition to the support of the Kingdom of Ryeo and the Church of Ines, Targayel was blessed with many good news. As March passed and April began, the weather began to gradually warm up near the border.
The gradually warming weather was a great boon for Targayel. As the warm spring breeze began to blow, the morale of the soldiers who had been exhausted from winter also increased.
They vaguely hoped that things would work out when spring came, and indeed things were going that way. As the snow and ice melted, Targayel's soldiers began to move much more efficiently than before.
As the days passed, Targayel grew stronger and stronger, and they were gradually gaining the upper hand. And to solidify the situation that was turning upside down, Targayel came up with one plan.
“Ready to go, Captain!”
The idea is to use the bombs Ivanna made to cut off Heglatan's supply route.
After learning of Heglatan's supply route through the intelligence Shan had gathered, the Knights of Elijah moved secretly with Ivanna at the center. They buried her specialty, solid bombs, in the supply route in advance and waited in ambush in various places for Heglatan's supply force to arrive.
When she saw the supply unit coming from over there, Ivanna tearfully offered Elze the fuse.
“I’m scared of this. Can’t the captain do it for me?”
At Ivanna's appearance, Tarkun pretended to vomit next to her. Elze immediately scolded Tarkun.
“Tarkun, what kind of reaction is that when Ivanna says she’s scared?”
Tarkun tried to protest with a look of injustice on his face, but Heglatan's supply unit was too close for him to do so.
Rapine, who was checking the route of the supply unit, waved the flag to signal. Elze turned to Rapine and lit the fuse. The fire was lit with a hissing sound. The red spark quickly followed the fuse.
The knights of Targayel, including Elijah, all took out their earplugs and plugged their ears. Then they waited quietly, holding their breath.
Heglatan's supply corps walked along peacefully, oblivious to anything. And the moment they approached the bomb.
Kwaang! The whole place shook with a thunderous roar. Black smoke billowed out, and stone fragments rained down. Heglatan's supply unit rolled across the ground.
Before they could come to their senses, Targayel's knights quickly surrounded the supply line and surrounded it. Heglatan's soldiers were incapacitated in an instant without being able to respond properly. A few who came to their senses belatedly looked pale when they saw Elze. One of the supply linemen screamed.
“Hey, Elijah...!”
Elze commanded the front in front of the terrified people.
“Capture them all! Treat the wounded humanely! We’ll take all the supplies!!”
At Elze's command, the knights moved in unison. Then Ivanna also stepped forward, swaying.
She made sure Elze was far away, then walked over to the Heglatan supply corpsman who had fallen on the ground and whispered quietly.
“Give me everything you’ve got, you little shits.”
The supply trooper looked dumbfounded at Ivanna's whisper. It was incredible to hear a little girl chattering away.
But just as he was about to say something, he was hit in the back of the head. Tarkun, who had been sauntering behind Ivanna, hit him hard on the head. Tarkun imitated Ivanna and spoke in the same trembling voice.
“I told you to give me everything you have.”
“...”
The supply trooper had to keep his mouth shut without saying a word.
Heglatan's supply corps had to watch in vain as the supplies they had worked so hard to transport fell into Targayel's hands.
That day, Targayel succeeded in blocking Heglatan's supply route and stealing their supplies without any significant casualties. They also captured all of the supply crew members.
With their supply lines cut off, Heglatan, who was already losing the war, found themself in a dire strait. Now, it seemed clear to everyone that victory was in Targayel's hands.
But Heglatan was not going to collapse like this. They were cornered and began preparing their last move.
And Targayel, too, began to plan a plan to end Heglatan once and for all, so as not to prolong the war any longer.
Targayel and Heglatan are now entering the final battle.
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