The Quartz Throne (7)

‘But he’s strong… No, how could he become this strong? Even considering I’m not in peak condition. But even if I were, could I really beat this guy?’

Dimia had no choice but to cast a spell to heal Crassli’s twisted knee.

“Ugh.”

Thanks to the overflowing white mana, Crassli’s body was completely restored. Since Azadine had warned him, Crassli didn’t dare move and kept glancing at Azadine.

“Who told you to heal him completely?”

“I couldn’t help it, Azadine. I’m not that skilled with white mana either.”

“Come to think of it, how are you even handling white magic? You don’t have a grimoire, do you?”

“Arael gave it to me.”

“Arael?”

“Yeah. She deciphered part of the Heavenly King’s Book of Truth and gave it to me. Isn’t it amazing? She said once all the pieces of the Codex are gathered, she’ll lift our curse.”

“Hmph. So that’s why everyone’s so smitten with Arael.”

Azadine was inwardly surprised. That just deciphering part of the Heavenly King’s Book of Truth in Arael’s possession enabled such healing magic.

If all the copies were collected, then Arael would fully master the Codex—that was what this implied.

Now he understood why even the proud Ethar bloodline would support Arael.

‘Am I really going to end up as the only traitor? Is this okay?’

But Azadine changed his mind.

‘Still, summoning Nether’s Messengers and slaughtering the Hybris people can’t be justified. If you’ve got that kind of power, then just gather the Codex pieces instead, right? Why all this meaningless massacre?’

Azadine turned to Zebec with a request.

“Sir Zebec, choke Crassli unconscious.”

“What? Uh… right.”

Zebec was flustered. To him, Crassli wasn’t someone to be taken lightly. And now he was supposed to choke him unconscious?

“Just don’t kill him.”

“……”

As Zebec approached, Crassli looked uncertain whether to resist. When their eyes met, Dimia gave Crassli a slight nod.

“Damn it. This is so humiliating.”

Without resisting, Crassli passed out in Zebec’s chokehold.

“Alright, let’s head back to the surface. Leave Crassli here. Dimia, I’m going to tie your hands and feet.”

“…Fine.”

As Azadine tightly bound her limbs, Dimia grumbled.

“My blood’s not circulating. Aren’t you tying it too tight?”

“If I tie it loose, you’ll just slip out of it, right?”

“By the way, Azadine—when did you get so strong? I knew you had mastered the Khazas Grimoire, but were you always this powerful? Care to share some tips with your big sis?”

“Thorough review and preview, balanced rest and nutrition.”

“……”

What Azadine said was exactly what Dimia used to tell the young cadets in his class back when they asked.

Azadine securely tied up Dimia and hoisted her over his shoulder.

“Let’s go back to the surface. I can’t just sit by and let Arael act like some savior after unleashing the disaster she summoned.”

‘Impressive.’

The Flower of Dimia, captured and carried through the underground passage by Azadine, was secretly impressed.

‘She causes a disaster, then pretends to save everyone from it.’

He had seen through the Arael faction’s plans perfectly.

The Arael faction had promised to scatter the Light of the Throne and summon the Messengers of the Nether in alliance with the Nagas, in exchange for sharing the deciphered copies of the Heavenly King’s Book of Truth.

To achieve this, the sea serpent Nagas prepared massive human sacrifices to summon the Messengers and mobilized their army to invade Coral Sahar.

The storm, the army—mobilizing all that must’ve cost the Nagas dearly.

Using the Nagas as sacrificial pawns to threaten Coral Sahar, and once the Messengers descend, Arael will defeat them from the throne of Coral Sahar.

She’ll then declare to the world that she, of imperial blood, is the rightful heir to the throne, diminishing the authority of the Church of the King and proclaiming the Messenger Clan—no longer persecuted—as the saviors who will overcome the oncoming ruin, the Age of Jupiter.

That was the Arael faction’s plan.

‘The Messengers do study politics and military strategy, but this one’s sharp. As expected of Arael’s twin? Come to think of it, those born under the Curse of Service are said to become the most talented of the Messengers. I always thought Arael alone had benefited from that curse, but maybe this one has too.’

Dimia was impressed by Azadine’s keen insight.

After swimming through the flooded section, they emerged outside where the Messenger servants were waiting.

“Hmm?”

“Lady Dimia?!”

They were shocked to see Dimia bound hand and foot with rope like livestock headed to market.

“Ah, calm down, everyone. This happened because the magical ritual failed. Right?”

“…Yeah.”

Dimia had no choice but to nod.

Though the servants looked suspicious, Dimia hugged Azadine like an old friend and said,

“He’s Lady Arael’s brother. Trust him.”

“Huh?”

The onlookers were stunned, but Azadine casually spoke to the Messenger servants.

“So, how’s the situation with the Messengers of the Nether?”

“It’s chaos. Some of the sea serpent Nagas have transformed into Netherspawn… and it looks like even the Nagas can’t control them.”

“The captives are dying. The frenzied Nagas are eating people alive.”

“They’re still bombarding the main gate, and now that the paladins’ white magic is weakening, we’re being pushed back hard.”

“I see. What about Arael?”

“We’re not exactly sure…”

“She said she’d appear when needed, so she must be nearby, but we don’t know for sure.”

“Really? Alright. Then I’ll head toward the royal castle.”

“Y-Yes. Um, what should we do?”

“If things get too out of hand, it’ll be a pain, so help fend off the Nagas. Our alliance only lasted up to this point anyway, right?”

“Understood.”

The servants nodded to Azadine and turned to leave.

“Ah, wait. Before you go.”

“Yes?”

“Some arrows.”

Azadine didn’t forget to resupply his arrows.

Each time lightning flashed, a massive shadow stretched across the sea. Even those without magical talent could now clearly see the Messenger of the Nether—its silhouette.

“Eek!”

“I-It’s the Age of Jupiter!”

“Oh gods, no!”

“Don’t look at it! If we see them, they’ll see us!”

People trembled at the mere shadow of the Messenger of the Nether.

Though it hadn’t directly intervened in the mortal realm yet, its colossal figure, half-submerged in the ocean and towering higher than any lighthouse, was enough to shatter morale by sight alone.

“I-I forsake the false gods I followed! O great deity of the Nether, if you share your name, I’ll devote myself to you!”

Among them were those who renounced their faith in the Yaegas God Tribe and begged the Nether deity for mercy.

“You lunatics! What are you doing? Get out of the way!”

Sergeants kicked the frenzied people aside and began reinforcing the gates and entryways with wooden furniture.

“Good work.”

Azadine walked forward confidently, acknowledging their efforts.

“Huh? You’re…?”

“I am Azadine, 108th Messenger of the Emperor! Even King Ansethus IV gave me direct orders. Make way.”

“……”

“Do you know what this is?”

Azadine revealed the Necklace of Underwater Breathing, a token from Ansethus IV.

“Hmm. It’s real.”

Recognizing it as the necklace the king always wore, the commander looked stunned.

“Tch! This is what happens when you ally with the Messengers!”

“Oh? Are you criticizing the king now?”

Azadine glanced at one of the grumbling sergeants and asked.

“Fine, just get in! Damn it. We’re all dead anyway! This is what we get for trusting a fool of a king!”

“A fool of a king, huh. People sure switch objects of worship quickly when things get hard.”

“Yeah, talk all you want. If we’re still alive tomorrow, we’ll take any punishment that comes!”

Grumbling, the sergeant grabbed his weapons and moved to his assigned post.

He might’ve had a foul mouth, but he was doing his duty.

“Hm…”

Azadine took note of him and continued toward the royal castle.

Uwooooo!

From beyond the stormy seas came the roar of the massive colossus.

At the same time, enormous boulders rained down from the sky like volcanic bombs.

They struck various parts of Coral Sahar’s city center, where floodwaters surged, sending up huge jets of water. Some collided with buildings, spires, and stone walls—exploding on impact.

Those that survived the fall unfurled their curled-up forms, revealing multi-jointed bodies and countless feelers, crawling and turning as they began to move.

“Eek!”

“Wah!”

As soldiers panicked at the falling monsters, the frenzied sea serpent Nagas willingly approached the orb-like creatures and offered their bodies.

When the pillbug-like monster opened its maw, its jaws—thick as a human forearm and as sharp as daggers—punctured the back of a Naga’s head, sucking out its brain and fusing to the body.

The Naga’s eyes rolled back, foam spewed from its mouth… and then the two rose as one, blackish poison oozing from their bodies.

“W-What is that?!”

“Damn it! Fire!”

The soldiers fired heavy crossbow bolts from atop the walls at the mutated Nagas. But the Nagas hunched forward, letting the Nether beast attached to their back take the hit—its hardened carapace deflected the bolts.

Ting!

A metallic sound rang out as the bolt bounced off.

“Huh?”

“T-That’s impossible!”

A heavy crossbow could easily pierce a regular Naga.

And yet here, some bolts simply slid off. Not all—direct hits penetrated, but glancing shots skidded away.

“Dear gods!”

“Get it together! Keep firing! Pike unit! Block their advance!”

Under the sergeants’ orders, spear-wielding troops rushed forward while the crossbowmen reloaded.

So began a brutal battle amidst the storm—between soldiers and sea serpent Nagas mutated by the power of the Nether.

Ansethus IV sat on the Quartz Throne—the throne of the Yaegas divine bloodline—with his eyes closed.

Lightning flashed outside, followed by thunder. In that brilliant light, his face looked as if carved from stone.

Gwooooooo!

From within the storm came the faint roar of a massive monster.

Then something rained down from the sky. The giant in the storm was spewing something from its mouth, and the wind carried it down to various parts of Coral Sahar Castle.

Some struck the royal castle’s spire, causing it to shake—tremors even reached the throne chamber.