Chapter 86: Triumph Ceremony (3)
Triumph Ceremony (3)
Carlyn, enveloping the princesss body, flew accurately in the opposite direction of the bomb without losing that power.
Even though he protected every inch of the princesss body with Winds, he hadnt used much on himself.
An explosion occurred right before them. Even if he prevented the princess from being hurt, he couldnt guarantee her safety.
Moreover, without knowing the destructive power of the bomb, pouring all his strength wouldnt ensure the princesss safety.
But I do have Ironman on me.
That was the judgment made in a fleeting moment. Kwaang! The deafening sound and the shock felt throughout his body were simultaneous.
A massive shockwave shook his body.
The noise was overwhelming, making his ears feel stuffed. Extreme concentration. The moment felt slow to Carlyn.
In the fiery heat, the princesss startled eyes, held tightly in his arms, were vivid.
As the Winds didnt completely block it, Carlyn, too, couldnt escape unharmed from the aftermath of the explosion.
Light and heavy fragments struck Carlyns back and legs with tremendous speed and force.
This moment seemed slow to the princess as well.
With wide-open eyes, she was captivated by a strange sensation. The sensation of being embraced and flying in Carlyns arms was clear.
What in the world is this?
Although numerous things seemed to be raining down on her, nothing touched her body.
The shockwave was the same.
Slightly visible beyond Carlyns shoulders. A colossal column of flames erupted where the building was.
However, there was no sensation of heat. The massive fragments flying through the dirt and dust were the same.
Could this be a plausible event?
Because her body had collided, there was a sensation of impact against the knights body embracing her.
In the meantime, only she remained unscathed. It felt like an intangible shield had been erected above her body.
Did Schurtafen do something again?
In the slowly perceived time, the princess sensed something strange. Something inexplicable.
But Carlyn didnt have the leisure to pay attention to such suspicions.
Thud-! With a sound, his head shook. His head felt dizzy, and his vision blurred.
The awareness of the situation came a bit later.
A massive fragment had struck the back of his head. Belatedly, the ground was right in front of him.
Even in his dazed state, Carlyn managed to turn his body in midair.
He used his body to absorb and offset the impact of the fall. Otherwise, he would have slid on the ground with his back soaked in blood.
With the loss of momentum, Carlyn immediately turned his body to cover the princess once again.
The fragments that had soared high into the sky were now descending under the weight of gravity, pouring down with heat and debris.
Thud, thud, thudpain became vivid with each impact. The back of his body stung.
Warmth streamed down his head. Plop. A droplet of blood fell beside the lying princess.
It was blood flowing from the back of Carlyns head. Half of his face was drenched in blood.
Aaargh!
The triumph ceremony. The once flower-filled path had turned into ruins.
Whether dead or alive, finding someone with intact limbs was challenging.
Amidst dense smoke, flames, and dust, the invisible cries, moans, and screams overflowed.
The princess looked at Carlyn with astonished eyes. Outwardly, he seemed on the verge of death.
S-Schurtafen, are y-you alr
Your Highness, are you alright?
Carlyn forcefully held onto his fading consciousness. Being close, he took all the shocks.
Thanks to the Death Avoidance warning, he had reacted and avoided death, but without Ironman, he might have lost a limb in the explosion.
However, losing consciousness was not an option. He had to be prepared for additional attacks.
Carlyn regained his senses. The princess, lying down, nodded her head.
Her concern was more about Carlyn than herself. Blood continued to flow, which worried her.
Im fine. You, on the other hand
Please rise. Its still dangerous.
Carlyn helped the princess stand and immediately drew his sword. For a moment, his body swayed.
It was due to the strong impact on his head. He opened his eyes wide, but his vision was blurred, forming three vague shapes.
Schurtafen, are you okay?
Im fine.
Carlyn adjusted his posture as much as possible. In this unreliable situation, he focused on the Winds.
The sensation he felt. There were no approaching individuals. No one with malicious intent. But caution was necessary.
The explosion that occurred when the princess passed by was precisely targeted. An attack aimed directly at the princess.
He also had to be prepared for additional attacks.
Your Highness!
Approaching figures were present, and their momentum was not weak. They were the knights who were behind.
They guarded their surroundings without revealing their tension.
Your Highness! Are you alright?
In the thick dust, Emmet, now battered and bruised, revealed himself. Carlyn, surprised, opened his mouth.
Because Emmets left arm was missing. Blood flowed steadily from below the burst elbow.
Emmet! Your a-arm!
I am fine. Is Your Highness unharmed?
The wide-eyed princess nodded her head. She, too, was disoriented.
Her two escorts had just met a tragic fate.
Emmet had lost an arm, and Carlyn, while shielding her, was bleeding from various wounds.
The princess forced herself to regain composure. She couldnt afford to be a burden to her guards.
Fortunately, Carlyn and Emmet, protecting her, didnt face any additional attacks.
As those outside the blast zone approached to assist the guards, Rudehrn rushed over.
Your Highness! Are you alright?
To the repeated question, the princess responded promptly.
Im fine. But, Emmet and Schurtafen
I am still unharmed.
So am I.
Carlyn and Emmet answered. They didnt look entirely fine, but both were in a highly tense state.
Seeing their determined faces, Rudehrn nodded heavily. There was no alternative way to deal with the situation.
Lets head to the Imperial Palace first. As for the Crown Prince
Sir Rudehrn! The Crown Prince has already headed to the Imperial Palace!
A subordinate of Rudehrn rushed over and shouted. The two princes, at the front, had diverted to the Imperial Palace the moment the explosion occurred.
Prioritizing their lives was a reasonable decision. Rudehrn took a step forward.
Lets go. I will protect you.
On the way back to the Imperial Palace, Emmet roughly applied a bandage, but he couldnt completely stop the bleeding from his severed arm.
Carlyn, too, kept feeling his eyelids droop. However, he endured and bore it silently. Subjectively, it felt like a long time passed until they reached the Imperial Palace.
Sirs, now go get treatment. The situation does not look good.
Please take care of the princess, Sir Rudehrn.
At Rudehrns words, Emmet immediately turned his body. Trusting Rudehrn, it was an urgent situation requiring medical attention.
However, Carlyn silently remained in his place.
You should also go.
No, I will stay a bit longer.
Carlyn shook his head.
If this was indeed an attack by devil worshippers, he didnt know what else they might do.
Schurtafen, its fine. Go and get yourself checked. Your body is not looking good.
We might not know about further attacks
Dont worry, Im here. You surely wouldnt doubt me.
Right. With a Sword Master around. Carlyn reconsidered Rudehrns words.
Perhaps he was worrying too much. His mind wasnt entirely clear.
Even if they were devil worshippers, causing a commotion within the Imperial Palace would be improbable.
Considering the amount of the explosionthe chances of it being the final act of terror were high.
If it werent for Carlyn, the terror would have been unstoppable from the beginning. Even the Death Avoidance warning indicated danger for Carlyn.
Carlyn was the closest to the building. The next was the princess.
Emmet, who was farthest away, lost an arm. Without Winds and Death Avoidance, the princess would have been seriously injured or killed.
From the devil worshippers perspective, they probably hadnt prepared for more than that.
Alright then. Please be careful.
In a belated sense of relief, tension eased in Carlyn. Responding, he felt his vision lowering.
The ground was getting closer. He had fainted. Rudehrn caught Carlyn as he collapsed.
Schurtafen!
In the fading consciousness, the last thing Carlyn heard was the princesss voice.
Ugh
Before opening his eyes, he felt the heaviness in his body. It was like soaked cotton.
No strength, and his head was spinning.
He sensed someone next to him through the Winds. It wasnt someone intending harm.
As he opened her eyes, a doctor was there. They looked innocent. Sunlight streamed in through the window.
Sir, are you awake?
Is the princess alright?
His voice came out hoarse. His throat was dry. The doctor nodded.
Yes. Fortunately, shes unharmed. It was quite a shock. I heard that you protected her.
After that
Nothing happened. Luckily, no injuries.
Thank goodness.
The doctor smiled satisfactorily.
You showed great determination as soon as you woke up. Your reputation is indeed well-deserved.
My reputation?
Oh, I mean that you protected the princess. The news has already spread throughout the capital. Youre called a noble loyalist.
Ah, they were talking about that incident. Of course. It was a matter concerning the fate of this continent.
He coughed and asked, his voice still a bit rough.
If the rumors have spread, how long was I unconscious?
You were out for an entire day. You woke up sooner than expected.
An entire day?
He thought it might be thanks to Ironman. It was his first time experiencing such a shock.
Anyway, Erendil seemed fine, and he was curious about what happened afterward.
Have they caught the culprit?
Not yet. Theres talk about a body thats hard to identify in the blast site but theres no other news. The intelligence agency seems busy, as the rumors say.
I see.
He had identified one person with the Winds. There might be an accomplice, but it was almost certain they were devil worshippers.
Just by looking at the amount of the bomb, it was obvious.
However, this story was also unfolding differently than what he knew. If he hadnt been there, Erendil would have died.
He keenly felt that the future was changing because of him.
Is Sir Emmet okay?
He lost one arm and got burned, but its not life-threatening.
The doctors expression wasnt good. A knight losing an arm was never a good thing.
Then, who is guarding the princess?
By order of the Emperor, Rudehrn is currently protecting her. She was the direct target, wasnt she?
If Rudehrn was guarding her, he didnt need to worry further.
Sir, take some rest. You woke up sooner than expected, but you were quite seriously injured. Youve lost a lot of blood. You need a few days to rest.
The direct impact was on the head. It might have been a concussion. He wasnt worried.
With Ironman, recovery would be quick. He nodded, but he sensed activity outside.
Since he woke up, the doctor hadnt done anything, so what was it? Could he hear voices?
Duke Schweig is here.
Duke Schweig? Why is he here?
Just like Harvan Burseck, Chief of Intelligence of Haisen, Duke Schweig was the Chief of Intelligence for the Empire.
In other words, the head of the Imperial Intelligence Agency had come. The doctor glanced at him.
Now that Im awake, its fine.
You can come in.
The doctor opened the door himself. A man in his early fifties with an expressionless face appeared.
The doctor scratched their head.
I just woke up; how did you know?
Ive been waiting. I had one guy stationed nearby.
Ah
We want to have a private conversation. Is it okay?
In response to the clear dismissal, the doctor bowed and left the room. He looked at Duke while lying down.
Considering my condition, I apologize for the rudeness.
I heard you just woke up. Its my fault. I feel even more sorry.
No, did you catch the culprit?
The Duke shook his head.
Not yet.
Then, what brings you here?
From what Ive heard, you were the first to notice the explosion.
The Dukes eyes gleamed as he spoke.
Before the explosion happened.
It was a realization. It was to save the princess, but it might have looked strange to others. Moreover, if viewed with suspicion, various interpretations were possible.
You needed to know the situation in advance. Perhaps the accomplice changed his mind, or it was an act to build trust.
Carlyn, who had just woken up, quickly shook his dazed head.
How did you detect an explosion with no prior signs?
The Duke asked with sharp eyes.
Author's Thoughts
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