Outside the castle, the sky was dim.
Surrounding the castle was a fruit orchard, and as the sun set and a gentle breeze blew, a group of knights, full from their meal, sat by a haystack chatting and boasting.
According to Alice's plan, the other three Holy Knights groups had already left the main party…
Meanwhile, in a room within the castle, Diana, Prince Otto, and the castle baron were also chatting on the sofa.
Rose windows were carved with images of the Twelve Apostles, and Gothic rib vaults intertwined on the ceiling, forming an inverted thicket of thorns.
Astrological patterns floated within a silver-plated mirror frame in the Renaissance style; on ebony bookshelves carved with dragon scales, a row of chronicles from the magic world was displayed.
After the sun set, the fire burning in the fireplace cast a warm glow…
Otto noticed Diana seemed a bit drowsy, her posture almost at a 60-degree angle, so he suggested:
“If you really can’t stay awake, you should rest for a bit. I’ll inform them that we’ll travel tomorrow.”
“No need… No…”
Before she could finish speaking, Diana collapsed onto the sofa and fell asleep.
Otto smiled helplessly, took off his coat and draped it over her, then said to the baron:
“How about this? The main force travels slowly anyway, so we’ll depart first. We’ll leave two maids and three guards to look after her. Is that convenient for you?”
“Of course, it is a great honor for Diana to stay here.”
“Thank you for your hospitality.”
With that, Otto stood up, preparing to give instructions to the guards outside the door.
But suddenly, he felt a blunt object strike the back of his head, and he collapsed to the ground. Turning his head, he saw it was the baron from earlier.
“Mil, what is the meaning of this?!”
Before he could finish, the door suddenly opened, and the Royal Knights from outside the door pinned Otto to the ground, tying him up with a rope.
“Let me go! You… Mmph—!”
Then, Otto watched with wide eyes as someone who looked exactly like him walked in.
The baron stepped forward, bowed, and asked:
“Are you… Ibon’s disciple?”
“That’s right, Mil, thank you for your assistance.”
The fake Otto nodded, a cunning smile spreading across his face.
The knight nearby saw Diana collapsed on the sofa, drew his sword, and prepared to step forward:
“Sir, why don’t we just get rid of Diana too!”
“Idiot! The holy sword will wake her up!”
The fake Otto pulled him back, while the real Prince Otto continued to struggle desperately:
“Mmph—!”
Since Diana was sleeping nearby, everyone dared not make too much noise. The fake Otto lowered his voice and scolded:
“What are you doing? Hurry up and knock him out!”
The Royal Knight raised his sword sheath and struck Otto hard on the back of his head—
“Thwack—!”
“Mmph mph mph—!”
“Thud—!”
“Mmph mph mph—!”
“Clang—!”
“Mmph mph mph—!”
Seeing this, the fake Otto cursed angrily:
“A bunch of idiots! Haven’t you eaten?”
“I don’t know… Ever since we started tying the rope, I’ve felt a bit weak…”
The knights then realized that ever since they finished eating, their muscles would tremble whenever they tensed, and they always felt a lack of strength.
The baron nearby also chuckled and teased:
“Haha, you should have drugged Otto too, so he’d pass out like Diana.”
“Hmm? We didn’t drug him? Didn’t you arrange it?”
The fake Otto was full of confusion…
At this moment, a magic stone signal flare rose outside the window, exploding with red light.
“Boom—!”
“Awooo—!”
After the signal flare exploded, a wolf howl rose.
“Werewolf?!”
At the same time, a shout came from outside the door:
“Mil, you cannot enter now!”
“Get out of the way!”
However, Otto nearby was still struggling:
“Mmph mph mph—!”
“Just stuff him in first!”
The fake Otto reminded them, and the few of them quickly stuffed Otto into a sack, then dragged him behind the sofa by the window.
The door was also kicked open, and Mil walked into the room with a longsword, looking around at Diana, Otto, the baron, and five Royal Knights.
“Heh heh, just in time, aren’t we?”
“So it’s Mil? Is there something you need?”
“I’ve come to collect you all.”
With that, Mil secretly activated a dark magic stone, enhancing his physical strength, and charged forward with his sword.
The others drew their swords, trying to stop him, but they all felt their muscles unable to exert force, and their throats were cut open before they could even make a move.
Except for the one holding the sack at the back, the other four Royal Knights all fell to the ground…
Seeing this, the baron opened the window, intending to escape by jumping, but Mil’s light-attribute blade cut his thigh, rendering him unable to move.
Yes, it was precisely to prevent such a situation that he specifically bought a magic item—a light-attribute magic sword—just for this move.
The fake Otto gripped the sword in his hand, looking at Mil with indignation:
“Mil, how did you know? Could it be that you really are…”
Mil ignored him, following up on his previous movement, he lunged forward, thrusting his sword through the fake Otto’s throat and twisting it.
Why would I waste words with you?
I don’t believe you can also drop a Black magic stone from your embrace!
At this moment, the remaining Royal Knight suddenly picked up the sack and directly escaped by climbing out the window…
Mil’s light blade missed, and he quickly gave chase. Just as he was about to climb out the window, he was grabbed by the ankle by the baron from earlier.
“Damn! How much are you getting paid to be so desperate?!”
With that, he slit the baron’s throat…
Looking out the window now, the Royal Knight who had landed on the hay cart had already mounted a horse and was galloping away, pulling the reins.
Mil’s heart instantly turned cold, and he was drenched in sweat.
Forget it!
Just a single witness, he won’t cause much trouble…
After all, how could a zero-rank magic apprentice like himself possibly defeat so many people?
Moreover, whether he could escape the werewolf encirclement was another matter.
Before Diana woke up, Mil dealt a final blow to everyone, then fled in a hurry.
Flames soared around the castle, and the wolf howls from outside the orchard wall suddenly turned into a roar like a bronze horn.
The people in the orchard fled into the castle.
The werewolves swarmed forward but were stunned by the silver swords of the Holy Knights…
Reinforcing Holy Knights also arrived from all directions, forming a counter-encirclement.
Mil rushed towards the place where the two Undead were held. As long as he released those two guys…
The empire wouldn’t get the hostages, wouldn’t agree to Lilith’s marriage, and the Undead legion could continue its advance!
However, as soon as Mil rushed out of the castle, he was completely stunned by the sight before him—
Three high-ranking silver-armored Holy Knights unfurled gilded scrolls atop the bell tower. Holy text, suspended in mid-air, enveloped the entire winery in a pale golden barrier.
The leading Holy Knight clutched a holy-patterned pendant in his hand, muttering incantations—
“Eternal Gospel, Holy Sayings:
The sweet wine of the mortal world was once the blood of the Son of God.
There is also heavenly light, and also divine sound;
The Holy Country is by my side, like a beating heart.
The Holy Word is by my side, like a resounding battle song.
The Holy Blood is by my side, like a surging river…”
In an instant, the wine barrels that had been fermenting during the day were now seeping with nectar mixed with holy water.