亚洲欧美中文日韩Aⅴ

1. 1. The Final War

Ephesus, the land south of the Empire, was a vast wasteland.

Strangely enough, atop this land where not a single blade of grass sprouted, stood a forest. A forest amidst a wasteland, an ironic pairing it was but it was only possible because of the goddess that once resided here, Diana.

The forest had shrunk by more than 40 percent from the past but the forest continued standing strong.

“My holiness.”

The villages residing in Ephesus were situated right next to the forest. A temple was said to be located in the forest which was why only templars could enter.

“We have tracked their movements.”

There was a huge net set up in the middle of the wasteland. Though some might refer to it as a wall, it was commonly known as a net because it looked like a mesh made out of impenetrable iron.

This too was an artefact, Diana, who enjoyed hunting, left behind a long time ago. The net had been used for hunting a long time ago but as time passed and as the forest began to gradually shrink, it served as the border lining the Empire. Using this net, people may leave the Empire, but in order to enter it, people would need permission from the templars guarding the walls.

It was because the Templars of Diana had become the guardsmen protesting the West of the Empire.

“Speaking of Walter’s men. They seem to be trying to trap us before killing us off.”

However, there was another reason why the Templars of Diana remained in the west.

A woman raised her head. Her blue hair curled upwards.

“Where exactly are they?”

“They moved eastward to escape the heat. But they’re also advancing. They’ve gotten closer than they were 3 days ago.”

“Have the messengers from the capital arrived yet?”

For a woman, she had a very low voice.

Diana, the Goddess of Hunting, had proclaimed that only women were allowed to be her Head Templars.

The current emperor might have banned female templars but even he could not go against a god’s condition which was why he could only banish them to the west of the Empire.

Instead of going against the emperor, their Head Templar had willingly accepted their role as a shield in the west.

“Yes. Alongside a report…”

The emperor had forced them to accept men as templars as well. Which was why the current Templars of Diana were now of mixed genders.

“A new emperor has ascended the throne. And… it seems like the princess has become emperor.”

“What?”

The Head Templar, Atalante, raised her head in surprise.

“What about the Crown Prince?”

She had heard about the Succession Ceremony. It was only natural for the Crown Prince to succeed the throne.

She had been shocked to hear about a female heir but to hear that the emperor had let his daughter succeed the throne?

“This emperor has passed. He was killed by the hands of the Crown Prince…”

Looking perturbed, the reporting templar handed her a scroll. Huh, the Head Templar clicked her tongue.

“What a mess.”

Did that mean the emperor’s son had killed his father before the youngest princess drove him out to become emperor instead?

Something felt amiss.

Not only did she manage to defeat the man who was said to be the strongest heir, but she was also a female templar, someone who was not meant to exist…

“A royal mess.”

The Head Templar slammed her hand against the desk before snickering her head off.

“You there. Tell me honestly. How long do you think you guys can last without me?”

The Head Templar asked as she fiddled with her large bow.

“I’m not sure either. Three days would be the longest I think we can go.”

“That won’t do. I should visit the capital at least once…”

The Head Templar muttered into a cloth. The cloth covering the windows were removed to reveal the wasteland’s landscape. Atalante drew a large bow indifferently and aimed.

Just then, the woman heard a whimper. The moment the templar next to her turned his head, he spotted a soldier from Walter falling off his horse.

“It’s a scout.”

An average man might not have been able to see him but the senses of a templar were far superior.

“Right. The border is disappearing and the fight is only getting fiercer.”

“At this rate, they would take no time at all to reach our villages.”

“Well. Fortunately, we are still holding out because of our capable strategist.”

It had only been five days since Walter’s soldiers had appeared atop the hills beyond the wasteland. They had swarmed their border before loitering outside for some reason.

Atalante knew that they were waiting. And what they had been waiting for was immediately apparent. After a while, their border disappeared.

‘Right, during the Succession Ceremony.’

However, Ephesus’ forces were able to put up a formidable fight, preventing them from entering. It was all thanks to their god’s net.

“I never thought I would get to use the net like that.”

“It is our goddess’ plan.”

“Hm. Would our goddess have left it for us to be used like this? It is blasphemy. Idiot.”

At the end of her sentence, she turned her gaze towards the distant wasteland. The border might have disappeared but the god’s powers still remained in the land. That meant hope had not left their land.

Eventually, dozens of men had emerged from the wasteland. It must have been the rearguard that the scout from earlier must have belonged to.

Atalante raised her bow once again. She narrowed her eyes before letting out a breath. Just then, her blue eyes were set ablaze by a purple flame.

It rained. It rained arrows on wherever she chose. Her merciless arrows punished the invaders. This ability was thanks to her artefact, the Noctiluca.

“Your bow alone can fight against a hundred men.”

“No. I missed one… No, I missed two men.”

She still looked dissatisfied after completely annihilating an entire unit.

‘It’s strange.’

Something felt amiss the moment she drew her bow. And she managed to miss two people.

‘What kind of power was that?’

The two people in the rear were both wearing dark hoods which was why she didn’t manage to catch their faces.

‘Why can I feel the Power of the Lord from there?’

There only existed one power that turned hers into nothing. The power to control all other powers. But why could she sense the Power of the Lord from the Kingdom of Walter?

“… There’s more than just one thing to report back.”

She muttered as she put her bow back down. Her long blue hair swayed back and forth against the backdrop of the wasteland.

“Go call for him.”

“Who are you referring to?”

“Why, the man who comes up with brilliant plans like a ghost.”

“Yes!”

Atalante scrutinised the report the templar had brought.

“By the way, the emperor…”

The Templars of Diana did not get along with the Imperial Family. Because it had been the emperor who banished them here.

‘They have to last at least a month here’

However, in order to request reinforcements, she must meet the emperor. Whether it be the empress herself or her attendants.

“The emperor is a woman. Didn’t the old-fashioned bastards in the Central Palace throw hands to oppose this succession?”

She muttered as she watched Walter’s encampment in the distance.

***

I opened my eyes with a start.

When I got up, my back was soaked. From the cold sweat that only appeared when I was very nervous. I tilted my head before wiping my forehead.

‘What just happened?’

I thought I heard someone calling for me but the voice disappeared instantly. By the time I glanced at the sky, I realised it had already turned dark. No one would be calling for me at this timing. Moreover, everything had been thrown into chaos after the Succession Ceremony so the security around my palace had strengthened.

“What’s the matter?”

Amor, who had been lying beside me, got up as well. I leaned my head on his shoulders before shaking my head.

“I was sure someone was calling me… I’m not sure though. It could have been a dream.”

I muttered as I stared at the diary on my desk.

‘Could it be Rusbella?

Come to think of it, had I heard her voice again after awakening?

‘The day Fleon died, her voice kept ringing in my head.’

Could she talk to me through the diary?

“A dream? I heard that templars never see things by chance?”

After agonising for a while, Amor spoke.

“Then…”

“Templars can usually hear their god’s will. Words left by their god.”

But the two gods that had granted me powers no longer existed in this land. One was buried in the ground while the other was trapped in the crystal.

“Could it not be possible that it was from a human? Like a message left through an artefact?”

“There is a possibility. I too can convey messages through my plants.”

He whispered before planting a kiss on my forehead.

“Have you calmed down now?”

“Ah…”

His fingers caressed my eyes.

I could see his expression through the hand that was brushing against my eyes.

“Yes. I’m fine. It’s nothing.”

I held his hand before flashing a faint smile. But he still seemed to be pondering about it as he furrowed his brows.

“Damn it. I already told you that this was nothing.”

Soon, his firm arms wrapped around my waist before he placed his head against mine.

“I hope you know that I don’t like it when you say things like that.”

His breaths tickled my nose. He planted a peck on my nose before saying.

“It upsets me when you do.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Hmph?”

He buried his head into my shoulder. My shoulder shuddered as his breath brushed against my bare skin.

“What do you mean you’re sorry? Then, can we finish what we were doing?”

“H-Hold on. Amor.”

The sleepwear Rebecca provided for me exposed my shoulders. Of course she had handed it to me without ever thinking that anyone would be digging into my shoulder like this.

“Wait, hold on hold on. Wait a minute!”

When he looked up, I managed to cover his mouth and lock eyes with him.

“You know that you’ve just sneaked in, right?”

Not only were my personal bodyguards patrolling outside, but Rebecca was also in the next room.

“Of course.”

His eyes narrowed slightly as he was stopped from speaking.

“That’s why I should keep as quiet as possible.”

He whispered languidly.

‘H-have I ever seen Amor make such an expression before?’

Panicking, my hands slipped before falling into his hands. He kissed my fingertips before raising my head.

From some point on, his hand slipped from my waist before grabbing my thigh. He parted his lips before sweeping his hands up the pale legs under my skirt.

“You have a meeting in the hall tomorrow, right?”

“Huh? Ahem, yes.”

“By the way, when are you going to address me properly?”

“Ah…”

He was right. I might have been a princess before, I was the emperor now. I was of higher rank now. He pressed his lips to my neck.

His warm breath tickled me. It felt like the night was burning with an unfamiliar sensation.

“My dearest Majesty, the emperor. Are you not now of a higher rank than the prince in front of you?”

“… I never realised. Since I have been speaking in a different way to you this whole time.”

“I’m used to it now. Ashley.”

“Ah, well. I’ll…”

I dragged the end of my sentences awkwardly. But he tapped my lips as if he was getting impatient.

“Follow after me. I shall.”

“I shall?”

“That’s it. And then, I love you.”

“I love… Amor?”

“Yes. I love you too.”

When I widened my eyes, he closed his own as if he was satisfied.

His lips soon lowered.

“I will always be with you wherever you are.”

His lips melted into mine in this kiss. He parted briefly to whisper. Before continuing.

“My lovely Rosé. Your Majesty of above.”

***

The next day.

It was only a week after the Succession Ceremony did they finish repairing the hall. Once again, the templars gathered before me in this spacious hall.

“How dare you join hands with the Templars of Chaos?”

The number of templars had dwindled. Because some had gotten injured or had died that day and unlike back then, I had only gathered the important representatives.

Additionally, not only were there templars, but there were also non-templars. Since some of the key administrative positions were held by non-templars.

‘They don’t even bother being considerate to the non-templars.’

Unable to hold themselves back, the templars displayed their divinity which only made non-templars shake their heads.

“Throughout history, they have been traitors to the Empire. They are hyenas who are after the Imperial Family! I cannot agree with you joining hands with those people.”

It was the Head templar of Spears and Shields who remarked loudly. They often competed with the Temple of the Sword over control of the armed forces in the Empire.

“Moreover, to learn that the Templars of Snow and the Sea, part of the strongest temple after the Imperial Family, were also Templars of Chaos. To see these traitors like this… We don’t know when they’ll ever betray us again.”

At the end of his words, another old Head Templar nodded his head too. It was the Head templar for the God of Rivers, Inachus.

Alongside him was the Head Templar for the God of Fogs and the Dawn, Aurora, who was also of the moderate faction.

I wondered whether I should tell them that the strongest templars following the Imperial Family, Amor and Hernan or the Templars of Chaos , would no longer betray us.

‘They don’t look like they want to hear anything.’

I chose to watch a little more. Before Pontus stepped forward.

“I shall speak to you as the Head Templar of Snow and the Sea. We swear to not turn our backs on the Imperial Family from now on. The heir, I along with the Templars of Chaos had supported , has finally become emperor.”

The curse had yet to be lifted so he was still a boy. But no one dared to look down on him.

Because of the cold energy surrounding the Templar of Snow and the Sea, Pontus was emitting.

“Don’t freeze the desk, Pontus.”

When I gave a soft warning, Pontus lowered his head as if just realising he had been it.

“Ah. Pardon me.”

He relaxed his expression slightly before turning his head away.

“Actually, I never thought I would hear this from the Head Templar of Spears and the Shield of all people.”

“What did you just say?”

“Isn’t it ridiculous how a traitor is calling out another traitor?”

He gave a chilling glare.

“If we had failed the Empire a long time ago, you would be the most recent failure.”