Chapter 516
Chapter 516: Finally, I’ve Arrived Here. (2)
Ghislaine carefully examined Erlhardt’s face. This was the first time she’d seen him in person, even including her previous life.
Of course, she’d seen countless portraits of him—his middle-aged face adorned with a gentle smile.
Thus, she found it utterly impossible to believe his words.
“You’re… Duke Delphine?”
He looked far too young. He seemed to be in his early thirties at most.
It was well-known that Duke Delphine was of the same age as Marquis Branford. The two had even attended the same academy in their youth.
But to have such a youthful appearance…
Duke Delphine hadn’t mastered the Mana Circulation Method or magic. Even if he had, to maintain such youth would require an extraordinary level of mastery.
Erlhardt remained composed, nodding with a soft smile.
“I am indeed Duke Delphine. I see you’re surprised by my appearance.”
“……”
Ghislaine twisted the corners of her mouth. She didn’t like the relaxed demeanor he displayed, even with an enemy right in front of him.
‘Is he an imposter? But it seems too…’
He exuded such confidence, and his every little movement hinted at elegant poise. This wasn’t the awkward posture of a mere impersonator.
That air was likely enhanced by his appearance. Duke Delphine had once been known as the most handsome man in the kingdom during his youth.
Indeed, Ricardo, the most handsome of Perdium, would likely have to concede to him.
Such looks were rare. Ultimately, Ghislaine let out a deep breath and asked,
“Alright, let’s say you are Duke Delphine. Why are you still here? You must have had plenty of time to escape.”
Erlhardt nodded readily.
“I did intend to leave. But I wanted to see you just once.”
“Me?”
“Just how extraordinary you must be to potentially ruin our plans so thoroughly. I wanted to confirm that.”
Ghislaine let out a fierce laugh.
“Was it worth risking your life to find that out?”
Erlhardt merely smiled as he took a seat. He picked up a classy wine glass from the small table next to him.
Then humorously, a servant, seemingly a butler, brought a small table and chair for Ghislaine.
Soon, a few snacks and drinks were placed on the table.
“……”
Ghislaine scoffed and sat down. She decided she would listen to whatever nonsense he had to say.
Knights lined up around him. They filled the Hall of Glory and spilled into the hallway.
At this point, an escape seemed impossible for the Duke. Ghislaine decided to watch a little longer to see what kind of trick he was playing.
After moistening his lips with wine, Erlhardt slowly began to speak.
“After realizing my ‘mission’, I started to have a singular dream every day. It was a vividly recurring dream.”
“……”
“No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call it a prophecy. Everything came to pass just as that dream told me. It felt as if a deity was revealing secrets to me. Knowing the future allowed me to await the results calmly.”
Ghislaine crossed her arms. She couldn’t grasp what he was getting at with such an out-of-the-blue discussion about dreams.
Nonetheless, Erlhardt continued as if speaking to himself.
“In the end, I conquered the kingdom just as predicted in my ‘revelation’. After that, I kept moving towards my objective. Until the ‘demon’ appeared.”
“……”
“That demon was truly powerful. It sent chills down my spine. None of the troops in this kingdom could stop that demon. It was like a cloud of death without form.”
“……”
“But eventually, we managed to repel that demon. Thanks to the sacrifices of numerous heroes. Thus, I could once again pursue my objectives. Just a little further, just a little longer. Even though it was a dream.”
“Are you saying you waited to tell me nothing but a silly dream?”
“Would you care to listen a bit more? It concerns you as well.”
Erlhardt wore a faint smile. Ghislaine let out a hollow laugh and shrugged.
“Then one day, suddenly, the dream changed. Everything was unfolding just as the dream dictated, only for it to start shifting unexpectedly.”
“……”
“The dream ultimately transformed into chaos. I couldn’t tell where it began or ended. The revelations I received became irregularly mixed with time and space, turning into a mess.”
Erlhardt’s face glowed with interest. He seemed rather fascinated by the current situation.
“……”
“Even the ‘demon’ appeared again. It was when you first showed up at the southern front. The demon began to engulf everything I had just as before.”
“……”
“So I retraced my past. I wondered when my dream, once akin to a revelation, had turned into chaos.”
Ghislaine said nothing. She merely glared at Erlhardt with narrowed eyes.
For some reason, his story was incredibly irksome.
Noticing her discomfort, Erlhardt smiled as he said,
“It started the moment you thwarted Count Digald’s attack and seized Penris. From then on, the dream began to show me the past again.”
“……”
“When you defeated Count Cabaldy, and again when you defeated Count Desmond, Lord Roderick… with each of those, chaos intensified further.”
Erlhardt leaned slightly forward, as if he wanted to see Ghislaine more closely.
Moments later, he chuckled with delight and exclaimed,
“So, I became certain. Ghislaine Perdium, you are that demon. You are my archenemy. You are the demon blocking my path.”
Ghislaine said nothing, simply glaring at Erlhardt. He seemed unbothered and swiftly continued.
“Ever since I realized that, I ceased dreaming. No further revelations came, and now, no one knows the future anymore. Your existence has disrupted everything.”
Erlhardt stood up, smiling. He had sought to confirm whether his assumptions were correct by meeting Ghislaine.
Ghislaine also rose and drew her sword.
“That was an entertaining tale. I listened well.”
Though others would deem it madness, Ghislaine couldn’t dismiss it as mere ramblings, considering her own experiences as a returnee.
It seemed something mysterious influenced Erlhardt as well.
He might not realize it himself… but his narrative was eerily similar to her previous life.
Ghislaine pointed her sword at Erlhardt and stated,
“You’re going to die today, so there’s no need to ponder the future any further.”
Erlhardt quietly gazed at Ghislaine, his eyes gleaming with madness.
“Indeed, you seem to know something. That’s not the reaction of an ordinary person.”
“……”
“Right. Now that I know you are my archenemy, I’m satisfied. Seeing it for myself really clears my mind.”
“You won’t escape.”
At that, Erlhardt produced a small orb from his pocket. It was the ‘Life Orb’ used to create high priests of the Salvation Society.
Ghislaine snickered at the sight.
“Do you really think that will be of any use now?”
Though she was restricted in movement, there were hundreds of elite knights surrounding them, with nearly 80,000 troops laying siege to the castle.
Even if he consumed that, there was no guarantee his body would withstand it, and even if he did succeed, a half-baked superhuman wouldn’t stand a chance against this many.
Erlhardt, however, leisurely shook his head.
“There’s no need to rush, Ghislaine. Now that we both know of each other’s existence, that’s enough for today.”
“Kill the Duke.”
At Ghislaine’s command, the knights charged in. The assassins guarding Erlhardt moved simultaneously.
Bang! Bang! BANG!
The assassins, guarding the Duke, showcased exceptional skills.
But the numbers were overwhelmingly tipped against them. They couldn’t hold out for long and were swiftly swept away.
The knights pushed through the assassins and lunged at Erlhardt, swords drawn.
Crisp.
The Life Orb in his hand shattered.
BAM!
Darkness swarmed Erlhardt’s body. The knights attempted to pierce the darkness with their swords, but were blocked by a strange force.
Ghislaine watched and furrowed her brows.
‘So, this was the method…’
It looked similar to the high-tier magic Warp Portal but was not magic. It seemed more like a rift opened using the life force of others.
‘If a single superhuman requires that much life force, it could easily connect to another space.’
The Erlhardt from her previous life might have used this method to evade her pursuit.
However, she didn’t expect he could use it frequently. It likely required the lives of tens of thousands just to create a single orb.
‘He must have a connection secured in advance.’
He wouldn’t randomly jump into danger. He must have a predetermined location designated.
That would likely be where the Salvation Society was originally hiding, or a kingdom they had taken control of.
The knights glanced at Ghislaine in confusion. She shook her head and said,
“That’s enough; there’s no need to push any further. Everyone, fall back.”
The darkness was gradually receding. Within it, Erlhardt’s voice echoed.
“Ghislaine… We will meet again soon. I am bound by the duty to fulfill the deity’s revelation… and I will see you at the end of that path.”
“Listen well, Erlhardt.”
With a ferocious grin, Ghislaine spoke towards the diminishing darkness.
“There will be no place for you here anymore. I’ll find and crush every last one of you cockroaches. I won’t even let you breathe in fear.”
Then, amidst a chuckle, Erlhardt’s voice drifted back to her.
“…I look forward to it.”
With that, the darkness vanished. Ghislaine turned away without regret.
This place was finished. Once she eliminated the remnants remaining in the southern front, the Ruthania Kingdom would be one again.
Ghislaine addressed Count Mobray.
“Please handle the cleanup here for a while.”
“Understood.”
Someone had to stay behind. They had to capture any retainers of the fleeing Duke and ensure public order.
Having entrusted this place to Count Mobray, Ghislaine immediately turned her army around. It was time to finish clearing the southern front.
Once that task was completed, she needed to reorganize the Ruthania Kingdom and assist the neighboring kingdoms fighting against the Salvation Society.
With a cold expression, Ghislaine gripped the reins of the Black King.
‘I will definitely find and eliminate you.’
While she felt regret for Erlhardt escaping, killing him wouldn’t be the end. She had to completely eradicate the Salvation Society that spread across the continent.
But that wouldn’t take long. The Ruthania Kingdom, once the civil war concluded, would once again rise as a powerful military nation.
Now the remaining members of the Salvation Society would have to confront the strength led by Ghislaine.
