Chapter 215

The hideout of the Black Round Table.

Lancelot, who was being treated for his injuries, winced with bandages wrapped around him. The wounds he had suffered from Damian were not healing easily. Since he had clashed with Damian the most, it was only natural that his injuries were the most severe.

Media treated his wounds while sneering.

“Such a disgrace for the former Spirit King of Darkness.”

“Shut up, you low-class harlot. Just hearing your voice makes me nauseous.”

“Oh my, such harsh words for your first disciple~. Are you trying to hurt my feelings?”

“…I have no words to exchange with the likes of you. Just get lost.”

“Well, if that’s what the patient wishes, I’ll gladly oblige. But let me leave you with one last thing.”

“What is it?”

“It’s His Majesty’s order.”

At the mention of “His Majesty,” his expression changed. It was the name of someone he both despised and was bound to obey unconditionally. His eyes reflected hatred, regret, and madness. Of course, Media, who noticed his emotions, inwardly laughed at his fate.

“What is it?”

“Yes… [Keep an eye on that person.] That is His Majesty’s order.”

“…Understood.”

“Then I’ll take my leave. Rest well and reminisce about the old days. Oh, why not imagine your wife for a change? Though you’ve lost the arm imbued with her power, your wife was truly the light…”

“If you say another word, I’ll kill you.”

Media pretended to be scared and left the room. Lancelot quietly gripped his sword. Though he had lost the sword that could seal all attacks and defend, the sword he used in the past still shone with undiminished sharpness.

The blade, black as night, bore bloodstains that could never be erased.

He couldn’t forget the moments when the black-haired girl had forced him to make choices. No, to be precise, he couldn’t forget.

[Choose. Will you choose your companion or your flesh and blood?]

[Choose. Will you choose your will or your flesh and blood?]

[Well, holding onto the leash like this might cause rebellion someday. If you follow me like this…]

It was laughable that he now had to call that detestable girl “His Majesty” and follow her.

“Damn it…”

Until a few days ago, he had believed that he had done nothing wrong, that the world was at fault, and that he was merely caught up in it. But a few days ago, the words Damian had left him during their sword fight still haunted him.

[Stop pretending to be pitiful, acting like you’re a victim, like you’re innocent. It’s disgusting. You only declare yourself evil beforehand because you don’t want others to call you evil. It’s not sincere. Do you know what they call people like you? Hypocrites.]

[Think of the people who died because of your wrong choices. Fallen spirit who lost your dignity. In the end, wasn’t it your choice to abandon everything and side with evil? How pitiful. How laughable. Apologize to those who trusted you.]

[If you really want to play the victim, return everything you’ve killed and taken, then speak. Pathetic vermin.]

He had no words to refute.

“Damn it…!!!”

He could only pound the wall meaninglessly. It was the only rebuttal he could muster, the only reaction he could show.

Suddenly, he thought of his daughters.

“That’s right… It doesn’t matter now. There’s no more hesitation. All that’s left is the result.”

========================================================

Media, who had left the hospital room, was heading to the audience chamber. Though she herself had suffered some injuries, they had already completely healed.

All thanks to the powers she had stolen in the past. The power of the Scales from the Apostle who had been killed by Hadaesu for speaking out of turn, and the power of Sealing that Sabriel had possessed. Though the power of Sealing had been taken by a novice Black Sorcerer, the power of the Scales still remained in her hands.

Even the severe injuries she had sustained could be healed by sacrificing a bit of someone else’s life using the power of the Scales.

“What a foolish man. He’s the most foolish person I know. In the end, he’s just a puppet created by that annoying woman, pretending to have emotions, pretending to have will. It’s so hard not to laugh every time I see such a comedy.”

As she quickened her steps, she encountered Percival, the blind swordsman. Media was walking while suppressing her presence out of habit, but he had already sensed her and greeted her with a smile.

“Hehe, hello there.”

“Oh my, Sir Percival, you look unharmed. It’s almost as if you didn’t even fight properly.”

“Hehehe, how could that be?”

Media inwardly thought of him as a sly old fox. It was irritating that he hadn’t properly tracked down Werner and his group, and even more so that he had let go of the enemy he had encountered. If there hadn’t been a lack of evidence, she would have severely punished Percival for his crimes.

“By the way, your already unlucky face has aged another layer.”

“Ah, the damage this time was so severe that I couldn’t sleep from worry. It’s a painful loss for us too. If only someone hadn’t been lazy and had acted properly, I might have had an appetite.”

“Hehe, losing your appetite means your time is near.”

“Eh, only white-haired old men say that.”

“There are plenty older than that old man.”

An invisible current flowed between them.

“By the way, for someone who sees people as toys, you seem quite concerned about the damage. Must be quite severe?”

“Yes, the loss of four upper executives, eleven lower executives, and seven thousand three hundred soldiers is quite significant. Most of the damage was caused by that novice Black Sorcerer.”

“Haha, it’s a shame. If only I had faced that Black Sorcerer…”

“If you had faced him alone, your old body would have been sliced into twelve pieces in two minutes.”

“And what is the basis for that statement?”

“Since you couldn’t even properly handle that half-vampire brat, this is a fair assessment.”

“…Then there’s nothing to be done. I’ll take my leave now.”

Percival chuckled and prepared to leave.

“Well, that’s only if that was your true strength.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I was just wondering if you showed mercy because you were facing your granddaughter. Even for you, killing your granddaughter might have been a bit much, so I thought I might revise my evaluation…”

“Stop with the ridiculous jokes.”

Percival deliberately crushed her words and left.

“Ungrateful old fox.”

=========================================================

Entering the audience chamber, Media knelt respectfully before the King, in stark contrast to her earlier demeanor.

“We greet the one who leads us.”

The King, wearing a black mask and flowing robes, had a figure that clearly revealed her to be a woman.

“…..What of the orders I gave?”

“Yes, I have conveyed all instructions. I will definitely make up for the previous mistake…”

“Show it through actions, not words. If you can’t, I’ll deal with you myself.”

“Yes, I will proceed as planned. And according to recent observations, the target seems to have made contact with the God and her Apostle.”

“The other Apostles are too injured to be of concern… but one does stand out.”

“Don’t worry about that. While Your Majesty deals with the God, it is our ultimate purpose as the Black Round Table to buy time by stopping that Apostle.”

“Good. That is your only use and mission. Though for now, we must lay the groundwork.”

But the groundwork was nearly complete, and soon they would leave the planet to head to the God’s Abode to kill the God.

“Then I shall take my leave.”

“Yes, as planned.”

As Media left, the King removed her mask and looked outside. Her long, lustrous black hair shimmered in the sunlight.

“Now… just a little longer, and we can meet. Just a little longer… It’s okay. I’ve waited this long. Just a little longer, and it will all be over. When this is all done, only we will remain for eternity. If we eliminate all other variables, only we will remain.”

She began to stroke the white snake coiled around her neck.