Chapter 618

The skirmish between Landenburg and Ai-shan, initiated by Ludwig’s ambush strategy, concluded with the enemy army falling for Heinrich’s bait and sweeping through Dane’s borderlands.

In the face of over nine thousand enemy troops, Brandt Fortress fell in an instant, and all surrounding villages were plundered, turning into fields of corpses.

Targien and Hatan slaughtered every Dane man they encountered, plundering spoils and supplies, but they still couldn’t find Landenburg’s remnants.

In truth, it was only natural they couldn’t find them. The Landenburg forces they were desperately searching for had long since moved north toward the barrier by the time the enemy attacked Brandt Fortress.

In the end, Targien and Hatan had no choice but to abandon their search and return to the Great Plains. Though they had slaughtered thousands of Danes and secured an equivalent amount of spoils, failing to find the remnants was a disappointing outcome for them.

—

Despite numerous twists and turns, the result of the skirmish was a decisive victory—no, an overwhelming victory—for Landenburg.

Landenburg’s losses were only two masters, three hundred knights, and about two thousand four hundred cavalry. In contrast, Ai-shan lost thirteen paladins, four hundred warriors, and nearly twelve thousand troops.

Even just by the numbers, the exchange ratio was nearly five to one. Ludwig’s ambush strategy, which targeted the dispersed Ai-shan forces across the grasslands, had worked flawlessly.

However, Ludwig couldn’t smile in celebration of the victory. Winning the skirmish felt like cutting off a giant’s arm at the cost of both his legs.

Only two hundred knights and five hundred forty cavalry remained in Landenburg. The once three-thousand-strong cavalry force had been nearly annihilated.

The infantry remained intact, but even they numbered only about ten thousand.

Meanwhile, Ai-shan still had eight hundred warriors, twenty-eight thousand cavalry, and eighteen thousand White Armies infantry.

If not for the timely arrival of two Imperial Army legions, Ludwig would have had to face an army four times his size with just over ten thousand troops.

—

### [Third Apostle]

“It seems Ai-shan Gi-or was a descendant of the Divine Bloodline.”

In the depths of Ai-shan’s capital, Ordos, the Third Apostle lay reclined on an ornate Eastern-style canopy bed, reporting the news of Ai-shan to Peirus.

As always when conversing with Peirus, she dismissed all the palace maids and guards from the throne hall.

“Divine Bloodline? You mean they inherited the blood of a god?”

“Yes. I’m certain of it.”

The Third Apostle nodded, gazing at the communication crystal sphere, “Messenger of the Sky,” connected to Peirus.

Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur had mentioned being descended from a Grand Sorcerer. Or-han dismissed it as baseless rumor, but upon hearing it, the Third Apostle could discern the truth about Ai-shan Gi-or’s lineage.

Even the Third Apostle, who commanded all the sorcery clans of the Great Plains, hadn’t known Ai-shan Gi-or was connected to sorcery.

“If it were just a rumor to sway warriors, they would’ve come up with something more plausible. It’s certain that Ai-shan Gi-or is connected to sorcery. But that would mean there’s a sorcery clan I don’t know about… which is impossible.”

Thus, she could be certain.

“They must have changed their name. To hide their lineage from everyone in the grasslands. And the only sorcery clan that would need to do that… is one.”

That was why the Third Apostle was convinced Ai-shan Gi-or was of the Divine Bloodline.

“The direct descendants of the first Grand Sorcerer, ‘Abha Gisaka,’ who claimed to be the progenitor of all sorcerers.”

“Abha Gisaka?”

Peirus expressed confusion, as he hadn’t learned the Eastern language and couldn’t understand the name’s meaning.

“Didn’t I mention it before? The sorcerer who brought calamity to the Great Plains, ‘Death of the Sky.’ More accurately, it means ‘the one who kills the sky’… but in the Eastern language, that’s what they’re called.”

“Ah, now I recall. You mentioned it during the last meeting. The Heavenly Demon, right?”

“Exactly. The Divine Bloodline clan claimed to be direct descendants of Abha Gisaka. Most of the legends about Abha Gisaka have been lost, so their authenticity is unknown.”

The Third Apostle answered in a reminiscent tone.

In truth, she didn’t know everything about the Divine Bloodline clan. They had been annihilated 44 years ago, when she was just a two-year-old child.

“Due to the side effects of the Divine Bloodline, every hundred years, they would go on a rampage like a Malevolent Star, committing massacres. My grandfather mobilized all the sorcerers to exterminate them… yet they survived.”

To think they had survived by changing their names, completely hiding their connection to sorcery, and rising to the position of Kagan as pure warriors… it was something even the Eastern sorcerers, including the Third Apostle, hadn’t anticipated.

“Your grandfather…? So, you’re actually mortal enemies with Or-han.”

“That’s how it turned out. Fate and connections are truly amusing, aren’t they?”

The Third Apostle’s laughter echoed through the crystal sphere. Peirus responded with a faint sigh instead of agreement.

“Well… considering what would happen if your identity were discovered, it’s hard to call this an amusing connection…”

Given the Ka`har’s aversion to sorcery, her being discovered as a sorceress would be extremely dangerous. And on top of that, she was Or-han’s personal enemy. If Or-han discovered her identity, it wouldn’t be surprising if she were executed.

“I won’t give them a chance to discover me. The fact that I’m still alive suggests Or-han hasn’t even guessed my identity.”

“…Still, be careful. I don’t want to experience a third Apostle being neutralized before we even start moving.”

Peirus warned in a grave tone.

Given the Apostles’ role of infiltrating the cores of nations to control global affairs, losing their secular status meant losing control over those nations.

They had already lost influence over the Holy Kingdom due to the fall of the Second Apostle, Paulus, and over Panam due to the Seventh Apostle, Eleonora’s return to the Empire.

Even though ordinary believers were still active, they couldn’t intervene in major national affairs on their own.

If they were to lose the Third Apostle as well, they would lose all means of tracking the Ka`har’s movements.

“I’m always careful.”

The Third Apostle’s words didn’t reassure Peirus. The Seventh Apostle had also thoroughly concealed her identity, yet she had fallen in an instant due to unforeseen external factors.

“Perhaps… it would be better to strike first before being discovered. It would also help maintain the Empire.”

Peirus was well aware that the Empire and the Ka`har had begun all-out war. He also knew that the variable of fate, Ai-shan Gi-or Ha-shal-leur, had failed to defeat Or-han.

If that was the case, eliminating Or-han themselves to slow the growth of the “variable” and increase the Empire’s chances of victory wasn’t a bad plan.

“Then, can you curse-kill Or-han?”

“Me? That’s impossible.”

The Third Apostle dismissed the idea without a moment’s hesitation, as if it were absurd.

“Curse-killing isn’t that convenient or powerful. I can easily eliminate a broken knight like Aimel… but even a paladin has a high chance of resisting the curse. I’ve already failed once.”

She was referring to the time she attempted to curse-kill Ha-shal-leur, unaware that she was a crucial “variable” in their plans. The preparations were perfect, but the curse failed to end Ha-shal-leur’s life and vanished without effect.

Whether due to the curse’s influence or not, Ha-shal-leur had since been committing bizarre acts, but it was certain the curse hadn’t killed her.

“And now you want me to curse-kill a superhuman hero, one with Divine Blood? That’s impossible.”

From the Third Apostle’s perspective, it was an absurd request.

“Hmm… then there’s no choice.”

Peirus muttered with a tone of regret, sighing in disappointment.

If they couldn’t curse-kill Or-han, the only option was for the Third Apostle to be extremely cautious to avoid discovery. They couldn’t waste the dragon’s soul they had worked so hard to obtain on such a task.

“Aren’t you the one with the problem? You were discovered to be alive, weren’t you? Are you alright?”

Her tone was less concerned and more accusatory.

“…I have no excuse for that. I never expected the Fairy Guardian to make a choice beneficial to the Empire. It’s unbelievable, but it’s undoubtedly my mistake.”

Peirus was referring to the Fairy Guardian, Ferneythia, whom he had encountered while infiltrating Exra-shapel.

After a brief conversation, she had quietly withdrawn, and Peirus never imagined she would report his survival to the Empire. Not reporting it would have been more beneficial to Alvheim.

But Ferneythia reported it to the Imperial family and the Archdiocese, and the whole world learned Peirus was still alive.

Whether they believed it or not was another matter, but it greatly restricted Peirus’s freedom of movement.

Though the benefits he gained were worth the cost.