Chapter 339 – THOSE WHO ARE PREPARING (3)
“Let’s organize things first.”
After hearing Jude’s explanation, Count Bayer narrowed his brows in his slight confusion and continued speaking.
“You went to the imperial capital to save the emperor, stopped Sword Master Elio’s treason, prevented a disaster, and obtained the last treasure of Solari. And in the process, you grew up several times and became a Sword Saint… Lastly, you reached your current level by defeating First Sword. Is that it?”
“Yes, it is as you have said.”
It was very astounding to hear that all these happened in just a few months.
Or rather, even if that was not taken into account, his growth rate was immense.
Count Bayer appeared to be stunned for a moment and soon had a bit of dazed smile as he said.
“You… A genius is a genius, huh…”
Cheonmujiche.
The incarnation of martial arts from the heavens.
“Ahem, ahem.”
In fact, it was all because of the memories of his past life, or to be exact, the memories of the ‘other Jude’ who reached the sword horizon, but Jude did not talk about that.
Because it was clear from their conversations so far that neither Count Bayer nor Count Chase particularly remembered the events of their past lives.
‘As expected, it’s only a very small number of people.’
After all, there was no need to bring up the story of a past life if they did not remember it.
It would do nothing good to say that this world, Pleiades, had suffered repeated destruction.
‘It will only add to the confusion.’
Therefore, Jude kept silent about his past lives, and although Count Bayer and Count Chase were a bit suspicious, they soon accepted Jude’s words.
In any case, it was true that Jude became a strong Sword Saint, and that there were no contradictions in his story.
“Frankly, I want to talk about the sword right now, but… now is not a good time.”
Count Bayer was also someone who moved towards the horizon.
His heart was pounding with curiosity about the level Jude had reached, but they were right before a big battle.
Moreover, there were still some stories to share.
“We’ve done almost everything that you told us.”
“Thank you. I thought that you could definitely do it if you two were together.”
When Jude replied with a big smile, Count Chase snorted and said.
“Well, isn’t that something you have prepared? We just put it into action.”
Count Chase’s tone was blunt, but as typical of the way he talked, the corners of his lips were slightly raised.
So Jude had an even deeper smile and was genuinely happy.
“First of all, congratulations. You have succeeded in Ancestral Regression.”
“Yes, the ingredients you left behind were very helpful. When Edward completes the ritual artifact, Adelia will perform the ritual too.”
A lot of special ingredients were needed for ancestral regression, just like in Cordelia’s case.
Although they added the leftovers and things Cordelia got from her travels, there was a lack of ritual artifacts just as Count Chase had said, so they solved it by creating their own.
‘As expected of the Chase wizard family.’
Edward, the eldest son of Count Chase and older brother of Cordelia, had no fighting abilities, but his understanding of magic was the best among the three siblings.
Cordelia’s family was truly supportive.
“The wild land’s a.s.sistance is what you see now. Thanks to Golden Dragon King directly ordering them to help, it was solved quickly.”
Golden Dragon King.
The mighty guardian G.o.d protecting the wild lands did not forget the help of Jude and Cordelia.
And it was the same for the tribes living in the wild lands.
Red Gale led the warriors from the wild lands.
Their number was only around 5,000 as shown in this battle, but each person was an elite with strong fighting power. They would clearly be of great help in the future fight against the chancellor’s army.
“The elves of the Forest of Eternity will join in the Cilates Plains. They must have reached the Cilates Plains by now.”
The elves of the Forest of Eternity also remembered their debts to Jude and Cordelia.
The elite knights led by Princess Leica left the Forest of Eternity to help the Sälen Kingdom.
“The Sirens also replied that they would help. Their elite troops would use the Juno River to head north and join the kingdom’s army.”
The Juno River was a huge river that crossed the Cilates Plains and connected the Sälen Kingdom to the eastern sea.
The fierce warriors of the wild lands, the elves of the Forest of Eternity, and even the sirens of the sea.
“My heart is pounding.”
“Yeah, me too.”
Those who were hostile or indifferent to each other had now joined forces for one purpose.
Their hearts were pounding because a situation that only appeared in hero stories had become a reality.
“Anyway, let’s stop here. There are a lot of things that we need to do.”
Count Bayer nodded at Count Chase’s words. Count Hræsvelgr was the commander of the forces, but the two counts could not just sit around and do nothing.
“He seems to have somehow bewitched them.”
“Well… yeah. That’s true.”
Jude saw the counts blankly staring at Lucas and the two beautiful women, but they could not hear the conversation of the three because they were far away.
Why?
How did a n.o.ble kid bewitch those women like that?
“Anyway, Jude, I’ll see you later.”
“Yes, father.”
After Jude bowed, Count Bayer immediately turned in the direction of Red Gale. And Count Chase followed Count Bayer, but turned around and said.
“Jude.”
“Yes, father-in-law.”
“You’re quite strong now.”
Jude’s eyes widened at the unusual compliment, and Count Chase cleared his throat and quickly left.
As if he was embarra.s.sed.
‘Aaah, father-in-law. Aaah, father-in-law.’
He did not receive a gift like usual, but one compliment from the count was enough.
His laughter kept coming out.
“Jude?”
“Yes, Cordelia.”
“Why are you laughing so much?”
“I just like it.”
And when Jude laughed again, Cordelia disgustingly looked at him, but only for a moment.
“Did you and my father have a good conversation?”
“Yes, we had a good conversation.”
Cordelia frowned when Jude answered with a snicker again.
She did not know what happened, but it seemed like Jude had gone a bit crazy.
“You don’t have a fever?”
Cordelia tilted her head as she stood on tiptoe and touched Jude’s forehead, and Jude hugged Cordelia’s waist.
“Jude?”
“Hehe, hehehe.”
What’s wrong with him?
He’s gone crazy!
Fortunately, Cordelia’s worries did not last long. Because Jude soon regained his sanity as if his physical contact with Cordelia was a stabilizing agent.
“I heard that everything that I prepared went well.”
“What have you prepared?”
Because he did not tell her anything, saying that she would find out later.
Cordelia puffed up her cheeks and Jude quickly continued speaking.
“The support of the wild lands, the Forest of Eternity, and the sirens. Ancestral Regression too.”
He gathered everyone’s power and also strengthened Count Chase and Adelia.
Cordelia’s eyes sparkled at the full story that she finally heard.
“Then unnie will become an angel too?”
“Maybe? We’ll know once she tries it.”
In order to succeed in Ancestral Regression, it was necessary to inherit a lot of blood from the ancestors.
The success of Count Chase and Cordelia did not guarantee that Adelia would also succeed.
“I’m still excited. If it’s my unnie, it will definitely be possible.”
“Yeah, I hope so.
Jude smiled as he imagined Adelia becoming an angel.
Because he thought that she would be next in beauty to Cordelia.
“Did you talk about our past lives?”
“No, I don’t think they remember it. Talking about it now will only increase their confusion.”
“Ugh… Then who remembered it?”
For now, it was certainly Jude and Cordelia themselves, and considering the circ.u.mstances, Lucas, Kajsa, and Scarlet seemed to have regained the memories of their previous lives, though incomplete.
“Well… Kirara and Red Wind are candidates.”
“Playable characters?”
“Yes, except for Scarlet, everyone who remembered their memories is a playable character. But… I actually think it’s unlikely for Red Wind. Kirara has a higher chance though.”
“Are you saying that the closer they are to us, the more likely they are to regain their memories?”
“That’s right. Because we are unique.”
Because Jude and Cordelia had seen the memories of their previous lives little by little in the form of dreams even before it happened to the others.
The two of them were the first to regain the memories of their previous lives.
“We’ll just have to sound them out a bit.”
“Yes, because the relationship between Red Wind and Kirara is a bit awkward.”
As far as they recalled from their previous lives, those two had always been enemies to each other.
There had been several times when they killed each other.
“But Jude.”
“Yes?”
“I’m really happy.”
To be able to meet again like this.
Because we can be together again.
“Yes, I’m really happy too.”
Jude hugged Cordelia’s waist a bit tighter and lightly kissed her lips. Cordelia gently accepted such a Jude and said as she exhaled.
“Jude, can we do it this time?”
The memories of their previous lives were incomplete.
But they were certain of at least one thing.
The situation had never been better than now.
They had prevented all the crises of the kingdom and made into allies all those who should have their enemies.
Jude and Cordelia themselves had also become very strong.
“We can do it. We will do it.”
This time, we will prevent the Great Summons.
Definitely, definitely this time.
Jude kissed Cordelia again, and she hugged him hard.
She struggled to see the future and forget the sad memories that she remembered.
***
Night pa.s.sed and morning came.
In the high heavens.
At a world called Heaven.
“Auriel!”
Raguel screamed as her entire body was bound with huge chains, but Auriel did not change her expression.
She just looked down at the ground with an icy expression.
“Auriel! Think again! This is wrong!”
Holding hands with the demons of h.e.l.l to create a Great Summons?
You’re going to use the ground – the other world, Pleiades, as a battlefield for the final battle against h.e.l.l?
That’s not right.
That’s wrong. That’s not just!
At Raguel’s cries, Auriel slowly raised her head.
But there was still no expression on her face. Cold words flowed out of her mouth.
“It was Pleiades who did wrong in the first place.”
They infringed Heaven and h.e.l.l for their own reasons.
The G.o.ddess of Pleiades fooled the souls of Heaven and h.e.l.l.
Such an act was unacceptable.
“But…”
“You want them to avoid destruction? Okay, but even so, why does Heaven have to be sacrificed for them? Are you saying that Solari, Eros, and Gabriel are not enough?”
Three archangels descended on Pleiades and eventually died.
“We have to settle our fight with h.e.l.l. To do that, we need a battlefield connected to each other. Yes, this is our chance to realize our revenge for our departed sisters.”
Heaven and h.e.l.l were not connected to each other.
The two were connected in the past, but now that the connection had been cut, they could not fight even if they wanted to fight each other.
So they would use Pleiades as their battlefield since it could be connected to both sides.
They would start the war by bringing about the Great Summons.
Auriel’s words were based on rationality.
None of her words were wrong.
First of all, it was Pleiades that manipulated Heaven for their own reasons, and this was absolutely unacceptable from the viewpoint of Heaven.
It was also true that a battlefield was necessary for their final battle against h.e.l.l.
But, but even if that’s the case…
“Auriel… You… No way…”
Raguel realized it.
She noticed the fiery hatred and hostility hidden behind Auriel’s cold expression.
Auriel did not just hate the demons of h.e.l.l.
She also hated and loathed Pleiades who took and sacrificed the lives of Solari, Eros, and Gabriel.
Why did they have to sacrifice for another world, Pleiades?
Auriel remembered.
The bugs that clung to Solari whom she could not abandon until the very end.
All the trash on the ground that sacrificed Solari.
They had to be judged.
They had to be burned with the flames of purification.
But laws required a justification for judgment.
So she had to suppress herself.
And now.
Finally, a justification had appeared.
Even the means to crush Pleiades had been prepared.
“Sariel and Raphaela expressed neutrality. Of course, they said they would partic.i.p.ate in the war against h.e.l.l when it begins.”
The two remaining archangels.
When they learned that the young G.o.ddess Atalia had played a trick on the fate of Heaven, they concluded that they could not tolerate Pleiades just like Auriel.
Therefore, they did not stop Auriel, but did not come forward like Auriel either.
Raguel could not open her mouth.
She knew that she had to somehow stop Auriel, but did not know what to say.
A lot of people lived in Pleiades.
For Raguel, all of them were living beings. They were people.
Raguel could not love them all as Solari did, but she at least recognized them as people.
But not for Auriel and the rest of the archangels.
To them, Pleiades was another world.
The humans of Pleiades were not equal to the angels of Heaven.
“Auriel…”
“Cool your head for a while, Raguel. Foolish sister. The fact that you did not resist me means that in your heart… you are hoping to avenge Solari and our sisters.”
No, it’s not like that.
It’s just that no matter what happened, I couldn’t point a sword at you, Auriel, my eldest sister.
But Raguel’s thoughts did not reach Auriel.
Auriel spread her eight wings, turned around and left.
Instead of shouting out Auriel’s name, Raguel desperately squeezed out her power.
Before the heavenly seal sealed all her powers, she delivered her voice with her last strength.
The heavenly voice.
The last warning she delivered to the ground.
Her voice reached the ground.