Chapter 49: Facing the Legendary Knights
As the Shadow Realm crumbled, the oppressive feeling in the surrounding area lifted, a sense of relief washing over the onlookers.
But Rolof, still in the teahouse, frowned.
“Gone? Hiding?”
He had expected Isabelle, weakened by the poison, to appear at the site of the Shadow Realm’s collapse.
He had taken the antidote himself, yet he was still in agony. Isabelle, though stronger, wouldn’t have been completely immune.
However, he hadn’t anticipated just how weak she would be.
The battle with Bai, and her soul being forcibly extracted, had left her severely injured. The poison, striking at her most vulnerable moment, had brought her to the brink.
Just then, as Rolof had planned, General Kweil arrived with the Crown Guard.
Kweil appeared to be in his middle years, his temples graying, his demeanor serious and resolute.
In reality, however, he was only a few years younger than Lugner, over eighty years old.
He looked younger than Lugner partly because Lugner’s Authority, [Time Stop], accelerated the aging process, and partly because of the toll the Saint Noyes incident had taken on him.
Beside the solemn Crown Guards stood a man in a flamboyant pink suit, looking like a fashionable young dandy.
He was Prince Kruse, in his seventies, his youthful appearance belying his age.
The other Legendary Knights were similar. Of the nine, only Lugner and Leticia appeared elderly, Lugner due to his Authority, and Leticia for… unknown reasons.
Kweil scanned the area, his gaze sharp. He had felt a powerful presence watching him, but it had vanished.
He could also sense the strong demonic aura and the lingering traces of the Shadow Realm.
“It seems Rolof was right. One or more powerful Shadow Demons were here, even creating multiple Shadow Realms…”
Few Shadow Demons possessed such power, and Kweil knew one of them.
“Could it be that madwoman… in the capital? How dangerous…” he muttered, his expression wary.
“Kweil, do you see anything?” Prince Kruse asked.
He had shed his usual carefree demeanor, his gaze serious as he surveyed the scene.
Even he, with his playful nature, knew when to be cautious.
Unlike Kweil, Prince Kruse, with his Authority of [Illusion], could see more than the other Legendary Knights, even without actively using his power.
He saw the echoes of a fierce battle, the lingering stench of death, and his expression grew grim.
This was far more serious than he had imagined…
“Prince Kruse, it seems we’ve reached the same conclusion,” Kweil said, seeing Kruse’s expression.
He turned to the Crown Guard, his voice low. “Disperse the crowd. No one within a three-kilometer radius!”
“Yes, sir!” the Crown Guard responded in unison, their captains quickly organizing them into smaller units, a well-oiled machine.
The onlookers were quickly dispersed, the area falling silent.
Rolof, weakened, stumbled out of the teahouse, approaching Kweil and Kruse.
“Rolof? You fought the Shadow Demons?” Kweil asked, surprised by his injured state.
“No,” Rolof shook his head. He couldn’t lie about this; a Legendary Knight would know. “My previous injuries were severe, and I pushed myself too hard…”
“Say no more. We understand,” Prince Kruse interrupted, his gaze fixed on Rolof. “Tell us everything you know.”
Rolof nodded, knowing Kruse’s nature.
Despite his noble status, he was a frequent patron of taverns and even brothels, earning him Kweil’s disdain.
But in serious matters, he was completely focused.
Rolof took a deep breath and relayed his prepared story.
Prince Kruse paused, then looked at Kweil. “Kweil, what do you think?”
“She can’t have gone far. We have to find her!” Kweil said, convinced that the intruder was the madwoman from his memories, the demon who followed the Abyssal Lord with such fanatical devotion.
“Isabelle… she cannot remain in the capital!” he declared, his voice firm. “Order a city-wide scan. Use the Demonic Rune detectors. The moment a fluctuation is detected, lock on!”
The capital possessed a network of ancient psychic devices, capable of detecting and pinpointing Demonic Rune energy, a last resort for the city’s internal defenses.
“This way, even if the injured Isabelle tries to escape using the shadows… we can track her!” Kweil sneered. “Isabelle, you dared to enter the capital. You will pay the price!”
…
Meanwhile, Bai, with the two little girls, watched from a room in a nearby building, using two mirrors to observe Kweil and Kruse from a safe distance.
Otherwise, she would have been instantly detected by the perceptive Kweil.
The Crown Guard’s sweep had been focused on clearing the crowd, not a thorough search.
So, Bai had easily slipped away, finding refuge in an abandoned building.
“Two Legendary Knights…” Her expression darkened. She didn’t want to face them.
It wasn’t just about being outmatched. She didn’t want to fight against those she had once admired.
Every Legendary Knight was worthy of respect, not just for their title, but for the character and conviction that had earned them that title
