The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 152

The moon deer’s cries rang out unpleasantly.

Several knights were restraining the moon deer.

“Stay still…!”

They were in the process of pulling out the ice spear lodged in its hindquarters.

Unable to endure the pain, the deer kept struggling and wailing.

“That thing sure has a temper…!”

It took several strong men to hold it down before they finally managed to remove the spear.

Blood gushed out.

They hurriedly pressed down on the wound to stop the bleeding.

“Kkiing….”

Yuel whimpered pitifully as he staggered forward.

His leg limped due to the ice spear embedded in his hindquarters.

He approached someone lying on the ground and cautiously licked their face.

It was Judas.

His complexion was deathly pale, and he remained unconscious.

Gale checked his wounds.

“What kind of attack could pierce through his cheek? A little off, and it could’ve been fatal… Fortunately, the facial wound isn’t too severe, so it’ll heal quickly. The real problem is the internal damage. It’s serious. Was he like this when you brought him?”

“…Yes.”

Richard answered in his stead.

While Judas was moving independently, a small unit from Eliza’s knights carried out a diversionary operation.

They ensured that the enemy’s focus wasn’t entirely on Judas.

Richard, Lindel, Dyke, Hermes, and Shylock—these five jumped into the battlefield to disrupt the enemy.

They were also the ones who brought Judas back.

On their way, they discovered the limping Yuel, who then led them to Judas.

“The bleeding is severe, and his heartbeat is dangerously faint. This is….”

No one needed to say it aloud.

Everyone here knew that his survival was uncertain.

There might be a chance if Eliza used her magic.

They had sent Argon to fetch her in a hurry, but he had yet to return.

Hermes was kneeling blankly beside Judas.

Shylock delivered the report.

“Including the captain of the Imperial Guard, we counted 11 guards, 20 royal knights, around 30 imperial soldiers, and 3 royal court mages. Those are the corpses left at the spot where Judas fell.”

Gawain received the report.

“And that’s just in that one place. If we tally up all the ones he took down while roaming around alone, the number is even higher.”

The elite forces of the Empire had been nearly halved.

All because of Judas alone.

It was a feat far too overwhelming for a single individual to have achieved.

And yet, for the life that was sacrificed in exchange, the numbers felt meaningless.

“You idiot….”

Richard slumped beside Judas, muttering weakly.

“You think you’re so damn great… acting like we’re all fools….”

Gale continued treating him.

“I can do emergency care for now, but if the lady doesn’t come, we’ll need a priest. Has anyone gone to fetch one?”

Lindel, who was sitting nearby, suddenly shot up.

“I’ll go.”

“A mediocre priest won’t cut it. Can you bring someone capable?”

“I’ll find a way.”

“If only Bols were still standing….”

“Bols collapsed from exhaustion earlier.”

The Eliza estate never kept a dedicated healer.

That was because its master, Eliza, was already an extraordinary mage.

But at this moment, Eliza was absent.

In her place, Bols had tried to fill the gap, but his strength had run out, and he had collapsed.

From the start of the battle, he had been supporting from afar with magic, and afterward, he had treated the wounded.

“Hurry and set out. The enemy is retreating, but take someone with you just in case….”

As Gawain was giving orders, people’s gazes gradually shifted.

From the direction of the mansion’s main building, someone was approaching barefoot.

Her staggering steps looked like she might collapse at any moment.

Eliza was desperately running toward them.

She finally arrived at Judas’s side, falling to her knees.

“Ah….”

With trembling hands, she touched Judas.

Her eyes flitted around restlessly.

From his face to his wounds, then back again.

Then, she noticed Yuel, curled up beside Judas as if to guard him.

Even Yuel’s hindquarters bore a large wound.

He was breathing heavily, struggling just to stay upright.

“Ah… Ugh….”

Eliza trembled as she sobbed uncontrollably.

Her hands were lost in hesitation.

She needed to heal Judas’s wounds, but she wasn’t sure if the physician’s treatment had been enough.

She couldn’t even remember how to check.

“J-Judas… I-I… I’m here… I….”

Gale, who had been silently observing from the side, cautiously spoke.

Gently but firmly, he urged her.

“My lady. My lady.”

Eliza’s urgent eyes snapped to Gale.

“The outer wounds have been disinfected, and we’ve checked for any foreign substances inside. Both Judas and Yuel. My lady, you only need to heal them now. Do you understand?”

Eliza hurriedly nodded.

Then, without hesitation, she cast her magic.

She placed her hand close to Judas’s wound.

Golden flames flickered and surged forth, sealing his injuries.

It looked nothing like the healing magic commonly known.

At a glance, it seemed as if the flames were burning the wound shut.

Yet, when Eliza lifted her hand, the fire that had filled the wound transformed into flawless, unblemished flesh.

She immediately repeated the spell on Yuel.

The gaping wound on his hip was replaced by smooth pink skin.

Shylock, who had approached, relayed the details of the incident to Eliza.

She listened silently, gripping Judas’s hand.

The more she heard, the harder it was to contain the emotions welling up inside her.

In the end, she collapsed onto Judas’s unmoving chest, releasing a wailing sob.

“Hhkk…! Aaaah—!”

Even after being hated so deeply and hearing such cruel words, Judas had not run away.

In her absence, he had gathered the panicked allies and fought against the enemy.

He threw himself into battle, risking his life at the heart of enemy lines.

Because of him, their side had suffered minimal casualties and successfully pushed back the enemy.

Or rather, the enemy had simply withdrawn after accomplishing their objective.

In the end, the enemy got what they wanted, but that didn’t change the fact that Judas had fought valiantly.

“Ahhh…! Hhk—!”

Maybe he had done it on purpose.

Perhaps it was Judas’s way of being spiteful.

Because of the things she had said, he had ended up like this.

Or maybe… maybe he had wanted revenge through death.

After all, she had said such unforgivable things.

None of it mattered.

Even if he was angry, that was fine.

Even if he woke up only to hit her and curse at her, that was fine too.

She would accept anything—anything—if only he would wake up.

If only she had believed in him.

If only she had handled things more rationally.

Then this never would have happened.

“Ahhh—!”

She thought she had lost him, yet he had been right there all along.

And now, before her very eyes, she had lost him again.

Eliza had already lost faith in Maria’s chances of waking up.

And now, she was about to lose someone else.

Desperately, she pleaded.

For the first time in her life, she prayed to the sun.

Please, just let him wake up.

Take everything else.

Her power, her life—she would give it all up.

If she had to die, she would die.

But this color—this one color—must not be taken away.

Please, don’t take him.

She begged and begged again.

The sound of his heartbeat in her ears was so faint it felt as though it might stop at any moment.

Wanting to hear it more clearly, she pressed her face closer to his chest.

Watching her, Gale had to fulfill his duty as a physician.

“The wounds are healed, but I can’t guarantee he’ll wake up. As you know, healing magic can’t perfectly restore damaged internal organs. And Judas’s internal condition is critical.”

There was one possibility—one thing that might offer a sliver of hope.

Eliza’s healing magic was unlike anything known before.

But that alone wasn’t enough.

His internal damage wasn’t the only issue.

His body was utterly exhausted from excessive combat.

His mind had been pushed to the brink.

His mana circuits had suffered severe overload—so much so that it wouldn’t have been surprising if he had collapsed before even sustaining these injuries.

“If things go wrong, even if he survives…”

He might never wake up again.

He might have to live as nothing more than a shell of himself.

Gale couldn’t bring himself to say the words, but Eliza had already understood.

“Ugh…!”

Small hands clutch the ground.

To escape the pain, she inflicts pain upon her body.

She clenches her fists so tightly that her nails lift, drawing blood.

Gale couldn’t bring himself to suggest that they treat the remaining wounded.

Yuel gently rubbed its face against Eliza, who was in agony.

“Hhic… Kuuh…!”

The more it did, the more Eliza suffered.

With Judas between them, Gawain sat opposite Eliza.

He waited for a moment before speaking in a low, resonant voice.

“Eliza, my lady.”

“Kuuhhh…!”

“Eliza, my lady. For Judas’s sake, please listen to me for a moment.”

Eliza, who had been writhing in pain, slowly lifted her head.

“There are no casualties, but many wounded remain. With your power, you can heal them all quickly. I do not dare claim to understand how you feel, but I can grasp it, if only in part.”

“……”

“We cannot guarantee that the enemy will withdraw and never return. We must reorganize our forces as soon as possible, set up defenses, and monitor their movements. These are the allies Judas risked everything to protect. Please, do not let this child’s efforts be in vain—help us, even just a little.”

Gawain bowed his head deeply.

Seeing his humble posture, Eliza wiped away her tears with the back of her hand.

Then, she slowly nodded.

“Thank you.”

One by one, the wounded were brought before Eliza.

She remained still.

As soon as she healed one, the next was brought in.

She was exhausted, yet she did not stop.

All the while, she never left Judas’s side.

One of her hands remained tightly clasped around Judas’s.

Beside her, Yuel curled up and sat.

For an unexpected ambush, Eliza’s side had fared well.

Two severely wounded—Judas and Maria.

Two dead.

A loss so small, it was almost negligible.

But to Eliza, those two were her entire world.

***

“Your Imperial Majesty. I have brought the Sun Statue.”

“This is it….”

Emperor Johann received the effigy from Geist.

A holy relic said to grant any miracle.

For all its fame, its appearance was unimpressive.

It looked like nothing more than an old, faded statue.

In its current state, it had no power.

A certain condition had to be met for it to activate.

And the Emperor knew exactly what that condition was.

“You have done well.”

“Thank you.”

“What of Eliza? Did she not come after you?”

“She appears to have regained consciousness, but she has yet to recover from the shock.”

“As expected.”

Johan nodded in satisfaction.

“In any case, this works in our favor. The greatest obstacle to our plan has collapsed on her own.”

“I will arrange for Eliza to be monitored, just in case.”

“Do so.”

“However, I regret to report that we lost many of our Imperial Guards, including the Captain, as well as a significant portion of our forces. The enemy had an unexpected ambush unit.”

“Hm… A shame, indeed. But sacrifices are inevitable for the greater good. Besides, warriors of that caliber will be much easier to come by now.”

“You are absolutely right.”

“In any case, we must act quickly—before Eliza rises and comes after us.”

Johan’s green eyes gleamed as he gazed upon the Sun Statue.

They shone with ambition and hope.

“I will become the ruler of a new world.”

“Your Majesty is more than capable.”

“This rotten era is at its end.”

Johan rose, his cloak billowing behind him.

“We go to the Catacomb.”

Before the sun and moon illuminated this land, the world was filled only with starlight.

On occasion, fragments of stars would fall to the earth, granting power beyond the bounds of order.

To activate the Sun Statue, one needed such a star fragment—

And the only remaining one was hidden within the Catacomb.

Johan equipped his weapon.

A massive silver spear.

A holy relic known as the Spear of Godslaying.

He was an emperor, the pope of the Sun Church, and a powerful paladin.

He was merely overshadowed by Barak’s dazzling magic.

He, too, was once a warrior who roamed the battlefield.

The Catacomb is guarded by both the Mage Tower and the Imperial Court, but killing them all will suffice.

When the new era arrives, trivial deaths will be forgotten.

The Void Demon God, sealed by the Primordial Being.

Johan’s goal is to resurrect that demon god in an incomplete state and use it as a means to rule the world.

Thus, as the apostle of the demon god, he shall govern this world.