Kuro no Maou

Chapter 229 – The Two Strongholds

Today was 16th of Red Flame Month, exactly 1 month and 10 days had passed since the day Alsace Village was occupied.

This much time would be said impossible to make this village into a stronghold, but looks like for the ever-so-energetic Crusaders nothing was impossible.

「The establishment of Alsace Fort is going all well, right?」

The Sumpreme Commander of Crusaders, 7th Apostle Sariel let out those words upon surveying the rural farm village changing slowly by slowly into a place fit for the stationing of Crusaders.

The Alsace Mura with a terrain like a small island stuffed between two rivers, now had strong bridges made crossing the east and west rivers, they both were entrance and exit. The cornerstone of defense, the stone wall too was almost more than half done.

Sariel, currently had visited for the inspection on the progress of Alsace Stronghold which would become the place in the frontlines when invading Spada.

「After Bishop Gregorios gave the land of Alsace to Earl Belgent, I had heard the new additions to the buildings was made, but never had I thought the construction would progress on this large scale. The nobles sure are quite influential」[1. I need help with this one. Look below]

The aide Archbishop Liuchrome, standing behind like a valet, replied to Sariel’s words.

In those words somewhat sarcasm was mixed in, but Sariel could only take the meaning of those words as stated.

Or it may be things like the dark informations of Crusaders, might be irrelevant to her after getting a body not of a human. [2]

That sort of Aloof atmosphere was gushing out of Sariel, who was watching the construction in an unimpressed manner.

But that is totally other’s thoughts, in truth her mind was thinking about something else.

(Kurono Mao commanded the Demons and fought here)

Because the construction was going on, the traces of that fight are already lost.

On the front now stood a really tough and strong stone wall completely different from the weak and frail wall of trees and barbed wire. The Guild in which demons resided, i.e The Blackbox, had already been destroyed and a storehouse to store provisions had been established there.

Even with the high perception of Apostles, one cannot even find traces that Kurono used black magical energy here.

At most the magic from mages, who trying to put a barrier on the protective wall, and golems helping in civil work was floating in the surroundings.

(The place I will fight him can be here or—–)

Sariel moved her deep crimson eyes. In those eyes reflected, the large joint moutains, the magnificient Galahad Mountain Range.

(—–Galahad Stronghold in those mountains)

Seeing it from Alsace Village with naked eyes isn’t possible, however, Sariel certainly ‘saw’ it, that castle of steel within the mountains.

.

.

.

In the Galahad Mountain Range extending across North and South, exists a point where the mountains are stopped as if a giant from legends pruned there.

That point which even a normal person can cross just by walking was the impregnable Galahad Stronghold, which Spada boasted of.

In that place which almost seems like ravine, were enshrined solid peerless castle walls covering from one end of the ravine to other end while being covered by rocks, steel and barrier.

This vertically standing black castle walls had an overwhelming appearance of a damn, the soldiers of Deadalus, or soldiers from even before had felt despair and resignation in front of these walls.

Above the great walls of Spada, which have protected the mountain road of Galahad Mountain since the founding of Spada, stood a single man.

His age can be said to be in prime of life, he had sharp eyes and was frowning his somewhat large brows, whilst showing a grim expression.

「Crusaders, eh—–」

Against the stron mountain winds, the man’s long firey red hair fluttered, looking just like the mane of a lion.

Against the strong winds which might even shake a grown-up man, this man with a robust large build didn’t even budge as if his feet had grown roots from them into the stones.

While crossing his two burly arms with toned muscles, the man looked into far distance with his glittering golden eyes. [3]

「—–I can agree to it if ‘that white one’ was the one who defeated Dragon King Gaevinal」

Under his eyes spread out the only road in the mountain, the mountain forest covered with dark green trees, and the horizon in far distance.

There was nothing other than magnificient nature which could be seen, but the ‘white one’ the man said, he certainly did ‘see it’.

「’Ey, pops, don’t ya start loitering ‘ere and there on your own」

At that moment, a voice came from behind the man.

Upon turning back, there stood a man with golden eyes red hair, in the formal uniform of Spada Army.

Looking at those facial features and colors, even without telling their relationship one can easily guess they are father and son.

「Aik, don’t make noise」

「’Ell no! If the damn king goes poof from the place he needs to be, ofcourse ‘m gonna make noise, lots of noise! I has been finking(thinking) this from childhood, but ain’t you got too much freedom, even I have but not to your extent for just running anywhere」

The sullenly silent father still had that grim expression, but in truth his son hit the weak nerve of his.

「But……」

「Yeah yeah blah blah, don’t wanna hear your excuses. Currently I’m the vice-captain of Spada Army’s 1st Squad『Brave Heart』, so I’m here to WARN you not to LOITER ‘ere and there ‘gian」

「Sorry」

「Good to hear that」[4]

The handsome man with the same-everything the man looked like in young days, stood besdies his father and looked in the same direction as him from the Galahad Stronghold.

「So, did you find out anything?」

「Yeah, most probably a war would come」

On his fathers comment he revealed a dumbfounded expression.

「Didn’t we send the envoy just recently」

「Not like he’s gonna come back」

On that remark, he sighed as if giving up and then opened up his mouth.

「It would be good if you could use that intuition in politics, but your intuitions like this are never wrong, you know that pops, don’t ya……」

Destruction of Daedalus, the appearance of mysterious amry of human who appeared out of nowhere and call themselves Crusaders.

Though they know, Crusaders came from Arc Continent existing on the other side of the ocean, but everything else about them is still a mystery.

Let it be ally or foe, everything should start from talks, hence they sent a envoy for discussions, but if believing the man’s words, looks like the negotiations would fail big this time.

「Wil handed me the letter, it can’t be a coincidence」

「Yeah, he wrote something like Crusaders are a big bad alarm or something. Seriously, he’s still a student, why is he sniffing around in things too troublesome like this—–」

I give up, as if saying that he fixed his hair, which was still fluttering in hair, and continued his words.

「—–But, Wil has got different brains compared to ‘us’. Trusting him is much easier than some government official, so if he is seriously saying that, means it must be the truth」

「Yeah」

While remembering that face of his other child with wisdom and a habit of daydreaming, the father gave his answer.

「We need to prepare for the war, let’s head back」

「Roger, King Majesty」

The two, father and son, turned back and left the place.

The father’s name is, Leonhart Tristan Spada, the current King of Spada with another name of『Sword King』.

The son’s name is, Aisenhart Tristan Spada, the eldest son of the king and the person in the first place for the right to inherit the crown.

The person who sensed the upcoming war the first, was strangely, the King of Spada.

AUTHOR’S NOTE:

The reappearance of Sariel, and the entry of Leonhart, whose name only was coming out ever since Volume 3.

Looks like the father and brother already trusted Wil.

Well then, with this Volume 14 ends. From the next Volume, School Volume (?) is going to start. Please look forward to it!

Translator’s Note:

[1] Can someone give me the name of Bishop I used long back. I kinda forgot that one and am too lazy, err I mean energy conservative to be actually wasting energy in searching through previous chapters.

[2] Apostle’s are said to have left the territory of humans, and they have inhuman bodies with god’s powers. Pfft. Seriously they shit on Kurono, who also got god(?)goddess powers.

[3] I am now sure that this novel is turning more and more into Xianxia. Now this thing just needs that meridian, dantian, soul, pills, primordial and lastly incense stick to burn or just 3 breaths of time shit!

[4] Lol the cringes, even my soul cringed. Let alone my sides have gone to space. Anyhow, from now on for any sort of overly-informal JP, I would use the cockney accent English. It’s almost like the informal english in America, spoken by various sorts of punks.