Chapter 645
Rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle!
At Neftis’ declaration that the Traitor Legion had returned, the closing ceremony turned into complete chaos. The audience fell into great confusion.
‘Lady Neftis……!’
Simon, who had been watching from behind the stage, turned pale.
[Kehuhuhuhu! That woman has caused a grand stir again!]
Feer’s clone laughed heartily, but Simon could not bring himself to smile.
His gaze turned toward the crowd.
People shocked and stunned.
People trembling with fear.
People whose eyes shone with curiosity.
And, people seething with rage.
Outcry from the audience
“The Traitor Legion still exists?!”
“They must be rooted out and destroyed at once!”
Some impatient individuals were already shouting such words.
In contrast, the students of Keyzen, who had never directly experienced the Traitor Legion incident, only looked bewildered at the frenzied audience.
“Silence.”
At Neftis’ single word, the uproar ceased instantly.
“Master Feer has already chosen an unidentified individual as his contractor. The 7th Legion has returned, and its Legion Commander has been secretly active behind the Dark Alliance.”
She unfolded a document.
“Not only the recent Dark Emperor terror incident, but also the Saint incident from last year.”
At the words Saint incident, everyone’s eyes widened.
“Not to mention Magnus, who struck against the Blood Heaven Cult, the Executioners Society, and even Pentamonium. Using his own independent information route, he has been fighting countless enemies of the Dark Alliance.”
The audience, caught off guard by this unexpected turn, listened in silence.
“He has saved countless lives without taking anything in return. Therefore, as the Leader of the Dark Alliance, I hereby declare—”
She lifted her hand from the papers.
“From this moment on, in the name of Neftis Arkbold, the Dark Alliance’s red wanted order for the 7th Legion is hereby rescinded.”
Rustle, rustle, rustle, rustle!
Excited journalists activated their memorial crystals and pressed the shutters of their magical cameras.
A new era had begun.
“7th Legion Commander. You must be here now, aren’t you?”
Her eyes swept over the audience. People flinched and glanced suspiciously at those beside them.
“I do not desire war, but dialogue. Appear here before us.”
A suffocating silence spread across the vast closing ceremony plaza filled with tens of thousands.
Behind the stage, Simon trembled, biting his lip. Cold sweat streamed down his back.
‘What should I do?’
Was she truly calling for him?
Was this the right moment to reveal his identity?
Hadn’t Neftis herself said it would take years? Wasn’t this far too sudden?
‘I……!’
At that moment, Neftis’s lilting voice tickled his ear.
[If you hesitate.]
It was a voice audible only to Simon. She had turned her head toward the backstage, locking eyes with him.
[Stay right where you are.]
“……!”
At those words, Simon froze as though dead. Beads of sweat dripped from his bangs to the floor.
“As expected.”
Neftis turned back to the crowd.
“Of course, he would not appear. I understand. He still cannot trust us……”
“Lady Neftis!”
One spectator suddenly leapt onto the stage. The attendants rushed to seize him, but Neftis raised her hand to stop them.
“Who are you?”
“I am Corino, from Ballot of the Dresden Kingdom!”
He shook off the attendants and knelt on one knee. Neftis smiled benevolently.
“Very well, beloved Corino. What do you wish to say?”
“Withdraw your declaration to rescind the wanted order for the 7th Legion!”
His bloodshot eyes blazed as he struck his chest with his fist.
“I lost my wife to the blade of that heinous Traitor Legion!”
“……”
“All that remains for me and my daughter is a wound carved into our hearts. That vile Legion must be erased from existence without leaving the slightest trace! They betrayed the Alliance! They murdered comrades who had fought side by side for years for a Priest!”
Tears streamed from his eyes.
“Was this not the single principle that existed since the very founding of the Dark Alliance?! No matter what else may be overlooked, betrayal can never be erased!”
Shouts of agreement resounded through the crowd.
“I lost a friend!”
“My hometown was burned down!”
“Complete annihilation for the Traitor Legion!”
Simon felt his breath catch and his throat tighten.
He had thought far too simply.
-If you hesitate. Stay right where you are.
Neftis had known this would happen.
“My beloved Corino.”
Neftis began.
“Your daughter, is she here on this island?”
“Yes, she came with me to the Dark Emperor……”
“What irony.”
A strange smile touched her lips.
“I regret that you lost your wife to the 7th Legion, but today, both you and your daughter owe your lives to them.”
“What are you saying…?!”
“Everyone, listen. The fanatic who warped reality on Roke Island was not dealt with by us. It was the 7th Legion and their allies who defeated her. Without them, Roke Island would have sunk into the sea.”
She stepped forward.
“Beloved people. To a necromancer, the undead are but tools. And tools cannot bear guilt. It is the wielder of the tool who must be judged. A sword may be used to kill, but in a surgeon’s hands it saves lives, and in a cook’s hands it feeds the hungry.”
Speaking in an uncharacteristically refined and archaic tone, she spread her arms wide.
“The Holy Federation grows ever stronger, their mysteries soaring skyward, and their blind faith in their goddess grows only more fervent. The fact that the madness of one fanatic could endanger all of Roke Island is something we must awaken to.”
She clenched her small fist.
“It is often said the priests look to the afterlife, to Judgement Day, while the necromancer gazes upon corpses, bound to the past. But clinging only to the past leads to extinction. Not only the Holy Federation but also third powers such as the Blood Heaven Cult exist. We must be stronger than before, and more warriors are needed than ever. To the 7th Legion Commander, I say this—”
She lowered her hand, her voice returning to its usual tone.
“I pray we may speak face to face soon!”
At that, the elders of the Dark Alliance rose from their seats in outrage.
“To speak of something so grave in a place like this! What are you scheming, Leader?”
“We received no report of this at all!”
“But~”
Neftis placed a hand to her cheek and blinked cutely.
“I don’t have the spare time to report every little thing to you, do I?”
“L-Lady Neftis!”
“There is something else we cannot ignore!”
Another tall elder approached, leaning on his staff.
“You said the fanatic nearly destroyed Roke Island. That is an invasion by the Holy Federation! A grave provocation!”
He shouted furiously.
“They must pay in blood! We must unleash a war of rage!”
Yes!
Slaughter the holy fanatics!
Desecrate the corpses of the zealots!
Voices of agreement roared, but Neftis only smiled serenely.
“Hehe, I still remember the days when you played with me building sandcastles and plucking wildflowers to confess, Robert.”
The elder’s face twisted in shock.
“W-What nonsense is this!”
“Now, your jawline and belly sag, and all you have left are wrinkles and greed. Do not speak of war so lightly.”
She turned her back on him.
“If you imagine you can relive the glory of the Dark Alliance by sending young men to their deaths, while you sit safely behind the lines receiving reports, then know this. I shall personally armor you and drive you into the very front line.”
The old man’s wrinkled face flushed red. Neftis skipped lightly and turned back to the crowd.
“Details will be announced later, but this fanatic’s assault was separate from the Holy Federation. In fact, someone from their side—an individual who cannot yet reveal their name—played a crucial role in defeating the fanatic.”
The moment Neftis said that a priest had aided them, the audience was thrown into utter confusion. Since she was not the type to lie before all, the confusion only deepened.
“There are still those on their side with whom words can be exchanged. As long as dialogue flows and reason restrains madness, there will be no war. But it is also true that the Holy Federation and our enemies are growing stronger. The moment the balance of power breaks, the Dark Alliance will be in peril.”
She extended her arm.
“The only thing that can protect us is strength. The past is of no use. If it has worth, then we shall take it—no matter what it may be. Even if it is…”
Her lips curled into a smile.
“…the Traitor Legion.”
* * *
Neftis’ speech at the closing ceremony of the Dark Emperor Festival shook the Dark Alliance to its core.
Every newspaper under the Alliance immediately covered the story, and before a single day had passed, headlines had already rolled off the presses.
[The Traitor Legion Has Returned!]
[Who Is the Veiled 7th Legion Commander?]
The reactions were starkly divided.
Although Neftis rescinded the Alliance-wide red wanted order, the Dresden Kingdom and Shahed Kingdom, both of which had suffered directly from the incident, voiced extreme opposition. These two kingdoms even went so far as to issue their own kingdom-level wanted orders, separate from the Alliance’s decree.
Seizing the opportunity, the weakened anti-Keyzen faction rose up in unison, arguing fiercely that they should secede from the Alliance led by senile Neftis, who had forgotten the past and now dared to defend the Traitor Legion.
Even setting aside the politics, ordinary citizens were split in half.
Some insisted that the heinous crime of betrayal could never vanish, and that the 7th Legion must be destroyed on sight. Others agreed with Neftis, arguing that the undead were merely tools, and that one should judge their wielder, not the tool itself.
In truth, the only reason public opinion was as balanced as it was, was because Neftis had quietly spent time and resources softening the atmosphere long before her declaration.
Among the Keyzen students, most of whom had not lived through the incident, the reaction leaned somewhat in the 7th Legion’s favor.
Keyzen, being steeped in a meritocracy of ability, fostered the view: Traitor or not, if they fight well and slay priests, that’s enough.
Of course, not all agreed.
“I can’t forgive them.”
“They’re still the Traitor Legion.”
Students whose parents’ generation had suffered directly clenched their teeth in hatred, regarding the 7th Legion Commander as little less than a mortal enemy.
Among them was Hector, for the Moore family, too, had been direct victims.
“What’s with that sour look?”
“It must be because of this Legion Commander business. Don’t get on his bad side—just steer clear.”
As whispers spread, Simon stared blankly into the air.
‘……Good thing I didn’t step forward back then.’
Not only Hector, but even students he knew fairly well were muttering about killing the 7th Legion Commander.
[To reveal yourself as Legion Commander now… it seems the world isn’t ready yet.]
Feer spoke.
‘Yes, I think so too.’
Even though it wasn’t a crime he had personally committed, Simon was prepared to bear the burden.
If his father hadn’t saved his mother back then, he would never have been born.
He would never have been able to wield both Darkness and Holiness, nor meet precious bonds such as Lete and Lady Israfil.
As Simon sank deep into thought.
“Aizel must be the Legion Commander!”
Among the 3rd years, strange rumors began to spread.
“Of course! If it’s Aizel, it makes sense!”
“So that’s why he always came late! Aizel’s a complete necromancer, after all.”
What on earth are they talking about now?
Simon listened in disbelief as his seniors continued their chatter.
“Hahahahaha!”
Especially Wil, the disciplinary officer, looked delighted.
“So that’s why he claimed he would catch up to Phantasus! He had this secret mission all along, huh!”
He raised his eyebrows at Simon.
“Aizel will soon return! Do you think you can match the Legion Commander, brat? Hahaha!”
“……Uh, well.”
Simon could only laugh awkwardly.
“Hey guys!”
From outside the door came Eshu’s voice.
“Quit lazing around and give me a hand!”
“?”
Simon turned to see her, commanding her summoned beasts to carry massive logs.
“What are you doing?”
“Preparing for the afterparty!”
She winked.
“And what’s a night party without a campfire?”
In the central yard, a large pile of firewood was being stacked high.
It seemed the celebration was going to be lavish, with shrimp as thick as a man’s arm laid out, and barrels of wine rolling in.
“Classes start again tomorrow! Let’s burn the last night of the festival bright!”
“Of course!”
Excited students from other departments rushed out en masse. Simon rolled up his sleeves and gladly joined them in the yard.
Superb.
When are we getting more free chapters?
Thanks for the new chapters
Very good story and translation but half the chapter aren't for free and it is wayyyy too expensive will it stat like tjis foreve or will it get free after some time