Betrayal Knight's Joyful Faith

Chapter 451

The firmly shut door swung open rather roughly.As a ray of light appeared in the room that had been filled with darkness, Jiklin, who had been lying stretched out on the sofa, lifted her head.

The visitor who had barged in without permission was barely able to support himself by leaning against the open door.

“Hey…”

Jiklin, still laying there, let out a groan of disgust.

“You really came.”

In the darkness, the silver hair of the apprentice knight sparkled under a single ray of light.

His hair, which was always neatly groomed, was a mess from the rough fight, and his whole body was so soaked in blood and wounds that it was difficult to find a clean spot.

“…Yeah. I came, you bastard.”

The apprentice knight, who had been catching his breath for a long time, forcibly straightened his precariously staggering body.

The blood pouring out from the gaping wounds froze as soon as it touched the floor.

“You must have gotten a good look at what was going on there.”

Arendt stepped on his own bloodstains and took a step toward Jiklin.

“How was it? Was it fun? You must have seen your poor work being swept away like trash.”

“What a vicious bastard.”

Jiklin’s expression crumpled.

The hero and Arendt’s party inflicted massive damage on Jiklin’s legion in just a few hours.

She had prepared a force that could hold out for at least a few days without replenishment.

However, regardless of whether they were priests, ghouls, or homunculi, more than half of them were swept away in just half a day.

“Calling me a vicious bastard? That’s something I should be saying.”

Every time Arendt moved, frozen drops of blood drew a red path on the floor.

“It seems like you’re not really interested in protecting the castle anymore… How many monsters are you sending in just to kill me?”

“The one who broke through all that is also a monster bastard.”

Jiklin, crossing her legs and facing him, spoke coldly.

“I thought that even if they couldn’t kill you, you would have at least lost a limb.”

The south-facing window was covered with dark curtains, so even though it was broad daylight, her side was completely dark.

The only thing illuminating the room was a thin ray of light streaming in from the door Arendt had opened.

“I guess I overestimated my children.”

The calm, composed voice felt quite different from the usually emotional Jiklin.

Arendt stopped walking some distance from her.

“…I commend you for admitting that those junk are nothing more than trash.”

Arendt frowned slightly and spoke.

“It looks like you’ve completely lost it.”

A strange darkness shimmered in the elf girl’s eyes. It was what some would call divine power, and it meant Chernion was interfering with her.

‘That guy was originally far from religious.’

She’d offered to work for Chernion in exchange for support of her forbidden research. But the current Jiklin seemed a bit different.

Arendt smiled bitterly.

“In the end, you were completely devoured by the mad god.”

“Lord Chernion’s hand has finally reached me.”

Jiklin smiled broadly.

“If I kill you and offer you up before Lord Chernion, won’t I be able to create even more beautiful things?”

Although she looked beautiful, like a well-made doll, it felt quite out of place when compared to the way she acted noisily, displaying all sorts of emotions.

“…Hah. This isn’t even worth having a conversation about.”

Arendt sighed briefly and sheathed his sword.

Frozen chunks of blood scattered across the floor.

“You’re hopeless. Just die. I don’t even feel like making jokes.”

A chill lingered around the apprentice knight.

His golden eyes flashed with a murderous intent like a sharpened blade.

“I feel so disgusted, I can’t even look at you. It makes me want to puke.”

“It is Lord Chernion’s blessing.”

The smile completely vanished from his face. Seemingly pleased by the unmasked expression, Jiklin gave a faint smile.

“What are you saying, after begging Luce for your life?”

When Arendt did not respond, a heavy silence fell over the room.

Outside, a fierce battle seemed to still be raging, and a heavy rumble could be heard from time to time.

“I never begged. He just did whatever He wanted.”

. Arendt took a step closer to Jiklin.

“One day, I’m going to make Him regret letting me live. It’ll be quite entertaining.”

As the distance between the two people grew closer, the shadows around Jiklin began to sway little by little.

“You’ll be dead before you even get to see it. Not that I’m particularly sorry about it.”

“That’s exactly why you’re doomed to fail, Arendt von Eckhart.”

Jiklin snapped her fingers lightly. Then, countless eyes suddenly appeared from the darkness that filled the surrounding area.

In an instant, countless eyes swarmed and filled the room, surrounding Jiklin like protective guards.

The eyes that filled the floor, ceiling, and walls all turned towards Arendt.

“You don’t even realize how pathetic you are before God.”

Jiklin burst into a joyful laugh, revealing her white teeth.

“If you can’t bow that stiff neck, I’ll have to cut it myself and present it to Lord Chernion.”

“…!”

Arendt, who had frozen for a moment, sensed the attacks rushing towards him.

As he reflexively raised his sword to defend, a heavy impact struck him.

For a moment, his vision shook, but Arendt somehow persevered.

Only after his vision, which had gone completely white, gradually returned was Arendt able to clearly identify the enemy.

A shadow that had its own ego and moved on its own was blocking his sword.

It was the last homunculus left in this castle.

“…”

Even the sharpened areas, like blades, had cloudy eyes that stared at Arendt.

When he looked into its eyes, he felt like he couldn’t breathe.

“Isn’t it beautiful? It’s like a piece torn out of the night sky.”

An intoxicated voice echoed through the air.

“Lord Chernion looks down on all. There is darkness everywhere, even under the clear blue sky of day.”

Jiklin continued speaking cheerfully.

“When the day ends, the night comes. That’s the natural order.”

Light had illuminated this world for too long, so now it was time for night to come.

Arendt made no reply.

No, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say that he didn’t have the luxury of doing so. His body, already at its limit, was no match for the homunculus’ immense power.

The bleeding from the open wounds became more severe.

His legs shook and his hands were losing strength.

“…Shit!”

Finally, with an anxious cry, Arendt struck the enemy with force.

The darkness that had been oppressing Arendt froze white, and was soon cut cleanly by the blade. But that wasn’t the end.

The very next moment, a black tendril that had barely passed by cut Arendt’s cheek.

Had he even moved an inch, there was no doubt it would have pierced his head.

“…!”

Blood dripped from the new wound.

But, unable to even care for his wounds, Arendt had to throw himself to the side again.

A black tendril stretched from the ceiling and dug deep into the floor right next to him.

Although he managed to avoid it, the impact sent Arendt flying again.

.

Before he could even cushion his fall, Arendt was slammed into the wall.

His vision shook, and his mind went completely blank.

“Cough, cough!”

Every time the apprentice knight coughed, blood would gush out, due to his severe internal injuries.

Arendt tried to raise his torso with trembling arms, but he lacked the strength and fell over.

An innocent laugh was heard from above.

“Hahahaha! You look good. You look like a little rat.”

“You little shit…”

Arendt forced his head up and the corners of his mouth twisted.

Jiklin met his gaze and smiled with her eyes shaped like crescent moons.

“You need to know your place. This should have happened a long time ago. I’ve let you run wild for too long. Roger and Lord Nikephoros are both fools.”

Arendt tried to reply, but he quickly rolled over to avoid another attack.

A game of tag began in a small room.

The homunculus filled the room without a single gap, continuously attacking from all sides.

The attacks deliberately avoiding his vital points was like a cat playing with a rat caught in a trap.

If he barely managed to block it, the next moment an attack would come flying in from nowhere, adding more wounds to his already exhausted body.

“Cough!”

In the end, Arendt, who had been stabbed in the shoulder, fell to the ground at Jiklin’s feet.

He tried to somehow grab his sword again and get up, but even that was a pointless struggle.

Jiklin, who had risen from the sofa, kicked his sword and sent it flying far away.

“…”

Jiklin looked down at him with emotionless eyes.

Half-conscious, the focus in his golden eyes was faltering.

Despite everything, his survival instinct kept him clinging to breath, yet it felt like it could end at any moment.

Jiklin grumbled irritably.

“…A really vicious bastard.”

Arendt himself must have fully anticipated this scenario. Yet, he came this far, risking everything on the slight possibility that he might kill Jiklin.

But this was the ending he received.

Now the apprentice knight barely moved.

Jiklin shook her head and picked up the sword that had flown far past him.

The sword, stained with blood and flesh, still retained the chill of the Frosty Touch.

“I can finally retrieve the sacred relic.”

Jiklin turned around again towards the fallen Arendt.

The homunculus, who had successfully subdued Arendt, only blinked occasionally and waited quietly for her instructions.

“Ah, damn. How much did I pour into killing this little brat?”

This castle was certain to fall to Laius de Winfried. The losses incurred from the loss of priests and ghouls were incalculable, and the homunculi were all consumed.

But Jiklin had no regrets.

“If I take your head, Lady Iris will praise me too.”

It was something worth suffering this much damage for.

Jiklin, holding Arendt’s sword, strode towards him.

“I’ll keep that pretty neck for special use. I think it could be turned into something wonderful. Your body seems to have quite a bit of vitality, so I think it could be quite useful.” Latest content publıshed on novel-fire.ɴet

The large sword dragged on the floor, making an unpleasant clanging sound.

“Consider it an honor to be my trophy, brat.”

A smile appeared on her young face.

Jiklin, stopping in front of Arendt, who lay motionless, lifted the sword high.

“I will tell the hero about your death.”

The grimy blade fell straight towards Arendt’s neck.

Finally, she was able to kill Arendt von Eckhart.

An unprecedented joy took over her.

By offering him as a sacrifice to Lord Chernion, they could one day bring eternal night to this land.

Jiklin had no doubts about it.

In that moment, Arendt, who had seemed completely unconscious, twitched and moved.

“Uh?”

She couldn’t comprehend what was happening until Arendt, lying on the ground, stretched out his hand and yanked the curtains with all his might.

The thick curtains were flung wide and bright sunlight poured in.

The moment Jiklin blinked in surprise at the sudden light…

A steel arrow flew through the window and pierced the girl’s forehead.