Betrayal Knight's Joyful Faith

Chapter 492

‘This is troublesome.’Cantares muttered to himself, trying his best to maintain his composure.

But that didn’t change the situation in front of him.

“Your Highness.”

Jereon said calmly.

“Please step back. I’ll be fine.”

A sharp blade was pointed just below the neck of the aide who spoke that. The priest who had taken the aide hostage spoke.

“Come this way, Your Highness. We will treat you with the respect due to royalty.”

The priest’s voice, muffled under his hood, carried a metallic edge.

Cantares tightened his grip on the small self-defense sword he had hastily drawn.

“You must not listen, Your Highness!”

The knight guarding the area shouted urgently. But even his voice didn’t reach Cantares.

All the enemies who suddenly invaded the residence were killed.

Except for one commander-level priest who was currently holding Jereon hostage.

The smell of blood that filled the surroundings made his head spin.

‘Captain Diana will be coming this way.’

But her path here would not be smooth either. Countless enemies would likely stand in her way.

“Your Highness!”

Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Jereon raised his voice. The sword dug deeper into his neck.

Bright red blood began to flow down Jereon’s neck, but the aide paid no attention.

“Run! Now!”

“Shut up! Just stay quiet and stay still!”

Cantares’ sudden shout made Jereon’s face twist in anguish.

‘I let my guard down.’

Perhaps it would have been better if Jereon had taken his own life the moment he was captured. Or at least bitten his tongue.

Although the emergency escape artifact was clearly in his hand, Jereon couldn’t use it rashly even after noticing the enemy attack.

Because he hadn’t confirmed that Cantares had escaped safely.

After a moment of hesitation, Jereon was captured alive by the enemy commander.

It happened so quickly that he couldn’t even do anything about it.

“Your Highness!”

Diana, who had burst into the chamber after cutting down the remaining enemies, stopped short at the sight before her. Cantares spoke stiffly, not even sparing her a glance.

“Don’t move recklessly, Captain Diana. I’ll take care of it.”

“…”

Diana, who was about to draw her sword, stopped moving.

The other knights just bit their lips nervously, and no one took action first.

“Your Highness…”

Jereon tried to speak again, but the pain from his twisted arm made his expression twist.

“Ugh!”

The priest tightened his grip on Jereon’s arm.

“Tell them to lower their swords, Your Highness. Come with us. No harm will come to you.”

Cantares steadied his breathing, his hand tightening again around his sword hilt as he thought furiously.

‘What should I do?’

Inside his pocket was the artifact Arendt had given him. But abandoning Jereon and running away wasn’t an option.

Jereon likely had an artifact of his own, but he would not be able to use it now that he was completely subdued.

‘If I can just separate that bastard from him for even a moment…’

He could escape with Jereon.

Sweat soaked his palms, yet, paradoxically, a cold calm settled in one corner of his mind.

The priest was wary of the surrounding knights. The moment they attempted even the slightest move, the priest would slit Jereon’s throat without hesitation.

‘I’m the only one who can move.’

There was only one way that came to mind.

It was an overly risky move though.

“…Everyone, step back.”

Cantares, his resolve firm, ordered. Then, Jereon’s expression darkened.

“Your Highness!”

“You’d better be prepared, because I’ll hold you accountable later. And, Captain Diana.”

His tone was frigid enough to chill the air.

“Trust me. I know who I am. I wouldn’t do anything foolish that would end the royal line.”

“Your Highness…”

Conflict flickered across Diana’s face. In this situation, as a Knight Captain protecting him, it was her duty to drag the Crown Prince out, even by force.

But Diana couldn’t move freely.

There was something in his voice, low and steady, that sounded almost… pleading.

“Step back. Please.”

As if to prove her guess correct, Cantares added briefly. In the end, Diana, too, had no choice but to take a step back, even as she tightened her grip on her sword.

“…You are so soft-hearted, Your Highness.”

The priest gave a twisted smile.

“But you made the right choice.”

The Crown Prince approached Jereon and the priest step by step, his blade lowered.

“Jen. I’ll remember this day for a long time.”

Cantares spoke coldly, slowly approaching Jereon.

The aide was speechless. His eyes, usually so gentle, now revealed a stark, desperate expression.

The sword the Crown Prince was holding fell to the floor with a loud noise.

As Cantares completely disarmed, a cruel smile split the priest’s face beneath his hood.

“Excellent. Very good.”

“…”

The distance between the priest and Cantares was gradually getting closer.

Finally, one knight, unable to stand by any longer, tried to step forward, but Diana stopped him.

“Wait.”

“But, Captain…!”

“I said wait.”

Diana repeated once more in a stern voice. She stared at the Crown Prince, Jereon, and the enemy, her nerves tense.

‘I wonder what you’re thinking.’

Even though he cared for those around him, the Crown Prince never forgot his own position.

Cantares was not foolish enough to trade the life of the empire’s heir for the life of a mere aide.

Yet the very fact that he was taking such a dangerous risk meant there had to be some trick up his sleeve.

If they moved carelessly now, they might end up getting in his way.

Cantares stopped just five paces from the enemy.

“…Your Highness.”

Jereon called out to Cantares in a trembling voice. Cantares, without looking at him, spoke slowly to the priest.

“I’m here. So let him go.”

“Shallow tricks won’t work, Your Highness.”

But the priest just chuckled and shook his head.

“Come a little closer. If you do, I will spare your aide’s life.”

“…”

Cantares’ eyes sank coldly.

Diana silently grasped the hilt of her sword. The other knights also tensed their bodies, ready to leap at any moment.

A heavy silence fell over the Crown Prince’s quarters, thick with the stench of blood. The priest and Cantares stared at each other for a long time, as if sizing each other up.

Cantares suddenly kicked off the ground and rushed towards the enemy.

A horrified cry escaped Jereon.

“No, Khan!”

For this reason, Lord Chernion bestowed upon him the grace of divine power to block pain and distracting emotions.

But from the moment the mask was destroyed, Roger couldn’t control the surging anger. He couldn’t shake the feeling of having been thoroughly insulted.

Amid the fiercely raging flames, Laius’ eyes were growing colder and colder.

But the sword aimed at Roger was terribly savage. The blade’s tip seethed with a hatred that evidently meant to kill him.

“You have abandoned God, and yet you dare to block my path!”

“I clearly said this before.”

The two swords clashed head-on. Almost simultaneously, a violent wave swept through the surrounding area.

A natural struggle ensued, and the ground beneath them cracked. Roger and Laius, locked blade to blade, pushed each other with all their might.

“Gods mean nothing to me.”

Flames swept through the surroundings, but Laius acted as if the heat did not matter. Burns appeared on both arms and various parts of his body, only to be regenerated by the Holy Sword’s divine power.

“This is merely my revenge.”

Laius’ foot sank into a deep groove left in the floor.

“What awaits you is not an honorable martyrdom. You will be murdered, not by a hero, but just a mere mortal filled with resentment.”

Roger faltered for just an instant, his strength buckling beneath the pressure, and he instinctively stepped back. Laius seized the opportunity and swung his Holy Sword with a powerful swing.

Roger was thrown backwards with a loud crash. His body crashed to the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.

Laius charged straight at Roger, giving him no time to recover. Roger barely managed to get up in time and raised his sword.

The flame-clad sword and the Holy Sword clashed head-on once again.

“How dare you…”

Roger gritted his teeth.

“How dare you utter such blasphemy. I’ll make you repent before God for all eternity!”

A fierce flame raged, threatening to engulf Laius. Laius’ uniform caught fire, leaving severe burns on both arms and shoulders. But instead of looking back at his wounds, Laius intensified the power of the Shadow of the Strong.

Once again, the one forced back in their contest of strength was Roger.

He gritted his teeth and struck the Holy Sword aside. Then, in the next movement, his figure vanished from before Laius’ eyes.

He used teleportation.

The next moment, Roger appeared behind Laius.

Roger’s blow was blocked by the Holy Sword that Laius instinctively swung.

Once again, a loud crashing sound swept through the surroundings.

“Repent?”

Laius’ blue eyes, full of murderous intent, locked onto Roger.

“Why should I repent?”

He pivoted sharply, knocking Roger’s blade aside with brutal force. But Roger wasn’t easily defeated either.

After several clashes, the surroundings were completely devastated. Even Laius, whose expression had remained calm and cold throughout, gradually showed rage.

“If protecting those who wish to survive is against God’s will….”

The flaming sword and the Holy Sword clashed head-on again with a heavy sound.

“I am willing to spit in the face of God.”

“You filthy heretic.”

Roger growled ferociously like a beast.

The black divine power that blossomed from his entire body was imbued in Roger’s cloudy eyes.

“It seems that you will kneel before God only after losing everyone you promised to protect.”

The flames surrounding him began to darken.

“That time will come soon. I swear on Lord Chernion’s name.”

“That will never happen. I’ve already chosen to protect everyone, even from God’s own hand.”

The swords clashed, making a harsh metallic sound. Amidst the swirling flames, Laius spoke clearly.

“You will meet a more miserable death than anyone else at my hands. No one will remember your name, and you will not find peace in the arms of God.”

His shoulder blade, unable to withstand the force, dislocated. But even that was soon healed by divine power.

The divine power surrounding Roger began to bloom more intensely.

“You bastard…!”

Just as Roger was about to press his advantage…

He suddenly froze.

He had been fighting frantically all this time, and only belatedly did he feel a sense of discomfort in his body.