Tales of the Wickedly Vicious Underground Empire Chapter 21

There are two cities in the Ferian Kingdom that have a population of more than ten thousand people. One is Bendole, while the other is the imperial city, Nuzuru.

The inspection force mainly patrols between these two places.

“However, why does the princess suddenly want to visit Bendole?”

“I don’t know. But, when I wanted to accompany her, I was rejected…”

“Tch, what a troublesome thing.”

Herekken had a sour face after he finished hearing his subordinate’s report. When guarding a member of royalty, there should be at least a number of soldiers present, but the current group only had thirty soldiers present.

If he was a decent guard captain, he absolutely would not allow it. Usually, he would place a request to the king and the minister to change her opinion immediately. However, in this case, Herekken can’t do that.

Because…

“This is payment for your troubles.” While saying so, the subordinate received a jewel that fascinated him.

And he totally became a smuggler.

“Hehehe, well it can’t be helped. I will issue a permit immediately.”

Without thinking about what would happen if he failed his guard duty, he was lured in by the profit right in front of his face.

Francesca felt bitter upon looking at the corruption of her own country, but was thankful for their stupidity at the same time.

After getting the permit from Herekken, she hid her face with hood and travelled side by side with her horse. She was accompanied by the female knight, Corias.

“Then, let’s meet that person.” Ignoring Herekken who was instructing his subordinates with a loud voice, Francesca said to herself in quietly.

Herekken’s thirty soldiers plus the other two people were riding on the highway smoothly.

As expected, when he was travelling with the princess, he would not be able to exert violence towards the people. Herekken wasn’t that stupid. For now, what he intended to do was arrive in the Bendole quickly, and so, he rode his horse hurriedly.

While travelling, they stopped at one of the villages along the highway to replenish their food on the second day.

When there is only a day’s journey left to the city of Bendole, an accident happened.

“There is something unusual at the front.” The knight at the front yelled out.

Because the highway has a good view, Herekken and Francesca noticed that there was something unusual immediately.

In the middle of the highway, the knights of Bendole were fighting. It was another group from the Inspection Corps. Originally, it was a group of six people. Now, only two people were still breathing.

Their opponent was the knight who was wearing azure armor. His azure armor was dyed red. Even from afar, they understood that it was from his victims’ blood.

“Pr, Princess-sama! That was the Knight that I was talking about from my story.” Corias almost bit her tongue from fear.

“Hee?” Francesca gave a response as if she was enjoying the spectacle.

“E… Let’s escape! Right now, he hasn’t noticed us yet…” Corias was terrified.

“You can escape. But, I will go.” The princess waved her hand.

“Th-Thattt!” The female knight stuttered.

The Corias that Francesca knew should be a smart and courageous woman. But now that she was recalling the memory where she had been defeated by the azure knight, she was merely a weak girl who was trembling in fear.

It was an unfortunate encounter for her subordinate, but it was lucky for Francesca.

(The wheel of fortune seems to be turning around. I don’t know whether it is good luck or bad luck. This must the forked road in my life.)

The princess thought.

While feeling the sense of exaltation, she asked Herekken.

“What happened to the guards on the highway?”

“Th-That… EI! Arrest that ruffian! No, kill him!” Feeling that his honor was smashed to pieces, Herekken ordered his subordinate fiercely.

However, his subordinates couldn’t hide their anxiety.

“Captain, recently… There is a person who was trampling our men. Isn’t that the rumoured Azure Knight?”

“We have lost many soldiers already. It will be an unwise decision to fight…”

“EI, don’t lose heart! Look carefully! That guy travels on foot. At this place with a wide field of vision, we who ride horses can’t lose.” Herekken a.s.sured them.

Certainly, when they look closely, the knight travelled by foot as there was no horse nearby. In that case, they certainly have an overwhelming advantage. After receiving a scolding from their leader, the subordinates’ anxiety disappeared.

Herekken had a cruel smile on his face as he gave an order.

“Crowd Battle Formation! Trample him!”

As mentioned before, the highway here was wide with a large field of vision. Without a place to hide around here, there was no place where one can run on foot either.

In response to Herekken’s order, the thirty strong cavalry moved into a formation quickly. Even though the head of the Inspection Corps was rotten, Herekken quickly used the [Cavalry Command], [Infringement Tactic], and [Horse Mount Enforcement] skills, and rode quickly.

The cavalry usually uses spears in the battlefield, but because it was only an ordinary inspection duty this time, they weren’t equipped with spears, and only had swords in hand. But, with the cavalry’s advance that seemed like a strong river, those alone were already terrible weapons.

Even though the Inspection Force fighting the Azure knight felt relieved when they saw reinforcements, soon enough their faces became pale as they tried to escape. However, the Azure Knight was not kind enough to miss this chance.

Using the skill [Dramatic Cut], the Azure Knight, Telchis, killed the two who were trying to run away.

But, while he was doing that, the cavalry corps led by Herekken already arrived near him. It wasn’t possible for him to run away now. Looking at the knight who only waited to be trampled, the captain of the Inspection Corps laughed joyfully.

“Be trampled and crushed! Don’t leave even one piece of meat behind!” He ordered.

The sound of hoofbeats echoed, and the cavalry struck out with the weapons on their hands.

But, what was heard wasn’t the sound of the Azure knight being trampled.

*Jallari.

For some reason, the sound of chains echoed instead.

And then, the Azure Knight ignored the cavalry’s charge and jumped out like an acrobat. With lightning quick speed, the neck of the cavalry knight who was charging in the forefront was beheaded. Meanwhile the horse which had lost its master had a collar with a chain hanging down from its neck.

The Azure Knight pushed the corpse away and took over the horse as he handled the horse using his hand. With the collar on its neck, the horse followed Telchis’ orders obediently without shaking off the man that killed its master.

By using the collar, Telchis activated the skill [Hound Creation of Depravity]. It was a disgusting skill that had humiliated Corias as a human being. The effect was the same even towards an animal.

“The number is a little bit bigger.”  A hoa.r.s.e voice can be heard from inside the armor.

Telchis muttered with fearlessly slight impatience and joy as he casually wielded his sword.

The knights who were going to perform a pincer attack from the left and the right were killed at the same time.

The formation already in disorder, and the skills that Herekken used were losing their effects.

Disregarding the disordered cavalry, the Azure Knight pulled the chain that was connected to the horse.

“But, it will not pose a problem.” The Azure Knight muttered while turning towards his opponent.

His voice was filled with confidence. On other hand, the cavalry division around Herekken was frightened as if this was a nightmare. They shook their heads several times, as if trying to escape from reality.

“Ridiculous…”

[TL: Insert Redfoo – let’s be ridiculous song]

“Im-Impossible”

[TL : Insert James Arthur – Impossible song]

“Monster…”

[TL: Insert Eminem ft Rihanna – I’m friend with a Monster]

Those were lines that Telchis had already gotten bored of hearing.

But, the words of the girl behind Herekken was different.

“…Wonderful” She muttered in low voice so that no one could hear it.

However, the hearing abilities of the knight called Telchis was different from ordinary creatures. He heard a word that was different from the norm, which roused his interest.

As if seeing this as an opening, Herekken shouted.

“RETREATTTTTTTT!!”

Even though they still held superiority in numbers, Herekken ordered for a withdrawal. It was an order to preserve their own lives, and this judgment was correct.

Even if they fought, they would just die in a cruel manner. The cavalry, understanding this, spread out immediately.

Herekken also tried to run away, but remembering the princess who he should protect, he tried to confirm if she had escaped safely… But, what he saw was an unbelievable scene.

What he saw was Francesca dismounting from her horse and running toward the Azure Knight.

“Wha- Princess!”

“Princess!!”

Herekken and Corias shouted at the same time.

As if she didn’t hear their voices, Francesca approached Telchis and said something to him.

After hearing her words, the Azure Knight thought for a moment before putting the Ferian Kingdom’s princess on his horse. And then, ignoring the knights who were escaping, he just rode towards the south.

At the south was the lush and dense forest where Underground Labyrinth lies.
On the other hand, the Inspection Captain could only watch as their shadows disappeared from his view.