Return of The Unrivaled Spear Knight

aptains; therefore, the two knight-commanders led the entire order and protected the Imperial Palace at the same time.

“Why?” Lucifer smiled creepily.
“The real question is why those two worms were described with such flowered words.
One of them was humiliated by that ‘Ulabis’ brat.
The other one… is dead! AHAHAHAHA!”

“Is… Duke Altsma… dead?”

“There are no second chances in battle.
If a commander was foolish enough to reach beyond his means and then come back, of course he would need to relinquish his pitiful existence.

“No…” Verona shook his head.
“Don’t make me laugh… his injuries were severe, but he’s definitely…” The Emperor’s voice trailed off into silence and his eyes quivered.

“HEHEHEHE.”

“Gandar… Why did he—no…”

When Duke Altsma returned from battle, it was Prime Minister Gandar who certified his health, not Verona.
That meant…

“He’s a clever one.” Lucifer cackled manically.
“He knows how to read the flow.
We’re going to be good friends after you’re dead.”

Ah… Gandar… Emperor Verona’s face became gloomier.

“This has been a long time coming.
I thought the Master Alone would be insufficient, but Avalon has drawn the entire continent’s attention there.
Heaven is truly on my side.”

Lucifer drew a small glass bottle from his coat.
An unknown blue liquid swirled within.

“Without a son of your own, the next in line is the princess’s husband… me.
You’d best rest in bed until I’ve assumed complete control of this nation.”

“Lucifer, you bastard—!” Emperor Verona glared at Archduke Lucifer with impotent fury.

Lucifer’s eyes glowed as his hand clamped around the Emperor’s chin.

“Rest well.
I shall put your work to good use.”

“You… Gami—”

Lucifer regarded him for a moment and then forced the vial into Verona’s mouth until the blue liquid overflowed from his lips.
Emperor Verona’s eyes bulged.

“This is my final mercy, Emperor Verona.
I would never give this to anyone else on the continent, so I don’t think it’s such a terrible way to say goodbye.”

“You— you…” Emperor Verona’s rage gradually stiffened.

The concoction acted quickly.
Verona’s eyes went blank.

Lucifer calmly moved the body.
Suddenly, three men in blood-red armor were in front of him.

“We now begin the conquest of the Empire in earnest.
The news of the Emperor being taken by a persistent illness will arrive immediately after the Master Battle concludes—aim for the period when the continent’s attention is on Reinhardt.
I presume I do not need to elaborate further?”

“Yes, Archduke!”

Lucifer ignored his soldiers' salute and turned his back to them.

“The enemy of my enemy is my friend, but this is but a transient friendship.
In any case, they were also our adversaries in the past.
Avalon—particularly Evergrant, the head wizard—has little faith in him.
His intelligence and his abilities are admirable, even to me.” He stared at the banner of Swallow hanging on the wall.
“It would be fantastic if it were our skills, but it’s not, so we must eradicate it entirely.
I can’t even cling to such illogical ideas… We have scant time to spread the word throughout the continent.
Do it silently and without fail.”

“We hear and obey!”

Lucifer waved his hand and the soldiers vanished as swiftly as they had emerged.

Before long, an oppressive hush descended on the throne room.

The great war would come in only a few years—a violent prelude that would ultimately lead to the death of Duke Aden von Agnus.

***

Joshua stared silently.

This made no sense—the Master Battle was rapidly approaching.
How could a hero be reduced to an undead?

“Duke… Altsma?” The death knight’s true identity was a lord of Swallow and the proud commander of the Imperial Knights.

And still, the instinct continued to whisper.

Take it.

It could be yours.

“If I can win this fight… this would be the first time I had a Master in my service.” Joshua’s eyes gleamed.