Chapter 149 The end of the battle
Chapter 149 The end of the battle
Down below, after defeating Kael—one of the Knights of the Cross—Lea and the others continued to wipe out the remaining Irish soldiers.
"We need to destroy every portal created by the Irish to stop them from sending in more reinforcements," Elisa commanded.
"I can sense life forms throughout the city, but how are we supposed to locate the portals? The Dark City is massive."
Because the portals were scattered across various locations, they had no idea where to start. Suddenly, however, they felt a powerful presence emanating from the palace.
"What is this presence? It’s overwhelming."
"Wait... I sense a new type of dark energy. That’s impossible," Lea remarked.
Lea stood frozen in shock when she realized the energy was coming from Vanilla. "Why does Vanilla possess dark energy? Don’t tell me..."
"Oh... so the Emperor has already granted his energy to Lady Vanilla as well," Orla noted.
Orla explained that they had been unable to defeat their enemies, so the Emperor asked for their assistance, promising to grant them his power to help save the city.
Lea trembled with rage at the thought that Daniel had once again shared his energy with someone other than her. "You’re really enjoying your harem, aren't you? Just you wait, Daniel!" Lea shouted.
High above in the sky, where Vanilla stood, her appearance had changed. Marks appeared on her face, and she was enveloped in a red and black aura that seemed to dance around her.
"It seems I didn't reach any strong opponents. I suppose I’ll just have to wipe out the rest of the Irish soldiers."
Vanilla cast a magic spell, and countless red magic circles manifested around her. "Blood Arc: Thousand Souls."
Blood surged from the magic circles, gathering in the sky. Each circle contained the equivalent of three drums of blood. Looking down at the city, she spotted the portals. "So that’s where the enemies are coming from."
While airborne, she noticed a flaming dragon rising into the sky. "Wait, is that Lady Diane? I can also feel Lady Eula."
She watched the battle above, where a massive arrow was fired toward the horizon. "I hope they’re okay."
Moments later, she saw Diane falling from the sky, held by Eula. "It looks like they need help."
With a mere flick of her wrist, one of her blood weapons moved to catch the falling pair. Before they could hit the ground, she caught them and kept them afloat in the air. Once she ensured they were safe, Vanilla looked back down to sense the energies around her.
"Alright, time to end this."
The blood dispersed into thousands of small, sharp spikes, each about two meters long. "Thousand Blood Spikes!"
The spikes rained down upon the portals. She prioritized the ones inside the palace grounds. Every soldier near the portals was struck, and because the spikes were imbued with anti-magic, the portals began to disintegrate.
The Irish soldiers tried hiding in buildings to avoid the spikes, but the projectiles seemed to have a mind of their own, hunting them down. "You can’t escape me. I still have full control over these," Vanilla declared.
Because Vanilla controlled every drop of blood with her mind, the spikes returned to the sky after each strike to reform into weapons. After destroying the portals in the palace, she headed toward the Dark City to clear the rest. From above, it was easy to spot the clusters of Irish soldiers, especially with their white uniforms. She zipped through the air, her weapons in tow, circling the entire city.
Within minutes, she had destroyed nearly ten portals and eliminated the remaining Irish forces.
Back at the palace, the last of the Irish soldiers hiding in the structures were defeated. The wounded began to receive treatment, and the fallen were gathered.
Once it was certain that no enemies remained and the imperial soldiers had regained control of the area, Daniel used sound magic to address his people. He floated into the sky, facing the Dark City.
"Listen, my brave warriors and my beloved citizens of the Dark City. I know that you were shocked, afraid, and are currently suffering because of the chaos that transpired today."
"I am deeply saddened that this tragedy occurred on a day that was supposed to be a joyous celebration. The Irish Empire is one of the most powerful in the world, and they sent their strongest men to destroy us."
"Fortunately, with the help of the Empress, our brave consorts, and thousands of our soldiers who faced the invaders with valor, we were able to win and remain standing."
"Right now, I need your help once more so that we can rise from this tragedy. I have ordered our soldiers to prioritize the rescue of all affected civilians. I promise that we will restore the beauty and vitality of our city."
"Remember, as long as I am the Emperor of this Empire, I will never abandon you, no matter who our enemy is."
After speaking, Daniel returned to the palace to manage his men and assess the damages.
"What is the status of our wounded soldiers?"
"Your Majesty, some are still unconscious due to sleeping magic. The report indicates 3,000 casualties here at the palace. Over 10,000 are being treated, and about 20,000 have been put to sleep."
"Your Majesty, we have not yet confirmed the total number of casualties within the city, but I regret to inform you that it could reach 10,000," one of the soldiers reported.
"Understood. Prioritize the wounded and ensure that those affected are fed."
Everyone was busy with repairs. Because Daniel had exhausted his Dark Lord Points, he lacked the energy to magically fix the damage.
"Your Majesty, please. We have men who can do this; you don't need to lift these stones yourself," a soldier said.
"It’s fine. This is the Imperial Palace, my home. It’s only natural for me to help," Daniel replied.
"But Majesty, you just came from battle; you need to rest."
Suddenly, Lea tapped the soldier on the back. "Let him be. It’s his job to build a home as the father of this family," Lea remarked.
"Am I right, my beloved Emperor?" she asked, glaring sharply at Daniel.
"My soldier is also right, my dear Empress. I am tired. Could I possibly finish this tomorrow?"
Lea suddenly grabbed Daniel by the collar, smiling while reminding him that his sins must be paid for.
"I’m not yet satisfied that you truly regret breaking our agreement as a married couple."
"But Lea, I didn't break anything. I didn't share my power with Lady Orla and Vanilla to enjoy a harem. I did it for the sake of the Empire," Daniel pleaded.
Lea ignored his explanation, still sulking over the fact that Daniel had kissed other consorts. "Ha! I know, but I’m still not happy, so you will suffer this punishment."
Lea warned the soldiers that if anyone helped the Emperor clear the rubble, she would see to it that they were beheaded.
"Don't scare our soldiers," Daniel said.
"I won't stop! If I don't punish you, you'll surely break your promise again."
"But Lea, I don't think I did anything wrong, especially since they are still the Emperor's wives."
"They are the Emperor's wives, not Daniel Muntingbato’s. I already told you: until the mission is over, you are not allowed to have relations with anyone other than me."
She explained that, in her view, they couldn't fully claim the title of Emperor and Empress yet while they were still in their current state. The only way she would agree to Daniel's harem was if he truly became the Emperor.
Daniel scratched his head, frustrated by her complex demands. They didn't know exactly what would happen, nor were they sure if the "angel" would truly grant them what they wanted.
"That is exactly my point. Until you are the true Emperor, you have no right to those consorts, and you are only my husband, Daniel," Lea said firmly.
"Fine, you win. But shouldn't I go to the other palaces to check on the others?"
"Oh, you're making excuses to escape, are you? That is the other consorts' job," Lea replied.
"Wrong. That is the Empress's job, and that certainly doesn't include punishing me and watching me do manual labor," Daniel countered.
Lea kicked Daniel in the leg, issuing her order. "Stop talking and just get back to work, my beloved Emperor."
The entire day was spent assisting those affected, including the visiting dignitaries from other kingdoms. By evening, Daniel went to the Empress's palace for dinner, as they had agreed to dine together.
After bathing and changing, Daniel entered the dining area and saw Lea with the other consorts. They all stood and bowed to greet the Emperor. "Good evening, beloved Emperor."
Daniel smiled, grateful that everyone was in good condition. Despite the dangerous situation, they had all been courageous.
"We serve the Emperor with full loyalty; it is only right that we protect our home," Orla said.
Daniel took his seat and sighed. He remarked that it was the Emperor's duty to keep the consorts safe, yet he had allowed them to fight.
"That’s a small matter, Your Majesty. As far as I know, most of us were warriors before we became consorts," Vanilla replied.
"Regardless, I cannot predict the future, and honestly, I am thankful to all of you for helping me protect our Empire. I don't know what would have happened without you. To show my appreciation, I want to grant you a favor—you may ask for anything you wish."
The consorts bowed and thanked the Emperor for his kindness. Daniel clarified that while it was their responsibility to ensure the safety of the Empire, it was only fitting to reward their excellent service.
"Lady Eula and Lady Diane nearly lost their lives fighting the Juggernaut, and Lady Ivy worked hard to keep our guests safe. And if not for the bravery of Lady Orla and Lady Vanilla, we wouldn't have ended the battle as quickly."
"You all worked hard and were the key to our success in protecting our Empire. Again, I thank you, and I promise to protect you all for as long as I live," Daniel said, smiling as he raised his glass of wine.