The Strongest Dull Prince’s Secret Battle for the Throne - Chapter 718

The appearance of Gold Adler in the sky was visible from various regions.

Seeing it, Emperor Johannes murmured to himself:

"Could it be... Erik..."

The Golden Eagle is a guardian deity of the Adlers. It’s a self-sacrificial magic that only the talented are able to invoke at the cost of their lives. From its appearance, it is confirmed that someone from among the imperial family that was remaining in the capital had sacrificed their life to summon it.

A member of his family had given up their life.

But instinctively, Johannes knew that it was Erik who summoned it.

"Your Majesty!! Please withdraw immediately!"

Without thinking, he had already urged his horse forward. The battle had already been left to Leonard and Johannes is now withdrawing to the rear with the Western Lords.

But now, there was no time to waste. The Brave by the emperor's side tried to stop him, but Johannes drew his sword.

They broke through the enemy forces that were blocking their path, rushing toward the imperial capital. Johannes’ charge had led the Western Lords’ allied forces into battle, causing the enemy’s line to collapse.

They were the first to reach the capital.

_______________

"Your Excellency! What is that?"

"Gold... Adler..."

In the east where she was commanding, Liselotte muttered as she looked up at the golden eagle that had appeared in the sky. She had only heard of it by name: the Guardian Deity of Adler.

Long ago, when Liselotte and the others were still children, Johannes had told them the legend that was passed down through the Adlers. The guardian deity would always appear whenever an Adler was in dire straits.

The Golden Eagle would always stand by Adler.

But at the same time, Johannes had warned them: it was a cursed bird. The divine bird can be summoned at the cost of Adler’s life to aid an Adler. The appearance of the bird meant that a member of their family had died. Thus, it was better not to see it.

And yet, it had appeared.

"...All of them..."

They were all too selfish. Being selfish had always been her prerogative but before she knew it, everyone else had gone off on their own. Leaving things to the next generation—how selfish. It was the adults' responsibility to bear the burdens together. They had now placed their expectations on her, left everything to her and acted selfishly.

In the end...

"Am I the only adult left?"

They must have gone to their deaths while clinging to their childish dreams. Clenching her teeth hard, Liselotte raised her sword.

"The Guardian Deity of Adler has appeared!!!! Our victory is assured! All forces!! Charge!!!!"

As she shouted her command, Liselotte charged across the battlefield on her horse.

_______________

The Demon Realm.

In a certain castle deep within the demon realm, shrouded in miasma and rarely touched by sunlight, Wepar has waited for a long time.

"It’s almost time..."

Wepar, a female demon, smiled faintly. It had been a long wait.

After being struck down by the hero, Wepar had been on the brink of death. Barely surviving, she had managed to escape back to the Demon Realm. Since then, Wepar had hidden deep in the Demon Realm, even though the hero might find her there. She had been so cautious that it bordered on cowardice. She had no pride as a demon and she feared the hero who was not quite human. Furthermore, she also feared his descendants and so she waited, while dreading the day when they would come for her. She had waited for her poison to kill the hero’s descendant for five hundred years.

But it seemed the matter would be resolved before her poison could finish its work. After the Demon King's death, the remaining great forces of the Demon Realm—Asmodeus and the barely surviving Dantalion—had since joined forces and were now closing in on humanity.

Although it was regrettable that she could not deliver the final blow with her poison, if the hero’s bloodline was completely extinguished, that would be enough for her. The pain and terror etched into her body would not fade. She had hidden in fear for so long, but it would soon be over. Once the hero’s bloodline was wiped out, she could finally emerge onto the world stage.

Wepar mused that competing for dominance with Dantalion might be amusing and she could even vent her frustrations by massacring the remaining humans on the continent.

She could do anything.

"Just a little longer...And I’ll see that light again..."

She reached out toward the sky. The gray, murky sky of the Demon Realm. She had once thought that was how the sky was meant to be. But the sky on the human continent was different. It was blue and bathed in sunlight. Once seen, it was an unforgettable memory. Once she had seen it, the skies in the Demon Realm could no longer satisfy her. She wanted to hold that light in her hands.

And finally...

But just as Wepar whispered those words, light flooded the sky. The light she had once seen, like the sun. The light she had yearned for filled her vision.

And then...

‘—I’ve finally found you.’

A gigantic bird emerged from the light. For Wepar, it was completely unexpected. She had been keeping a close watch on the gates connecting the Demon Realm and the continent. No one should have entered yet and most importantly, she had kept her distance from the teleportation gates as a precaution. Hence the idea that an assassin would come for her was inconceivable.

It should have been.

"This is impossible..."

‘I’m grateful that you have sent me here by teleportation. Had I gone through the gate and kept on searching, I might have run out of time. As expected of the child of Alphonse.’

When the gate opened, the continent and the Demon Realm were connected, allowing for mass teleportation. Gold Adler could have traveled to the Demon Realm through the gate, but searching for Wepar who was hidden deep within the realm would have risked it running out of time. Thanks to Erik’s teleportation, there was now no such worry. Now, the punishment could be delivered in full to the demon who had brought humanity to the brink of destruction.

"Urgh...!!"

Wepar quickly spread a water membrane around the castle. Wepar’s authoritative power was in essence, ‘water.’ She is able to imbue that water with poisonous properties in order to attack others. The membrane that was now covering the castle was the water of decay. Once touched, it would mercilessly dissolve the body.

Wepar is able to control every kind of poisonous water. For humanity, water was an essential item, thus making her their natural enemy. Just a little longer... Just a bit more, and she could escape this place. As Wepar clung on to her faint hope, Gold Adler intensified its light in response.

The light easily evaporated the water of decay, steadily melting the castle.

"This... can’t be..."

‘It is not I who will kill you. Know that this is the resolve of Alphonse’s children.’

The golden light that tolerated no evil. While emitting a light similar to that of the Holy Sword Aurora, Gold Adler soared into the sky and then began its descent. Wepar finally realized that she was about to be killed.

She quickly fled from the castle while running at full speed. If she could just escape...

"I’m almost there... I’m so close!!"

‘To think you could escape me is sheer arrogance.’

The distance between Gold Adler and Wepar gradually closed.

She wouldn’t make it.

She would be caught.

With her face contorted in fear, Wepar pleaded:

"Please forgive me...! I’ve waited so long! I’m almost there!!"

‘Your extermination is humanity’s wish. Your wish is humanity’s extermination. It’s as simple as one attacking the other and you losing. You have underestimated the children of my beloved Alphonse.’

With those words, Gold Adler caught up to Wepar, pierced her with its beak and then tore her apart. Her body was then consumed by the holy light.

‘I have fulfilled the wish, child of Aphonse.’

After confirming Wepar’s annihilation, Gold Adler then quietly vanished.

Its mission was complete.

The poison of resentment that had persisted for five hundred years was now extinguished. Whether humanity would now continue or perish, that now depended on those who were left behind.

TL's Notes:

And with that.... Humanity is saved and making this chapter the last chapter of the arc. However I will do the 2nd side story first so that you guys have a better understanding of Gold Adler