I Became a Sick Nobleman-Chapter 206: The Sickly Nobleman (3)

***

“I’m sorry, Billo,” Ruel expressed as he mounted the horse Aris had readied. Glancing back at Billo, who had come to see him off, Ruel pondered the weight that must have rested on his shoulders, assuming the lord’s role.

“No need for apologies to an old man like me. I deeply regret not being able to fight by your side, Ruel-nim,” Billo lamented, his eyes reflecting sorrow. “Ruel-nim.”

“Yes, Billo?”

“We’ll be eagerly awaiting your safe return, Ruel-nim,” Billo spoke, having faith that Ruel would definitely return. He bid him farewell as if it were a mere journey, saying, “Please come back unharmed, Ruel-nim.”

“Please return safely,” echoed the servants standing behind Billo in unison.

“I will,” Ruel affirmed with a smile, then turned to Cheynol, saying, “Let’s go, Cheynol.”

“Yes, Ruel-nim!”

***

Upon arriving at the gate through the warp device, what greeted Ruel was the sight of smoke billowing beyond the castle walls, arrows densely filling the sky, and flashing magic that appeared as if a natural disaster had struck. Overwhelmed, he struggled to catch his breath, his body tensing with fear.

Boom!

Unfamiliar sounds filled the air, causing Ruel’s ears to ring.

“Don’t worry,” Aris reassured. Although his expression was not clearly visible due to the helmet covering his face, he was not trembling as usual. Perhaps he was deliberately trying to appear brave, but he looked quite reliable.

“We’re nearing the gate. I’ll take the lead,” Cheynol rode beside Ruel.

“Thank you.”

“Ruel-nim,” Cheynol respectfully addressed Ruel with a bow. “It has been the greatest honor to serve you, Ruel-nim.”

“I feel the same, Commander,” Horen chuckled. “Aris is more reliable than he seems, and I’m sturdy myself. We’re in good hands, Ruel-nim.”

The surrounding knights, positioned around Ruel, spoke up one by one, as if forming a protective barrier.

“We’ve long awaited this moment to fight for Ruel-nim, who welcomed us back!”

“My second life as a knight is dedicated to you, Ruel-nim!”

Their expressions of gratitude were heartfelt, resonating with sincerity. The atmosphere was charged with emotion, touching Ruel deeply. “Don’t die!” he shouted, though he knew it was a tall order. “Return alive. That’s an order!”

“Yes! We will obey without fail!” the knights responded fervently.

“Ruel-nim,” Cheynol called out again. “We’ll pave the way. Magic Knights, Blue Knights, Royal Knights, and other orders stand ready to clear your path. Trust in us.”

There were so many knights ready to clear the way for Ruel that he could not list them all. Cheynol lowered his visor, fixing his gaze on the gate.

“Have faith in us. We’ll safely escort you to confront the enemy.”

Ruel beamed before donning his hood, reaffirming his trust in the knights. “No need for reassurances. I trust you above all.”

“Ruel-nim,” Cassion interjected as he appeared from the side, his face masked and the signal still pending. “Thanks to Nehils’s information, we’ve succeeded in reducing the number of enemies by more than half, but the black-blooded men persist.”

Reducing the number of black blooded men by more than half was a great achievement. Ruel nodded, inhaling Breath.

“We are currently divided into two groups: one focusing on the black-blooded men and the other on the undead,” he explained, referring to the effectiveness of both white and black powders as shared by Noah.

‘The second group must be under the command of the warlock. Leo is probably in the first group.’

Despite the emergence of the Red Ash, Torto maintained his composure, engaging the enemies without succumbing to chaos. With Banios now assuming command in Setiria, it seemed probable that the group division was at his directive.

Cassion continued, stating that they still held the advantage. However, it was still too early to let their guard down. They had no idea what the enemy might be hiding.

“Drianna will give the signal from the first group,” Cassion informed.

Ruel nodded and asked, “What about the soldiers promised by Cyronian and Kran?

“Some troops, including Noah, are currently setting up portal devices on the flanks of the Beast Forest. They should soon join us,” Cassion replied.

Ruel took a breath and replied, “Okay.”

Banios had devised a plan for a flanking maneuver. Ruel, feeling a sense of relief that the situation wasn’t dire, focused on the imminent tasks at hand, knowing direct involvement in battle was not his role.

‘I will do what I can do.’

Ruel closed his eyes for a moment, fighting off a wave of dizziness. He had taken a potent medicine. He needed to recover his body as much as possible before reaching the enemy. Forcing himself to regain his strength, Ruel opened his eyes.

Boom!

A flare exploded high in the sky. It was the signal.

Clack!

All the knights lowered their helmet visors.

“Forward!” Cheynol’s loud command spurred the horses into motion.

Thud, thud!

In an instant, the knights swiftly passed through two gates, hurtling themselves into the heart of the battlefield.

“Ah.” Ruel couldn’t help but release an involuntary sigh at the overwhelming sight before him.

Despite reports of the black-blooded men’s numbers being diminished by a preemptive strike, they surged in such overwhelming quantities, resembling a dark tide advancing towards them. As the battlefield filled with blood and the corpses began to pile up. The fallen rose as enemies, doubts crept into Ruel’s mind regarding their supposed advantage.

Sizzle!

He heard something melting all around him. Simultaneously, black and white powders swirled in the air, resembling a sandstorm in a desert.

“Now!” With Drianna’s commanding shout, fire and ice materialized in the hands of the mages and magic knights. In an instant, the rising walls of fire and ice created a narrow path.

“Run!” Cheynol urged.

The knights of Setiria focused solely ahead, dashing forward urgently as the black-blooded men and undead closed in.

“Block them!”

“Clear the way!”

Gritting their teeth, the soldiers stood firm against the advancing foes. Despite the terror of facing the black-blooded men and the sight of fallen comrades turning against them, a single hope sustained them.

Ruel Setiria. He had given them the weapons to fight for their country, their lands, and their families, and the courage to face the monsters. For him, they could clear any path and swing their swords as much as they wanted.

“Hold on! Endure!” The captains of each squad shouted with veins popping out of their necks.

The mere presence of Ruel Setiria promised hope, enough to fortify their resolve.

Boom!

Aris blocked the black water that flew towards him with his shield. He wanted to tear apart anyone who dared to target Ruel. However, he held back, conserving his mana for the opportune moment.

“Aris.” Ruel called Aris quietly.

“Yes. What is it?”

“Wait.”

“I understand! I will wait until the right moment.” Aris replied, suppressing the rage boiling within him.

As time passed and the battle continued, the number of black-blooded men and undead only increased. This point had been consistently highlighted both in the pre-meeting and at present.

To address this issue, Ruel once again volunteered to be the bait.

From the moment Ruel appeared, the Great Man’s focus was unwaveringly fixed on him. Each twitch of the Great Man’s finger seemed to resurrect the undead once more. The scene was chilling, akin to a haunting nightmare. Yet, in the end, the Great Man stood isolated, akin to playing with dolls in solitude.

‘I can’t possibly lose to someone like that!’ Aris gritted his teeth. The natural mana in the purified Beast Forest was fluctuating. Even while riding his horse, Aris continued to build up his mana.

Thwack!

With a sharp sound that pierced the air, Aris created the sturdiest shield he could make.

“Don’t falter!” Cheynol’s voice rang out as a rallying cry.

Despite their efforts to create protective shields with magic, the onslaught of enemies systematically broke them down, resulting in the injury and death of the knights of Setiria, one by one.

“For the glory of Setiria…”

Bang! Bang!

Even as the black water bombarded them with enough force to shatter their defenses, the knights pressed forward towards the enemy.

‘Is the signal still far off while my knights are dying?’ Ruel gripped his thigh tightly, trying to endure.

‘Patience. Endurance.’ As if casting a spell on himself, Ruel repeated the words over and over.

“Noah has sent the signal.” Cassion’s voice briefly cut through the chaos before fading away.

“The time is now. Your Majesty, please dispatch them swiftly,” Ruel urgently communicated through his two devices.

-Understood.

-I will send them now.

The voices of Huswen and Adea were heard.

Clop-clop.

The rhythmic sound of hooves grew louder from both directions.

“Reinforcements!” A soldier’s cry heralded the arrival of troops bearing the banners of Cyronian and Kran on either side of the Beast Forest.

“Ruel! I’m here!” Ganien’s voice echoed through the tumult.

The knights of Cyronian, along with the Blue Knights, charged to join the knights of Setiria. The capes of azure and blue fluttered in the wind, a brilliant sea of colors.

‘Let’s drive the enemies into one place.’ Ruel inhaled Breath.

If the Great Man had realized that his plans had crumbled due to Ruel’s actions and that he had gathered the powers of the hero, what thoughts would be racing through his mind? One certainty would undoubtedly surface:

‘Ruel Setiria knows everything.’

A subtle smirk tugged at Ruel’s lips. From a distance, the Great Man must have been amused, witnessing his own schemes unravel and Ruel emerging as a formidable opponent. The villain’s consistent condition for victory had always been to possess Ruel himself.

In the grand design, all soldiers and black-blooded men were mere pawns in a sacrificial game. Therefore, he thought the Great Man would definitely pretend to hinder his actions.

‘I will allow you to manipulate me within your plan. I will approach you as though unaware.’

Creating a deliberate path for himself through the midst, he intended to utilize the black-blooded men and undead that he had seemingly abandoned.

“We’ve received it!” Aris exclaimed as he caught sight of the signal sent by Cassion.

The message indicated that the enemies had gathered at the center.

“The enemies have gathered in the middle!”

“Jan.” Ruel immediately called for Jan. Since they could communicate even without a device, he heard Jan’s response right away.

-Thank you.

Rumble.

“…!” Aris was startled.

The natural mana within the Beast Forest surged uncontrollably. The Great Man’s gaze snapped in the direction of the disturbance. The once timid spirits were now rallying. It was an astonishing turn of events. Nonetheless, the knights protecting Ruel did not stop their advance.

‘What is this…!’

The sky darkened ominously, as if a storm loomed overhead. Ruel’s lips curled into a slight smile.

“Aris, prepare yourself.”

“Understood!”

Aris’s eyes glowed golden. With each spell he cast, a loud noise echoed from the sky.

“Uncle.” Ruel called Tyson.

-I’ve been waiting.

Bang!

The strongest mage of Leponia appeared right in the midst of the enemies. Around Tyson, dozens of people stood together.

Crash!

As Tyson stomped his feet, ice spikes emerged from all directions to block the enemies’ approach.

“Trust in me and press forward!” With a resounding cry from Tyson, shadows coiled at the feet of those accompanying him. The Devotees of Darkness. Cloaking the battlefield in an inky darkness reminiscent of the deepest night, manipulated by the spirits that commanded nature itself.

The shadows cast by the Devotees of Darkness expanded widely, shrouding a significant portion of the battleground. Among them, Ruel’s shadow sprawled the widest, large enough to cover all the enemies.

“He’s on the move,” Cassion remarked.

“It’s already… too late,” Ruel grimaced but managed a smile. “…because the great purifier is present.”

—Ruel! Ruel!

Though his figure was not visible, he could hear a voice calling his name cheerfully.

A silvery light emerged from a corner, gliding through the shadows. Leo, the Great Purifier and Devotees of Darkness, was the true trump card that would turn the entire situation upside down.

‘This was your plan, Great Man.’

He had just added a little to that plan.

‘Now.’

With the shadows to help the purification spread faster and wider, why not make use of them?

“Hikars,” Ruel uttered, a metallic taste of blood lingering in his mouth.

“Yes! I’m prepared!” Hikars’ voice resonated from within Ruel’s shadow.

Subsequently, a gentle melody began to resonate throughout the battlefield.

One, two…

The warlocks’ incantations scattered across the battlefield harmonized like a melodic chant, propelling the silver light to expand swiftly and extensively.

Rumble.

The sky resounded with thunder. The spirits had yet to fulfill their task. Their animosity towards the Great Man had not lessened. Aris extended his finger, pointing directly at the Great Man.

Rumble.

Tens of thousands of lightning bolts, amplified by the spirits’ power, multiplied exponentially. An additional bolt of lightning crackled into existence.

Behind him, Tyson, full of rage, was preparing water magic. Soon, the water that had taken the form of a snake gradually transformed into a dragon.

Swoosh!

The water dragon surged towards its target. Caught off guard, the Great Man hastily unleashed a torrent of black water in response.

“That’s impossible…”

But then, his arm detached, leaving a lingering purple aura. With a gesture from Cassion, the shadows swiftly passed and cleaved into his body.

Slash! 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

As the body fragmented into pieces, the water dragon consumed it entirely. Seizing the opportunity, Aris lowered his hand.

“Strike down!”

Following Aris’s lead, Tyson unleashed a lightning strike.

Rumble!

Bang!

The ground trembled as countless thick bolts of lightning struck the Great Man. Drenched in water, his body burned faster than it could regenerate. Ruel clutched his hood to prevent it from being whisked away by the cold wind. A light gleamed in his eyes.

“Now, run wild.”

To impede his regeneration, the monsters, held in reserve to stall until the knights’ arrival, were set into action.

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Drip. Drip.

Ruel wiped the flowing blood from his nose and bit his lip.

‘The medicine is working well today.’

The pain had lessened, as if his senses were dulled. His head throbbed less, making him feel more alive.

Swoosh!

“…!”

Ruel was caught off guard as Horen swung his sword. The black water had transformed into spikes aimed at him. The Great Man had singled him out.

‘Has he already recovered?’

“Are you unharmed, Ruel-nim?”

At Horen’s inquiry, Ruel nodded.

‘No, why target me?’ Ruel furrowed his brow, flooded with questions.

“Don’t mind me, keep going, Aris.” Fearing that Aris’s concentration might waver, Ruel spoke first.

Startled.

He suddenly sensed something. There was no time to ponder what it was. His instincts urged him to move his own shadow. Ruel swiftly maneuvered his shadow to erect a massive wall, surrounding the entire knight order and the soldiers.

“Ruel-…” Aris began to question Ruel’s sudden action while casting magic. Yet, a chilling sensation brushing past his body caused him to involuntarily fall silent, cold sweat beading on his face.

“Cough!” Ruel’s body trembled, along with the pouring blood.

Author's Thoughts

2 chapters more to go.