The Price of Breaching the Contract - Chapter 72

Beyond the thick castle walls, the once-silent forest was shaken by a bizarre noise. It was a vibration as if something were wriggling beneath the snow. Before long, demons revealed themselves, tearing through the white snowscape.

Diego furrowed his brow, sensing the presence rising through the wind.

“Maintain formation. Confirm fixed positions and report regularly.”

His voice was low but as sharp as the cold. The trained knights moved without delay. Both the Makari Knights and the small number of Hylon reinforcements held their positions, solidifying the defensive line.

The first to appear were small demons. They were familiar shapes they had seen before, but the knights instinctively knew this time was different. There were too many. They swarmed endlessly. Their silhouettes filled the space so darkly that it was impossible to estimate their numbers.

“Arrows ready! Take down the ones that get close first!”

At Diego’s command, the waiting soldiers drew their bows in unison. The arrows flew, slicing through the snow, piercing dozens of demons, and some collapsed on the spot. But even more surged in, filling the empty spaces.

“Damn, there’s no end to them.”

A Hylon knight muttered roughly, and his comrade beside him gritted his teeth.

“Why is that thing just watching over there!?”

At the end of their gaze, a huge form stood far away, barely distinguishable from the darkness. The earth rippled strangely around its presence. It was an overwhelmingly imposing presence that even the knights who saw the form before them kept their mouths shut.

“Damn it, how would I know? We should be grateful it’s just watching.”

Diego whispered quietly, gripping his sword tightly. Devil. Now known as the King of Demons without a name. The center of that darkness stood tall like a mountain, unmoving. Strangely, however, its eyes seemed to be fixed beyond the castle walls, specifically inside Makari Castle, where Yulania was.

The moment he recognized that gaze, Diego felt a chill run down his spine. Was it intentionally targeting Yulania? No, at the very least, it was reacting to that power, the light of the Sacred Stone.

“Everyone, stay alert! A large demon is coming!”

Past the medium-sized demons, finally, large demons, several times the size of adult men, appeared, forming ranks. The ones that had a definite shape approached, drawing trails of mana that flickered like flames. The knights swallowed involuntarily.

“Block the left! Break through on the right!”

Diego issued instructions without pause, wrapping the flow of mana around his body. The moment Yulania infused the Sacred Stone with power inside Makari Castle, he instinctively felt the flow change even out here.

Without that power, they probably wouldn’t have withstood even this first wave.

At that moment, inside Makari Castle.

Yulania held the largest Sacred Stone in her arms, calmly controlling her breathing. A soft yellow light spread out, drawing a flow that seemed to envelop the walls of the castle. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she focused her mind to the point of exhaustion.

“You mustn’t overdo it, Princess.”

Bihan rushed over to stop her. She was out of breath because she was pouring power into the Sacred Stone without rest. But she quietly shook her head.

“I can still hold on. Everyone outside is counting on me, aren’t they?”

“Please don’t overexert yourself. If the Sacred Stone isn’t controlled, you’ll be in danger.”

Knowing his concern, Yulania did not lose her smile.

“I’m okay. I didn’t know waiting inside was so nerve-wracking.”

“Princess, we—”

“I know you’re protecting me. Thank you.”

Mireya quietly sat beside her. The two women held hands without a word. Outside, swords and blood were flying, but inside the castle, there was only hushed silence. Mysteriously, the light grew deeper, and the protective aura emanating from the Sacred Stone slowly spread throughout the castle.

“This place. I will never let them pass.”

As Yulania murmured that, a stream of deep golden light stretched out from her fingertips.

Outside the castle gate, in the middle of the battlefield, Diego, gripping his sword, breathed roughly.

“Focus on the front! I’ll cover the rear!”

No sooner had he finished speaking than he leaped toward the head of a large demon several times his size. The sword flew, and magic sparked. The vibrations in the air swept through the entire battlefield like a wave.

“Don’t fall! If they cross this line, it’s right into the castle!”

Mixed with the shouts of the knights were desperate screams, the roars of demons, and the sounds of clashing metal. The Devil still stood there. Silent, only watching.

The battle situation, penetrating into the castle, was noticeably deteriorating. The Makari Knights’ skill and orderly formation, and the defensive Sacred Stones laid on the castle walls, had blocked the demons’ wave-like attacks for a while, but that was also gradually reaching its limit.

Diego took a short breath under his heavily pressed helmet and raised his sword. The hordes of demons gathering near the castle gate were showing much more agile and organized movements than before. This wasn’t just a matter of numbers. The surviving demons didn’t fall easily with a single wound, and they were beings that had to be completely destroyed with mana.

“If the rear support is delayed, they’ll break through! Focus there!”

Diego shouted. Soon after, there were short, desperate shouts from the knights, and the sound of metal crashing against the demons’ roars.

Bihan stood beside Yulania inside the castle, quietly clenching his fist. He had just read the message that had flown over the castle walls. It was a message from Diego.

‘Five knights injured. Two of them unable to fight. Mana users are absolutely lacking. Additional support is needed.’

Bihan pressed his lips tightly. Sending someone in this battle situation meant weakening the defense inside the castle. But he also knew that it could no longer be delayed.

Yulania had her eyes closed, placing both hands on the large Sacred Stone on the platform. The light emanating from her fingertips lingered there like a small sun, and the surface of the Sacred Stone that the light touched occasionally rippled as if breathing. But no matter how much this power spread outside the castle, they couldn’t fight without mana.

“Sir Bihan.”

Mireya quietly approached. The cloak over her blue armor rippled lightly in the candlelight inside the castle.

“I will go out. If we delay any longer, the damage will be greater.”

“That won’t do. We are the Princess’s escorts. Those were the Lord’s orders.”

Bihan was firm.

“That’s why I’m going. You stay here until the end. I’m used to fighting demons because I’ve spent a long time in the North. I’ll lend my strength.”

Mireya trailed off, glancing back at Yulania. Her face, still maintaining concentration, was full of fatigue, but she was not weak at all. Rather, a stronger energy than anyone else was radiating from her body.

“Don’t worry, Princess. I’ll be back soon.”

Mireya said quietly. Yulania opened her eyes. For a moment, her gaze held Mireya. A silent conversation passed between them. Yulania nodded, and Mireya turned away calmly.

Before long, Mireya’s figure moved outward like a gust of wind.

The battlefield was soon filled with a noise that seemed to swallow her up. Black figures ran around, sharp energies cut through the air, and fragments of mana flew through them. Mireya drew her sword.

“Support has arrived!”

Her voice cut through the battlefield. Diego, who had been kneeling and deflecting attacks, turned and nodded.

And the very next moment, her blade pierced a jet-black demon. The creature, which had been rampaging for a while, left a short scream and shattered into pieces by the mana-filled attack.

“I’ll leave this area to you!”

Diego shouted. But the situation was still tense. The demons were rushing in with even more ferocity than before, and some were starting to climb the castle walls again. Mireya pulled up mana to deal with the enemy in front of her, but she felt her body getting heavier each time. This battle was not a short one. It was turning into a long one.

“Damn it!”

A knight shouted, kneeling. His arm was torn off, and another demon leaped up right next to him. Mireya threw her sword like a dart, blowing the demon’s head off. But at that moment, she herself was grazed on the left arm by the claws of a small demon that had popped out from behind.

Blood flowed. She gritted her teeth. She had no intention of backing down.

“Everyone hold on! We will defend this castle!”

At her voice, the knights raised their heads again. Whatever it was, they had to fight now.

At that time, the golden light was still spreading inside the castle. The Sacred Stone was breathing warmly in Yulania’s grasp. With her eyes closed, she embraced all the cries and shouts coming from outside the castle.

At this moment, she was fully accepting the weight of the war that was dividing this land.

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