Chapter 19: Love, Only Love!

Joshua was not a coward.

He had once participated in a Knightly Tournament, slaughtered countless Orcs amidst the Green Tide, taken their skulls as trophies, and founded his own Knightly Order.

In his hometown, he was also a minor legend. From the unpopular second son of a village Knight to the respected Sir of a Knightly Order today, he prided himself on being a successful man.

Even amidst the Green Tide, he had once witnessed with his own eyes the spectacular scene of Kingdom Knights roaring as they charged at those abominable Orc colossi and sorcerous constructs. He had even helped the Grand Master of the Knight Order sever the spine of an Orc minion while the Grand Master confronted an Orc chieftain.

Joshua had once thought that what he saw was the greatest, most spectacular scene in the Old World.

How could anything be more magnificent than the great scene of a Knightly Order with fluttering colorful banners colliding head-on with the Green Tide and winning the victory? Until now, he saw those eyes that far exceeded human cognition and imagination. Those eyes were no longer mundane objects; they were the witnesses that bore a ritual.

Even if this person were already dead, his eyes could not decay, because those eyes had recorded a great moment. A moment where a will, an idea, tore apart the sky and the earth with a ritual.

And the moment he looked into those eyes, Joshua felt as if he were caught in a nightmare.

He saw a figure manipulating magic comparable to a continent as if by instinct, instantly tearing apart the world's Winds of Magic, and then blasting it into a manageable torrent.

That diffusing, gentle wind path was the source of the strange noises in the ocean and sky today, a Great Wonder beyond imagination, a massive structure of tyrannical magic manipulation built from the initial slaughter and the most fundamental, primitive will.

And the creator of that structure, the terrifying person who tore the heavens and earth asunder, was standing on the shore, smiling and opening their arms toward them.

"Thank you for your hard work on this long journey, members of the Chivalrous Expeditionary Force."

It was impossible for a voice to carry this far, so it must not have been a voice, but a will echoing in everyone's minds.

"I have any luxury goods you desire here, including the honor you crave, the holy relics you hope for, everything you want."

"And all of it requires only a trivial promise—no, it should be a vow to each other. I swear I will not harm you; I swear by everything that I will not twist vows and witnesses, and I will embrace you forever."

"But in return, I hope you can come down now, come to my side, and witness the world I have prepared for you. As long as you lay down your weapons, as long as you follow the pace of your inner hearts, as long as you witness everything I have built for you, you will naturally understand why I did this, and for what reason I did this."

That voice rose in the corners of everyone's thoughts, and even the Knights were at a loss, looking in shock at the existence on the shore.

They had witnessed the wars of wizards, and they had seen great things, and some had even witnessed unimaginable battlefields, but everything before them was beyond their imagination.

Is this an attempt to persuade them to surrender?

Why? How on earth did he know the goal of the Chivalrous Expedition? How did he determine their location?

The fleet had been silent for a long time, and the faith in the Goddess had always protected their ships; the Chivalrous Expedition was a judgment and slaughter of heresy, so why would that man do this?

What was even more terrifying was that all the Chivalrous Knights discovered in horror that they could actually feel the sincerity of that voice, and were even greatly shaken. All the Knights looked at each other, and could even feel that the vow in the dark seemed to contain no deception.

His words, though seemingly like a fantasy, appeared to be true.

"You still have doubts, you are confused as to why I would do this? But in reality, the answer is simple."

The voice, which could not be distinguished as male or female, rumbled in everyone's minds with infinite will and firm intent, as if to tear their will to resist to shreds. "Because I love you."

Like thunder, the voice conveyed unimaginable tenderness.

"This is not twisted love; I will not twist your sanity, nor will I make you lose the concept of self."

"In my embrace, you will forever enjoy peace and tranquility. When you encounter difficulties, pain, or tribulations, you can think of me and call upon me. And I will surely resolve all these troubles for you."

"My only request of you is that you follow my command. I need you to help one another and watch over each other in this difficult world. Beyond that, all you need is to love yourselves. For we were always one, with no distinction—"

"—Do not be bewitched!"

Joshua covered his head and roared loudly.

The ability derived from the Chivalrous Knights allowed his voice to instantly reach every corner of the ship.

"He is definitely a wizard, a powerful wizard! We have seen such enemies before, haven't we! That fluent Gelongni accent, he is a traitorous wizard! He stole our holy relic and lied to us! He—"

"—And, the most important point."

In everyone's ears, it was a different accent, but the voice, with only majesty and conviction unchanged, echoed in everyone's minds once again.

"If I were truly such a heinous and rebellious person, to your Goddess, I should be an object of punishment. But why is it that your Goddess's Holy Grail is currently shining in my hands? Its light should have dissipated long ago, shouldn't it?"

"..."

Silence, unimaginable silence.

All the Knights looked in astonishment at the Holy Grail exuding its aura in the hands of that strange man.

In their original conception, it must have been some evil existence attempting to defile the Holy Grail, twisting it into an abominable and sorrowful shape, igniting righteous and holy anger in everyone's hearts.

But now, in the sea breeze that had become gentle and pleasant, under the gaze of all the Knights, the Holy Grail was not only not defiled in the slightest, but was instead emitting an even stronger light and aura, caring for their... enemy.

Those Norscans, those captured Southerners.

They even seemed to never feel tired, forever energetic, looking at them with high spirits.

Just like in the ancient myths and legends, when their ancestors, under the illumination of the Holy Grail, faced that eternal enemy.

And that voice, filled with love, rang out at just the right moment.

"We are not enemies; on the contrary, we are family, aren't we?"

(End of chapter)