Chapter 150
Crepin Subjugation Battle (1)
Pure evil.
Crepin Ross Taylor head of the Ross Taylor family. When asked to describe him in one word no matter who it was he chose that word.
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The image of the matriarch sitting on the throne with her hands folded and her eyes raised in the darkness.
There are many villains in Sylvania’s Failed Sword Master but if I had to pick the person who had the most impact I’d pick him.
Previous final bosses all had their own stories were inevitably swayed by external pressure or were fundamentally good people.
Act 1 boss ‘Elementalist Yenica Palover’ destroyed the academy because she could not overcome the power of the dark spirit Velosfer and act 2 boss ‘Investigator Glast’ was a scholar who had a great cause to protect the academy’s treasure the Sage’s Seal. Act 3 boss ‘Lucy the Awakened’ was a misunderstanding from the very beginning.
Of course now I know the deeper story and I couldn’t even get through the boss fight in Act 3 so now I feel a lot different.
In any case when playing Sylvania’s Failed Sword Saint the Act 4 boss ‘Matriarch Crepin Rothtaylor’ was the first final boss to stop the player with pure malice.
There is only one reason for his actions.
It is to enhance the prestige of the family and maintain one’s power as long as possible.
To do that we use everything available. Although he lives under the mask of a benevolent peacock he is a human being who treats people’s lives like a piece of paper when necessary.
In order to bring down the evil god Mebula he attacked Sylvania Academy and attempted to sacrifice numerous students.
The evil spirit likes souls that are strong pure influential and powerful.
Sylvania Academy filled with all kinds of distinguished guests was the perfect place for the descent of such an evil spirit.
In the end he is defeated by Taily and his group but he never justifies his actions until the moment he loses his life.
The resurrected evil god Mebula is eventually sealed again by Taily and his companions who have grown enough to grow. Crepin himself was defeated in battle with Tailly and retreated but was killed when he met the guardian Obel Forcius.
He dies as a wicked person until the moment he dies.
His appearance as the head of the Ross Taylor family only passes by like a flash of light… He laughs bitterly and laments until the end. He said it was unfortunate that he failed by just one inch.
No compromise. I don’t try to be pitied or understood.
He didn’t even have a single doubt. In order to stand in a higher position he has to step on someone. If necessary you must deceive steal and kill.
That’s why I don’t let anyone persuade me. I don’t even believe in human nature.
What makes Crepin do something like that?
None of that mattered.
This is because he was a complete villain in himself and played his role brilliantly.
My thoughts after playing up to that point… It was simpler than I thought.
Other bosses had their own reasons and reasons but Crepin had none of those… They completely disappeared as ‘targets of subjugation’.
Rather it was clean and had no aftertaste so I thought ‘A really long fight has come to an end… I had this feeling.
In this way the story of Act 4 closes neatly and moves on to the final act which tells the story of the Great Sage Sylvania and the Holy Spear Dragon Belbroke.
His memorable end was… It looked like he was leaning on the railing on the roof of the Trix Building covered in blood looking up at the dying figure of the evil god Mebula.
* * *
The door to the Imperial Library opened.
A hall with a ceiling so high that it is difficult to even guess its height. Inside there were huge bookshelves arranged more than two stories high.
This place where imperial scholars and policy makers often came and went to collect data naturally became a place for opinions to be exchanged among officials and for free social activities.
However in recent years it has become difficult to act without hesitation.
This is because Persica the second princess of the Cloel Empire always resided in this library.
She spent most of the day buried in all kinds of books piled high on a grand desk in the corner of the library.
Librarians and bureaucrats had headaches from sitting in the library all day except for eating and sleeping.
This is because librarians had to work with the princess in the library all day and officials had to keep an eye on her every time they came to look for materials or books.
Of course the Imperial Library boasts an enormous size of 4 floors even excluding the main hall where huge bookshelves are lined up… There is no need to keep an eye on her all the time.
However the fact that the second princess is always sitting in the same space and you never know when she might run into her as she gets up from her seat or goes around looking for a book… This is a huge pressure for a subject.
“If it’s a book it’s okay to read it in your room Persica.”
“I read each book very quickly so it’s a hassle to order each book to be carried to my room.”
Persica’s seat is quite large in the corner of the library.
A luxurious and huge desk was brought in but even it was buried in books so its shape was barely visible.
Princess Fenia who came to ask how she was doing took a deep breath.
“Plus it’s fun to wander through the bookshelves and choose the next book. “It’s not fun to read only recommended books recommended by imperial teachers.”
“If you say that I have nothing to say… .”
Today not only the second princess Persica but also the third princess Fenia came to the library.
The librarians felt even more alert than usual. I was assigned to the position of librarian which was a relatively simple position but I would have never guessed that I would have to suffer this much.
“It’s already been over a year and a half since I suddenly entered Sylvania. Now I’m no stranger to you coming to say hello every vacation.”
“Are you still thinking that my admission to Sylvania was unexpected?”
huh. As I said I never thought of you as a person without ambition.”
If Selaha is as cold as ice and Fenia feels somewhat human then Persica is somewhere in between.
However there is no feeling of benevolence at all. To put it bluntly it was closer to an easy-going feeling. Since she is a princess she is dressed in a somewhat formal manner but there is no dignity at all in the way she casually lies among the piles of books devouring old books.
The hair of the royal family is generally platinum-colored. If Fenia is close to the purest platinum color Selaha has a bluish color and Persica on the other hand has a red tinge.
Of course the eyes like all members of the Cloel royal family have a soft blue color.
well… .”
“I definitely feel like I’m missing something compared to before I entered school.”
Persica was buried in a book flipping through the pages of an old tome larger than her face.
“But Persica you always stay in the library at times like this… “You don’t have any will for the emperor do you?”
No way. “I’m just biding my time.”
“What a time… when… ?”
Persica did not answer but just smiled. She says she doesn’t know why she needs to tell me.
Persica spoke softly while keeping her eyes focused on the book.
“Others don’t know but I know. “Before you entered school whenever you saw Crepin Rosstaylor your eyes lit up and you glared at him.”
“… .”
“Now he is back at his home to take charge of the social club but he often visits the library to refer to policy making. Well at least in my eyes he only seemed like a true subject who served the people and was loyal to the imperial family… .”
Persica suddenly closed the book. Then he threw it down on the mountain of books piled up next to him picked up the next book and flipped through it scanning the entire contents of the book.
“From long ago Fenia you used to have an uncanny insight into people’s inner lives. “Because you were so wary I became quite curious.”
“I’ve decided to stop keeping him in check now. “I have no reason to interfere with him.”
well. listen. Do you know what books he read in the imperial library?”
Persica tossed a few books next to Fenia.
Fenia narrowed her eyes as she looked through the books one by one.
“Tales of old evil gods and forbidden magic from the mythical era. “They even touched banned books under the pretext of inspecting the management of the Imperial Library’s library.”
“… I beg your pardon?
“Well the banned books are about methodologies for dealing with primitive forms of cruel magic. “I wondered if they were trying to derail something.”
Fenia turned the books one by one scanning the titles. All of them were stories about the advent of evil spirits or the damage caused by them.
“What do you think? “Do you think I have bad intentions?”
“… ”
It is difficult to view this as solid physical evidence. Even if he saw some books like this in the library it cannot diminish his greatness. Because it may simply be academic curiosity.
However it was inevitable that a feeling of discomfort would rise in a corner of Fenia’s heart.
A memory that suddenly comes to mind is Ed Rosstaylor receiving a letter from Fenia before vacation.
He tried to borrow some of the princess’s authority by saying that he had been reinstated to the Rosstaylor family this time.
Since she was now Fenia and had no other will or intention she lent her name without much thought. In the first place she was a person as trustworthy as Ed Ross Taylor and she was not a person who would easily tarnish Princess Fenia’s name.
So I didn’t think much about it.
I didn’t want to hastily intervene and ruin things.
The higher the position the greater the responsibility for failure. Having become discouraged after several failures she no longer had the will to move on her own and actively solve any problem.
“You don’t look good Fenia.”
Persica hit the nail on the head and came in.
“… “It’s just that his son came to visit me before vacation.”
“Ed Rosstaylor. “Didn’t you say you were excommunicated?”
“Do you know him?”
“I just know the name. I know to some extent the family relationships of influential figures. “I also heard a rumor that you took the lead in excommunicating me.”
Persica has the ability to memorize something that she has seen once. Because I am naturally intelligent I am able to cram so much knowledge into my head.
just… “They said they were going to the lottery this time so I went and lent my name so they wouldn’t be ignored.”
“Oh you seem to trust him quite a bit. “You don’t lend your name carelessly.”
“Rather than believing… just… I’m the kind of person who doesn’t really care. but… ”
Fenia was lost in thought as she skimmed the covers of the books.
“… I thought it was strange. His reputation in the Ross Taylor mansion must still be at the bottom so how was he able to get it reinstated so easily? Although matriarch Crepin is said to be benevolent she shows no mercy to those who threaten the family’s prestige… ”
Ed Rosstaylor has a unique trustworthy aura that tells him everything will be taken care of.
However it is only now that I feel a hint of anxiety. Persica caught this one beat late anxiety and cleverly took advantage of the gap.
“Well he’s someone who there’s absolutely no reason to reinstate. Rather it is just an act of taking on the risk that if the behavior is not completely corrected the family name will be tarnished again.”
Persica spoke as she flipped through the pages of the book.
“And yet he reinstated Ed Ross-Taylor. If I were a crepin I wouldn’t do something like that unless I had another mind. ”
Princess Fenia trembled her eyebrows. She made up her mind that she would no longer touch or be involved in his affairs.
Didn’t he decide to just focus on graduating from Sylvania without paying any attention to what was going on in the Ross Taylor family?
for example… “It’s like a bait to forcefully drag him away from Aken Island to Ross Taylor’s mansion.”
However memories of the student council president election come up in my heart.
What is the identity of that strange sense of loss I felt when I heard the news of his death?
Something between guilt and helplessness. And the relief I felt knowing he survived. What Fenia realized from that emotional downturn was that she was paying more attention to Ed Rothtaylor than she thought.
I still remember his wide back as he sat at camp stirring the fire with a poker.
He never blames Fenia.
Even if you accuse him of a crime and excommunicate him even if you hesitate and fail to make a quick and correct decision in the academic crisis even if you are caught up in idealism and fail to take into account the damage in reality even if you are openly wary of him.
He only recognizes it as one part of a huge trend and has never once hated Fenia as a human being.
He is not a spineless person who simply does not know how to get angry and just lives as he is told.
He is a person who clearly knows all the facts and if necessary knows how to get his share by confronting any high-ranking person or using tricks.
Nevertheless there is no particular reason why Fenia continued to be respected as a human being.
He understands her.
Fenia Elias Cloel third princess of the Cloel Imperial Family.
Ed understands her life better than anyone else as she has maintained her title amidst all kinds of scheming and undercover tactics during her childhood and has steadfastly expressed her opinions amidst imperial power struggles so Ed does not carelessly blame her for her misjudgments. He understood and accepted even Fenia’s imperfections.
All humans grow through misjudgments and mistakes but if you bear the name of a monarch your mistakes can never be forgiven.
It’s a cruel contradiction. However all monarchs live by taking it for granted. That is the weight of the throne.
Therefore the path that a monarch takes is inevitably covered with a carpet called solitude.
Wanting to understand that loneliness is greed and arrogance. Only when you give up trying to be understood can you become a monarch.
It must be something like that.
―’I didn’t expect you to help me so easily. more… I was ready to negotiate.’
This is what he said to Edgar Fenia at the royal residence before leaving for his bachelor’s degree.
I am ready to negotiate further.
That day Ed was ready to exchange many opinions with Fenia.
Nevertheless Fenia simply lent her name and sent Ed away without any interaction.
Ed will take care of everything. Since this is a problem between the Ross Taylor family there would be no benefit in interfering and complicating the problem. Taking comfort in that way.
I realized too late what a big mistake it was.
“Tonight is the second day of the social club so there are about two days left.”
Persica whispered calmly to Fenia whose pupils were trembling.
“If you ride a carriage it will take a full day and half a day but if you just mount your horse’s saddle and run without resting you can get there in half a day.”
Princess Fenia who has been educated by the royal family since she was young also has minimal knowledge of horseback riding.
However from now on you have to go to the throne room get permission from the emperor form a guard and ride in a carriage to avoid being late.
If you want to go you have no choice but to jump down to the horse shed right now mount your strongest and strongest horse and ride out.
Since she is leaving suddenly without permission unless she is her loyalist she will not follow her without permission. There was a high possibility that they would try to stop her.
Including the escort knight Claire the number would be about five at best. There is no time to persuade the rest.
It could simply be a case of unforeseen circumstances.
Normally I wouldn’t have acted this urgently.
However Fenia experienced Ed’s death once. It wasn’t until later that she realized it was a misunderstanding but it wasn’t until she experienced it once that she finally realized it.
If Ed Rosstaylor is killed like this or suffers similar damage and loses the possibility of living… It seemed like this would be a huge wound that Fenia would never be able to recover from.
“Are you going?”
Persica smiled sinisterly and softly called out to Fenia.
Fenia quietly lowered her head then smiled and shook her face.
“That can’t be right. “I have such a heavy burden on my shoulders that I would make such a sudden move.”
yes. You are still aware of the weight of the royal family. “I feel reassured.”
Persica flipped the pages of the book a few times and hummed.
“Why do I have to die? Dying is something that can’t be helped… “He’s not a fool either so he’ll have an idea.”
yes… “It seems clear that Crepin has some intention but he is not so dull that he does not notice this.”
When Fenia said that I felt nothing but relief.
However Persica caught the tremor in his voice like a ghost.
“Anyway I saw that Persica was in good health so I’ll go now. “It’s late at night so I need to get some sleep.”
“Okay go in.”
Persica pretended to read a book and looked sideways toward Fenia.
Fenia adjusts her clothes and heads toward the library exit. Nothing seems to be wrong.
However you can see that his fists are clenched. Persica let out a dejected laugh. This is the back of a person who has made a firm decision.
“He is the man who made the Third Princess Fenia move in one night. The Ross Taylor mansion is going to be in chaos. “I’m really curious about that face but now might not be the time.”
Persica put down the closed book and stretched out loudly.
“With this I am now the only princess remaining in the imperial family.”
I close the book and enjoy the soft moonlight shining down from the glass ceiling of the library.
Persica got up from the pile of books.
It was time to move slowly.
*
“No one knows my son Ed Rosstaylor better than I do.”
Crepin slowly got up from his desk and spoke in a low voice.
“Others may say that you have grown up and become more sound after being excommunicated but… I know.
“… ”
“There’s no way my son’s heart could be so easily diluted by spending months outdoors in the hot and cold. “Because he truly hated me.”
Crepin was wearing a fancy tailcoat and a pitch black glove on one hand. Her gloved left hand would have the imprint of an evil spirit engraved on it.
It was possible to make the engraving invisible but doing so would consume too much magical energy that was useless in everyday life. That’s why he wears that glove on one hand.
“But you don’t even feel like you’re holding back that hatred. Rather it seems as if he is wise. “I can feel that they are looking at me as if they are someone who has nothing to do with my life.”
“… ”
“You are not Ed Rothtaylor.”
– Get it!
“Aaaah!”
The source of the sudden wind was Crepin Rosstaylor who was standing in the center of the study.
As waves erupted from her left hand where the engraving must have been engraved Yenika shouted and closed her eyes.
– Get it!
The protruding mug spread its wings wide and blocked the wind.
A crepin stands with his shoulders squared in the moonlight. He slowly took off the glove on his left hand. As expected the imprint of an evil spirit filled with dark red energy is located on the hand.
Although we cannot yet completely control the power of the evil god we can however imperfectly embody its power.
“Otherwise have you forgiven me for stabbing Arwen?”
I lost my breath at those words.
“That can’t be possible. “He was the one who trusted and followed Arwen more than anyone else.”
– Whistling!
He took out a one-handed sword with his non-engraved hand. Anyone can see that he is ready to fight.
As soon as she saw that the weapon had been taken out Yenika reacted first.
– Woe!
There is a banquet going on downstairs. If a high-ranking spirit is taken out in a place like this the building will collapse and there will be casualties. Some degree of force control was necessary.
Yenika concentrated her mind in an instant and made three giant mid-level spirits appear.
A fire bat with huge wings an eagle that took the form of water and a giant made of earth rose up… Even though it was a fairly large study there was no space at all.
“Don’t move… ”
“Spirit Master Yenica Palover. “He has great power but he is influenced by situations too much.”
As Crepin clenched his left hand crackling waves spread out from his hand.
―Kagagagagagagak!
In an instant all three mid-level spirits were wrapped in magical chains.
“Ugh… !”
Yenika tried to break the chain by manifesting spirit consciousness but the new chain was wound much faster than that.
The chains that rose out of the air wrapped around both of Yenika’s arms and restricted her waist and legs.
“Ugh!”
Yenika held on pulling on the chain with difficulty. If he holds on any longer he might be overthrown.
The chain of the car was cut off by the blade of the wind as he was contemplating whether it would be better to take risks and draw out the power of the high-ranking spirit.
―Whaaaaagh!
My wind blade is much more powerful than basic basic magic.
This is possible because I have been training basic magic without a day off for the past years.
“You have good magic skills.”
“Even if I’m not your son that doesn’t change the fact that I’m Ed Rothtaylor.”
“You’re talking nonsense.”
“It may sound absurd but what can you do when it’s true?”
– Get it!
As he took out his dagger and charged at it Crepin made a downward motion with his engraved left hand.
Then I felt a big shock hit my hand and the dagger fell out of my hand.
– Kagang! Kang!
As he swung his shoulders again and raised his hands upward his body rose up against gravity and hit the ceiling.
“Wow!”
I groaned gritted my teeth and gathered my magic power again.
-grasp!
In an instant a knife wound appears as a result of Crepin’s leg dance.
I manifested the spirit consciousness of the dagger I dropped and returned it to my hand. Cutting off the legs of crepins in its path is a bonus.
“Tsk!”
It’s not deep but it’s enough to distract you. The unknown pressure that had pinned me to the ceiling also disappeared.
I took the dagger and using the force of gravity slashed it toward the crepin.
―Kaang!
I barely managed to block the dagger with the long sword I was holding and the moment I was about to unleash the power of the evil spirit again I took out a shock-enhanced wave ball from my pocket.
― Paaaaaaaaaa!
A strong shock temporarily enveloped my surroundings and I succeeded in increasing the distance from the crepin again.
Anyway the goal at this point is not to take down Crepin. As I said if you don’t destroy his family background and prestige first even if you subdue him you won’t be able to clean up the mess.
-Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Dust rises in the study. Crepin instantly created a gust of wind that blew the dust away from him and raised his left hand again.
It’s a power that I have absolutely no idea how or how it works but having played through Act 4 I have a rough idea.
Although he was in an imperfect state and could not fully embody the power of the evil god he was able to control the ‘physical forces’ around him according to his will.
Gravity inertia friction… At least the flow of physical energy can be controlled as he pleases within the limits of what his magic allows.
It will give you a sense of conquest as if the energy flow of this world is in your hands.
In order to control something beyond physical power long concentration and long-term accumulation of magical power are required. This is the level at which it can be used in combat immediately.
Now the power of the evil god has not been fully unleashed. If you want to subdue them now is the best time but the order of things is fixed.
I gathered magical energy into my hands.
– Quang!
The preparations were completed for the magical power to rush in and rush to one point.
Lieutenant fire magic ‘one-point explosion’.
Crepin Rosstaylor also quickly reacted to the speed of the magic power and took a defensive stance but unfortunately the direction of the attack was not Crepin.
– Kwaang!!!!
The floor collapsed and the roar enveloped the mansion.
Unfortunately the peaceful and joyful social church ends here.