The Legendary Spearman Returns

Side Story Chapter 106

It was Joshua’s and Michael’s first time meeting each other, but they instinctively knew that they would get along as well as a cat and a dog.

“…Have we met before?”

“Well…” Joshua smiled enigmatically.

Michael the human only had the authority of Michael the angel, not the angel’s memory. It was only natural for Michael to not be able to figure out who exactly Joshua was.

“The place you’re sitting at, your appearance… You must be Joshua Sanders.” Michael nodded.

“Watch your mouth unless you want to lose your head right now,” Valmont growled, baring his murderous energy. Duke Tremblin was able to stay still since he had years of experience and had not been given an order, but it was clear that the rest were only holding themselves back with difficulty.

“…Where are my subordinates?” Michael asked.

“How dare you…” Valmont’s hand dropped to his sword, ready to draw blood as soon as Joshua gave him permission.

“Valmont, calm down.” Tremblin shook his head.

“…But…”

“You still lack practice; perhaps you’ve been acting as a shadow for too long.”

“…I’m sorry?” Valmont tilted his head in confusion.

Tremblin gestured behind the throne with his eyes, where Valmont could see Icarus glaring at the doorway with eyes that nearly glowed with fury.

“Mmm… I understand.” Valmont lifted his hand off of his sword.

Icarus’s expression clarified everything. Considering her personality, she must be devising a way to make Michael’s life into a living hell right now, so that would be disloyal of Valmont to stand in her way.

“Your name is Michael, yes?” Joshua asked.

“I asked my question first, Emperor of Avalon.”

“Okay, I’ll give you the answer to your question. Look over there.” Joshua pointed.

Some of the Imperial Knights who had been standing by bowed and then drew aside the red curtain which hung on the side of the chamber.

“Urggh…”

Michael visibly recoiled. His worries had come true, and he now knew where the groans were coming from. All of the paladins who had been sent to infiltrate the Palace were on their knees, gagged and tied up.

“…Gabriel, Raphael,” Michael whispered.

“Joshua Sanders is a monster, Sir Michael!” Gabriel, the only one who wasn’t gagged, shouted. While Raphael had the temper of fire, Gabriel was always calm as still water. That was exactly why Michael had put Gabriel in charge of this mission, yet Gabriel was yelling at the top of his lungs, unable to maintain his composure.

“Uriel is dead! He couldn’t even stand up to a single attack from that monster! We… may have provoked someone we should never have touched. I’m sorry. I’m too ashamed to face you.” Gabriel lowered his head plaintively.

Michael couldn’t help but frown. “…Where is Bel?”

“I don’t know. Considering how we haven't seen him yet, maybe he’s already been defeated…”

No way. Bel’s power and abilities were unprecedented. Besides, Michael was certain after meeting Joshua Sanders in person that he was weaker than Bel.

“…I would like to propose a deal,” Michael said.

“A deal?”

“Let them go.”

Joshua quietly looked down at Michael, who met his gaze without blinking.

The staredown was finally broken by Icarus, who sprang out from her seat. “Your Majesty, can you let me handle that guy?”

“No, you can’t.”

“…Huh?”

“If I let you do as you please, you’ll break his mind, as usual. Obviously.”

“…He deserves it. Look at what he’s doing.”

Joshua patted his thigh with his palm a couple of times without saying anything, drawing a confused tilt of the head from Icarus.

“Sit.” Joshua gestured at Icarus.

“…Pardon?”

“Calm down and sit here.”

“…Here? On your thighs?” Icarus blankly repeated.

“Why? You don’t want to?”

“Wa-Wait, I think I heard you wrong. Do you want me… to sit on your thighs right now?”

“Don’t make me repeat myself. You know I don’t like that,” Joshua casually replied.

Icarus’s face reddened like a ripe tomato.

Sersiarin gave them a dumbfounded look. Valmont, Cain, Selim, and the Imperial Knights gaped blankly at them, unable to believe their ears.

However, for Michael, it was utterly humiliating to watch. He, the leader of their enemies, was standing right in front of them, so how could they go lovey-dovey in front of him all of a sudden?

“…I see that you mock me.” Michael gritted his teeth.

The Avalonian’s eyes widened.

‘Indeed…’ they said to themselves, one by one, because from Hubalt’s perspective it was as bad as the return of a demon.

“No way. The fact that I didn’t really express my affection has been weighing on my mind, so I’m trying to make a habit of it.” Joshua shrugged.

“Forget it. What is your answer?”

“Let’s hear your proposal first.”

“For one year from now, we, Hubalt, will not harm Avalon in any way; in exchant, let them go,” Michael demanded. His voice took on an imperious tone; if Avalon didn’t treat him with respect, he didn’t feel the necessity to stay polite either.

“That’s weird.” Joshua cocked his head. “Paladin, you’ve already lost the war.”

“Hubalt is the most powerful nation on the continent. You don’t seriously think that this is it, do you?”

“Are you bluffing now?”

“I'm not bluffing. Three thousand knights who were personally trained by the Battle God are on stand-by in the Hubalt Empire; they are the true power of Hubalt. Since they aren’t even paladins, you won’t have any advantage anymore.”

Hubalt, the Holy Empire, traditionally had two factions: the imperial faction, led by the nobility; and the pope’s faction, composed primarily of the high priests. In parallel fashion, the knights in the Hubalt Empire were mainly trained in two ways: the paladins were trained in the temple, so they received the god’s blessings and holy water, enabling them to make remarkable progress; on the other hand, the nobles used their own money to train their knights who used the orthodox method of mana accumulation.

“From what I know, the pope has always been dominant in Hubalt except for the time of the Martial Emperor, so that’s ironic. The paladins are the lynchpin of the papacy, but you trust the knights from the imperial faction…”

Michael shook his head. “I trust their teachers, the deceased Martial Emperor and the BattIe God, not the imperial faction.”

“…As I recall, even the Martial Emperor was no match for me.”

“Yes, that is why Bel has been trained to be a human weapon with the sole purpose of killing you, the Martial God, but… it’s strange. I thought you would have met him by now.” Michael’s eyes narrowed as Joshua’s expression subtly shifted. Michael nodded. “…I see. You already met him.”

“I won’t deny it.”

Joshua had already heard the full story from Cain. Three tremendously powerful individuals had attacked Bel at once, but they couldn’t defeat the monster. Bel had suddenly made some incomprehensible remarks and disappeared in the middle of the battle. Joshua already had experience of dealing with an eccentric person named Arie bron Sten, which gave Joshua a rough idea as to why Bel had disappeared. It was the confidence and apathy that only a truly transcendent warrior could have.

“Hahaha, yes, yes. A man like you wouldn’t have just let him go. Did you lose, then?” Michael asked.

Joshua’s eyebrow rose. “Isn’t it more natural to assume that Bel ran because I won?”

“No, I highly doubt that because the Bel I know isn’t the kind of man who would run away from someone strong. He would rather laugh and ask you to kill him since he’s always hungry for a good fight. ” Michael visibly relaxed. “I believe it’s best for you to accept my proposal. Avalon is already in ruins because of your civil war, so you need all the time you can get.”

“Are we back to your proposed ceasefire? Come to think of it, it’s strange that you want one year.”

“Because I’m confident that Hubalt will be able to dominate all the other countries on the continent except for Avalon in a year,” Michael declared with confidence.

“Oh…” Cain couldn’t stop himself from shaking his head in disbelief. “I really don’t know where his confidence is coming from. Hey! You, almighty paladin. I’m not sure if you know, but your border must have been breached now. You’ll kick the bucket in no time if you keep up your attitude. No matter how great those knights are, no doubt they’re helpless to an unexpected ambush.”

Cain scoffed. Everyone turned to the one person they knew could explain.

“Forty-five thousand soldiers of the Arcadia garrison and fifty thousand soldiers from the private armies nearby—a grand army of a total of around one hundred thousand soldiers—is currently marching to the capital of the Hubalt Empire as we speak,” Icarus said.

Michael jerked.

“I don’t know where your confidence is coming from, either, but you people can’t win this war. You hear me?” Icarus sneered, her lips twisting into a grin that mirrored Cain’s.

A crooked smile spread on Michael’s face. “Funny. The Martial God, the Sword Emperor, the Combat Emperor, two princes, most of the Imperial Knights… All of you are here or away to suppress the rebels. Is there even a general who’s capable of leading those hundred thousand nobodies?”

Joshua turned, equally curious.

Icarus met Joshua’s eyes with a confident smile. “It’s okay. Someone very, very reliable is on this.”

“I’m more curious now.”

“I asked a man of unquestionable skill, although you and he share a love-and-hate relationship.”

“That’s what she says,” Joshua said, turning to Michael. The Paladin frowned. “I trust my queen consort, so I’ll turn down your offer.”

“…Are you sure that you’re not going to regret it?” Michael narrowed his eyes.

“Considering my personality, I’ll have trouble sleeping at night if I make the wrong decision because of such a mediocre attempt at blackmail.” Joshua turned to look at the captured paladins. “This is an order: execute the men in charge first for the crime of besmirching our lands.”

Michael’s eyes widened. Raphael and Gabriel, the aforementioned men in charge, shivered uncontrollably.

At that moment, immense murderous energy filled the chamber.

“Yes, Your Majesty.” The Imperial Knights brandished their sword in salute.

“S-Stop! Before you do something you’ll regret—!”

Before Michael could stop the Knights, the horrifying sound of human flesh parting around razor sharp steel filled the air.