ODDEF 24

chapter 24

Everyone watching the battle was speechless, caught up in the sheer spectacle. They didn’t even seem scared anymore; they were completely absorbed in what they were seeing.

• Kiiiii!

The roar of the massive serpent, Serilda, sent shivers down everyone’s spine.

Serilda, clearly enraged, was chasing a single person—just one knight—despite the fact that her enormous body could crush entire palaces.

A black figure rode across the plains, clad in dark armor. That lone knight was fending off Serilda’s attack by himself. The obsidian sword he wielded made it clear: this was the Emperor.

“The Emperor is acting as bait himself.”

And he was completely alone.

Lucretia’s mouth went dry at the unexpected sight. Even more astonishing, the Emperor’s eyes were covered with a black blindfold, probably to prevent Serilda’s hypnotic gaze from affecting him.

The fact that he could ride under these conditions was already amazing. But the Emperor didn’t just ride—he thundered across the plains, drawing Serilda’s attention away.

Serilda, furious, shot venom at the Emperor. The venom hit the ground where the black horse had just passed, burning the earth black.

“Ugh…”

The tense scene made it hard to even breathe. Lucretia, as if blending with the knights around her, could only stare down at the plains from the cliff.

The knights charged at Serilda, striking her scales with their swords.

But the tough scales didn’t even get scratched. They kept attacking, though, as if the goal wasn’t to harm Serilda but to annoy her.

Finally, Serilda, frustrated, paused and thrashed around.

• Kyaaa!

A deafening scream pierced the air. At the same time, hundreds of Serilda’s scales rose at once, releasing thick purple smoke.

“That’s… poisonous smoke!”
“My God!”

The nobles panicked and screamed.

At that moment, the Emperor turned his horse and leapt into the air, holding his sword vertically as he charged Serilda. Lucretia gawked in disbelief at his incredible control.

The Emperor drove his sword straight into the crown of Serilda’s head.

• Kiiieeeek!

The scales lifted briefly, allowing the sword to pierce deep. Serilda’s shriek was so loud it shook the ears of everyone nearby.

In the middle of it all, Lucretia stood frozen, staring down at the plains without covering her ears. The thick smoke made it hard to see the Emperor clearly. The seconds it took for the fog to clear felt like an eternity.

“…Ah.”

Finally, through the thinning smoke, the Emperor could be seen. He was crushing Serilda’s head with his boot to remove the sword, while taking off his blindfold with the other hand.

“Waaah!”
“The Emperor has won!”

Thunderous cheers erupted.

Serilda twitched, still alive for a moment, but as soon as the Emperor pulled out the sword, she gushed blood and collapsed, clearly dead.

“The blood… it’s shooting like a fountain!”
“Ugh… the smell of blood, ahhh…”

The amount of blood was terrifying. Some nobles gagged at the scent, which even reached the cliff above. Despite the smell, Lucretia sighed in relief. The terrifying battle was finally over. Serilda, who had almost dominated the plains, had fallen to the Emperor’s sword. She no longer moved.

But the knights did not stop. They adjusted their reins and scattered in all directions.

“They’re going after the eggs.”

Dion, the Emperor’s aide standing behind Lucretia, explained.

“The blood Serilda expelled contains countless eggs. They’ll be desperately crawling to survive. We must deal with them as well to ensure the seal is complete.”

“I see…”

Lucretia nodded, understanding. She had heard before that when a creature dies, its offspring try to escape.

“Thank you for the explanation. But the dangerous part of the battle is over now, right?”

Dion looked down at the Empress, her face pale with worry. He remembered Eleanor Zepher and Pierre Zepher, who had fled to the barracks at the smell of blood, disgusted by the scene. Most of the guests had already left, as the main battle was over and only the eggs remained.

But the Empress stayed, her face still pale with concern.

“Yes. The knights are just tracking the eggs now. They’ll scatter into forests and rivers. There’s nothing more for you to watch. You should return to the barracks to rest.”

“Yes. It’s over safely. Thank goodness.”

She murmured this but did not take her eyes off the plains. Dion followed her gaze. Of course, the Emperor was still there.

The knights’ pursuit continued late into the night. Guests lit large bonfires and relaxed, discussing the events. They hadn’t fought, but their hearts had raced along with the battle.

“What a magnificent sight.”
“The Empire’s knights truly live up to their reputation.”

Foreign nobles praised them, boosting the pride of the Empire’s own nobles.

“Of course. These knights were personally selected and trained by the Emperor. Truly the strongest in the continent, forged by his own hands and sweat.”
“Speaking of which, the Emperor was absolutely dazzling.”
“I thought I was seeing the God of War himself.”

The nobles toasted, proud to have such an Emperor.

Lucretia, however, felt uneasy. The knights had not returned, and neither had the Emperor. She knew he hadn’t fallen to Serilda’s attack, but the unease lingered.

“Your Majesty,” Eleanor Zepher approached in a friendly tone.

The nobles, who had been observing Lucretia, perked up.

“Since His Majesty personally fought, you must have been worried. I too was exhausted from concern.”

Eleanor fanned herself elegantly and sighed.

“Why don’t you move somewhere quiet? All this noise isn’t good after such a shocking scene.”

“…Yes.”

Lucretia agreed and followed Eleanor to a secluded spot.

Once they were alone, Eleanor’s tone changed.

“Hey, Lucretia, you frustrating girl.”

Eleanor’s eyes narrowed.

“Why are you just sitting there? Your father must have given you orders, right? That simple task—has it already escaped your tiny mind?”

Lucretia frowned slightly.

She remembered the Zepher family’s order: find the purple tulip. A meaningless command, and one she had even less desire to follow.

“Don’t tell me you’ve relaxed just because your father didn’t come himself. You don’t look down on me or your brother, do you?”
“Why do you need the purple tulip?”

Eleanor laughed harshly.

“You’re questioning the reason? Since when did you care about such things?”

Noticing Eleanor’s growing anger, Lucretia stayed silent.

“Remember, your father is already furious with your incompetence.”
“….”
“What have you done for our family during this hunt? Do you think we made you Empress as a reward for doing nothing? Your father warned you. If you fail this task, you won’t see Elenash leaves for a long time!”

In the past, this would have terrified Lucretia. She might have broken into a sweat.

But now she quietly thought:

‘I’ve already stopped using those Elenash leaves for two months.’

She wanted to say this, just to see Eleanor’s reaction. She also knew the truth: her father, Pierre, and Eleanor had all tried to harm her together.

But still, wanting to hear an answer would have been foolish.

“What are you staring at so blankly?”

Eleanor frowned. She looked like she wanted to slap Lucretia but refrained, probably because of witnesses.

“…Nothing,” Lucretia said, looking down.

The long-awaited hunt had finally begun. The end was in sight. She didn’t want to provoke the Zepher family unnecessarily. Completing the event safely was her top priority.