The Paladin of the Holy Kingdom: Part 1

Unable to bear the force of Jaldabaoth’s overwhelming power and the weight of her own body, the joint of her knee now bent in a direction it was never intended to face.

It was then that Remedios realised Jaldabaoth’s meaning.

He meant to use the Holy Queen, Calca Bessarez, as a weapon.

“You, what are you…”

She could not understand it.

However, she had no choice but to understand it.

“All right, is it my turn now?”

A wicked smile appeared on that furious face, and Jaldabaoth approached her.

What should she do?

Remedios backed off, and the paladins behind her retreated as well.

What, what can I do at a time like this? What should I do?

Remedios looked around for help, and behind Jaldabaoth, she saw the priests protecting Calca and Queralt collapsed on the ground.

While the priests were motionless, her sister was still moving faintly. Perhaps she had secretly cast a spell.

Queralt’s still alive! But who should I save first — I have to ask Isandro.

“Isandro! What should we do!?”

“Retreat!”

“Understood! Everyone, retreat! Fall back! Fall back!”

“—What? Not fighting? And after I went to all this effort to obtain a weapon with which to crush you… 「Fireball」.”

Jaldabaoth extended the hand that was not holding Calca and discharged a third tier attack spell. The fireball flew over and burst, immolating the paladins within its area of effect.

Protected by fire resistance spells, the paladins barely managed to avoid being fatally wounded. However, it was simply that they had not died.

Calca squirmed and struggled desperately, but she could not escape Jaldabaoth’s hold.

“What an annoying woman. You are a weapon now. Act like one.”

Jaldabaoth’s body flexed slightly as he raised the arm that held Calca.

“STOP!” Remedios cried out in mournful agony as she realized what Jaldabaoth intended. And then, Jaldabaoth swung down, ignoring her wails.

Splat.

Calca could not protect herself in time, and her face smashed viciously into the ground.

After that, Jaldabaoth slowly raised his arm again, and Calca dangled limply from his hand, having lost the will to resist him.

Her helmet was open-faced. That was to raise the troops’ morale with her beauty.

However, that beautiful face was now a mass of fresh blood. It would seem the bridge of her nose had been crushed flat, because that part of her face was a smooth expanse now.

“You son of a bitch!”

“You idiot! Stop!”

One of her men — a paladin — could not stop himself from drawing his sword and charging out. She wanted to stop him, but it was too late.

Jaldabaoth swung his weapon at the paladin, with a speed that did not seem like he was holding a human body

The two of them collided, and the paladin was sent flying with a thunderous crash of metal.

His armor was staved in like he had been hit by a giant, showing how intense the collision with Calca had been.

Remedios’s eyes could not leave Calca’s body.

Humans might have softer skins than other species, but strong humans could enfold their bodies in ki or magic, and if they were still conscious, they might be able to be endure a slash without being hurt.

Indeed. If they were conscious.

Perhaps it had been knocked loose by the impact, because her helmet had flown off and her long hair played wildly in the wind. Her inverted face was a bloody mess, her nose smashed and her front teeth shattered, her eyes rolled up and a faint moan leaking from her throat. Her beauty, regarded as a national treasure, had vanished without a trace. Her present state was too tragic for words.

“What should we do, Isandro!? How can we save Calca!?”

“I, I don’t know!”

“What the hell are you good for, then!? Doesn’t that brain of yours exist for times like these!?”

“I never imagined something like this could happen! There’s nothing we can do but pull back!”

“So you want me to abandon my sister and Calca here!?”

“What else can we do!?”

And Remedios had nothing to say.

“Good grief. The sight of humans squabbling before their enemy is a fearsome sight. Well, it is about time. Playtime is over.”

“What?”

Jaldabaoth slowly looked to the sky.

“It is about time that my army arrived at this city. I need to smash the gates and usher in a storm of slaughter and carnage.”

“Do, do you think we’ll let you do that?”

“Allow me?I do not need you to allow me anything. All you need to do is accept it. Like say, the gift of a star.”

Jaldabaoth raised the hand that was not holding Calca, and then, like he was searching for something — he pointed to the sky.

“—STOP!!!” Remedios shouted because she did not know what he was going to do.

However, everyone was frozen in place, their hands tied. That was because they could not attack Jaldabaoth, who held the Holy Queen hostage.

No, everyone was afraid that if they attacked him, he would block it with Calca’s body. What would they do if Calca died from their blows?

Heedless to the confusion of Remedios and the others — the star fell.