Chapter 163 A Life of Sin

"Welch, are you sure you can handle this?" The commander of the Grenadier Royal Family looked at the man's current miserable state and said sadly, "You've actually been turned into this by the backlash of the family heirloom."

“It’s alright…” Welch covered his empty eye socket and said cruelly, “I’m prepared to die.”

"Nothing is more moving than dying on the battlefield."

"And I can gather all the family heirlooms one last time."

"Therefore, I need you to cut off her escape route! We absolutely cannot let her escape!"

"Hmph, that's for the best." The commander of the Genna royal family crossed his arms, his eyes seemingly revealing his own plans.

"Hey!" exclaimed the Hagrid family's Holy Shield faction commander, "All for Earl Ellen!"

...

Location: Blackbone Fortress

The white horse grazed on the tender grass, while Elsie on its back gazed at the distant Blackbone Fortress.

The Blood Riders behind them drew their longswords in unison, their eyes fixed on Elsie, signaling that they were ready to attack at any moment.

"The crisis facing the Saijing royal family has been temporarily alleviated, but I still have to address the root cause of this disaster, and..."

Elsie reached out and touched the stigma hidden in her bangs. It seemed that when Sia bestowed the stigma upon her, she also transferred a bunch of memories to her.

Once that memory was transmitted, it was locked away, and she was unable to obtain even the slightest information about it.

Interestingly, however, this shackle seems to be guiding her north, where something will give her enlightenment.

This is almost a distance that spans the entire journey of one's life!

The entire continent from south to north!

[Elsie, let me make this clear first. I checked the outline, and this is a side quest, so it's unnecessary.]

[We...could actually just focus on the main storyline, kill Allen, cut down the Lord, conquer the world, confront Keomi, and bring your sinful life to a perfect end!]

“A life of sin…” Elsie replied with a helpless expression.

"Sigh." Elsie sighed, "Narrator, what comes to mind when you think of the North?"

Cold, snow, and hunger.

I was referring to the plot.

[Oh! Cough cough... It's... the nameless skeleton?]

"You guessed so accurately?"

Of course! (Soft sound of a book closing)

They really did review the outline!

【No way! (A self-satisfied voice)】

How can you be so at ease with yourself like this?!

...In short, the North, the Nameless, and the Shackles of Memory seem to have formed a new subplot.

[The side quests might be so difficult they could put your life in danger! Think about Keomi, you still haven't completely defeated him!]

“Narrator, I’ve made up my mind,” Elsie laughed. “After all, I’ve never listened to you before, have I?”

[Oh well, I don't care. It's not like I'm the one who's going to die. I'll just wait to record the defeat on CG!]

"My lord, we've been discovered," Karin said as she approached Elsie.

El looked forward to the allied forces pouring out of the gates of Blackbone Fortress, while Welch charged alone, wielding his longsword.

However, the allied forces were rushing to both sides, seemingly having no intention of engaging her in direct combat.

“My lord, it’s an encirclement,” Karin reminded him.

"Connor will handle it with his men." Elsie pulled on the reins, and her warhorse began to trot slowly.

"Kaylin, stay put and wait for me to take care of him first."

Elsie drew her Lord's Longsword, the holy mark symbolizing the Shia family shining on her forehead, and the sword energy gathered on the longsword trembled!

"Elsie!!!" Welch's four heirlooms activated once again, and invisible fleshy tentacles emerged from them, this time all sucking Welch's life force!

[Just as I expected...]

The narrator seemed to realize this as well.

Such outrageous things as family heirlooms are indeed the product of some world's parasites.

Interestingly, these parasites are rather lazy and do not actively instigate large-scale chaos. Instead, they reside in objects and enter into contracts with certain people.

"Fight to the death! Fight to the death!!!" Welch's sword was as fast as the wind, but in Elsie's eyes at this moment, it was not even half a level of Keomi's skill!

She easily steered her white horse to dodge the sword's edge, while her own lord's sword lashed out at the opponent relentlessly.

To be fair, the strength of this parasite seems to be highly dependent on the host.

Even using sword energy, it was impossible to break through the armor's defenses.

“He won’t last long; the family heirloom will drain his life force first.” Elsie seemed to know this very well.

She couldn't figure out the source of Welch's madness, but when she saw Welch's last remaining eye, the holy light seemed to speak volumes.

"Is the Sanctuary behind this?"

"Another... puppet..."

...

"Damn it, Welch can't beat her!" the Shield commander roared from the walls of Blackbone Fortress. "She's actually that strong—"

"Swoosh—" A sword blade suddenly pierced through his chest!

"What!" The Holy Shield commander stared in shock at the sword that had pierced him, and then at the swordsman in disbelief!

"Belister! Why!?"

Berlister, the commander of the Grenadier royal family, looked with disdain at the blood splattered on his armor.

The Holy Shield commander then realized that his men were fighting against the Genna royal family!

Betrayal? Now!? Why?!

"Sorry, Patriarch's Secret Document, we must withdraw." A Northern Feathered Eagle landed on Bellist's shoulder.

A few days ago, he received a secret message from the patriarch, which seemed to have unlocked the secrets of the era of the hero and the demon king. In addition, with the appearance of Elsie and the secret information of the Scepter Faction, the patriarch ordered them to withdraw from the war.

If necessary, one can surrender to Elsie or the Scepter faction.

"Sanctuary, Sanctuary cough cough..." The Holy Shield commander collapsed to the ground, blood gushing from his mouth: "We won't let you get away with this..."

"Whatever!" Berlister turned and left. "We never intended to fight. It was all for the sake of the family."

"All troops, prepare to retreat!"

...

Outside Blackbone Fortress, the clash of swords and the fighting didn't seem as peaceful as inside.

Welch was gradually losing ground in his fierce battle with Elsie, or rather, he was always at a disadvantage.

He almost lost his grip on the sword several times, damn it! Has he reached the age where he can no longer lift a sword?

Perhaps he should be grateful?

After all, Elsie was fighting him head-on. She could have easily exploited his missing eye to kill him, but instead, she chose such a boring, head-on confrontation...

"Huh?" Welch's sword clashed with Elsie's sword once again, and the sparks from the collision surprised him.

What's so surprising?

The holy mark on Elsie's forehead, that beam of white light seems...warm?

"Elsie... Elsie... Elsie!!!"