I Became a Mythical Knight King

Chapter 110: The Lion King (1)

To the Lizardmen, Galatein Fortress was like the Wall of Lamentation.

In less than a month, they had already launched multiple attacks, but instead of capturing it, they were suffering more damage with each attempt.

The army, which had initially numbered over 20,000, was now down to fewer than 10,000, with more than half of their troops dead, and to make matters worse, the reinforcements that had been scheduled were all cut off.

Amid this situation, the Lion King’s messenger arrived, ordering them to surrender, leaving the Lizardmen with no way to refuse.

‘But it’s not all bad.’

They had already reached a point where they could do neither this nor that.

Joining the Lion King, one of the seven kings, and fighting under his banner could be a much better choice for the future of their tribe.

The Lion King would not exploit them and discard them like a shameless fool.

Since most of the tribal chiefs had already perished in the battle against Count Bisten, no one questioned the judgment of the remaining elder, Zarakul.

On a night with exceptionally bright stars, the Lizardmen launched a night raid.

Normally, it would have been a bad night for a raid because it was too bright, but they didn’t care.

After all, the night raid was just a means to draw the humans’ attention.

“They’re coming!”

“Get up! Get up!”

“Enemy raid!”

The sounds of soldiers shouting and the drums signaling the enemy’s surprise attack rang out from Galatein Fortress.

Soldiers who had been sleeping rushed to climb the walls, and the soldiers who had been on standby quickly formed a defensive formation.

“Your Highness the Princess! The enemy is launching a night raid!”

At the urgent report, Princess Elizabeth responded calmly.

With the help of her maid, she donned her armor and fastened her sword to her waist before heading to the walls to receive the situation report.

There were about 10,000 Lizardmen.

It wasn’t an insignificant number, but Galatein Fortress had 7,000 soldiers, and they had already repelled the Lizardmen’s attacks multiple times. They had the confidence and battle experience to face them.

So, there was no reason to fear.

If they responded calmly, just as they had done before, they would be able to fend them off without significant damage.

“Is there anything unusual?”

“Nothing so far.”

“Where is Count Bisten?”

“Count Bisten has headed to the southern wall.”

Nodding at the continuous reports, Princess Elizabeth adjusted her helmet and stepped outside the gate.

The night air was cold.

Though it was deep into the night, the bright stars made it possible to see far into the distance.

Between the inner and outer walls.

The princess paused for a moment and looked at the walls.

Princess Elizabeth was not just outstanding in both martial and academic skills, though she had not shown it publicly—she had already reached the second level of chivalry.

Therefore, with her transcendent eyesight, she could spot not only the soldiers climbing the walls but also the face of her uncle, Count Bisten, who was standing tall on the wall, looking down.

Count Bisten.

The Master Knight of the Silatein Kingdom.

As long as he was there, Galatein Fortress would not fall.

Though she didn’t always voice it, Princess Elizabeth was always grateful for her uncle’s presence.

“Let’s go.”

With her resolute voice, those around her took on confident expressions and followed her lead.

They would climb the walls and repel the enemy.

Filling her lungs with the cold night air, the princess took a step forward, but she stopped after just one step.

She didn’t look at the walls but turned her gaze elsewhere.

Count Bisten looked coldly at the approaching Lizardmen army on the walls.

Among the leaders at the front, there were few familiar faces.

‘It won’t be long now.’

The Lizardmen chieftains and great warriors.

The defense tactics set by Princess Elizabeth and Count Bisten were simple but firm.

When battle broke out, they would reinforce the defenses while observing the enemy lines and eliminate any isolated or protruding enemy leaders.

In small-scale battles, only another Master Knight could stop a Master Knight.

The monsters died without resistance, and the Lizardmen, having lost their leaders, were unable to fight with strength.

That was the reason they had not advanced aggressively after winning in the defense.

‘Soon.’

The Lizardmen’s ranks were disorganized.

There were far too few experienced commanders to lead the army properly.

If they could defeat the last remaining chieftain in this battle, the Lizardmen would be nothing but a disorganized mob.

Thus, Count Bisten carefully observed the approaching Lizardmen.

Even if it was a bit risky, he planned to use this battle to wipe out the remaining enemy commanders.

As Count Bisten’s gaze became sharper, smiles appeared on the faces of the soldiers around him.

The presence of the Master Knight was like a promise of victory for all the soldiers guarding Galatein Fortress, not just Princess Elizabeth.

But then, at some point.

Count Bisten took his eyes off the Lizardmen.

It was unavoidable.

It was impossible not to look away.

“Charge!”

“Karapa! Karapa!”

As the Lizardmen howled and rushed toward the walls, Count Bisten still only looked in the same direction.

The soldiers were puzzled by his behavior, but they soon understood.

Standing just a little away from the rushing Lizardmen was a man.

A man so massive that it was unmistakably obvious, even from a distance.

The head of a lion, with a mane as red as blood.

A ridiculously large sword draped across his shoulder.

“The Lion King.”

As soon as Count Bisten said that, the Lion King smiled.

He took a step toward the walls.

“Call the knights! Deliver an urgent message to Count Bisten—”

Princess Elizabeth’s cry was cut off mid-sentence.

The heads of the soldiers beside her fell to the ground, and blood spurted from the necks where their heads had been.

But the princess’s head remained intact.

The silver aura-covered sword blocked the red aura-covered sword.

“Ho.”

The monster with the head of a black panther, who was standing on the other side of the blade, sighed in admiration.

Instead of answering, Princess Elizabeth unleashed her aura to push the monsters back, then quickly stepped back into a defensive stance.

“Your Highness the Princess!”

Soldiers and knights rushed to her side.

Some of them instinctively turned to look at the walls where Count Bisten stood, but they couldn’t call for him.

Princess Elizabeth looked straight ahead.

She tightened her grip on her sword, focusing her concentration.

The three monsters before her were not all there were.

There were monsters hiding not only on the roofs of the surrounding buildings but also in the shadows.

‘They’re strong.’

Each one was at the level of a second-tier knight.

A bitter smile involuntarily spread across her face.

She wondered if this might be her last day.

‘The Lion King.’

The monster who destroyed the Cabal Kingdom.

The king of the monsters who brought down the Guardian of the Kingdom.

He had come.

Instead of leading his troops, he had come with only his elite followers to launch a surprise attack on Galatein Fortress.

She saw Count Bisten on the wall, kicking the ground and leaping into the air.

He wasn’t running toward them.

He was throwing himself off the walls.

“The Lion King.”

Princess Elizabeth spoke aloud, then focused her gaze forward.

The monster with the head of a black panther was raising a red aura on the sword he had let fall.

Could Count Bisten defeat the Lion King?

And even if he did, could Princess Elizabeth herself hold out until then?

“He’s coming.”

Sadly, there was no more time for delay.

The monsters that had emerged from all directions rushed toward the princess.

Count Bisten descended below the walls.

The lizardmen’s forces did not charge at Count Bisten but instead focused on pounding the walls, and Count Bisten did not turn to look at the advancing lizardmen.

He only faced forward.

The one standing at the front.

“You are the Lion King.”

“Are you a Master Knight?”

“I am Count Bisten.”

“Marcus. Usually, they call me the Lion King.”

There was a distance of about ten meters between Count Bisten and the Lion King.

It was not a distance that could be considered close, but for a Master Knight, it was essentially right in front of them.

And while that was certainly true for Count Bisten, it seemed to be the same for the Lion King. Neither Count Bisten nor the Lion King made a move to strike; instead, they simply stood still and stared at each other.

“Has the Cabal Kingdom been destroyed?”

According to the last intelligence report, the Lion King should have been near the border of the Cabal Kingdom.

But was the Lion King here because the Cabal Kingdom had already been dealt with?

Count Bisten asked, and the Lion King shook his head.

“No, it’s still there. What we need is a path, and time is not on our side.”

“A path?”

“Yes, a path. A path that leads to the land you call ‘the continent.'”

“If you clear a path, will you just pass through?”

At Count Bisten’s question, the Lion King smiled.

It wasn’t a mocking or contemptuous smile.

Just like when he faced the Minister of Defense, the Lion King felt a sense of enjoyment.

“Conversations with Master Knights are always enjoyable.”

“If you want, I could have tea and refreshments brought. Let’s sit and talk for a while.”

“Unfortunately, that’s not possible. I’ve already been lectured by my subordinates for not dealing properly with the Guardian General.”

If only he had used his full strength from the beginning.

If only he hadn’t gotten too caught up in the fun at the end.

“Are you willing to open a path?”

“After carefully reviewing the situation, if it’s possible, I’ll consider it seriously.”

Count Bisten’s answer was not a delay tactic or a false promise.

He truly thought that if it meant saving the Crown Princess and the kingdom, he would seriously consider opening the path.

And that was why the Lion King shook his head.

“If that’s the case, you should have said it earlier. Once I reach the continent and achieve my goal, the human world will be destroyed.”

“Shit. That’s a story that makes me curse.”

The destruction of humanity had been mentioned. What room was there for compromise or anything else?

Count Bisten cursed out loud, then briefly glanced back toward the Empire before asking, “What is there on the continent that will lead to the destruction of the human world?”

“Well, I’d like to tell you, but it seems like time has already been too wasted for that.”

Things were different from when he faced the Guardian General.

Unlike before, Count Bisten didn’t try to buy time with unnecessary words but instead smoothly drew his sword.

Master Knight, a person who had reached the third level of Chivalry.

With natural ease, he unleashed his Chivalry.

The stars momentarily lost their shine, and blue lightning took their place in the night sky.

The battle began.

A stormy night.

A fierce wind blew around Count Bisten.

With thunder and lightning, Count Bisten’s Chivalry erupted.

From the very beginning, Count Bisten poured all of his strength into the attack.

The moment his sword swung, a tremendous bolt of lightning struck down right above the Lion King’s head.

Boom!

As the thunder cracked a beat later, Count Bisten gritted his teeth.

The Lion King’s sword split the lightning in half.

The King of Monsters who had even defeated the Guardian General.

At the moment when Count Bisten enveloped his sword with lightning, the Lion King swung his sword.

The red sword aura split the thunder.

Crown Princess Elizabeth’s Chivalry was that of a ‘perfect king.’

She never took lightly the fact that she was the first Crown Princess of the Silatein Kingdom and would one day become the first Queen.

Since she was the first, she had to be perfect.

She had to present herself in a way that no one could find fault with.

The Chivalry was the soul of a knight, as well as a reflection of their life.

Crown Princess Elizabeth’s rapid achievements in all fields, both martial and scholarly, were not only due to her innate genius but also thanks to her mastery of the Chivalry.

Wearing her pure white armor and a crown, Elizabeth exhaled a heavy breath.

The knights and soldiers who were guarding her were all excellent, but that didn’t mean they were invincible.

“Ha…Ha…”

The monsters were too strong.

The soldiers had already been wiped out, and the knights were on the verge of annihilation.

The Crown Princess herself had nearly half of her white armor stained with blood.

Were the reinforcements on their way?

Was it taking longer because the fortress was under attack?

-Boom! Boom!

The thunder sounded from afar, loud and raucous.

It was a sound that symbolized victory, but this time it felt different.

There was a sense of urgency in the thunder.

-Boom!

Once again, the thunder struck.

And the monster with the black panther head charged forward, leaping toward her.

She blocked the sharp sword aimed at her head with her own sword in that brief moment.

With a sharp metallic sound, the Crown Princess’ arms shook violently but she didn’t let go of her sword.

With her trembling arms, she pulled her sword back, looking at the black panther creature.

-Slash!

Then, her back was slashed.

The knight who had been protecting the Crown Princess’ back was no longer there.

The monster, having decapitated the knight, used the knight’s bloodied sword to slice the Crown Princess’ back.

Her armor cracked, and blood gushed out.

Feeling the burning, searing pain, the Crown Princess staggered, but she did not let go of her sword.

She swung again and blocked an attack that came from the side.

-Boom!

Thunder rumbled from a distance.

And the Crown Princess’s left arm was torn off.

She blocked with her right, but couldn’t stop the attack on her left.

In the shock and pain that made her head go white, instead of screaming, the Crown Princess gritted her teeth.

The black panther-headed monster watched her.

Seeing the blue eyes that still didn’t lose their light, eyes that transcended even species, it drove the sword into the Crown Princess’ chest.

Elizabeth did not give up until the very end.

That was why she was stabbed not in the heart, but in another place.

Because of the desperate swing of her sword, the black panther-headed monster even dropped its weapon but the sword was already deeply embedded.

The Crown Princess staggered and fell backward, coughing up blood.

She had endured so much, but the tears that escaped blurred her vision.

“I pay my respects. Royal of humanity.”

The black panther-headed monster said this as it approached.

It tried to pull the sword from Elizabeth’s chest and swing it.

Elizabeth looked at the black panther-headed monster.

Instead of crying or begging for her life, she glared at her enemy until the very end.

The black panther-headed monster found her beautiful.

It felt like it could understand a little why the Lion King had favored the human known as the Guardian General.

The black panther-headed monster grasped the sword.

Just the sensation of it made the wound throb, and she felt like she might scream, but the Crown Princess clenched her teeth and endured.

She closed her eyes and faced death, rather than turning away from it.

She was afraid.

Being a Crown Princess didn’t mean she was without fear.

She had lived a relatively short life, always suppressing and controlling herself, but she was still a girl who hadn’t even reached twenty.

She had silly dreams she couldn’t tell others about, and like in the love story she once read, she longed to experience passionate love.

Tears ran down the Crown Princess’s cheek.

But those tears weren’t just because of personal fear.

What would happen to the Silatein Kingdom now?

What would happen to those who were left behind?

The strict but sometimes kindly nanny Annie.

The stableman Jim, who had cared for her since she was a child.

The shy maid Mina, who always greeted her with a smile.

As she remembered the faces of countless people, the Crown Princess wept.

But because of this.

Even as tears fell, because she didn’t close her eyes, the Crown Princess was able to see.

Beyond her blurred vision.

The flood of stars pouring down, and descending behind them.

The brilliant golden light filled her sight.

A black lightning struck.

A sword of flame, shining like the sun, struck the black panther-headed monster, forcing it back.

The black armor was visible.

A cloak as dark as the night sky filled her vision.

It was a sight she had never seen before but the Crown Princess knew who the man before her was.

The Black Knight of Lothian, the man who had performed miracles several times in the western part of the kingdom.

The monsters howled in unison.

The killing intent was so strong that even the faint-hearted would faint just from hearing it but it was only for a moment.

The Black Knight of Lothian —the golden aura, rising like flames from the figure of Yoo Seong, overwhelmed all of it.

And at that very moment.

“—Assemble.”

With a brilliant flash of golden light.

An army of light descended before Elizabeth.