Chapter 93

Day 1 of Return: Invasion
And so—

Marylia arrived in front of the castle.

"It looks like they've given up on the royal capital. How admirable."

… Up to this point, there hadn't been anything resembling a barrier. Soldiers were barely stationed at the gates surrounding the capital.

The only resistance came when archers fired a volley of arrows at them, but that, too, ended in an instant with a single sweep of the Island Golem’s arm… After all, to the Island Golem, arrows were no thicker than a strand of hair. Even if they hit, they wouldn’t cause any damage at all!

"Now then, I suppose the problem is the castle gate."

With that, Marylia finally looked down at Baltoria’s royal castle and murmured a thought she couldn’t quite put into words: “Such a tiny little castle… No, the golem is just big, isn't it? Hmm…” Of course, compared to an entire island, the castle was indeed small. That was only natural.

"I assume they’ll have some sort of trap set up, but…"

As she took another step toward the castle gate, Marylia heard a voice shout, "Fire!" Meaning—

"Oh my."

It was a bombardment.

With a loud boom, the impact shook the air.

The Island Golem was struck by multiple cannon blasts, and inevitably, parts of its body were blown away.

… Of course, it could still endure. It could still move. Before the next barrage, she would be able to destroy the cannons.

However—

"In that case, I’ll just make this my island~"

Marylia smiled sweetly, then let out a sharp whistle, summoning the tiny golems riding wyverns. Almost immediately, the wyverns swooped down. Strapped to their legs were baskets.

"All units, evacuate! The target is the king! But prioritize your escape—do not get caught up in the chaos! Now, move out!"

Marylia lightly leapt into one of the baskets. At the same time, the Iron Golems sprang into action, using their sturdy bodies to leap down toward the castle gate, climb up the castle walls via the Island Golem’s arms, and otherwise move into position.

However, the bombardment continued, ignoring the Iron Golems and Marylia entirely. Perhaps because the Island Golem was a large target and easy to aim at. Or maybe they thought, “We can deal with everything else later, but we must take this thing down now, or we’ll have no future.”

In any case, their decision was a mistake.

As Marylia ascended into the sky, carried by the wyverns, she quietly severed her supply of mana to the Island Golem.

… And then—

A deep rumble echoed through the ground.

"What the—?! Did we get it?!" She heard the soldiers of Baltoria shout.

… But it was already too late.

"Aren’t they being a little short-sighted?"

Marylia muttered as she abandoned the Island Golem.

Now uncontrolled, the Island Golem began to collapse, starting from its damaged legs. Naturally, this meant that an entire island’s worth of earth and stone would come crashing down in that very spot!

A tremendous noise. Echoing screams.

Due to their short-sighted attempt to take down the Island Golem at the castle gate, the area in front of Baltoria’s royal castle was buried under a landslide.

Of course, the cannons, the soldiers stationed there—all of them were buried. That was only natural. They paid the price for their recklessness with their lives.

"Golems aren’t the kind of beings that conveniently disappear after being defeated, you know…"

Even if they fell, they didn’t simply vanish. Their massive forms remained where they collapsed. And if reshaped and infused with magic, they could move once again.

That was the nature of an Island Golem.

As Marylia watched the Iron Golems take control of the battlefield, she landed atop the island and smiled.

If Fractalia declared, "We cannot allow the return of one who was exiled!" then she would simply respond, "Then I’ll just live on my island," and settle here. She made up her mind about that just then.

… And at that moment—

"Oh my."

Marylia sensed a sudden surge of magic. A faint smile played on her lips.

"You’re finally making an appearance."

Narrowing her eyes, she traced the source of the magic—there stood a figure clad in luxurious robes, though dust and dirt now sullied them.

It appeared to be the King of Baltoria.

"My, what an impressive imitation of a corpse."

Marylia’s smile was sharp and cold.

Yes. The one standing before her was none other than the one who had once been on her island.

A former slave who had, by some means, obtained a magic stone—then used necromancy to attempt to overthrow the island’s order.

That very necromancer.

"So you’re using necromancy on yourself. Isn’t that rather clever?"

Whether he heard her words or not, the King of Baltoria glared at Marylia with eyes full of hatred.

As she had suspected, the current King of Baltoria was over a hundred years old.

Though, rather than aging, he had likely maintained the same body all this time.

By applying necromancy to himself—meticulously weaving spells to preserve his body and anchor his soul—he had wrapped himself in an intricate, powerful enchantment.

“Would someone really cast necromancy on themselves?” Marylia had once wondered. But considering that necromancy had persisted in Baltoria for over a century, she inevitably arrived at that conclusion.

Using magic on oneself was entirely possible. Marylia knew that well. And if the magic was exceptionally precise—then even necromancy could work.

Yes, it was unprecedented. But with the island’s magic stone strengthening the spell… it was entirely feasible.

After all, golem control was a similar concept.

Necromancy wasn’t just about manipulating the dead. It was the art of preserving the body and fixing the soul in place. If applied correctly… it could create an immortal body and a soul that could never be severed.

Just like the man standing below her now.

"Greetings, Your Majesty. I am Marylia Odeil Typhon."

From atop the island, Marylia elegantly bowed toward the king.

Her head was high—physically high. With the castle itself barely reaching halfway up the island, her head was, quite literally, held high.

But in this moment, that towering presence suited her perfectly.

Her unwavering composure, the queenly dignity of one who commanded an entire island and led an army of golems—this was what made the King of Baltoria truly recognize her as a formidable, noble, and overwhelming threat.

Even if he couldn’t hear her words, he could see her elegant bow.

And then, the King of Baltoria, his expression now fully consumed by rage, began to cast magic.

"Ah, necromancy. Well, with so many people buried beneath the island, of course you’d try to use them as soldiers."

Clearly, he was attempting to resurrect the freshly slain as undead warriors.

However—

"… But just like with golems, a body can’t perform beyond its natural limits, you know?"

… No undead rose.

Of course not.

The corpses crushed beneath the Island Golem were no longer intact!

Crushed under the landslide, ground to nothing—their remains could no longer move!

And even if some bodies remained whole… human flesh was fragile. There was no way they could claw their way out from beneath the weight of an island.

"Hehehe. My soldiers are far more capable. They evacuate before getting buried. And even if they are, they can dig their way out…"

Bodies of iron could push through the earth, shatter boulders, and claw their way free.

In short, the Iron Golems were vastly superior to the necromantic soldiers.

And because Marylia had ordered a swift retreat, the Iron Golems had already regrouped, steadily advancing toward the tower where the king stood.

"Look. It’s a checkmate."

And within minutes—

The blades of Jade’s Iron Golem soldiers reached the King of Baltoria.

Jade glanced at Marylia, awaiting orders.

"I don’t mind. Behead him."

Without hesitation, Marylia issued the command, using a crude yet clear gesture she had picked up during her time in the Knights Order—one that meant “cut off his head.”

Jade nodded once, stepped toward the now pale and trembling king—

And with a slash—blood splattered.

Most likely, because his body was so perfectly preserved, his heart and blood had still been functioning.

A remarkably well-maintained corpse, indeed.

But a corpse was still a corpse.

"And with that, it’s done."

With a smile, Marylia watched as Jade hoisted the severed head of the King of Baltoria high into the air.

Jade then knelt before Marylia and presented the head to her.

Marylia looked down at the severed head and smiled.

But—

"… Impressive, Marylia Odeil Typhon."

The severed head spoke.

"Eek! The head is talking!"

And with a resounding smack!, Marylia swung her spear and struck the King of Baltoria’s severed head with full force!

What do you think about this chapter?