Legend of Lodoss: The Glorious Champion (novel)

Legend of Lodoss 3: The Glorious Champion
Author	Ryo Mizuno
Illustrations	Akihiro Yamada
Japanese title	ロードス島伝説３栄光の勇者
Romanized title	rōdosu-tō densetsu 3 eikō no yūsha
Publication information
Original release	4 April 1997
Chapters	Distant Peace (遠き平和) The Old Castle in the Great Marsh (大湿原の古城で) The Demon King’s Domain (魔王の領域) Gathering of Heroes (英雄集結)
Pages	288
ISBN-13	978-4044604172
Novels
← Previous	Knight of the Sky
Next →	Legendary Hero

Legend of Lodoss 3: The Glorious Champion is a light novel written by Ryo Mizuno and illustrated by Akihiro Yamada. It is the fourth novel in the Legend of Lodoss (ロードス島伝説, rōdosu-tō densetsu) series, a prequel series to the main Record of Lodoss War novels. It was released after Legend of Lodoss: Prince of the Sun, Princess of the Moon and takes place after Legend of Lodoss: Knight of the Sky.

The title "Glorious Champion" is a reference to the protagonist, Nasher. The title is given to him as leader of the Hundred Heroes, though the story doesn't get that far in volume 3.

Synopsis

　A conference is being held in “Dragon’s Eye” Highland, where representatives of the duchies of Moss have all gathered. Much of the conference focussed on which of Harken or Venon would be the demons’ next target. It was decided their only option is to wait for the demons to make their next move.

　During the evening feast that followed the meeting, Nasher meets Neese. Neese had heard about Nasher's heroics from Wort, however these heroics hadn't happened yet when Wort told them to Neese. Nasher and Neese agree to fight the demons together.

　Outside, Nasher meets with Princess Raffinia of Highland, who confesses her love to Nasher. Raffinia is already promised to a ten-year-old prince of “Dragon Flame” Harken, but her feelings lie with Nasher.

　In Valis, the people are mourning over the loss of King Warren. It is decided that his successor will be a knight who does well in the Demon Wars. Some of the people favour Fahn. Another contestant seems to be the Captain of the Royal Knights, Dorros. One day, Fahn is in his mansion with Flaus, when a detachment of Royal Knights led by Dorros come to arrest Fahn. The three Sacred Weapons—the Lawful Blade, the Armour of Justice and the Shield of Light—were stolen and the guard of the treasury claims he witnessed Fahn stealing them. Fahn is taken to the royal castle. Flaus accompanies him. Fahn was allowed to cleanse his name, and set out west to a great swamp where the relics were believed to have been taken to. He has twenty days to retrieve them.

　In a bar in Roid, Valis, Flaus asks Wort and Beld to assist Fahn, but they decline, as this is Fahn's personal mission. A group of knights enter the bar with the head of a creature they claim is a demon. The knights introduce themselves as members of the Hundred Heroes and try to get a discount on the barkeep's drinks. Wort points out a demon's head doesn't decay like this one, it just disappears, exposing the knights. Flaus recalls Fahn predicting situations like these would occur, and blemish the name of the Hundred Heroes.

　In the meantime, Fahn has arrived at the old castle in the swamp near Lenoana Lake. Fighting his way past several demons, including a ragnakang, he finally stands face-to-face with the doppelgänger who stole the three Sacred Weapons, who had taken the form of a Holy Knight. The two engage in a duel, with Fahn emerging victorious. Just ten days after Fahn had left Roid, the mysterious warrior-mage spreads the news that Fahn had retrieved the Sacred Weapons, but had been seriously wounded. When he returned to Valis, and after being healed by Court Priest Fendrick, Fahn learns that Captain Dorros had proposed to subdue “Dragon Scale” Venon and he sets out to Moss. The official story is that Dorros believes Venon has aligned with the demons, but some believe Dorros proposed this because he felt his chances to become King of Valis had decreased after Fahn retrieved the Sacred Weapons and cleared his name. The chance that Valis would win was very slim and even if they did, it would benefit the demons. Venon invoked the dragons' covenant, and with the aid of three Highland Dragon Knights Dorros' army was easily destroyed. Dorros was killed in the battle.

　In Alania, the twins Frey and Risen, and their new companion Yuri, the bard, stumble upon a village where people live together with a "good" demon. The "good" demon has been tending to the farmer's field, has killed thugs pretending to be part of the Hundred Heroes and has repaired houses damaged by the thugs. As such, the villagers have come to view the goat-headed demon as "good". Frey and Risen don't trust the demon and kill it.

　In Moss, Nasher, Neese and Flaibe have arrived at Skard. Whirlwind watches over them from a distance. On the outskirts of the duchy, Nasher meets a farmer, who is shocked to see the former prince. When Nasher inquires about the land, the farmer tells him he has seens carts of corpses being taken to the Stone Kingdom. Nasher and his party decide to investigate. The tunnels are shrouded in complete darkness, but at the end of the tunnels a faint light could be seen coming from a room. Once inside the room, the party encounters a band of demons—two zalbards, a small unknown demon species, and a larger archdemon—as well as two knights of Skard. The younger knight recognizes Nasher and wants to join him. The older knights sees Nasher as a traitor who sold Skard to Venon. A fight insues and the party manages to come out on top. The older Skard knight is defeated and executed. The younger knight, named Vail, joins Nasher's party.

　In Raiden things had taken a turn for the better since Beld had defeated the demon general. The people had gained hope and confidence and new heads of defeated demons were put on display every several days or so. Wort believes chairman Aegis' powerful speech following Beld's victory had played a part in this. He proposes Aegis to deliver a new speech, one that will send the Hundred Heroes to Moss, via Raiden (for rations and such). Wort believes this will also deal with the thugs masquerading as Hundred Heroes in the kingdoms of Alania and Kanon, as they will either not respond to the call (thereby exposing them), or try to stay in Raiden for the rations. Wort himself also intends to head to Moss, but before doing he is going to a mansion at Lenoana Lake to meet one person.

　That one person was the mysterious, masked warrior-mage that Wort had met at Duke Galliard's home in Norvis, Alania. The warrior-mage's mansion was decorated in the style of Kastuul, the ancient kingdom. Inside there were any portraits of people, but they all had one thing in common; every person wore a circlet with bright red gems on their forehead. The warrior-mage explained why she helped Fahn when he retrieved the Sacred Weapons; he is about equal to Lodoss' greatest warrior, Beld. If they would fight against each other, neither would survive. Wort concluded the meeting by saying that as long as they share mutual interests, they will be each other's greatest allies. The masked warrior-mage replied they will meet again, on the battlefield fighting the demons. Wort then teleported to Highland where he was reunited with Beld, Flaus and Fahn.

　In Highland, Nasher has returned and meets with Duke Mycen, who has given him his own home, a detached palace under Highland's royal castle. Inside the palace await Fahn, Beld, Neese, Flaibe and Flaus, as well as Skards former herbalist Tatus, who had returned to Moss from Roid, Valis and Princess Raffinia. Whirlwind was moved from Overcliff Castle's dragon house, to a custom built dragon house near Nasher's new home. Nasher raises a toast and the party enjoys their time together. During the party Flaibe wonders about Nasher and Bruuk. Nasher has grown tremendously. A thought crosses his mind that Bruuk may have released the demons because he wanted to give Lodoss to his son. Flaibe believes that even without Bruuk's "help", Nasher would've eventually done it on his own.

　In the Harken region, the demons raze the city of Mills and capture the city of Muskett. Wort suggests to Duke Mycen to go with Neese to Abora Mountains and liberate the Golden Dragon King, one of the five chromatic dragons and said to be friendly to humans in general, though still bound by a curse to protect the treasures of the ancient kingdom. Mycen accepts the suggestion and the party travels to Orona, the highest peak of the mountains where the dragon resides. Once the party meets the Golden Dragon King, Mycen manages to draw its attention while Neese prepares her magic to dispel the ancient curse. While Mycen is engaged in a battle with the dragon, Wort teleports Neese to behind the dragon, where she releases her magic and frees the dragon from the curse.

　The Golden Dragon King adopts Mycen's name. The treasures are transported to Highland. Meanwhile, thousands of heroes have travelled from Raiden to Moss, including dwarves, elves and warrior priests. Valis, arguably to make amends for Dorros' actions, have provided Moss with rations. While Moss' strength as a kingdom is groing, the demons haven't made a move for days and the early signs of changing tides are starting to show.

　Even though the Demon War isn't over yet, Wort is seeing a bright future for Lodoss; the whole island united as one and no longer considered accursed. He sees a key role for Nasher in this bright future.

Characters appearing

• Nasher
• Duke Mycen of Highland
• Duke Hessler of Russen
• Prince Barran of Harken
• Duke Duon of Muskett
• Neese
• Princess Raffinia of Highland
• Whirlwind
• Fahn
• Chancellor Galzac of Valis
• Captain Dorros of Valis
• Flaus
• Court mage Myss of Valis
• Wort
• Beld
• Masked warrior-mage
• Court priest Fendrick of Valis
• Frey
• Risen
• Yuri, the bard
• Knight Vail of Skard
• Chairman Aegis of Raiden
• Tatus of Skard
• Golden Dragon King (Mycen)

Gallery

Duke Mycen, Wort and Neese on their way to liberate the Golden Dragon King (by Yamada) Nasher and Raffinia (by Yamada) Fahn (by Yamada) Flaibe vs archdemon (by Yamada) Nasher toasting (by Yamada)