abcnovels
Chapter 56: The Death Knight Follows (2)
Chapter 56: The Death Knight Follows (2)
Chapter 56: The Death Knight Follows (2)
‘No way, right?’
As Lucion got closer to the Emperor, a thought that came to mind took over him.
At the declaration ceremony, he took the position of ‘Honorary High Priest’ with the title of ‘Saint’.
After all, it was a good thing to do instead of fighting each other.
In that case, the Imperial family had to do something.
A thing that could be done to make the Imperial family stand out the most.
‘No way…The Imperial Knights only exist for the Imperial family, right?’
Lucion confirmed that the red thread connected to Heint didn’t budge.
‘I feel like my neck is about to break.’
He made eye contact with Heint, but he greeted him with a slight nod.
“You don’t look well, Cronia.”
The Emperor was slightly worried when he saw Lucion’s face white.
Lucion was now a very important figure for the Empire.
The Emperor didn’t know where he got hurt, but he saw the broken arm belatedly and somewhat got used to the small appearance.
He intended to send good medicine to Cronia.
“It’s okay, Your Majesty.”
Lucion bowed to the Emperor.
When he suddenly lowered his head, he felt dizzy, but Lucion calmly raised his back.
“Let me wrap it up for you.”
The Emperor smiled playfully.
It was confusing whether he meant it or not.
However, as soon as the Emperor saw the nobles, his face turned solemn as a monarch.
“Bring me the sword.”
The Emperor beckoned the knight who was holding the sword in advance.
The knight politely held out his sword to the Emperor.
“Sir Heint Tria, kneel down.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
For a moment, Heint’s lips twitched, but he desperately kept his face expressionless and knelt down on one knee.
[It seems that he’s going to be appointed as an Imperial Knight in this position?]
Russell, with an intrigued face, approached right next to the Emperor and watched it from the best spot.
The Emperor put the sword on Heint’s left shoulder while holding the sword.
“I appoint you here as an Imperial knight.”
It was a short, but heavy sentence.
And for Lucion, it was also a sentence that turned anxiety into conviction.
‘…Damn it.’
The name Imperial family was absolute.
No matter who it was or whatever the circumstances, as long as it had the name ‘Imperial’, the Imperial family never gave away anything to anyone who didn’t belong to the Imperial family.
But the Emperor was now trying to break the ice.
Why would he appoint Heint as an Imperial knight here today?
“You listen.”
The Emperor spoke.
“From this time onwards, I intend to accept Saint Lucion Cronia as a figure to be protected in the Empire and attach him an Imperial knight.”
At those words, Lucion bit his lips.
But the nobles’ response was different.
The Emperor broke unwritten rules for Lucion.
Soon, the hall became noisy, and the way they looked at Lucion changed again.
Even those who were simply curious showed their desire like thieves who coveted jewelry.
[Heint is definitely not bad. Didn’t you say you wanted to be friends with Heint?]
Lucion clenched his fist at the absurd words.
‘I didn’t say that!’
[By the way, if you have an escort like this, wouldn’t it interfere with your activities?]
Russell, who was vaguely delighted, quickly rolled his tongue and touched his chin.
If there were restrictions on Lucion’s actions, it would be the same for him.
Heint had the power of light, so he wouldn’t be able to teach black magic properly.
“One thing.”
At that moment, an overturning word came from the Emperor.
“Since Lucion Cronia is from the Cronia family of the frontier, we will limit it to the time when Lucion Cronia passes from the frontier to the central and when he returns to the frontier.”
Reckless protection could touch the nerves of the Duke of the frontier, so the Emperor avoided that point and at the same time took the mercy of protecting Lucion even while breaking the unwritten rules.
Lucion straightened his hardened face at that moment.
‘I almost stuck with Heint.’
[That’s a relief.]
Russell also breathed a sigh of relief.
[We’re going to increase the intensity of the training, but we almost couldn’t even start.]
Lucion felt his heart drop at Russell’s terrible words.
‘You’re going to increase the intensity?’
Before coming to the banquet to commemorate the birth of the Divine Beast, he forcibly exhausted the darkness every day for the purpose of training and almost passed out every day.
He would start doing it again.
Lucion fiddled with his fingers and flinched at the Emperor’s gaze staring at him.
For some reason, he was staring with playful eyes.
‘…Ah, I’ll have to ask for something too.’
Lucion came to his senses.
The Imperial family was greatly blessed by the surrender of the Great Light Temple and the birth of a person blessed with a Divine Beast.
On the other hand, Great Light Temple surrendered to the Imperial family, but the power of Great Light Temple itself was strengthened because the explosion incident was covered up and a person who was blessed with Divine Beast appeared.
In the end, they both benefited enormously.
He was the only one who didn’t get anything yet.
“I was told I can tell the Emperor whatever I want, so it’s obvious that I’ll have it.”
He just didn’t want to be a symbol.
He wanted to have something that would actually give him strength.
First, he had to get the right to move the soldiers.
The soldiers were a force.
However, he couldn’t openly demand the right to move the soldiers, so he raised his voice like an aristocrat.
“Your Majesty, I have something to say to you.”
Lucion quietly called the Emperor while the nobles shouted in excitement.
“Say it.”
The Emperor looked with pity at the trembling Lucion.
“I want you to give me strength to protect my beliefs at any time.”
“Is that what you want?”
“Yes, I always want the power to protect myself.”
It was expressed indirectly, but it was a request for the strength to move the soldiers.
“That’s good.”
The Emperor readily agreed.
Lucion had no official position, and all he had was the social power of being the youngest son of the Duke family of the frontier.
But he was special.
This was a natural request because he was special.
“But it’s too small for a favor, so think of something else.”
‘It’s easier than I thought…?’
Lucion’s eyes were wide open.
Lucion said with delight, as he was going to ask again anyway.
“Your Majesty’s heavenly heart touched my heart.”
“Can’t I even do that to my friend’s son?”
The Emperor slipped out the words.
“…What?”
When Lucion asked back in surprise, the Emperor spoke quietly with an apologetic face.
“I apologize late, but I’m sorry to test you and use you as a friend of your father’s.”
The Emperor took the form of an ordinary uncle, not an emperor for a moment.
But that was it.
As if he had said nothing, the Emperor again became emperor and looked down at the nobles.
[…Huh.]
Russell laughed in shock.
Where in the world was there an emperor who was close friends with the family of the frontier?
* * *
“…You were surprised, weren’t you?”
Heint looked at Carson in embarrassment.
It was even more embarrassing because they were on the way back to the villa in the same carriage.
“Who told you to do it?”
Carson asked, resting his chin.
“You were thinking of lowering Cetyl. Of course, I agreed.”
“Be careful not to be swept away.”
There was only one emperor’s seat, but there were six princes and princesses.
Since Heint became an Imperial knight, he couldn’t escape the battle over the emperor’s position.
“I should be.”
Heint laughed hard.
“And I’m just a rock that rolled over, so I have a lot to worry about.”
Heint’s eyes turned to Lucion.
He was groaning in his sleep.
“It’s all thanks to your brother. You’ve got a good younger brother.”
“He grew up well on his own, so of course.”
Carson’s voice contained bitterness.
“By the way, the priest Eol said he found a warlock?”
“Yes. The servant confirmed that he was enchanted by the warlock. His Majesty should have slashed his head.”
“Isn’t that weird? After all, it means there were no dark followers in the hall. The High Priest made such a mistake.”
Heint quietly opened his mouth.
“Anyone can make a mistake.”
“Carson.”
“What?”
“Don’t get me wrong. Listen.”
“Just say it.”
“Is Lucion really a normal person?”
“Yes.”
Carson was annoyed by Heint’s question, but he put up with it.
“Are you suspecting my brother?”
“No, no. That’s definitely not true.”
Heint shook his hand in great confusion.
Lucion couldn’t be a warlock because the High Priest even verified it.
There was only one question.
“Heint.”
“Yes.”
Heint answered Carson’s question with a slight glance.
“From now on, you should be Lucion’s ears.”
“I can do it to some extent, but don’t forget that I have a line to keep. My loyalty has already been devoted to the Imperial family.”
“I don’t mean to force that much either. However, I believe you will keep your faith as a knight.”
Heint fidgeted with his ear at the compulsion wrapped in the word faith.
“It’s hard. Faith and loyalty.”
“Answer me.”
“My answer is obvious.”
“You don’t know the human heart.”
Heint clicked his tongue and frowned.
“All right, I swear here.”
With a stiff face, Heint raised his palm.
“If I, Heint, find out that the Imperial family is putting Lucion in an unreasonable situation, I will inform Carson immediately. Okay?”
“Yes.”
Only then did Carson raise his face.
“Stuck-up bastard.”
Hector looked at his unkind friend with displeasure.
The carriage fell silent again.
‘…That’s weird, by the way.’
Heint fiddled with his hand.
He didn’t know it when he first saw Lucion, but the more he watched, the more he realized that his own light was reacting.
‘Lucion said he was obviously a normal person.’
* * *
A few days later.
“I heard that all those with the last name Fizat were beheaded this morning.”
Carson opened his mouth calmly.
“…Everyone of them?”
Lucion opened his eyes wide while eating macarons wrapped by the chef.
—Ratta too. Ratta too.
Ratta, who had already finished one macaron, shook Lucion with her front feet.
“Honestly, it’s unusual. His Majesty must be very angry.”
Carson himself had never seen such a one-sided trial.
‘I can already feel the power of a saint.’
Lucion mumbled and asked.
“So what happens to their wealth?”
“One-tenth is taken by the Empire. Nine-tenth is yours to own. Your reputation has been tarnished, so it’s consolation money.”
[…What?]
The sudden sound of Russell surprised Lucion.
Even if they were writers, how much would it be if you add up their assets?
Lucion owned a whopping nine-tenth.
“Brother.”
“Yes.”
“Can I spend about two percent of my money on the victims?”
“The document hasn’t come yet, but it’s your property from now on, so do as you please.”
Carson looked at Lucion with a proud face.
[Well, well, that’s the right thing to do, but Lucion, you’re not really going to be a saint, are you?]
Lucion shook his head lightly at Russell’s words.
He didn’t do it because of the title of Saint.
It was just an act because he had enough room to take 2 off.
Then, the carriage stopped.
“I think we’ve arrived, so get off.”
Carson first got off the carriage and looked around, then said so.
Previously, Lucion had a carriage accident while stopping by the Fizat family’s business.
It could happen again, so he brought knights.
Instead, he spread them around without being noticed by Lucion.
Lucion got out of the carriage and looked at the blazing sun.
He thought it had been a long time.
As Russell said for the past few days, he had suffered so much that he couldn’t even eat a porridge properly.
‘Whoa…’
Lucion looked at the workplace the size of a mansion.
‘It’s more like a factory complex than a business establishment.’
Just by looking at the size, Lucion was overwhelmed.
Carson said the Fizat family made profits in a short period of time by making fake items that looked like real items.
It was mainly a type of precious metal and accessories that the nobles liked.
Not only that, he said that he found traces of selling high-quality mana stones by exchanging them for defective mana stones.
‘If you dusted it off for a second and this much came out, that means you still have more to dust off, right?’
Since fraud was revealed, the workplace had lost its value.
If Carson hadn’t been asked to investigate, it would have been used as a dumpster.
Now, what was useful here was a secret safe hidden somewhere in this workplace.
A great detector called Teacher.
And there was an excavator and a well-grounded Hume.
‘It’s a perfect day to rob a secret safe.’
Lucion swallowed a continuous giggle.
[…Hold on, Lucion.]
Russell suddenly looked at the site with a serious look on his face.
[Aren’t there knights of death roaming over there?]