203 The impact of Tris Hornsby was great.
Although there were no physical injuries, it took three days before I was able to move my body properly.
Moreover, I needed another week before I could resume training and rekindle my fighting spirit for that unknown method.
A superhuman who calmly uses unprecedented techniques.
‘It’s definitely stronger than Master. That too is more than one number different.’
I couldn’t help but have dark thoughts.
If what he felt was accurate, he was a superman nearing the end of his life.
Nevertheless, I was shocked that he showed such power, and my fear grew because, according to his words, there were four more such superhumans in the empire alone.
– If you want to learn, come to the Empire.
Moreover, those last words pulled at my soul more powerfully than any other temptation the emperor had ever uttered.
But…
‘I can overcome it.’ Someday.’
The shocking method shown by the Continent First Sword clearly presented the direction in which he should grow in the future.
Because of that, he was able to overcome the shock and shake off temptation and lingering regrets.
‘certainly!’
With that thought alone, Logan resumed his training at the villa.
‘Proper awakening occurs after leaving the ecliptic. Now…’
After that, Logan stepped out of the villa for the first time only after the deadline he had promised with the emperor had passed.
The end of the spring festival.
To tell the emperor that he would return to his kingdom.
“Please tell me.”
Logan raised his red eyes and looked at the door engraved with a golden dragon.
There was a final hurdle to overcome before leaving the imperial capital.
“This is Lord Logan of Grandia.”
– Come on in.
I’m sorry.
It was the moment to face the emperor again.
“Meet Your Majesty the Emperor.”
The pressure from the emperor, whom I met after three weeks in the emperor’s office, was still there.
The strange light shining from his black eyes still made me uneasy, and the expression on his face that rarely revealed his thoughts only added to that feeling of uneasiness.
“Hmm. It’s been a while, Logan. So did you receive my gift?”
gift.
I’m talking about Tris Hornsby’s blow.
Logan smiled bitterly without realizing it.
“Yes. Thank you for your help.”
The emperor smiled at Logan’s answer.
“Tris said she was impressed by you again. So have you changed your mind?”
Impressive.
‘That’s an undeserved evaluation.’
Logan felt bitter for a moment when he remembered the hideous behavior of that time, but the answer came without delay.
“Your Majesty. Thank you for your undeserved evaluation. And I am also sorry. I would like to remain a subject of Grandia. I have come to tell you that the festival period is over today, so I will return to the kingdom.”
“Hmm…?”
The emperor smiled vaguely at that firm answer.
Then he said what Logan had been worried about.
“Do you know? I have never once in my life given up on something I want.”
It means I will never let you go.
Logan’s face hardened at the worst reaction he expected.
However, since we cannot respond to the emperor’s coercion, we have no choice but to take a hard line.
“…If you do that, the only thing you will get is my death.”
“Hehehe. Will you risk death? Does your king mean that much to you? You don’t seem like the kind of person who would be that loyal to someone?”
It was unclear what the emperor’s judgment was based on, but it hit the point.
Seeing Logan flinch, the Emperor smiled again.
“So tell me what you want. Whatever you want, I will give you more in return. What your king and your kingdom can never give.”
The ruler in front of me certainly seemed to have strange magical powers.
It was enough to make even Logan, who came with a firm decision, start to think about what might happen.
However, Logan shook off his meaningless regret and once again firmly conveyed his intentions.
“I just want to be free, Your Majesty.”
“Freedom? Not loyalty to the kingdom?”
Empty words cannot persuade this firm-eyed ruler.
Eyes with a strange radiance seemed to penetrate the human heart, and the greed contained within them did not know how to give up.
Therefore, Logan had no choice but to reveal part of his true feelings.
“My king cannot force me. But his majesty is different. That is why I cannot remain in the empire.”
“What? Hahahahaha! So, since your king can do whatever he wants, you’ll stay in the kingdom? Are you saying that in your right mind?”
“Yes that’s right.”
“Puhahahaha! This guy is funnier than I thought. Hahahaha, this is crazy…”
The emperor’s laughter echoed in the office for a long time, wondering what was so funny.
It wasn’t until Logan, who bowed his head, and the superhuman who was guarding the emperor’s back, tilted their heads that the emperor’s laughter stopped.
And then, completely unexpected words came out of the emperor’s mouth, the corners of his mouth rising.
“Okay, fine. I’ll send it to you!”
The declaration of giving up came easier than expected.
Logan was surprised and delighted at this, but the Emperor immediately added another word.
“But it just doesn’t work.”
Logan felt a slight sense of anxiety at the grinning face, but he could not help but nod despite his laughter at the Emperor’s next words.
* * * The Emperor literally did not let Logan go.
– I can’t be told that I was rude to my guest. I prepared a small gift.
And the meager gifts sent by the emperor were more than all the gifts from the nobles that had accumulated in the villa up to that time combined.
The various jewels and goods were enough to fill five quadruple carriages, a value that easily exceeded the entire wealth of the small and medium-sized nobles of the empire.
In the end, Logan and his party had to leave the imperial capital on horses instead of carriages, transporting five quadruple carriages full of wealth like guards.
That alone was enough to cause an uproar throughout the empire, but what became even more of a hot topic among the empire’s nobles was the artifact ‘God’s Pauldrons’ given to Logan personally.
His Majesty the Emperor presented a sphere-shaped artifact to a guest of Grandia.
The reason why the shoulder armor with its strange golden patterns became a hot topic was because of the emperor’s intention rather than its value.
It is a widely known fact within the empire that the emperor only grants weapons to knights he really cares about.
The kingdom’s envoy received great favor from the emperor.
So it was not strange that these rumors spread quickly from the imperial capital to the entire empire.
Thanks to this, Logan couldn’t help but frown from the first day he left the imperial capital.
“I caused trouble in many ways. That guy…”
“Are you afraid he might be robbed?”
Eat.
Words that can’t help but make both the speaker and the listener laugh.
A robber who would attack a moving group of auror users and knights would be just an idiot.
“The problem is going back with rumors like this.”
“yes?”
Logan added an explanation to Victor’s puzzled question.
“I received so much wealth, and even received symbolic treasures, that anyone would think I am close to the emperor.”
“What does that matter?”
“I created a fight. There will be people who think it’s right and will attack me.”
“Huh? Who in Grandia dares to antagonize the lord…?”
King.
Logan, who couldn’t bring himself to say that, just asked with a bitter smile.
Of course, the emperor’s pranks were difficult, but the gains from going to the empire were greater than the problems caused by them, so it was funny to just complain.
‘Just seeing the emperor in person and knowing that such a superhuman exists was worth coming to the empire.’
The emperor still seems huge, and he is a superman with overwhelming skills who uses unimaginable techniques.
Seeing and feeling those beings in person was an irreplaceable and valuable experience for Logan, who would have to deal with them in the future.
Plus, a treasure I got as a bonus.
Ugh.
The artifact that the emperor named God’s Pauldrons radiated its presence from the shoulder.
– It is a weapon that cannot be broken by auras. Something solid is everything, but for you, who will soon become a superhuman, this type of weapon would be much better than a flimsy artifact.
An item that even the emperor handed over with such an explanation.
However, it was an item that felt familiar to Logan from the moment he received it.
A feeling that something much bigger is hidden beyond the seemingly feeble mana.
It was the same feeling as when I first held the Wind God’s Boots obtained from Bipros and the artifact called Gauntlets of Superpower obtained from Crowne.
‘I never thought I would get something like this like this.’
The result of injecting the Force immediately after leaving the ecliptic.
As expected, the pauldrons, which had absorbed a tremendous amount of his force, revealed their abilities through the returned force.
‘Enhanced durability and increased recovery. Class 4 shield magic and even self-restoration.’
There are already three special artifacts that react only to one’s force and now feel like a strange connection.
What made it even more special was that not even the emperor recognized its value, let alone Biphros or the Crowne.
Of course, unlike the previously neglected items, this one was recognized as a high-value artifact simply because it withstood the aura, but…
‘Are there more artifacts like this? If so, why only to me…?’
We don’t know yet, but since it’s not a bad thing, Logan willingly wears the new armor.
And the rewards obtained from this trip to the empire were not only information about the emperor and superhumans, and artifacts.
Ugh.
Golden auspicious light blooming from your fingertips.
The strength you will gain from now on will be the biggest key to navigating the future and withstanding the enormous power experienced by the empire.
“Lord Luther, please escort me for a moment.”
“Hmm? Suddenly?”
“I think I’ll be able to show you something fun soon.”
When Logan raised his fingertip and showed the light of an Auror, Luthor understood what he meant and his eyes widened.
“You… really? Already?”
Logan simply nodded at those words, many of which were omitted.
The group decided to camp unusually early on the evening of the first day after leaving the ecliptic.
* * *
“Your Majesty, was it necessary for you to do that?”
The place where Logan left.
A voice suddenly heard from the empty space of an empty office.
However, neither Leonard, the emperor’s guardian knight, nor the emperor was surprised.
“Do you think it’s excessive?”
An invisible person responded to the emperor’s grinning voice.
“The wealth given is not that great, but I think it was a bit excessive to give an intangible artifact. Isn’t there an image that His Majesty has built up? Even though the artifact is of little use, it seems like he showed excessive favor to a knight from a foreign country. I would like to.”
A person who criticizes the emperor’s actions.
It was a sight rarely seen by subjects of the empire, but the emperor did not seem particularly displeased.
“It’s not excessive. I’m only in my early 20s, and the power of being a superhuman is powerless, but the spirit of provoking me in the middle of the imperial palace is more valuable. If I want to break that will and make him come to me someday, I have to invest that much. I’m trying to let the world know. I’m this guy. “I added it to my wish list.”
“…He may eventually reject His Majesty and become hostile to the Empire.”
“Then all you have to do is go and destroy it then.”
His expression was relaxed, as if showing that the emperor’s thoughts were clearly different from the world’s.
but.
“…It seems that His Highness the Second Prince is working on Grandia. Considering his tendencies, I am concerned that the probability of hostility against him will increase.”
At the next words, the emperor also tilted his head.
“Baros? “That child?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“Hmm. Well, that would be fun too.”
“Are you just going to wait and see?”
The emperor with a faint smile answered in a calm tone.
“When young talents compete with each other, they grow in some way. Just leave it to its own devices. But tell Logan to try to placate him as much as possible.”
“… I understand.”
