Chapter 173. I think I’ll kiss you right away2021.09.28.
The fifteen-year-old Emperor’s day begins early in the morning. 6 o’clock in the morning. Mabel woke up before the light of the sun had fully taken root on the ground, and struggled to get up.
“Ugh. I’m sleepy…”
Because I couldn’t finish the rush of work in time, I was so tired yesterday that I brought documents to my bedroom until dawn and fell asleep. Papers were strewn all over the bed in the blurred vision. Mabel raised her upper body, closed her eyes, and dozed off. Aidan, the 1st escort knight, entered through the balcony and approached Mabel after closing the door.
“your majesty.”
“Yeah…”
“Mabel.”
“Five minutes…”
Mabel groaned and leaned her face on one of Aidan’s legs. It was a normal routine, but it was a struggle to sleep that tested Aidan’s patience every time. phew. Aidan let out a short sigh and waited for the five minutes to pass. No, in fact, I didn’t know that I didn’t want it to pass. Exactly five minutes later, Aidan carefully grabbed Mabel by the shoulder.
“your majesty.”
“woke up. Woke up.”
Hmm. Mabel gave a small yawn and stumbled up from the bed. Since he was still awake from sleep, Aidan stuck close to Mabel and grabbed him whenever he stumbled. It was a look full of loopholes in Mabel that only Aidan could see.
“Whoa!”
After briefly washing her face with the water Xavier had prepared in advance, Mabel woke up. Mabel let out a deep sigh with her eyes widened even more. It’s been a while since the day started, and already my whole body has melted.
“Is it a meeting in the morning?”
“Your Majesty.”
“Ugh. I really hate it. That’s why I said I didn’t want to be emperor.”
But that word has already been 4 years. Mabel was performing her role as an emperor better than anyone else.
“Oh world. Ehh world…”
Although his mouth was full of complaints, his body was steady. It was the time when she left her bedroom to refine her clothes, lamenting her life like a village grandmother.
“…!”
For a moment, Mabel doubted whether the sun had risen above the ground. That was also true, since the brilliant golden angel was right in front of his eyes.
“Good morning, Your Majesty.”
Mabel rubbed her eyes at the sweet and kind voice.
“…Enrique?”
Enrique was there.
***
About a month ago. The army of Ermano, led by Enrique Xavier’s knights, entered the mouth of the Rimich Mountains. This mission was simple. The number of low-level demon beasts, which started breeding in the spring, increased and began to attack nearby villages. It was their mission to defeat the demons of the mountain range so that they could no longer harm the people. From the beginning of the mountain range, ten monsters attacked the soldiers. If it was like this from the beginning, how many monsters were swarming deep in the mountain range?
“It’s strange. The numbers are particularly staggering this year?”
“It’s wrong to go home early…”
All the soldiers expected a tremendous forced march. Everyone expected it to take at least a week. Nelux, the leader of the 4th Knights who led the soldiers, encouraged the morale of his subordinates.
“Finish quickly, come back quickly! Move fast!”
“yes!”
“The answer is small!”
“Yeah!”
“Bigger!”
“Yeah!!”
No, in fact, it was not an encouragement, but an intimidation…. Thus, the soldiers of Ermano, including the 4th Knights, began to break through the Rimich Mountains at full speed. The mountain was not steep, so the march was not difficult, but it was difficult to advance because there were so many monsters. While everyone was struggling, there was someone who cleared the way by defeating the demons without difficulty. Enrique Javier. Every time he raised his sword, the brilliant traces of his sword drew the air beautifully.
“Queeek!”
“Kuwoeouk!”
The Demon Beasts, who lacked intelligence, screamed and died. Even the veteran knights admired Enrique’s clean swordsmanship, which aimed only at vital points, no more and no less.
“I heard that Prince Oscar and his swordsman classmate are excellent as expected.”
“You’re 20, but at that level, I’m looking forward to how strong you will become in the future.”
Thanks to Enrique’s performance, the subjugation party, which had been struggling, was able to dig into the deepest part of the mountain range at once. The soldier who followed the traces of the beasts found a beast the size of a house. A snake-like mid-level Demonic Beast was coiled around it.
“All troops are ready for battle!”
Even while the soldiers were arranging their battle lines, the snake demon remained coiled and did not move. Enrique’s eyes wrapped around the sword suddenly went somewhere.
‘What is that?’
A mid-level monster was covering something. At first glance, I couldn’t tell what it was, but I could figure out that it was a black sphere.
“Attack!”
A fierce offensive was launched at the command of the Knight Commander, Nelux.
“Kieh!”
The witch howled. But what was strange was the fact that even though the skin was torn and the flesh was cut off, the snake demon did not resist. Why don’t you untie the coil? In order to resolve the question, he had to cut off the breath of the snake master. However, the place where the beast’s heart was located was surrounded by the innermost hard scales of the coil, so it was not easy to stab. Soon Nelux summoned Enrique.
“Sir Javier. Do you still have any energy left?”
“You can only land one blow.”
“One time.”
After thinking for a moment, Nelux nodded.
“If you do, you will attack. Gotta stab him right through the heart. can you do it?”
The eyes of the other knights and soldiers turned to Enrique. It’s a lie if it’s not burdensome. Enrique was always uncomfortable and uncomfortable with the expectant gaze.
“You can.”
Enrique gripped his sword. It has already been more than four years since he freed himself from the responsibility that bound him. Now everything is your own choice. He stood in front of a monster much bigger than himself. The place where the heart was located was at a height that could only be reached by leaping. In addition, the other tails that were wrapped in layers had to be cut off at once. Difficulty was high. That’s why I felt a sense of triumph. Enrique, who made an honest leap with an honest basic posture as he had learned from his teacher Lisandro, swung his sword at will. Kwagwagwa-! The condensed sword energy split the demon beast.
“Eh!”
Even as the Witchbeast struggled, it began to twist its coils even more strongly. As the sword’s energy penetrated the heart, its power gradually weakened. And, of course, right before the heart, the sword energy disappeared. fault-! Backing away, Enrique exhaled heavily and frowned.
‘It’s a big deal.’
It failed to completely destroy the heart. One attack had already run out of energy.
“Elimination failed!”
Calling someone else was the wisest course of action. Just when Enrique made that decision, he raised his head. Bang bang bang! All sides shuddered, and the monsters of the mountain range rushed toward the subjugation party all at once.
“What is this all of a sudden?!”
“So many!”
“Deploy the entire defense formation!”
The other knights were in a hurry to block the demon beasts that had gathered. No one paid attention to Enrique and the mid-level beasts. I kept losing strength in my hands. Enrique gripped his sword and stared straight ahead again. In an instant, the snake’s eyes met. I could tell by intuition.
‘It’s you. I called the demons.’
In order to end this situation, there was no choice but to defeat the snake demon. I had already used up all my energy, but I had to attack again. Still, it wasn’t the worst case because the opponent couldn’t counterattack. Eventually, Enrique’s sword became weak.
“Keuuu…”
While groaning at the pain that squeezed his entire body, Enrique leaped once again and swung his sword. wickedness-! This time it hit. Enrique’s sword cut right through the heart.
“Keeeaek-!”
With a scream of death, the breath of the snake master finally stopped.
“…Whew.”
Enrique, who landed on the beast’s torso, took heavy steps to confirm what the beast wanted to protect so much. There was really something in the middle of the limp body.
‘That one?’
Inside the coil was an essence that radiated black energy.
‘Did that stone promote the breeding of the Demon Beast and invite the Demon Beast?’
. . . 3 days. It was the end of the subjugation, which was expected to take a week. The first contributor to the shortening of the mission was, of course, Enrique Javier. After returning to the nearby village, Nelux, the commander of the knights, summoned him.
“Did you call?”
“Sir Javier.”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Your contribution to the demon subjugation this time was quite great. You know that.”
“It’s an overstatement.”
“Actually, I knew. That you wake up earlier than anyone else every morning and train.”
“…have you seen it?”
“There must be a reason why you want to become stronger than anyone else.”
Enrique remembered someone’s face and then clenched his fists.
“That’s right.”
“But what are you doing now?”
“yes?”
“Aren’t you confident in your own strength yet?”
“I think it is still lacking.”
“You lack resolution.”
“…Is that so?”
“okay. If I had been greedy for promotion, I would not have joined the 4th Knights.”
It felt like I was hearing my true feelings. True to Nelux, Enrique never tried to get promoted. Just by swinging the sword, he suddenly became a member of the 4th Knights.
“First, aim for a high place. Lord Javier, the 4th Knights are too small to hold you.”
“…It’s not like that.”
“It is not so. tell me where do you want If it is my recommendation, you will be able to rise to any position.”
It was an unconventional proposal. Seriously, he wanted Enrique to achieve what he wanted. Enrique, who was about to refuse as usual, shut his mouth again. And I thought for a second.
“Is your answer late?”
Only then did Enrique’s lips fall as Nelux urged.
“Then…”
“Yes.”
“Please appoint me as an escort for His Majesty the Emperor of the 1st Knights.”
Nelux was a little surprised.
“His Majesty’s escort?”
“yes.”
If you want something, get it with all your might. Following Nelux’s words, Enrique decided to show his greed.
***
“Why is Enrique here?”
When I looked at Enrique and opened my mouth, he got down on one knee and paid respect.
“God Enrique Javier. As of today, I have been ordered to serve as an escort for His Majesty the Emperor.”
Come to think of it, I remembered hearing from Lisandro that a new escort was coming today. But that was Enrique.
‘The competition must have been fierce, but how did I break through?’
The absurd imperial contact prohibition law was still in existence. Therefore, in order to shake my hand, I had to pay a fine, but my escorts and my attendants and maids were exempted. Because of that, escort jobs were very popular.
“Was it my escort job to change positions on Oscar’s birthday?”
“yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me then?”
“I wanted to see you surprised.”
What do you mean? Does that mean you want to make fun of me? I couldn’t understand the meaning, but there was nothing wrong with Enrique being an escort anyway.
“Wake up, Enrique.”
“I follow Your Majesty’s orders.”
Enrique stood up. Unlike Aidan, the first escort, he wouldn’t be able to meet Enrique, the alternate escort, every day, but he was happy that he could meet more often than before.
“Please take good care of me in the future, Enrique.”
“It is nothing but an honor.”
Enrique responded with a smile as warm as sunlight.
***
…I thought it was such a warm welcome to Enrique, the new escort. I put my hand on my waist and stared alternately at the two men following me.
“Aidan. Enrique.”
“Your Majesty.”
“….”
Enrique responded kindly to my name, while Aidan was silent. Looking at the two of them, it seemed that they didn’t know why I was so uncomfortable.
‘What the hell is wrong?’
It was only 3 hours. The time Enrique was with us as an escort. But I don’t know how many times those two men glared at each other during that time. Even the servants of the palace who passed by that bloody spirit were afraid to walk away. Since I was the only one who could stop Aidan, I was the only one who could mediate the situation. I grabbed the two young men’s hands, recalling the memory of my part-time job at the Kids Cafe.
“You should get along well, stare at each other, then you can’t. okay?”
And they put their hands on each other.
“Let’s shake hands of reconciliation.”
“….”
“..”
The two looked at each other sharply, but their hands did not move. In the end, I had no choice but to take out my trump card.
“Hwangmyeong.”
Geek. They raised their hands like broken machines. shake. As a courtesy, I shook it a couple of times. fault-. They shook each other’s hands as if they had touched the dirtiest thing in the world.
‘Oh my gosh.’
I touched my forehead. I couldn’t think of a way to make these two men like water and oil get along.
‘What was it like when you were younger?’
When they were young, the two rarely clashed, so I knew they were face to face, but I didn’t expect them to be hostile to this extent. Aidan was the quiet one and was mostly around, but I was the one who talked to Enrique. I couldn’t think of a way to make 20-year-old men friendly, as would be the case with a child. I felt a little feverish from the stuffiness.
“I think I’ll ask you to kiss me.”
Huh, I thought about it, but it just came out of my mouth.
“…!”
The two people who heard me looked back at me with tired faces, as if they had heard what they couldn’t hear.
