< Return of the Duke (3) >
“Yes, I am a disciple. haha.”
Sang-woo also knew that since Raven talked about how he had never taken on a real student in his entire life.
That’s why I understood the shocked expression Count Palantos was showing.
‘Does it feel like a celebrity has announced that they have a hidden child? Well, even I would be shocked if my favorite celebrity spoke like that.’
It is a rough guess by comparing the feeling from his position to the earth.
However, it was very different from what Sang-woo had guessed.
-As expected… So, because I was a disciple of Duke Raven, reports came up that I was at the level of a grand master.
Earl Palantos looked at Raven with a look of admiration as if he were Raven.
The appearance of a middle-aged man who looked much older than Raven was so cute (?).
‘But it’s true that I became stronger because of Master, but the reason I became really strong is because of my alter egos…’
Strangely, Count Palantos didn’t seem to have much interest in the other alter egos sitting side by side next to Sang Woo in the reception room.
‘Ugh… I want to brag…’
‘This is my alter ego, and my alter ego is so good!’ Sang-woo was itching to say that.
After that, Count Palantos’ good words (read as worship) for Raven came and went.
Raven got to the point.
-Anyway, how is the situation in the Urencia Empire right now? It’s been 30 years, so I don’t know what the situation is like now.
Earl Palantos became serious again at those words.
-If you are referring to the situation of the Urencia Empire, are you referring to the charter side? Or the superiors? Ah, you must also be curious about the Raven duchy.
– I’m curious about everything. tell me
As Raven urged, Count Palantos nodded.
-great. However, the story is going to be long, so please wait for a moment.
Count Palantos called the old butler who was waiting outside the guest room.
– Regarding the Noven banquet and rest, we will proceed as we discussed earlier. Instead, deliver it to Breman.
“Yes, I understand.”
The Count suddenly asks to proceed with the banquet.
‘Why a banquet in the middle of a war?’
When Sang-woo tilted his head at this thought, the count caught that expression and replied with a smile.
-You look curious about why you are suddenly holding a banquet.
“Ah yes. that’s right.”
Sang-woo, who was caught, scratched the back of his head as if embarrassed.
-Haha It is a kind of reward given to soldiers.
Sang-woo did the work, so why give rewards to the soldiers?
Sang-woo’s question was immediately resolved.
-Thanks to Jeong Sang-woo, the monster wave has been sorted out to some extent, so it’s time to give the soldiers a break until the next wave arrives. Soldiers are people too.
“Ah…”
In fact, the monster wave never stopped, so the soldiers couldn’t rest properly, and they fought 365 days a year for decades.
A young soldier appeared to defend against the monsters beyond the barrier, and then his son grew up and assumed the responsibility of defending the barrier again.
People who grew up watching only the red and blue bloodstains and intestines of monsters for decades.
If it had not been for this opportunity to rest, everyone would have gone mad right away.
-Anyway, this was the reason, so let’s get to the main point.
-Tell me right away.
Raven urged.
The Count glanced at the entrance to the reception room to see if anyone was listening, then opened his mouth.
– Now the wire has been stuck for decades.
– That’s what I expected.
-yes. There have been several attempts to widen the frontline outside the barrier. However, since the monster wave is almost infinite, it was absolutely impossible with limited troops.
– That’s right. We have already come to the same conclusion. That’s why I decided not to organize a separate expedition, but to focus on defense inside the barrier and strengthen my inner strength
.
And at that, Count Palantos brought his body closer to Raven and said quietly.
– The reason is a political fight.
-what?
– The forces opposing the current Emperor of Urencia were purged through the expedition.
Yes.
The reason why the expedition operation, which seemed to have no chance of winning, was carried out.
The emperor included the forces against his will in the expedition and blew them away.
-Emperor of Urencia… Could it be that he is the ‘person’ I know?
Raven asked quietly.
-You are right. He is the one who has been the emperor since the duke disappeared.
-Hmm….
Raven swallowed the silence at Count Palantos’ answer.
Emperor of Urencia.
His real name is Barteyn Urencia VII, and since previous emperors were called Urencia emperors, he was also called the Urencia emperor.
He was a young emperor who ascended the throne around the time Raven was hailed as a hero within the Urencia Empire with the title of Guardian Sword of the Empire.
He was a teenager at the time, so he is now in his 50s or 60s.
And the emperor in Raven’s memory was always a weak and weak-willed person.
-How is the emperor?
Still, Raven thought that there was no way that a person would not change in 10 years, even though mountains and rivers change.
He asked, just in case.
What came back was a negative answer.
-…same as before. You’re indecisive and don’t have much interest in the political situation…
-…So you’re saying River is still leading the political situation?
Raven asked, recalling the last political situation he remembered.
A genius River from Earth.
A genius of the century who acquired the power of an archmage in just a few years.
Afterwards, using that ability, despite being a foreigner, he was favored by Yurenshi and the emperor, and eventually exercised power to the point of being close to a regent.
In the form of always sticking by the emperor’s side and conveying the emperor’s words on behalf of the country’s great and small affairs.
Of course, River’s strange ability to manipulate people like limbs also played a role.
In the end, the fact was dissatisfied, and the dragons and heroes who felt a sense of crisis formed the last death squad to check and remove the river, and eventually all died down in the face of ‘Black Friday’.
‘Perhaps nobody knows about it.’
At that time, the operation quietly led Reaver to the ‘Contaminated Blue Forest’ where the Tibern portal was located, so except for a few heroes and officials, the general public would not have known that Reaver was the culprit.
-That’s not it. River-sama has retired as a court mage.
– Retirement… What does that mean?
Raven asked in surprise.
The mighty person who holds both power and power in his hands retires?
He was only curious because none of the villains he knew hated power.
-yes. It’s been decades since I left everything behind. It was probably not long after Black Friday.
– Hmmm…
– It was a hot topic at the time. Almost like an emperor… Hmmm, please pretend I didn’t hear that.
– I understand.
-Anyway, that person retired. So there were a lot of words. After the heroes died on Black Friday, they felt skeptical about their lives, or that they had a fatal disease that even the Archmage could not cure, or that they returned to Earth, which was the original world.
-I see…
-Especially because there were rumors that the culprit of Black Friday was because of Mr. River… Maybe that’s why he retired because of the psychological burden and responsibility.
Count Palantos also seemed to have a good opinion of River, and whenever he called him, he said ‘Liver-sama’ and said the best he could.
“uh? But River is a bad bird…”
So Sang-woo felt something strange and tried to point it out, but Raven next to him stopped him.
-stop. There are circumstances, so I’ll tell you later.
“Hmm… yes.”
Sang-woo was puzzled, but soon said, ‘Master must have a reason.’ I thought and stopped talking.
-Anyway, I understand the situation to some extent. The Emperor of Urencia is still in power… there must be a lot of talk.
-yes. Because you’re not interested in politics… Rumors aren’t good either.
Since ancient times, if you want to become a wise king, you must stay away from chasing cinnamon.
However, the current Emperor of Urencia has long been interested in cinnamon since he was young.
This happened while River became friendly with the current emperor after becoming a court wizard.
Because of this, Raven hadn’t quite liked the current emperor since before.
In the midst of wartime, the emperor, who grew up only in a warm imperial family and never experienced war, always sought only alcohol and women.
-Hmm… Then, is the reason why Jungkook is confused is because of the opposing forces?
-yes. There is that, but the problem is that the current emperor’s condition is not good.
-Are you in poor health?
-yes. Recently, I heard that you have been lying in a hospital bed.
-I see… After all, he must be fighting for the succession.
-That’s right.
Perhaps, fierce political maneuvering and power struggles are taking place to aim for the next emperor.
– It’s been a wartime situation for decades, and the top line hasn’t been stable, so there’s bound to be a problem.
Count Palantos said as if he was worried.
– I admit it. I’ll have to go to the imperial palace soon…
Raven nodded as if she had something to do.
Count Hana Palantos cautiously opened his mouth as if he had more to say.
-But, Duke. Shouldn’t you go to the Raven duchy first?…
-Of course you have to. Why? Are there any problems there?
Earl Palantos, who was hesitant at those words, sighed deeply before replying.
– Rather than a problem, in fact, since the Duke disappeared, a new person has been in the Duke’s position for quite some time. So I wondered if that would be a problem…
Raven quietly nodded at that cautious comment.
– It was somewhat expected. ‘Cause it’s been a long time Everyone will only think I’m dead. Rather, it is a good thing that the new duke has become the head of the household.
-Still, shouldn’t the duke’s seat be regained?
Count Palantos said he was sorry.
But Raven shook his head.
– It’s okay. Rather, who is the head of the Raven Duke family now?
-This is Duke Nigel Raven.
Nigel Raven.
Raven, no, he was Raven’s younger brother, whose real name was Kaizel Raven.
-As expected, Nigel became a duke. Great.
Nigel, the younger brother who was always overshadowed by the super-genius Raven and never saw the light of day.
When he could not overcome his brother with the sword, he turned his attention to administration and learning, saying he would support his brother, and was a competent person who was responsible for the big and small affairs of the family.
-Then there must be no problem with the current Raven duchy?
Raven, relieved to hear that Nigel was a duke, asked back.
However, Count Palantos’ expression was not good.
-That’s… I heard that the situation is not good.
-What are you talking about?
-From what I’ve heard, it’s not good because of the monster wave.
– Monster wave? The Raven Duchy would be free from the wave because it was the capital, but what does that mean?
At those words, Count Palantos shook his head.
– It’s been a long time since the dukedom was pushed from the capital to the outskirts. Currently, the eastern Sardubang region is the current Raven Duchy.
-Chardes room? You mean the battlefield?
Chardebang, a fertile land that was originally famous as the largest granary of the Urencia Empire.
However, at the beginning of the war with Cranid, the dragon’s barrier could not completely cover that wide area.
In the end, it has long been trampled by monsters and devastated by various magic and fire, and has now turned into a deserted land of death.
In other words, it was a border line far from the capital.
It was in that state before Raven fell to Earth, so the current situation shouldn’t be much different.
-yes. I don’t know exactly why I was pushed out… Anyway, I heard that the dukedom has been on the decline since it was pushed out.
-Umm…
Raven swallowed the silence.
He seemed shocked to learn that the hometown he knew had changed.
However, he quickly recovered his complexion and jumped up from his seat.
-I’m sorry about this. I guess I should go to the Raven duchy.
– Oh, I see. Then we will prepare the griffin.
– No. Because it’s faster to go directly. My disciple, let’s go.
“yes? yes.”
Sang-woo, who had been listening to the conversation, got up from the hard sofa.
The alter egos that rise with him.
They left the reception room and came out of the castle.
-Thank you for the nice talk. Count Palantos.
-no. It is an honor to meet you. Duke Raven.
-Duke Raven… not anymore. my brother is a duke Anyway, thank you. then i will go
Raven said goodbye.
He spurred the ground straight away and launched himself.
Pod!
Raven soars into the sky like a bullet.
His legs carried the energy of Windwork’s wind.
At the same time, Sang-woo and his clones also kicked the ground.
fault! fault! fault! fault!
Sang-woo and his alter egos fly after Raven.
Seeing this, Count Palantos opened his mouth wide.
-What the heck…
I haven’t even heard of a hero who flies in the sky among grand masters.
Surprised, I just stared at them, who had become dots in the sky, as if I had forgotten that they were still using the translation magic.
In the meantime, Sang-woo and his friends are flying in the sky.
Sang-woo asked Raven.
-But Master Shardbang? It’s okay to go there.
Sang-woo communicates with telepathic skills because he is moving at high speed.
To this, Raven answered with a simultaneity.
-right. I’m trying to go to the Raven duchy.
– But do you know where to go?
-I do not know.
-yes? Then how are you going?
-This is the county of Palantos, so it’s the southern region. Also, since the Chardebains area is located in the east, the answer will come if you move in the northeast direction.
– Hmm… It’s ambiguous.
The navigation app on the smart goggles that Sang-woo always uses when moving also couldn’t confirm the GPS location, perhaps because there was no satellite base station in the new area.
That’s why Sang-woo was worried that he might get lost on the road.
Was it one rain?
Because of Sangwoo and Raven’s speed and moving while checking the ground from the sky, they were able to arrive at the Chardebang area in no time.
How did you know it was in the Chardebains area?
Kiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Kuewewe Ee-e- !!!
Because there were ruthless monsters rushing around the barrier.
< Return of the Duke (3) > End
