616. [Side Story] Last festival (6)
“It’s not a bad festival.”
Suddenly, I heard a voice behind me, and when I turned around, it was my father.
The horrified spectators rose from their seats. The emperor washed his hands to dry.
“Don’t worry, enjoy it. I came to chat with my son for a while.”
No, I’d like to say that’s what it says…
Emperor, even if you go around saying that you are lax and comfortable, not only do you know that the best security agents are all around you, but you are a natural strongman yourself.
It’s not just a matter of status, but here on the front line, where strong people from all over the world gather… Just the spirit that can’t be hidden creates tension around.
The heroes around me, who became uncomfortable with themselves, retreated and the seats around me became empty.
And the emperor, a human being born that way, didn’t care whether others were uncomfortable or not, and stuck close to me. My pace like an emperor.
“Is it the turn of the Glory Knights next?”
“That’s right.”
“Did you say hello to Hecate? Wasn’t that your classmate in school?”
“As you know, my memory is not perfect…”
I hesitated and pointed to my own head, and the emperor let out a carefree voice like ahhh.
“The Glory Nights… are poor children.”
I suddenly spit out those words to the five Glory Knights entering the arena.
I was puzzled and narrowed my brows. Do you feel sorry for your own personal guards?
“Probably won’t last long.”
“Can’t you last long?”
Is it a martial arts competition? I did but it wasn’t
“It is literally. Those knights who were like my limbs will die soon. no.”
The emperor continued to pour out words that were difficult to understand.
“It will ‘stop’ soon.”
“…?”
to stop
As if the machine broke down and stopped. why do you say that
“It was Hecate who first asked to be sent to the front here. And the knights under his command also agreed.”
“…”
“If it’s over soon anyway… He said he wants to ‘stop’ here. So I brought him to grant that wish.”
The emperor laughed bitterly.
“We are loyal warriors who have dedicated their lives to our country and the empire, so can you not listen to one last request like that?”
I didn’t have a chance to meet the Glory Knights in the game, so I was completely ignorant of them.
so i couldn’t figure it out I asked urgently.
“Stop, what is that…”
Waaaaa!
At that time, cheers erupted from the audience watching the game, blocking the conversation with the emperor.
Looking at the stadium, the game was already over.
The opponents of the Glory Knights were five young mercenaries.
It was a party made up of young wizards, young elementalists, and young warriors who were active all over the frontlines.
Those five children, although young, were mercenaries who fought on the monster front. He was never an easy opponent to look at.
However, as soon as it started, Hecate rushed in and tore all of the young mercenaries’ wooden weapons in two with his wooden sword.
The rest of the Glory Knights didn’t even move. Hecate alone had won.
“Ha surrender…”
The young party leader, who grasped the situation a beat late, said timidly and raised both hands, and Hecate smiled brightly.
“Glory Knights win!”
Applause and applause resounded in the arena with Ader’s declaration of the winner.
“They are no longer my knights. It’s your number.”
Hecate smiled lightly, grabbed the skirt, bowed, and walked out of the arena.
Her figure, moving like a flower, seemed so far away from the words death and stillness.
“So make sure you have a good time.”
However, the emperor said this and looked at her back with a sad gaze.
“Those poor patriots who gave their fortunes only for the Empire.”
***
After the match, a few hours break was declared before the start of the next game. The arena and the fake dragon also need maintenance.
I left the arena to talk with Hecate. Where are you?
‘ah.’
I was able to find it right away. Hecate was standing near the repair work on the southern wall. It was with the young mercenaries he had dealt with earlier.
“You are so amazing, sir! I couldn’t even see the sword path…!”
“How much training can you become that strong?”
“Could you give me a little instruction? yes?”
The young mercenaries naturally clung to him and bombarded with questions, as if Hecate, the leader of the Glory Knights, was not burdened with his status.
Hecate was embarrassed, but with a gentle smile, she was kindly answering the children one by one.
I was going to wait for a while watching it from a place a little away, but I saw something strange in my eyes.
Kki-kki-kiik….
At the restoration construction site right next door.
I was assembling the walls I brought from New Terra, when an ominous rupture sounded in succession. Sensing an abnormality, I hurriedly shouted.
“Wait, danger-”
But it was too late.
Wood deok! Quagmire!
Safety straps were cut one after another, and all the steel frames were bent – the outer wall that was being assembled collapsed.
Along with people’s screams, the huge iron wall fell as it was.
Over the heads of young mercenaries.
‘Damn it!’
I tried to block it by summoning a magic wall, but I couldn’t reach it with my slow casting speed.
Among the young mercenaries, the warriors rolled their bodies quickly to avoid them, but the wizards and spiritists were slow and could not dodge them in time.
The two mercenaries hugged each other, closed their eyes, and-
yank.
pushed away
It was Hecate who grabbed the two mercenaries and threw them outside. Even though she was able to dodge herself enough, she rushed under the falling iron wall to save the two young mercenaries.
Seeing the mercenaries now safe, Hecate smiled with a relieved smile – Kwa-
gwa-gwa-gwang!
It was crushed by the fallen iron wall.
Blood was splattered everywhere. Covered in Hecate’s blood, the young mercenaries screamed.
“Ouch! Aaaagh!”
“Quaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“Hecate-sama, Hecate-sama…!”
Grinding my teeth and running, I assembled the flag and slammed it into the ground.
Charleureuk!
The magic wall I summoned rose from the ground and lifted the iron wall that had fallen to the floor.
There is no way a person buried under such things can live.
I knew it, but at the thought that I had to get rid of the corpse, I tried my best to remove the iron wall, and then-
“…?”
I saw an incomprehensible sight.
There, Hecate was… being ‘reassembled’.
The blood that had gushed out in all directions gathered in one place again, and the shattered pieces of flesh and bone swirled and took shape.
And after mixing them together like a clay doll,
whirk-tak.
A bandage was wrapped around it.
A very old magic bandage engraved with bloody magic letters wrapped around her body like a mummy.
The brim hat, the white dress, and the red shoes were all torn to pieces, leaving no traces.
Nevertheless, reassembled, she stood there blankly for a moment.
And we, who watched this scene, also watched her in a daze, not coming to our senses.
“…ah.”
Hecate, who came to his senses a beat late, asked with a haggard expression.
“Is everyone okay?”
“…eww.”
The pale-skinned young mercenaries hesitantly backed away and said,
“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
“It’s a monster monster…!”
screamed and ran away.
Hecate looked at the young mercenaries walking away with a blank face, then shook his head bitterly.
“You showed an ugly side, Your Highness.”
She lightly bowed to me who was stiff.
Chiiik….
She lost her brim hat and made a burning sound as the sun hit her exposed skin.
Hecate picked up the parasol that had been bent not far away and unfolded it. Then her cheeks stopped burning.
I groped for a while and finally asked.
“are you okay?”
I couldn’t help but ask that question.
Then Hecate smiled faintly.
“I’m OK. And no one was hurt. Could that have happened?”
“…”
“I’ll give you a detailed explanation later.”
Hecate touched her ash-covered cheek, uttered bitterly, and bowed to me again.
“…I don’t want to show Lucas something like this, just in case.”
I didn’t answer, and Hecate trudged into the city.
Frozen, I murmured tremblingly.
“What are you doing?”
The emperor slowly approached me from behind. I asked without hiding my anger.
“What have you… done to them?!”
“Those are the Glory Nights.”
The emperor whispered calmly but with a hint of pity.
“The Darkness of the Empire, the Shadow of the Empire, the Evil Spirit of the Empire.”
“….”
“The Knights never lose. It is the knights who cannot die. okay.”
I closed my eyes tightly at the emperor’s next words.
“The best… monster our empire has ever created.”
***
The heads of production unions who came to me knelt down.
I originally told them to stop building the walls during the festival and take a break. However, the association refused.
The reason was that there was only a month left until the next defense battle, but the reason was that the wall brought from New Terra and being assembled could not be left unattended for more than three days.
It was in the midst of important bonding work, and it was not possible to build it at intervals.
So, even during the festival, the construction was carried out, and there was such a month.
The walls were joined together using the Lake Kingdom’s magical construction technology, but since the walls brought from New Terra had magic-repelling protection magic on them, it wasn’t usually a difficult task because of this resistance.
They said they paid attention to the tight schedule, but… in the end.
“…”
I sighed as I looked around at the union leaders who were on their knees waiting for my punishment.
No casualties. however.
Can we say that there are no casualties?
The young mercenaries almost died. At least two would have perished had it not been for Hecate’s sacrifice.
And Hecate…
“…after.”
I took a breath and looked back at the union leaders. Those who were soaked in sweat and guilt couldn’t make eye contact with me.
However, those who give up even vacation during the festival period to work. Is it right to blame someone for an accident in which no one died?
Who pushed them like this in the first place?
Isn’t it me…
“…I won’t punish you. instead.”
I waved my hands.
“After completing the safety inspection, stop the construction where it can be stopped. Rest until tomorrow. Let all the workers rest during the festival.”
“majesty…!”
“It is not going beyond this accident. to suspend execution for a while. If the same accident occurs next time, the punishment will be added to this accident.”
I shook my head slightly.
“It must be because I treated you too harshly.”
“No, Your Highness! We are the ones who returned the festivals and holidays!”
“You are warriors too. You too must rest to fight.”
The workers who build the walls are also warriors who protect this front.
No matter how tight the schedule is, it is my job to manage their condition.
“Rest, forget, rest. I will make a separate apology to Sir Hecate.”
“…Yes, Your Highness.”
“To secure a wider space around the construction site and to be more prepared for possible safety accidents.”
The union heads bowed to me and left the office. I sighed and looked out the window.
Crossroads in the still bright afternoon was still in a festive mood.
There was a minor accident, but no loss of life – because it was announced that way. It was the emperor who announced this.
“Hecate came expecting this festival.”
The emperor, sitting on the sofa in the corner of the office, calmly recited.
“It is probably the last festival he enjoys in his life. If the atmosphere of the festival cools down because of something he was involved in, he will surely be sad.”
“…Please explain. Obama.”
“what?”
“Why did the Glory Knights look like that? And.”
I looked directly at the emperor.
“What does Obama want to do by entrusting them to me?”
