58. Salvation Church (8)
The priest is astonished that Sir Lien has followed him and cannot say anything and just opens his mouth.
Now I can see that the guy’s appearance is a mess, as if he’s been chased for quite some time.
His neat attire was a mess, and his sparse hair was scattered like dandelion seeds, sticking to his scalp.
In addition, it looks like it’s clinging to the wall with its mouth ready to kiss.
Of course, it was because he was delivering urgent news, but if you didn’t know anything, you would look like a crazy person.
As expected, Sir Lien, who looked him up and down as if I wasn’t the only one who thought that, sighed as if he was tired and put away the sword he was aiming at.
“I guess I was following the wrong person. I never thought he would have been lacking in some way or that he would have been an inconvenient person.”
‘Hmm-!’
I almost laughed. I would have really laughed if Cruel hadn’t covered his mouth.
I couldn’t laugh out loud, my mouth was still covered by the guy’s hand, and my shoulders were shaking, and the hand covering my mouth loosened slightly.
While I was contemplating for a moment whether to take advantage of this opportunity to shake him off, Lord Lien’s slightly softened voice continued.
“I’m sorry. I don’t mean to harm you, so you don’t have to be so guarded.”
“….”
“I think you got caught up in this place by mistake, but this is not a good place. So… Jiji? Jiji. You can’t come. Those clothes are Jiji, so hurry up and change.”
‘Phew~!!’
help me. I’m dying from laughter.
The priest’s mercilessly distorted face is funny, and Lord Lien, who commands ‘support’ with a serious face, is also funny.
It wouldn’t have mattered if I just burst out laughing and walked out from behind the curtain, but considering the possibility that someone was still eavesdropping on the other side of that jewel and the possibility of Lord Lien calling me in a loud voice, I held my breath as much as I could and her voice continued.
“If you’re wearing clothes like this, you’ve probably been here for a long time, so you probably know the way around. Just go out that door and go back where you came from. Don’t come to a place like this again.”
“….”
“Do you understand?”
Still, he doesn’t say he’ll take me outside. It is visible that the priorities of the current situation have been firmly established.
Unlike Sir Lien’s happy response, the eyes of the man listening to her were shaking mercilessly as if there had been an earthquake.
That’s right. If you prove that you are fine, your life will be in danger, and it will be too shameful and your pride will be hurt to remain silent.
Life and pride. The guy who seemed to be conflicted between the two options for a moment said,
“Oh, okay.”
In a way, it was natural that he chose life.
I can’t believe I gave such a slurred answer when I had reported clearly just a moment ago. I felt like I was going to burst out laughing again, so I tightened my chin.
The guy, who was shaking with immense shame, runs out the door with tears hanging from his eyes and a red face.
Lord Lien muttered, ‘It looks like he was quite scared.’ He looked around the room to see if there was another door, and then went out.
Only then did I release the hand covering my mouth, hurriedly step out of the curtain, and bent my knees.
There was a hand in a hurry to help me up, but I knew who the owner of the hand was, so I shook it off with a loud thud and crawled to my seat.
“….”
“…sigh….”
I’m going crazy laughing so hard. I know now is not the time, but what should I do about this funny thing?
After reminding myself over and over again that I was running out of time, I finally calmed down and stood up. We need to check again the gem that had an unexpected function, and catch Lord Lien, who is increasingly moving away from us.
Before examining the jewelry, I glanced outside the open door.
In the distance, Lord Lien can be seen walking straight ahead without hesitation, his head moving back and forth with his flashing eyes like a wild beast looking for food.
‘…He walks so confidently because he knows so much about the roads here.’
Anyone who sees me will think I’ve lived here for 10 years.
Even the girl I thought was normal was like that. Are you really saying that there are no normal beings around me?
Anyway, if I leave it alone, I don’t know what kind of accident will happen again. Recalling the shock and fear I felt when she broke into this place, I hurriedly checked that no one was around and immediately took a step out of the prayer room and called out to her as she walked away.
“Lord Lien.”
“….”
“Lord Lien!”
“Ah…?! Lord Baek! You’re safe!”
Who is Baekju again?
Anyway, I’m surprised that Lord Lien calls me lord. Even if you have no words to refer to me, I never thought you would call me master.
Most knights serve only one lord throughout their lives.
My relationship with Lord Lien is a simple contractual one. I requested a person capable of leading the Order of Murderous Demons, and the Emperor himself arranged for Lord Lien.
Since the emperor had introduced her, employment was natural… In any case, in the end, she and I were simply tied together by money, not a master-servant relationship.
That’s why I also used the honorific language towards her…
Lord Lien must have noticed my reaction, bowed his head and added an explanation as if making an excuse.
“I had no words to refer to you, so I had to call you master. I’m sorry if you felt bad.”
“No…no. It’s okay.”
I was just a little surprised.
“Even though I had to call you, I plan to take responsibility.”
“…yes?”
“Of course, I’m not forcing it. I’ve always respected you, Count… So, I, Leen Reiner, swear here and there.”
Why is he like this? He even stuttered his words. This makes it even more ominous. I don’t know what it is, but just don’t do it. No, can you please not do it?
Lord Lien, who couldn’t possibly know how uncomfortable I was, turned his sword upside down and got down on one knee.
And then he spoke solemnly in a serious tone – he was always serious, but now he was even more serious.
“I, Lien Reiner, acknowledge and serve Deonhardt as my lord and swear to follow him and his orders for the rest of my life, as long as they do not go against the will of His Majesty the Emperor.”
‘Unless he and his orders are contrary to the will of His Majesty the Emperor.’
Knights of an empire that do not have a master basically follow the empire and the emperor. Later, when the lord is decided, it is decided who will take priority between the lord and the emperor, and it seems that Lord Lien decided to give priority to the emperor.
Anyway, this one is really special. Do I really want to do something in this mess that could have been put off for a while and then go back?
Of course, since this was to my benefit, I solemnly answered accordingly.
“I pledge to do my best to ensure that your loyalty is not in vain.”
Okay, it was a bit unexpected, but with this, we now have a breeder who will take care of the crazy dogs for the rest of their lives. I was always anxious, but now I feel relieved.
Now it’s time to do the work you’ve been putting off for a while. I turned and went back into the prayer room and ran my fingertips over the jewels on the wall behind the podium.
A presence that can only be felt if you go in very slightly and touch it with your fingertips. I put my hand on it and mumbled something, and the door opened. I pressed it and twisted it to the side, and I was able to make contact.
If so, wouldn’t there be other functions as well?
“You’ll need a competent shaman.”
“…I know. Are you there yet?”
“….”
Cruel obediently disappears at my annoyed words.
No, he didn’t obey. He probably went to find the shaman before me. I can’t lose either.
“Lord Lien. Let’s go back.”
“yes.”
Sir Lien and I climbed through the window again as we heard the sound of countless footsteps approaching from a distance.
***
While Deon Hardt was struggling at the Salvation Church, Emperor Edoardo Desert, who had given him orders, was taking a late nap.
Originally, I didn’t sleep unless it was a set time, but lately, my lack of sleep had become so severe that it was difficult to survive without even a short nap like this.
Sleep deprivation is not new. Edoardo had not been able to sleep properly even for a single moment since he ascended to the position of monarch.
How can he sleep comfortably when the people he killed come and harass him every night?
When he ascended to the throne of kings and during the eight-year war he fought to obtain the title of ’emperor’, he killed countless people.
Perhaps, if all of those corpses were gathered in one place, there would be enough to build a mountain.
That’s why so many people come to see it as a nightmare. Most people would have gone beyond insomnia and gone crazy right away.
But the emperor held on, and the dead seem to have been offended by him.
“!”
The emperor jumped up from the bed.
He sat there for a while, breathing heavily. After a while, he seemed to have calmed down a bit, sighing deeply and wiping his wet bangs. Cold sweat appears on my palms.
and.
The palm of my hand turned black in an instant───the
entire hand was distorted and a strange human face popped out.
An angry face shedding bloody tears. A voice full of malice shouting that it hates and curses you.
[Emperor, I hate you.]
[Death, death, death, why are you the only one alive? I died like this, so why did you!!]
Now this is not a dream, but reality.
How angry would they be to come out and harass us in real life?
As the Emperor watched this in silence, a soft voice was heard, as if he was considerate of the man who had just woken up.
“There’s still time until dinner.”
The emperor just turned his eyes and looked in one direction.
As soon as his eyes met, Crown Prince Elpidius, who was leaning against the wall near the door, slowly stood up and approached.
“I heard that your food intake has decreased a lot recently. I was worried that you were unwell…” “
….”
“You seem to have had a nightmare again.”
Elpidius, standing in front of the emperor, checked his uncle’s condition.
Through the messy hem of the gown, you can see muscles glistening with cold sweat. Likewise, his golden hair, soaked in cold sweat, had a darker saturation than usual, and the subtle shadows under his eyes contained telltale fatigue.
The overall appearance was haggard.
It is dangerous if things continue like this.
There are so many enemies, what should I do if my physical condition deteriorates here?
“As expected, calling a congressman…”
“That’s done.”
“Uncle.”
Elpidius, who had called him to persuade the emperor, paused for a moment.
The focus of the emperor’s eyes is somehow strange.
His gaze was fixed on somewhere beyond himself.
I look back, but all I see is an ordinary room.
When I turned my head again with a puzzled expression, I saw the emperor pressing his eyes with one hand as if he were tired.
“Uncle…?”
“…You’re being annoying.”
…no way.
Elpidius’ expression became even more serious as he remembered the sense of discomfort he had been feeling for some time.
“No way… are you hallucinating now?”
“There are no problems in daily life.”
“Isn’t that the problem? Taeui right now!”
“Elpidius.”
“…Uncle…”
Edoardo, who seemed to have regained his composure and looked the same as usual, looked straight into his nephew’s worried eyes.
I’m sorry Elpidius, but he has no intention of chasing these nightmares and hallucinations.
Rather, if I said I was happy, would I really believe it?
“Recently, as I was processing documents related to the war, I felt tired and lost my mind for a moment. “It’s not a big deal, so don’t worry about it.”
“What the hell…!“
I was worried that I would forget my sins and live in peace, but if you come to me like this, I will never forget them.
Elpidius washes his face dry several times, as if he is trying to calm down. Even then, his emotions seem to be out of control, and his voice starts to fade away. It was only after a little more time had passed that it was difficult to come out.
“…even in this state, the war… Do you really need to do this?”
”I…”
”I am not asking ‘Your Majesty’, but ‘Uncle’.’ ”
…What answer do you think I will give?’
Elpidius’ face changed . It was painfully distorted.
“Then you’re going to memorize the list again!”
