Episode 313
“Is it okay if we don’t carry out a separate disruption operation?”
“Confirming the King’s Force comes first. Don’t be in a hurry.”
“…All right.”
Luisa clicked her tongue as she watched Jun, the leader of the guard knights, lower his head.
He was not a brainwashed knight, but he was also not in a position to know top information. So there was no way he could understand the premise he was talking about.
However, it seemed like she had no intention of explaining it kindly, so Luisa slightly shook her head and headed towards the entrance of the villa.
The escort knights are startled and follow him.
Except for Jun, who wasn’t brainwashed, everyone else seemed a bit lacking and slow to react, so I frowned as I didn’t like it.
The fact that high-level knights couldn’t even properly follow the movements of a mage who had sealed most of his magical power made me question whether even mid-level knights could win in an actual battle.
‘I understand that you have an obsession with keeping secrets since you have been chased by the imperial family for hundreds of years. But if you fill your hands and feet with brainwashers, it will always be frustrating like this.’
How can a new world be created like this?
This was also one of the organizational cultures that needed to be improved first.
In order to plan a big project, confidentiality had to be strictly maintained, but on the other hand, there had to be a lot of trustworthy people.
However, the current organizational policy blocked even that possibility at the source, so the old people at the top felt frustrated once again.
‘For that to happen, we have to achieve results here and now.’
Luisa bit her red lips and strengthened her resolve, but before she knew it, Jun, who had followed her, was spouting nonsense again.
“But is it true that Count Ronian was really deluded? He looks so fine.”
“what?”
“Of course it would have worked if you were Luisa, but now I’m a little worried. Didn’t you say that you can’t directly check whether the magic was successful?”
“Ah…”
I sigh.
Jun doubts his ability now that the circle is sealed.
The sealing of the circle to avoid detection by auror users or general magic definitely took away most of his abilities. So much so that it is difficult to infer his state even when he sees the king right in front of him.
But I was overly worried.
“It was slowly dyed over time. If you didn’t notice, it’s a magic that even an auror user can’t resist. Even a top knight can’t escape it.”
Although the magical power is sealed, it is a magic developed by the mage himself over time using the highest grade magicite powder.
He is a magician of the Soul Wizard school who inherited the magic of Gibrik Cassel, a magic saint who sought to surpass humans and even gods.
“Still, I’m worried…”
“Stop! If you worry too much, you’re sick. Is there a reason I brought you here if you’re so picky about everything?”
I was frustrated with the brainwashers’ slow responses and limited intelligence, so I brought them in to fix it, but it only made them even more frustrated, which made me even more annoyed.
As Luisa’s eyes became sharper, June immediately lowered her head.
“…sorry.”
Luisa, who had stopped walking and glared at June, started walking again.
Then, the moment we got closer to the entrance of the villa.
Ugh.
With a light bursting sound that only Luisa could hear, the secret magic that had been blocking the group’s sound from leaking out disappeared without a sound.
‘Even if the magic power was sealed for camouflage, this is enough.’
At the same time, Luisa began to display a flushed expression and softly sparkling eyes.
As soon as she left the villa, the waiting knights blocked her path.
“Where are you going? I will take you there.”
A knight with red and blue odd eyes and blue hair took a step forward and bowed his head.
“Lord Victor…was it you? Count Ronian invited you to the castle. He said he would show you training with His Majesty, but didn’t you receive the message?”
“Ah… that was today. Follow me. I will take you there.”
A knight who has a polite attitude but interferes with every event. This knight was overly faithful to his duty, chasing after him even if he took a single step outside the assigned villa.
‘There are many people who are this loyal even without brainwashing magic. ‘The organization’s tone is clearly wrong.’
Luisa smiled and nodded without showing her small irritation.
Guard knights were not allowed to enter the King’s private practice hall in the main palace.
When Luisa, who had no choice but to accompany Victor, entered the training hall, the red-haired young man with whom she had spent the most time over the past few days greeted her with a bright smile.
“Welcome, princess. I’m sorry I couldn’t come and see you in person.”
“No, it’s not that far.”
A young man who lowers his head as if embarrassed and the corners of his mouth turn up just by saying a word.
‘I was definitely charmed.’
Looking at Ronian like that, Luisa shook off Jun’s concerns that had remained uneasy in a corner of her heart.
“Your Majesty has listened to my request with a generous heart. Please say hello first.”
Luisa politely bowed her head towards the man standing where Ronian pointed.
“Thank you, Your Majesty, for listening to the woman’s unreasonable request.”
“No, princess. I have been training with my younger brother on a regular basis anyway, so it doesn’t matter if the number of observers increases.”
“Thank you for your generosity.”
“But I wanted to ask you before, princess, why are you asking me to abdicate? Isn’t it against the customs of the empire?”
“If I marry Count Ronian, I will become a member of this royal family, so what’s the point of customs?”
“Hoo…?”
“And I thought it would be rude to use the title of King of the Empire for the ruler of McLane, who is not even a vassal of the Empire.”
“…That’s unbecoming of an imperial princess. You’re thoughtful.”
“I’m embarrassed. I was just telling the truth.”
After a brief, friendly conversation, Logan and Ronian stood in the center of the training ground.
“Haaap!!”
bang.
“A little faster!”
Wow.
“Oops!”
The brothers thoroughly hid Ronian’s skills and engaged in a battle that was noisy on the surface. Of course, since the magician has experience in combining countless times, it is unlikely that he will be able to notice the loopholes in the attack and defense.
‘That’s also true if you’re a mage whose abilities are limited by some kind of means.’
Logan thought so and secretly watched Luisa’s reaction.
however.
“Ha… Haha. I really meant it. Really…”
The princess’s eyes were sparkling as if she was truly filled with emotion as she muttered something incomprehensible. Like an ordinary girl who admired and watched an Auror user or a top knight spar for the first time.
‘You’re really good at acting.’
It was such a natural reaction that I thought it was funny that I had been wary that there might be some ulterior motive behind this absurd request.
‘As expected, this was an intention to check Ronian’s reaction.’
Logan thought about that and focused on his acting again.
Without even knowing what the eyes that were persistently following his back meant.
* * *
“I saw it clearly with my own eyes. It is indeed a golden force. It is not simply an earth-attribute force distorted by rumors!”
[…Really?]
“Yes! I’m sure!”
Luisa’s tone of voice was full of joy, and the Master’s voice through the communication port was also trembling slightly.
[The legend of the one who changes fate appears again in my generation… As expected, it is a prophecy…]
The era when the gods left.
A sign was discovered that the time the organization had been waiting for for a long time had arrived. Children who were impervious to divine power began to be born.
And the focus on McLane, where an unusually large number of such children were born, was spot on.
‘All the signs in the prophecy have appeared.’
Just thinking about it made my hands shake.
Now, the movement of the organization itself will change depending on the Master’s actions.
Luisa tried to calm her pounding heart and waited for the voice over the communication port to continue.
After a while, the great teacher, who had been lost in thought, opened his mouth.
[…Assassination is on hold, not prohibited. The empire’s request goes in the second direction you mentioned.]
The empire’s request. Although he conveyed his intention to surrender through the second prince, he said it was a request, not an order.
It was a choice of words that, if the Emperor had heard, would have immediately started the chase, but it was natural for Elder Luisa, who knew the goals of the organization.
“You mean chaos in the kingdom?”
[Yes. In any case, if the second prince’s son was planning to assassinate the king, he should be stopped. Because the person who changes fate must be alive until the time of the prophecy.]
“You don’t have to worry about that. He is at least an intermediate level Auror user or higher. There is no way he can be defeated by an assassin or something like that.”
[Even if they are ghosts?]
“Yes. Even if they are ghosts that contain part of our vision, it will be difficult. Besides, I heard that they have already failed.”
[It’s probably because the Dark Sword or its leaders didn’t come forward directly.]
“That’s true.”
Will someone who changes fate fall so easily?
Even though she thought so, Luisa had no choice but to agree with the Master’s words.
Even though he resents the imperial family, it feels like he is strangely taking the side of the ghosts.
Because I could clearly feel the love and hate for the group created by TOP’s vision.
[Of course… if it were an emperor, he would only try to assassinate the king right before starting a war. I think we should pay closer attention to the imperial family’s movements.]
“In other words, it would mean that we can rest assured until then.”
[Yes.]
It seemed like he was trying to protect the person he was trying to assassinate, but it was an obvious truth to the two people talking.
[Execute according to your plan. After the foundation that supports the kingdom collapses and becomes subjugated to the empire, it will be easier to secure someone who can change fate.]
Of course, the reason was by no means favorable.
“Yes, I understand.”
An eerie expression passed over Luisa’s face as she lowered her head.
* * *
“listen!”
“Shoot!”
Pabababak.
With the knight’s shout, dozens of quarrels were fired at the target.
After a while.
“Tenon. It’s in full bloom again!”
At the shout of the knight deck, cheers erupted from those around him.
“Hey!”
“That’s amazing. After all, I came from a hunter background!”
“Oh, if only I had gotten one more shot right….”
“Give up. The prize money is Tenon’s anyway.”
The center of a noisy crowd.
The atmosphere at the vigilante training center in Clid’s territory was friendly.
However, the middle-aged man called Tenon just quietly adjusted the bow of the crossbow and inspected the equipment despite the noisy praise from those around him.
His childhood friend Aman approached him.
“Tenon. I really need to have a drink today, right?”
Tenon’s plain brown eyes turned to Aman.
It’s already been 10 years since ‘that day’ that I felt sick of the world and hid in the woods.
It was thanks to this useless and wide-ranging friend that he was able to receive such cheers from the vigilantes as he pushed away everyone who approached him. I was grateful, but I had no time to express my gratitude as I had already poured it all out 10 years ago.
“…No work.”
“Now, come back to the village, Tenon. Life in the world has become better. Even lords can no longer act as viciously as before.”
know. I know, but…
the person who left doesn’t come back.
“…Goes.”
“Do you still want revenge on your lord?”
Stand tall.
The moment he was about to turn around, Aman’s exquisitely posed question stopped Tenon in his tracks.
“It’s because I’m so worried, man.”
“…don’t interfere.”
Although he hurled a harsh response at his approaching friend, Aman did not stop saying what he wanted to say.
“Even though you are now a lord without knights or soldiers, you are still a noble. If you do something, not only you but everyone in our village will be finished. You know that, right?”
“…know.”
okay. know.
They are all simple and grateful people. My family from the past and the ties that Erina left behind were all in that village.
And that fact was no different from the shackles that bound his ankles.
That made my heart hurt even more.
Tenon returns to his home in the forest alone, leaving his worried-faced friend behind.
As I lay down my exhausted body in the quiet cabin, loneliness came over me once again.
As he couldn’t fall asleep easily and was tossing and turning, the face of the person he always missed appeared in his mind.
‘Erina…’
As the last image of my wife’s dead face, unable to even close her eyes, came back to me, I could taste the fishy taste of metal from the lips I bitten unconsciously.
They say that a crossbow in hand can kill a knight, but there was no way to even attempt revenge on the current lord, who had neither knights nor soldiers.
‘Am I a coward? huh? Erina.’
As always, I look at the sky with no answers and lament.
[No, honey. You can do it.]
An unaudible voice came.
“Erina!?”
A faint gray aura passed through Tenon’s eyes as he stood up.
