The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 58

< Party >

“Give me the money.”

“…What?”

Jenice, the head of Beggars, blinked at Rael.

He’d suddenly shown up in the slum and was now demanding money.

“You got that ‘What nonsense are you talking about?’ look on your face? You want to get hit? I’m talking about the money I left with you. Give it to me. I’m trying to get a fancy suit, but I don’t have enough.”

“No, I can give you the money, but… why a suit all of a sudden? Did you finally get a girl?”

“I have to attend a party in a few days.”

What is a suit?

It means formal attire.

To join the party of nobles, where discrimination is deeply rooted, you have to start with the clothes.

“Party…? Are you talking about the Grand Duke’s return party that’s been the talk of the Empire recently? You’re going to that party?”

“Yes.”

“Nobles are gathering like crazy, so even beggars can’t get in… How are you getting in there?”

“I’m participating as the Second Princess’s exclusive knight.”

“…The world is going crazy.”

Jenice sighed deeply, worrying about the fate of the Empire.

It’s unbelievable that this crazy bastard received the honorary knighthood of the Silver Cross Knights, but… the Second Princess’s exclusive knight.

No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t make sense.

It felt like the entire Empire was conspiring to make fun of them.

“What’s so crazy about going crazy? Beggars will cooperate with the Second Princess in the future anyway.”

“Rael, were you serious about that?”

Jenice looked at Rael in shock.

A while ago, Rael said something about entrusting his fate to the Second Princess, which Jenice took as nonsense.

He never thought he would be serious.

“Do I look like I’m joking? Tsk. An information guild should be able to grasp the current situation. The flow of the Empire is gathering to the Second Princess.”

Rael shook his head.

‘That’s why people need to get at least a higher education…’ It’s already too late for Jenice, so there’s nothing I can do.

‘I have no choice but to work hard to fill the gaps.’

“Rael, spreading strange rumors in the capital as soon as you became an honorary knight… and suddenly supporting the Second Princess, are you trying to ruin the Empire?”

Jenice looked at Rael with strange eyes.

It wasn’t enough to scam the nobles and extort donations, but now he’s supporting the Second Princess.

He couldn’t understand his actions at all.

“Uncle, you have to do as you’re told. Why are you talking so much? That’s my money.”

“Of course I can give you the money because it’s your money. But I’m absolutely against Beggars supporting the Second Princess!”

“Ah, come on! Why are you being so difficult again? Uncle Jenice, did you eat something wrong?”

“Beggars is my organization that I created with blood and sweat! No matter how much it’s you, you can’t use Beggars as you please…”

“Then should I contact the Blue Magic Tower and ask them to find another information guild?”

“…There’s a saying that the Pharaoh doesn’t build the pyramids himself. Rael, you don’t have to take the money and buy it yourself. I’ll prepare an outfit suitable for the noble party by tomorrow.”

Jenice eventually caved.

Without Rael, the power of the Beggars organization would be greatly reduced.

‘Right. Seeing that he’s been getting along with the Rain Knights lately… he must have something to believe in.’

The Rain Knights are the knights who serve the Grand Duke, and Rael is sparring with them every day at the orphanage.

He must have heard a lot about the return party.

“Uncle Jenice, I’ll make you successful, so just trust me. Also, leak the story that the Grand Duke will announce something huge at the party.”

Rumors that the Grand Duke supports the Second Princess may be met with resistance, so it’s better to say it this way.

“…Rael, can I really trust you?”

“Hey, I’ll hit you whether you’re an adult or not.”

“I’m sorry.”

Rael nodded as he watched Jenice bow his head as soon as he raised his fist.

‘By the way, were there pyramids on this continent? How does this old man know about the Pharaohs?’

Well, what if there is a Pharaoh, and what if there isn’t?

The best is the best.

Rael has now adapted to this world.

*

After Rael left the slum,

Jenice finally let out a sigh.

“Haa…”

It feels like my lifespan is shortened by a year every time that crazy bastard comes.

Jenice leaned back on the shabby sofa.

Squeak-

The shabby sofa screamed for help.

In fact, there was enough money to replace it.

Beggars was making quite a bit of income now.

But Rael said that in order to maintain the beggar spirit, the head of the beggars must live like a beggar.

I don’t know what that nonsense means, but it’s better to listen to him than to spend money like crazy and get backstabbed.

Jenice eventually maintained the shabby sofa.

“Ch, Chief. Aren’t we in big trouble if this goes on? That guy is definitely crazy.”

Beggars’ second-in-command, Karon, came into the room and fidgeted.

“What’s wrong, Karon?”

“What’s wrong! It’s about Rael! Supporting the Second Princess and… that rascal is going to the party. He’s definitely going to cause an accident.”

“I’m also questioning the Second Princess, but… the party will be fine.”

“Yes? But…”

Karon knows how unpredictable Rael is.

He’s a monster who single-handedly cleaned up the gangsters and criminals in District 4.

There’s no way such a guy would stay still among the nobles.

“You reacted like that when he said he was going to join the guard. Don’t worry. I’ve never seen a guy who acts as well as Rael.”

When he’s in the slum, he’s like a beggar, and when he’s in the guard, he becomes a guard.

Even these days, he hangs out with the Rain Knights and is called Rael.

Jenice recalled Rael’s many faces and continued.

“And… if he stays still, he’s a guy worth looking at. He has that much common sense.”

“Ah.”

Karon nodded his head.

*

“Was I wrong? Should I have saved someone else…?”

Isabelle wandered around Yuri’s room, lost in thought.

Tomorrow was the Grand Duke’s return party.

The Second Princess Yuriel’s first official event was just around the corner.

“But he still hasn’t come for a dress check. I shouldn’t have trusted that man Rael…!”

She couldn’t even check the condition of her exclusive knight until the day before the party.

To carry out the imperial family’s work so carelessly.

This was shocking and horrifying for Isabelle, the exclusive maid of the imperial family.

“Isabelle, trust Rael. If it doesn’t work out, we can just take Gent with us as planned.”

“I want to trust Sir Rael too, but… I didn’t like him from the start.”

“You shouldn’t judge people by their faces. And isn’t Rael handsome?”

“That’s the problem. A dissolute face! Didn’t you see him ask Yuriel for a date with that face and get rejected, and then immediately go out with Reina?”

“He didn’t go out to play; he had work to do. He attacked the mercenary group.”

Yuri smiled wryly at Isabelle’s words.

Attacking the mercenary group was also a problem, but… I heard that the mercenary group was illegally extorting interest from Reina.

In the end, the reason for attacking the mercenary group was because Reina was being treated unfairly.

If he’s such a kind person, shouldn’t we trust him?

Yuri continued, thinking that way.

“Isabelle, I appreciate you worrying about me, but don’t think too strangely about Rael. He’s a lifesaver.”

“…I don’t hate Sir Rael either. In fact, the important thing is his origin. It’s a well-known fact that the honorary knight of the Silver Cross Knights is a rootless orphan and a beggar. Even if we don’t care, the nobles will definitely say something.”

“Hmm…”

Yuri also agreed with that.

Rael always acted confidently, but discrimination is deeply rooted in the Empire.

His origin was always a problem.

Knock knock-

At that time, a polite knock was heard.

It was Rael’s knock.

“Come in, Mr. Rael.”

“I’m sorry for being late. I couldn’t find the right clothes.”

Rael bowed his head and went inside.

His body was a little uncomfortable because it wasn’t the leather armor he usually wore, but thin steel armor, but he could handle it.

“Oh my, Mr. Rael?”

Yuri was surprised to see Rael.

The armor made of steel and the arm guards connected with high-quality leather.

The armor, decorated with simple yet elegant carvings, was sophisticated and beautiful.

It was an outfit that would not be embarrassing to participate in the party as the princess’s knight.

“It’s much more knightly than Mr. Gent’s suit. Mr. Rael, did you have it custom made?”

“Yes. I can’t wear rolling armor [Armor designed for mobility, not formal events] to follow the Second Princess as her knight.”

Rael patted his armor.

‘In fact, practicality is very poor because I focused on the form… That’s how knights’ armor is originally.’

“…Oh.”

Meanwhile, Isabelle opened her mouth wide as she looked at him.

It didn’t matter if he was a commoner or a beggar.

Rael, wearing neat armor, looked as noble as a noble.

Besides, with that dissolute face added…

“Isabelle, is it very strange?”

“Sir Rael, don’t come too close to the princess. …It’s dangerous.”

Isabelle stood in front of Yuriel and blocked Rael.

‘I don’t know what will happen if that man comes close to the princess…!’

“…?”

‘Why is she doing this again?’

Rael tilted his head as he looked at Isabelle, whose face was red.

*

It was naturally the Rain Knights who managed the Grand Duke’s party.

They took care of everything from the party’s defense to welcoming guests.

Rain, the leader of the Rain Knights, was standing at the entrance to greet guests.

The nobles were able to participate in the party with peace of mind knowing that Rain, one of the few swordmasters in the Empire, was directly defending the party.

“Chief, where is Sir Rael?”

“I don’t know. He said he’d come on his own, so he must know a noble.”

Rain has greeted several nobles so far, but Rael is nowhere to be seen.

He said he would find out on the day of the party, but where is he?

“Next, Count Samuel is entering.”

“Confirmed.”

Rain frowned as he looked at the carriages arriving at the party hall.

Each carriage had a huge symbol of the Order [Likely a religious or knightly order] attached to it.

The symbol was so big that the horses seemed to be having a harder time.

“The world is going crazy.”

Rain, who knew the truth about the symbol, laughed in vain every time he saw it.

It started with the Grand Duke granting Rael’s request.

The symbol that had spread to a few nobles had become like a symbol of the Grand Duke at some point.

‘I’ve said so many times that it’s not an invitation to the party… but he’s stubbornly coming to the party hall with that monstrosity.’

In order to receive that symbol, you have to donate a huge amount of money to the Order.

‘I would have made a more amazing symbol if I had sponsored the Rain Knights instead…!’

Rain, who didn’t know that Rael had taken some of the donations, sighed and greeted the next noble.

“Wow… look at that symbol.”

“That’s definitely amazing. It’s like Count Samuel’s family crest.”

“…Don’t chat and focus.”

Rain sighed as he listened to the knights’ conversation.

The promise between the Grand Duke and Rael was a secret, so even the knights didn’t know.

‘Knights don’t usually fall for such symbols… and these days, for some reason, they don’t spar while saying the names of their techniques…’

Recently, there have been many guys who wield swordsmanship with their names attached to them every time they do sparring.

Lieutenant Kirie seems to be at the center of it, focusing on giving more 멋있는 [meosissneun – Korean for “cool” or “stylish”] names instead of focusing on the essence of swordsmanship.

From Rain’s point of view, his head hurts every time he watches sparring.

Clatter- Clatter-

At that time, a carriage entered the party hall.

It was a carriage with a splendid yet restrained beauty, and finally, the imperial family’s emblem was engraved instead of the Order’s symbol.

‘It’s the imperial family.’

It’s the imperial family who arrived at the party hall first.

Rain gestured to the knights to stand up straight, and he went down himself to greet them.

“I’m Rain, in charge of the party guidance. I welcome the future of the Empire.”

Rain politely bowed.

After a while, the carriage window opened.

“Chief, hi. I’m Rael, the exclusive knight of the Second Princess.”

“…?”

When I raised my head at the familiar voice, I saw Rael’s face.

Why is the guy who didn’t listen even if I told him to join the Rain Knights riding in the imperial family’s carriage?

“…The world is definitely crazy.”

Rain had never felt so normal as he did today.