The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 123

The small bakery in District 3 was quiet, as usual.

The bakery owner leaned against the display case, yawning widely.

Thanks to the Dragon Lord Assembly and the Saintess Inauguration, the Empire and the Order were constantly throwing feasts, so customers had been scarce lately.

*Ding-*

Hearing the door open, the owner jumped up from his seat.

“Welcome!”

The man who entered the bakery nodded in response and looked around.

He seemed to be searching for something, turning his head before approaching the counter.

“Do you have any mint chocolate?”

“Ah… you’re the one who always asks for mint chocolate. I’m sorry, but I’ve decided not to make it anymore. No one but you bought it, and even you stopped coming recently.”

“…Tch.”

Ra-El frowned.

He had only been away for a month at most, but they had already discontinued it.

Wasn’t that giving up too quickly?

If that was the case, they shouldn’t have made it in the first place.

“But we have plenty of other chocolates to choose from. Oh, and we have a new menu item instead of mint chocolate. It’s my latest masterpiece: fruit coated in melted sugar. How about it!”

The owner pointed to the fruit skewers displayed near the counter.

“Argh! Damn it!”

“Why, what’s wrong? It’s a bit expensive because it has fruit, but it’s really delicious.”

“…Sorry. I suddenly feel a headache. By the way, what’s it called… ?”

“I named it Tanghulu.”

Tanghulu [a traditional Chinese snack of candied fruit] was a Chinese word.

How did such a word appear in a medieval fantasy setting?

Ra-El decided not to dwell on it.

“…Tch. Give me a few of those. And fill a bag with other sweet snacks, and deliver some Tanghulu to the orphanage in District 4.”

The world might be going crazy, but Tanghulu was a serious matter for the children.

Ra-El handed the owner a silver coin.

The owner’s eyes widened at the sight of the silver coin, and he immediately bowed 90 degrees.

“Thank you for your continued patronage!”

“Leave the change with Sister Layla at the orphanage.”

“Ah… um. Understood.”

The owner smacked his lips as if regretting it and packed the bread.

He didn’t seem like the type to run off with the money, so Ra-El took the chocolates and Tanghulu the owner had packed and left the bakery.

“The fact that they don’t sell mint chocolate anymore must mean the world is finally becoming peaceful.”

Tanghulu might have appeared, but it was better than mint chocolate.

This hopeless world had taken at least one step forward.

“Hey, lady. You don’t seem to understand the situation… I can’t do business if you don’t pay me, you know?”

“I-I’m sorry. Ah, ah…”

Thump-! Thump-!

Ra-El heard a strange noise as he walked down the street.

Turning his head, he saw a man yelling in front of a fruit stand.

An apple that had fallen from the fruit basket he kicked rolled to Ra-El’s feet.

“…”

Ra-El bent down and picked up the apple.

Then, he wiped the apple vigorously with his sleeve and approached the fruit stand.

The man standing in front of the fruit stand was raising his hand as if to hit the owner.

“Why are you making me raise my voice? If you had listened from the start… Ugh, ugh?!”

The man turned his head, feeling a sudden pain in his wrist.

Another man was twisting his wrist in a bizarre direction.

“Y-You crazy Captain of the Guard?!”

“Crazy Captain of the Guard? Wow, does this guy not watch the news?”

Ah, there’s no news in this era.

Ra-El smiled involuntarily at the familiar title.

This was the difference between nobles and commoners.

The Ra-El that commoners knew was the ‘Crazy Captain of the Guard,’ not Ra-El.

Even now that Ra-El’s name commanded respect throughout the Empire, there were still guys who didn’t recognize him.

It was only natural in this world without smartphones.

‘But if they were interested, they could at least recognize my face… Does that mean they’ve been living that diligently?’

Living diligently was a good thing.

It would be a problem if that diligence was directed towards extorting money from others.

“I’m sorry! Ugh, I’ll give you silver coins, so please forgive me!”

“Who ordered you to do this? The Zaid Mercenary Group? It’s been a while since I crushed those bastards; are they still causing trouble? Or did a criminal organization take root in District 4? The Empire is more peaceful than ever, why are you causing trouble?”

Ra-El was feeling immense satisfaction now that mint chocolate had disappeared from the bakery.

It was just his bad luck that he ran into him at a time like this.

‘I left it to Begguth and stopped paying attention… Is it time to clean up again?’

Criminal organizations were like cockroaches.

It wasn’t strange for them to reappear since he hadn’t been active as Gaksital [a masked vigilante] lately.

“P-Please spare me. I have a wife and children like rabbits…”

“How many times do you think I’ve heard that excuse? Huh? Who ordered you to do this, huh?”

“Agh, aagh! I’ll talk! Aagh!”

Ra-El twisted the man’s wrist and waited for his answer.

“The Samuel County! The Samuel County ordered me to collect seat taxes from those doing business around here…!”

“…County? Why would a County do something like this?”

Nobles were obsessed with authority and honor.

They wouldn’t even take the underworld of the lower districts if you gave it to them.

“T-There’s a rumor that war with the Demon Race is coming soon. They’re squeezing the commoners to raise funds. Not just the County, but all the other nobles are doing it too!”

“Hmm. Is that so? Nobles, huh.”

Ra-El released the man’s wrist and waved his hand dismissively.

The man stroked his wrist and quickly fled the scene.

‘War, huh… The Saintess and the Hero must really mean something.’

Ra-El had heard the rumors.

For him, war with the Demon Race was inevitable, so it wasn’t surprising, but the other nobles seemed to have become serious.

“The commoners aren’t money bags… Tch.”

Ra-El shook his head, thinking of the disgusting nobles.

To the nobles, commoners were nothing more than ownerless pigs.

Like public property that anyone could take if they were the first to grab it.

Even if a monster like Ra-El came from the commoners, their perception would never change.

‘If I had known this was such a fucked up world, I wouldn’t have even read the novel. Shit.’

Ra-El was feeling the rotten underside of this world that the original protagonist, Lucas, had never seen.

Even though he had lived in this world for over 20 years, he sighed every time he thought about how much he still didn’t know.

The Kamen Knight Commander [likely a mistranslation, should be ‘Holy Knight Commander’] he couldn’t understand.

The Emperor who possessed demonic energy.

The Pope whose true intentions he couldn’t fathom.

The Demon King, the Empire’s greatest threat.

And even the Demon Race, who were constantly eyeing the continent.

‘…I want to turn it all upside down.’

Ra-El moved his feet, thinking such thoughts.

Anytime, if the opportunity arose,

Ra-El would not hesitate to eliminate the Empire’s trash.

That was Ra-El’s new goal.

That, too, would be one of the reasons he had to become stronger.

*

Inside the Demon King’s dungeon.

Ra-El came to the Demon King with a basket of snacks.

She ate the chocolate Ra-El gave her and shook her head.

“Ra-El. This doesn’t taste good.”

“They don’t sell mint chocolate anymore; here, eat some Tanghulu instead.”

“That’s a shame. To think humans don’t eat such delicious things.”

Chomp. Chomp.

The Demon King said that as she crunched on the Tanghulu.

Ra-El stared at her, lost in thought.

The threats that could destroy this world were not just one or two.

And the Demon King was one of the most dangerous threats among them.

Ra-El was giving Tanghulu to such a monster.

‘If I become a Hero… can I stop the Demon King sooner?’

The Order’s sacred artifact, the Holy Sword, had the power to repel demons.

The reason Lucas could fight the Demon Race was because he had the Holy Sword.

If Ra-El could wield the Holy Sword, he might be able to stop the Demon King before she went berserk.

‘…Let’s just focus on getting stronger for now.’

Ra-El didn’t think about what would happen after he became a Hero.

What he was worried about now was the realm to reach Sword Master.

Realm was a difficult concept.

The essence of the sword that a swordsman had built up over a lifetime. Or the ultimate.

The ability to perfectly control one’s power while filling in the missing parts.

Ra-El shook his head, recalling Lane’s explanation.

‘Damn it, what the hell is that?’

It had been over 20 years since he had lived without much thought.

There was no way Ra-El could get a sense of what it meant to find the ideal of the sword.

“Ra-El. What are you worried about? If you want to eat sugar candy, you can eat it too.”

“…It’s nothing like that.”

“If you have any worries, tell me. I know humans very well.”

“…”

Ra-El stared at the Demon King.

A monster artificially created by gathering human malice.

What kind of memories did she have that made her say she knew humans well?

“Do you know about Realm? I’m training to control my power well.”

Ra-El voiced his worries without much thought.

Monitoring the Demon King was an 8-hour task, so he had to pass the time with small talk like this.

“Show me your power. I will suggest a solution.”

“…I can’t do that.”

Ra-El was using the senses of a predator to cut off the flow of magic even at this moment.

He couldn’t absorb the Demon King’s seal and accelerate her rampage.

“It only needs to be for a moment.”

“Hmm. Well, if it’s just for a moment.”

Ra-El adjusted his senses for just a moment.

Then, the Demon King’s unpleasant and gloomy energy entered his body.

The Demon King, who had been staring intently at the flow, nodded.

“I don’t know even if I see it. I’m sorry.”

“…Are you kidding me?”

Ra-El was dumbfounded and let out a hollow laugh.

‘It was only for a moment, but it’s this much… Huh?’

Ra-El was aware of the Demon King’s magic and energy that had entered his body.

This disgusting atmosphere and feeling felt somehow familiar.

The disgusting divine power he felt from the Pope.

That energy was exactly the same as the Demon King’s magic.

‘Why?’

Ra-El quickly turned his head.

The Demon King was an artificial being.

She was created by gathering human malice, and she emitted an unpleasant energy just by existing.

Based on Clara’s information, the Demon King was presumed to have been created through human experimentation.

If so, what was the source of the divine power that emitted the same energy as her?

“…Has the experiment not ended yet?”

Ra-El recalled the highest leader of the Order with cold eyes.

*

In the training ground of the Lane Knights in District 1.

Amidst the sounds of countless knights clashing swords, Ra-El watched the phantom sword dance in front of him and asked Lane.

“Commander, what exactly is a Sword Master?”

“What do you mean, what is a Sword Master?”

“I simply thought that Realm was the standard for Sword Master… but there are those who can’t use Realm even at the entry level of Sword Master, right? Then how exactly do you get recognized as a Sword Master?”

Ra-El suddenly had a question.

Those who could use Sword Energy were entry-level Sword Experts, and those who could use Sword Force were entry-level Graduates.

Then what exactly was an entry-level Sword Master?

“You really don’t know? You have to get certified by the Sword Master Association.”

“…Sword Master Association? Who is that? Not a great hero, not a small hero.”

“Sword Master Association. Sword Master Association for short.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Ra-El frowned at Lane.

Was Lane brainwashed, or was he completely crazy?

What the hell was the Sword Master Association?

“Are you a cultist!”

Ra-El raised his sword with conviction.

It was a regretful time to have been learning swordsmanship from this con artist.

“…I don’t know why you’re reacting like this. Would you believe me if I showed you my certificate?”

Lane brought the certificate from the Knights Headquarters.

It was his pride, the certificate from the Sword Master Association.

Ra-El stared at the certificate and shook his head.

“Ha. Ha… Don’t lie to me. You’re planning to rip me off for a membership fee, right? And some of that membership fee will go into the Commander’s pocket. I won’t fall for such a pyramid scheme.”

“Membership fee? What are you talking about? There’s no such thing in the Sword Master Association.”

“Then the membership fee must be incredibly expensive!”

“Ra-El. The Sword Master Association doesn’t receive any monetary compensation. What’s wrong with having an association among swordsmen, just like how academic societies are held among magicians? Did you have a drink during the day?”

“……”

Is that so?

Is there really no problem?

There’s really no problem with the Sword Master Association?

Ra-El lowered his sword with a sullen expression.

“Ra-El. I understand the frustration you feel when Realm doesn’t come to mind, but stop asking such rude questions. I also have dignity to protect as a Commander.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Ra-El bowed his head and apologized.

Certainly, Lane was spending a lot of time with him.

It was wrong to curse at such a person.

‘No, but the Sword Master Association… Tch. Am I the weird one?’

Ra-El sighed and thought about the original work.

Sword Master Association.

Did Lucas ever receive such certification in the original work?

‘It didn’t, but… if you think about it, Lucas was already a Hero, and he became a Sword Master right after the war with the Demon Race broke out. He wouldn’t have had time to get permission from the association during the war with the Demon Race.’

But Lucas was still called a Sword Master without such certification.

“It seems like you don’t necessarily have to get permission.”

“That’s right. You can’t say that someone isn’t a magician just because they don’t belong to a magician’s academic society.”

“…”

He was annoyed that it was surprisingly persuasive.

“I understand. I’ll just remember the name.”

If you think about it, there might be a Sword Master Association in a world where there’s also the Righteous Sky Alliance.

Ra-El nodded with a generous heart.

However, he would not join that association.

He didn’t like the name Sword Master Association.

“Now, let’s focus on training again. Ra-El!”

Lane’s phantom sword dance straightened his shoulders.

He was eagerly hoping that his efforts would also be known when Ra-El created Realm.

“…Yes. I understand.”

“The Sword Dragon and the Righteous Sky Alliance Leader said they would visit the Empire when they heard that you were conceiving Realm, so try to set the framework for Realm by then.”

“Why are those people coming here? I don’t even know what the Righteous Sky Alliance Leader looks like, let alone the Sword Dragon.”

“If a swordsman who is only 25 years old is challenging the wall of Sword Master, any swordsman would want to see it in person. The emergence of a new Sword Master is an interesting thing. Oh, those people are also executives of the Sword Master Association.”

Ra-El was even more disappointed in the Sword Dragon and the unknown Righteous Sky Alliance Leader.

“I’m grateful, but there’s no need for that. Isn’t that too much?”

The Righteous Sky Alliance and the Vanessa Kingdom were quite far from the Empire.

Wasn’t it too much for them to come all the way here for him?

“They have to come to the Empire anyway for the Hero Inauguration. They’re just coming early.”

“Is the Hero Inauguration such a big event? Other countries didn’t come during the Saintess Inauguration.”

“The Hero Inauguration is more important than the Saintess Inauguration. It’s a sign that war with the Demon Race may start soon. Don’t you think the higher-ups need to come to the Empire to have a conversation?”

“Hmm…”

Ra-El nodded.

In the original work, the war seemed to have started right after Lucas became a Hero.

At that time, the conflict between humans and the Demon Race was already at its peak, and since it was faster than the original work, the war wouldn’t break out immediately.

‘I think I need to do some internal control before that.’

Ra-El wanted to make the Empire a little cleaner before the war with the Demon Race broke out.