The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 178

It had been several days since the National Foundation Festival began.

Thanks to the cold weather, the festive atmosphere on the streets was starting to dwindle.

Ra-El donned his Gaia Order warrior attire for the first time in a while.

It was the day of the Emperor’s banquet.

“Hehe, Ra-El, it’s been a while since the Empire’s Three Heroes have gathered,” Carlson said.

In the grand banquet hall of the lavishly decorated Imperial Palace.

Carlson, clad in the Silver Cross Knights’ uniform, raised his glass at the banquet where nobles were gathered.

He usually had to be cautious as a paladin, but on banquet days, he could indulge without restraint.

“Carlson, it’s been ages since the Dragon-Phoenix Tournament ended. How long are you planning to keep calling us the Empire’s Three Heroes?”

Ra-El sighed amidst the banquet where the nobles were gathered.

As a warrior of the Gaia Order, shouldn’t he be graduating from the Empire’s Three Heroes soon?

He’d rather they give him a title like the Empire’s Greatest Swordsman, like they gave Gideon.

The very sound of “Empire’s Three Heroes” didn’t sit well with him.

“Brother Ra-El! The Empire’s Three Heroes are born on the same day and die on the same day! That is the resolution of the Three Heroes!”

Carlson clenched his fist tightly.

He was in a good mood, having met Ra-El and Lucas after a long time.

“I remember the day you came to the orphanage. What are you talking about?”

“Hey, you were crawling around back then. How could you remember?”

“…Tsk.”

Ra-El clicked his tongue and shook his head.

He had been training his magic since he was crawling.

Of course, he remembered the day Carlson came to the orphanage, wailing.

“Anyway, enough about Carlson. Lucas, it’s been a while for you too.”

“Yes, Sir Ra-El. I’m also glad to see you both.”

Ra-El looked at Lucas and nodded, impressed.

He heard that he had been training in seclusion at the academy, and his aura had become much sharper than before.

“You seem much stronger than the last time I saw you. What on earth did you do at the academy?”

“I explored a labyrinth hidden in the academy. There was a demonic sword left behind by the founding headmaster inside.”

“…A demonic sword? There was something like that in the academy?”

“Yes. I was lucky. In the process of handling the demonic sword, I learned how to deal with demonic energy, and my swordsmanship also took a step further. Now, I am confident that I will not back down even when facing demons.”

Lucas smiled confidently.

‘Was there a demonic sword in the original story?’

Ra-El tilted his head and tried to recall the original story.

He thought about it for a while, but nothing came to mind.

‘Well, it’s a good thing for me.’

He was secretly feeling sorry for taking away the Heavenly Fiend Sword Master’s swordsmanship, but in the end, the protagonist seemed to get stronger no matter what he did.

‘Become stronger and be a great help to the Allied Forces, Lucas.’

Ra-El patted Lucas on the shoulder with a pleased expression.

“Brother Ra-El, why did you call us? I have to go to the Order, but I took the time to come here.”

“Don’t rush me. The Imperial Family will be entering soon.”

Thump- Thump-

At the same time as Ra-El’s words.

The doors of the grand banquet hall opened.

With the strict security of the Carmen Knights, the First Prince Damian entered first.

He entered the banquet hall with a relaxed expression.

Following him was the Second Princess, Yuriel.

She also wore a faint smile.

“It’s quite natural for the Second Princess to enter second now.”

“…Actually, the First Prince should be second.”

“Uh-huh. Such words are premature.”

“Premature? Aside from legitimacy, isn’t Princess Yuriel already overwhelming?”

As the Imperial Family entered, the nobles began to whisper.

Ra-El briefly looked at the Second Prince Simon and the First Princess who entered after them, and then turned his head.

“Lucas, Carlson, come here.”

“Yes, Sir Ra-El.”

“What’s going on?”

“I have a favor to ask of you.”

As Ra-El spoke with a serious expression, Carlson took a step back.

“…I don’t want to.”

Carlson was already frowning.

He had learned from experience.

Every time Ra-El asked for something, something terrible happened, and he couldn’t grant him another favor.

“Uh-huh. Aren’t you coming here? Carlson, the Empire’s Three Heroes go together even when they die.”

“…Lucas, say something. I don’t want to die.”

“I’m also afraid of Sir Ra-El’s requests, but… I trust Sir Ra-El. Surely it will be an important task that contributes to the peace of the Empire.”

Lucas nodded.

There was no way Ra-El, a warrior of the Gaia Order, would ask him to do something strange.

“Yes, Lucas. You’re different from Carlson. You’re reasonable.”

“…Haa. Yes, Brother Ra-El. Tell me.”

Carlson eventually sighed and approached Ra-El.

*

After entering the grand banquet hall.

Yuriel slowly rubbed her hands.

Her cold hands made her even more nervous.

“Relax, Your Highness Yuriel,” Isabel said.

“…Yes. I’m nervous because I’m going to have a private meeting with Father after a long time.”

After this banquet, there would be time to have a private meeting with the Emperor.

She couldn’t help but be nervous because they would definitely be talking about the next Emperor.

“Your Highness Yuriel.”

At that moment, Yuriel raised her head at Isabel’s words.

A man was walking towards her.

“Yuriel, are you not feeling well? You don’t look good.”

“…Damian, Brother.”

The First Prince, Damian von Grandia.

Yuriel lightly nodded and greeted her sibling.

“You don’t even get up from your seat anymore. That cute little sister is now a competitor. Time really flies, Yuriel.”

“Damian, Brother, a competitor? I don’t think of you as a competitor.”

“Well, I wish others thought so too, but… it won’t be. Unlike you and Serena, Simon and I are risking our lives.”

Damian gave a bitter smile.

The First Princess Serena and the Second Princess Yuriel.

Even if a princess does not become the Emperor, she does not die.

In the first place, few people in the male-dominated society of the Carmen Empire care about princesses, and princesses can be sent to other countries as a means of reconciliation.

But princes are different.

Only death awaits a prince who fails to become the Emperor.

That was the Carmen Empire.

“…No. I won’t kill my brothers.”

“Well, is that up to you? The nobles won’t stand still either…”

Damian smiled and approached Yuriel.

He picked up a glass of wine and continued.

“If you become the Emperor… I don’t think you’ll hide that instinct.”

“…Damian, Brother. If you say the next word, I won’t hold back either.”

Yuriel narrowed her eyes and raised her head.

At her gaze, Damian shrugged and stepped back.

“I was just joking. Don’t overreact, Yuriel.”

Damian smiled and looked around.

The nobles around them, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, were startled and turned their heads.

‘Brother Damian is still acting petty.’

Damian treated the other princes and princesses like children because he was the First Prince with legitimacy and the eldest.

He always acted innocent, but he was naturally undermining Yuriel’s authority.

“By the way, your personality seems to have changed a lot too, Yuriel. Did you perhaps get a boyfriend?”

“Why suddenly a boyfriend… Haa… Hmm?”

At Damian’s words, Yuriel, who was sighing, suddenly pictured a man in her head.

A man who told her a secret that she had never said out loud in her life.

Yuriel was momentarily startled and put down her glass.

‘Why, why suddenly Ra-El…’

Yuriel shook her head.

She had to face the Emperor soon, and she couldn’t be caught up in such useless thoughts.

“…Yuriel? Your reaction… Could it be true?”

“Stop talking nonsense, Damian, Brother.”

Yuriel immediately got up.

She felt like she would go crazy if she talked to Damian any longer.

“Yuriel, you were here.”

However, as soon as she left her seat, she encountered another troublesome sibling.

The Second Prince, Simon von Grandia.

He approached Yuriel with a faint smile that was different from usual.

Simon, with his irritable personality, was clearly smiling like that to pick a fight with her.

“…It’s been a while, Simon, Brother.”

“Yes, Yuriel. Have you been well?”

However, Yuriel’s expectations were pleasantly mistaken.

His tone was not the usual prickly tone.

“…Yes, I’ve been well.”

“Haha, Yuriel. Don’t be too angry. It’s not like Brother Damian has been like that for a day or two.”

“……?”

Yuriel blinked without realizing it.

Was this the Simon she knew?

“Why are you making that face, Yuriel?”

“W, well…”

Yuriel swallowed her words.

She couldn’t say that she was amazed that her brother’s dog-like personality had been corrected.

“Yuriel, after the banquet and meeting His Majesty… let’s have a drink together, brothers and sisters. Keep the time open.”

“Yes, yes. I understand.”

Yuriel nodded without realizing it.

Simon left with a satisfied expression.

“What was that… Isabel, I didn’t see it wrong, did I?”

“…I wonder if he’s drunk.”

Isabel also had a look on her face as if she had seen something amazing.

She had been Yuriel’s maid for a long time, but she felt like she had seen a ghost just now.

“Everyone is really… strange today. Is it because the succession war is really over?”

Yuriel sat down on a nearby chair with a strange feeling.

Her body was tired even though she had only been walking around for a while.

She didn’t like these banquet events for this reason.

“Haa…”

She was tired.

Yuriel sighed and placed her hand on her chest.

Thump- Thump-

Her heart was beating even faster because there were so many people.

She had put on even more blessings on her body for today, but it was even harder to endure the killing intent today.

“…”

Yuriel clenched her hand tightly and closed her eyes.

*

In the midst of the banquet.

Ra-El, who had asked Lucas and Carlson for an important task, slowly walked around the banquet hall.

‘They’ll do well.’

He was a little worried about Carlson, but he felt relieved to see that Lucas had become stronger.

“Gaia-men! Thank you always, Warrior!”

“Warrior! Please spread the grace of Gaia to the Empire!”

“Yes, yes. Thank you.”

The position of a warrior of the Gaia Order was definitely great.

People approached him just by walking around.

Ra-El pushed away the approaching people appropriately and looked around.

‘Surely something is likely to happen at this banquet… No, it will definitely happen.’

In terms of the flow of the original story, the Emperor’s death was imminent.

Soon, there will be an opportunity for Yuriel to awaken.

Ra-El deployed 회천 [Hoicheon, a technique to sense energy] and roamed around the banquet hall as if it were his own home.

After spending about an hour like that, something finally began to be caught.

“…Where is it?”

Ra-El walked around the banquet hall, tracking a very faint string of demonic energy.

Ra-El, who had been chasing the demonic energy while even greeting the people around him to act natural, soon reached the end of the demonic energy.

“Haha… I am very lacking. But the position of the next Emperor depends on Your Highness’s heart.”

Ra-El narrowed his eyes as he looked at the man standing at the end of the demonic energy.

The Second Prince Simon, surrounded by people.

“Hmm… Is it that bastard?”

Ra-El narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.

‘The demonic energy is so faint that I didn’t notice it when I entered the banquet hall… Surely I didn’t feel this demonic energy last time.’

The demonic energy disappeared from the Emperor and is felt from Simon.

What happened to Simon in the meantime?

Ra-El slowly followed behind him.