The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 113

The ancient research facility hummed with magical energy, thick as smoke.

Tia, secluded in the Dragon Lair for her research, was once again studying a sample of Rael’s blood.

“I think I’ve deciphered the Demon King… the real enigma is this one. Where did such a human even come from?”

Analyzing the Demon King hadn’t taken long, actually.

The fact that the magic weakened when the seal around the Demon King faltered indicated that the Demon King was an artificial being.

The Empire was the obvious creator.

Proving that was a simple matter.

“It’s fascinating that humanity artificially created the Demon King phenomenon… but I’ve spent too much time simultaneously investigating Rael’s power.”

While examining the Demon King’s seal, investigating Rael’s power, which weakened the seal, was a natural progression.

However, that direction proved to be the problem.

Rael’s very being was beyond Tia’s comprehension.

Tia placed Rael’s blood sample into a magical device.

Rael’s blood, though not as potent as Rael himself, still possessed the ability to absorb power to some extent.

Magic, the magic of other races, even the power of nature – Rael’s blood devoured it all.

“Why is this happening? Humans absorbing the power of other beings… is it an anomaly caused by magic accumulating in the body over time? Or is his soul so advanced that it attracts other powers?”

Tia frowned, gazing at the fascinating research material she had stumbled upon after so long.

The research on Rael, which she initially thought would be a brief amusement in her long life, yielded no progress, no matter how much time she devoted to it.

‘I need to consult an expert.’

Despite being a dragon, Tia’s knowledge was based on learning, not inherent.

There were many intelligent individuals on the continent who possessed knowledge she lacked.

“I’d love to have tea with Reina and Vermeil III after all this time… but I don’t have the time. I must leave immediately.”

Tia considered Rael’s power dangerous.

If that power, which even absorbed a dragon’s magic, spiraled out of control, he could become a monster even greater than the Demon King, a being composed of pure human malice.

“I should go for a stroll after ages.”

Wings unfurled from Tia’s back as she emerged from the Dragon Lair.

Her body absorbed magic and gradually increased in size.

Soon, a colossal dragon ascended into the sky.

*

After the priests of the Order escorted Lucas away, Rael exited the arena to a roaring ovation.

“Congratulations, Mr. Rael.”

“Thank you.”

Yuri and Isabel were waiting outside the arena.

Rael smiled at them.

“I never imagined you would actually win, Sir Rael,” Isabel said.

Isabel looked at Rael as if he were a miracle.

She remembered when he single-handedly defeated a mercenary group.

Until then, she had considered him a mere thug, but now he had won the Yongbong Tournament, where talents from across the continent gathered.

She wondered where this man’s journey would end.

“Wasn’t that final match incredible?”

“Yes. It seemed like a match of a higher caliber than the semi-finals.”

Isabel overheard the conversations of the nobles passing by.

In this Yongbong Tournament, the Kamen Empire showcased the skills of its talented individuals and demonstrated its strength, but internally, many factions were divided.

‘Gideon, I still remember that man’s face.’

The Kamen Knights, in particular, had suffered a significant blow to their reputation.

The fact that the captain of the 1st unit of the Kamen Knights, the most prestigious knight order on the continent, was defeated by a commoner knight had severely damaged their prestige.

He hadn’t even shown his face at the final after Belen’s elimination in the semi-finals.

“It was a tournament with paltry rewards. What’s so great about winning?”

Rael grumbled for no apparent reason.

He had been told that there would be a substantial reward, given the tournament’s scale, but that promise vanished as soon as Belen was eliminated.

‘Rotten bastards.’

He won the Yongbong Tournament, but all he received was honor.

As expected, these medieval fantasy folks were definitely thieves.

“Don’t worry too much. Sir Rael’s victory will be rewarded soon,” Isabel said with a smile.

Even if there wasn’t a significant reward immediately, Rael’s victory in the Yongbong Tournament as the 2nd Princess’s knight had caused significant shifts within the Empire.

Even Lucas, whom he met in the final, participated as the Grand Duke’s knight, placing him under the 2nd Princess as well.

Nobles were already approaching Yuri behind the scenes.

“Is that so? Tsk. What about you, Yuri? Any annoying people bothering you?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thanks to Mr. Rael, I’m so busy every day, which is actually a good thing.”

Yuri was indeed having a busy time.

Recently, so many nobles had requested meetings with her that she had to forward them to the Grand Duke.

“What did I do? It’s all because Yuri is doing well.”

“No. Thanks to the Grand Duke’s efforts, the Blue Magic Tower, the Elves, and Mr. Rael, everything is progressing smoothly.”

Yuri was genuinely grateful to Rael.

Without him, she wouldn’t have been able to build such a large following.

“…Come to think of it, you’re right.”

The current Empire had undergone tremendous changes, even in Rael’s eyes.

Many nobles were now supporting Yuri, a stark contrast to just a few months ago.

It was an unbelievable transformation, considering the days when she was the 2nd Princess whom no one cared about.

And the foundation of that change was Rael.

The Grand Duke had initially tried to support Yuri, but even then, the nobles didn’t understand the Grand Duke’s judgment.

In other words, the Grand Duke and Yuri alone weren’t enough to make a significant impact in the succession competition.

There had to be a crucial turning point.

‘…Overwhelming force.’

Rael slowly scanned Yuri’s body.

In the original story, what made the 2nd Princess Yuriel the Empress was the ‘overwhelming force’ she possessed.

“Mr. Rael, why are you looking at me like that all of a sudden?”

Yuri tilted her head and met Rael’s gaze.

Rael averted his eyes, flustered by her innocent expression.

Rael still didn’t know what event would trigger her transformation.

*

Even after winning the Yongbong Tournament, Rael’s daily life remained largely unchanged.

He had been living like a loafer, so he couldn’t suddenly adopt the life of a great knight simply because he had won.

Of course, this period of leisure wouldn’t last much longer.

‘Still, it’ll be peaceful until the Hero selection.’

Rael resigned himself to his fate.

He had even won the Yongbong Tournament, and the cardinals were showering him with invitations.

It was a situation that would be difficult to refuse even if the Emperor himself, not just his grandfather, came calling.

“Gent.”

Rael lay down on the special guard’s hammock, lost in thought.

He addressed the giant who was blocking the sunlight with his massive frame.

“Hmm, what is it?”

“Why do you seem taller? The sunlight wasn’t blocked this effectively before.”

“It could be because it’s the growth period.”

“…Growth period?”

Reina was 150 years old, and Gent was said to be even older, wasn’t he?

When would that crazy race stop growing?

“Yes. The stronger the giant warrior, the bigger he gets. Don’t tell me ‘Rael, the strongest of the Yongbong Tournament’ came all the way here to ask that?”

“…Don’t give me such a ridiculous title.”

“Hmm. I thought you’d like it, but it’s a shame.”

Gent resumed tending the garden, feigning disappointment.

He still struggled to understand human emotions.

“More importantly, how’s the Demon King? Is she still acting strange?”

The reason Rael had come to the special guard was because of the Demon King.

He hadn’t been paying attention to her recently, as he was focused on the affairs of the Empire, but if something happened to her, everything he had accomplished so far would be for naught.

“It’s the same. She’s looking for mint chocolate and you. And if I try to talk to her from this side, she gets a terrible headache. I’ve even considered buying mint chocolate myself, but I’m hesitant because I don’t know what will happen if I do.”

“…I’m going crazy.”

Not a human, but the Demon King is looking for him.

Was this also a perk of being popular?

If this is fame, I want to decline it.

“Isn’t Tia still responding? Isn’t she starving to death by now? Shouldn’t we check inside the Dragon Lair?”

“There’s no way. Dragons are higher beings that can survive without eating. Be patient and wait. It hasn’t even been half a year yet; you’re too impatient.”

“That’s why long-lived races have no sense of time.”

Since they’ve lived for so long, they don’t care about half a year.

They don’t understand how precious half a year is to humans, who can’t live for 100 years.

“Gent! Huh? Rael! You were here!”

Dadadad-

At that moment, Reina came running from over there, holding Vermeil III.

Rael stared at her while lying on the hammock.

“Tia’s Dragon Lair is open!”

“…. What?”

As soon as Rael heard Reina’s words, he jumped up from the hammock.

They say that if you speak of a tiger, it will appear, and since Tia’s Dragon Lair was open, this was nothing more than the guidance of fate.

“Huh? Why is it empty?”

“…Damn it. What is it? Did she run away?”

However, Rael, who rushed to the Dragon Lair in one breath, was met with an empty Dragon Lair.

Rael frowned at the lingering presence he sensed inside.

There were definitely traces of Tia’s recent activity.

But where did Tia go?

“Reina.”

“Hmm?”

“Isn’t Tia not allowed to leave the special guard? She made a contract with the Empire.”

“Wouldn’t it be okay if she didn’t get caught? I don’t know either.”

“…”

As expected, there were no normal long-lived species.

Do they break their promises because they have lived for so long?

With that, Rael returned to the special guard, disappointed.

He couldn’t satisfy his curiosity about the Demon King after all.

“Rael,”

“Huh?”

“Tia is back. Prepare yourself.”

However, Tia’s return was faster than Rael anticipated.

The day after confirming that the Dragon Lair was empty, Tia returned.

“Is she in the Dragon Lair? Gent, let’s go together.”

“No. She came to find you in person. She’s waiting in that forest.”

“….. Me?”

Rael looked at Gent, puzzled.

He had seen her swimming in the lake, but this was the first time Tia had ventured so far from the Dragon Lair.

“Yes. Before that, Tia brought a great beauty, so go to her in the cleanest state possible.”

Gent shuddered as he recalled her face.

She was such a stunning beauty that even he, who rarely showed emotion, was taken aback.

“…Beauty? What are you talking about all of a sudden?”

“She’s an amazing beauty that I’ve never seen in my life. Rael, you’d better prepare yourself properly.”

Rael narrowed his eyes at Gent’s words.

He was even more intrigued because Gent had never said anything like that before.

“You know I’m not the type to care about that, right? If I don’t like her, beauty or not, my fist will fly first.”

Rael said that, but he straightened his clothes and combed his hair back.

As a man, he couldn’t help but be curious about the beauty that Gent, who was over 150 years old, had never seen before.

After finishing his preparations, Rael entered the forest where Tia was waiting.

He saw the woman standing with Tia.

“Tia. Is this the human you were talking about?”

“Yes. That’s right. Rael, say hello. This is Bestia. The leader of the Beastmen.”

“…Ah, yes. Hello. I’m Rael.”

Rael blinked as he looked at Tia, whom he hadn’t seen in a while, and then at the tiger walking on two feet.

He could see a muscular body that was also feminine. There was thick fur on her arms and legs, and her face seemed to be half human and half tiger.

Looking at the tiger ears and mane rising from her head, Rael thought of Gent’s face.

‘Ah… damn it. Giant bastards.’

Only now did he remember the saying that giants do not feel sexual desire towards elves and humans.