The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 116

“Wow, is this bastard suddenly gone quiet? Hey, try repeating what you just said.”

Raiel grabbed Vermeil III and shook him back and forth.

Clearly, a voice he had never heard before was speaking, but the fox was playing dumb.

“Raiel? What’s wrong all of a sudden! Leave Vermeil III alone!”

“No, Reina. This fox just spoke, I’m telling you.”

“I didn’t hear anything. What did he say?”

”…”

Raiel shut his mouth.

There was no way he could tell Reina what Vermeil III had said.

He glared at Vermeil III again, but the fox just blinked innocently, as if he knew nothing.

“He stopped talking as soon as he realized I could understand him. Sly bastard.”

“Indeed, quite the mystical creature.”

Gent nodded and sipped his tea.

He didn’t know what was going on, but seeing Raiel angry, it didn’t seem like Vermeil III had done anything wrong.

“What mystical creature? I’m telling you to talk. Wow, this guy is really unbelievable.”

Raiel sighed as he watched Vermeil III continue to feign ignorance.

In the end, he handed Vermeil III back to Reina.

[The future is dark, but he’s a human with bright ears!]

At that moment, Vermeil III’s voice was heard once again.

Startled, he turned his head, but Vermeil III, who had been handed back to Reina, was already running towards the forest.

“What did that fox bastard just say… Hey! Where are you going!”

“Calm down, Raiel. There’s no use getting angry at a mystical creature.”

“That’s right. More importantly, what did Vermeil III say? Huh? Did he really compliment me?”

“…I’m getting played by a fox now, after all this time.”

Raiel was dumbfounded and stared in the direction Vermeil III had disappeared.

It was towards the lake where the Dragon Lair was located.

‘To think I can hear that mystical creature… something really has changed.’

Raiel felt the demonic energy entering his body even at this moment.

An unknown force sucking in the surrounding power.

He might be able to resolve this ability, which weakened the Demon King’s seal, while learning the Predator’s Sense.

“Ugh, I really can’t get used to this place. Ah, Raiel!”

At that moment, a woman walked in from the Special Guard entrance.

It was Bestia, the leader of the Beastmen.

“Lady Bestia?”

“I knew I’d find you here. I couldn’t find your scent in the capital.”

Bestia wagged her tail and smiled.

The only place in the Imperial Capital where her sense of smell couldn’t reach was here, so she figured he would be here.

“R-Raiel. Who is this?”

At that moment, Reina widened her eyes and looked back and forth between Bestia and Raiel.

“This is Lady Bestia, the leader of the Beastmen. Is this your first time seeing her?”

“Nice to meet you, Elf. I’m Bestia.”

“Nice to meet you too. I, I’m Reina…”

“Is that so? Reina. I’ve seen many Elves, but you’re quite cute among them.”

“Ah, aah… Thank you.”

Reina’s shoulders trembled.

As an Elf, her standards for beauty were quite high, but even Reina had never seen such a beauty in her life.

“Reina, you’re surprised too? I guess different races really do have similar tastes.”

“Elves and Giants definitely have different standards of beauty. But there is beauty that transcends race, Raiel.”

”…”

Is that so?

Raiel looked at Bestia again.

The tiger ears and mane on her head still looked intimidating, but after hearing her called beautiful so many times, her wagging tail seemed somewhat charming….

“Haa….”

Raiel shook his head.

Seeing such useless thoughts filling his head, it seemed he was starting to become tainted by this medieval fantasy.

“Raiel, let’s go. We need to see Tia.”

Bestia grabbed Raiel’s shoulder.

“Why does Lady Tia need to see me?”

“Why else? The reason we came all the way here was to teach you the Predator’s Sense. You’ve learned the basics, so we need to report to Tia.”

“Ah… that’s right. I had something to ask her too, so let’s go together.”

He hadn’t had a proper conversation with Tia since she finished her research.

And he had something to ask her about the Demon King.

After Raiel and Bestia walked towards the lake.

Reina, who had been watching their retreating figures, approached Gent.

“G-G-G-Gent…”

Reina’s body swayed like a reed.

“What’s wrong, Reina?”

“Big trouble. Big trouble. Did you see Raiel’s eyes just now? He’s completely fallen for that woman!”

“Indeed… Lady Bestia’s appearance is remarkable. Even I was surprised.”

Gent didn’t usually show his emotions, but even he was surprised by her appearance.

“What should I do? Huh? Gent. What should I do!”

Reina grabbed Gent’s body.

She tried to shake him back and forth like she did with Raiel, but he was too heavy to move.

“…The opponent is incredibly strong. Reina. Prepare yourself.”

“Aaaah! No!”

Reina made a crying face and threw herself onto the hammock.

*

On the way to meet Tia.

Raiel told Bestia about how he was controlling his body, which absorbed surrounding power, with the Predator’s Sense.

“Ah, you had that kind of power? Then the Predator’s Sense is perfect for you. I understand why Tia came to me.”

Bestia nodded after hearing Raiel’s words.

“…You didn’t know that when you taught me?”

“How would I know if you didn’t tell me?”

“No, I just assumed you heard it from Lady Tia.”

Raiel sighed in disbelief.

Why don’t these other races ever give proper explanations?

”….. Uh?”

While walking along the lake towards the Dragon Lair.

He saw something floating on the lake in front of the Dragon Lair.

Floating—.

Tia was floating on the water with a very relaxed expression, like an otter.

And on her stomach, Vermeil III was lying down in the same position, belly up.

It was a very strange sight that you couldn’t even pay to see.

“Ah, there’s Tia. What’s that mystical creature? It seems to have a very high status?”

“High status?”

“Yeah. There are many mystical creatures in the Beastmen’s forest, but I’ve never seen one like that. Well, I guess that’s why it can live in this environment.”

“…That’s information I really didn’t want to know.”

To think that sly fox was such a great mystical creature.

Raiel felt like he was being deceived by this world.

“Tia! I’m here, so wake up!”

“Ugh? Ah. You two came together.”

Tia raised her body at Bestia’s words.

Vermeil III also opened his eyes and yawned, but his eyes widened as if he was surprised to see Raiel.

But he soon climbed onto Tia’s shoulder and made a triumphant expression.

He probably wasn’t worried about getting scolded since Tia was there.

[Lady Tia! The human race chased me all the way here!]

“Oh my, Vermeil III. What are you talking about?”

Tia smiled as she looked at Vermeil III.

It had been a long time since this child had talked about other people.

“…Lady Tia. You can communicate with Vermeil III?”

“Vermeil III? Of course, I understand him. I’m a Dragon, after all.”

“Then why didn’t you tell me until now?”

“Didn’t you not ask?”

“…”

Raiel looked at Tia with a dissatisfied expression before turning his head.

There didn’t seem to be any benefit to arguing.

“I heard that Vermeil III is a great mystical creature. Do all mystical creatures talk like that?”

Instead, he asked something else.

It was a question about that fox.

“Ah, that’s called chuuni-byou [Middle School 2nd Year Syndrome, a Japanese term for adolescent delusions of grandeur].”

“What?”

“Chuuni-byou. To explain it simply, it means the Middle Realm for 200 years… Ah, the Middle Realm refers to the continent where humans live, not the Spirit Realm. If you live on the continent for about 200 years, you start to think that you are different and special from others.”

“…So it’s adolescent delusion.”

“That’s right. You’re smarter than you look?”

The compliment didn’t exactly make him feel good.

Raiel sighed and followed Tia into the Dragon Lair.

And together with Bestia, he reported the results of his training.

“You’ve roughly mastered the Predator’s Sense? That’s amazing! Hasn’t it only been a day since Bestia started teaching you?”

“Yeah. He really has amazing talent. I understand why you had your eye on him, Tia.”

“It’s unbelievably fast, but… if you can communicate with Vermeil III, I can’t doubt it. Raiel, hold out your hand.”

Raiel placed his hand on Tia’s hand.

At the same time, he felt her magic entering his body.

He wondered why he hadn’t noticed such powerful magic entering him until now.

“Now, imagine you’re controlling that power. Very slowly, you need to recognize the flow of magic. And then cut off that flow. I can heal you even if the magic pattern gets twisted to some extent, so don’t be afraid and proceed.”

Raiel closed his eyes as he listened to Tia’s words.

And he completely focused on his senses.

To avoid weakening the Demon King’s seal, he had to control his body, which absorbed surrounding power.

It was strange from the start that such an unidentified power was in his body.

Raiel didn’t like having a power he didn’t know in his body.

‘It’s my power after all. I can control it if I set my mind to it.’

This world is made of magic. Nothing happens naturally.

Even if Raiel unconsciously absorbs surrounding power, it is ultimately due to magic.

Wooong—

Raiel poured all his consciousness into controlling his body.

Even though he wasn’t aware of it, blue magic enveloped his entire body.

He had to follow the flow of magic. It couldn’t be too much or too little.

The important thing was to stop the unidentified act of absorbing surrounding power.

“…Every time I see it, it’s an amazing concentration.”

Bestia looked at Raiel.

Magic was popping out of his body.

It was resisting the sudden attempt to control his body.

However, Raiel’s consciousness perfectly harmonized and suppressed the magic.

Powerful magic was dormant in his body.

The more powerful the magic, the weaker the control.

Even with the Predator’s Sense, it was an innate talent.

“Bestia, I was right, wasn’t I? I said Raiel would be able to do it.”

“Then you should have explained it in more detail. I didn’t even know the power Raiel had.”

“…Didn’t I tell you?”

Tia tilted her head.

Originally, Dragons don’t care about trivial matters.

“Hmm?”

At that moment, the flow of Tia’s magic began to twist.

The magic that was being drawn into Raiel gradually weakened, and then the flow completely stopped.

“Is it done?”

Raiel slowly opened his eyes.

The sensation he was feeling now was very foreign and awkward.

To put it in perspective, it was like forcibly accepting carbon dioxide in the air when breathing?

He couldn’t say exactly, but he was definitely feeling strange.

“Yeah. I think that’s enough. Raiel. How is it, is there anything strange about your body?”

“I don’t think so.”

Raiel moved his body back and forth.

There was a slight awkwardness in his breathing, but the rest was fine.

At this point, it seemed like there would be no problem taking out the Thousand Killing Sword and fighting.

“Good. Then the goal is achieved. We can go see the Demon King.”

“Lady Tia. Are you sure it’s okay? It’s only the first attempt, so I’m a little uneasy.”

“Don’t worry. If you can hear Vermeil III’s words, you can be considered to have almost mastered the Predator’s Sense.”

“…Is that mystical creature that great?”

Raiel looked at Vermeil III on Tia’s shoulder.

Vermeil III, realizing that he wasn’t chasing him, was sitting comfortably on Tia’s shoulder with a relaxed expression.

“Of course. Vermeil III is a mystical creature that can read the essence of the soul.”

[Raiel’s soul has a surprisingly comfortable part!]

“…Thanks for the compliment. But what’s so amazing about it? Am I very different from the others?”

Raiel tried to talk to Vermeil III.

[Reina is good because she is full of natural energy, and Gent is bad because I can feel the Giant race’s ignorance!]

That Gent is ignorant.

Raiel smiled.

He was trying hard to hide it, but Vermeil III seemed to be feeling the instincts of the race.

“Then what about the Demon King?”

[I’ve never dared to go near the Demon King because I’m scared of what he is!]

“…”

Raiel stared intently at Vermeil III.

He was planning to monitor the Demon King again after a long time.

‘If I take this fox to the Demon King, will I be able to find out something?’

If he’s a mystical creature that reads souls, he might be able to read something from the Demon King.

And Raiel’s intuition was usually never wrong.

[Oh my. The human’s eyes are very uneasy….]

Vermeil III shuddered on his shoulders with an inexplicable sense of unease.