The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 199

District 4 Orphanage.

As usual, Rael visited the orphanage without much thought.

He didn’t forget to bring snacks for the children in both hands.

It had been about a week since his last visit, which was the day before the fight with Kaiman.

“Ah, hello. Hero.”

“The Hero is here! Hooray for the Hero!”

“Itz! Don’t be so rude to the Hero.”

It had only been a week.

Rael blinked, noticing the change in the children’s eyes.

“…What’s this?”

It was a side effect of becoming too famous.

Now, even the people in the lower districts knew the name and face of Rael, the Hero of the Gaia Order.

Rael’s fame had surpassed the information gap between the upper and lower districts.

By order of the Pope, the Order was teaching tales of Rael’s heroism, and statues were being erected in the streets.

The priests of the Gaia Order praised Rael’s name, and the Holy Knights extolled Rael’s heroic deeds.

The wave reached every corner of the lower districts.

The priests in the lower districts praised Rael, who came from humble origins, even more, and street poets sang of the Hero’s greatness.

“Rael is a Hero. We can’t do whatever we want with him.”

“Really? But I want to play with Rael…”

“The Hero has to fight the Demon King. He doesn’t have time to play with us.”

The children had the ability to read the atmosphere.

Especially the children in the orphanage, who lived without parents, were quicker to notice things than most adults.

Because in this world, it’s hard to survive without being perceptive.

“…”

Before he knew it, Rael and the children had become beings living in different worlds.

It was similar to when Rael looked up to the nobles.

The children felt uncomfortable with the fact that the Hero, whom all adults praised, was visiting the orphanage.

“S, sit here. Rael. No, Hero!”

Rael stared intently at Beru, who was making him sit on the bench.

Beru, who always made strange faces and teased adults, was now looking at Rael with a polite expression.

It wasn’t strange.

In this world, there was an insurmountable wall between nobles and commoners.

And they accepted the difference as natural from birth.

Even if Rael were in their position, he would have felt some discomfort.

‘This is…’

Rael suddenly felt bitter.

Why did he become a Hero?

It was to protect the orphanage, the place he considered home, and its everyday life.

But now, Rael had to give up his everyday life to protect it.

‘Have I gone too far to turn back?’

Rael sighed, thinking that.

“You guys! What are you talking about!”

At that moment.

Nia ran up and stood in front of Rael.

As always, she stood in front of Rael, holding out her arms as if asking for a hug.

“Rael is Rael! Not a Hero!”

Nia.

The oldest sister in the orphanage.

She would be leaving the orphanage next year.

When the black mages appeared, she sacrificed herself for the children, remembering Rael’s words.

Such a kind and pure child was looking up at Rael with anxious eyes.

Rael looked at her and carefully raised his arms.

“…Of course, Nia.”

“Uwaa!”

Rael lifted Nia up.

Then, after putting her on his shoulders, he smiled as usual.

“You brats… Who’s calling me Hero? Where did you learn such nonsense! No snacks for you today?”

“Uwaa! Rael is angry!”

“If you get caught, it’s the tickle torture!”

The children scattered in all directions, startled by Rael’s voice.

But on their faces were smiles of relief and joy.

It was a relief that the Rael they always knew had returned.

“Oppa! Scary! Scary!”

“Okay, Nia.”

Nia, who had come down from Rael’s shoulders, ran to the children with a grin.

Watching her, Rael smirked.

“Rael. You’re here?”

“Teacher Sara.”

Then, Sara approached Rael from behind with a smile.

She shook her head, watching the children running around.

“The children are making a fuss, right? Lately, Bishop Peter and the Rein Knights… everyone is only talking about how great you’ve become, Rael. The children probably didn’t know what to do.”

“Peter… that guy was the problem. Tch. Well, I guess it can’t be helped. They’re just kids.”

‘I’ll have to talk to that fanatic later.’

‘I was a little upset, but I understand.’

These children were born and raised in such a world.

A world where you die if you make a single mistake to the nobles.

Even if they’re close to you, they’ll feel uneasy.

“Don’t worry, Rael.”

“…Sister Reishel.”

Reishel, who had come to Rael’s side, made the sign of the cross.

“Even if you’ve become a Hero… inside the orphanage, you’re still our Rael.”

Sister Reishel, who followed the teachings of the Gaia Order, was not a nun and a Hero inside the orphanage.

They were just Reishel and Rael.

Rael smiled awkwardly without realizing it.

In the end, nothing had changed, and it seemed like he was the only one thinking strange things.

“This place won’t change. Come and visit anytime you feel comfortable, Rael.”

“Teacher Sara.”

“Hmm? Oh, shall I make you a cup of honey tea, which you like?”

“Am I still the same?”

Sara’s eyes blinked at Rael’s sudden words.

After thinking for a moment, she gave a kind smile and hugged Rael.

“Of course, Rael. You’re always my pride.”

“…Thank you. Teacher Sara.”

Rael closed his eyes, hugging Sara.

That’s right.

He hadn’t changed at all.

The path Rael had walked was also the same.

He would remove anything that blocked his peaceful life.

He would not tolerate anything that stood in his way.

Free and selfish, but at least warm to his own people.

That was Rael’s sword and Rael’s path.

‘Let’s not lose our way anymore.’

For some reason, Rael’s heart calmed down.

At the same time, something settled in Rael’s heart.

Defying Heaven.

It was an awakening to his path.

*

Along with the nobles gathering for the coronation ceremony.

Troops from each country also began to gather in the Continental Allied Forces.

With the war against Alheim becoming certain, the leaders of each country did not spare their troops.

From the desert warriors of the Nagor Desert Kingdom to the Fujiki troops of the Jeongcheon Alliance, and even the knights of the Vanessa Kingdom.

All gathered as the Empire’s Allied Forces.

And Yuri appeared every day at the huge training ground where the Allied Forces were training.

Crown Princess Yuriel.

She participated in the Allied Forces’ training until just before the coronation ceremony.

At first, they thought it was the Crown Princess’s whim.

Yuri had liked the battlefield since she was a princess, so many people reacted by saying that she was participating in the training for fun.

She hadn’t lost to anyone except the Jeongcheon Alliance Lord.

Although she had proven her strength to some extent in front of Rael and Commander Rein, she hadn’t properly shown that strength until quite some time had passed, and very few people had actually seen that strength.

After about a week.

The nobles of the continent heard unbelievable information from their knights.

It was unbelievable information that Crown Princess Yuri’s strength was the same as a Sword Master.

Clang-!

“Heuk…!”

A knight barely managed to step back.

It was Belen, who was serving as the (temporary) commander of the Carmen Knights.

Although he was lacking compared to the Empire’s Three Heroes, he was a genius swordsman who was about to break through the wall of Sword Master at a young age.

That was the evaluation of Belen.

But now Belen couldn’t even control his body properly.

“Damn it… Tss. Haa….”

Belen, who swallowed a curse, trembled his shoulders and stepped back.

Then, he looked down at his trembling hands and sighed.

He had only exchanged swords a few times, but his arms no longer listened to him.

“I lost. Your Highness.”

In the end, Belen bowed his head to Yuri.

Yuri sheathed her sword at his declaration of surrender and approached Belen.

“Belen, you’re quick to react, but your footwork is too obvious. Also, you have a bad habit of slightly dragging your left foot every time you stab to the right. The same goes for your eye movements. It’s too easy to predict where the attack is coming from.”

“T, thank you for the guidance.”

Belen bowed his head once again.

At first, Belen was ashamed of being defeated by a member of the Imperial Family, especially a woman, but now he didn’t have such thoughts.

Over the past week.

Her Highness Yuriel had not lost to anyone except Sword Dragon and the Jeongcheon Alliance Lord.

Even Sword Dragon and the Jeongcheon Alliance Lord had acknowledged Her Highness Yuriel’s strength, so now no one within the Allied Forces ignored Her Highness Yuriel.

No, they couldn’t ignore her.

A fool who ignores a swordsman stronger than himself cannot become a knight.

“N, next time, I would also like to receive guidance from Your Highness.”

“Sir Benjamin! I said it first!”

Moreover, Her Highness Yuriel’s eyes were special.

Just looking into her eyes made his body tremble as if he were facing a beast.

Moreover, after the sparring, she would even point out the problems she had read with those eyes, so the knights who wanted to spar with Yuri were lining up.

“Okay, okay. That’s enough, everyone.”

At that moment, a man clapped his hands next to Yuri and opened his mouth.

From the knights who were focusing on their training to the knights who were applying for sparring with Yuri, everyone was startled and turned their heads.

Even the knights who were exchanging swords while sparring turned their heads.

‘Sir Rael, no. When did the Hero get here…?’

Belen, who was closest to Yuri, swallowed his breath.

No one in the training ground, including him, had noticed Rael walking here.

But when he opened his mouth, an irresistible, strong aura covered the training ground.

“H, Hero…”

“Belen? Long time no see. Are you managing the Carmen Knights well?”

“Yes. Y, yes. I’m doing my best.”

Belen swallowed nervously.

A sense of ease, or rather, a hard-to-express energy was felt from Rael.

A natural charisma due to divine power.

Rael was unknowingly exuding pressure.

“Your Highness Yuriel, I have something to say. Please take some time.”

“Oh my, Mr. Rael. You don’t have to be so formal.”

“…Even so, how can I call you Yuri in the Allied Forces? Let’s go quickly.”

Rael lowered his voice and led Yuri out of the training ground.

Rael, who joined Isabel waiting outside, entered a nearby building.

“Thank you for your hard work, Your Highness Yuriel.”

“Thank you, Isabel.”

Yuri, who wiped away the sweat from training with a magic tool, sat across from the chair Rael was sitting in.

Rael sat in a comfortable position and opened his mouth.

“Yuri, the coronation ceremony will be held in three days.”

“That’s right. Now all the VIPs have gathered, and the preparations are complete.”

It was an event that exhausted the Empire’s total strength.

It would be held more splendidly than ever.

This was not just a coronation ceremony.

It was a place to announce the Empire’s stability after losing the Imperial Family due to the Demon’s terrorist attack, and it was a stepping stone for the upcoming war.

“Mr. Rael’s role will also be big at the coronation ceremony. Since the Gaia Order is the Empire’s state religion, it would be good to highlight the relationship between the Emperor and the Hero.”

“That’s good too, but there’s something more important. Yuri, I’m going to deal with the Guiwang [a powerful, sealed entity] before the coronation ceremony is held.”

“…The Guiwang?”

Yuri’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Yes. I can’t postpone it any longer. I can’t start a war with a ticking time bomb behind me.”

“But Rael, the Guiwang’s power is….”

Yuri opened her mouth with a worried look.

Purifying the Guiwang’s malice was close to impossible.

That’s why the Empire and the Order had given up and sealed it.

“Don’t worry, Yuri.”

Rael gave a faint smile.

Now that he had the power called divine power.

And now that he had found his path and was confident in himself.

There was no need to back down anymore.