The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 225

Winter is drawing to a close.

With the Great War over, the festive atmosphere of the New Year and victory celebrations was gradually fading.

The citizens of the Empire, too, began returning to their homes and resuming their lives.

Ordinary days were slowly returning to the Kamen Empire.

In the heart of District 1, a lively group of children appeared.

“Teacher, hurry!”

“Too fast, Nia.”

“Yacha, we can’t be late! Come on!” Nia, clutching a lunch box in one hand and Yacha’s hand in the other, called out excitedly.

The faces of the children following behind her mirrored her excitement.

Today was the day for an unprecedented picnic at the orphanage.

“Kids, don’t run—!” Sarah smiled, leading the children toward the park.

The children entered the park in District 1, a space bursting with flowers, and began to settle down.

“Teacher, I’m hungry!”

“Butterfly! Butterfly!”

As the children ran around the park, some nobles passing by frowned, but quickly averted their gaze.

The Rain Knights, there to protect the orphanage children, were giving them pointed looks. Moreover, a familiar face was among the children.

“Rael, if you want chocolate, just ask.”

“I’m okay. You eat plenty, but remember to brush your teeth.”

“Brushing teeth is hard, Rael.”

The Hero, Rael, was blending in seamlessly with the children.

“Hyung [older brother or respected male figure]. I made this.”

“Wow, Harry, you’re very talented! Are you going to be a florist when you grow up?”

Rael placed the flower crown Harry had made for him on his head.

Rael was now directly supervising the children as they ran through the grass, chasing butterflies.

The reason these ordinary children could play freely in the park in District 1 was thanks to him.

No noble would dare express dissatisfaction with the Hero.

‘I’m a Hero; I can get away with this much.’

It was a bit outrageous, but Rael didn’t usually abuse his position, so it was generally tolerated.

Of course, this was Rael’s perspective.

“Okay, kids. This is the statue of the War Hero, the Cheonsal Sword Lord [likely a title meaning Heavenly Execution Sword Lord].”

“Wowwww—amazing!”

“It’s so big!”

Some children gazed up at the Cheonsal Sword Lord’s statue behind Teacher Sarah.

This park was the Hero’s Tomb, where the Cheonsal Sword Lord was buried.

The Empire had significantly contributed to creating the Cheonsal Sword Lord’s tomb.

Initially, they wanted to enshrine the Cheonsal Sword Lord within the Order or the Imperial Palace, but Rael had objected.

Rael knew the Cheonsal Sword Lord’s personality better than anyone.

‘Our teacher would want to soak up the attention, even in death.’

So, he had a huge park built in the most desirable location in District 1.

The park was finally completed today.

“Okay, Harry and Yacha, go to Teacher Sarah.”

Rael led the children to Teacher Sarah and then wandered around the park alone.

“It was around here.”

Behind the massive statue of the Cheonsal Sword Lord was a gentle hill.

This was where Rael had buried the Cheonsal Sword Lord immediately after the war.

It probably wasn’t open to the public yet.

For now, only a single tombstone stood, but he planned to build a grand structure, like a pyramid, for tourists to visit in the future.

As Rael approached the tomb, one of the wizards approached him.

“Just a moment. This area is… Ah, Hero!”

“Can’t I go in? I wanted to visit my teacher for a moment.”

“We’re checking the tomb’s surveillance magic. If it’s the Hero, you’re welcome to go in!”

“Okay, thanks for your hard work.”

Rael greeted the wizards installing magic on the tomb and entered.

Climbing the gentle hill, he saw a neatly kept tombstone.

“Am I too late? But the statue is cool, right?”

Rael sat down beside the Cheonsal Sword Lord’s tombstone.

The Cheonsal Sword Lord’s statue exuded tremendous dignity, even from behind.

It depicted the Cheonsal Sword Lord wielding the Inverse Heaven Sword [likely a named sword].

Rael had personally overseen its construction, ensuring incredible detail.

Hundreds of wizards had been involved in creating that single statue.

The park itself was in the prime location of District 1 and visible from the Imperial Palace, likely becoming a famous landmark of the Empire.

“The best liquor in the Empire… Teacher.”

Pouring sounds.

Rael took out the liquor bottle he had brought and began pouring it directly onto the tomb.

Did the Cheonsal Sword Lord like alcohol? He honestly didn’t know.

He probably never really enjoyed it, being so focused on sword training.

‘Then I should let him drink plenty, even in death.’

“Cheonsal Sword Lord… He was a very strong human.”

Suddenly, someone approached from behind and stood near Rael.

The familiar magical presence was Tia.

“Lady Tia? What brings you here?”

“The wizards at the Magic Tower said you were visiting, so I came to find you.”

“Your news travels fast.”

It couldn’t have been more than five minutes since he entered the Cheonsal Sword Lord’s tomb, yet she had already found him.

He’d heard she’d been spending time at the Magic Tower lately; the dragons must be bored with nothing to do.

“You’re having rude thoughts.”

Tia smiled and looked at Rael.

“Is it only one or two days that I’m rude? Come to think of it, Lady Tia, were you close to the Cheonsal Sword Lord?”

“Should I say we were close? I sometimes had conversations when I was in the Special Guard. Even then, he was a human who only knew about swords. I find you much more interesting, Rael.”

“My teacher wasn’t very interesting. That’s right, I heard you’re going to the Magic Tower these days, so you’re getting along well with humans? Didn’t you say that humans smelled bad before?”

“I developed new magic while observing your divine power. It’s a great magic that makes me feel comfortable even when I’m with beings of lower status.”

“Ah…”

“Human magic is quite interesting to watch. I’m stopping by to pass the time. These days, the Blue Magic Tower Master is urging you to visit the Magic Tower when you have time, but Beggars isn’t saying anything?”

“…I don’t really want to meet that person.”

The Blue Magic Tower Master’s misunderstanding had reached a point of no return.

Perma now almost worshipped Rael as a god.

It wouldn’t be difficult to reveal that Rael wasn’t a dragon, but doing so would completely shatter his dream as a wizard.

“Humans seem to have very interesting worries. I can’t understand it.”

“Lady Tia is a dragon, after all.”

Rael answered appropriately and stared blankly at the sky.

Looking around the capital and feeling the cool breeze, he once again appreciated the preciousness of this leisurely life.

Rael had been fighting for this kind of life.

“Isn’t the scenery in this park really nice? The natural magic that can be felt from there is also… um?”

At that moment, unfamiliar faces appeared in Rael’s field of vision.

It was an elf mingling with the children from the orphanage.

While he was talking to Tia, the elves were already playing with the children in the park.

“Delicious! Thank you, Elf Noona [older sister or respected female figure]!”

“Ah, it would be nice if the Hero became family with the elves!”

“Hero? Are you talking about Hyung?”

“Yes, yes, that’s right! If Rael becomes family with the elves, you can eat these fruits every day!”

The elves were handing out sweet fruits to the children from the orphanage.

Anyone would think they were conducting some kind of cult recruitment.

“…Isn’t that Reinay?”

Rael chuckled as he looked at the elves who had suddenly appeared.

Why were they here? The answer was simple.

“…No wonder Lady Tia suddenly appeared. Is this Lady Tia’s doing?”

The only people who knew Rael was here today were Teacher Sarah, Janice, and Tia, whom he had met here.

Teacher Sarah wouldn’t do that, and Janice had threatened to kill anyone who leaked information, so it couldn’t be her.

That left only one.

Only this crazy dragon.

“I told you that the enemy of the dragon is boredom. Isn’t the interspecies alliance fun to do?”

“Huh, you’re not using that Cheonlajimang [likely a type of magic or trap] or whatever this time. I heard Lady Tia fixed the magic.”

“I didn’t think you would use that magic to catch you. Why bother when it’s useless anyway? I told them to make a good impression on the orphanage children instead. Good plan, right?”

“…Yes. It’s uselessly good.”

Rael looked at Reina waving her hand among the elves.

It was quite a distance away, but Rael’s senses didn’t miss her voice.

“Rael! Tell me anytime if you change your mind! Definitely!”

“Good luck, Rael.”

Gent, who was huge, was also seen behind her.

As Rael was shaking his head, new people revealed their faces at the entrance of the park.

“Oh my, Rael! What a coincidence! I stopped by the Cheonsal Sword Lord’s park, and Rael is here! Hoot!”

“It’s all fate, Your Majesty Yuriel. I think it’s necessary to make a decision to confirm the position of the Royal Consort as soon as possible.”

Yuri and Isabel.

The two of them, entering the park as if they were acting, made eye contact with Rael.

“No, Yuri?”

Why was someone who should be in the Imperial Palace here?

Rael looked at Yuri with an absurd expression, and she turned her head as if she had something on her mind.

However, she stubbornly continued into the park, as if she wouldn’t give up.

“Why a park suddenly from early in the morning… Ugh, I’m sleepy.”

Behind her were the Rain Knights, who had replaced the Kamen Knights.

Seeing Rein yawning at the head, it seemed like the schedule was very sudden.

“Ra-men. May God’s guidance be with you. Oh? There are so many believers in the place where I will offer prayers today.”

Immediately after that, Cecilia and the Silver Cross Knights also entered the park.

They walked naturally and put their hands together.

“Commander Marco should have come, but why me…?”

“Sir Carlson, I’m here too. Please bear with it, even if you look at Sir Rael’s face.”

Carlson and Lucas were at the head of the Silver Cross Knights, and Carlson’s expression was not good.

He had planned to spend the day at the gambling table from this morning, but it seemed like he was suddenly summoned.

Rael, facing the faces of the people he had been avoiding all at once, felt a headache and turned his head.

“Is this all Lady Tia’s work?”

“Isn’t it fun? If not, that’s a shame.”

“Fun my ass…”

“Rael, humans can only live for about 100 years. Of course, you and those people may live a little longer… You should enjoy what you can enjoy.”

Tia smiled at Rael’s complaint.

From a dragon’s point of view, the lives of humans were too short.

Those trivial problems should be solved immediately.

“Huh, thank you very much.”

Rael smiled and looked around.

Behind the people approaching him, a huge park came into view.

There was a small lake and a lush forest.

The warm sunlight shone on his face, and the surroundings were full of people Rael liked.

‘Should I enjoy what I can enjoy?’

A life where you don’t have to struggle to live day by day.

Thinking about it, how wonderful was that?

It was the life that Rael had pursued all his life.

“Well… maybe there’s no need to worry.”

Having unnecessary worries didn’t suit Rael.

He had worked like a dog to live comfortably and do what he wanted.

Now, shouldn’t he live as he pleased and enjoy it like a prime minister?

“Teacher, I’ll visit you again next time.”

Rael emptied all the remaining alcohol in the bottle, got up from the tomb, and started walking.

The beginning of spring, when the lingering cold envied the flowers.

Rael walked toward his friends, feeling the cool breeze.