The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 3

Imperial Guard’s Thug Swordmaster – Episode 3 (3/105)

Imperial Special Guard

“The map says it’s here… Is this really the place?”

The Special Guard, which I barely managed to reach, felt ominous from the first impression.

First of all, the site was larger than I thought. I couldn’t see the end of it from the front.

“Is this a guard post or a prison?”

Walls taller than a person surrounded all sides, and ominous-looking talismans and prayers from a 교단 [religious order or sect] were plastered everywhere.

Even a child would find the sight unsettling.

‘Did they seal away a great demon or something?’

Moreover, guards stood watch along the walls at regular intervals.

I wondered why they built such a fortress in the 5th district, which is full of beggars and commoners.

As I approached the entrance of the Special Guard, a guard saluted me and spoke.

“You’ve worked hard to get here. Are you Commander 라엘 [Ra-el] of the 3rd Guard?”

“Yes. Is this the Special Guard?”

I secretly hoped it wasn’t.

But the guard was cold.

“Yes. We’ve been waiting for you. Please follow me.”

Squeak-

As the tightly closed door opened, dense 마력 [mana/magical energy] burst out.

I slightly frowned at the powerful 마력 [mana/magical energy] I felt after a long time.

The intangible energy that oppressed my body and mind stickily wrapped around me.

‘It’s definitely a seal.’

Just crossing one door released this much energy.

I was afraid of what might be inside.

I spoke to the soldier to get information.

“Are you also part of the Special Guard?”

“No. We are the 수도 [capital] Outer Perimeter Guard. We take turns guarding the entrance of the Special Guard.”

“Ah… Is that so? You must be working hard.”

Although it can’t be compared to the Special Guard, the 수도 [capital] Outer Perimeter Guard is also a hellish job.

There’s a lot to do because the 治安 [public order/security] isn’t good.

“No, it’s nothing. By the way, we barely managed to adapt after coming and going a few times… It’s really amazing that Commander 라엘 [Ra-el] can walk properly from the start. Cough. Cough.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. The reason we’re here is to guide the newly transferred personnel.”

I tilted my head.

It’s a little uncomfortable, but not that bad.

The power didn’t get stronger as I went inside, and it was just a little uncomfortable to walk.

“… Sir 라엘 [Ra-el]. Are you alright?”

After about 3 minutes, the soldier who was walking ahead spoke to me.

His face was noticeably red.

“Huh? I can manage to walk.”

“I, Is that so. I’m sorry. The pressure is too strong today, so I don’t think I can go any further. Hmph, Just keep going straight down this road.”

The soldier saluted and staggered back the way he came.

I shook my head as I watched him.

“He’s already backing out… When I was in the guard, I couldn’t even imagine going back first while the commander was walking. Tsk.”

It’s a little hard to breathe, but it’s not something to overreact to like that.

If he were my direct guard, I would have scolded him, but since he was from another unit, I didn’t pay much attention.

‘Now that I think about it, he was building up to escape from the moment he coughed, wasn’t he?’

That’s quite the trick in the Middle Ages.

I erased the thought of the soldier and moved on.

Fortunately, there was only one road, so there was no chance of getting lost.

“Is that it?”

After walking for a few more minutes, I saw a huge building.

It looked pretty decent from the outside. I would believe it even if it was a villa where a wealthy noble lived.

However, I wondered why there was only one building on this large branch.

As I got closer to the building, I began to feel the presence of people, and soon I found three people.

First, a man who was 1.5 times bigger than me.

He was squatting in the garden, tending to the crops.

As expected of a world with 마법 [magic], various kinds of fruits were growing in the small garden.

‘First, one abnormal person.’

And there was also a person lying on a hammock wearing something like sunglasses, and judging from the delicate body, it looked like a woman.

‘Second abnormal person.’

The remaining woman seemed to have noticed me and was coming this way.

At least this one was normal.

‘Two abnormal people and one normal person… But the normal person can’t control the abnormal people.’

I’m screwed.

Just by looking at the members, I can guess how the unit will operate.

What’s fortunate is that the work seems to be relaxed… Then why are the soldiers going crazy?

‘Are they perhaps driven crazy by being severely abused?’

The more comfortable the place, the more severe the 부조리 [absurdity/irrationality; often refers to unfair or abusive practices in a hierarchical organization].

This world isn’t that 풍족 [abundant/affluent], so there won’t be 악기바리 [ritualistic hazing or abuse of junior members by senior members]… Could it be that they’re throwing grapes grown in that garden into the sky and telling them to find Dragon Balls?

You shouldn’t let your guard down just because two of them are women.

Based on my experience, women are better at subtly tormenting people than men.

I walked towards the woman who was approaching me, feeling nervous.

“Are you Mr. 라엘 [Ra-el]?”

Ah, now that I think about it, I’m not a new recruit, I’m the commander.

I’m not in a position to be ignored.

I’m not at the 짬 [rank/experience level] to be subjected to 악기바리 [ritualistic hazing or abuse of junior members by senior members].

“Ahem. Yes. I’m 라엘 [Ra-el]. I look forward to working with you.”

“My name is 유리 [Yu-ri]. Those two over there… Well, you’ll get used to them slowly.”

유리 [Yu-ri] smiled awkwardly as she looked at the two who didn’t react at all even when I arrived.

Even to me, the ace of the guard, the order is a mess.

“I understand. Ms. 유리 [Yu-ri]. I haven’t received any information about the work, so what should I do first?”

“First, adaptation is the priority. Please wait until you adapt to the 마나 [mana] flow of this area.”

“Uh… Yes, I understand.”

I didn’t understand the words ‘adapt to the 마나 [mana] flow of this area,’ but I nodded.

Because I was convinced that I could get away with doing nothing here.

‘Wait a minute. But this person…’

However, what bothered me more than getting away with doing nothing was the woman 유리 [Yu-ri] in front of me.

I stared intently at 유리’s [Yu-ri’s] face.

Shiny blonde hair and fair skin that was unlike that of medieval people. And blue eyes.

Just by looking at her, you could tell that she had the dignity of a noble, so she wasn’t a commoner.

Of course, it’s not strange for a noble to belong to the guard.

But my senses read a little more information.

‘… A member of the Imperial Family?’

Her deep eyes contained an indescribable majesty and dignity.

The eyes of a ruler who was born to be above others.

It was the same as the emperor’s eyes that I had seen only once at the 수도’s [capital’s] event.

‘Why is a member of the Imperial Family in a place like this… Wait, her name was 유리 [Yu-ri], right.’

As soon as I thought she was a member of the Imperial Family, my thoughts quickly expanded.

I quickly scanned the story of the original work that I had thrown into a corner of my head after becoming a guard.

There are currently three people in the Imperial Family’s line of succession.

The 1st Prince, who claims legitimacy, the 2nd Prince, who is backed by the power of the nobles, and the 1st Princess, who has outstanding individual abilities.

‘But the person who actually becomes the emperor is…’

I know the next emperor of the empire.

The 2nd Princess. 유리엘 폰 그란디아 [Yuri-el von Grandia].

She quietly builds up her power, ascends to the throne as Empress based on overwhelming force, and quickly dominates the empire.

‘If the Saintess is 비트코인 [Bitcoin]… Then what is the next emperor?’

The emperor who leads the empire’s greatest renaissance and a character of the highest importance, on par with the Saintess.

유리엘 폰 그란디아 [Yuri-el von Grandia].

She was right in front of my eyes.

*

The Imperial Special Guard is a symbol of fear for the guards.

A place where you can enter as you please, but you can only come out crazy.

Because of that, there were many strange rumors.

The empire is hiding monsters!

The empire is conducting human experiments!

The empire feeds souls to the secret weapons they are raising!

Anyway, it’s been two weeks since I started working at the Special Guard.

I’ve survived for two weeks in the Imperial Special Guard, which is said to be the hell of the guard.

There’s only one thing I’ve felt so far.

‘Is it okay to slack off this much?’

I really haven’t done anything.

I heard it’s an adaptation period… And it’s at least a month.

It is said to be a rule that has been applied to all personnel so far.

‘… I haven’t done anything for a month, so I haven’t gone crazy, have I?’

Since there really hasn’t been any incident, I’ve been having all sorts of thoughts.

To be honest, I was very nervous at first.

It was surprising that 차기 황제 유리엘 [the next empress Yuri-el] was in the Special Guard, which is called hell, but the things next to her were also unusual.

‘겐트 [Gent], the shame of the giants, and 레이나 [Reina], the traitor of the elves.’

Each was 유리엘’s [Yuri-el’s] close aide and a symbol of her power.

It was truly amazing that such monsters were tending to the garden and lying on the hammock.

“If you’re really bored, why don’t you take a walk? You just can’t leave the site. Many other people decorated the garden like Mr. 겐트 [Gent].”

유리 [Yu-ri], the real power of the Special Guard, recommended the garden to me when I said I was bored.

When I turned my head, I saw 겐트 [Gent] hoeing in the garden.

“So that’s why there’s a garden here.”

“Yes. After all, it’s not easy to laze around every day like Ms. 레이나 [Reina].”

I nodded as I looked at 레이나 [Reina] lying under a large tree.

If you ask me what’s so difficult about lazing around, I want to tell you that there are no smartphones in this world.

At first, I thought I could do it too, and I worked hard to laze around for about a week, but I couldn’t keep up with 레이나 [Reina].

She spent most of her day lying on a hammock doing nothing. It was truly an amazing talent.

In the end, I couldn’t stand the boredom and squatted in front of the garden.

“… I didn’t know tomatoes would grow this well.”

I looked at the red tomato, which had grown much larger than my fist, with wonder.

“Originally, tomatoes are plants that grow well anywhere as long as there is sunlight. Especially the tomatoes that have absorbed the 마력 [mana/magical energy] here taste very good.”

The giant who answered my words from the side was 겐트 [Gent].

One of the abnormal people in the Special Guard.

I always thought he was a little bigger than me because he was always squatting, but when I saw him stand up a few days ago, he was twice as tall as me. He was indeed a giant.

Tap-

“Here, try it. It’s well ripe, so it’ll be very sweet.”

I put the tomato that 겐트 [Gent] handed me in my mouth and widened my eyes.

“Oh, wow. It’s as sweet as an apple? I’ve never had a tomato like this before.”

“This is the mystery of nature. Small beings like us will never be able to understand it.”

겐트 [Gent] loved and respected nature, unlike his size.

Most giants were stupid and faithful to their instincts, but he was definitely different from other giants.

I became friends with 겐트 [Gent] surprisingly quickly.

“If crops that have absorbed 마력 [mana/magical energy] taste this good, why hasn’t it been studied until now? It would have been on the nobles’ tables often.”

“This variety hasn’t spread to the human world yet. It’s a mysterious variety that absorbs 마력 [mana/magical energy] and turns it into sweetness and savory taste.”

“Oh oh…”

유리 [Yu-ri] looked too busy, so I couldn’t bother her, and 레이나 [Reina] ignored me whenever I talked to her.

However, 겐트 [Gent] answered me every time I talked to him, so I couldn’t help but become friends quickly.

“Human. What’s your name?”

About a week had passed since I felt the mystery of nature in the small garden. It had been more than 3 weeks since I came to the Special Guard.

I thought I had become friends with 겐트 [Gent], and a few days had passed, but he suddenly said something out of the blue.

“… I think I’ve said 라엘 [Ra-el] about 3 times.”

“I see. I will remember your name from now on.”

I felt like I was finally recognized as a proper friend.

No, then what did this bastard treat me as until now?

I frowned and glared at 겐트’s [Gent’s] face.

“라엘 [Ra-el]. You are different from the weak humans I have met so far. No human has adapted to the 마력 [mana/magical energy] here as quickly as you.”

“… What’s so different about here from the outside?”

I asked the question with an indifferent expression.

I felt like I could finally get a proper answer about the Special Guard.

“The flow of 마력 [mana/magical energy] is distorted here due to strong 마기(魔氣) [demonic energy] and 귀기(鬼氣) [ghostly energy]. Ordinary living things cannot use their power. To compare, it has the same properties as 알헤임 [Alheim].”

“알헤임 [Alheim]?”

A forbidden place in the north of the empire.

The territory of demons and 마족 [demon race] where the soul is eaten away just by breathing because of the 마기 [demonic energy] that has taken over the air.

It was a place I thought I would never be involved with in my life.

“Yes. To adapt to the 마력 [mana/magical energy] here, you need a month of adaptation period like 알헤임 [Alheim]. But… You’ve already finished adapting, so you can be assigned work now.”

“What?”

As soon as 겐트 [Gent] finished speaking, he shook off the dirt on his body and stood up.

And he went inside the building without listening to my answer.

“… Aish, should I have not become friends with him?”

I thought he was 폐급 [useless/incompetent] because he was only tending to the garden all day, but he recognized a talent like me.

겐트 [Gent] seemed to be the hidden ace of the Special Guard.

“How can I give up the 철밥통 [guaranteed job/iron rice bowl] I got?”

You can survive even if you’re caught in a tiger’s den if you keep your mind straight.

Besides, there’s not only 철밥통 [guaranteed job/iron rice bowl], but also the next emperor of the empire.

It’s a situation where I can’t give up even if I want to.

The time has finally come to experience the work of the Special Guard, which is said to be the hell of the guard.

I thought so and picked up the tomato again.

*

겐트 [Gent] recalled 라엘’s [Ra-el’s] face, who he had been talking to until just now.

‘He’s stronger than I imagined.’

겐트 [Gent] had seen countless humans so far.

Most humans were so weak that he could subdue them with one hand.

But 라엘 [Ra-el] was different.

He had been trying to figure out his momentum by talking to 라엘 [Ra-el] for the past week, but in the end, he couldn’t see the end.

What’s even more surprising is that he’s a 검사 [swordsman].

The true value of a 검사 [swordsman] comes out when he holds a sword.

겐트 [Gent] hasn’t seen his true heart yet.

‘If it’s a human like 라엘 [Ra-el], he can share the work of the Special Guard enough.’

겐트 [Gent] moved to 유리’s [Yu-ri’s] room with confidence.

The authority to make decisions for the Special Guard is held by her.

“You’re still doing foolish things.”

At that time, a sharp voice called 겐트 [Gent].

When he turned his head, an elf with a dissatisfied expression was leaning against the wall of the building, glaring at him.

“레이나 [Reina]?”

“I don’t like giving affection to a guy who’s going to die anyway, but do you have to hasten his death?”

레이나 [Reina] crossed her arms with a frustrated face.

She had been eavesdropping on 겐트 [Gent] and 라엘’s [Ra-el’s] conversation from outside, so she could guess the intentions of this stupid giant.

겐트 [Gent] is smarter than most giants, but in the end, he can’t help but get excited when he sees an excellent warrior.

“Isn’t it better than not saying a word to a guy who’s going to die anyway?”

“Ha, it’s because I have a lot of affection. I gave him good advice, but if he dies suddenly, I’ll feel bad.”

겐트 [Gent] swallowed his 침음 [saliva/nervousness].

In fact, 레이나 [Reina] didn’t show this attitude from the beginning.

Every human who came died, so her reaction gradually changed.

The reason she’s stopping 겐트 [Gent] now is probably because she doesn’t want to see 라엘 [Ra-el] die.

But 겐트’s [Gent’s] thoughts are different.

“라엘 [Ra-el] will endure even if he encounters that monster. I have a good feeling this time.”

“Hmph. All the guys you said you had a good feeling about died, right? The guy who came last time also said that he would be fine if he had a long adaptation period, so he played for half a year before going to work. But what was the result?”

“It’s different from before. The human who came this time, 라엘 [Ra-el], is really strong.”

“No. Unless you’ve been buried in blessings since you were a child like 유리 [Yu-ri], ordinary humans can’t withstand the 영혼 [soul] pollution here. That’s my conclusion as an elf. If you’re confident, why don’t you make a bet?”

레이나 [Reina] was an elf, a race that receives the blessing of the World Tree.

She was an expert when it came to blessings and curses.

“Okay. If I lose, I’ll serve you as my older sister.”

However, 겐트 [Gent] was also confident this time.

라엘’s [Ra-el’s] reaction, which he had observed for a week, was real.

His breathing was stable, his mind was not shaken, and his senses were fine, as he could feel the taste of the 마력 [mana/magical energy]-filled tomato.

He had definitely adapted to the 마기 [demonic energy].

“Oh? Really? Then I’ll serve you as my older brother.”

“I’m already older than you, so it’s an unfair bet. Instead of me, serve 라엘 [Ra-el].”

“Do as you please. He’s going to die soon anyway.”

레이나 [Reina] shook her head and turned her body.

That’s why I can’t communicate with that stupid giant.

‘If I win the bet, I’ll have him fan me when I’m lying down.’

I didn’t want to see him farming all year round anymore.

I didn’t even imagine losing the bet.

Because ordinary humans’ souls will be destroyed as soon as they encounter that monster.