The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 32

Celestial Festival

The slum in District 5.

Even after a few days, the musty smell lingered.

Ra-El walked through the slum towards Bacchus’s hideout.

“It’s, it’s Ra-El!”.

“Shhh. Be quiet! Ra-El told us not to react!”.

“Ah, okay…”.

Ra-El chuckled, watching the beggars tense up at the sight of him.

‘Why make such a fuss when they could just stay still?’ he thought.

“Wow, the beggars don’t even greet me anymore?”.

Ra-El tossed out the remark without much thought.

“Eek! Eeeek! We’re sorry!”.

“This, this bastard told you to stay still, Ra-El!”.

At the same time, two beggars started fighting each other.

“…No, can’t I even joke around? Never mind, just lie low.”

He’d had a drink with Carlson yesterday, so he was in a good mood and just threw out a joke, but it seemed he’d messed up.

‘Is this what they mean by ‘a frog gets killed by a carelessly thrown stone’?’

He decided he shouldn’t even make eye contact with these beggars in the future.

Ra-El entered Bacchus’s hideout, an abandoned building.

He waved to the beggars as he went inside and saw a familiar face.

“Oh, Caron?”.

“Eep!”.

Caron, Bacchus’s second-in-command.

He was about to say hello since it had been a while, but Caron shrieked and covered his face with both arms.

“You’d think I was going to hit you. What’s wrong?”.

Ra-El was dumbfounded by the sight.

‘Maybe it’s because beggars are uneducated, but they tend to paint people as psychopaths,’ he mused.

“S, sorry. What’s the matter?”.

“What do you mean? I heard the Masked Savior [a vigilante persona Ra-El adopts] is finished.”

The reason Ra-El came all the way here was because of the finally completed Masked Savior mask.

“Ah, right. Go see the boss. I have things to do. See you later…”.

Caron was wary of Ra-El and quickly ran backward.

It was best not to run into Ra-El, in case he got hit again.

“Tsk tsk. Is that old man senile?”.

He must have been hit in the head while begging.

Ra-El clicked his tongue and opened the door to the boss’s room.

“Gang Leader. I’m here.”

“Stop talking nonsense and come sit down.”

Zenith was preparing tea in a teacup.

He seemed to be used to the title of Gang Leader now.

‘Now that he’s used to it, it’s not fun anymore. Should I stop now?’ Ra-El wondered.

Pour, pour-

Ra-El took the tea that Zenith poured and brought it to his lips.

It wasn’t sweet and had a bitter taste. He wondered why anyone would drink this, but it was much better than what Tia gave him.

“Old man. Where’s the Masked Savior mask?”.

“It’s under the table.”

Ra-El immediately reached under the table.

As he said, a familiar-shaped mask was in his hand.

“Finally, you’re back in my arms.”

Ra-El smiled as he looked at the Masked Savior mask.

Seeing the white mask with the red Yeonji Konji [red dots traditionally placed on the forehead or cheeks in Korean culture] on it brought back memories of the past.

‘It feels like only yesterday that I was cleaning up District 4 with this on,’ he reminisced.

He should wear this whenever there’s something annoying to do in the future.

Ra-El thought so and put the Masked Savior mask in his arms.

“Ra-El. I gave your information to the Blue Magic Tower yesterday.”

“I know it can’t be helped, but the timing is terrible. Strange rumors have spread that I caught a demon…”.

It was at the point when Ra-El’s name was rising, right after he caught the demon in District 4.

“Still, the reaction was good. Perma seemed satisfied.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Besides, they asked for new information besides you. It means they recognize us as partners.”

Zenith nodded with a satisfied look.

Bacchus was growing by selling Ra-El’s information.

He felt a little sorry, but from the perspective of the organization’s leader, it was a welcome thing.

Zenith continued with a smile.

“Now that we have a proper partnership with the Blue Magic Tower, it’s only a matter of time before other places recognize us. However, it will be a little difficult for those connected to the Imperial Family.”

“The Imperial Family is fine.”

Either way, when the Emperor changes, the information guilds attached to that side will all be screwed.

‘We just have to stick with the next Emperor,’ Ra-El thought.

“More than that, did Perma ask for anything else? Like wanting to meet in person.”

He had sucked everything he could, so it might be better to meet in person.

If they somehow met and induced a bet, Ra-El couldn’t lose.

“It seemed like they couldn’t approach you.”

“…Why?”.

“From what I heard, they can’t come down to District 4 directly.”

“Is there someone stopping the Blue Magic Tower Lord?”.

Does it make sense to restrict the movements of the Empire’s strongest magician?

Ra-El blinked in disbelief.

“Well. I don’t know the details. But it’s certain that they can’t move.”

“Hmm…”.

Ra-El began to ponder for a moment.

If Perma doesn’t come directly, should he go?

But it was too risky for Ra-El to go to District 1.

Then, a good idea came to Ra-El’s mind.

“I’ll tell them I’m going to the Celestial Festival.”

“Celestial Festival?”.

“Yes. I’m going to go have fun this time. The Celestial Festival is held in Districts 2 and 3, so isn’t that okay? Mobilize some people you know and get me a good spot.”

The Magic Tower often holds events at the Celestial Festival.

Perhaps it was because he resembled Perma, who liked gambling and betting.

The magicians of the Blue Magic Tower sometimes bet with commoners or nobles using light magic, and if there was definite information that Ra-El was coming, there was a high possibility that the Magic Tower Lord would appear in person.

‘It would be nice if they gave me a difficult problem from the Magic Tower like they did to the protagonist… Well, anything related to magic is fine,’ he thought.

If Tia was there, he could win any bet.

He just had to sacrifice a little of Ra-El’s blood.

“Celestial Festival… I’ll tell them for now. Originally, the Blue Magic Tower holds events on a small scale, but if we provide a good spot, they will be satisfied.”

“Okay. Let’s proceed like that.”

“Thank you. Ra-El.”

Zenith was inwardly surprised as he looked at Ra-El’s nonchalant face.

Receiving the attention of Perma, the Blue Magic Tower Lord, was a really great thing, and at the same time, a very burdensome thing.

‘If I were to receive the attention of the Empire’s strongest magician… I would be so nervous that I wouldn’t be able to sleep properly,’ Zenith thought.

Just imagining it made Zenith’s body tremble.

It wouldn’t be easy at all, but this guy naturally receives that attention and turns it into his own profit.

That boldness and courage were Ra-El’s real strength.

“And there’s one thing that’s bothering me…”.

Ra-El recalled when he killed Kuhelen a few days ago.

What that bastard said before he died still lingered in Ra-El’s heart.

‘I think the demons said they made a promise with the Imperial Knights… Did I mishear?’

Ra-El trusted his senses.

There was definitely close to a 0% chance that he misheard.

‘But does that make sense?’

But no matter how he thought about it, he could only think it was nonsense.

In the original story, the Carmen Knights were a strong shield against the demons themselves.

No matter how severe the butterfly effect was, the butterfly effect would not have happened to the Imperial Knights.

“Just in case… Keep an eye out for any strange movements by the Imperial Family’s Carmen Knights.”

“…Ra-El. Aren’t you overestimating Bacchus too much? Our informants are beggars.”

“I’m not expecting much, just do it if you can.”

Ra-El poured the tea in front of him into his mouth and got up from his seat.

Then, he suddenly remembered what Carlson had said.

“Oh yeah, I heard that the Carmen Knights recently conducted a top-secret training in District 1.”

“Top-secret training? Is that important?”.

“It’s better to know than not know, so just keep it in mind.”

Ra-El said without much thought.

“Okay.”

Zenith didn’t think this information was a big deal either.

*
Drip- Drip-

Inside a gloomy prison where water dripped from the ceiling.

As soon as Ra-El came out of the slum, he entered the prison for the Special Guard’s work.

‘It feels cold every time I come here,’ he thought.

The atmosphere of the Demon King’s prison was terrible.

Ra-El took out the chocolate he had prepared from his pocket and threw it into the Demon King’s prison one by one.

“I bought all kinds this time too.”

The Demon King nodded, taking the chocolates Ra-El threw one by one.

“This is the best after all. This thing called mint chocolate.”

“······.”

Perhaps it was because she was trapped in prison, she was drawn to stronger stimuli.

He should just buy that from now on.

Chomp- Chomp Chomp-

The Demon King was eating the chocolate Ra-El had thrown, and Ra-El sat in front of her, staring blankly at her.

This situation was somehow mysterious.

‘Demon King… The demons’ goal is right in front of me,’ Ra-El thought.

Ra-El felt the Demon King’s demonic energy and magic and made a bitter expression.

This was a very strange feeling.

It was a feeling of feeling with his whole body that he had already boarded the flow of this world.

Ra-El wanted to live peacefully all his life, so it wasn’t a very good feeling.

“Have you come to tell ghost stories again today?”.

The Demon King, who had almost finished eating the chocolate, looked at Ra-El.

Her eyes were sparkling, as if she was looking forward to ghost stories.

“I’ll tell you that later. Instead, give me some advice.”

“Advice?”.

“You said you’d listen last time.”

“Ah, right. If you have any worries, I’ll give you advice. I know humans well.”

“…”.

Ra-El stared at the Demon King and thought.

He was still worried about whether he could ask this, but he couldn’t stay ignorant forever.

“Humans get closer by getting to know each other.”

“Hmm. That’s the way it is.”

“…So, I want to know about your past. What you did in the past. Why you’re trapped here.”

‘If you know yourself and your enemy, you will never be defeated,’ [a reference to Sun Tzu’s *Art of War*] he thought.

He had to know about the Demon King that the demons were chasing in order to think about the next response.

And the best way to know the Demon King was to ask directly.

‘What is your identity? Why were you sealed here even though you were so strong?’ All he had to do was ask directly.

‘I would never do this normally…’

In fact, Ra-El would never have asked normally.

But the current Ra-El was different.

Ra-El, who realized he was screwed, could do anything.

And the Demon King’s answer was completely unexpected.

“I don’t know either.”

“…Why don’t you know?”.

“My memory started from the evil of humans. I can’t answer you even if you ask about what happened before that.”

He thought the Demon King would get angry or not answer, but he never thought she would say she didn’t remember.

‘Is it real?’

Ra-El’s sharp senses felt that the Demon King was telling the truth.

So far, the Demon King that Ra-El had seen didn’t seem like the type to lie… But he couldn’t unconditionally trust her.

The opponent was the Demon King, who was a collection of human evil.

“Then, how about this? Are you on the side of the demons who antagonize humans?”.

“That’s not true.”

The Demon King immediately shook her head.

Ra-El felt something strange when he saw that.

“Sorry, didn’t you just say you didn’t remember anything else?”.

It was too strange that she said she didn’t remember a while ago, but now she was answering right away.

The problem was that Ra-El’s senses felt that the Demon King was telling the truth.

“It’s true that I don’t remember. But… I want to think that I’m not on the side of the demons.”

“…”.

A being who was a collection of human evil and couldn’t remember anything, but wasn’t on the side of the demons.

What on earth is the Demon King’s identity?

Ra-El looked at the Demon King and fell into thought.

*

After the Demon King’s surveillance duty was over.

Ra-El stopped by the Dragon Lair.

He had to ask her to help him when he bet with the Blue Magic Tower Lord.

“As long as you let me draw blood.”

The permission was easy, and Ra-El was immediately tied to something like a dentist’s chair.

“…Tia. Do you know where that old man, the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord, is?”.

Ra-El asked, looking at Tia’s magic that was tying him up.

His life was already screwed up.

He was trying to learn swordsmanship late, but the old man was nowhere to be seen.

He asked Ghent, but he said he didn’t know, so he had no choice but to ask Tia.

“That kid is always like that. He’ll show up when you need him, so don’t worry. Now, I’m going to draw blood.”

“Ugh…”.

Ra-El was tied to something like a dentist’s chair again and began to have his blood drawn.

He had donated blood a few times in his previous life, but Tia drawing blood was a completely different feeling.

Every time she drew blood with magic, he could vividly feel the blood disappearing from his body.

“I’ll help you with what you asked me to do, so stop making a fuss.”

“The feeling is so weird. Anyway, I gave you blood, so you promised to help me. You have to help me when I ask you to help.”

“Okay.”

Snap-

When Tia snapped her fingers, the magic needle that had been drawn from Ra-El’s body disappeared.

Only then could Ra-El breathe a sigh of relief.

“I’ll take the research data well. But why are you carrying that trash around?”.

“Trash?”.

“I’m talking about the trash inside your chest.”

“…You mean this?”.

Ra-El carefully took out the Masked Savior mask.

Tia frowned as she looked at the Masked Savior mask.

“How dare you bring such a shabby magic to me… You have a lot of nerve. Give it to me right now.”

“You’re not going to break it, are you? This is quite expensive.”

Ra-El looked at Tia and hugged the Masked Savior mask.

He couldn’t let the Masked Savior mask that had been made with so much effort be destroyed.

“No. I’ll erase that trash magic and put new magic on it. Aura removal, stealth, noise removal… These basic magics are easy.”

“Thank you. Tia.”

Ra-El immediately handed over the Masked Savior mask.

He had to compare to know for sure, but it was obvious that Tia was better than the magician the beggars had found.

Whoosh-

Tia looked at the Masked Savior mask as if it were dirty and poured magic into it.

Ra-El spoke to Tia as he watched her.

“Tia. Can I ask you something I’m curious about?”.

“Huh?”.

“Do you know about the Demon King’s past?”.

If she was a dragon who had lived for thousands of years, she would know a lot about the Demon King.

Ra-El had that thought.

“Past? Well. I heard that the Empire caught that monster and came here. Even if I’m a dragon, I don’t know everything. At that time, I was cleaning up the other dragons after the Great War.”

Tia said, pouring magic into the Masked Savior mask.

Cleaning up the dragons was also important to her, so she didn’t know much about the human world at that time.

“Hmm…”.

Tia didn’t know about the Demon King’s past either.

But even if it was a busy time, it was strange.

If the Demon King had massacred humans and was caught by the Empire… Shouldn’t she have known even belatedly?

‘…I have a bad feeling,’ he thought.

The more he learned about the Demon King’s secrets, the more uncomfortable he felt in one corner of his heart.

*

When the Special Guard’s work was over today, it was already late at night.

Ra-El walked through the night streets, thinking about the upcoming Celestial Festival.

The Celestial Festival, which commemorates the Empire’s first Emperor.

Originally it was 3-4 days, but this festival is said to last for a week.

‘This is going to be really dangerous,’ he thought.

A festival for a week. It’s impossible for something not to happen.

“I have to make sure the kids at the orphanage don’t go.”

Ra-El sighed and walked towards the Central Guard, which was shining even at night.

The guy guarding the building was a familiar face.

“Hey, James.”

“Ah, Captain Ra-El!”.

“Captain Curran is on duty today, right?”.

Ra-El asked, receiving James’s salute.

“Yes. That’s right.”

As he had investigated in advance.

“Okay. I’m going to go inside for a bit, so don’t record it in the entry log.”

“I understand! Captain Ra-El.”

Ra-El committed corruption as if he was used to it and entered the guardhouse.

Creak-

When he opened the door to the duty room, Curran, the captain of the 1st Guard, was seen doing paperwork in a formal posture.

“Curran.”

“Hmm? Ra-El. You’re here again during work, what’s going on?”.

“Show me the Celestial Festival plan. I’m going to go to the Celestial Festival and want to refer to it.”

“The Celestial Festival plan is attached over there.”

Ra-El turned his head.

As Curran said, the Celestial Festival plan was openly attached to the wall.

‘The military is still a mess,’ he thought.

Putting such confidential information on the wall.

‘What are these guys thinking?’

Ra-El looked at the plan and then tilted his head.

“Curran. Isn’t there anything more detailed? Something that shows the movements of the Imperial Family or high-ranking nobles.”

“No.”

“Huh? Why?”.

“You’re asking the obvious. The high-ranking people are in charge of the Imperial Family’s Carmen Knights, so the plan must be over there.”

“…I guess so.”

He was going to think about escape routes in advance, but it seems the high-ranking people will escape on their own.

Ra-El reluctantly checked the guard’s plan.

“…Curran. What if. Just what if, where do you think an attack would happen at the Celestial Festival?”.

“That won’t happen, but… If I had to dig into it, it would be here.”

Curran pointed to the west of District 2.

It was the closest place to the outskirts of the capital.

If someone were to invade, there was a high possibility that it would be here.

‘If you think about it logically… That’s right,’ Ra-El thought.

Ra-El recalled the flow of the original story.

The enemy, the knights, and the guards all know that the west is the key point.

But the enemies invade a completely different place.

‘South.’

Ra-El checked the south of District 2, where the academy was located.

In academy stories, the academy is always penetrated.

That rule was still true at this festival.

‘It would be nice to have a strong force in the south…’

The Imperial Family’s Carmen Knights will protect the west, and the Order will protect the festival site.

Then the remaining place is….

‘…I should provide a good spot for the Blue Magic Tower.’

Ra-El smiled at his idea.