The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 47

Thud. Thud.

Snap!

The Rein Knights, having entered the party hall, halted their steps in unison with their captain’s stride.

Though the miasma and stench of decaying corpses were unpleasant, they remained unmoved.

The wizards of the Azure Magic Tower, who stood beside the Rein Knights, were no different.

They entered the party hall, cloaked in a light layer of mana.

‘The Rein Knights and the Azure Magic Tower are moving together…’

Bellen watched the two factions enter the hall.

They walked side by side as if they had formed an alliance, standing behind the masked man.

“…”

Silence descended upon the ruined party hall, where hundreds had gathered.

Standing amidst them, Bellen instinctively felt that they shared the same goal.

“I am Bellen, the captain of the 1st Division of the Carmen Knights, who protect the Empire and the Imperial Family.”

Bellen, having scanned the surroundings, spoke first.

Being the captain of the 1st Division of the Carmen Knights was a title that commanded respect anywhere, but he knew the people before him well.

In this situation, he had to introduce himself first.

“Suddenly introducing yourself? Is that what the Imperial Knights do? Always so diligent in pointless matters.”

“Well, that’s just how the Carmen Knights are. Rules, formalities. They love that stuff. I am Rein of the Rein Knights.”

“Fermada, Archmage of the Azure Magic Tower.”

A brief introduction that needed no embellishment.

Both were figures of renown throughout the Empire.

“…To meet you both in a place like this is truly an honor. What brings you to such a remote place?”

Bellen swallowed his tension as he looked at them.

This was not a place one would visit without a purpose.

Moreover, the fact that they were standing behind that masked man made him uneasy.

“Ah, I came to pick up my friend. We were enjoying the Heavenly Festival together.”

Rein, acting nonchalant, put his arm around Rael, who was wearing a Gaksital mask [a traditional Korean mask used in performances, often to conceal identity].

He had just arrived at the party hall, but he quickly grasped the situation.

‘Undead corpses, recently deceased Carmen Knights, blood on Rael’s sword… and the attitude of the Carmen Knights. Did he cause some trouble?’

Rein, like a true knight, quickly read the attitudes of the Carmen Knights and Bellen.

They were hostile towards the masked figure.

‘If I had been even a little late, something would have happened.’

Rein and Fermada had come here guided by the beggars.

The beggars faithfully carried out Rael’s instructions: ‘If I don’t return within an hour, ask Captain Rein for help.’

Thanks to the identity pass Rael had given the beggars, Rein was able to move quickly.

‘Could he have foreseen this situation from the start?’

Involvement with the Carmen Knights meant it was definitely a significant incident, even if he didn’t know the details.

At that moment, Fermada stepped forward.

“As Rein said, we will take this person with us. He is a guest of the Magic Tower, even before being Rein’s friend.”

“That’s right, he got separated while enjoying the Heavenly Festival, and I was very worried.”

“Why… Haa…”

Bellen ran a hand over his face as if he was annoyed.

For some reason, the two powerful factions of the Rein Knights and the Azure Magic Tower were protecting this man.

‘And it had to be Rein and Fermada…’

Standing before the two individuals known for their eccentricities even in the capital, Bellen hoped there would be no trouble.

“That man is the Imperial Family’s benefactor who protected the Second Princess. However, he is also a suspect in the murder of Carmen Knights.”

“So?”

Seeing Rein’s sly smile, Bellen maintained his composure and continued.

“…Justice must be served. The proper procedure is for him to accompany us to the Knights Headquarters for investigation. No matter who you are, if you disregard the procedures of the Imperial Knights…”

“Too many unnecessary words, Bellen.”

Thud-

Fermada took a step forward.

He had to stop Bellen for the sake of the Empire.

Fermada had sensed the magic of ‘that person’ within the mask.

A high level of magic that even the Archmage Fermada could not detect from such a close distance.

This person’s identity was obvious. It was a dragon.

‘Those foolish swordsmen are messing with a dragon.’

The Carmen Knights did not know who they were dealing with.

Attacking that person had to be stopped for the sake of the Empire.

“Taking our friend away because of something uncertain? Then shall we ask my friend? Hey, how about it? Do you want to go to the investigation?”

“…I just want to go home.”

Rael barely managed to speak.

Who knew what kind of trouble he would get into if he followed those lunatics?

“…Do you know what you are doing? I am talking about the procedures of the Carmen Knights. The procedures of the Carmen Knights are the same as the procedures of the Imperial Family.”

If he backed down here, he wouldn’t be able to answer to the Imperial Family.

That was what Bellen was implying.

However, the people in front of Bellen were a mage addicted to gambling and a knight obsessed with attention.

They could never give up a dragon and a future Sword Master.

“Investigation? Of course, we have to. Before that, bring Gideon, the Captain, here. Is it reasonable for a 1st Division Captain to give such orders to my party?”

“Rein, that rascal is speaking correctly for once. Get lost, you little brat. If Gideon comes himself, I will lower my pride.”

“…You know that the Captain cannot leave the Imperial Palace.”

Bellen frowned as he looked at them.

The Carmen Knights were a knight order that protected the Imperial Family.

The Captain of the Knights must always guard the Imperial Palace.

Asking to bring Gideon here was the same as telling him to get lost.

‘There’s no reasoning with them.’

They were indeed the famous attention-seeking knight and gambling mage.

Bellen eventually turned his head and stood before the Second Princess.

His job was to protect the Imperial Family, but investigating that man was also important.

“Second Princess, I apologize for the intrusion, but may I ask you something? Did you happen to see that man fighting the Carmen Knights?”

Bellen knelt and asked the Princess.

“…”

Yuri stared intently at Bellen.

He was different from the knights who had targeted her earlier.

They were truly here to save her.

“Bellen. I didn’t see anything. All I saw was him killing the undead that were coming at me. Apologize to the person who saved me.”

“…I understand. I apologize sincerely to Captain Rein and Fermada, and to your companion.”

Bellen had no choice but to bow his head at the Princess’s words.

He couldn’t fight them, so he tried to borrow the authority of the Imperial Family as a last resort, but if the Princess said she didn’t know anything, he had nothing to say.

“Bellen. It’s hard to breathe here because of the miasma. Let’s go back quickly.”

“…Yes. I understand.”

Yuri watched Bellen’s back as he stood protectively in front of her.

The 1st Division of the Carmen Knights was fulfilling its duty to protect the Imperial Family.

‘Killing me is not the will of the entire Carmen Knights.’

That meant there was someone behind the traitors who had instigated Yuri’s death.

If Yuri questioned the Carmen Knights’ act of treason, there was a high possibility that she would be targeted again.

‘If it’s someone who can control the Carmen Knights while trying to kill me…’

There were countless people who were after her, the Second Princess.

With these conditions alone, she couldn’t narrow down the candidates.

But it was okay.

In the end, it was a simple problem.

She just had to find the culprit before she died.

Yuri nodded to Rael, who was looking at her, to reassure him.

She had to become a naive princess who knew nothing in order to survive.

It wasn’t difficult, as she had done it many times.

*

Thud. Thud.

Watching the Carmen Knights walking away with Yuri, Rael sighed.

‘It wasn’t the Imperial Family who was trying to kill Yuri.’

Bellen, the captain of the 1st Division of the Carmen Knights, was trying to protect Yuri.

It was a betrayal by a few guys, including Gilbert.

He would have to discuss the investigation with Rein later.

“Haa, damn it. It hurts like hell.”

Rael frowned as he rubbed his leather armor.

Belatedly, as the tension eased, the stab wound in his stomach began to throb.

“Rael. I have a lot of questions to ask, but… are you okay? We should get you treated first.”

“Yes. I feel like I’m going to die, so please take me to the temple…”

Rein removed Rael’s leather armor.

He was thinking of bandaging him with the bandages in the Knights, but seeing the hole in his stomach, bandages weren’t the priority.

Blood was oozing from a fist-sized hole.

“Hey! Hey! What kind of wound is this…! Let’s go to the Order right away! Take him to the most skilled priest in District 1!”

“No, uh, haa… take me to District 4 instead of District 1.”

Rael said even while his stomach was in pain.

He was certain that Cecilia in District 4 would be better at healing than the priest in District 1.

“What? District 1 is closer here! I’ll pay for all the treatment costs, so…”

“Rein! Listen to that person’s words right now!”

“…?”

Rein turned his head towards Fermada, who suddenly raised his voice.

Fermada was narrowing his eyes and glaring at him for no reason.

‘Why is this bastard acting like this again?’

It was true that Rael was a valuable connection, but it wasn’t to the extent that Fermada would react like this.

After a brief staring contest, it was Rein who turned his head.

As a knight, he knew how much pain Rael, who had a hole in his stomach, was in.

There was no time to leave Rael and have a pride fight.

“Fermada, you don’t have to worry about losing the bet, so you can treat me comfortably.”

“Bet? You made a bet with that mage?”

“Yes. I won, so I’m being treated as a guest of the Azure Magic Tower.”

Only then did Rein nod.

That mage was crazy about gambling and betting.

He must have been tricked by Rael while making some strange bet.

“Um, sorry if it’s uncomfortable. Rael. I’ll speak comfortably from now on.”

Fermada, having read the meaning of his words, turned his head and smiled contentedly.

‘Hehe. Rein doesn’t know that person’s identity. I’m the only one who’s special.’

Well, there’s no way a foolish swordsman would recognize that person’s noble magic.

Fermada shuddered once again as he looked at the magic contained in his mask.

He was overjoyed that he had something to add to the enlightenment he had embodied in his body for three days.

‘He was weird to begin with, but he’s gotten even weirder since I last saw him…’

Rein clicked his tongue as he glanced at Fermada.

People should move their bodies.

He could only get stiff if he was studying magic all day.

“District 4… there’s a skilled priest in District 4.”

“Ah, damn it. I understand. Let’s go to District 4. The fastest guy here is… Ha, it’s me.”

It was funny that he, who led the Knights, was carrying someone else and running, but he couldn’t entrust Rael to a subordinate, let alone anyone else.

Rein started running with Rael on his back.

*

“Aaaah, aaaaah…”

Rael was lying in the treatment room of the District 4 Order’s branch, entrusting his body to the warm divine power.

It was where the best priest he knew was.

“I’ve never seen a wound like this before. Mr. Rael. What on earth have you been doing…”

Cecilia couldn’t take her eyes off his wound even as she poured divine power into it.

Looking at the muscles completely torn by magic, she wondered how Rael was even moving.

“I ran into a crazy bastard… I couldn’t help it either. Ugh.”

Rael clenched his fists while lying on the hard stone bed in the treatment room.

Divine power treatment wasn’t painful, but since there was no anesthesia in this era, the pain of the wound continued even during treatment.

‘Damn it. That crazy dragon. Next time I see him, I’m going to turn all the magic tools upside down.’

He was a dragon’s body, a hero of this era.

Rael also felt a strange confidence because of the fuss.

He trusted Tia’s words and chose a strategy of giving flesh and taking bones, but the result was this pain.

Moreover, the pain that came after the excitement of the battle disappeared was no joke.

“But… are you really okay? Shouldn’t you go to a high-ranking priest instead of me for such a big wound? The Captain of the Knights said he would pay for it too.”

“It’s okay. I trust Priest Cecilia.”

Cecilia seemed touched by those words and focused even more on the treatment, but Cecilia’s divine power was more effective anyway unless it was a cardinal-level priest.

About an hour passed.

Cecilia wiped the sweat from her forehead and got up from her seat.

“I think this is about enough. There’s still a bit of internal damage left… but it’s better to treat this slowly over the next few days.”

“Thank you. Cecilia. The pain has decreased a lot.”

“This is my job. Oh, Mr. Rael. I’ll give you a blessing. Blessing is more effective than divine power in removing scars.”

Cecilia gathered the remaining divine power and tried to bless him.

“No. I’m fine with the blessing.”

However, Rael made the first move.

He couldn’t receive blessings.

He couldn’t be branded as a heretic by the next Saintess for no reason.

“Yes? But the sword energy tore your flesh and muscles, so you’ll have scars. You need a blessing of regeneration to remove the scars.”

“… Ah, I actually like scars. Do you know? A scar on the back is said to be a swordsman’s shame. This is a scar on the stomach. Then it’s a medal, a medal.”

“…?”

Cecilia tilted her head as if she didn’t understand, but she couldn’t force a blessing on someone who refused.

Knock knock-

At that moment, the treatment room door opened with a light knock.

“Rael. You look fine.”

“… Where is the person who opens the door while knocking?”

“That’s how it’s done in the Rein Knights.”

“…”

That’s probably because you’re the captain.

Rael smiled absurdly as he looked at Rein entering.

He was someone who sometimes did strange things, but he had received quite a bit of help this time.

“Priest. I want to talk to this friend, can you leave us alone for a moment?”

“Yes! Mr. Rael. The treatment is over, but you still shouldn’t swing your sword or do rough exercises!”

Cecilia gave Rael a warning until the end and then left the treatment room.

Rein looked at her back and admired Rael’s stomach.

The muscles torn by the sword energy had already been completely healed.

“As you said, she’s a great priest. It seemed like a pretty serious injury, but the treatment was over so quickly… She’s better than the priest in District 1.”

“I don’t lie. Captain, get on board before it moons [a slang term meaning to leave or depart quickly].”

“Moon…?”

“It’s nothing. Did you come because of the Carmen Knights?”

At Rael’s words, Rein finally straightened his posture.

He almost forgot his purpose because he was admiring the wound treatment.

“Yeah. I trusted you and protected you, but it could have been dangerous. What on earth happened?”

“Well, um…”

Rael slowly recalled his memories.

And as he listened to the story, Rein’s eyes began to widen.