The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 95

< Nagore >

Everyone was taken aback by the sudden appearance of the Carmen Knights blocking their path.

Tap.

A man walked out from among the knights.

“I see you here, Sir Lane.”

“…Sir Gideon? What brings you here?”

Lane blinked as he looked at Gideon Garcia, the approaching commander of the Carmen Knights.

Why was the commander, who should be guarding the Imperial Palace, in the middle of District 2 on this late night?

“I should be the one asking. Moving such a large force without the permission of the Imperial Family or the Carmen Knights… Surely this isn’t Commander Lane’s intention, or is it the idea of Princess Yuriel or the Grand Duke?”

“…It was an emergency. We discovered the movements of Nagore, black mages, and demons in District 4. This is fortunate. Let’s have the Carmen Knights join us.”

“Ah, the Carmen Knights have already noticed that, so you don’t need to worry.”

“What?”

Lane frowned.

Certainly, the Carmen Knights were fully prepared for departure.

“Commander, there’s something wrong with that statement. If you noticed the situation, shouldn’t you be heading to District 4 immediately? The damage is still increasing. This conversation itself is a waste of time.”

At that moment, Yuriel stepped forward from behind.

There was no time to exchange pleasantries in this urgent situation.

“Princess Yuriel, I trust you are well. Your words certainly make sense. However, the Carmen Knights view this matter as a serious incident. The opposition is a powerful alliance of Nagore, black mages, and demons. We cannot afford to be careless.”

“So! We should attack right now…!”

“Night is the favorite time for black mages and demons. Especially on a dark night like this, human vision is drastically reduced, senses become dull, and it becomes difficult to distinguish each other. It would be even worse with the black magic of the black mages.”

Gideon was too calm.

He was deeply engrossed in his role as the commander of the Carmen Knights, trying to minimize the casualties of the Carmen Knights while suppressing the rebel forces.

“…Commander, what are you trying to say?”

Yuriel felt an uneasy aura and replied.

“The Carmen Knights will take care of this matter, so please return to your residence and rest assured. The Carmen Knights will head to District 4 after dawn.”

“After dawn…? Then what about the people who are dying until then?”

“Even if 100 people die, or even 1000… would that be more important than Princess Yuriel’s safety? Princess Yuriel, please return to your residence.”

“…Gideon, you’re arrogant. Do you think you can order me around?”

Yuriel shook her head as she looked at Gideon.

She no longer felt the need to talk to this monster.

‘Is the power of the entire empire more important than human lives? That’s such a stupid idea.’

He used Yuriel’s safety as an example, but it was the same as saying the safety of the Carmen Knights.

In terms of pure power, one knight of the Carmen Knights might be stronger than 1000 commoners.

From that perspective, Gideon’s calculation might not be wrong.

But human lives cannot be calculated in that way.

Yuriel was going to ignore Gideon’s words and head to District 4.

“Yuriel, stay put.”

At that moment, a man walked out from behind Gideon.

Step. Step.

“Brother…?”

Yuriel’s eyes widened as she looked at Simon.

She had no idea why he was here.

“No unnecessary sacrifices are allowed for this mission. This is an imperial order.”

“An imperial order…?!”

“Yes, Yuriel. There’s no need for you to make unnecessary sacrifices. The Carmen Knights and I will handle this, so don’t resist and return to your residence.”

“N, no way…”

Simon smiled inwardly at Yuriel’s flustered expression.

He felt good that the ever-victorious Second Princess Yuriel was shrinking at his words.

“Yuriel, you’re not thinking of fighting the Carmen Knights and forcing your way through, are you? I believe someone as smart as you knows what to do.”

“…”

Yuriel lowered her head in a daze.

In the empire, an imperial order is absolute.

She didn’t know what to do in this situation.

“Commander Lane, what is all this nonsense?”

Once the situation was roughly settled, Rael looked at Lane and asked.

“…It means exactly what it says, an imperial order. The moment an imperial order is issued, we can’t go to District 4.”

“So, it’s an imperial order that it doesn’t matter if commoners die in District 4, and that the Carmen Knights can’t exert their full combat power at night, so they’ll attack when it’s safe?”

“Rael… It’s an imperial order. Watch your words.”

Lane also felt a sense of despair.

He had lived his whole life as a knight of the empire, but to not care whether commoners died for the safety of the Carmen Knights…

It didn’t make sense.

“…”

Rael clenched his fist tightly.

In fact, Rael also knew the weight of an imperial order.

Once the Emperor’s permission has been granted, it doesn’t matter whether the matter is reasonable or not.

That’s what a monarchy is originally like.

Obeying superiors.

The concept of obeying superiors is also common in the 21st-century Republic of Korea’s military.

In medieval fantasy, it’s safe to say that it’s like a life beyond common sense.

You must follow any order the moment it is given. That is the power of an imperial order.

“Since there are no casualties among the nobles… the Emperor is going to leave the commoners to die?”

“…I’m sorry, Rael.”

Lane lowered his head.

Rael was right, so he had nothing to say.

“Grand Duke.”

“Rael… I have no excuse.”

Eric grimaced at the hypocrisy of the disgusting aristocratic society.

This is the dirty and ugly truth of Carmen, the thousand-year empire that dominates the continent.

It is the corruption of the empire created by the rotten imperial family and the complacent nobles who ignore the commoners.

But… Eric, as a noble of the empire, could not disobey the imperial order.

“Commander! Provide an escort to ensure Yuriel can safely reach her residence.”

“Yes, Prince Simon. I’ll assign the 2nd Division.”

Step. Step.

At Gideon’s command, the 2nd Division of the Carmen Knights surrounded the group.

The justification was escort, but it was practically kidnapping.

“Brother Simon!”

“Yuriel, you don’t look well. Go back and rest.”

Simon smiled and turned away.

This was his final warning to obey the imperial order.

“…Ugh.”

“Princess Yuriel…”

Isabel, feeling a headache, supported Yuriel.

It was the trigger to awaken the blessing.

“…Thank you, Isabel.”

Yuriel smiled faintly, feeling Isabel’s touch.

The murderous intent that was blooming was forcibly suppressed by the blessings.

Crack- Snap-

But something had already snapped inside her.

*

“It’s getting chilly at night.”

“It seems so, Sir Carlson.”

Lucas shrugged and moved his feet.

As it was a pitch-black night, the cold air greeted him.

Originally, it was taboo to wander around at this time in medieval fantasy, but that didn’t apply to Lucas, who could use magic.

“By the way, I was surprised. After training, I came out of the training center, and a beggar ran up to me and asked me to protect the orphanage.”

“You too? I was about to pray when I got caught. Anyway, Brother Rael often passes his work on to others.”

Before the beggar even mentioned Rael’s name, he knew who was behind it just by hearing the word ‘orphanage’.

There was only one person who cherished this orphanage as much as his own life.

“Lucas, how’s the Jeongcheon Alliance doing? You’re in charge of it.”

“How’s the Jeongcheon Alliance doing? I mean the work you’re in charge of.”

“Ah, about that. Strangely, Nagore is being passive. They were chasing the Jeongcheon Alliance to kill them before they even entered the empire.”

“Really? Hmm… That’s strange.”

Originally, the world is unpredictable.

Carlson nodded and drew his sword.

“Sir Carlson?”

“Be careful, Lucas.”

“What do you mean all of a sudden?”

“Brother Rael has a good sense.”

“…Yes?”

“It’s been like that since he was a kid. If that brother said he had no appetite, the meal was bad all day long… If he said he didn’t feel good today, and we should rest at home, criminals would be caught around us.”

“Wow… Really? Sir Rael was amazing since then. Is it like a natural sixth sense?”

A sense beyond the five senses that all great warriors have to some extent.

Lucas also had it to some extent.

“Yeah. So, I’m telling you to be careful.”

Carlson looked around the orphanage.

The Lane Knights, who usually slacked off appropriately, were all wearing swords.

“If Brother Rael is going to have both you and me on standby at the orphanage, which he cherishes the most… something annoying is bound to happen.”

Step. Step.

“…It seems so, Sir Carlson.”

Step. Step.

Lucas drew his sword, feeling the approaching footsteps from over there.

“I can feel pure souls… Since those people are moving directly, kill all the humans who are blocking the grand plan.”

In the quiet darkness, men wearing black cloaks were walking.

Behind them, children trapped in unpleasant magic could be seen.

The number was in the hundreds.

‘Did they go all the way around? Even a crazy person wouldn’t be that crazy.’

Carlson squeezed his eyes shut, seeing the sight, and drew up his divine power.

“Ah, that’s why you should think about Brother Rael’s request at least once.”

Sreung-

Divine power filled Carlson’s sword.