The Bastard Swordsman Of The Imperial Guard [EN]: Chapter 98

Dawn was breaking.

Velen, the captain of the 1st Division of the Carmen Knights, gazed at the capital as it gradually brightened.

He watched the Knights’ procession heading towards District 4.

As dawn broke, the Carmen Knights were dispatched according to the imperial order.

Their mission: deal with the black magicians and the remnants of the demons, and rescue the victims.

‘Is this what the Carmen Knights should be doing?’

Velen thought as he watched the scene.

What are the Carmen Knights, truly?

The best knights in the Empire, loyal to the Empire and steadfast in their faith.

The reason so many knights aspire to join the Carmen Knights is the honor earned by their sacrifice and dedication to the Empire.

‘And the Captain… is he really loyal to the Empire?’

Velen considered himself more loyal to the Empire than anyone else.

Since becoming the 1st Division Captain, he had never tarnished the Empire’s name.

He was the one who stood his ground even before the captain of the Rein Knights and the Blue Magic Tower Master.

However, Velen felt different now.

He had to boast about achievements he hadn’t earned, and he had to turn a blind eye to the suffering of the common people.

The name of the Carmen Knights was losing its luster, tarnishing his honor.

“You have a troubled look on your face.”

“…It’s nothing, Captain.”

Velen looked up at the man standing next to him.

The Captain of the Carmen Knights.

Gideon Garcia.

Velen was waiting for his orders.

“Didn’t I tell you? It’s all for the Empire.”

“Yes, I know.”

“Hmm, or is it about the Dragon Phoenix Assembly [a prestigious martial arts tournament]? You seem worried about keeping him in check.”

“…I do not doubt you, Captain, but I want to be recognized for my own skills.”

Velen was proud of the name of the Carmen Knights that he bore.

That is why he didn’t want the false honor of subjugating Baslord.

“You will soon know why I am so conscious of him.”

Gideon recalled the man who inherited the sword of the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord.

He will one day stand in his way.

“Is what you are doing now… permitted by His Majesty the Emperor?”

Velen asked a question he would never have asked normally.

Creating chaos within the Empire, keeping excellent knights in check, and allowing other countries to run wild.

He couldn’t understand it at all.

“Don’t worry. It’s all His will. Don’t have any doubts, Velen.”

“I’m sorry, Captain.”

Velen bowed his head.

Obeying the Emperor’s orders. That is the Carmen Knights.

If the Emperor orders something dishonorable, it is no longer dishonorable.

“A knight must do anything.”

Gideon recalled the Emperor’s face.

Others do not know.

The Emperor that only Gideon can face, he has no interest in the Empire now.

All he wants is pleasure and a dissolute life. And… to continue that life forever.

Gideon is only acting for the Empire as a knight instead of the Emperor who has no interest in the Empire.

“Tch, he came this way after all.”

Swish-.

Gideon drew his sword.

Now the 잡생각 [jap saenggak – Korean for 잡 “jap” which means miscellaneous or various and 생각 “saenggak” which means thoughts. In this context, it means useless thoughts] is over.

As expected, the desert guys did not escape his expectations.

“Get ready, Velen.”

“Yes.”

Thud. Thud.

Listening to the growing footsteps, Velen also focused on the front.

The figure of a man approaching from the front was visible.

It was Namaha.

‘Damn it, damn it….’

Namaha bit his lip and quickened his pace.

In the end, time was running out.

The situation was unfolding annoyingly as the Carmen Knights moved.

‘I might have to hide.’

The plan was ruined because of one barely 완숙한 [wan sukhan – Korean for fully ripe or mature] Graduate-level swordsman.

But it’s still okay.

Namaha checked the magic circle in his arms.

The sacrifices are scattered everywhere.

If he could strike the Imperial Family even once before all the sacrifices are found….

“···?!”

Namaha looked at the two men standing in front of him.

The Captain of the Carmen Knights, Gideon Garcia.

Namaha looked at Gideon holding the sword and immediately drew his own.

“Gideon! Are you trying to betray Nagore!”

“You have a lot of magic circles in your arms, but you’re saying strange things. Didn’t you betray us first?”

The movements of the Nagore Kingdom, which harbors a sense of inferiority towards the continent, are obvious.

He had expected that much from the beginning when he entrusted the work to Nagore.

“If you hadn’t come this way, I would have let you go quietly… but after all, people from the desert don’t change.”

If Nagore had targeted the Vanessa Kingdom and the Jeongcheon Alliance, Gideon wouldn’t have stopped them.

It would have benefited the Empire if the Vanessa Kingdom and the Jeongcheon Alliance fought with Nagore.

Inflicting damage on them with the sacrifice of a few commoner children of the Empire is a huge profit.

However, the warriors of Nagore aimed at the Empire, and Gideon even prepared for that betrayal.

“It’s a pity that I couldn’t harm the Vanessa Kingdom and the Jeongcheon Alliance, but if I only deal with you, this matter will end neatly.”

This was Gideon’s plan.

To deal with the black magicians and demons targeting the Empire, and even Nagore.

The Vanessa Kingdom and the Jeongcheon Alliance were just a bonus.

This time, it’s all the Carmen Knights’ doing.

And it becomes his achievement.

“Who decides that! Gideon. You will die miserably in the wrath of the desert!”

Whoosh-!

Namaha immediately raised his magic power.

His domain, the Four Seasons Illusion Formation, unfolded, and sandstorms began to blow around him.

‘Amazing. That is the realm of domain….’

Velen swallowed as he watched him.

Namaha’s momentum changed with the domain created by the gathering of tremendous magic power.

It was the realm that Velen would soon reach.

“Watch carefully, Velen. The difference between the entrance of a Sword Master and a real Sword Master.”

At that time, a chilling magic power rose from Gideon’s sword.

“···!”

Velen widened his eyes and examined the magic power.

As the seemingly weak magic power took over the surroundings, the fierce sandstorm did not reach Gideon.

Slash-!

Gideon’s sword cut through the air.

With a huge explosion, the sandstorm was cut off like paper, and silence fell on the noisy surroundings.

Thud-

That was the end.

Namaha’s clearly burning magic power was cut off, and his body collapsed.

The Sword Master’s domain collapsed with one sword.

“Let’s go back, Velen.”

Gideon turned his body, watching the futile end of the traitor.

When the Carmen Knights recover the victims, this matter will be over.

‘Was it difficult to deal with the black magicians and demons even with Namaha’s power? There are wounds on his body.’

Gideon felt curious.

The wounds he suffered while dealing with black magicians or demons wouldn’t be there.

Then who was it that wounded him?

‘Could it be….’

Gideon frowned at one face that came to mind.

*

Rahel walked out, holding Nia and Harry in both arms.

The two of them were unconscious like the other children.

As dawn gradually broke, sunlight entered through the windows of the warehouse, and he could feel all the eyes looking at him.

“Thank you, everyone.”

Rahel said, looking at the two different races looking at him.

Looking back now, it was really reckless.

Because he rushed in without knowing who the opponent was.

It could have been dangerous if Gent and Reina hadn’t been there.

“It’s okay! Rahel, you helped me too!”

“It’s natural for colleagues.”

Gent nodded, looking at Rahel.

Rahel’s appearance of rushing to the enemy to save the same human was truly heroic.

As Gent, who loves the human race, he couldn’t stand still.

‘Besides… to be able to withstand a Sword Master with a sword.’

Rahel was getting stronger and stronger.

Now it was difficult for Gent to properly grasp his strength.

“···Okay.”

Rahel smiled faintly, looking at Reina and Gent.

He doesn’t really like the words colleague or anything… but he might as well like it today.

“Rahel.”

At that time, Clara walked over.

She had been grasping the situation outside while Rahel was saving the children.

“The Carmen Knights are approaching.”

“···.”

Rahel nodded, looking at the outside where dawn was breaking.

They really moved because dawn broke.

“Let’s go too.”

It seems clear that there was a promise between the Carmen Knights and Nagore.

They will take care of the people.

Rahel came out of the warehouse.

The destination was, of course, the orphanage.

*

A few hours later.

Rahel left Nia and Harry at the orphanage and walked to the Dragon Phoenix Assembly arena.

“Rahel! Are you okay?! I was so surprised….”

“Yes, I’m okay.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help….”

“Don’t worry. I took care of it well. The Carmen Knights came and took care of the aftermath.”

Rahel smiled, listening to Yuri’s worries.

He felt good because things were handled well.

“Rahel. After you disappeared, I had a lot of thoughts. Next time, don’t try to handle it alone and tell us. We will help you no matter what.”

“Thank you, Grand Duke.”

“Are you really okay? You don’t look good.”

“I’m fine like this.”

Rahel smiled.

He felt quite good that everyone was worried about him.

“···Rahel. Your eyes are strange? You don’t have that usual 껄렁껄렁 [kkeolleongkkeolleong – Korean onomatopoeia for a swaggering or nonchalant attitude] look. What happened?”

Rein blinked and asked.

Rahel looked strange no matter how she looked at him today.

“I just realized that I’m stupid.”

Rahel laughed.

He felt it after meeting Namaha.

He is a supporting character who appears once or twice in the original work.

However, Rahel could not even beat Namaha.

If he hadn’t run away, Rahel would have been the one to die in the end.

‘I shouldn’t have been acting up like I’m strong with this much….’

Rahel was weak.

He was called one of the Three Heroes of the Empire and beat up the trash nobles, so he became unnecessarily confident, but this is not enough.

Protecting the orphanage in District 4.

It was Rahel’s humble goal.

However, this world was not so easy.

There are many problems just protecting the orphanage.

To achieve that goal… he has to become much stronger.

“No matter how I look at it, your eyes are strange? Rahel. There is a professional counselor in the Rein Knights, so how about talking to them….”

“I’ll go now because I have a match soon.”

Rahel ignored Rein’s words and got up from his seat.

The reason why he couldn’t sleep and was sitting here was because of the Dragon Phoenix Assembly match.

Thud. Thud.

His body ached every time he walked.

It was because he moved too hard last night.

‘Domain… how can I reach that realm?’

Namaha’s domain was truly amazing.

He managed to escape by taking advantage of the gap, but if Namaha had attacked Rahel in the meantime, he would have been helpless.

‘I should go find that old man, the Thousand Slaughter Sword Lord, once.’

It was time for that old man to come and find him directly.

Rahel stood in the arena, thinking about that.

“Lecada of the Soman County! You bastard! You remember me, right?”

And, he was immediately scolded.

“···Who are you?”

“Are you planning to pretend to have forgotten after knocking me down with a sudden surprise attack! Lecada! Lecada of the Soman County!”

“Ah, that guy from then.”

He was the one who took the lead in discriminating against commoners at the preliminary round advancement party.

Rahel belatedly recalled his face.

He was so unnoticeable that he had forgotten about him.

“I’ll take revenge for then!”

“I was a little annoyed because I couldn’t beat that desert guy anyway… it’s a relief.”

Rahel raised his sword, looking at Lecada, who was screaming.

“I only hit you once because there was no justification then, but I’ll beat you up properly this time.”

Rahel raised the corners of his mouth.

The reason why he participated in the Dragon Phoenix Assembly was to beat up the nobles.

*

“The 교단 [gyodan – Korean for religious order or cult]! Call the people from the 교단!”

“Damn it! He’s bleeding a lot, is he alive?!”

Rahel shook his head, watching some nobles and 교단 healers running.

“He’s just bleeding a little. He won’t die, but they’re making a fuss.”

“That’s how nobles usually are. They don’t know well because they haven’t been hit.”

Carlson also shook his head.

He also felt good because he had just beaten someone up.

“By the way, Carlson. I didn’t see you in the audience, where did you go?”

“Ah, I went to the plaza. I heard that the desert warriors of the Nagore Kingdom escaped last night?”

“Who said that?”

“The Carmen Knights just announced it in the plaza. The Carmen Knights stopped them from colluding with black magicians and demons to kidnap commoners.”

“···Is that so?”

Rahel nodded appropriately.

The Carmen Knights were shameless, even though they didn’t do anything.

‘The black magicians and demons… Nagore must have taken care of them.’

When Rahel arrived, all the black magicians and demons were dead.

Nagore and the Carmen Knights were involved, so it seems like it was planned from the beginning.

It is an opportunity for the Empire to deal with black magicians and demons without lifting a finger, and it is an opportunity for Nagore to strike a blow to the continent guys.

‘If I hadn’t stalled for time… they would have attacked the Vanessa Kingdom and the Jeongcheon Alliance.’

The Carmen Knights would not have moved without any profit.

Perhaps the terror would have proceeded without any damage to the Empire, and only the commoner children would have been sacrificed in the meantime.

The lives of commoners are less than ants to the nobles.

Rahel clicked his tongue at that fact.

“And Princess Scaria was caught as the culprit, and Lucas is defending her.”

“Wait a minute.”

Rahel frowned, listening to Carlson’s words.

“Lucas? Why is he involved there?”

“I don’t know either. I heard that he was appealing that she couldn’t be that kind of person. Even though it hasn’t been long since they met.”

“Ah, he’s increasing his harem. Carlson. Go and help him later.”

“Yes? Me?”

“Yes. Princess Scaria is quite capable even if she looks like that.”

Later, she abandons the desert kingdom and comes to Lucas, and she also uses excellent sand magic.

It is better to respect the story of the original work.

“Ah… I understand.”

Carlson drooped his shoulders gloomily.

For some reason, he felt like he was going to increase Lucas’s girlfriend.

“You two! You were here!”

At that time, a man ran from over there.

He waved his hands wildly, looking this way.

“I don’t know how hard it was to find you. Whew.”

Namgung Jin.

He was the man who received help from Lucas in the Jeongcheon Alliance.

“Isn’t that Namgung Jin?”

“Yes. This time, as the Nagore guys disappeared, the pursuit of the Namgung family was also cut off. It’s all thanks to the Three Heroes!”

“It’s not us, it’s thanks to Lucas.”

Rahel thought, looking at the relieved Namgung Jin.

Nagore’s Namaha was a strong man who used domain.

If he had tried to chase the Namgung family, Namgung Jin would have died long ago.

It is highly likely that it was a trick to collude with black magicians.

“The Three Heroes can just say anything at any time! We will let you taste the specialties of our Namgung family first!”

“Specialties? Where is the place where your Namgung family lives?”

“It’s a volcano!”

“Volcano? Is plum blossom a specialty?”

When it comes to 화산(華山) [Hwasan – Sino-Korean word for volcano, but also the name of a famous mountain in China], it’s plum blossom.

When it comes to plum blossom, isn’t it 화산?

“Yes? No. Our specialty is pork barbecue baked with lava.”

“···Ah, it’s 火山(火山) [Hwasan – pure Korean word for volcano]?”

Rahel shook his head.

This world was still not familiar to him.

“Rahel 형님 [hyungnim – Korean for older brother, used by males to address older males they are close to]. Now that I think about it, the round of 16 is coming soon.”

“It’s already that far?”

“Of course. I feel so good that all three of our Empire’s Three Heroes are in the round of 16.”

“Please don’t use that title.”

Carlson seemed to like the title of Three Heroes, but Rahel got angry every time he heard it.

“What are you going to do now, 형님?”

“Me, what?”

“If it’s 형님 usually, I think you’ll be annoyed soon. Isn’t that right?”

“Hmm….”

Rahel seriously pondered.

Until now, what he wanted was 적당한 [jeokdanghan – Korean for moderate or appropriate] power and 적당한 attention.

He just wanted to live a life without any inconvenience.

But… he realized that it wouldn’t work with that much.

To protect what you want in this 좆같은 [jotgateun – Korean slang for shitty or fucked up] world, you have to become much stronger.

‘The original plan was to lose to Lucas in the finals and naturally hand over the position of 용사 [yongsa – Korean for hero or champion]….’

As this Dragon Phoenix Assembly grew, there was a trend that the winner would take the position of 용사.

Rahel was thinking of riding that trend and handing over the position of 용사 to Lucas.

‘But do I really have to do that?’

Suddenly, that thought came to mind.

Does it make sense for Lucas to be weaker than him?

‘Where is there an 빙의자 [bingeuija – Korean for transmigrator or isekai protagonist] with as much conscience as me.’

Rahel had seen so many creations, but there was no 빙의자 with as much conscience as him.

Did he scout someone who would become Lucas’s colleague in the future?

No.

Did he take away the opportunity or item that Lucas would get?

No.

Did he steal a network that would be of great help to Lucas?

No.

Rahel was not a stupid 빙의자 who took everything that the protagonist should have and then complained about why the protagonist was so weak.

He did not interfere with Lucas’s growth at all.

Rather, he helped him by attaching Rein or inviting him to the party.

But he is weaker than me?

‘…Then isn’t it better for me to be the 용사?’

The incident where the children of the orphanage were kidnapped brought a big change to Rahel’s thoughts.