Chapter 42 : The Road to the Kingdom (4)

The Royal Guard.

The most elite knights, proudly representing the kingdom. 

Originally, it was just a name left in history, barely maintaining its legacy. 

However, when Prince Jaiha became its commander, the story took a dramatic turn.

Prince Jaiha desired strength to protect the kingdom. Was it truly for a noble mission, or simply out of envy? 

Even he couldn’t clearly define his feelings.

Regardless, the results were undeniable. 

Reviving the Royal Guard, he recruited seven powerful figures of the era. 

Following that, each year, a talented individual was discovered through the “Golden Test.”

Thanks to this, the Royal Guard experienced a remarkable resurgence, reaching an incredible status within ten years. It was said that if the 17 members, including Prince Jaiha, acted in unison, they could even defeat Theodore.

Naturally, with such power at their disposal, the Royal Guard members were scattered, fulfilling their respective duties. 

For instance, 10 knights were stationed at the borders, among whom 2 were positioned along the imperial frontier.

One of these knights was Allen, the youngest ever to be chosen for the Royal Guard. 

Understandably, Allen was filled with pride.

And why wouldn’t he be? 

Joining the Royal Guard at the mere age of 15 was no small feat. 

His innate talent was undoubtedly overwhelming, even compared to most prodigies, and Allen was well aware of this.

Of course, it wasn’t as though there were no knights stronger than Allen in the kingdom. 

Theodore, for example, was known as the kingdom’s strongest sword, and Allen couldn’t hold a candle to him.

But Allen’s greatest strength lay in his youth. 

Passing the Golden Test at only 15 and being assigned to the Royal Guard was a talent worthy of the term “golden.”

However, while pride in one’s abilities is commendable, excessive pride often turns into arrogance. 

Even though there were members of the Royal Guard stronger than him, Allen’s arrogance was rarely tempered.

‘I’m only young, that’s all.’

‘If I were their age…’

‘If I had undergone the same training…’

‘If that were the case, I would’ve won.’

These thoughts served as convenient excuses for Allen. 

At least, they had worked up until now. Allen glared at the purple-haired boy standing before him, someone seemingly of a similar age.

No matter how he looked at him, the boy appeared to be around the same age, perhaps one or two years older at most. 

Such a small difference meant nothing, and that realization twisted Allen’s expression.

Considering his original mission, it was best to avoid unnecessary conflicts. 

Allen’s task was to escort someone politely, not to engage in some grandiose arrest.

‘This guy is really annoying, though.’

However, the sudden appearance of a similarly skilled peer was enough to ignite Allen’s youthful fervor. 

He knew he shouldn’t act out, that he needed to fulfill his mission properly. But this boy was so irritating!

For a brief moment, Allen’s sharp mind worked at full speed. 

How could he fight this guy properly while minimizing the consequences for himself?

The answer came surprisingly quickly. 

The boy’s fiery gaze was likely due to the person standing behind him, Wolfgang Leonhardt. 

If Allen could just prod at that loyalty a bit…

‘Then I can claim he attacked first. That’s self-defense, right?’

It took less than five seconds for Allen to reach this conclusion. 

It was a testament to both his quick wit and his frequent experience scheming in such situations.

“To be honest,” Allen said with a smirk, “I’m more into strong, dependable types.”

“…….”

“What can I say? I guess I just want to get a little closer to you. So, if you could avoid getting in my way, I would really apprecia—”

Thud!

Before Allen could finish his sentence, a strike had already landed. 

Most people might not notice such nuances, but Jackal was particularly sensitive to emotions. And how could he not be? 

If someone spent their entire life pierced by countless arrows of emotion, they would inevitably develop a sharp awareness.

Thanks to this, Jackal could easily detect malice in Allen’s voice. 

He didn’t know what exactly Allen wanted, but it was clear that there was ill intent. 

And so, Jackal resolved to deal with the matter himself before her captain had to intervene. 

His movements carried no hesitation.

‘What is this monstrous strength…?’

Even though things seemed to be going according to Allen’s plan, he couldn’t simply keep smirking. The punch Jackal threw wasn’t unbearably fast—it wasn’t something Allen couldn’t block.

What left Allen in shock was Jackal’s sheer strength. 

Allen had spotted the incoming attack and, instead of dodging, decided to block it once and then counter, planning to demonstrate the gap in their skills. 

However, Jackal’s immense strength shattered Allen’s defense as if it were tofu. 

Unable to withstand the force, Allen was flung aside like a broken rag doll, landing in an ungraceful heap.

The only reason Allen’s body wasn’t severely injured, even after taking Jackal’s full-strength blow, was one thing: the sword in his hand. 

Allen wielded Haphel, one of the kingdom’s sacred swords.

The Sacred Sword.

A legendary artifact said to have been forged in the era of heroes and saints. 

Its power surpassed that of any modern weapon and served as both the kingdom’s divine treasure and its symbol.

Thanks to this, Jackal’s overwhelming strength was barely repelled. 

However, this only wounded Allen’s pride further. In other words, without the sacred sword, he would’ve been defeated in a single blow.

“…You attacked first, didn’t you?”

“As many times as it takes.”

“Then that works just fine for me.”

As Jackal approached, clearly ready to attack again, Allen smiled. 

He had underestimated Jackal at first, allowing the attack to connect, but it wouldn’t happen again. 

From this moment on, it would be a real fight.

Yet, things didn’t unfold as Allen had hoped. 

Just as they were about to collide with full force, a massive shadow loomed over the sky, physically halting Allen’s movements.

Not in a figurative sense, but in a literal one.

A colossal figure forced its way between Allen and Jackal. 

The interruption left Jackal with no choice but to retreat for the moment.

The intruder was none other than a dragon—a massive, fortress-like creature with sturdy, steel-like white scales. Its piercing blue eyes glowed fiercely.

“[Stand down, child. If you continue your attack, I will have no choice but to respond in kind.]”

A dragon’s words carry power. 

Their magic-laden voice could compel living beings to obey. 

Humans referred to this as Dragon Speech. However, Dragon Speech wasn’t effective on everyone. 

Those with exceptional strength could resist it entirely, and Jackal was one of them.

Still, the situation was undeniably unfavorable for Jackal. 

To any observer, it would seem as though Jackal had recklessly attacked without cause. 

That was exactly what Allen had been aiming for. 

There was no one Jackal could rely on in this situation.

‘But it doesn’t matter. To protect the captain, I…!’

Her life had already been saved by the captain. 

To protect that person, Jackal was willing to lay down his life without hesitation.

However, before Jackal could make up his mind, he had already moved.

Whoosh!!

Bang!!

Flames erupted from Wolfgang’s fist, roaring fiercely. In an instant, Wolfgang leapt into the air, her flaming fist swinging down like a warhammer, smashing into the dragon’s head.

Despite such a noisy display, the dragon allowed the attack to land for a simple reason—it was too fast to react. 

The dragon’s massive head crashed into the ground with a resounding thud.

The unexpected sight left the knights wide-eyed, their expressions spinning like mill wheels. 

If the empire’s guardian dragon was the Black Dragon, then the kingdom’s protector was the White Dragon.

Unlike the Black Dragon, which loathed and despised humans for various reasons, the White Dragon loved the kingdom, and the kingdom worshipped it in return.

This reverence wasn’t just due to the White Dragon’s nobility and self-sacrifice but also because the kingdom acknowledged and respected its transcendental strength.

Yet, the kingdom’s guardian, the White Dragon, had been felled in a single blow by the empire’s hero. 

Its colossal head was buried in the ground, unmoving.

Naturally, the knights, who had unwavering faith in the White Dragon’s overwhelming power, were horrified. 

Wolfgang, who had defeated the dragon in one strike, clicked her tongue and glanced at the knights.

“Threatening a child like that… without even hearing both sides of the story.”

“Captain…? Why? You didn’t have to take my side…”

“There must be a reason. Anyone else, maybe, but you’re not the kind to act without one.”

If it had been some other crazed subordinate, Wolfgang might have bowed her head first. 

But Jackal was different. 

Wolfgang understood Jackal’s circumstances and the forced smile he often wore.

Jackal always plastered a smile on his face, believing it would make people fear him monstrous self a little less. And yet, such a Jackal had lashed out in anger?

“I don’t know the details, but it seems you were in the wrong first.”

Even if the whole world became his enemy…

Anyone else might abandon him, but as his captain…

She had to trust her subordinate to the very end.