episode_0003

Walking along the long corridor.

Is it because of the banquet? The soldiers that usually filled the corridors are hardly seen today.

Of course, the security forces have been given a bit of a break on a day like today.

Passing by the minimal number of soldiers, we arrived at the guesthouse where the guests visiting the palace stay.

No more soldiers in sight now.

There aren’t many crazy people trying to assassinate the Duke who has reached the level of Swordmaster.

Perhaps it’s also because Valoran is too confident in his own skills.

Slowly, we walk towards the floor where we are staying.

The grand hall with a red carpet.

Darkness outside the windows.

Bright torches illuminate the corridor on the left.

If we turn left now, we’ll reach the Duke’s room.

“Everyone… please wait here.”

As I speak in a low voice, everyone stops.

“Until I give the signal…”

Pointing to a door with my finger.

“Hide over there for a moment.”

Pointing to my room, the mercenaries nod their heads.

Seeing them cautiously open the door and enter the room, I walk towards the Duke’s room.

Two guards are standing in front of the Duke’s room.

I greet them warmly with a smile.

“Oh… sorry, it seems the shift change is running a bit late.”

I deliberately scheduled the next shift to come an hour later.

So… they won’t be coming.

But the guards, unaware of this fact, seem tired.

“Master! Even though the banquet has started, it’s too much for everyone.”

“True, we also want to have fun with the noble guests.”

I say to the soldiers who complain by tapping the floor with my fingers through the window.

“Haha… then I’ll guard here, so you go and have some fun first.”

As if questioning the truth of my words…

“Master, really?”

I smile and nod at their words.

“Yes, really, I said we’ll be 15 minutes late anyway.”

A man who seems like a senior says in a reassuring tone.

“If it’s 30 minutes… we’ll just guard here.”

Oh no… this is not good.

Trying to hide my anxious feelings as much as possible, I jokingly say in a cheerful voice.

“No, if you want to have fun with those picky noble guests, shouldn’t you dress up and go now?”

I try to sound nonchalant, but the senior seems apologetic.

“It’s not that… Master, you’re much busier than us, right? So…”

Fortunately, it seems he’s not feeling awkward about my actions, but rather sorry for me.

In that case, that’s good.

I smile brightly and say.

“Alright then. You’ve dedicated yourselves to our family for so long. I’ll give the order. Enjoy the banquet and go to bed early, as I’ll take care of your duties for a while.”

The guards, with a mixture of deference and bright expressions, say.

“I… if you say so…”

“Ah, Ian! Why are you like this? Then we’ll leave now.”

“Hehe… have a good day with the noble guests.”

The junior who leads the senior, who seems to want to say more, smiles at me and hands me a horn.

“Thank you! Lord Devian!”

I watch them leave, the sound of metal clashing.

First… the guards are gone…

Confirming that the guards have left, I open the door to my room next to me and say.

“Everything is ready.”

The stern-faced mercenaries nod.

And…

Standing in front of the Duke’s room.

-Knock knock!

“Someone is here.”

Valoran’s voice is heard.

“It’s me.”

“…I don’t want to see you.”

Although it’s clearly a dismissal, I bring out the words I had prepared in advance.

“Your Grace, urgent matters have arisen.”

“What is it?”

“Well… it’s something that shouldn’t be heard by anyone…”

As I speak in the most cautious tone, the Duke seems to sense something strange.

“If it’s not important, I’ll have you flogged! Come in!”

I gesture to the mercenaries to hide against the wall with my fingers.

“Didn’t I tell you to come in?”

Balorang’s urging.

I open the door and see the mercenaries hiding behind the wall, out of sight from inside the room.

Balorang sits on a luxurious sofa.

He looks at me as if his rest has been disturbed and speaks sharply, “What’s the matter?”

“It’s nothing… I caught a demon worshipper who was sneaking into the palace earlier.”

In reality, there was no such incident, but it was a deception to distract Balorang.

Balorang seems to not believe my words.

-Thud!

“Nonsense! Who are these people?”

I calmly reply to his question, “During the interrogation… they mentioned they had something to show to His Majesty… so I brought it hidden.”

Balorang furrows his eyebrows at my words.

“What is it? Bring it here.”

I take out something wrapped in white cloth from my pocket.

“Here… it is.”

I approach the king step by step.

As I get closer to Balorang, my heart beats faster.

-Thump… Thump…

I try to calm my racing heart and finally reach Balorang.

And…

-Swish! Thud!

Blood splatters everywhere.

“Ahh!”

“Die, you bastard!”

Balorang dodges my attempt to stab his neck and instead I end up stabbing his shoulder.

“What kind of madness is this!”

Balorang grabs his shoulder with one hand and strikes me with his foot.

-Oof!

I tumble to the ground as the mercenaries I hired enter the room.

“Gongja!”

-Swish.

“How dare you betray us after we raised you?! Who are you people!”

Balorang draws a sword from his side.

Is he really the continent’s greatest swordsman?

The blood flow has stopped unlike before.

“You monster…”

“Gongja, here!”

I receive the sword from Karl.

And I glare at the king, saying, “Shut up, you bastard!”

At that moment…

-Ting! Ting!

Something flies towards Balorang, but he quickly deflects it.

And…

Hans and Jason press Balorang, but…

-Whoosh!

Balorang’s sword shines for a moment and breaks Hans’s twin swords.

Not just breaking, but cutting the swords in half.

Jason thrusts his spear skillfully at Balorang.

Just as Balorang’s sword is about to reach him, Jason skillfully withdraws the spear.

Balorang frowns in anger and says, “Kill these bastards!”

At that moment…

Daggers fly towards Balorang as Rebecca smiles and says, “Don’t underestimate me, I’ve poisoned the daggers.”

And I and Karl join in.

“Be ready, the poison will take effect soon!”

The daggers I stabbed into Balorang’s shoulder are coated with a paralyzing poison that disrupts mana flow and coagulates blood.

It’s a rare poison, so even a swordmaster would have a hard time resisting once the poison spreads.

“Ahh!”

Balorang screams and his sword glows.

It starts with Hans.

Hans tries to block Balorang’s sword with his broken sword, but it’s not enough.

So…

-Swish!

And Jason, who was attacking Balorang with his long-range and skillful spear techniques.

The spear…

-Slash!

Slices through Jason’s chest.

At that moment.

“You… monster!”

-Thud!

A dagger is embedded in Balorang’s abdomen.

Rebecca takes the opportunity to keep throwing daggers from a distance, while I and Karl surround Balorang.

-Clang! Clang!

Sparks fly as metal clashes against metal.

And… Balorang breathes heavily.

*Haa… Haa…*

Fortunately, it seems like the poison is starting to take effect.

“Now… it seems the poison is taking effect.”

In response to my words, Balorang glares at me.

“You! Do you have no pride as a member of the Great Ryan Family?! Ugh… Uwoeek!”

Balorang vomits blood.

I smirk at his pitiful state.

“I don’t care about that… How does it feel? Falling off a cliff just as you were about to achieve everything?”

“You… You… How dare you… You…”

I swing my sword at Balorang as he speaks.

Quickly raising his sword to block mine, Balorang is struck by two short daggers in his thigh.

“Argh!”

As Balorang loses balance and falls, I approach him.

*Slash.*

I sever his right arm, causing a fountain of blood to spray in all directions.

“Aaargh!”

Clutching his bleeding wrist in agony, Balorang screams loudly.

“Shut up! This isn’t over yet!”

*Thud!*

“This is for my mother’s vengeance!”

The sharp tip of the sword pierces Balorang’s chest.

“And this is…”

I grip the sword handle tightly and thrust it in.

*Thud!*

“Ugh!”

“This is the price for all the atrocities you’ve committed!”

*Thud!*

“Die! Die!”

How long have I dreamed of this moment?

Born as the son of this bastard, I endured a life close to abuse.

“Hah! Maybe being a Swordmaster is why you’re not dying so easily.”

I continue to stab, avoiding vital organs.

“Argh… You… You!”

His slow attempt to grab me with his left hand makes me sigh.

Well… enduring this level of injury and still moving his arm might be impressive.

*Slash!*

I sever his left arm as well.

“Rot in hell.”

I thrust the sword into Balorang’s forehead.

*Squish!*

I look at Balorang with his eyes wide open, dead.

As I gaze at his face, a sense of relief washes over me.

It’s finally over… Mother…!

But this is not the end. So there’s no time to dwell on emotions.

Now, I must take the next step.

Addressing Karl and Rebecca, who were watching me in shock, I say:

“Agrippa should be at the place we came from. He will show you how to get out. I’ll take care of things here, so hurry and leave.”

My face must have looked menacing, as both of them weakly nod and quickly exit through the door.

“Phew…”

After watching them leave, I open the poetry box on Balorang’s desk.

I take out a fancy wooden stick, sharpen one end with the sword, and light it with a nearby burning candle.

*Whoosh…*

Taking a sip, I breathe out.

“Phew… Haa… Now… it begins.”

Balorang’s rebellion was successful.

And my rebellion, which led to Balorang’s death, was also successful.

From now on, chaos will ensue in the kingdom.

If luck is not on my side, I might die tomorrow.

Or maybe sooner.

But… the die has already been cast.