episode_0054

We could ride Dulsinea up to the gentle area, but this is as far as we can go.

In front of me, a steep ridge continued. Licia and I dismounted from the horse.

Just in case, I had my sword drawn. The darkening sky made the sword glint slightly.

Originally, it was prohibited for outsiders to openly carry weapons in the village, but fortunately, that rule did not apply to me.

The sound was getting closer. Now, not only faint shouts, but I could also vaguely make out what they were saying.

“…Watch out! Avoid it!”

“Help from the village…!”

I had to be careful when wielding my power.

Of course, dealing with armed groups entering the land I was supposed to protect would give me the legitimacy to act on my side.

However, they could also be nobles or mercenaries who had lost their way.

It was my own fault, so there was little room for complaint, but it would be easier to resolve the situation rather than blindly swinging my sword.

To assess the situation, I needed to get closer.

First, I discreetly placed Licia where she wouldn’t be noticed.

“Stay here until the situation is resolved.”

“Okay.”

“Alright, I’ll be back.”

After patting the girl’s head a few times, I climbed up the mountain.

Of course, I wasn’t wearing any armor. It wouldn’t be strange to dress like this for a simple walk around the village.

I was worried about leaving her behind, but I had a defensive artifact just in case.

This was why I was a little less worried, but also why Licia didn’t say anything about me going to fight without armor.

I moved forward, keeping my footsteps as quiet as possible and lowering my body.

This way, I could reach the center of the commotion without being noticed. The inconspicuous color of my clothes helped me blend into the darkness.

Carefully, I observed the situation from behind the bushes.

The pursuers were not properly armed. The dress code was suitable for visiting a village or town, but not for dealing with bandits and thieves.

“Don’t run away! Stand and fight!”

“We need to completely drive them out from here. Stay calm, if we unite, we can overcome them!”

Still, they seemed to pause and scatter, knowing that showing their backs would make them more vulnerable, some even picked up fallen tree branches to fight.

And those facing them.

“Can we come down this far? He has a lightsaber-”

“Yeah, that’s why we need to act quickly before that guy arrives. Let’s make a big hit here and leave.”

“I feel like I heard the same thing in Filah… ”

“Tsk! Shut up if you’re going to talk nonsense.”

…Ah. I recognize that face.

They were a group of bandits who had been driven out from the Empire, and one of the bandit groups that emerged during the chaotic period of Filah’s occupation and the collapse of public order.

Most of them had been wiped out, and they were the last opponents to deal with.

I remember having a conversation with them when I fought for Alpen’s security.

“You defeated the bloody axe Brute and found this base skillfully. But this is as far as you go. I, the dual swordsman Hans, will be your opponent.”

“Yeah, at least you seem to have the qualifications to call yourself a knight. Let’s fight sincerely from now on.”

“Wait a minute. Why is the sword still intact-”

“Haha! Wait for next time!”

He said to wait for next time. But for some reason, he seemed to have other things to do, as he didn’t show his face for over three months.

Even savages wouldn’t behave like that, there must have been a special reason for it.

And promises are precious.

Finally, the time has come to keep it.

-Rustle

“There you are! Show yourself!”

I took a step forward. The thief who seemed to mistake me for one of their group or sensed my presence gasped in surprise.

Not recognizing someone with whom you have a special connection is not a memory issue. In this direction, my face would not be clearly visible due to the sun setting.

-Swish!

“Yes, you… huh?”

After climbing up the mountain and finally catching my breath, a rough sound escaped as I exhaled.

Not wanting to say anything in this state, as it might make me look weak, I silently brightened the light of my photon sword.

As his faintly illuminated face became visible, his voice gradually faded. It seems he hasn’t forgotten me after all.

The thieves who had been silently watching me finally seemed to grasp the situation, as one of them shouted loudly.

“-Shoot!”

Two archers lurking in the darkness released their arrows simultaneously.

*****

Heine managed to escape on the sled for a moment.

When they reached a small clearing where they could briefly stop, the group came to a halt.

It was impossible to face the steep slope where even a slight push would make them roll down.

If they had been on the high ground, they might not have known, but in their ambushed state, they couldn’t hope for that.

Although they didn’t count one by one, it was clear even to the naked eye that their numbers had decreased since they set off.

Fleeing in disarray would only increase the damage. Those with good weapons stepped forward, while Huang and the others slowly stepped back.

“You go ahead. We’ll hold them off.”

“If you go a little further, there’s a village. It’s a place with sturdy fences, so please ask for protection.”

Descending from the mountain, they could see the flickering lights in the distance.

The guide mentioned a village called Alpen, following the name of the mountain range. They probably were heading there.

He also said that a knight residing in Alpen had a certain reputation in the area and would help if asked.

Even if they didn’t have the power of a knight, at least they weren’t the kind of people who would order others to die, he added.

However, this land was the domain of the hostile Count Kanosa, Heine’s father, so there was a possibility that they would be sent back as they were after the job was done.

Still, despite all the noble things in the world, in the end, there was only one thing that mattered – life.

‘…I need to confirm first.’

Before fleeing, Heine prayed for his father’s safety, who could become the spark of a civil war.

But the moment he confirmed his father’s face, he felt chills all over his body.

It wasn’t just because of the cold. There was no more chilling cold to penetrate his half-frozen body.

‘Wow. I just want to go home alone.’

Heine wasn’t sick of fear, nor was he laughing hysterically.

His father had a face so expressionless that it seemed alien.

Although he seemed to be turning his head here and there in confusion outwardly, at the end, there was a sharp gaze that pursued how many lives would be lost.

What was the real purpose of this journey, even with such a sloppy preparation?

To present himself in the most pathetic way possible to the Emperor, to go before the Pope in a humble and despicable manner.

To make himself so pitiful and abject that even if he had to pay attention to the world’s gaze, he would bow down.

The process of crossing the mountain inevitably resulted in the deaths of several monks, adding poignancy to the sincerity of the apology.

Of course, the fact that the actions of seeking forgiveness and repentance were nothing but a play devoid of sincerity from start to finish is something both the Pope and the Emperor know better than anyone.

However, it would have appeared differently to the nobles and commoners who were paying attention to the situation.

For them, it must have been necessary to disgracefully flee, but it was clear that it wouldn’t matter to my father.

After all, at the moment he decided to bow to the Pope, pride and reputation were not considerations.

“Oops.”

In an instant, Heine met the Emperor’s gaze. The gaze that met him was a cold, calculating one, only confirming his survival.

Surely, he was calculating internally how desperate he would have to be to smoothly receive the Pope’s pardon.

Wouldn’t it be unnecessary to appeal to his father’s desperation, even at the cost of his children’s lives?

With that in mind, the princess awkwardly smiled. The Emperor seemed to understand and quickly averted his gaze.

“Ah! Ahhhhh!!”

“Your Highness, Your Highness! If you run so fast, you’ll fall!”

My husband was running away, oblivious to everything.

At least he seemed carefree, which was truly enviable.

“Life is really….”

As expected, he didn’t like this corner of the house.

To turn this around, there had to be force, but it didn’t seem like his father would share that with him.

So he quietly followed.

The foolish husband seemed to be making the situation worse by not staying still, as if the throne would fall into his hands if he did, but it was not the case.

As they were slowly retreating with some attendants, it happened.

“Are you there too! Show yourself!”

With the rustling of the bushes, a heavy breathing sound came from the darkness. It was different from the thin, wheezing breath of the group who had been running for a while.

Rather than something simple, it was a sound that evoked an inexplicable fear.

At the thief’s shout, the sword he held gleamed brightly with a green light.

Was it a relic? Nevertheless, hearing him speak, it seemed he was not part of the thieves.

Looking in the direction of the sword, he seemed at least not hostile towards his group at the moment.

However, apart from the sword, his armor was strangely light. So it was doubtful whether he could be a good ally.

-Whoosh!

“Oh, right. This damn sword…!”

When he opened his eyes, he saw that the sword of the thief standing in front of him had been split in half.

Heine watched the impressive feat that an ordinary human could not perform. And he had a thought right away.

‘…That looks a bit tempting.’

A coolly rotating household servant. The force to protect oneself in such dangerous situations.

Father said that these were things only adults did, but as a member of the royal family, shouldn’t he have at least one personal weapon like a pocket knife?