episode_0030

It was a battlefield.

The blazing flames started at the streets surrounding the Imperial Palace. The spreading fire looked like red paint being dissolved in clear water. Although it began as a fire outside the palace, it was evident that it would eventually transform into a massive conflagration that would engulf both the palace and the streets.

Thud!

“You!”

“Ugh…”

The Emperor collapsed as if struck by something. The Empress, who was standing nearby, looked down at him with a mixture of shock and disbelief. Her astonishment peaked when Serin staggered.

“This sensation…?”

“Seriniel!?”

“Your Majesty! Your Highness!”

The Empress and Tesermain, who had narrowly escaped the deadly trap, stood by their sides, unsure of what to do. Normally, they would have called for a physician, but in the current emergency situation, there was no time to calmly administer treatment. Amidst the chaos, everyone was on the verge of being consumed by the flames.

But the tragedy did not end there.

Crash, clang!

The glass windows connecting the banquet hall to the outside shattered. Through the broken windows, figures cloaked in metallic hues entered, signaling the intrusion. I closed my eyes quietly, mourning the shattered peace.

“So this was what you wanted.”

Was this the plan all along?

Was this the outcome of the business proposal I was about to learn about?

I admit it. It had to be kept a secret.

If I had known earlier, I would have faced fierce opposition.

I called out the name of the man who had kept the secret all this time.

“Roderick.”

He, who had been out of sight until now, briefly responded from behind me.

“Hmm.”

“There are many things I want to say, but I’ll have to postpone them.”

“…”

Silence.

I knew that some things were better left unsaid.

Setting aside personal matters, I gave the command.

“Roderick, the assassins who have infiltrated. Kill them all.”

“Understood.”

Clang!

Immediately after, the sound of chains breaking echoed. It signaled the fall of the chandelier, casting the world into darkness. In the midnight rush of the night, the moonlight was too feeble. Even if I widened my eyes, there was no miracle of gaining visibility in the darkened banquet hall.

“Ahh!”

“Scream!”

“What in the world is happening…!”

The chaos of confusion erupted. Only a few individuals were aware of the assassins’ intrusion. The swift blackout of the banquet hall left little time to fully comprehend the situation.

During that time, I walked straight towards a child who could not afford to lose even a moment.

“Esutiel.”

“Riheart…?”

“Yes.”

“Brother, brother…!”

“Come here.”

Esutiel stumbled towards me and hugged me, sniffling and trembling.

“How, brother… Serin is hurt. She’s in a lot of pain. And there are too many ‘bad’ things around… Ugh…”

I patted Esutiel’s back and comforted her.

“It’s okay. The Knight Commander is here, and Roderick is here too.”

“But Roderick is just an outsider…”

“… Right.”

There was no time to explain, so I quickly left the place. I headed straight towards the terrace, crossing the middle of the banquet hall. At the entrance to the terrace, an assassin blocked my path.

No questions asked.

The pale moonlight illuminated the blade that descended without hesitation.

Thud!

I buried Esutiel’s face in my chest.

“Look after her.”

Supporting Esutiel with one hand, I grabbed the blade with the other.

Clang!

The sharp blade shattered like a scone soaked in water. Without bothering to remove the shards remaining in my grip, I grabbed the assassin’s throat.

Thud!

Blood gushes from the man’s throat. He repeats the sound of his non-functional vocal cords and collapses.

Thud!

“Ugh…”

Shit!

“Cough…”

From behind, the sound of flesh being sliced and the subsequent silence harmonized. Surprisingly, there is little commotion or screams from the guests. It seems like Lordric and the Imperial Knights Commander have the banquet hall under control.

Therefore, without hesitation, I step out onto the terrace and leap to the top of the banquet hall.

“It’s okay if you open your eyes, Eshutiel.”

“Ugh… alright.”

“I’m going to put out the fire now and come back down. Don’t move from here until I return. Can you stay put, Eshutiel?”

“I’ll stay still.”

“Good.”

I pat Eshutiel’s head and light a pipe with my other hand. Eshutiel mumbles absentmindedly as he watches the scene.

“Black smoke… Hugyong?”

What does Hugyong mean?

Apart from the unknown term, the perception of black smoke is technically incorrect.

This power, strangely, possesses physical strength according to will, but its essence is clouds. If it could be done with clouds, anything was possible. I endlessly produced storm clouds and filled the sky of the island.

Rumble, rumble!

The clear night sky of the island is covered by dark storm clouds. Then, the raindrops, called the miracle of the island, fall from the sky to the ground.

Plop, plop.

Shooosh!

The thin raindrops gradually become denser, pouring down like countless pillars. The flames that had been growing in size in the dead of night shrivel up quickly. It was only a matter of time before the flames on the island were extinguished.

“I’ll be back, Eshutiel.”

“Rihart, don’t get hurt…”

“You know I’ve never been hurt before.”

I tousle Eshutiel’s head with the pipe above him.

It serves as a makeshift umbrella.

After ensuring she doesn’t get wet, I jump back onto the terrace.

“It’s raining…!”

“It’s a miracle! A fire like that extinguished so easily…!”

“Oh, God…”

The unexpected calm voices.

The suppression of the arsonists seemed to be going even more smoothly than expected. Lordric, focusing his strength, looks around with a gaze reminiscent of his old self, washing away the tension from his face.

‘He knew everything, so it’s only natural.’

Lordric had predicted everything since dusk.

The assassins’ entry route.

Their subsequent movements.

Even the plans they could make based on those movements, all of it.

It was child’s play for him.

Because Lordric was the pinnacle of human intellect.

“I can teach you. I’ll make you live without envying others. So please… spare me. I’m Lordric. I’m a well-known figure in our circle…”

When Lordric, who begged for his life when he was eight years old, said that, he never lied.

As he promised, Lordric was a famous figure in the underworld.

On the surface, he dealt with all kinds of information floating around in society as an information broker. But his hidden side was the pinnacle of assassins known as the plague.

Even if he retired, his influence remained strong. Planning an assassination where Lordric was present was a predestined failure.

I called out to him as he was finishing up the situation.

“Lordric…”

That’s when it happened.

Before I could properly convey the message, a massive greatsword flew at me with ruthless force like an arrow.

I had to raise my pipe to defend myself.

I had to act forcefully, even if it meant risking the presence of witnesses. It was a sword imbued with enough skill and power.

Clang!

“Rahi… Rihart!”

Roderick let out a scream that echoed through the terrace. Before I could respond, I was pushed by a massive force and fell out of the terrace in an instant, beyond the banquet hall.

“This is…?”

A familiar greatsword. When I pictured the owner of the greatsword in my mind, it was right after a giant figure of a man had appeared.

The commander of the royal knights.

The scar that I had drawn on his face on the day of my parents’ memorial when I was five years old proved the man’s identity.

Our fates were intertwined.

“I finally found you, the child of the exiled!”

“…”

“I’ve been waiting for this day. The only mistake I made, the only moment I couldn’t rest easy, was because of my arrogance. I’ve lived with the mindset that I can’t relax as long as you’re alive.”

He raised the greatsword, flashing it.

“Did you think I wouldn’t recognize you if you wore a mask? Never! I, the one who defeated you, never forgot about you. Those clear and innocent eyes of yours…”

“I have never defeated you.”

“Do you mean to provoke me?”

“No. It’s just a simple fact.”

I bowed my head respectfully to the man who saw through me beyond the years.

“It’s been 14 years since we last met. I am Rahilt, the child of the exiled that you claim.”

“Haha… Deceiving the world so easily like this!”

He laughed maniacally. The obsession that had been unleashed after a dozen years seemed to have reached its peak.

“I have no intention of fighting you.”

“For me, it’s enough. Even if it costs me my life, I have enough motivation to kill you.”

“…”

“Haha, a miracle? This rain? The thick clouds covering the sky? I, the Dragon’s child who controls even the weather, am not deceived by it.”

The man had closed his heart long ago. No matter what I tried to explain, he wouldn’t listen. In his mind, I was a monster disguised in human skin.

“For the peace of the people, cut down the last remaining dragon on earth.”

Swish!

He leaped.

His agile movement that effortlessly ignored his massive weight, and his fierce strike dominated by deep-seated resentment.

“Now, it’s the era of humans!”

Kwaaaaah!

With a massive swing of his greatsword, a horizontal slash unfolded. The mere swing created a pressure that pressed against my face.

I raised my staff.

The dense clouds gathered into a shape that perfectly matched the figure of the black dragon.

Crack!

It was an ambiguous sound of impact.

Not hitting metal or bursting liquid, just an indescribable sound.

But the efficiency was outstanding. The dragon’s claw that struck the rock was perfectly blocked by the black figure.

Then, the man pivoted his foot.

Swoosh, thud!

“Ugh.”

My body was lifted off the ground by the man’s forced push.

My eyes widened.

The experience of being pushed with full force was the first time since my childhood.

Boom!

The force shattered.

My floating body flew explosively along the trajectory of the greatsword.

Kwajajajak!

The resistance of the air was strong. It was difficult to maintain balance. With a wobbly body, I landed on the ground and was dragged by inertia.

The palace was already far away.

It was a distance where no one could observe our battle. Yet, a ominous rumble warned me.

Swish!

A powerful cloud of dust unfolded. The man, who had reached the pinnacle of the royal knights, closed the distance with just one leap.

“Don’t let your guard down. My pride was torn apart by a five-year-old child long ago. If you don’t fight back, that too will bring disaster.”

“If you hold a grudge for the wound I inflicted, then I will do whatever I can…”

“I would have said it! I let go of my pride a long time ago!”

Crash!

The giant sword struck the ground.

Dust and rock fragments scattered, shooting out like a meteor shower. The impact of the fragments tore through the body, leaving only remnants.

A clear case of murder.

But I could only passively defend myself. The reason why I had to do so was obvious.

“If it’s not revenge, then why…?”

“Because your existence carries sin. That’s all there is to it.”

Original sin.

As the daughter of the fallen emperor and a government official, I had committed many sins.

The people who died without sin, the past of Estiel was also part of the original sin.

It was a reasonable matter. As a knight who protected the royal family, I had the right to atone for my sins.

“You saved the princess. But I don’t believe in your good intentions. If it was a favor, you should have revealed that you were the emperor’s daughter. How can you hide your origins and accept the royal family’s favor…!!!”

“Is the will of the royal family the same as your own?”

“Of course not. My lord is merciful. Therefore, this is solely my will and determination. It is simply my judgment to eliminate potential threats to the empire.”

“I see. That’s… fortunate.”

Relief.

Seren’s wish was not for me to disappear. Her smile towards me was sincere, not fake. Just knowing that fact brought a strange warmth to my conflicted heart.

“Still, the situation remains difficult.”

He was strong.

He was not someone I could easily overpower.

I couldn’t kill him outright, nor could I escape unilaterally. I was forced into a difficult situation.

“Why is that? Do I not even deserve to be considered a worthy opponent? I hope that sentiment lasts long. Until I take your life!”

Full of openings. Yet, it was equally destructive and agile.

Taking advantage of my decision to completely abandon attacking, he openly gave up his defensive stance.

“Heh, hah, hahaha!”

He swung the greatsword wildly. The endless power that emerged was astonishing. The beautiful scenery of the palace was ruined by the mere aftermath.

One-sided destruction.

The fight that I thought would last a lifetime was turned upside down in an instant.

Boom!

A shockwave erupted.

Both I and the man were startled, stopping our movements and turning our gaze to the origin of the shockwave. There, at an incredible speed, an unknown figure was stepping through the air.

In an instant, a black lump fell, enduring the impact, crashing down. It was only after squinting that we realized it was Inyeong.

“What are you doing right now!”

Splash!

As she landed on the ground, she used the momentum to deflect the man’s greatsword. With just that one move, the man’s strength was released, and the greatsword that had turned the palace into ruins was split into three pieces.

“Seren…”

“Princess.”

We both addressed the intruder simultaneously.

With no words to say even if we had ten mouths, both I and the man were frozen in place.

“Princess. Surely you have ingested poison…”

“If you’ve tasted a poison once, it’s only natural that you can quickly detoxify it!”

It was not so certain. Seren’s pride, her extraordinary physique, was truly a monstrous creation.

Shouting loudly, she coldly addressed the man.

“Knight Commander Ruslet. Who among your lords ordered the harassment of the princess’s guest?”

“No one has issued such an order.”

“It was your own judgment?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Because I alone recognized the true identity of the author.”

“Wow, can even a sinner become a judge?”

“Yes, even a sinner.”

The Knight Commander, Ruslet, confidently expressed his opinion. Confirming his resolve, Serin placed her hand on her hip and asked a question.

“Then, is that sin innate or acquired?”

“Innate, it is the original sin of the author.”

“Original sin? Original sin…”

“Yes, the original sin. Without a doubt.”

“Haha…”

Serin let out a sigh. It was a hollow laughter, far from being willingly expressed.

When the hollow laughter subsided, Serin coldly declared.

“You are wrong.”

“Princess?”

Ruslet, the Knight Commander, reflexively called out to Serin. However, Serin continued without paying any attention.

“An innocent child is born without sin. Original sin? The existence of such terms in the world is utterly disgusting.”

“Ha!”

“She is my person!”

“…!”

“As long as I stand guard with both legs, no one in this world can lay a hand on my person.”

The surroundings fell silent at Serin’s declaration.

Even the common grasshopper seemed hesitant to cry out in fear of being crushed by her imposing presence. It was a formidable presence that could stop even the free winds in their tracks.

This time, she looked at me.

“Rian.”

“Yes.”

“Come here.”

“…”

“Quickly.”

Serin gently urged.

It was not a command. It was a request that respected me. Without knowing the truth of being a discarded child, it was a kind word offered to the Rian she knew.

It was a temptation.

A dangerous temptation that could melt your fingers if you reached out carelessly.

She was the one who engraved the feeling of a moth throwing itself into the bright flames.

“…”

One step. I take a step forward.

And another step. Once again, another step. The rhythm of my footsteps quickens, and my pace accelerates.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

“… Rian?”

Serin gently grabbed my back with a soft voice. Meanwhile, Knight Commander Ruslet laughed cheerfully with a gleam in his eyes.

“Yes, that’s it. I never had the thought of winning anyway. The fool who didn’t know the vast gap!”

The target narrowing the distance was Knight Commander Ruslet.

I betrayed Serin and directed all my focus towards him.

“Kill him, and reveal his true nature!”

Suddenly, Ruslet exposed his chest boldly.

I rushed towards him, and

Thud!

I dodged the sharp dagger aimed at his back and shoulder.

“Ugh.”

“Rian!”

“What…?”

The fates of the three people intersected.

No, to be precise, it should be called the four, including the surviving assassin.

I grabbed the assassin’s head and slammed it into the ground as if to silence him.

Crash!

Even if he didn’t die, he would lose consciousness for a while. It was a result that would leave a subject for interrogation later.

“Why?”

It was a long question with a hidden question mark.

Why did I save him?

If I had left him as he was, no one would have asked me for an explanation, let alone blame me.

For what reason did I save the one who tried to kill me? Even while receiving a wound on my shoulder.

My eyes tremble.

Confusion. It was the emotion in Ruslet’s eyes.

“Rian! Wait a moment. I’ll do emergency treatment right away…!”

“Just a moment. Serin.”

Serin stopped her hurried steps at my request.

“Please wait. I have something to tell this person.”

“You…?”

“Rian…”

Just as Serin gently persuaded me, I also made a request to her.

“If it’s just a moment, can you step back?”

“…Alright.”

Fortunately, Serin agreed. She complied with the request and took a few steps back, enough to give us privacy for our conversation.

“You… What is your intention?”

“I have no intention.”

“Are you asking me to believe that you saved me out of goodwill? Ridiculous.”

“Seonui… Perhaps the choice of that word may not be wrong.”

If it were called “seonui,” it would be considered infinitely pitiful from his perspective. Even so, there was a sense of obligation towards kindness that I had to adhere to. I sincerely bowed my head to the man who had raised enmity towards me.

“Throughout, I wanted to express my gratitude for the mercy you showed… I really wanted to convey that.”

“Are you crazy…? A child of the abandoned.”

“I am perfectly sane.”

Confirming that Serin’s gaze was completely obscured by the man’s back, I slowly removed my mask. As I did, Rouslet’s broad shoulders twitched at the sight of the child’s appearance, surpassing 14 years, with a face twisted in astonishment.

“You must be curious about why I am like this.”

“…”

Though my lips were sealed, it was a definite affirmative response.

Therefore, from my lonely childhood at the age of five, I honestly conveyed the gratitude I had cherished up to the present.

“The reason I saved you was because of that day when I was being chased in the institute. I never forgot your mercy when you removed the sword from the young boy who was still a child.”

I was weak, barely able to speak. Gifted with abilities unmatched by my peers, but now just a fledgling bird breaking out of its shell.

In reality, that day at the institute, I couldn’t push Rouslet away.

Not only did I fail to push him away, I allowed a strong blow to land.

Thanks to the sword being removed, it ended with a happening of being pinned to the wall, but if the sword had been drawn, I would have surely been killed.

Removing the sword, Rouslet’s intention was the minimum consideration for the child. Thanks to that insignificant consideration, I have survived until now.

And meeting Roderick and Estiel, feeling the warmth of people, and gradually learning about normalcy, I seized the opportunity.

The reasons to be grateful for consideration overflowed.

“Thank you.”

I truly wanted to convey this one word.

To you, who suffered from the wounds I inflicted.

As someone adept in normalcy, I wanted to convey this.

“…”

He did not immediately open his mouth.

Simply wrapping his face as if washing it in the pouring rain, he exhaled a deep regret.

“Consideration, mercy, it was neither.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“If I had known your capabilities, I would have drawn the sword.”

“That statement is proof of the truth that you removed the sword because you were a child.”

“… Ha.”

I stared at the man’s face, devoid of the will to respond. And Rouslet, who seemed to have washed away the hatred in the pouring rain, also faced me head-on.

After Roderick and Estiel, the third person to show their true face was the knight of Gehan who had tried to kill me.

Thud. Thud.

The raindrops lost their momentum.

The clouds that had fulfilled their role dispersed, bidding farewell to the stars that adorned the sky.

The moon and stars sparkled brightly as if cleansed by the rain.

I wiped away the moisture from the mask.

It was time to return as the mercenary leader, not the abandoned child, Lahilt.

“Jegiral.”

Rouslet muttered.

At the end of his gaze, which could not overcome the confusion and gazed up at the sky, there would be a shining star.

“If you’re not going to stop me, I’ll leave.”

“…”

Perhaps a habit of expressing affirmation through silence. Without showing any favor, I moved my steps in the direction where Serin had retreated.

With this, my story came to a close.

The rest would be left to his choice.

Hopefully, this time, it will be a choice without regrets.