Ch.135The Declining Imperial Family (6)

Galahad was perplexed.

He knew Shearer’s personality had changed since Karon’s death, but he never expected him to say something so extreme.

However, there was no time to spend convincing Shearer. The northern residents were whispering while looking in their direction.

If they alerted the guards, it would be disastrous. Right now, they needed to withdraw quickly and report to the Emperor.

“We’ll talk about that later, Shearer. Right now, we need to withdraw urgently.”

“……”

Shearer didn’t answer. Galahad had no choice but to grab Shearer’s arm and lead him into the tavern.

“Ah, you’ve arrived.”

A deep voice greeted them. It was Colon, the innkeeper, whose massive build dwarfed that of any Imperial citizen.

Galahad raised the corner of his mouth in a grin and waved.

“Hey, Colon. Weren’t you lonely while I was gone?”

“How could I be? It was actually quite pleasant. I met an honorable guest.”

“An honorable guest?”

“Hmm, someone worthy of my respect. By the way, haven’t the others arrived yet?”

“About that, they’ll probably come separately due to some business.”

“I see. Go upstairs and rest. You look rather exhausted.”

As Colon pointed with his finger, Galahad unconsciously touched his face. His hand came away damp with cold sweat.

‘Was I that tense?’

It was understandable. He knew the strength of the North from experience.

Just a single noble family.

The Empire might be completely annihilated by that noble family.

After all, the North’s military power was stronger than any kingdom.

“Haha, I must be tired from exercising. I should take a bath.”

“That might be a good idea.”

Galahad naturally raised one corner of his mouth. Colon smiled back. On the surface, they appeared to be a customer and innkeeper with a perfect relationship.

Galahad walked with heavy steps. As he passed the large Colon, a shadow fell over him. Just as he was about to extend his foot toward the stairs, Galahad moved his hand to the spear on his back.

KWANG!

“As expected, I really don’t feel comfortable in the North,” Shearer sneered coldly from behind Galahad. Galahad narrowed his eyes and glanced back.

Colon was holding a massive mace larger than Shearer’s body. But it was blocked by Shearer’s sword.

“What are you doing, Colon?”

“What am I doing? I’m driving out vermin who’ve trespassed without permission!”

Colon shouted, applying more force. Shearer was clearly just a boy. He appeared to be three times smaller than Colon.

Yet no matter how much force Colon applied, the mace didn’t get any closer to Shearer’s head.

Galahad could see it. While it looked like Colon’s mace would crush Shearer’s head like a watermelon at any moment, the reality was different. The distance between them, as he saw it, remained impossibly far.

“It’s useless, innkeeper. Despite appearances, he’s one of the Empire’s finest knights.”

“Don’t underestimate me!”

Colon kicked Shearer in the abdomen. Shearer pushed Colon back forcefully with his sword.

“Kuk!”

With a crash, Colon fell down. As the large man collapsed, a wooden bookshelf shattered, raising a cloud of dust.

“So you’ve already noticed.”

Galahad muttered, looking at the fallen Colon. This is troublesome, he whispered as he drew his spear.

“Listen, old man. Let me be clear—we haven’t done anything. If you don’t explain why you’re suddenly acting this way, we’ll have a problem.”

“I have nothing to say to criminals!”

Colon got up and slashed diagonally at Galahad. With a small sigh, Galahad ducked into Colon’s chest and struck his jaw with an elbow.

As Colon staggered back, Galahad aimed the tip of his spear precisely at him. Colon’s eyes trembled slightly.

“You’re no ordinary knight.”

“Even if northerners are strong, I’m not so weak as to be pushed back by an ordinary innkeeper.”

Galahad said in a low voice.

“I don’t want to cause a disturbance here. I’ll give you one last chance. Hey, old man. Why did you ambush us?”

“…Because you bothered the noble one.”

“What?”

“Unlike you Imperials who receive Windsor’s protection without showing any gratitude, we try to repay even a little of their grace.”

“What does that mean? Noble… Wait, does the Windsor family know we’re here?”

This was not a matter to be taken lightly. Galahad’s grip on his spear tightened.

“Do you think I would tell you that?”

“Answer me! Colon!”

“Don’t be insolent.”

Colon firmly gripped Galahad’s spear with his left hand.

“I only underestimated you because I thought you were insignificant—as a former knight of Windsor, I’ll face you properly now.”

The spear trembled slightly. Galahad tried to retrieve it, but it wouldn’t budge at all.

Colon’s forearm seemed to have doubled in thickness. A blue light flickered around his body.

It was a formidable amount of mana, easily surpassing the average mana capacity of an Imperial knight.

‘He’s not just an ordinary innkeeper!’

Galahad gritted his teeth and summoned his mana. A red current gradually gathered on his spear. But the spear still wouldn’t move. Colon clenched his fist and pulled back.

‘At this rate…!’

Just as he was about to let go of the spear, Shearer rushed forward like an arrow.

“Shearer—! Don’t kill him!”

Galahad shouted desperately. Shearer’s sword moved so fast it seemed to disappear.

Colon’s eyes sharpened, and he swung his massive fist toward Shearer.

KAGAGAK!

It didn’t sound like a collision with a human arm at all. Colon’s arm was as hard as steel.

“Hup!”

Colon applied force once more. Unlike before, Shearer was pushed back significantly.

Simultaneously, he kicked Galahad hard in the abdomen. Just before impact, Galahad managed to pull his spear from Colon’s arm, which helped reduce the shock, but—

“Keouk—”

The pressure was so strong that he momentarily couldn’t breathe. Colon picked up the mace that had fallen to the floor with slow steps.

Screech—

Belatedly, a wound appeared on Colon’s arm where Shearer’s sword energy had cut him.

“So you penetrated my mana. Indeed, you’re dangerous fellows. Why would skilled individuals like you secretly infiltrate my inn, no, the North?”

“That’s rich coming from you.”

Galahad barely stood up, leaning on his spear. He assumed a proper stance and stared intensely at Colon with reddened eyes.

“I never expected an ordinary innkeeper to push a knight this far.”

“Surviving to this age in the North means you’re strong.”

Colon smirked. But he quickly hardened his expression and aimed his mace.

“I’ll survive today too.”

“We don’t intend to kill you, old man. You attacked us first, didn’t you?”

“If I didn’t know, that would be one thing, but knowing what I know, I can’t let dangerous people like you near ‘that person.'”

“That person?”

“Yes. Since he’s still growing, I must protect him.”

‘Could it be…’

At the mention of “growing,” Galahad had an ominous thought. But his thinking didn’t continue for long.

Because in the blink of an eye, Colon was already in front of him. The mace came down as if to crush everything.

He barely avoided it by bending his waist backward. Yet even without contact, a tiny cut appeared on his face.

‘If I get hit, I’ll die.’

It was different from before. Colon’s words about facing him properly were no lie.

‘Is this really true? Can an ordinary innkeeper possess such power?’

It was beyond Galahad’s common sense.

“Shearer! Let’s get serious!”

“Okay.”

Galahad began wielding his spear in earnest. Shearer responded by joining the attack.

Colon deflected the spear and sword with a speed that didn’t match his size.

Sparks flew at a pace too fast for the eye to follow.

But it didn’t last long.

From the beginning, Galahad’s side hadn’t been fighting seriously either.

“Damn, it’s ridiculously difficult to subdue just an innkeeper.”

Colon had to kneel on both knees, covered in wounds all over his body.

His eyes were still fierce, but he had no strength left to move.

Shearer pointed his sword with a face that hadn’t shed a single drop of sweat. Galahad warned:

“Shearer. We’ve subdued him, that’s enough. He can’t move anyway, and we’re leaving the North. Let’s move quickly. We’ve wasted time.”

“Let’s kill him.”

Shearer didn’t listen to Galahad.

“I said we don’t have time! This much commotion… It’s a wonder other people haven’t shown up.”

“You… don’t need to worry about that.”

Colon said in a weak voice.

“This place has a device that prevents sound and vibration from leaking out.”

“What?”

“It means what you’re worried about won’t happen.”

Colon raised the corner of his mouth.

“Because we can’t wake ‘that person’ up.”

Galahad felt again the sense of foreboding he had been feeling.

‘That person, growing, and sleep.’

That vague anxiety grew stronger.

From earlier, Colon had been acting as if he was protecting someone.

The person who fit that description…

‘Ruide Christopher?’

Galahad’s eyes widened.

“N-No way.”

And Galahad wasn’t the only one who made this deduction.

Shearer had inferred the same thing.

The problem was—

“Ruide.”

The moment he uttered that name, Shearer’s aura changed.

“Now I understand. You’re someone precious to Ruide Christopher Windsor.”

Galahad had no time to think and swung his spear to stop Shearer. But it was already too late.

“…!”

Shearer had already passed by Colon. Shearer swung his sword in the air before sheathing it.

“You, d-did you…”

Galahad stammered and hurriedly approached Colon.

“Hey!”

The moment he touched Colon—

PUHAAAAK!

Blood gushed like a fountain from his neck. His large body collapsed without resistance.

A chill ran down Galahad’s spine. He mechanically turned his head to look at Shearer. Shearer’s pupils were clouded, and gray worms appeared around his body.

They were vibrating in tune with the emotion of ‘anger.’

It didn’t take long for that anger to transform into killing intent.

“I will definitely kill you with my own hands, Ruide Christopher Windsor.”

**

Something small wriggled under the blanket.

After rolling left and right, it eventually fell off the bed.

Thud.

“Ah.”

Ruide woke up and rubbed one eye. He looked out the window with blurry eyes.

“It’s already evening. How long have I been sleeping?”

He had only intended to take a short nap, but perhaps accumulated fatigue was the cause.

Or maybe it was to recover the mana he had used against the Imperial army previously.

He had slept much longer than he’d planned.

Stretching widely, Ruide staggered to his feet, took a sip of water, and opened the door to leave.

“They haven’t come even at this hour… I should just go find them myself.”

It’s possible. Perhaps they had fled hastily after seeing him sleeping.

Since he had fallen into a deep sleep, they probably hadn’t noticed.

He stumbled down the stairs to the first floor, intending to ask Colon if any intruders had come.

“Colon… has anyone come in…”

And then Ruide saw it.

The wrecked counter.

Broken tables, bloodstains scattered everywhere.

And Colon, dead with his eyes rolled back, a deep wound in his neck.