Ch.164EP.39 – Two Men Go All the Way (7)

The palace where Sultan Salah currently resided was one designated for foreign royal guests.

As befitting accommodations for distinguished foreign visitors, it was equipped with extensive facilities that could house hundreds of people, along with various amenities.

…However, at this moment, no one was in any mood to appreciate such luxuries because…

“Arrrgh…!”

“Sultan, please endure a little longer. The bleeding will stop soon. Or perhaps we should use a potion now…”

“N-No! A potion cannot restore my lost ear!”

How could anyone enjoy such splendor when their master was suffering in agony?

Rather, they should be fearing for their own necks.

“B-But Sultan…”

“E-Enough! Take that away!”

“…As you command.”

Who would dare disobey his orders?

The healer withdrew, unable to hide his dismay.

“…Damn it all!”

Sultan Salah normally never uttered vulgar curses, but now he couldn’t help himself.

The wound still throbbed painfully, burning as if on fire.

Though his ear had been partially severed, he refused both stitches and potions, which only intensified his suffering.

The only small mercy was that the bleeding had slowed, thanks to Western medical techniques that could temporarily delay blood loss.

Yet this was merely a stopgap measure, and his complexion grew worse by the moment.

“Those vermin from the Temple of Light…”

Crunch!

If he wanted his ear healed, he could seek help from priests who followed the Light of Radiance, but the Sultan occupied a position where he absolutely could not accept aid from other religions.

This made sense considering the Western continent was dominated by the Sun God religion, which rivaled the Light of Radiance in influence. The Sultan was revered as both a “descendant” and “representative” of the Sun God.

For this reason, Westerners considered following any religion besides the Sun God to be taboo.

Not only would it dishonor the Sun God, but it could be interpreted as harboring “treasonous thoughts” against the Sultan.

While this was an extremely strict rule, there was no better tool than religion for kings to maintain their legitimacy and authority.

It was essentially a nation where the “divine right of kings” was taken for granted.

Therefore, it was natural that religions from other continents, including the Light of Radiance, couldn’t gain a foothold in the West. To Westerners, the Light of Radiance was merely a heretical cult, a group of infidels who should never be tolerated.

Especially…

“Urgh!”

“Sultan, perhaps we should visit the temple after all…”

“No. Absolutely not. The moment I receive healing from infidels, my authority crumbles!”

“…Sultan.”

“Ugh!”

The Sultan absolutely could not receive treatment from the Light of Radiance.

He was the representative and bloodline of the Sun God.

How could someone with such pride seek treatment from infidel priests?

It was unthinkable.

If one of his political rivals discovered he had been treated by priests of another religion, his royal authority would be shaken to its core.

His people would immediately rise up in rebellion, claiming he was not truly a descendant of the gods.

“When did those damned Sun Temple priests say they would arrive?”

“…They’ve just crossed the border, I’m told.”

“Insolent vermin! They could have come earlier but they’re deliberately taking their time!”

“……”

“Arrogant bastards! Disgusting creatures…!!”

The Sun Temple.

They were servants of the Sun God who should be caring for the Sultan, the Sun God’s representative, but currently, the Sun Temple and Salah were at odds.

The priests of the Sun Temple had always wanted to stand above the Sultan, while the Sultan wanted nothing more than to crush the Sun priests beneath him.

Given this relationship, it was natural they weren’t on good terms, and the priests didn’t accompany the Sultan when he traveled abroad.

And now, the severely injured Sultan remained without proper treatment for his major wounds.

He could ask the healer to suture his torn ear and other wounds, but even with holy power, regeneration would be difficult.

Considering that one of the key requirements for a Sultan was to have “no physical defects” or “mental disabilities,” his injury was potentially fatal to his position.

The pain wasn’t the issue—this was sufficient cause for him to be removed from the sultanate.

‘This has become a complete mess!’

…Grind!

Who would have thought he’d suffer such a blow in Pendragon?

‘Who on earth was it…!’

Salah didn’t believe his attackers were Assassins. The Ravens might be cruel, but they weren’t the type to abandon or betray contracts.

If they had a history of betrayal, they would have been wiped out in the West long ago.

Conversely, it made no sense that another Sultan had attacked him.

All the Sultans knew it was better to maintain the current system.

Therefore…

‘Someone from Pendragon must have attacked me…’

…How dare they.

While Salah had admittedly attacked first, that wasn’t the important point.

The fact that someone had dared to wound the Sultan’s sacred body, the representative of the Sun God, was a treasonous crime deserving of being fried in sulfurous flames.

Salah had absolutely no intention of forgiving those who had attacked him.

“…Salman, how long would it take my proud soldiers stationed near the border to reach Pendragon if they marched?”

“S-Sultan? Surely you don’t mean…!?”

“They need to be taught. What it means to dare touch the Sultan, the bloodline of the Sun God!”

“……”

Seeing Sultan Salah’s somewhat unhinged appearance, Salman couldn’t hide his dismay.

He hardly resembled the rational, intelligent ruler he normally was.

However, looking at his master’s missing ear, Salman gritted his teeth.

‘This is because of those who dared attack us!’

His own missing arm wasn’t a significant issue, but to leave a defect on such a noble body…

It was an unforgivable sin, and Salman fully understood his master’s feelings.

Like master, like servant—they were a perfectly matched pair.

Human-faced beasts.

If any knight had seen these two, they would have described them thus:

Beasts in human form…

Beasts live by instinct, and communication is impossible with beasts suffering from conditions like rabies.

Therefore…

“-Such presumption. Even if I were to show mercy, there are limits, yet you continue to climb without knowing where to stop.”

“!!?”

“W-Who’s there!”

Salman hastily drew his sword.

Even with one arm missing, he was still skilled, and he pointed his blade toward the unexpected third party, emanating a sharp aura.

Tap, tap.

…Yet despite the sword pointed at them, the other party confidently approached, using the moonlight as illumination.

Dignified footsteps.

Each time the moonlight shone upon her, her already radiant silver hair seemed to absorb the light, and her dignified eyes appeared to shine brilliantly.

“Y-You are…?!”

Recognizing the figure, Salman was horrified.

He knew this face.

She was the first woman they had seen when entering the kingdom, and also one of the most noble individuals in this country.

“…What rudeness is this? Does the Pendragon heir not even show courtesy to state guests? Princess Isis.”

Isis Elaine de Pendragon.

The kingdom’s heir, firmly positioned as first in the line of succession.

When she appeared with beauty comparable to a goddess or angel, the surroundings seemed to brighten, creating an illusion of stepping into a fairy tale.

If not for this sudden appearance, Salah would have welcomed her.

After all, he loved beauty.

But the timing was terrible.

How terrible?

“Hmm, you still point that blade at me even after seeing my face.”

“…I know it’s disrespectful, but please understand this is a natural response to an intruder, Princess.”

The atmosphere was so hostile that thoughts of murder filled the air.

A blade imbued with killing intent.

An ordinary woman would tremble and turn pale before such a blade, but she was no ordinary woman.

Instead, she remained calm before the blade.

And furthermore:

“How insolent. Court etiquette dictates you should address me as Crown Princess, not merely Princess. This is why Western country bumpkins are…”

“…You wench, how dare you insult the Sultan!”

She was deliberately provoking them.

“Country bumpkins.”

That term was meant to belittle the Sultan.

Salman raised his sword higher in anger…

[I never gave you permission to speak.]

Whoosh!

“!!?”

With a thud, Salman fell to his knees.

“…Salman?”

“……”

He couldn’t respond to the Sultan’s call.

…His vision was crimson.

“…Huh?”

Salman realized he was bleeding from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Yet strangely, he felt nothing.

Despite blood gushing out like a fountain, he had no sensation.

“You should have known what it means to point a sword at me. You lack refinement, honor, and manners, yet you dare show insolence to me. Know your place.”

Isis condemned the fallen Salman.

There was no history in her book of sparing those who showed hostility toward her.

Only those with proper qualifications and honor deserved such consideration, and by that standard, this lowly being had none.

…Not even the right to be respected as a warrior.

“W-What have you done to Salman, Princess Isis!”

Salah shouted urgently.

It was natural to panic seeing his loyal warrior chief spitting blood and dying.

But she:

“I thought you were foolish, but to be this foolish… I even doubt whether you truly are a monarch ruling a country.”

She looked at him with contempt.

She wondered how someone could be so foolish, how someone’s vision could be so narrow.

“What you should have asked is not why that insolent one ended up like that, but why ‘no one’ has come to save you despite my entering this palace, you foolish creature.”

“What…?”

“Don’t you find it too quiet around here?”

“……”

“Now you realize. How dim-witted.”

“…W-What have you done!”

“You should have asked that first. You’re slow-witted, truly slow-witted.”

Seeing only disappointing behavior, she now felt more pity than displeasure.

Of course, she didn’t pity that beast.

She pitied the people ruled by such a beast…

Snap.

Though Salah continued to shout and bluster, she saw no need for further conversation and snapped her fingers.

Instantly:

“Guhk…?!”

Salah writhed and retched.

Just like his guard had collapsed moments ago.

Splatter!

As Salah spat blood, Isis calmly sat down in a chair with dignified posture.

“Insolent creature. Not content with coveting Pendragon’s mysteries, you even allied with vermin-like magicians and hired Assassins to attack our students…”

“Urgh…!”

“I hear you’ve even hidden soldiers near the border? How absurd. What audacity made you think you could attack Pendragon? Ah, perhaps you thought Pendragon was easy prey?”

“…!!”

“Such indignant eyes. Perhaps you’re thinking: ‘If I die, the Sultanate and Pendragon will go to war—how will they handle that?’ Such petty thoughts.”

“!!”

“Needless worry. My sworn brother, as expected, didn’t disappoint me and captured the illegal magician. Thanks to that, it won’t be difficult to put your skin on someone else.”

“!!!?!”

Salah couldn’t even scream, merely twisting his body.

Yet more painful than the physical agony was the mention of skinning him.

No way…!!

He glared at Isis with bulging eyes, and for the first time, Isis smiled.

…A cold sneer colder than ice.

“Thanks to your foolishness. Thanks to you, a Sultanate falls into my hands. Don’t worry. I’ll take the best care of it. Your people will be happy too. I promise it will be much better than when ruled by the likes of you.”

“N-No… a-absolutely… not…!”

…Salah flailed his hands desperately.

As if it could never happen.

As if the descendant of the great Sun God could never lose his country to dragon blood.

But,

“Your permission is unnecessary.”

She was resolute.

“Farewell, foolish Sultan.”

With that quiet pronouncement, she left the palace.

As leisurely as when she first appeared.

“—!”

Though Salah reached out to her with bloodshot eyes, his hand never reached her and fell limply.

‘W-What… enemy have I made…?’

For the first time, Salah felt “regret.”

One who should never have been made an enemy, one who should never have been provoked…

—He finally understood what the dragon’s wrath meant.

…But the realization came too late.

* * *

Tap, tap.

“……”

Isis walked with the moonlight as her companion.

She could have returned to her palace by horse or carriage, but today she wanted to walk a little.

It wasn’t that getting blood on her hands had made her sentimental.

She had already stained her hands with countless lives, so there was no reason to suddenly become emotional now.

The reason she walked was simply because she “wanted to walk.”

…A very simple reason.

Whoosh.

Just then, an elderly man dressed as a butler approached her leisurely.

“Did you kill him?”

“…You ask about that before inquiring about my safety?”

“Ho ho, I’m sure the Princess takes excellent care of her own safety.”

“…How shameless.”

“Haha.”

Albert.

Her man, but one she couldn’t control.

Isis found him annoying for appearing only after everything was finished, as if deliberately taking his time.

“Sigh, I haven’t killed him yet. There’s so much information to extract—why waste such a valuable resource?”

“Haha, as expected of the Princess. You truly are the world’s greatest villain.”

“…I can’t deny the truth of that statement.”

“Ho ho.”

She never denied her actions.

Even if the other party committed evil acts, responding with equal evil makes one a villain as well.

So she had nothing to say when called a villain.

But if she had to be a villain, she’d rather be first-class than third-rate.

At the very least, she:

“I will become an excellent ‘great villain.'”

“Haha, I look forward to that.”

“Hmph!”

She snorted at the butler’s impertinent remark.

She found even his laughter artificial, as he was even more inscrutable than herself.

Just then:

“But why are you alone, Princess? For something like this, I’m sure Sir Ihan wouldn’t miss it.”

“……”

“Princess…?”

“…Haah….”

“?”

Though it seemed like a casual question, as soon as her sworn brother’s name was mentioned, Isis sighed, her previous coldness and haughtiness gone.

Her sworn brother.

He handled his work well and was diligent despite his appearance, but somehow…

“If only his hatred for magicians would decrease a little.”

“…Ho ho, I understand where he might have gone.”

“Haah……”

Isis rubbed her forehead and shook her head.

*

*

*

“-Hmm?”

…His ear suddenly itched intensely.

The knight scratched his ear, frowning as if dust had accumulated.

“What filthy behavior.”

“You’re just as dirty, so what nonsense are you spouting?”

“…I’m irritated at being treated the same as you.”

“You always seem like an angry madman anyway.”

“…Draw your sword.”

“We should be running instead of wasting time drawing swords.”

“…!!”

The knight decided to temporarily forget his discomfort by teasing his companion.

After all, there were only so many people he could insult, and probably…

‘It must be Sister.’

Since she had been utterly dumbfounded by his announcement, she had every right to curse him.

‘I can deal with the scolding later.’

Ihan was focused only on his immediate goal.

“…But how much further do we have to go?”

“…You truly are hopeless. Trying to reach the ‘Magic Tower’ when you don’t even know the way.”

“You said we just need to reach the Empire, right? I thought we could figure it out from there.”

“…That’s why I find you so exasperating.”

His companion shook his head.

For good reason:

“Do you really think it makes sense to cover ‘6000 miles’ in four days?”

This was the statement from Lac, the guide assigned by Galahad, and Ihan frowned in irritation.

This guy—

“Use kilometers instead of miles, damn it…”

I’m afraid pounds and yards might come up next.