Ch.31Sun Tail

I missed. Despite my restraint in trying to subdue him, my blade didn’t even touch him. I clearly confirmed the target was right in front of me until just a moment ago, but how…

At the same time, I wondered: Would Theo have fared differently?

As the trajectory of my straight sword thrust blurred, Seo-rin’s body pivoted. Her forward-stepping leg stomped firmly on the ground, regaining her scattered center of gravity.

The sword stance shifted like flowing water. Preparations to receive the next attack were complete. Seo-rin’s sharp gaze swept across the hall.

But there was nothing. Neither a counterattack nor the opponent’s figure was visible. All she could see was an empty corridor.

“What in the world…”

Her vision momentarily blurred. The alcohol hadn’t worn off yet. As the energy consuming her mind began to be pushed out by a cold chill, her consciousness gradually became clearer.

Seo-rin’s gaze turned toward Jiyur. The First Prince of Sun Tail grinned as if he had anticipated her look, shrugging his shoulders.

So that’s what he meant by “you’ll understand when you see it.” If that man’s ability was to disappear without leaving a trace, it made sense why no soldiers had been stationed.

“Do you understand now? Why I didn’t deploy troops and called your Blue Wing instead. The moment he senses someone approaching or people nearby, he vanishes. Surrounding the entrance with troops or setting traps would have been useless.”

Hoo—

As Seo-rin regulated her breathing, a cold chill flowed from between her small lips. Dispersing above it was the scent of strong alcohol.

“He hasn’t been aggressive at all, so we’ve left him alone until now… but it seems even you all were no match.”

Sniff, sniff.

Seo-rin didn’t pay attention to Jiyur’s words. She had detected a faint scent dispersing in the air.

The vibrations of sweat, blood, and a faint medicinal smell. It was the bodily scent left by the vanished man. Mixed within that scent was a strangely familiar aroma.

A unique fragrance. Unforgettable. It was a scent that had been wafting continuously as they moved to this place.

It evoked the smell of cool water and desert flowers. Not natural, but artificially combined.

Perfume.

Seo-rin’s gaze, which had been scanning the empty space, landed on Jiyur. Why was the perfume scent emanating from Jiyur similar to the smell left by the strange man?

As the White Dragon Heart Technique pushed back the intoxication, normal thinking became possible again. There were too many suspicious points.

This matter could have been formally requested of the Blue Wing. Since the man appeared here daily, they could have waited for Karnok and sought him out.

Yet he specifically came to find them. With strong alcohol.

Click—

The White Dragon Sword that had been emitting a cold chill was sucked back into its scabbard. As the snow-white blade that had been reflecting the surrounding light disappeared, the spot where Seo-rin stood darkened slightly.

“So, how was it?”

“How was what?”

“That guy you just encountered. How did it feel?”

Jiyur’s expression was bright. Like a child eager to show off something he made. Seo-rin was familiar with such a face. It was the expression she often saw when children in her tribe proudly displayed handmade items.

Seo-rin told him exactly what she felt.

“His build was massive, but I couldn’t sense any aura. He disappeared without leaving a trace. Almost like…”

A specialized assassination ability.

Swallowing the rest of her words, Seo-rin’s gaze swept over the place where the man had been sitting.

What if the opponent had harbored hostility and counterattacked? Seo-rin’s expression crumpled.

“Theo, Flora, did you see anything?”

“Umm, no. I didn’t notice either. I only realized the opponent had vanished when you stopped.”

“I’m the same. I didn’t notice…”

Seo-rin nodded at her peers’ responses. Indeed, if they had noticed, they would have moved first.

Seo-rin questioned Jiyur.

“What now? Are you going to wait for him again?”

“No. Once he hides like that, he doesn’t appear again that day. Let’s go back.”

This confirmed it. Jiyur’s sole purpose was to show them that unidentified man. He never intended to solve the problem in the first place.

But it was just a suspicion. They were here as an envoy delegation due to diplomatic relations. Seo-rin chose not to share her thoughts with Jiyur.

“Let’s head back.”

Seo-rin turned smoothly but staggered. The effects of alcohol hadn’t completely worn off yet.

***

The next morning, upon waking in her room, Seo-rin immediately went to find Karnok. Since Karnok hadn’t returned until late dawn, she hadn’t been able to report yesterday’s incident.

Flora and Theo had already arrived at Karnok’s door. Seeing their raised hands about to knock, it seemed they hadn’t arrived much earlier.

“Oh, Seo-rin!”

The two greeted her warmly as they spotted her approaching. Flora asked:

“Are you here about what happened yesterday too?”

“Yes. Is Vice-Captain Karnok inside?”

“We were just about to knock.”

Just as Flora was about to knock, they sensed movement from inside, and the closed door swung open.

“Oh…?”

It was Karnok who opened the door. Looking slightly surprised, he smiled gently and said:

“Ah, perfect timing. I was about to call for you.”

“For us…?”

“Yes. Sun Tail has made a request of our knight order. They want us to test the combat abilities of soldiers they’re training. You just need to face them appropriately.”

Seo-rin exchanged glances with her peers. They all seemed to be thinking the same thing, nodding in agreement. A request to test soldiers’ combat abilities… it felt like a continuation of yesterday’s incident.

Seo-rin asked, just to be sure:

“Are these soldiers covered in blue ore all over their bodies?”

“Huh? Have you already seen them somewhere?”

The guess was correct. Seo-rin, Theo, and Flora nodded. Jiyur had clearly summoned them for a preliminary test.

“We’ve been deceived.”

“That person isn’t a reincarnator, right?”

“The probability is high…”

Watching the three converse, Karnok asked:

“Seems like something happened?”

The trio nodded simultaneously at Karnok’s question. Following behind him, they briefly explained yesterday’s events.

After hearing the explanation, Karnok laughed lightly.

“He took advantage of my absence.”

“Shouldn’t we confront Sun Tail about this? They deceived us…”

“Deceived, yes… but was anyone hurt?”

“Um, no…”

At Karnok’s question, Flora turned to look at Seo-rin. Even the one who had drawn and swung her sword wasn’t injured. If they had to count their losses, it was only time.

“Then let’s see. Let’s find out how strong this soldier is that they had to deceive you to test.”

The place Karnok’s group arrived at was a training ground set up behind the mansion. Other knight order members had already arrived there.

They were people they had passed by. The trio exchanged brief eye greetings with the other knight order members.

Sun Tail’s soldiers and nobles appeared not long after. Behind the group that rushed in, men covered in blue ore followed, moving awkwardly.

No doubt about it. Though not the same individual they had encountered yesterday, these were clearly made in the same way.

Seo-rin placed her hand on her sword hilt.

“Thank you so much for your cooperation. Imperial Knights… these magestone soldiers we’ve been researching recently…”

The explanations of others weren’t important. Seo-rin’s gaze swept across the hall, searching for the familiar man.

However, Sun Tail’s First Prince Jiyur was nowhere to be seen.

“Now then, please select who will go first. Since the magestone soldiers are quite powerful, the opponent should also be…”

Interrupting the Sun Tail noble’s words, someone stepped onto the training ground. It was Seo-rin.

The small girl’s gaze met Karnok’s. Her body moved first, seeking permission afterward. An interesting one. A deep smile formed on Karnok’s lips.

“We’ll go first. Any objections?”

Karnok smiled playfully as he looked around and spoke. The vice-captains of each knight order simply nodded.

Standing on the training ground, Seo-rin regulated her breathing. As the White Dragon Heart Technique’s incantation filled her surging mana, she emitted a cold chill.

The hatred she harbored was directed solely at reincarnators. It had to be. From the moment she realized that hatred was being exploited, anger had been boiling inside her.

The breath flowing from her mouth is cold. It’s because of the cold anger contained within. Seo-rin let her emotions flow freely. Uncontrolled emotions met with mana, bursting into an intense aura.

“Number 22, step up!”

One magestone soldier, as ordered, awkwardly climbed onto the training ground. A blurry gaze turned toward Seo-rin. A look as if he had lost his will.

“Begin!”

The moment the starting signal erupted, Seo-rin was already moving. The mana in her heart rapidly surged throughout her body.

As white frost settled on the spot where Seo-rin stood, her figure blurred.

Clang-!

The next moment, Seo-rin appeared right in front of the magestone soldier. Her attack was blocked. Without panicking, Seo-rin immediately continued to the next movement.

Before the mana at the tip of her sword could disperse, the next slash poured down.

Swoosh-!

The white blade, swung briefly, brushed through the air. Just like yesterday. The opponent’s figure had disappeared. Seo-rin tracked the faint scent left at the vanished location.

The broken flow reconnected.

Behind her.

As soon as she detected the opponent’s position, Seo-rin’s body rotated smoothly. The form of a dragon coiling above the small girl’s body faintly appeared.

Clang-!

The sword and the arm wrapped in magestone collided. Everyone watching anticipated it. That Seo-rin would be pushed back by the force.

But the small girl’s body didn’t retreat. Like a flowing river, Seo-rin’s body rotated smoothly, guiding the opponent with the tip of her sword.

As the balance of power shifted, the opponent’s stance crumbled. In contrast, Seo-rin’s body was already moving toward the next attack.

Thud-! Clang-clang-!

Three slashes were fired in one breath. Due to the solid magestone, they had little effect. Then she would strike the inside.

The hand holding the sword rotated smoothly, gripping the sword in reverse. As her extended left leg stomped the ground forcefully, her small fist shot out rapidly.

Bang-!

With a small shockwave, the magestone soldier was flung back at tremendous speed. The soldier, having flown like that, never got up again. This was because Seo-rin’s mana, which had entered his body, was raging fiercely.

Above Seo-rin’s outstretched hand, the faint form of a white dragon appeared.

Only the Sun Tail side was surprised. The nobles rushed to the fallen soldier, making a fuss.

“She’s stronger than during the competition?”

“They said she took treasures from the Imperial armory. That must be why.”

“I want to ask my father to arrange a position for her…”

The Imperial knights calmly conversed, considering Seo-rin’s victory as a matter of course.

Straightening her posture, Seo-rin shook her sword forcefully. As the tip of the sword pointed to the ground, a cold wind gently swept across the training ground floor.

“Next.”

Bring up the next opponent. At Seo-rin’s declaration, the faces of the Sun Tail nobles were filled with dismay.