Chapter 36

Chapter 36

I Proposed While Drunk and Now the Princesses are Obsessed.

Episode 36: Embers Of Regret (2).

“So….”

Hedera’s bodyguard, Valcon, couldn’t hide his embarrassment even though his face was covered by his helmet. It wasn’t just him. The nearby knights were the same.

Inside the estate, only two people remained calm.

Jaekiel, leaning against a pile of Sun Grass that formed a mountain.

And Anes, standing expressionless beside him.

“The Imperial Tower Auditor identified and dealt with the high-ranking demon that was the cause of the erosion phenomenon?”

“As you can see, yes.”

Anes nodded expressionlessly.

“Huh.”

Valcon alternated his gaze between Jaekiel and his hand.

Inside the cubic ice was Tirby’s head.

…It was something he couldn’t believe at all.

Jaekiel’s magical prowess had been confirmed since his announcement, but he was born a commoner and was even a rookie auditor with no experience.

In other words, Jaekiel had no practical experience.

This dispatch to Luiple was his first expedition and the first line to be added to his career.

But was it easy to believe that such a Jaekiel identified a high-ranking demon from the beginning? Moreover, he dealt with it himself without any help.

…Dealing with a high-ranking demon was quite an impressive achievement.

It was incomparable to dealing with lower-ranked monsters.

An apprentice knight standing nearby intervened.

“Is that really true?”

Anes met his gaze expressionlessly.

“Yes. Are you saying the Imperial Tower is lying?”

“That’s not it, but…”

The apprentice knight trailed off.

No matter the internal state of the Imperial Tower, its reputation was still great. Especially now, with Hedera’s name associated, they wouldn’t dare lie.

Hoo.

It was then that Jaekiel exhaled a long puff of smoke.

“I’m not so idle that I would lie.”

A peculiar silence fell among the knights and magicians, and the village head caught in between just watched. Finally, the old man smiled and spoke.

“Hehehe…. It turned out well, and with esteemed guests gathered, is there any reason for this? We should be enjoying a festival, not wasting time.”

“Hmm.”

“Anyway, it is true that the Auditor gave significant help. He even retrieved the magic sword.”

“Magic sword?”

“Yes. Sir, please take a look here.”

On the ground lay the giant greatsword used by Tirby. Black energy was rising from it like a heat haze, looking sinister at a glance.

“Did the Auditor really retrieve this?”

“Yes. It is said to be a sword that burrows into human fear and destroys the mind. We couldn’t even approach it, but the Auditor moved it easily.”

At that moment, another apprentice knight spoke up.

“I don’t understand at all.”

At those words, Anes sighed deeply.

“Are you still not convinced?”

“It’s not about understanding and convincing; it’s a fundamental question. That magic sword burrows into human fear… Isn’t that what you just explained?”

“Yes, that’s what we understood.”

“But you’re saying the Auditor of the Tower held it without any side effects. Isn’t it suspicious that a human can hold the magic sword without any consequences?”

“….”

“I’m saying he’s more like a demon than a human.”

Surprisingly a sound argument.

It wasn’t just nitpicking; it was a reasonable question.

Everyone looked at Jaekiel with a tinge of fear. They had already been greatly deceived by Tirby. They couldn’t help but be afraid that such a thing might happen again.

“….”

Anes also looked at Jaekiel quietly.

It wasn’t that she didn’t trust Jaekiel. It was just that she knew only Jaekiel could explain this.

Jaekiel bit into a new Sun Grass with a crunch.

“It’s not that difficult. I just tamed it.”

“…Tamed it? Can you explain?”

Valcon asked calmly.

“This sword burrows into human fear, right?”

“That’s right.”

“I’ve long since abandoned fear. Pain has its limits, but fear doesn’t.”

“That’s akin to a self-destructive move. There can’t be a human who completely controls their emotions.”

“Well, you’re looking at one right now.”

Valcon had nothing to say to such a confident statement.

Just then.

“…Valcon.”

An apprentice knight beside him whispered quietly to Valcon.

“A human lacking fear is suspicious. Shouldn’t we confirm it in some way?”

Valcon nodded quietly.

Regardless of Jaekiel’s confident attitude, the Auditor didn’t look like an ordinary human. He might as well be some kind of demon.

“Valcon, I have a good idea.”

With those words, before Valcon could give any instructions, the apprentice knight kicked off the ground.

His charge extended towards Jaekiel’s aide.

In that brief moment, Valcon understood the apprentice knight’s intention.

‘Pretend to aim for his life and see the reaction.’

It was reckless but made sense. No matter how strong someone was, if a precious comrade was in danger of dying, they would feel some fear, even if just a little.

But at the same time.

The moment Valcon saw Jaekiel’s blue eyes.

“…?”

Valcon began to see a certain scene.

Something similar to foresight, which only extremely skilled knights could see, using all surroundings as clues to predict what would happen next.

From all directions.

Blue trajectories were stretching towards the apprentice knight. They were probably the trajectories of Jaekiel’s magic.

He understood. He couldn’t leave it as it was. The future where the apprentice knight would become a corpse, pierced all over with ice, awaited.

“…!”

Valcon, startled, drew his sword.

Swoosh!

Just as the apprentice knight’s sword was about to reach Anes’s chin, Valcon cut off his comrade’s wrist himself.

It was a truly swift upward sword draw.

This all happened in less than a second.

“…Huh, huh?”

The wrist flew high into the air, and blood spurted like a fountain. The apprentice knight, who had stepped forward, widened his eyes in shock.

He had only intended to threaten, but his wrist was cut off. The shock must be immense.

“My wrist, my wrist…! Aaaaaah!”

As he fell and writhed in pain and shock.

“Oh.”

Jaekiel’s reaction was just that.

The Auditor nodded as he exhaled smoke.

“Valcon, your judgment saved the apprentice knight.”

“….”

“Make sure to educate them even more in the future.”

Valcon gritted his teeth.

He had nothing to say. Jaekiel was more impressive than he thought, and it was true that the apprentice knight acted on his own. It was fortunate that it ended with just a wrist.

Crrreeeak!

Meanwhile, the magic sword began to make a bizarre noise and thrash around. It was trying to consume the apprentice knight’s fear.

“I-it’s rampaging!”

“What should we do? Should we run? It’s dangerous!”

At that moment, as the black energy was rising endlessly.

Jaekiel lightly stepped on the greatsword. As if stepping on a fallen leaf.

“Stay still.”

Clang…

Then the greatsword quieted down as if it were dead. With many eyes on him, everyone was greatly surprised.

“He tamed the magic sword…?”

“How so easily!”

Jaekiel just furrowed his brows at the commotion.

“I already told you, I tamed it.”

As if it were too easy, not worth explaining further.

….

Jaekiel and his party returned to the capital first.

“….”

Valcon stared blankly at their backs.

In the week-long bet given in Luiple, Jaekiel set out for the capital after just one day. He even identified and resolved the cause of the erosion phenomenon.

Nevertheless, the reason Valcon was still here.

…Of course, it was hard for him to accept losing the bet.

“Valcon, what should we do?”

“We have six days left. We should do something.”

Since the cause had disappeared, it would be hard to overturn the result even with six days of effort. Valcon felt uneasy.

‘That Jaekiel, he’s not an ordinary person.’

The more he observed, the more impressive Jaekiel’s prowess seemed. It was truly extraordinary.

Even if he accepted that Jaekiel was a commoner, the fact that he had no experience was incredibly suspicious. There was a pressing need to investigate further.

And one more thing.

His master, the 2nd Princess Hedera.

“….”

Because of Valcon’s loss in the bet, Hedera had to open the first floor of the Royal Treasury to Jaekiel.

It was Valcon’s mistake. Valcon’s mistake.

Yes, Valcon’s mistake. Valcon’s fault.

That was the cause.

“Damn it…”

Gnash.

Inside his helmet, Valcon’s teeth ground together.

A week passed.

Finally, the day to announce the results in Luiple had arrived.

The 2nd Princess of the Empire, Hedera.

She greeted the morning with weary eyes.

“Hoo…”

She took a deep breath to calm her troubled mind.

…Jaekiel, did he really win the bet?

That was the only thing on her mind.