984. You are truly beautiful.
“How many children does the Emperor have?”
It was a question I tossed out casually. I wasn’t trying to find an answer; I just wanted to get my mouth shut. That was the beginning, but the immediate response I got was that there was no need for me to give birth.
The Emperor is a woman.
It was as if this conclusion had been reached by chance. Sinar’s influence did not extend only to Seriana.
Balmung was like the captain of the guard for every Imperial official accompanying them, including Seriana.
Although he pretended to be nonchalant, he was wary of Sinar and was concerned about him. He wondered what on earth was going on, especially when Encred approached to spar; he saw the Dragonman, the Witch, and the Fairy come in side by side, with the Dragonman expressing that he could go first and the Fairy stepping forward saying that he could not dare go before her.
Then he blurted out those words. It was
a reason given with the added rhetoric that Encred should not dare covet the position of the deified Emperor, that the Imperial Emperor is powerful even without any blood ties, and that he did not need to be born of his own womb.
“kyung!”
Moll shouted, and Balmung nodded, realizing his mistake. Should he be flustered? There was no need.
“Why do you keep testing the waters when you’re going to find out anyway if you go see?”
He asked back nonchalantly.
“Because it’s good to know a lot before you go?”
Encred also answered nonchalantly.
“And you will leave that knowledge to the kingdom official following from behind?”
Balmung asked again.
Two of the Royal Guards had left notes and letters here and there throughout the journey. For instance, right under a tree stump where they had broken branches to gather kindling as soon as they arrived at the campsite.
Why break green wood just to start a fire?
It was a weakness that made the Royal Guards seem unaccustomed to camping life, unlike the Rangers. On the other hand, Balmung was a man well-versed in wandering.
Above all, Balmung was not dull, though he seemed oblivious. Encred knew that he had noticed. He also knew that the Royal Guards would let it slide even if they knew.
Therefore, it was fine for the Royal Guards to act clumsy.
“So, are you trying to mess around? Is this some kind of game where you deliberately try to find something hidden so you won’t be bored on the way?”
With one side hiding and the other trying to find out, it was no different from a card game.
Balmung expressed no dissatisfaction. He felt only pure curiosity.
Encred replied.
Killing two birds with one stone.
To be precise, it was an order from Wang-nuni under my command. Crys’s anxiety isn’t always justified, but there is a reason behind his actions. The reason for doing this now? It must be the information necessary to eliminate that anxiety and a minimum precaution.
Didn’t Krang step forward actively because he agreed?
It’s nice that you won’t be bored on the way, isn’t it?
Krang added this remark. In his eyes, it might indeed be a fun game worth trying on the way. Just
as Krang viewed Encrid as a madman, neither Encrid nor the others regarded Krang as normal.
What could a king of a nation rely on to step forward like this?
Upon closer examination, there were many reliable factors, such as the protection of the Sun Tree, but the risk involved was still significant. He was likely doing it because the rewards to be gained from taking on that risk were substantial.
I was lost in thought. Let’s spar.
I got some interesting information. The Emperor is a woman. Instead of sighing, Balmung glanced at Sinar and changed the subject.
“I’ve seen plenty of crazy fairies in the end. I’m fine, right?”
“If you’re talking about me, I’m not fine. My fiancé has a disease where he goes crazy if he doesn’t hug me once every night.”
The mad fairy spouts a joke. Balmung didn’t like that very much. Encred answered instead.
“are you okay.”
Judging by the way you joke, you are perfectly normal.
Are you giving me a hug once every night?
Balmung asked.
That’s not it.
Encrid answered, extending his sword. As always, the duel was no mere excuse. In a sense, it was the primary objective. That was simply the nature of Encrid.
He momentarily forgot about information regarding the Empire, stories about the Emperor, and everything else.
Balmung, too, had accumulated quite a bit of frustration over the past few days. He, too, intended to use this opportunity to release his pent-up feelings.
The moment their minds connected, their momentum stabilized. Their wills were connected, so words were no longer necessary. The attack
began with Balmung. The angular club flew in as a mere dot. It was a thrust as fast as a bolt of lightning. Encrid gripped the handle with both hands, using the blade face as a shield to block.
Bang!
It was a sparring match of brute strength against brute strength. Both possessed monstrous strength, enough to make one’s hands go numb. Balmung twisted his lips upward.
You’re a strong bastard.
He muttered. Instead of speaking, Encred moved his feet. He closed the distance following the retreating Balmung and brought his sword down. It was a head-slash executed with the precision of a manual.
Balmung parried it back. A few exchanges followed.
No matter how entertaining the fight was, who would use up all their strength knowing what might happen next?
Both swung their weapons at a suitable distance and did not exert their full power.
Of course, that alone impressed Sinar, who was watching.
I’m your fiancé.
It has increased even more.
Although I broke through the wall myself, I didn’t just sit around either.
Yeah, this is what makes him my fiancé.
Originally, such an appearance and attitude looked truly beautiful, and that remained the case even now.
He even tolerated admiration. However, Temares observed and analyzed not only Enkrid but also his opponent’s movements. His pupils repeatedly narrowed and widened vertically. He was watching the entire sparring match between the two. While
Enkrid seemed to have the advantage if they were fighting with their lives on the line, victory and defeat in a knight’s duel cannot be judged lightly. This was especially true at that level.
Then, what was the meaning of this sparring match?
It’s interesting.
Encred’s purpose in sparring with that man was obvious. And the man facing him calmly accepted it.
A person who seeks to identify and learn the characteristics of others, and a person who is capable of teaching them.
Temares was accurate.
Encred learned and mastered various techniques while observing Balmung’s weapon handling skills. However, nothing was distinctly different from before. It was merely an extension of the swordsmanship he already knew and practiced.
What, then, was the core of Balmung’s technique?
Detail.
And it is a meticulousness that pays attention to even the smallest details.
If one were to put his weapon skills into words, it was like slaughtering a cow with a thin pocket knife the length of a finger joint.
It looks the opposite, though.
In terms of the technique used, which does not match the appearance of the weapon, they are the same.
Although he used an angular yet heavy blunt weapon as his main weapon, he handled it as if it were a legendary sword that would make flesh gape open just by touching it.
So, originally, it meant they were hiding a technique that affects weapons, armor, or anything that touches flesh.
It is a fact that can be inferred from habits and customs. In any case, Encrid strove to grasp Balmung’s subtle movements through sparring.
It is not something that can be mastered simply by watching, but merely observing and attempting to replicate it with one’s body is helpful. This
level of detail, uncharacteristic of his appearance, must have been the factor that saved him time and time again.
Encrid focused on the sparring regardless of who was watching. He struggled desperately to learn even one more thing. He would do anything if it meant learning and mastering even the slightest characteristic of Balmung’s techniques. He gave his all in the present moment as if that were the very essence of it.
Only when the sparring ended did he return to his original subject.
“The fact that you don’t need children isn’t because of the succession issue, is it?”
Balmung narrowed his eyebrows at the question asked as the duel concluded.
“Are you planning to keep asking me all sorts of questions until the very end? Fine. I’ll give you a clear answer.”
It was Moll who had raised his voice earlier. To him, the Emperor is a god. He is not arguing with Balmung now because he is acting this way; if anyone else had done so, it would have been an immediate sword fight.
Brainwashing? Is it possible to harbor such respect without a reason?
This question was directed not at Balmung, but at the squire, Maul. His reaction was a good way to gauge the Emperor’s stature.
“Go and see for yourself. His Imperial Majesty is not going anywhere.”
Balmung offered his answer, saying that was all there was. Of course, it wasn’t a satisfying answer, but if that was the best he could do, then so be it.
Encred nodded and thought.
Aren’t you going anywhere?
Balmung didn’t know, but Encred gathered information even from what was just said.
Are they tied up in one place?
Why? A vow? A restriction? Some magical force might have been at work.
Is the fact that there is no need to have children proof that they have lived that long?
Or is the Emperor merely a symbol?
Could it be that the two characters for “Emperor” remain only as a concept? It is not something that exists as a person.
This isn’t right.
Since I still know little, it is difficult to figure out everything. However, it was certain that it was not an idea.
Even so, the reaction of the Mole species did not make sense.
That evening, Encrid kept Sinar by his side to soothe Balmung and demonstrated that he was definitely in control.
“I will not do anything to harm Lord Seriana.”
“Are you calling me Lord again?”
Balmung replied sulkily to those words.
“I think we’ve done everything we can to gauge each other’s true feelings.”
Seriana also overheard those words from the side. She, too, had been observing them all this time.
From Encred to the witch that Nephir Tesher was trembling in fear of, the King of Naurilia, and even the barbarians of the West.
It was somewhat amusing to watch the witch react to such trivial provocations. She also thought that the man she had set her sights on was proving to be quite difficult to deal with.
Sly yet upright.
That was the thought that crossed my mind as I looked at Encred. Then I realized my own mistake as well. It seemed they had finally managed to harass Lord Valfir over there and extract a few words.
Has the fun part passed?
Seriana asked after thinking for a moment.
“also?”
Encred stopped Sinar from reacting with a single cry. It would have been enough to sit right beside her and block the space between the two.
“I was deeply impressed by the stories of the rule of law, the anguish of an enforcement officer, and the various people who move the Empire. Although, the story regarding the Emperor was conspicuously missing.”
“You may not be like that, but there are many who consider it sacrilegious to even dare to address His Majesty.”
“The Empire sounds like a religious cult serving the Emperor; am I mistaken?”
“It is not a religious cult, but there are indeed many who worship Him like a god. Just like Lord Mol, who followed along as a squire over there.”
At my words, the squire Mol raised his head. He had a harmless appearance with drooping eyes.
Being a squire of Balmung meant being someone who faithfully followed his commands and learned from him. Naturally, a weapon similar to Balmung should be tucked into his waist, yet what he actually possessed was a thin-bladed rapier.
Encred roughly understood the reason. After all, Balmung’s techniques must have originated from rapiers.
In any case, as Encred focused his attention on Mol, Seriana spoke again.
“Your Majesty performed a miracle for Lord Mol. It was sacrifice and love.”
Jongja Mol said nothing even when his name was mentioned. He simply listened in silence.
Even in that attitude, his respect for the Emperor was evident.
For there are truly so many who have received Your Majesty’s grace.
It seemed as though Seriana herself was one of those people.
Encred nodded indifferently. What followed consisted mainly of trivial chatter and confirmation of their future route.
Even the Royal Guard, who used to leave letters, could no longer do so after a few days. They were climbing a rugged mountain path. There was no one else who would come looking for the letters.
I will carry you.
Balmung carried Seriana on his back. It had no choice because the road was rough.
“That’s a shame. It could have been someone else carrying me.”
Seriana cracked a joke. Sinar’s eyebrows twitched, and Esther’s finger flicked.
Having shaken off the embarrassment, the two’s reactions were truly amusing. In this respect, Seriana was superior to the witch and the fairy.
“Carry me on your back, too. My legs hurt.”
A fairy said that she never gets lost on mountain paths and has twice as much strength as usual.
Whose leg? Is my leg the one that hurts?
As Enkrid skillfully deflected the joke, Krang couldn’t hold back his laughter and asked.
I didn’t know you loved jokes that much.
Krang and Sinar originally knew each other before Enkrid.
“What wouldn’t I do for my fiancé?”
“Is asking to be carried on my back for my own good?”
When Encred spoke again, Sinar fell silent. As a mature fairy, she knows how to keep quiet when necessary.
“My leg, um, no.”
Esther tried to clumsily imitate Sinar but gave up.
“Shall I give you a piggyback ride? Your legs won’t hurt, but my back is broad.”
Temares spoke in front of Enkrid. He had volunteered to be the guide as they entered the northern mountain range. Enkrid looked at the back, which was twice as small as his own, and spoke.
It is not needed.
Yongin accepted it. He was still straightforward, never beating around the bush. Well, seeing him after a long time, he had changed quite a bit.
It’s stained.
It is the exact opposite of when he doesn’t pay attention to his surroundings. He says this about Seriana.
“He should have been immersed in the spell, but instead he got lost in passions and lost his mind, looking exactly like a lost sheep.”
He assessed Nephir Tesser this way
upon seeing Balmung.
You are truly beautiful. Let us hold hands.
By saying that, he made me doubt his aesthetic sense. And
if you listen to his inner thoughts, he said that a person who has earned their own life is beautiful, so he probably saw something within him.
Are all the people in Yongin perverts?
Balmung stroked his bushy chin with his hand and muttered, “For some reason, there isn’t a single normal human being here.” That was the thought that crossed his mind.
It was when they had traveled quite a distance and reached the Pen-Hanil Mountains. If they turned east from here, they would enter Imperial territory directly without stopping at the Border Guards.
Everyone was on high alert. After all, it was likely that monsters, beasts, or even clueless wild beasts would raise an object of concern nearby.
Then, someone appeared who was more dangerous than any monster, beast, or wild beast.
I have been waiting a long time.
There might have been some people I was meeting for the first time, but I was already acquainted with most of them.
“You tried to make us gatekeepers, didn’t you? I don’t think you ever gave us a precise answer to that, but do it now.”
There were three people blocking the way. One woman, one middle-aged man, and one young man. That is what the young man among them said. His name was Riley Zaun.
He was the son of Heskal, who had become a traitor to protect the Zaun family, and now a crippled swordsman and a proud member of the Zaun clan.
