Chapter 212
Chapter 212
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.47 – Knights' Night Journey (5)
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Have you ever poked a beehive as a kid without knowing any better?
If so, you know.
Bees that are utterly docile when left alone become how savage and ferocious when angered.
How terrifying they can be when the gentle ones fly into a rage.
Ding, ding-!
The bells signaling an alarm rang out continuously from the grand temple.
It was the alert for an intruder, and the footsteps of priests and nuns threw the grand temple into organized chaos.
"Heretics! Find the heretics!"
"Inquisition officers, holy knights—move out now! Get word to the monks too!"
"...The monks? They won't budge..."
"Tell them it's a crisis for the temple!"
A sharp whoosh echoed through the grand temple.
No one could fail to hear it, and even the priests who never raised their voices in anger under any circumstances were gritting their teeth.
The atmosphere had already been tense lately, and now the grand temple itself had been breached?
This was no small matter to overlook; it was serious enough to summon even the monks, who never intervened in temple affairs.
Masses gathered, torch-bearing folk displaying belligerence like furious Spartan soldiers, and in this moment...
"Those folks are scarier than demons."
"An angry priest is no joke."
"Get on their bad side, and we'll burn at the stake."
Even the fearless champions shrank back in horror.
It was the deed of one moonlit night.
"...So why'd you charge in like maniacs and blow the whole operation?"
Lee Han scolded the two in the cramped emergency passage he'd barely found.
He wasn't one to blame others usually, but after all the hardship infiltrating the grand temple, this mess made his blood boil first and foremost. And yet...
"Hmph, how was I supposed to react to your shady looks?"
"I sensed some serious menace, so I figured I'd take you down first. Cool off. It was just a friendly greeting between men!"
...their total lack of remorse was the second thing driving him mad.
'Ugh, I wanna draw my sword.'
No wonder violence plagued even advanced civilizations.
Because the world was full of people who made your fists itch like this.
'Should I just beat these idiots senseless and surrender to the priests?'
They might cut me some slack for that—?
Lee Han seriously contemplated it, and as if reading his mind, the two fools chimed in one after another.
"Calm down. Starting a brawl would only hurt a thug like you."
"I won't shy from a fight, but now's the time to hold back, heh heh!"
"...Acting cool now is the most infuriating part, you morons."
Before running into these half-demon weirdos, the priests had been chasing some intruders—probably these guys.
Acting all rational after getting caught ages ago...
Especially.
"The one strutting around like hot stuff got nabbed first?"
"...I'm already fuming because of that bastard, so drop it."
"Fuming? At your age, that'll just make you sick. Careful—that stuff turns into illness."
"......"
...For a moment, Lee Han felt like he could read the spearman's inner thoughts.
'He looks like he wants to kill that guy.'
He knew the feeling.
Presumably, the reason the sneaking spearman got caught involved that burly brute somehow, leaving him itching to spear the oaf right now.
'I get it.'
From their first meeting to the tunnel incident.
Having dealt with Maximus through it all, Lee Han could guess what the spearman had endured and felt a twinge of sympathy.
An unexpected shared plight, and for the first time...
"...How'd you end up stuck with him?"
"......Damn it."
He patted the spearman's shoulder in consolation, but the man scowled fiercely and clutched his neck.
Experiencing what rage sickness really meant.
"......"
Silence fell for a moment.
Not because they'd agreed to pipe down, but because there was nothing to say.
What opener would work here, anyway?
'Why are you here?' asked outright?
...Ridiculous.'
The fact they were all hiding so obediently screamed that none had sneaked into the grand temple for pure reasons.
So, better to stay silent than stir suspicion with needless words, wait for the outside to quiet, then split at the right moment.
But.
"...You've gotten stronger."
"?"
"If not for this mess, I'd want a serious match."
"...Pass. Especially not with you."
"What? Forgotten that heated clash? We both enjoyed it, no?"
"......You psycho."
What a shameless bastard.
Lee Han's head throbbed at Maximus bringing up the tunnel brawl.
Just recalling that day did it.
'I was an idiot...'
Yeah, he'd thrown down with the guy like it was nothing back then, but ultimately, that duel was peak stupidity.
In the heart of enemy territory, why pull that stunt? Jeez...
Even Nol wouldn't do something that brainless—being dumber than Nol (a massive insult by Pendragon standards) had him kicking off blankets in his sleep.
Black history.
Perfect name for it.
And...
"Clash?"
"......"
Of course, the one person he didn't want hearing his black history reacted.
The quick-witted, sharp-minded spearman—and moreover—
"Ha, looks like you two had fun in the tunnel."
...who knew a lot.
The spearman smirked, having pieced it together from their talk.
"The tunnel collapse was your doing."
"...Not really me—it was gonna crumble anyway."
"You delivered the finishing blow."
"......"
"Pathetic. Pulling that in enemy territory?"
"...Ahem."
No defense here.
However,
"Haha, nothing to be ashamed of! We fought fiercely, stakes our lives! A clash that raised our souls' honor—one the White Silver Dragon and Lion King would applaud! Avalon’s heroes surely watched our epic tale with glee! Uhahaha!"
Maximus bellowed with shameless pride.
Was this boldness or warrior spirit...?
'Talking to that guy makes me feel normal.'
That’s when such thoughts hit.
"Speaking of, Rak—you clashed hotly with my friend against the empire, right? Heard you battled the mage tower for heaven-defying crimes? Impressive!"
"!!?"
"Friend? Me and him...?"
Off-kilter reactions.
While Lee Han bristled at "friend," Rak stiffened at his exploits being exposed.
The mage tower fight was a closely guarded secret, after all.
But exposure alone...
"...The North's intel is solid."
"Just what needs knowing."
Warranted full alert. Rak's face hardened, but Maximus shrugged like he hadn't meant to provoke the wolf.
"No need to bristle. Just sharing my admiration. I only know you toppled the tower—details? Nephew kept mum."
"Fine, I'll buy it."
"So suspicious."
The black dog's silence was likely true.
The bad blood between him and the grand duke was infamous.
Rak, aware, heightened his guard, while Maximus...
"Don't glare—I'm not flexing intel to show off. It's to build trust."
"Trust? Now?"
"Just us two? I'd watch my back too. But now my friend's here—a powerhouse neither of us could guarantee victory over..."
"......"
The knights' gazes converged on Lee Han, who scratched his cheek.
The vibe was...
'Why do I feel like the group project leader suddenly?'
Lee Han wanted to bolt.
...Bad premonitions always hit the mark, huh.
"How about teaming up? Goals seem aligned."
"You know what I'm after?"
"Hm, stealing a holy relic?"
"......"
"With your personality, relics or indulgences feel like shackles—proof of temple ties. So you're after one, right? Am I wrong?"
"You're sharper than you look..."
"Flattered."
"Not praise—I'm snarking, old man."
Knight commander types weren't just brute force; they had brains too.
'...This guy's the problem—doesn't bother using his.'
Body so perfect he didn't need to think, but when he did? Genius beyond measure.
That was Maximus.
"Figured my goal—impressive. But you two aren't after relics?"
Cooperation? Their goals differed, per Lee Han.
Team up without alignment?
To that:
"Ours match nicely."
"?"
"See this."
"??"
Silk pouch...?
Lee Han eyed Maximus pulling out the random pouch, but when flipped...
Plop.
...A crumpled note emerged, text clear.
[Follow the knight who 'hates' and has 'killed the most' mages in the world, and you may achieve your goal.]
...What? Points straight at someone.
"What's this?"
"Shaman descendant's advice. Said to draw one per crisis entering the temple. Once on entry, twice in peril, last when meeting you—and there it was."
"......"
"Weird at first, but meeting you cleared it. Shamans are uncanny, haha."
"...What kinda bullshit?"
Zhuge Liang's golden pouch strat or what?
'Nonsense—stuff like that doesn't exist.'
Lee Han shot the spearman a look for agreement amid his disbelief.
This guy's nuts, right?
"Incredible—the North hides a shaman strategist? Truly dangerous."
"......"
......He's nuts too.
Seeing even the spearman nod in buy-in, Lee Han thought anew.
Just all vanish...
"For real? That guy's coming here?"
"If he's telling the truth."
"...Wild. Thought he was dead."
"Fooled us good."
"Hmm, can't wait to meet."
Shing.
"Rip him apart myself."
"You'll get your chance."
They smirked viciously.
Soon, the prey would enter the lair willingly—no...
"No. 8—that cute kid. Wonder how he's grown."
The old comrade they'd once found cute awaited them gleefully.