Chapter 361
Chapter 361
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: EP.76 – The Knight Leaves the Stage (1)
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...The banquet had ended in utter chaos.
It was only natural.
Not only had the king been assaulted, but it turned out that the very king who was beaten was the mastermind behind supporting and even resurrecting subversive forces.
There was even circumstantial evidence suggesting he might have been involved in every terrorist incident over the past year.
In truth, it was absurd to think the banquet could have ended on a good note.
Of course, there were plenty who tried to scheme sinister plans amid the crisis...
"You'd better stop."
"No, why?!"
"I understand your feelings, and I admit it's a good time to set things up. But... I don't have the confidence to handle it."
"Handle what?!"
"That knight..."
"......"
"I'm afraid of that knight. What if he comes for me?"
"Th-that's..."
Even those plotting began to shudder at the mere thought of 'that knight'.
He had plainly declared he wasn't some hero and charged ahead recklessly, but to those who had actually faced him, it felt entirely different.
And that was because...
"It felt like John Ray Albert had returned..."
John Ray Albert, the heretic inquisitor.
Those from the older generation who remembered him trembled.
They recalled the noble houses massacred by the inquisitor, and those who remembered how he executed people were on the verge of nightmares and early psychotic symptoms.
Yet that was a story from over half a century ago, and with Albert semi-retired, they thought they could finally escape those nightmares. But the knight they saw at the banquet instilled the terror that John Ray Albert had returned.
- [Executioner John.]
...That was him.
"I remember. The one who overnight massacred seventeen noble houses that dabbled in crime..."
"St-stop..."
"Want to know what's even creepier? That knight's aura, expression, mindset—they're just like the Executioner's. Starting from the fact that he doesn't see himself as justice, to his ruthless, merciless hands! If that terrifyingly strong knight has also mastered execution techniques on top of that, then...!"
"Aaaah!"
"A second Executioner might emerge to succeed him."
"!!?"
Just imagining it sent nobles into fits, and those scheming nobles quickly bowed low.
Terrified that their actions might shatter the prison bars and bring that frighteningly strong knight upon them, burdened by the fear that they might birth a second Executioner...
The nobles of the past collectively suffered PTSD-induced hyperventilation.
...
And the knight who had newly shown the potential of an Executioner...
"M-Master! N-No! If you stay in this dark, damp, filthy place, you'll get sick...!"
"Levia, calm down."
"Hic!"
"Please, don't cry."
...Was flustered before the tears of a small girl, unlike the nobles' terror.
A girl's tears were powerful.
...Also.
"......"
"Lady Irene."
"......"
"Please put down the staff and calm your mana. Everything's going to collapse."
"...Is that wrong?"
"...Yes, probably very wrong."
"Hm, then I'll just commit a crime and ask to be thrown in jail with the instructor! Destroying the royal castle should do it, right?"
"......Please calm down."
The cadets sweated bullets trying to stop the grand mage girl plotting chaos in her own way.
Unlike the fussing girls, Lee Han was in a fairly decent environment.
Well, prison was naturally dark and smelly, but otherwise fine.
A bit of sunlight came in, and they provided food.
The menu was just plain carrots and celery without dressing, and rock-hard rye bread, but Lee Han actually preferred it.
He'd eaten like this plenty when broke.
Lack of protein and fat was a downside, but expecting more would be shameless.
There was a reasonably worn bed for sleeping, so he was managing well enough.
...However.
"How can you sleep in a place like this!"
"Right?!"
"What did the instructor even do wrong!!"
"Well, I did do something wrong..."
His visiting disciples were horrified.
Especially the chicks.
For noble young ladies, this environment was understandably unbearable.
The young masters didn't show it, but silently agreed.
This is why rich kids...
"Wow, this is bad."
"Worse than our warehouse."
"Instructor, do you actually sleep here?"
......What? Is it really that bad?
Even the bald bear cubs saying so made Lee Han realize his one-pyeong cell was somewhat serious, pondering why he'd deemed it okay...
'Ah, because it's better than my old one-room.'
Lee Han realized he'd been lenient since the prison beat his past life's living quarters, feeling refreshed yet depressed.
His past life memories seemed devoid of anything decent.
As he felt that gloom...
"M-Master, get out now. You can escape easily..."
Levia, eyes still misty, pleaded with Lee Han.
To come out already.
Uncharacteristic for the usually demure, smart girl, Lee Han smirked, sensing her worry had clouded her judgment.
Not a sneer—just a fond smile from fresh sentiment.
'Lots of them.'
A lot had come.
Disciples visiting out of worry. Even yesterday, from Orphen and Mordred's sides...
- Sir Lee Han, just say the word. Orphen will do anything to get you out.
- Did you know, Sir Lee Han? 'Mordred' means 'rebellion'. And the one who named it was none other than the Knight King. He said if he strays, rebel gladly. Now's the time.
...No, theirs was more alarming than touching.
They seemed ready to actually do something crazy.
Either way, it didn't feel like he'd lived wrong.
Otherwise, they wouldn't visit.
......Still.
"Don't say weird stuff, and stop worrying."
"Master..."
"And no visits for a while. Actually, pretend you don't know me."
"!!"
"You too."
"...Instructor..."
"The outside must be in an uproar, right? They'll curse me, paint me as the villain worth killing."
"......"
...They didn't deny it.
Five days since their instructor Lee Han was jailed, and the kingdom was in turmoil.
Of course—the unprecedented king assault, with the crown princess testifying to the king's betrayal.
Chaos turning to dizziness was natural.
Yet amid the revealed truth, only the crown princess was praised by the people.
The instructor, however...
The newspapers uniformly vilified the instructor, portraying him as the bad guy.
"...It's the Noble Council's doing. Edmund's crimes are exposed, but they're using Master to deflect the shock. Dirty bastards..."
Levia gritted her teeth, cursing the council.
"Knew it."
Lee Han just nodded knowingly.
In his past life, politicians and chaebols sacrificed celebrities to shift focus after scandals, right?
In other words.
"They're focusing more on the assault than the king's crimes to cling to the crumbling royal trust."
"Yes, exactly."
"Hm, but it won't last. The issue's too big."
"Yes, everyone who matters knows already. No matter how they struggle, the people will find out. The truth will spread soon. No, I'll make sure they know the truth!"
"...Why are you acting weird?"
No matter how skilled politicians are at fabrication and agitation, they can't bury pure truth forever.
Well, unless...
"If a great noble like Galahad, Lionel, or Tristan sides with the royals, they could cover it up..."
Those who could even hide the truth.
"No way. At least Tristan won't."
"Galahad too!"
"...Thanks, but still be careful. Hide your connection to me as much as possible. Don't let it harm your families."
"Instructor..."
"......"
The cadets exchanged gloomy looks at Lee Han, who prioritized their safety to the end. As they tried to speak...
"-Don't worry needlessly. As that child said, we won't side with Pendragon."
"Indeed. Silly worries, heh."
...Two men appeared, hardening the cadets' faces.
They knew who those two giants were.
"Sorry, didn't want to interrupt your talk with your master. But I must apologize a bit more... may we have the room?"
Daring to refuse Duke Galahad and Marquess Jenimia's 'request'? The cadets would've loved to see that.
"Hahaha! Madman!"
Jenimia's first words, staring at Lee Han after the cadets left, were laced with laughter.
So amused he teared up.
"Wonder if kingdom history—no, continental history—has such an event! Beating the king, right in the banquet center?! I mean, puhaha!"
"That funny?"
"Of course. Hilarious, ha!"
"...Weird? Thought you'd be mad."
"Why?"
"Heard you and the king were friends."
He'd vaguely heard Marquess Tristan and the king were friends.
But laughing this hard at his friend getting beaten felt odd.
"Ha, friends? Haven't met privately in over 40 years. Hung out young, but ties cut after the previous king died. Closest to calling a friend are the Sword Duke or that stubborn academy head."
"Really?"
"Yes, so relax. I'm not mad at all."
"Good, then... What about you, Duke?"
"......"
"Maybe mad since same blood?"
"......Ridiculous."
Duke Blake scoffed.
"My relation with Edmund is worse than strangers. Enemies wouldn't overstate it. Shame I didn't have proof—I'd have ended him myself."
"Wow, planning to rename the kingdom Galahad?"
"...Not quite."
"......"
He'd hesitated just now.
Maybe planned it but scrapped?
Tsking at the scary realization, Lee Han...
"Enough chit-chat. Why are you here? Busy folks like you."
Straight to business.
Wanting to send these tiring presences away fast.
"Haha, are we intruding, Your Highness?"
"Fun, isn't it?"
"Agreed."
"Hey, uncles. I'm not an animal. This ain't a zoo."
"Heh, got it."
"Tomorrow too, then."
"......"
"Haha, don't get mad. For your rest, to the point."
Humm.
Blake spread his power, blocking external sounds.
Preventing eavesdropping, signaling a sensitive question.
As expected.
"Many questions, but one first."
"Think I'll answer nicely?"
"Bribe with food. 10kg steak enough?"
"...Add seafood, shellfish?"
"Done."
Proper price paid, he'd answer. Blake shook his head at such rudeness before him, then asked gravely.
"...Where's Sword God Baltar?"
Pendragon's guardian.
He always protected the king, whatever else. But vanished five days ago, just when Lee Han and Blake's niece acted. Blake didn't buy coincidence.
"......"
"Where? Or how'd you make him vanish?"
Blake was genuinely curious.
About the scheme that vanished an invincible knight even strongest Galahad couldn't touch lightly.
To that question.
"...Not really a scheme."
"?"
"Hm, precisely, not me. My sister did it."
"Isis?"
"Yeah, something insanely reckless."
"...?"
"Simple logic."
...To stop a superhuman.
"Only another superhuman, right?"
"......"
"No way!"
He shrugged, and the nobles quickly realizing widened eyes.
Step, step-.
The white-haired elder sighed lightly while walking.
Seeming utterly weary.
"Sigh, believe me if I say I didn't want to fight you if possible?"
"Same here. Frankly, brawling at our age is unseemly."
"True. How about we stop here?"
"Hm, rather, why not give up and enjoy a leisurely vacation?"
"......Don't wanna."
"Heh, still stubborn as ever, Baltar."
"Not your place to say, John."
The two elders' faces were serene.
Daoist-like tranquility, devoid of worldly greed.
...Indeed, their greed was faint.
Not just greed—all seven emotions dimmed.
Like sages or bodhisattvas, not from mere longevity.
They'd long transcended such desires.
Yet the two men...
No, two 'superhumans' retained one emotion.
Battle lust.
Their sole undimmed urge.
And after ages, facing a foe to unleash it, they showed faint joy.
"Fought non-stop for five days before, right?"
"Yes."
"Hope this ends quicker."
"Me too..."
Clank!
"...Gotta punish that cheeky princess fast, so quick end."
Sword God drew his sword; the butler reverted to inquisitor, wielding chains and spike.
Thus.
Whoosh!!
Without signal, they clashed.
More accustomed to bending foes with 'strength' than words.
Baltar and Albert.
The two Aura Users began 'war'.
One unknowably long, yet needing swift end.
...
Five days later.
Six mountains vanished from the central continent, birthing a massive new river.