Chapter 809: Kill with Hatred
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 809: Kill with Hatred
"Urgh."
The assassin, who had been lurking in the marketplace alleyway, lunged upward to escape the billowing poison cloud. He hooked his fingers over a wall and hauled himself onto the roof of a brick house, but in that fleeting instant, a cold wind brushed past his neck.
A question flickered in the assassin’s mind. A sudden wind? And a cold one, at that?
In the dead of summer?
Before he could even raise his head, the cloudless blue sky filled his vision, saturated with blazing sunlight.
A thin red line traced itself across the assassin's throat. His head snapped back as he collapsed, blood pooling from his neck to stain the roof of straw and stone a deep, dark crimson.
"W-what is this?"
"Kyaaaah!"
"Shit!"
Only then did screams and panicked shouts erupt from all directions.
Fweeeet!
Nearby, a soldier stationed for security duty blew his whistle. At the signal, four patrolling soldiers quickly converged on the location.
Meanwhile, Sachsen drove his dagger into the flank of another assassin lying flat on a neighboring roof, piercing his heart. Without pausing, he planted a Silence Dagger squarely into the forehead of yet another assassin peeking out from a building window.
Even though three of their number were already dead, the remaining assassins couldn't even pinpoint Sachsen's location.
"Leave one of them," Krang whispered urgently.
Encrid stepped in front of Krang, shielding him. "Sachsen, leave one."
Krang had spoken in a whisper, and Encrid's voice wasn't much louder, but it didn't matter. Although the chaos from the exploding arrow filled the air with screams and panicked shouts, a focused Sachsen would have heard them easily.
Sure enough, things went exactly as Krang intended.
There were five assassins in total. The one who had been hiding most stealthily kicked off a wall and leaped, finding just enough time to scream his defiance.
"For the true royal family!"
He cried out, thrusting his hand forward. A short arrow hissed out from his sleeve.
Encrid did not move to block it. Krang had tugged at his collar, telling him to leave it be and promising to handle it himself.
Encrid didn't know what Krang was aiming for, but he knew his friend always had a plan.
If things go south, I'll just draw my blade.
Above all, he had the luxury of waiting until the very last microsecond before intervening.
As Encrid focused, he saw a red light shimmering around Krang's entire body. Rising as fast as the incoming arrow, the crimson light took shape and swirled around Krang.
A spell?
It was similar, yet fundamentally different. It didn't smell like mana or a spell. Instead, it carried the scent of cloth dried crisp in the sun on a perfectly clear day.
The red light radiating from Krang's body snatched the arrow mid-air. The light took a distinct shape, resembling the massive forepaw of a beast.
Of course, this all happened in a split second. It was only visible to Encrid because of his heightened focus; an ordinary person wouldn't have even registered the movement.
The beast's paw gripped the short arrow. That was it. The arrow, imbued with a poison cloud spell, snapped in half with a sharp crack as the magic was neutralized. The assassin had thrown his entire body forward as he shot. Did he really think an arrow that had been blocked before would work now?
He had anticipated the failure, drawing a hand-span-long dagger as he lunged, but the forepaw extending from Krang's body struck the assassin's head first.
Crack.
His neck snapped, and his body rolled away like a ragdoll. With his spine severed, he became a corpse instantly. Thus, the final assassin was dead.
Seeing this, Krang threw off his hood and pulled out the cloak that had been hidden beneath his large robe.
The red light surrounding his body began to trace a shape behind his back. A four-legged figure with a mane that blazed like roaring flames wrapped around his neck. The faint, majestic silhouette stood firmly behind Krang.
It looked as if it were declaring to the world that anyone wishing to kill this man would have to go through it first.
This time, it wasn't just visible to Encrid. It was visible to everyone. It had revealed itself precisely for that reason. The intention was clear.
A gust of wind rose, fluttering Krang's red cloak.
"Does anyone still question my rule?"
His appearance drew every eye in the vicinity. At first, only a few gasped in surprise, but the reaction spread rapidly, like black ink dispersing in clear water.
"Hear me, all of you."
And then, Krang played to his strengths. Having captured the attention of the startled crowd, he delivered a speech right there on the dirt floor of the marketplace. Without a single platform, he drove his message straight into their ears.
"All of this must stem from my own lack of virtue. I admit as much."
The content of the short, powerful speech wasn't particularly important. Krang didn't pour his heart and soul into the words; instead, he remained calm. From the moment he first spoke to capture their attention, his demeanor remained consistent. Quiet and solemn.
"I will not allow monsters and bandits to run rampant."
Encrid didn't know exactly what Krang was aiming for, but he could tell one thing for sure.
He wants to show them.
Krang's goal was to display the beast glowing behind his back.
No, not a beast—a Divine Beast.
Though it had only been for a brief moment, the strength and speed of that forepaw's movement were comparable to those of a high-ranking knight.
And if that was just a casual gesture to block an arrow...
Encrid felt a sudden urge to spar with it. It was a natural reaction. When he saw a strong opponent, it didn't matter if they were human, a giant, a Frok, or a Divine Beast.
Krang's speech was short and sweet. Turning around, he spoke to Encrid the moment their eyes met.
"No. Even I can read your eyes by now. It only reacts when my life is in danger."
Krang shook his head with a chuckle.
Following the news of the attack, a portion of the security force had already formed a defensive perimeter around the king. The Royal Guard, emerging from the inner castle, formed another layer of defense inside the security force's line.
Krang immediately shut down the spark of interest in Encrid's eyes. When it came to quick wits, Krang was second to none.
"Ah."
Krang laughed at Encrid's disappointed sigh. This friend of his truly never changed. Then again, only someone like him could harbor such an absurd dream.
Well, the same went for himself.
"The Sun Beast?" Encrid asked.
"Yeah."
The two didn't speak quietly. The surrounding Royal Guard and the sharp-eared security soldiers could hear everything. Besides, hadn't he just demonstrated it himself?
From the murmurs of the crowd gathered in the distance, words like "Sun Beast," "Guardian Beast," and "the King protected by the God of the Royal Family" began to drift over. Krang might have even planted instigators to spread such rumors.
"Wasn't that just a legend?"
The founding myth featuring the three knights and the Sun Beast was considered nothing more than a story. Krang shook his head.
"It's not."
Encrid blinked. Krang was willing to clear up all of his friend's doubts.
"Only those of royal blood are eligible. It is a protection obtained only if one receives the Divine Beast's power under that eligibility and survives."
The tattoo was the very proof that the Sun Beast resided within him.
"And you could have died in the process?"
It was a power incomparable to items handed out just because someone wanted them. Among artifacts, there were those that granted power in exchange for a person's life force. A few mages with twisted hobbies had created such spell objects.
So, could a guardian tattoo that protected someone by binding the Divine Beast's power to their skin be free of charge? Surely not.
"Those with weak wills, those who desire power for personal gain... well, according to the royal legends, such people die. But from what I saw, it's really just a matter of enduring three days of nightmares."
They say men will bluff even on their deathbeds. In reality, it couldn't have been just a matter of "enduring." But there was no need to ask for details. Even if it was a royal secret, Krang would tell him if he asked, but Encrid wasn't particularly curious about the mechanics.
"We've only just taken the first step. Ah, meaning this isn't the end."
Revealing the protection of the Sun Beast was merely the beginning. Encrid didn't press further on this either. He figured Krang would tell him in due time. Whatever the case, Krang's eyes still shone brightly.
Though they were of a different nature, Krang must have faced hardships similar to those Encrid had overcome. Even after surpassing all of them, the light in his eyes remained unchanged.
With that, all of Encrid's doubts were resolved.
Except for one thing.
"Are you really sure we can't spar?"
"Ah, I said no."
He was just a little disappointed that he couldn't test himself against the Sun Beast.
* * *
"It's a plot to sow discord."
Krais, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, spoke, and Marcus nodded.
"Indeed."
Sowing discord—the act of driving a wedge between people. While Krang had earned the nickname "Sun King" due to the Sun Beast's protection, the reality of the assassin's attack still remained.
"Is it another rebellion?"
"I heard the Queen has returned."
"No, the Queen's child is growing up somewhere, and it's a scheme by the local influential families using him as a figurehead."
All sorts of rumors swirled around.
All of this reached the ears of Encrid, who spent his entire day idling in the training ground. A few commanders who spent time with him in the training ground heard the rumors as well, but their reactions were steadfast.
"His Highness will handle it. If we are needed, he will call for us then."
Trust and faith—these were the things Krang had built with them over time. While some nobles might have wavered, the shields of the royal family within the training ground did not falter in the slightest.
Encrid took a sip of the expensive tea that was Marcus's hobby. He had heard that picking tea leaves grown only in a specific region and fermenting them for a long time gave them a unique aroma. He had been told about it just a moment ago, but since it had gone in one ear and out the other, he couldn't remember the details. The tea tasted astringent yet carried a subtle sweetness and umami, and its aroma was as pure as flower petals floating on clear water.
It wasn't a bad tea. While he drank, Krais continued in a calm tone.
"The nobility doesn't have the leeway for that. Even if they did, why would they target the throne? The Queen? The Queen's child? There's no such thing. It's nothing but a baseless rumor. Even if they did exist, for the nobles to pull something like this right now would only result in massive losses. There's no profit in it. And the nobles I know are not people who move without profit."
Those who lead and take responsibility for a family have an obligation to feed their dependents. Andrew had said something similar once. He had mentioned that a sense of responsibility naturally develops.
"And a rebellion? Against the current royal authority? Why?"
Thump.
Krais tapped the table with his fist. Even though it was a light gesture that didn't even shake the teacup, Marcus's brow furrowed slightly.
"Careful."
He couldn't bear to see precious teacups and tea leaves fall to the floor. It was the same logic as a heavy drinker seeing fifty-year-old alcohol spilled on the ground.
Krais apologized with a glance and continued.
"We've opened trade routes, making it easier to earn a living than ever before. Has the nobles' slice of bread shrunk because of that? Not at all."
Encrid looked around Marcus's office. There were more decorations than before. More furniture, too. To be precise, they seemed to be for storing tea leaves and teacups. Though they were luxury items, this level of indulgence was still on the modest side. For the Nauril of today was wealthier than ever before.
"Furthermore, we've secured the capital's safety and established safe roads in the surrounding areas, suppressing attacks from bandits, monsters, and demonic beasts. It's an achievement unprecedented under any previous reign."
Most of that achievement was thanks to Encrid. Marcus's gaze swept over him. The black-haired, blue-eyed man simply nodded without much thought.
He has no interest.
Marcus recognized his state of mind at a glance.
He was right. Encrid was only half-listening, recalling what Krang had said. Hadn't Krang mentioned that half of the policies he implemented came from the head of the big-eyed guy right in front of him?
And some of those, in turn, were probably Abnayor's ideas.
If one were to look for the most excited person in the Border Guard lately, it would undoubtedly be Abnayor. He had launched all kinds of businesses and concepts in the Border Guard that he hadn't been able to realize in Azpen. It was said that Azpen was also changing under that influence. And apparently, he was quite satisfied with it.
Regardless of Encrid's reaction, Krais steadfastly continued.
"If it were up to me, I wouldn't have let this kind of problem arise in the first place."
Marcus asked, "How?"
"By making the nobles constantly check, suspect, and fight one another."
Though spoken casually, the content was as sharp and brutal as clashing blades. If the nobles were busy killing each other, they wouldn't have the leeway to try and check the king. Baseless rumors only spread because life was too peaceful, so he would make sure they didn't even have the luxury of harboring such thoughts.
How? By using the factions among the nobility to make them fight each other. One might call it preventing a major war with minor skirmishes.
However, that was not what Krang desired. Krais spoke knowing this full well. Who would complain if a few hovels belonging to the poor were burned down to make way for a carriage road? The poor had no power, so they couldn't speak up. The nobles, who would profit from the businesses opened by the carriages, would simply keep their mouths shut.
Normally, one wouldn't even bat an eye at setting fire to those hovels, but Krang did not do that. The path he walked was a grueling and difficult one. That was why it was the royal road. Such was the path Krang desired.
Dreams, hope.
In an era where such things were useless, those who chased them were surely fools. Therefore, Krang was a fool.
And the same goes for me.
Encrid also knew that what he desired was absurd. Yet, he pressed forward anyway. And slowly, the world was changing. Krais, standing right before his eyes, was proof of that. A man who, in the past, would have nitpicked and objected to everything was now unhesitatingly joining and following Krang's will—and his own.
"So, why did you come?" Encrid asked. Krais hadn't been summoned by him. He had just shown up out of the blue.
"I came to punish those who dared to make a mockery of the salon."
Krais's eyes gleamed. Specifically, they gleamed with hatred toward those who had exploited his dream. The source of the rumors threatening the royal family was the salon. It was said that starting from there, southern spies had run rampant.
"Spies from the south."
Before they parted ways some time ago, Krang had mentioned that all of this was a scheme by Southern Richenstetten. And those spies had used the salon to carry out their plots. The salons of the capital had been overrun by the espionage of the south.
Krais was furious about this.
"I will kill them with my hatred."
The enraged salon enthusiast muttered.