Chapter 24
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 24
Returning the Title (1)
At the single stem of blooming haze, Leohar lost his mind. At first, he thought he saw wrong.
"Th-There's no way..."
However, he saw it. The dark red color burning right before his eyes. An ominous and fierce Aura was being born from Carmil's sword right at this moment.
Leohar screamed with a face as if facing a nightmare.
"You. Just when did you learn Aura!!"
He couldn't believe it at all. It was on a different trajectory from his own. If Leohar's Aura was a flame that seemed to swallow everything, his Aura was silently swallowing only his own sword. The blooming hazes soon settled down on the sword and eroded the sword as it was.
In the first place, he had never even heard of utilizing Aura in this way. At that unprecedented sight, Leohar denied it with effort, shaking his head.
"D-Don't make me laugh. There's no way a lowborn like you, a mere guy like you, could have created a way to use Aura!"
"Just as what is seen is not everything, I guess one only sees what one is."
There is something naturally learned when living on the battlefield. That there is nothing more foolish than showing off one's power. Just as it's natural to aim for the general first in a war, a knight possessing Aura was always a good target.
Carmil also didn't know at first. Because, as the original work did, everyone fought emitting Aura. Not only Heroes but even the Hero swung a blow with Aura piercing the sky when fighting the Demon King.
But when comrades possessing Aura died before him, he realized. Something was wrong.
When depicting a battle in a Romance Fantasy, it must be more flashy and conspicuous than anyone else. And that wasn't much different in this world either. Strength shown to someone was always a higher priority than efficiency.
Therefore, he thought. What would happen if Aura could be wrapped inside the sword.
The result created after numerous trials and errors like that was exactly now.
No one could break his sword anymore.
"Leohar. So what did you say?"
"Ugh!?"
Leohar flinched at his low voice. Before he knew it, Carmil's sword was permeated with dark red.
Now his sword was soon Aura itself.
"Ah, aaah..."
And at that unknown fear he faced for the first time, Leohar was backing away without realizing it.
"Where are you going? Didn't you come looking for me because you had business."
"Y-You monster bastard...!"
"Where did the human go who said he would inflict pain more terrible than death on me just a moment ago?"
At Carmil's words, he couldn't answer. Revenge or whatever, now even the will to fight disappeared. He just wanted to escape from this place.
He screamed looking at Carmil approaching him.
"D-Don't come. Don't come!"
Step. Step. At the sound of Carmil's footsteps, he turned his back entirely and ran away. Blood flowed from the leg where the wound opened, but it didn't matter. Clatter- He was just busy running away, throwing away even the cumbersome sword.
"Leohar?"
"Heok, heok!"
"Look here, Leohar. Where are you going so busily."
"U, uwaaaaaak!"
Unable to bear the voice getting closer, he let out a scream. And shouted out the door.
"1st Knight Order! What are you doing. Come in right now and deal with that guy! Anyone is fine so quickly take this body-"
-Sh-ring. Leohar couldn't open his mouth anymore.
When he came to his senses along with the sharp sound, a dark red blade was already aimed at his neck.
"You see. Leohar. Since it's a ruined life anyway. Shall I help you a bit?"
"H-Haak. Heuaa..."
"Who knows. Maybe you will be born as a more decent guy in the next life."
Blood trickled down from the neck touching the blade. He couldn't even dare to breathe properly. Now his Aura was dominating this entire place.
Facing the threshold of death for the first time, Leohar was wetting his pants before he knew it.
"S-Save, please save me..."
"Save you, you say. If I said that, would you have saved me?"
"Please. I-I beg you like this. I will give you half of my territory and wealth!"
"Hoh, indeed."
As if his interest was piqued, Carmil nodded. While he was relieved for a moment at that.
"Half, you say. It's cheap for a Count's life price."
"Heok!? W-Wait-"
-Slaaash!
Leohar tried not to believe it. The dizzying pain felt from his neck, and the blood spurting out before his eyes too.
"Uh, uh?"
But as his breath choked and his body started collapsing, he soon realized.
The fact that he was fallen on the floor before he knew it.
'Wh-When did I bleed this much?'
I have to block my neck quickly, but my hand wouldn't move.
Turning my eyes, I made eye contact with Carmil looking down at me. I wanted to run away from here right now. But no matter how scared and painful, I couldn't move a single finger.
He trembled his body at the severe pain spreading through his whole body. It was a terrible pain to the point where he'd rather die. Nevertheless, he didn't want to die.
Therefore, he just gaped his mouth looking at the blood flowing before his eyes.
"S-Save me, save me...!"
"..."
"P-Please, save me. Please..."
"Ca-Captain!!"
Just in time, members who heard the sound ran desperately. And were astonished at the scene unfolded before their eyes.
"Captain Leohar!?"
"Wh-What is this...!"
The 1st Knight Order members looked at Carmil with pale faces.
"D-Don't tell me Captain Carmil did this!?"
"Even so, isn't this going too far! Do you know what you just did..."
"Yeah, is there a problem."
At Carmil's low warning, no one could open their mouth. They just watched each other's mood, and eventually decided to take care of the Captain first.
The members carried him, who was gasping on the pool of blood, on their backs and ran out. Looking at their backs, a 4th Knight Order member worried.
"Captain. Will you be okay. The Count Leohar's family probably won't stay still."
"It doesn't matter. Since they are the ones who crossed the line first."
"Well, that's true."
The members nodded and let it pass trivially. Since they were growling at each other every day anyway, there's nothing to get worse now.
Carmil looked at his sword. Thanks to erasing Aura before the members came, now only Leohar's blood was stained on it.
"...I guess I have to go somewhere for a while."
"Yes? Then we will follow too."
"No. I will go alone."
Since it's a matter I have to solve alone in the first place. Since it came to this. There's no need to delay further.
"I will go see His Majesty for a while."
The King's office. Inside that splendidly decorated room, the King was sitting. He leaned his back against the chair decorated with gold and jewels and let out a sigh.
"Phew... So he finally did it."
He swept his face with his hand looking at the report that just came up. To think he would commit such an act in the moment I took my eyes off.
How should I handle this. While worrying like that, just in time the protagonist knocked on the door.
"Your Majesty. Captain Carmil requests an audience."
"...Tell him to enter."
I was going to call him anyway, so it worked out well. The expression of Carmil who entered like that was too calm. The King glared at him finding that appearance insolent, but he stood in front of him without caring.
"4th Knight Order Captain Carmil. I greet Your Majesty."
"..."
The King didn't answer. He just stared at him bowing his head to himself. Just what should I do to make that head bow for a lifetime. Why is only this guy's neck so stiff?
The more I thought, the more insolent it was. The King pointed at the report he was reading until just now and spat out casually.
"How is it, do you feel relieved now?"
"..."
"Vice-Captain Ruan and the 3rd Knight Order Captain. As if that wasn't enough, now even Captain Leohar. Ha."
The King sneered while speaking.
"If you make all the knights of the Kingdom like that, who will protect this capital? Just how far do you have to escalate things to be satisfied."
"It was a fair duel, and a fair price."
"Nonsense!!"
Bam! Unable to bear it, the King slammed the table. At that anger, ministers and knights around flinched and trembled.
"..."
But Carmil was still looking at him calmly. At that appearance, the King couldn't hold back his anger even more.
"Do you even know what state Captain Leohar is in right now? Even with all the nuns and believers in the cathedral clinging to him, they barely kept him alive. It's a situation where we have to bring the Saintess right now!"
"Yes. I intentionally made it so."
"Haha. Is that so? Truly amazing. Then let me ask one thing. Did you really intend to kill Captain Leohar?"
"If I had made up my mind so, I would have done so."
At that answer, the King calmed his excitement a little.
However, Carmil continued speaking quietly.
"There is also the fact that he insulted me, but he will have to pay the price separately for insulting the Grand Duchess as well."
"So eventually, you left him for the North, is what it means."
Truly ridiculous. A guy called the Kingdom's Hero, not content with cutting fellow knights, taking the side of the North.
The King sighed and spoke as if lecturing.
"Haa. Captain Carmil. Count Leohar is a family that has dedicated itself to the Royal Family for hundreds of years. Do you know how much they donate to the Kingdom every year? Above all, he is the most outstanding knight in this Kingdom. Excluding you, that is."
"Yes. I know."
"You know? You know?"
Screech. The King pulled his chair and stood up. At that intimidating feeling, all subjects bowed their heads.
"A person who knows that cuts his neck? The loyal subject of the Royal Family?"
"Didn't Your Majesty hear too. Him insulting me and the Grand Duchess. That was practically the same as insulting the Royal Family."
Hearing those words, the King smirked, then soon shook his head.
"No way. I am also of the same opinion as him, how can that be insulting the Royal Family."
Son of a bitch. Truly an expression that fit Carmil perfectly.
If I knew he would run wild outside the city like this, I wouldn't have unfastened the leash with the title of Hero. A Hero is free from any missions or activities—the King resented this covenant more than anyone else.
Besides, the North side would also be desperate for military and supplies, so apologizing roughly with that would be enough.
But looking at such a King, Carmil said with a sunken voice.
"Your Majesty. The one who bestowed the title of Hero upon me was none other than Your Majesty."
"So I am regretting it. If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn't have chosen you as a Hero."
Saying that, the King looked around. Everyone was listening to his words with their heads bowed. That was a truly desirable appearance. A true loyal subject should be exactly like that.
Ignoring the owner's words and wandering outside the house like a dog in heat was unacceptable. Yet why is the dog in front so anxious not being able to leave this safe fence.
Why doesn't he listen to me, his owner? The King couldn't understand at all.
"Both you and that child Yuria are not sane. Why do you keep trying to escape from this perfect fortress? Is it so difficult to just guard my side?"
"..."
"It's the same for this matter too. Did you think I wouldn't know that child Yuria was aiming for you? So I intentionally ordered Captain Leohar to designate that child. So that she gives up on such a ridiculous bet and returns."
But the one who appeared at that moment was exactly this Kingdom's Hero, Carmil. The King let out a hollow laugh at the absurdity.
"But to think you would not only take the side of the North but also be that strong. Is it so difficult to use that strength only for me?"
"...Your Majesty. Sooner or later the Demon King will resurrect."
At that moment, along with his remark, silence hovered in the office.
Eventually, Carmil couldn't hold back and brought out the future he read in the original work. Although ignored despite submitting reports several times until now, he spoke once more with a sliver of hope.
To thwart the demons' plan, eventually, he had to borrow the power of all countries. He couldn't stop everything happening all over the continent by himself.
Therefore, he had lived half-giving up and adapting to the present until now, but if everyone believes this story even now, the story would be different.
"We don't have time to be doing this. We must inform the entire continent of this fact and thwart the demons' conspiracy."
"Right... So that's what you mean."
The King had also read Carmil's report several times already. He nodded seriously while touching his beard.
"But what does that have to do with us?"
"Yes?"
However, at the unexpected answer, Carmil lost his words. Thinking he might have heard wrong, he asked again, but the returning answer was the same.
"Anyway, isn't it fine as long as I and this capital are safe."
Saying that, the King grabbed Carmil's two hands tightly.