Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Crimson Flame's Swordsman (2)
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“Phew….”
As I sat down on the sofa, Ekina let out a deep sigh of relief.
She crossed her arms alone and fixed her gaze on me.
“Good. Let’s talk again.”
The vice-captain of the Crimson Flame, having barely regained her composure.
With her crimson eyes, she asked me.
“First off, why didn’t you report me right away, even after knowing I was the culprit?”
I didn’t answer her question immediately.
Ekina swallowed hard, then subtly provoked me.
“You’re guilty about using a sorcerer too, right? Since it’s an illegal method.”
‘Look at that.’
She was trying to undermine me by questioning my methods and secure an equal position in the negotiation.
She’d put some thought into it.
But….
Her tail was too long to let slide with that kind of petty trick.
“What do I have to feel guilty about?”
I responded to her provocation with a sly smile.
“The Empire has already tacitly acknowledged the existence of sorcerers. Nobles consult them for fortunes or get aphrodisiacs and such.”
As I mentioned the nobles’ secret indulgences, Ekina furrowed her brow.
However, it was easy information for me, a commoner who’d mingled directly with sorcerers.
“You think I’ll get heavily punished for catching traitors through them? On the contrary, I’ll probably just get a light slap on the wrist.”
The female swordsman was at a loss for words.
In the end, even her final resistance was crushed.
“Haah, fine. What do you want from me…?”
Still, her eyes held dissatisfaction.
I stared coldly at that look.
“Before that.”
When dealing with young noble ladies like this, you need to establish the hierarchy clearly.
“How old are you, casually using informal speech this whole time?”
Ekina tilted her head at the sudden question about age.
Then, with a reluctant expression, she answered.
“I-I’m nineteen….”
I hadn’t known in my past life, but she was a year younger than me.
To reach this level at that age was astonishing talent.
But.
Right now, she was just a young vixen.
“I’ll be twenty soon.”
“An-and…?”
Ekina asked back, sounding flustered.
I kindly explained.
“Because I’m older than you.”
After my bold declaration, silence filled the vice-captain’s office.
The crackling sound of the fireplace burning.
Once that faded, Ekina let out a deep sigh.
With a frustrated expression, she replied to me.
“What do you desire from me, sir…?”
The Crimson Flame swordsman, who found it embarrassing to use formal speech with me.
She bowed her head, avoiding my gaze.
She had no choice.
Ekina was a woman who never used formal speech with anyone but her superiors.
It must have been humiliating to show this side to a defense knight who was merely a year older, not even a senior knight from a higher class.
But this was just the beginning.
Once she started bowing her head, complete submission was only a matter of time.
Like a wild fox gradually letting its guard down once it gets used to human touch.
“…”
I raised my finger.
Then leisurely pointed it at Ekina.
“Huh…?”
Her finger directed at her own body.
The female swordsman’s crimson eyes wavered at the sight.
“W-Wait, you came here for a marriage proposal after all?”
Her face flushed red, just like her eyes.
The female swordsman swallowed deeply and tensed up completely.
“Didn’t I tell you not to use informal speech?”
“So that’s why you came…?”
She was trying hard to switch to formal speech.
Seeing that, I personally answered.
“No, why are you assuming on your own? It’s annoying.”
As I snarked at her, anger slowly rose in Ekina.
However, she held it back for the sake of her current situation.
“I’m sorry.”
The female swordsman looked at me again.
Clearing her throat, she calmly asked.
“If it’s not a marriage proposal, then what exactly do you want from me?”
“Well, nothing in particular…”
Ekina let out a deep breath of relief.
However, she soon had no choice but to furrow her brows.
“You’ll have to betray the Crown Prince a bit.”
“Pardon…?”
Ekina asked again, as if she’d misheard.
I answered flatly.
“It’s because of the captain qualification exam next year under the Crown Prince.”
The captain exam.
A procedure where the current captain tests the candidate’s abilities.
The examinee must fundamentally wield perfect sword aura.
However, Ekina’s mana was still light green.
It needed to turn golden for completion, so she wasn’t there yet.
To meet that, she needed awakening agents like elixir or nectar.
The Crown Prince was probably providing them in exchange for her loyalty.
“How do you know ab—”
Ekina’s eyes flashed at the mention of the final exam.
She looked shocked that I knew about the Crimson Flame Knight Order’s traditions.
“You don’t need to know that far.”
I grabbed the vice-captain’s leather chair from the desk and spun it around.
Then stopped it abruptly and said.
“You don’t have a choice anyway. If you don’t follow my words, you’ll be arrested immediately.”
Ekina took a deep breath.
“Th-the Crown Prince won’t just sit still, you know? He’ll definitely…”
At her question, I scoffed.
To think such a naive girl still existed.
“He’ll cut off the tail, claiming he knew nothing.”
I raised my arm.
Then demonstratively mimed slicing my hand edge across my neck.
“There are plenty of resources to replace you anyway.”
Ekina bowed her head deeply.
Her fresh, red hair covered her face.
“Why did you think you were special to him?”
She knelt down.
I looked up impassively at her lowered face.
“Don’t delude yourself. You’re just a disposable pawn… well, not quite, just a single knight.”
I pointed at the chessboard on the table.
Ekina pressed her lips tightly together.
She glanced sideways at the window.
As if ready to bolt out and tattle to the Crown Prince right away.
However, I’d completely blocked even that.
“Are you thinking of running away now?”
I infused mana into my arm.
Showing the golden mana she so desperately wanted, I said.
“You’re an undeniable imperial assassin. As a defense knight, I could kill you right now and be innocent.”
The red-haired female swordsman swallowed deeply.
Feeling my killing intent, she finally spoke.
“Understood…. I’ll do as you command.”
Her voice sounded on the verge of tears.
Satisfied with that, I calmly withdrew my mana.
“Cheer up. The Crown Prince might abandon you despite your hard work, but I’m saying I’ll take you in even though you attacked me.”
No point in whipping her further here.
With this level of threat, even a vice-captain like her would have made her judgment.
Who to follow to survive.
I brushed off my uniform jacket.
Then looked down indifferently at the dazed female swordsman.
“From now on, whenever the Crown Prince gives an order, send me a messenger bird immediately.”
I grabbed a sheet of cream-colored paper from the table.
With a quill, I wrote down the location to send the messenger bird to.
Ekina quietly took the paper.
She looked up at me with a sullen face.
“Will you keep this incident a secret if I do exactly as you say?”
At her question, I let out a deep sigh.
Then answered with a cynical smile.
“Yeah, I’ll let you live. But if it’s something that could harm Irina, come report it to me directly.”
Ekina tilted her head at my words.
“That way, we can discuss it together without the Crown Prince finding out, while protecting the princess.”
I had that much compassion.
At that, the female swordsman bowed her head deeply in acknowledgment.
“Oh.”
Before leaving.
I picked up the cloak fragment on the table.
Then asked Ekina about its owner.
“Who’s that mage you were with?”
“M-Mage, you say?”
Suddenly facing the crisis of her superior being dragged in because of her.
The female swordsman looked flustered.
“Yeah, you idiot. The one who dared to play tricks in front of me.”
Just thinking about that moment still irritated me.
It was the first time I’d ever let someone slip away after being fooled.
“Well…”
“Ha, slow to answer again?”
“I don’t know his full name either!”
As I scowled, Ekina finally opened her mouth.
“I only heard he’s from the Central Magic Tower. That’s really all I know!”
‘Central Magic Tower, huh…’
Mages are typically affiliated with the imperial court or the magic towers.
Outstanding ones from the towers often get scouted to the court.
So I naturally assumed he was court-affiliated.
Who’d have thought such a skilled one was still hiding in the tower.
It’s peculiar.
Probably demoted after causing some incident….
Similar case to Ekina, who follows the Crown Prince due to lack of ability.
“You don’t even know his face?”
“Yes… He always wears a mask…”
I stared intently at the mana in Ekina’s chest.
Mana usually surges wildly when someone lies.
However, hers remained calm, suggesting truth.
“Alright, that’s enough for today.”
At least I learned the mage is from the Magic Tower….
If I poke around, answers will come eventually.
I grabbed a handful of biscuits from the table.
With my other hand, I patted Ekina’s head.
“Let’s stick to messenger birds from now on, as much as possible.”
I opened the office door.
Leaving the stunned Ekina alone, I departed by myself.
As I leisurely walked the corridor.
I made eye contact with Kozmic, whom I’d met on the first floor earlier.
Perhaps because he’d been with Ekina for so long.
He looked at me with displeasure.
I responded with a light smile and left the corridor.
Kozmic clicked his tongue in exasperation.
Just as he was about to enter the vice-captain’s office to see Ekina.
She burst out the door, chasing after me, and they made eye contact.
“Ah, Vice-Captain Ekina! I was waiting—”
He bowed his head, trying to greet her boldly.
But no response came to him.
Instead, Ekina passed him by and approached me.
“Sh-shall I call a carriage for your departure?”
She followed me with an excessively sweet voice.
I nodded indifferently.
“Sure, my legs are sore from waiting on the first floor.”
“Y-yes, sir. I’ll order my subordinates right away.”
She, who had never shown kindness to anyone she’d discussed marriage with before.
Seeing her trailing after me and even arranging a carriage, Kozmic’s eyes twitched beneath.
Ignoring him, I descended the stairs.
Receiving the female swordsman’s escort, I thought to myself.
‘One down now.’
I fiddled with the cloak fragment I’d taken again.
‘Now to catch that trickster…’
I don’t know much about the Magic Tower myself.
I’ll need to ask around someone….
I thought of acquaintances skilled in magic or connected to the Magic Tower.
Then, one face suddenly came to mind.
“Tsk….”
Just thinking of that dragon-like figure made my head shake involuntarily.
‘Ah, this is a bit…’
No matter how I thought about it, she was a bit scary.
The one I even used sorcery on for interrogation.
But she was the only one who could give the most positive results on the clue.
If rumors spread of a defense knight hunting mages, the guy might catch on.
With her, I could inquire quietly.
‘Yeah, let’s think positively since it’s come to this.’
Maybe I can get another sofa if I visit.
Or even better, a bed.
“Knight, sir, where to?”
The coachman asked me.
I sighed deeply and replied.
“To the office of the 1st Imperial Princess, please.”
The only high-ranking mage I knew, who’d been trained at the Magic Tower, was the 1st Imperial Princess, Il-hwangnyeo Lea.
‘To catch a mage, I have no choice but to go to a mage.’