Empire's Hero
The Jiletta War Battlefields—recorded in imperial history as the most brutal conflict ever. Hundreds of thousands perished, turning every battlefield into barren wastelands without exception. The war left an indelible scar on the continent, one that still hasn't healed.
It was a horrific chapter in every sense, but as the saying goes, turbulent times forge heroes. And among those hailed as war heroes stood the knight before me now.
Scarlet earned her moniker Red Fangs for darting through the heart of the fray alone and tearing out an enemy commander's throat with her teeth. In recognition of her feats, the Empire founded the Red Lion Knight Order and named her its captain. Despite being a new unit, they racked up countless achievements, growing into one of the Empire's pillars in an absurdly short time. And the reason for that was right in front of my eyes—I couldn't help swallowing hard.
"You've gotten a bit thinner since last time. Even as a fugitive, I figured you'd be eating well and living it up."
"So you are here to capture me."
I frantically scanned our surroundings. There could be other knights lying in wait. Seeing my reaction, Scarlet thumped her spear on the ground, telling me to focus on her.
"No one's here but me. Relax."
"Even if you say that, it's hard to let my guard down."
Scarlet was the kind of person they called the Empire's sole voice of conscience—straightforward to a fault. She rarely lied, so if she said she was alone, she probably was. Still, I didn't loosen up. She was an opponent I couldn't beat in my current state.
"How did you track me down? I never used a single Warp Portal."
"Hmm...! Think you could buy 'a hunch'?"
"I don't want to, but I guess I'd have to."
A village girl had marched off to defend her home and survived against all odds. That alone was impressive, but she'd awakened her talents on the battlefield and piled up merits besides. From village maiden to captain of an imperial knight order through the fires of war. She was already superhuman back then—what must her prime look like now? Her finding me on instinct didn't seem far-fetched at all.
"Alvin, who's this lady you're calling 'master'?"
"The captain of the Red Lion Knight Order, guardians of the Empire. Ever heard of the red-haired hero?"
"Ah! No way, that red-haired hero...!"
"That's right. She's my master."
Scarlet was flashing a V-sign with her fingers, grinning like a kid. Hardly the demeanor of someone here to apprehend a wanted man. But she had a way of finding joy in even the grimest situations, so I couldn't drop my guard.
"You had such an amazing master and never told anyone?!"
"Alvin wanted to be known as Knight Alvin, not as the disciple of a hero!"
Scarlet answered for me. She'd nailed the exact reason why, in the story, Alvin never went around advertising his connection to her.
Alvin had wanted to become a hero on his own merits, not ride on his master's fame. Aside from the Empress and a few others, no one knew he was Scarlet's disciple—not even the three sluts who'd been his lovers.
"You could've traded on my name anywhere and gotten the red-carpet treatment, but my disciple's too damn stubborn to even mention it."
"What if I failed? It'd tarnish your reputation."
"Tarnish it? So what? It's not like I'd have to step down as captain. Hell, if you'd failed spectacularly enough, I could've used it as an excuse to ditch this headache of a job!"
"You're probably the only master who'd wish for her disciple's failure for a reason like that."
Her freewheeling mindset and "whatever happens, happens" attitude seemed impossibly carefree, but it was those very traits that had gotten me out of more than a few scrapes.
Unless you pulled off war-altering feats like Scarlet, a commoner becoming a knight was next to impossible. Alvin had been a commoner too. No matter how talented, they always promoted nobles' sons first. But Scarlet had spotted his potential and taken him as her disciple, paving his way to knighthood.
"Of course I was joking! You think I'd really want my disciple to fail?"
"Too bad your disciple went and failed beyond redemption anyway."
"You mean getting wanted?"
"Yes. That's why you're here, right?"
"......Pfft!"
Scarlet, who'd been silent for a beat, let out a light chuckle. Then she burst into full-blown laughter, clutching her sides.
"Puhaha! The same disciple who ratted out corrupt nobles sniffing around for 'sponsorship' straight to Her Majesty—embezzlement? Give me a break! Hell, it'd be more believable if a stray dog claimed to be a knight!"
"The embezzlement's a frame job, but disobeying orders? That's real."
"True, a guy who should be fighting demons shouldn't be hanging around a port city. Looks like you ditched your mission."
Scarlet started twirling the spear she'd been gripping. Sensing danger, I ducked low. The razor-sharp blade whistled over my head. I went to counter with my sword, but she grabbed my wrist. Her grip was iron—my arm wouldn't budge.
"Gonna need more muscle training, huh?"
"Kuh!"
I tried kicking with my leg, but she hoisted my entire body up with one hand. She flipped me over her shoulder and slammed me down. I twisted midair to soften the landing. For a grown man resisting with all he had, to lift me one-handed like that—it was downright monstrous strength.
"Your combat instincts are as sharp as ever."
"So you are here to capture me."
"Nah? I took leave just to see my disciple's face after all this time."
"Who takes vacation armed to the teeth?"
Scarlet thrust without answering. I parried with my sword, but facing my beaming master coming at me relentlessly sent chills down my spine. My childhood friend was one thing, but why were the women unconnected to the NTR so terrifying?
Maybe because they're too strong for any other man to touch.
I'd called her scary earlier, but she was going easy on me. If she were serious, she'd have unleashed her Aura and overwhelmed me. Relying purely on sword and spear, I deflected her flurry of strikes from every angle.
I've got openings to counter... but...
Scarlet was the type to offer flesh to claim bone. Scratch her, and I'd pay with a gutted belly. Defense was my best bet, so I bided my time, waiting for the ship's departure to make my escape.
"Boring! Fight with some fire!"
"Huh...?"
She closed the distance. No need for a spear user to rush in—reach was her advantage. Yet she threw caution to the wind.
What's her game?
It was like handing an enemy her bones on a platter. The best I'd get was mutual destruction. No clue what she was after, but I wasn't wasting the chance.
I shortened my grip and swung. The blade nearly kissed her face—she snapped her neck back just in time. But my crossguard clipped her head, sending her tumbling to the dirt.
What...?
Victory felt hollow. Like I'd taken her backdoor virginity but missed the front—unsatisfying. And even though I hadn't hit hard, her rolling around screamed overacting.
"Ow. Ie. Go! Lost to my own disciple?"
"Master?"
"The undefeated captain of the Red Lion Knight Order falls to a mere fugitive! I've besmirched the Empire's honor!"
"Come on. That was just sparring—no Aura at all."
"As captain, I must take responsibility and step down."
Now I got it—why she'd charged me, and why she'd let me "win."
"Master, if you're thinking of following me abroad, that's insane."
"The sting of defeat hurts so bad, I need a vacation."
"Vacation's fine, but you have to come back."
"For the honor of the Red Lion Knight Order, I should just retire."
My head started throbbing. I knew how much Scarlet doted on Alvin. She'd never trained a single successor— he was her one and only disciple. That's why I'd been more disappointed she hadn't shown up in the final battle than the sluts' absence.
If she'd known Alvin was in danger, she'd have been the first to rush in.
Yet she hadn't appeared till the end—probably because the Empress, fallen to the Finance Minister, had blocked her desperately. Disgust for the Empress welled up, while Scarlet's childish Hollywood antics drew a sigh.
"Master, do you realize how absurd it is for the Empire's hero and knight order captain to go on 'leave' fully armed to another country?"
"I do."
This kind of person is a hero?