Chapter 171: It’s Been Quite a While (3)
Chapter 171: It’s Been Quite a While (3)
Three figures revealed themselves.
One was a middle-aged man with blonde hair and broad shoulders, a giant who looked sturdy at a glance.
Beside him was a man with red hair who looked slightly younger, possessing a fierce impression.
Finally, there was an old man with white hair that shimmered silver under the moonlight, his face etched with deep wrinkles.
Patrick studied the three of them intently before pointing his sword at the giant on the far right.
“You must be Count Beretto Zigler.”
“Ho? You know me?”
“I do. Normally, you would’ve been my next target.”
“…”
“You should be thanking your lucky stars, shouldn’t you?”
At Patrick’s provocation, Count Zigler frowned.
“Tsk, what an insolent brat. This is why those lacking in faith are a problem.”
Count Beretto Zigler.
In his mid-forties, he was often compared to Count Calvin Spike as a rival.
His weapon of choice was a mace—a blunt instrument primarily used by holy knights. Though he wasn't a holy knight himself, it was his primary weapon because he was a devout follower of Yupinel.
He was so pious that his moniker was the ‘Hammer of God.’ It was quite unusual for someone who wasn't a citizen of the Holy Kingdom to carry such a title.
The other two men radiated an aura that was in no way inferior to Beretto Zigler’s.
As Patrick turned his gaze toward them, the man who appeared to be in his thirties spoke.
“I am Helios Gilsian. It is a pleasure to meet you, Double Dragon.”
“Helios… Ah! That guy…”
“It seems you know me. I, too, have heard your name quite often—”
“You’re the youngest, the baby of the group, right?”
“…”
The moment Patrick spoke, Count Gilsian’s eyebrows twitched.
It was true that he was the youngest among the 7-star knights of the Caesar Kingdom. Even so…
This green brat dares…
Count Gilsian glared at him, his eyes burning with intense killing intent, but Patrick didn’t even blink. If anything…
“What’s with that look? You want a piece of this? Huh? Do you? Bring it! Come on!”
“You dare…”
Having never been so insulted in his life, Count Gilsian reached for the bastard sword on his back.
“Oh? Is the wittle baby angwy? Come on, then. Step up. Big brother will teach you a lesson.”
“I’ll kill you!”
“‘I’ll kiiiill yooouuu!’” Patrick mocked in a high-pitched whine.
“Aaaargh!”
Easy.
Patrick smirked as he watched Count Gilsian prepare to charge, baited by the provocation. However…
“Calm yourself.”
Just as Count Gilsian was about to lunge, someone stepped in front of him.
The man turned back with calm eyes and looked at Count Gilsian.
“Your mental discipline is lacking.”
“Kuh… But…”
“It was a transparent and vulgar provocation. Do not fall for it.”
“…My apologies.”
Count Gilsian let out a small groan and stepped back. He was clearly frustrated, but his attitude showed he couldn't dare defy the man before him.
That man was none other than…
“It is a pleasure to meet the rising star of the continent.”
“And who are you, old man?”
“Hahaha. ‘Old man,’ is it…?”
“What? Why?”
What did they expect from a man who called even the Empire’s Sword Saint an ‘old geezer’?
The man spoke with a benevolent smile on his lips.
“I am Marquis Andrea Luid.”
“Never heard of you.”
“…The world calls me the ‘Iron Castle.’”
“Still never heard of you.”
“…”
“You’re not very famous, are you, Gramps?”
Only you don’t know, you bastard. Only you…
The words nearly clawed their way out of the Marquis’s throat, but he forced them back down.
In truth, when discussing the strongest on the continent, there was little debate because the Empire’s Sword Saint was so overwhelmingly dominant. However, when discussing those in the second tier, a few names always came up—and ‘Iron Castle’ was one of them.
The pride of the Caesar Kingdom.
The de facto strongest man in the Caesar Kingdom, ranked at the very top even among the nine 7-star knights.
A powerhouse who might one day cross the wall of the 7-star realm to reach the 8-star Transcendent State.
Yet, Patrick merely picked his ear with a bored expression, as if he truly had never heard of such a person.
Anyone below the Sword Saint is a nobody. Who has time to remember all of them?
Patrick blew the earwax off his pinky and said nonchalantly, “So? Where’s the last one?”
“Hmm…?”
“I felt four people at the 7-star level. So where did one of them go?”
At those words, the three of them were genuinely surprised.
They hadn't particularly hidden their presence, but the fourth person was waiting well outside the perimeter. To have senses sharp enough to pinpoint the exact number of experts…
His senses are more than just sharp.
He’s no mere brat.
How did a small nation like the Atronia Kingdom produce such a monster?
After a brief silence, Marquis Luid spoke.
“You are alone yourself. I heard you were traveling with your fiancée, the Princess.”
“She was getting in the way, so I sent her off.”
“A wise decision. With your skills, it would be easier to move alone.”
“Ahem!”
“…”
Was this really something to be proud of?
Marquis Luid suppressed the thought of ‘What is wrong with this guy?’ and spoke calmly.
“However, if you think we didn't anticipate such a move, you are gravely mistaken.”
“Oh, really?”
“Indeed. We sent the remaining person to capture your lovely fiancée, Princess Isabella.”
“Oh, really?”
Patrick’s continued indifference made Marquis Luid’s blood boil. He had lived a long time, but where else would he be subjected to such blatant disregard?
He struggled to maintain his composure.
“Aren’t you curious who went to catch your fiancée?”
“Nope. Not really.”
“…”
“So, can we get back to the sword-swinging now? Come on—”
“Ahem, cough…”
Marquis Luid cleared his throat and interrupted. “I shall tell you as a special courtesy.”
“I told you, I’m not curious.”
Listen, you little shit.
“The one who went to capture your lovely fiancée, Princess Isabella, is Count Martin Tonius.”
“What? Martin Tonius?!”
Patrick’s expression shifted to one of shock.
Marquis Luid smirked with newfound confidence. “Ho, it seems you’ve heard of him.”
“No. Never heard of him.”
“…”
“…”
A hollow wind blew between them.
Marquis Luid spoke in a voice that was trembling slightly, despite his best efforts to remain calm.
“Then… why did you react like that?”
“Just trying to match the mood.”
“…”
“I saw you rambling on about things I didn’t even ask for and thought, ‘Ah, this old man is lonely. He’s a poor old soul who’s been alienated by his family and society because of his nagging, boomer personality.’”
“Cough… hack…”
“I might look like this, but I’ve lived my life being called a ‘Hero’… you know, a good person. So how could I ignore a lonely elder? I figured I should at least be a conversation partner.”
“A lonely old man?”
“Yeah. You had a bit of fun, didn't you?”
“…”
“Huh? It wasn't fun?”
Forget whether it was fun or not…
What is wrong with this guy?
What is wrong with this guy?
What is wrong with this guy?
Every single person surrounding Patrick had the exact same thought at the same time.
Marquis Luid, finally snapping back to his senses, said, “If you don’t know the man, then you must not know the rumors about him either.”
“Tsk, tsk. Our Gramps is really feeling neglected, isn't he?”
“…”
No. I’m not.
Don’t look at me with those pitying eyes like I’m some helpless senior.
“Wow, I’m so curious. What are the rumors?” Patrick asked mockingly.
Marquis Luid ground his teeth and replied, “He is the most atrocious and cruel knight among all the knights of our kingdom.”
Well? Are you worried now?
“Is that something to be proud of?”
“…”
Well, no, it wasn't exactly something to be proud of. A knight being atrocious and cruel wasn't a badge of honor.
Marquis Luid cleared his throat again.
“Ahem… cough…”
Conversation with this youth was impossible. Yet, he had to steer it back to a normal track somehow.
“You may not know, but that man once personally executed over a thousand criminals in a single night. Thus, he is known by the moniker ‘Bloody Martin.’”
“What a scumbag.”
“Furthermore, he is a notorious lecher, boasting that he always has over a hundred concubines.”
“A total piece of trash scumbag.”
“…”
“What? Am I wrong?”
Just don’t listen to him.
Deciding it was better to just say what he needed to say, Marquis Luid continued.
“The man pursuing your fiancée is that kind of person. Therefore…”
“If I don’t want my fiancée to suffer a terrible fate, I should surrender quietly?”
“Ye… Yes…”
“And you’ll promise to spare my life?”
“Hmm…”
“That’s what you were going to say, right?”
“…”
It was. It was exactly what he was going to say, but hearing it flipped back like this made it sound…
“Wow… look at that personality. How can a human be like this?”
“What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“No, think about it. You just unleashed a total piece of trash scumbag on my fiancée and then told me to surrender if I don’t want her to suffer? Right?”
Well, yes. Summarized, that was it.
“I mean, even if you can’t win with skill, is this how a knight behaves? Wow, and you wonder why I’m questioning your character?”
“…”
Being called out so directly made Marquis Luid’s face turn red. He avoided Patrick’s gaze and muttered, “Ahem, I merely made a choice to minimize casualties.”
“Tsk, tsk. Your character is truly fantastic.”
“…”
Leaving the speechless Marquis Luid behind, Patrick’s mouth continued to pour out words without restraint.
“Hey, even you think this is a bit much, right? This isn't right, is it? Yeah, you there. The one who just nodded like, ‘Yeah, this is a bit wrong.’ You. I’m talking to you.”
The knight Patrick pointed at pointed to himself in shock. Feeling the gazes of everyone around him, he hurriedly shook his head.
“N-no! I didn't think that…”
“Kuh… Behold! That poor youth who cannot speak the truth and must succumb to violence and power! Do you see it? This scene of tragedy?”
Everyone’s jaws dropped.
“The way of the world… no, the justice of knights is dead. Justice is dead. People can’t even speak the truth when they want to. Wow, how filthy. So this is the level of the Caesar Kingdom. Tsk, tsk. You guys must have it rough, having a boss like that…”
Watching Patrick prattle on without pause, Marquis Luid finally realized what his first priority should be.
“All units, attack!”
I have to shut that mouth first.
He was a bit late to the realization.
*
Even knowing that a piece of trash like Bloody Martin was targeting Isabella, Patrick wasn't shaken in the slightest.
In short, it meant one 7-star knight had moved to capture Isabella.
Just one.
Tsk, tsk. He’s dead meat.
There was absolutely no reason to worry.
Because by her side was the prize disciple Patrick had raised with the most care.
*
Count Martin Tonius.
The man known as Bloody Martin.
He was evaluated as the most cruel and atrocious person in the Caesar Kingdom… but in truth, it was worse than that.
If one were to judge him as a human being, excluding the glittering trophy of being a 7-star knight, there was no greater trash.
The Caesar Kingdom already had heavy taxes, but the place with the heaviest taxes was this man’s territory. Furthermore, if there was something he wanted, he would seize it by any means necessary—and his methods were bottom-of-the-barrel.
He would find a forced pretext to challenge someone to a duel and then take what he wanted. Since no one wanted to duel a 7-star knight, he effectively stole whatever he pleased.
His targets included expensive treasures, land, and even beautiful noblewomen.
If he saw a beautiful noble daughter or a lady, he would try to get his hands on her by any means. If the other party refused, he would drag them into a duel, kill the husband or father, and take the woman.
A true, genuine piece of trash.
The reason such a man had accepted the order to capture Patrick was to get his hands on Princess Isabella. He had never owned a princess of a nation before, so his desire for the ‘collection’ had flared up.
That was why he had separated from the other three to act individually and track Princess Isabella.
And the moment he saw her…
“Hooo… magnificent.”
He had heard she was beautiful, but she exceeded his expectations.
The sight of Princess Isabella swinging her sword to break through the encirclement was truly beautiful. Even as his subordinates were being cut down and falling to her blade, Count Tonius merely smiled with satisfaction, watching her as if appraising a work of art.
Her fair skin shimmering faintly in the moonlight, her flowing black hair. Even the beads of sweat rolling down her cheeks shone like translucent pearls. Her cold expression remained haughty even in the desperate situation of being surrounded by numerous knights.
Everything was beyond his expectations.
What would it look like when that black hair was spread across a pillow?
Would the moment that haughty, cold face was stained with humiliation and shame be ecstatic?
He wanted to draw screams of despair and lamentation from the lips of that beautiful, proud princess.
Just thinking about it is thrilling.
It had been a long time since he had found prey that satisfied his desire for conquest. Matthew was fighting desperately with his swords beside Isabella, but Martin didn't even register him.
“I should capture her without leaving a scratch… Hmm?”
Suddenly, Count Tonius noticed a commotion breaking out on the edge of the perimeter.
“B-block her! I said block her?!”
“Aaaargh!”
Between the desperate cries of knights and soldiers, a flashing glint of light drew elegant lines. And then…
“Ugh…”
“Kuh…”
Someone walked through the soldiers who had fallen without being able to offer any real resistance.
A figure dressed in a butler’s uniform, with short blonde hair and eyes the color of pale young leaves.
He spoke to Isabella and Matthew.
“You held out well. I’ve broken through the west side, let’s go.”
“Understood.”
“Thanks, Ace.”
April, who had joined Matthew and Isabella, turned her gaze to one side.
Her pale, leaf-colored eyes met the eyes of Count Tonius, who was hiding his presence some distance away. And then…
Thump! Thump!
What is this? What on earth is this?
Count Tonius felt his heart racing, a thrill coursing through his entire body.
In his life, he had captured and toyed with countless beauties. As a result, ordinary beauty no longer made his heart flutter.
Yet his heart was pounding like a boy in his first love.
Could a human truly be that beautiful?
It was as if the moonlight descending from the sky existed only to decorate that being. Even the corpses scattered around and the bloodstains splashed on her cheek couldn't diminish her beauty. No, if anything…
“She’s even more beautiful.”
He decided.
He would have that one, no matter what.
Having made up his mind, Count Tonius raised his longsword and roared at the top of his lungs.
“Everyone, get out of the way!”
With that, his body charged forward.
Boom, boom, boom, boom!
Trees and shrubs in his way were no obstacle. As he charged, destroying everything in his path, Matthew stepped forward to block him.
“You’re not going anywhere!”
Matthew’s brave action of stepping forward with twin swords in hand was merely laughable to Count Tonius.
“How dare a brat like you…”
He would crush such a boy in a single stroke and take both Princess Isabella and that beautiful youth. The night he would spend with the two of them in one bed would surely be more special than any night he had ever experienced.
With that resolve, he poured a massive amount of Aura Blade into his sword.
“Begone, brat.”
A strike driven by pure power, without technique or finesse. But it was a blow more than sufficient to split the boy in half.
Just as it was about to fall upon Matthew’s crown…
“Begone, trash.”
A clear, pure voice, like jade beads rolling on a silver tray, rang out. And then…
CRACK!
A refreshing, bone-shattering impact followed.
“Gah…!”
It was the sound of April’s knee pulverizing Count Tonius’s face.