Chapter 204
Chapter 204
The shock left by Tris Hornsby was profound.
Though I suffered no physical injuries, it took three full days before I could move properly again. And another week before I could resume training and reignite my determination to decipher that unfathomable technique.
A transcendent who casually displayed techniques I'd never even heard of.
'He's definitely stronger than Master. By more than a margin.'
The thought was naturally disheartening.
What was even more staggering was that, if my instincts were correct, he was a transcendent nearing the end of his lifespan. Yet he still wielded such power. And according to his own words, there were at least four others like him in the Empire. The fear that realization instilled was immense.
"If you wish to learn, come to the Empire."
That final statement tugged at my soul more fiercely than any temptation the Emperor had offered.
But...
'I can surpass him. Someday.'
The shocking technique displayed by the Continent's Strongest Swordsman had clearly shown me the path I needed to grow toward. That was why I could overcome the shock, shake off the temptation, and let go of lingering regrets.
'Absolutely!'
With that single thought, Logan resumed his training in the Star Palace.
'Proper awakening will come after leaving the capital. For now...'
Only after the promised period had fully elapsed did Logan finally step outside the Star Palace for the first time.
The end of the spring festival.
He had come to inform the Emperor of his return to the kingdom.
"Please announce me."
Logan lifted his crimson eyes toward the door emblazoned with the golden dragon.
Beyond it lay the final obstacle before his departure from the imperial capital.
"Sir Logan of Grandia."
"Let him enter."
Creak—
The moment had come to face the Emperor once more.
"I greet His Imperial Majesty."
The Emperor's study. Three weeks had passed, yet the oppressive aura radiating from the Emperor remained unchanged. The eerie glint in his black eyes still unsettled my chest, and his inscrutable expression only deepened that unease.
"Hmm. It's been a while, Logan. So, did you receive my gift?"
Gift.
He was referring to Tris Hornsby's single strike.
Logan couldn't help but let out a bitter smile.
"Yes. It was... greatly enlightening."
The Emperor smirked at Logan's response.
"Tris said he found you quite impressive. So, have you reconsidered?"
Impressive?
'That's too generous.'
Logan felt a pang of bitterness recalling his pitiful state that day, but his reply came without hesitation.
"Your Majesty. I am grateful for your generous praise. And again, I must apologize. I still wish to remain a subject of Grandia. With the festival now concluded, I have come to inform you of my return to the kingdom."
"Hmm...?"
The Emperor's lips curled into an ambiguous smile at the firm refusal.
Then, as Logan had feared, he spoke.
"Do you know? In my entire life, I have never once let go of something I desired."
I will not release you.
Logan's face stiffened at the worst possible response. But yielding to the Emperor's coercion was not an option—he had no choice but to stand firm.
"...Then all you will gain is my death."
"Hohoho. You would defy death itself? Does your king mean that much to you? You don't strike me as the type to pledge blind loyalty to anyone."
Logan didn't know what the Emperor's judgment was based on, but it struck true.
Seeing Logan flinch, the Emperor smiled again.
"Then tell me what you desire. Whatever it is, I will reward you beyond what your king or kingdom could ever offer."
The ruler before him truly seemed to possess some strange, mesmerizing power.
Even Logan, who had arrived with unwavering resolve, found himself briefly entertaining the thought.
But he shook off the pointless hesitation and reaffirmed his stance.
"I desire only freedom, Your Majesty."
"Freedom? Not loyalty to your kingdom?"
Empty words wouldn't sway this ruler with his unshakable gaze.
Those strange, gleaming eyes seemed to pierce through human hearts, and the greed within them knew no surrender.
So Logan had no choice but to bare a fragment of his true feelings.
"My king cannot force me. But Your Majesty is different. That is why I cannot remain in the Empire."
"What? Hahahaha! So, you're saying you'll stay in the kingdom because your king lets you do as you please? Are you in your right mind?"
"Yes. Precisely."
"Pfft—HAHAHAHA! You're far more entertaining than I expected. Hahaha, this is insane...!"
The Emperor's laughter echoed through the study for a long while.
Even Logan, with his head bowed, and the transcendent standing guard behind the Emperor were tilting their heads in confusion by the time the laughter subsided.
Then, with a smirk, the Emperor uttered something entirely unexpected.
"Fine. I'll let you go!"
A surrender declaration far easier than anticipated.
Logan was both surprised and elated—until the Emperor added:
"But not for free."
That grin made Logan feel a faint unease, but the Emperor's next words forced a wry smile and a nod.
True to his word, the Emperor did not let Logan leave empty-handed.
"I can't have it said I treated my guest poorly. I've prepared a modest gift."
That "modest" gift turned out to exceed the sum of all the presents the nobles had piled in the Star Palace up to that point.
Jewels and treasures filled five four-horse carriages to the brim—easily surpassing the total wealth of a mid-ranking imperial noble.
In the end, Logan's party had to mount horses instead of carriages, escorting the five treasure-laden wagons like a royal procession as they departed the capital.
That alone would have stirred up the entire Empire, but what truly set the imperial nobility abuzz was the artifact bestowed upon Logan personally—the Divine Pauldrons.
The Emperor had gifted an armor-type artifact to a foreign knight.
The golden-patterned shoulder armor became a topic of discussion not for its inherent value, but for the Emperor's intent.
It was widely known in the Empire that the Emperor only bestowed arms upon knights he truly cherished.
The kingdom's envoy had received immense favor from the Emperor.
Thus, rumors spread rapidly from the capital across the Empire—and it wasn't hard to see why.
As a result, Logan found himself scowling deeply from the very first day of his departure.
"He's making things difficult for me in every way, that man..."
"Are you worried about bandits, perhaps?"
Pfft.
A remark that made both speaker and listener laugh.
Any bandit foolish enough to attack a group guarded by aura users and knights would have to be utterly insane.
"The problem is the rumors we're bringing back."
"Huh?"
At Victor's puzzled reaction, Logan elaborated.
"The gifts are excessive, and now I've received a symbolically significant treasure. Anyone who sees this will assume I'm on close terms with the Emperor."
"Why is that a problem?"
"It gives people a reason to oppose me. There will be those who see this as justification to make a move."
"What? Who in Grandia would dare antagonize you, my lord—?"
The king.
Logan couldn't bring himself to say it aloud, so he simply let out another bitter smile.
Of course, the Emperor's mischief was troublesome, but the gains from this imperial visit far outweighed the problems it might cause. Complaining would have been ungrateful.
'Just seeing the Emperor in person and learning of such transcendents was worth the trip.'
The Emperor's overwhelming presence and the unfathomable techniques of those supreme warriors—experiencing them firsthand was invaluable for Logan, who would one day have to face them.
And then there were the treasures he'd acquired on top of that.
Huuuuum...
The artifact the Emperor had named the Divine Pauldrons pulsed with presence on his shoulders.
"An indestructible armor, even against aura. Its durability is its sole trait, but for someone like you, nearing transcendence, this is far more practical than a flashy artifact."
Even the Emperor had described it thus when handing it over.
Yet from the moment Logan received it, the pauldrons felt strangely familiar.
Beneath the faint mana they emitted, he sensed something far greater hidden within.
It was the same feeling he'd had when first grasping the Boots of the Wind God from Vifros and the Gauntlets of Titanic Strength from Croune.
'To think I'd obtain something like this so easily...'
The moment he left the capital, he infused them with force.
True to form, the pauldrons greedily absorbed his energy and, in return, revealed their full capabilities without reservation.
'Enhanced durability, accelerated recovery, a Class 4 shield spell, and self-repair.'
This was the third such artifact—each responding only to his force, as if bound by some strange fate.
That even the Emperor hadn't recognized their true value made them all the more special.
Of course, unlike the neglected relics of before, these pauldrons were already acknowledged as high-value artifacts simply for withstanding aura...
'Are there more like this? And if so, why do they respond only to me...?'
The answers remained unknown, but since it was hardly a bad thing, Logan gladly equipped his new armor.
And the rewards from this imperial visit weren't limited to information on the Emperor and transcendents—or even artifacts.
Huuuuum...
A golden, auspicious light flickered at his fingertips.
The power he was about to obtain would become the greatest key to enduring the Empire's overwhelming might and carving out his future.
"Sir Luther, may I ask you to take over the escort for a moment?"
"Hm? Why the sudden request?"
"I believe I can show you something interesting soon."
When Logan raised his hand, letting the glow of aura shimmer, Luther's eyes widened in understanding.
"You—don't tell me... Already?"
At that heavily abbreviated question, Logan simply nodded.
And so, from the very first evening after leaving the capital, the party made camp unusually early.
"Your Majesty, was all that truly necessary?"
In the Emperor's study, now devoid of Logan, a voice suddenly echoed through the empty air.
Yet neither the Emperor nor his guardian knight, Leonard, showed any surprise.
"Do you think it excessive?"
The Emperor chuckled lightly, and the invisible presence replied.
"The wealth you pressed upon him is hardly significant, but gifting an armor-type artifact seems somewhat excessive. You've cultivated a certain image, Your Majesty. Even if the artifact had little practical use, bestowing such favor upon a foreign knight may raise eyebrows."
Criticizing the Emperor's actions—a rare sight among imperial subjects.
Yet the Emperor didn't seem displeased.
"It's not excessive. A man barely in his twenties, possessing transcendent-level combat prowess—but more than that, it's the audacity to provoke me in the heart of the imperial palace that holds value. If I'm to break that will and draw him to my side someday, such an investment is necessary. I want the world to know—this one is marked by me."
"...There's still a chance he may reject you and turn against the Empire."
"Then I'll simply crush him when the time comes."
The Emperor's logic was decidedly different from the world's, and his expression remained utterly composed.
However—
"...The Second Prince seems to be making moves in Grandia. Given his tendencies, the likelihood of Logan becoming his enemy has risen. Shouldn't we be concerned?"
At this, even the Emperor tilted his head.
"Baros? That child?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Hmm. Well, that could be entertaining too."
"Will you simply watch?"
The Emperor smiled faintly and answered in a detached tone.
"Watching young talents clash is how they grow. Let them handle it themselves. But do relay this—make an effort to recruit Logan."
"...Understood."