Under Siege
"Are you familiar with the Imperial Academy?"
It was an unexpected question. Why bring up an academy out of nowhere while discussing a monster invasion? Whatever his intentions were, I had to answer the Emperor first.
"I am."
"Yes, Father."
Only Lee Cheri and I replied. The other Rosemary members looked utterly clueless.
"The Imperial Academy is not merely an educational institution. It produces the knights who defend our nation, and the students themselves stand alongside them to protect the empire."
We listened in silence to the Emperor's explanation. So, what's your point?
"My proposal—and my request—is that you enroll in the Imperial Academy as students."
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Father, where is this coming from?"
The Rosemary members reacted in their own ways to the Emperor's sudden proposal.
"Having observed my daughter, Cheri, I have some idea of your capabilities. You are undoubtedly heroes with immense potential, just like her. However, it is the consensus of the imperial court that you are not yet ready to defend the nation."
The Emperor gestured toward Eden, who took a step forward and spoke.
"It is as His Majesty says. Based on the rumors we have gathered regarding the heroes, our knighthood has deemed your current strength insufficient."
"...Huh. You don't even know what I'm capable of yet, do you?"
Ok-ja cut Eden off, her tone sharp. She hadn't changed a bit. She didn't care if she was in the imperial palace or not. Despite her interruption, Eden maintained a relaxed smile.
"Indeed. Which is precisely why we recommend you enroll. We will assess each of your individual abilities and help you gain the practical experience you need."
He wasn't wrong. I was also starting to hit a wall training under Isaac back in the Russell Territory.
"Furthermore, if what Lord Yeong-sik said is true, you will face the monsters head-on during the Total Lunar Eclipse. It won't be easy for just four people to handle such a massive horde."
"B-but..."
"Wait a moment, Sir Eden. Even so, asking us to decide right this second is a bit much, don't you think?"
Lee Cheri raised a hand to cut Eden off. Honestly, I felt the same way. I still didn't trust the Imperial Knights, and I barely knew anything about the Imperial Academy.
"Father, what is going on? You didn't say a word about this to me."
"I apologize. It was something I had been pondering, but hearing the Hero of Knowledge's words just now convinced me. You and the other heroes require support on a national level."
Lee Cheri's expression darkened at the Emperor's words.
"...That's unfair."
"I know this is sudden. But as you said, you don't have to decide right away. Go back and think it over for about a week. Would that be acceptable to everyone?"
Since he put it that way, there wasn't much to say. Besides, they were offering to help us get stronger; I had no real reason to refuse.
The Rosemary members and I agreed to think it over.
"Then, as planned, enjoy your remaining two days resting in the palace. Eden, Grace, escort our guests to their quarters."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
As the Emperor stood up first, the Rosemary members and I quickly followed suit, bowing our heads.
Guided by the Imperial Knights, Isaac and I arrived at our assigned quarters.
"Hoho, this is quite magnificent."
Just as Isaac said, the place was grander than anything I had ever seen in my life. The only downside was that I had to share it with this old man.
There were five rooms in total. Chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, and ornately decorated furniture gave the suite a luxurious glow. As for me...
Whoosh—jiggle.
Whoosh—jiggle.
"Young master, are you really training even here...?"
"Whew. What does it matter where I am? Getting stronger is all that matters."
I stood in the middle of the living room, swinging the longsword I had brought along. Staring straight at the glass window that covered an entire wall, I corrected my posture.
"Come to think of it, Master, don't you think I've lost some weight?"
"Hmm, indeed. You seem to have grown taller as well."
My reflection in the window was definitely slimmer than before. Well, I was still jiggling, but still. I had probably finally broken into the 100-kilogram range, right?
There wasn't a scale in sight. But in times like this, I had a foolproof method.
Mercury.
I can ask you anything, right?
What's my current height and weight?
Oh, thank you!
It was still a pathetic stat line, but for me, it was massive progress.
It had been a month since I arrived in Ruesellon. In that short span, I had grown nearly a hand span taller, and my weight had hit the lowest I could remember.
I had really felt the difference after meeting the Rosemary members today. Before, I had to look up to meet their eyes, but now we were at a similar height. Well, excluding that shrimp Ok-ja, of course.
Phew. No time to rest.
I still had a long way to go to get revenge on those bitches who killed me. The reality was that not only was my body still pathetic, but my stats were also nowhere near theirs. The next time I saw them, I was going to make them pay, one way or another.
I put more power into my swings.
Whoosh—jiggle.
By the time Isaac went to bed, it was past midnight. Yet, I was still swinging my sword in front of the window. My mind was consumed by a single word: revenge.
Flash—
Suddenly, a bright light flared outside the window. For a brief moment, the world outside turned stark white, banishing the darkness.
"...What is that?"
I stepped closer to the window to investigate the sudden phenomenon. At that exact moment—
CRASH!!
The glass shattered inward with a massive explosion. Caught in the blast, I was thrown backward and slammed hard into the wall.
"Agh!"
I didn't even have time to process what had happened. Shards of glass from the shattered window rained down, slicing my skin. Blood began to drip from my arms, legs, and head.
"*Cough, cough!* What the hell... is this?"
Every breath I took filled my throat with thick smoke. The dense smog from the explosion completely obscured my vision.
M-Mercury, what's going on?
What?
It was then.
"Find them quickly! Kill them before they can escape!"
Tsk. I had no idea what was happening or who they were looking for, but I needed to get out of here. Just then, I heard a door creak open through the smoke.
"Young master! Where are you?!"
...What should I do? I hesitated, worried about giving away my position, but warning Isaac of the danger came first.
"Master, watch out! We have intruders!"
"...Over there! Attack!"
Dammit, you old fool.
I pushed my sword against the floor, forcing myself up.
Mercury, who are they? How many?
The sounds of the enemies were already coming from the direction of the exit. I quickly scanned the room for anything useful. Fortunately, I spotted a shield lying on the floor not too far away.
"Die."
At that moment, a masked man emerged from the smoke. Without a shred of hesitation, he swung his sword.
SLAM!
It was a razor-thin margin. I threw myself toward the shield, rolling out of the way just as his sword tore through the wall, triggering a small explosion.
"*Pant... pant...*"
My chest heaved from the sheer, suffocating tension. A second slower, and it would have been my head, not the wall, blown to pieces.
My mind spun, but I couldn't afford to daze out. Grabbing the shield in one hand, I pushed myself up and yelled.
"W-who the hell are you?!"
"You don't need to know. Die."
A sharp blade immediately lunged toward my throat. I quickly raised the shield to deflect the strike and leaped backward.
...He's strong!
The heavy impact sent a stinging vibration right down to my fingertips. The masked man's strength was easily on par with Isaac's.
Seemingly surprised that I had blocked his strike, the man hesitated for a split second before raising his sword again. But he wasn't the only problem. Through the shifting smoke, I could see multiple silhouettes rushing toward me.
Swish—
A slash flew in from my left. There was no time to raise the shield. I barely managed to twist my body away, but the blade still left a long gash across my left arm.
"Ugh! Who the hell are you bastards?!"
A barrage of blades rained down on me. None of their strikes were half-hearted; every single one aimed ruthlessly for my vitals. I could do nothing but retreat, desperately hiding behind my shield.
Reacting to Mercury's sudden warning, I instantly ducked. A blade whooshed through the air, narrowly missing the top of my head.
"Fuck... one at a time!"
Springing upward, I slammed my forehead directly into the attacker's jaw. With a sickening crack of shattering bone, the man collapsed to the floor.
"Ugh..."
My head throbbed, but I had no time to dwell on the pain. The remaining masked men still stood before me.
"Just die quietly."
Their voices dripped with confidence. Believing they had me cornered, they stopped rushing their attacks. Instead, they slowly closed the distance, keeping their blades pointed at me.
Who the hell are these guys? Pulling a stunt like this inside the imperial palace?
I was completely cornered. Cold sweat poured down my spine as I stared at the gleaming, razor-sharp blades. They were only three or four paces away.
"Die."
With perfect coordination, they thrust their swords forward simultaneously.
Dammit, is this how I die?
Blades closed in from all directions. Deflecting them was impossible; dodging was out of the question. I was a rat in a trap. Realizing there was no way out, I squeezed my eyes shut.
What a shitty life. Dying like this again.
Clang! Clang!
The expected pain never came. Instead, the sharp, metallic screech of clashing blades echoed through the room.
...Huh? What happened?
"Are you alright, Lord Yeong-sik?!"
It wasn't Isaac's voice. I tentatively opened my eyes and saw a cascade of long, crimson hair.
"Lady Grace...!"
"Stay behind me. I will carve us a path out."
Relief washed over me, making my knees weak. But it was too early to relax.
"W-wait! Master Isaac is still over there!"
"Securing your safety is our priority—"
The sounds of battle still echoed from Isaac's direction. With his stamina, he wouldn't be able to hold out for long.
Reading the desperation in my eyes, Grace gave a reluctant nod.
"...Understood."
Grace spoke calmly, effortlessly parrying an incoming blade. And then—
Slash—
A flash of light erupted from her hand.
Following the brilliant arc of light, the masked man's head rolled off his shoulders. It happened in the blink of an eye.
So this is the Vice Commander of the Imperial Knights...
Grace stepped forward. Flinching at her overwhelming bloodlust, the enemies belatedly lunged at her.
Attacks rained down from all sides. Grace deftly deflected them with her sword, creating openings in their defenses. Her speed was almost too fast for the eye to follow. One by one, the enemies fell to her blade.
Mercury! How many left?
Good, at this rate...!
The smoke gradually cleared, opening up our field of vision. On the other side, Isaac was locked in combat with a single enemy. That left three facing Grace and me.
We definitely had the upper hand now. Grace's overwhelming strength was undeniable. Sensing this, the enemies hesitated to make a move.
Just as a glimmer of hope began to spark—
"Let the power of the atmosphere gather in one place, summoning a gale here and now..."
One of the masked men raised a staff and muttered the incantation. By the time Grace and I realized what was happening, it was already too late.
"Tsk, Lord Yeong-sik, run—!"
⟨ Blast! ⟩
A violent gale erupted from the wizard's staff. The force of the wind was so intense I couldn't even open my eyes. The spell hit Grace head-on, blowing her clean out of the shattered window in an instant.
"Now! Kill him!"
I stared blankly at the empty space where Grace had just been standing. In an instant, the tables had turned to a three-on-one. They weren't going to give me any breathing room. The two men shielding the wizard raised their swords and charged at me.
Everything seemed to slow down, like a scene in slow motion. Was this what it felt like right before death? We had clearly won, or so I thought.
There was no way to win. I was hopelessly outmatched in both skill and numbers. It was impossible for me to block both of them. Feigning resignation, I...
"Now, Master Isaac!"
I screamed, looking past the enemies.
For a split second, the two charging men flinched and glanced behind them. And I didn't miss that single, fleeting moment.
"Gullible bastards."