62. Sea (1)
62. Sea (1)
Yuma looked at all the members of the <Dawn Revolutionary Group> kneeling before him.
This was the moment Yuma appointed the entire Dawn Revolutionary Group as the Dawn Knight Order.
Revolutionary Group Commander Cassiela had her red hair tied up in a ponytail.
"I welcome you as my first knight."
Yuma appointed Cassiela as a knight.
"I pledge my loyalty. Yuma-nim."
Just as I have until now.
And will continue to do so.
Yuma's gaze passed Commander Cassiela and turned to the revolutionary group members behind her.
"You are knights of the Grand Ducal House. And knights of this nation."
""Yes, Your Grace!""
"This is my first order. Half of you shall guard the safety of Emperor Brigitte at the Imperial Palace. The other half shall patrol the territories across the Empire and check for corrupt nobles or officials. This is already settled with Emperor Brigitte."
Yuma gave them the opportunity to build the integrity of the Empire they had originally sought, with their own hands.
"Arrested criminals shall be dealt with in accordance with imperial law."
The eyes of the Dawn Knight Order knights grew sharp.
"You may use force without leniency against those who obstruct the execution of your official duties."
""We receive your command! Your Grace!""
Cassiela slowly raised her head.
"I heard you will be going somewhere again this time."
Yuma met those eyes filled with warmth and loyalty.
"Yes, I have business in the southern sea. Guard the Empire well while I am gone."
"I will carry out the order with my life. Yuma-nim."
Cassiela wanted to follow Yuma.
But killing that desire was not difficult.
Because she simply thought that just being by Yuma's side was enough.
And because Yuma had just granted her the power to purify the Empire, which she had long wanted to accomplish.
Cassiela believed in the radiance that had emanated from Brigitte's body.
She believed in the power that radiance had given.
She had looked into history.
That radiance was the light that the first emperor of Astes had emitted.
'The Empire is changing. With Yuma-nim. With Her Imperial Majesty Brigitte.'
The imperial blood had fully awakened.
And so the Dawn Knight Order became Yuma's first knight order.
After appointing the entire Dawn Revolutionary Group as knights, they returned to the Imperial Princess's Palace.
Someone stood before Yuma.
"My lord, aren't you going to knight me?"
It was Bel.
Yuma stroked Bel's blue hair.
"You are my first sword even without that. Is there really a need to place restrictions on your movements, when it hasn't been long since you escaped your clan's karma?"
Bel would never leave his side.
As long as she was appointed as Yuma's sword, no one would dare disrespect her.
There was simply no need to receive a knighthood.
Bel's pink eyes met Yuma's blue eyes.
"I don't mind if it's restrictions from my lord."
"I wonder."
Seureuk...
Yuma stroked Bel's hair once more.
"See a bit more of the world first. If you still want to be my knight then, tell me again."
"Okay, got it. My lord."
Bel smiled softly.
***
The Divine Realm.
A jet-black throne.
Crimson mists slowly gathered and took shape above the throne.
It was a giant crow.
A crow blending crimson and black feathers.
Its head and wings, its legs and feet were all in the exact shape of a crow.
But its upper body was in the shape of a black human.
The giant crow god.
Malphas opened both eyes.
Black pupils faced the world directly.
Udeudeuk.
Malphas was slowly chewing something.
It was a human finger.
In front of the throne lay one naked corpse.
An offering whose soul had been annihilated and brought to the Divine Realm.
The order <Pigero>, where those who believed in him gathered.
No, where those he had made believe in him gathered.
An offering dedicated from that Pigero.
Malphas savored the human flesh and fell deep in thought.
He recalled the day he had sent a nun of the order to the one who had killed Inkrinu.
"Outwardly, that young wench next to him was actually more irritating...."
But it was definitely the man she faced through that nun who had killed God Inkrinu.
"I'll have to observe the situation for now."
Malphas had no intention of approaching Yuma immediately. Not even through Divine Descent, let alone Divine Advent.
He intended to watch his movements first.
"Rather than going in person myself... it's better to egg on the others."
The god who had been told he was excessively cautious thousands of years ago was cautious once again.
Udeudeuk.
"Take care, Yuma."
Brigitte saw Yuma off.
After bowing to Yuma, Brigitte approached Cloné and Bel, who were behind Yuma.
"It is thanks to you two that I was able to climb this far. Return safely."
Cloné and Bel could only stare wide-eyed at the embrace of Her Imperial Majesty.
"Me too! Your Imperial Majesty!"
And they could only look at Hestia of the Cat Tribe, who had said that, as if she were crazy.
"Yes, yes. Hestia suffered a great deal too."
"Mm, hehe."
The Cat Tribe's scarlet ears perked up at the embrace of the Imperial Emperor.
"We will return."
Cloné bowed politely. Bel bowed as well.
Yuma's party thus left the Imperial Palace.
A mere four people, moving to save the water tribe, the Fishmen Tribe, the Mulren Tribe, who were facing a once-in-a-lifetime crisis.
But Yuma had no worries whatsoever.
Because just Bel alone could exert power surpassing an entire legion.
And because before bidding farewell to Brigitte, he had met with his first knight Cassiela and given her orders.
He had told her to go to the information guild and contact the Pyneton information guild <Lantern>, to send word to the liaison member of the <White Night Clan> stationed there, asking them to select ten elite members and send them to the northern sea controlled by the Mulren Tribe.
From Yuma's perspective, it was a force that could not possibly fail.
Though the Mulren Tribe, who had sent the rescue request, might be dumbfounded.
North of the Empire.
And east of that northern region.
In the territory of Viscount Amon, located just below the Balzac Duchy, a port built for sea routes was situated.
Viscount Amon bowed to Yuma.
"I greet His Grace, Grand Duke Yuma."
The viscount, with his striking yellowish-brown hair, was a relatively young noble in his mid-thirties.
"Well met."
Yuma had no intention of staying long in Viscount Amon's territory.
Because it had taken a day and a half just to reach Viscount Amon's territory.
However, the night was already deep, so they had to rest here.
Yuma's party slept and woke, then were guided to the viscounty's dining hall.
Bel, Cloné, and Hestia's eyes sparkled at the sight of the table laden with abundant food.
"Wow, it's fish dishes!"
Bel, who had rarely eaten fish dishes in her life, devoured the grilled flatfish heartily.
And next to her, Hestia had already lined up four neatly picked-clean fish bones.
"Sh-shall I bring more?"
The viscounty's head chef asked, his body bowed.
The party of the most influential Grand Duke in the Empire.
There was no way they could be treated carelessly.
"Mm! More! It's delicious!"
At Hestia's bright words, a smile bloomed on the chef's face.
Amidst that chaos, Yuma quietly savored the grilled flatfish and duck meat.
At the table next to where Yuma's party sat, there were people staring intently at them.
They were the children of the viscounty.
"So noble...."
Two young girls with blonde hair conversed while looking at Yuma alone.
"That noble bearing, that gesture of skewering duck meat with a fork... so exquisite."
Brown round eyes were fixed on Yuma.
Cloné, who had stayed at the Imperial Princess's Palace for quite a long time and conversed with head attendant Roian, had heard about how Yuma was being referred to among the noble young ladies.
The gray-haired God of War who saved the Empire.
They called him the God of War, and it was said they literally revered Yuma.
'...It's not exactly wrong. But they said romance novel-like things pairing Yuma-nim with Her Imperial Majesty were also circulating among the young ladies.'
The sword of Her Highness Princess Brigitte.
Rumors were rampant that novels and illustrations bringing that very phrase to life were circulating.
'Now that Brigitte-nim has become Her Imperial Majesty, there probably won't be anyone daring to write such novels... ah, or will there?'
Supreme loyalty had borne fruit. Surely they wouldn't circulate even more than before with that kind of content.
Cloné was gripped by an inexplicable anxiety that her thoughts might be right.
At that moment, a few more words from the young girls reached her ears.
"But he's someone who has already sworn fealty to Her Imperial Majesty...."
"Right, we dare not covet him. We must simply enjoy those features."
Cloné's golden eyes turned cold in an instant.
It must have been because she became certain that the hypotheses she had just made were correct.
Cloné realized anew that the world was vast and there were many peculiar people.
'So it wasn't just Hestia unni who was... abnormal.'
Cloné found herself looking at the green-eyed Cat Tribe member beside her, who was devouring her eighth grilled fish, with newly warm eyes.
It wasn't only the two sisters with bizarre affection who were staring at Yuma.
A blonde young man was somehow looking at Yuma with a gaze swirling with fighting spirit.
Intense admiration.
Viscount Amon did not wish to pretend ignorance of the fighting spirit flowing in the eyes of his eldest son, Aros.
So he approached Yuma, who had just finished his meal and was wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.
"Your Grace."
Yuma nodded.
"Do you have business, Viscount?"
"It is most impudent and presumptuous of me, but could you perhaps teach my child a lesson in swordsmanship? If possible, a sparring match would be even better."
Yuma looked at Viscount Amon with indifferent eyes.
There was someone beside him who reacted more violently than Yuma.
'He's bothering Yuma... trying to make him expend energy unnecessarily.'
Bel rose to her feet.
Pink eyes fixed on Viscount Amon.
"I shall spar with him. As I am Yuma-nim's sword."
Bel still could not fully believe Yuma's words.
Even though she no longer coughed up blood at all.
So she did not want Yuma to expend even a little bit of his energy on pointless things.
And actually, the bigger reason was that the viscount had dared to mention sparring.
She had never dared to bring up those words herself because of the overwhelming gap in skill. He had uttered them without hesitation.
That angered her a little.
Yuma nodded toward the flustered Viscount Amon, who was looking at him.
"That's right. Bel is my sword. The age gap between the two doesn't seem large, so it should be quite helpful."
Someone rose from their seat.
It was Amon's son, the viscounty's eldest son, Aros.
"I shall spar. Thank you for granting me this valuable experience."