Chapter 250: The Warning
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 250: The Warning
"Fuck!"
Muen cursed as he bolted upright in the water, his mind a complete blank.
What was going on?
Why had he lost consciousness again?
And why did his head, stomach, and backside hurt so damn much?
More importantly...
Why was he in a river, and why the hell was he naked?
As he sat there in a daze, a deep voice suddenly drifted over from the bank.
"You're awake, Master Campbell."
Muen snapped his head toward the sound. A group of muscular men in knightly armor stood by the riverbank, their expressions stoic as they watched him in silence.
The leader, a particularly handsome hunk in exquisite armor, reached out a hand and said quite considerately, "Come, let me pull you up."
"Oh, uh, right."
Still waist-deep in the water, Muen instinctively reached out, but he froze halfway.
He looked at the group of muscular men, then looked down at his own naked body...
Muscular men.
Watching him.
Naked.
And his butt hurt?
A series of disturbing thoughts connected in his mind, fueled by certain... past experiences.
Muen’s expression instantly shifted to one of pure terror. He clutched his chest and scrambled backward through the water.
"You... what did you people do to me?!"
"Pardon?"
The lead knight looked genuinely confused, his brow furrowing. "We didn't do anything."
"Then why am I in a river without any clothes on?"
"Because..."
The knight fell silent for a moment, a strange look crossing his face. "It was Princess Celicia’s command. She told us to toss you in the river and give you a rinse... a thorough one."
"Oh... is that so?"
Muen blinked, stunned.
"Then why does my butt hurt?!"
The knight’s expression became even more awkward. "That might be because Her Highness gave you a rather vicious kick to the rear just as we were leaving."
The knight recalled the scene from moments ago.
As his squires were carrying Muen past Celicia, she had seemed displeased by the sight of his unabashedly perfect, upturned backside. She had delivered a high-kick stomp right then and there.
Ruthless, precise, and perfectly executed.
The sheer technique and accuracy of that strike had forced even a lifelong practitioner of martial arts like himself to marvel in silent admiration.
She had nearly snapped the stretcher in half.
It was a mercy Her Highness hadn't been wearing her crystal high heels at the time; otherwise, the aftermath would have been too gruesome to imagine.
"Is... is that it?"
Muen scratched his head, still feeling a bit dazed.
He carefully focused on the lingering sensation in his backside...
Yeah, it feels about the same as the hit I took to the gut. Definitely Celicia.
The realization sparked a flicker of annoyance.
Dammit, I only teased you a little! Was that really necessary? A gut punch wasn't enough, you had to go for the ass too? And then you make me take a naked bath in a river in the middle of a cold autumn? Are you trying to murder your own future husband?
Muen grit his teeth and made a mental note.
Grudge filed! I’ll definitely pay you back for this twofold later!
"And you all are...?"
"Lawrence Hawk, Vice Commander of the Rose Legion, Royal Knight Order."
The knight produced his badge, his expression turning solemn. "By His Majesty’s decree, I am here to escort Muen Campbell to the Imperial Palace."
"To the palace..."
Muen paused, the memory finally clicking into place.
Right, there was that thing...
Dammit, he had completely forgotten.
As they say, too much of that really does rot the memory.
"I see. My apologies for the misunderstanding."
Muen breathed a sigh of relief and took Lawrence’s hand. "But to think you’d send a Vice Commander just to fetch me... I’m truly flattered."
The Royal Knight Order only had four legions under its command. A Vice Commander was a core pillar of the knights; normally, they wouldn't be bothered with such trivial errands.
"No, given your status, it is only right that I come personally. Besides, these were orders from above."
"From above? You mean His Majesty?"
Lawrence pulled Muen onto the bank and offered a wry smile, but he didn't elaborate.
With a flick of his hand, the squires behind him pulled up a set of curtains, creating a private enclosure.
"The Princess’s orders must be obeyed; please forgive our earlier rudeness," Lawrence said apologetically. "New clothes have been prepared specifically for your audience with His Majesty. They were crafted by the Campbell family’s usual tailors. Please, step inside."
"Thank you."
Muen nodded with a smile and stepped behind the curtains.
A few minutes later, when Muen emerged wearing a perfectly tailored formal suit, even Lawrence couldn't help but offer a silent nod of approval.
Regardless of the young Duke’s reputation or the massive stir caused by the news of his engagement to Princess Celicia a few months ago, in terms of pure appearance...
He truly was a perfect match for Her Highness.
*
The Imperial Palace.
With Lawrence leading the way, they passed through the gates without hindrance.
However, once they reached the inner sanctum, even Lawrence had to submit to questioning and inspection.
Muen was no exception.
Even though the entire palace was shrouded in a massive restriction that prevented the use of mana, no weapons or magic devices were permitted without special authorization.
After handing over his equipment, Lawrence turned back to him with an apologetic smile.
"The Tulip Legion is on guard duty this month, so I have to follow the rules."
"Understandable," Muen replied.
The two continued down the vast, empty corridors toward the heart of the palace.
Muen looked around curiously.
According to his memories, he had been to the palace as a child, but he had been so young that the impressions were blurry at best. To him, everything here felt fresh and new.
"I can't help but feel..."
Muen withdrew his gaze, looking puzzled. "The palace seems a bit... deserted."
"That is likely because... most people are still recovering," Lawrence answered.
"Recovering..."
Muen paused, then immediately understood.
Because of his recent "vivid" experiences, time had felt like it was moving slowly.
In reality, the Silent Moon incident had only ended a day ago.
While he had been struggling to save his Senior Sister, the upper echelons of Belland had been facing the terrifying pressure of the Silent Moon head-on.
In fact, their side had been the primary battlefield.
"It must have been difficult."
"It was. But we won in the end, didn't we?"
Lawrence spoke casually, but beneath his stoic facade, Muen could sense an exhaustion that seemed to seep from the very depths of his soul.
Muen’s eyes flickered.
To be honest, he still didn't quite understand why the King had summoned him so suddenly.
The day after such a major crisis should be the busiest time for the crown. No matter how he looked at it, His Majesty’s actions seemed excessively urgent.
"Master Campbell, I’ll leave you here."
Lawrence stopped abruptly and turned with a smile. "Just around that corner is His Majesty’s drawing room. He is waiting for you there."
Huh?
He’s not coming in to report?
Muen frowned imperceptibly, but he immediately masked it with a flawless smile. "Thank you for the trouble, Commander Lawrence."
"No trouble at all. It is my duty."
Lawrence gave a slight nod of acknowledgment and moved to pass Muen.
At the exact moment they brushed shoulders, a sudden gust of cold wind blew in from the corridor windows.
Amidst the whistling wind, Muen caught Lawrence’s faint, blurred whisper.
"Muen Campbell... be careful. Someone might be trying to kill you."