Act 13

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“The demons are fleeing!”

After Aileen finished repairing the resonance stone and the commanding Bicorn demon was killed, the remaining minions began to escape outside the barrier.

“It’s a relief…”

“We’re alive!”

The soldiers breathed a sigh of relief.

At the same time, they glanced at Julian with a look that was not filled with the fear of the ‘Smiling Executioner’ as before.

Instead, it was a look of respect and gratitude for the hero who saved everyone from peril.

“Thank you for your hard work, Sir Julian.”

Fern’s eyes, from the Azure Lion Knight Order, looked decidedly different than when he had left the imperial capital.

He still found Julian’s closed eyes distasteful, but he thought differently of Julian himself.

He had to painfully acknowledge that Julian was a formidable opponent of a different class.

The unbelievable rumors were true.

Even the dignity flowing through him was too noble to be dismissed as merely collateral.

“I’ll leave the situation to be handled by Sir Fern. I’m not accustomed to this kind of thing.”

“Understood.”

“Thank you. Then, I need to clean the blood off my sword. I found a decent lake before coming here.”

“Then, I’ll send a soldier to attend to you.”

“No, that won’t be necessary.”

With a short chuckle, Julian moved on.

Fern suddenly remembered that he had fought over the lead in the mission against such a monster.

It was truly foolish.

It was like trying to crack a rock with an egg—an utterly meaningless act.

‘To think he killed that Bicorn demon monster single-handedly without a change in expression…?’

Fern couldn’t help but admire Julian’s retreating figure.

Could his heart be made of steel?

Fern found himself entertaining such absurd thoughts.

**

“Ah…”

Looking at his face reflected in the lake with half-closed eyes, I sighed.

‘I thought I was going to die.’

No, to be precise, I came close to dying.

It was a demon I had never seen before.

And I had never imagined I would be fighting a monster of the ‘Bicorn’ level head-on.

Anyway, I’m glad I’m alive.

Thinking back, it’s bewildering how I managed at the time.

As I dipped my hands into the water to wash my face, a cool sensation traveled through my fingertips, along with a shivering tremor.

‘Real combat is more brutal than I thought.’

The sensation of slicing through a demon still lingered on my hands.

At the same time, the dizzying emotions I felt then started to flood back.

The grotesque appearance of the demons, my disgust towards them.

The fear of death.

The despair that arose upon witnessing the power of the Bicorn demon.

But the Julian reflected in the lake was smiling faintly with his eyes half-closed, as if such things were nothing, as if they were all in a day’s work.

‘To perfectly embody Julian, am I supposed to take such situations for granted?’

Impossible. I’m scared. I want to run away.

Normally, it would be natural to harbor such feelings, yet I was incredibly calm.

I even felt certain that I wouldn’t panic much if such a situation were to happen again.

“As the body changes, so do the thoughts…!”

Smack, 

I hit my mouth with my hand.

I was gradually getting used to the body, but it seems the habit of speaking formally out of nowhere was still there.

Trait: “Insight”

Rank: Unique

▷ Your keen observation allows you to easily identify an opponent’s weaknesses.

▷ You can more easily detect others’ emotions.

▷ You can inflict additional damage on enemies who harbor the emotion of ‘fear’ towards you.

==

While washing my hands with water, I summoned the UI to check the newly acquired trait.

The final blow that ended the life of the Bicorn demon.

The sword path shown right before that.

It seems to be thanks to this trait called <Insight>.

My ‘knowledge’ and Julian’s ‘experience’ merged into one, revealing a trait that shows the opponent’s weaknesses.

‘If it were Julian at his best, he would easily defeat a Bicorn demon but…’

I wouldn’t have been able to cut it down with a single stroke like I did just now.

But this trait, <Insight>, made it possible, even for me, who is yet to fully utilize Julian’s abilities.

‘This will allow me to replicate Julian’s combat strength to some extent.’

I’ve got a good hand.

Because I will be able to perfectly act out the strength that ‘Julian’ possesses.

Then, I could worry a little less about the doubts of those around me.

“……”

As my mind became somewhat organized, the heart that thudded with the first real combat now quieted down.

And the first thought that came to mind was the degree of completion of the <Moonlight Sword> used in the battle against the Bicorn demon.

‘It’s damaged.’

Pulling out the sword, I saw small but numerous cracks on the blade.

These were cracks caused by infusing a large amount of mana at once.

If swung a few more times like this, it would surely break.

‘This means the power and stability are still far from the original.’

However, I didn’t feel disappointed by this fact.

This real combat experience allowed me to realize not just the method of combat, but also how this imperfect Moonlight Sword could be completed.

After sheathing the sword, I thought to myself.

‘If I go back, I must prepare the groundwork first.’

***

Herand, the third son of the Crypart family, one of the four great noble families of the empire.

He swallowed nervously as he noticed the hostile gazes directed at him.

The Noble Council

An institution established by the nobles themselves to represent and protect their interests over the long years.

It included senior members from various families.

Receiving the gaze of the noble elders, Herand felt his body hair stand on end.

One wrong word, and he might lose his life.

“So, you’re saying the kid caught onto our plans?”

“Th-that seems to be the case.”

Responding to the stern voice, Herand bowed his head deeply.

The noble elders clicked their tongues and pointed fingers at Herand with faces full of dissatisfaction.

“Isn’t it because you were incompetent and failed to properly hide it?”

“I, I’m sorry, Lord Oran……………”

“If you weren’t a bloodline of the current head, a wretch like you would have been thrown out long ago.”

Oran Crypart, who currently serves as the chairman of the Noble Council.

Receiving his gaze, Herand bowed even lower.

“Lord Oran, moreover, recently ‘Closed Eyes’ proposed to the imperial secretariat that…”

“What did he propose?”

“When conducting the entrance tests for ‘Closed Eyes’ in the future, not to hold the instructor responsible.”

Oran listened carefully to the other elder’s words, then frowned deeply.

But the story wasn’t over yet.

“Even if there are casualties, they added that holding someone responsible under the name of the imperial family should be strictly prohibited.”

“Ah…!”

As the other aristocrat sighed, some did not even try to hide their displeasure, and there were those who murmured curses under their breath. 

“If it was proposed to ‘Closed Eyes,’ doesn’t that mean it represents Julian’s words?” 

“Exactly. It seems the Secretariat rejected it before it could reach the imperial family.” 

Oran looked around at the other aristocrats with a troubled expression. 

‘Closed Eyes’ had never before opposed or sought to amend the imperial rules. 

This proposal was unprecedented. 

“Then, this is…” 

“Probably a warning from Julian,” the others suggested, and Oran swept his beard, incredulous. 

He knew everything. 

Further unnecessary moves would not be tolerated. 

The reason for submitting this proposal was likely to issue such a warning. 

“This damned bastard… As if tarnishing the reputation of other nobles and the Crypart family with his infamy wasn’t enough, now he thinks of threatening?” Oran recalled Julian’s actions with anger. 

“A dog of the royal family dares to warn…” 

“But, Lord Oran, isn’t this rather a good opportunity?” A middle-aged man interjected to calm Oran. 

“Lord Aiden, what do you mean?” Aiden, somewhat younger than the other aristocrats, spoke calmly, “It’s not common for Julian, who has only followed the royal commands, to issue a warning like this. It means he’s starting to think and act on his own. We might face a setback if we act rashly.” 

Julian’s actions were predictable as long as they aligned with the royal family’s intentions. 

However, if he began to think and act independently, many more variables must be considered. 

“So, why not observe for a while?” 

“Are you suggesting we just watch?” 

“To leave that monster unchecked would tarnish the Crypart name even more!” 

“Silence!” 

Oran calmed the noisy council with a sharp rebuke. 

His gaze at Aiden was sharp as a snake’s. 

“Continue speaking.”

Encouraged by Oran, Aiden nodded politely and continued, “This is just my speculation, but there could emerge a far more useful way to employ Julian than just sending him to the northern front. The imperial sword, which had no thoughts before, has started to think.” 

Aiden’s face showed strong determination as he spoke.

***

“Sir, your eyes are still spirited.”

Lost in thought, Aiden raised his head at the coachman’s words.

“It seems so.”

“Then, is it alright to resume the efforts to recruit Sir Julian that were underway before?”

“Well, let’s proceed with that. If the rumor about him losing his memory is false, then he should remember our affairs as well. So, let’s move forward without any unnecessary procedures.”

“Yes.”

The coachman bowed politely in response.

Watching him, Aiden was plunged into thought again.

‘A monster capable of capturing high demons alone.

Recruiting such a beast would be the most reliable support.’

A question then arose in Aiden’s mind.

The diagnosis given by Julian’s personal physician.

Only members of the Crypart family knew this fact.

Yet, the rumor spread to the ears of the nobility as if it had grown wings, almost as if someone had deliberately spread it.

Reaching this point in his thoughts, Aiden considered a possibility.

‘Maybe, Julian himself spread the rumor.’

The thought sent shivers down his spine.

Baiting a trap is the most basic of hunting principles.

However, no hunter ever sets themselves as bait in a trap.

Doing so could endanger their own life.

But, if Aiden’s guess was correct, Julian had positioned himself as bait to attract his prey.

To sweep up all the beasts that showed their teeth upon hearing the rumor of his weakness.

“He might be crazier than I thought.”

“Excuse me?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

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