Act 83

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In the rapidly chilling atmosphere, Fern involuntarily swallowed. Known as the “Closed Eyes” in their entirety, and infamously called the ‘laughing executioner,’ was the prosecutor Julian. Facing him was Schwarzt, the leader of the Azure Lion Knights, also known by his nickname, “Azure.” The sight of these two luminaries of the royal court confronting each other was not something easily witnessed.

“Sir Schwarzt…?

Most knights dislike the royal-exclusive organization ‘Closed Eyes’. Working in the same role but bearing the name ‘royal-exclusive’ despite their lower ranks feels exceedingly uncomfortable to them. The Azure Lion Knights feel the same way.

“I’m not particularly interested in guarding Prince Ulysses,” Schwarzt remarked, his words significantly different from what one might expect. 

“If not for the escort, then why are you here?”

Julian tilted his head… or rather, he stood firmly, showing an attitude that invited him to speak his mind.

“First, I cannot comprehend losing to someone like you in the evaluation. What trick did you use?”

“All my own ability, I assure you. Why complain to me if your own capabilities are lacking…”

“Don’t make me laugh! Everyone knows ‘Closed Eyes’ has deep connections with the secretariat.”

“Heh, is that so?” Julian scoffed softly as Fern shifted his gaze toward Schwarzt.

His face was impassive, but his eyes were venomous like daggers.

‘There are indeed parts that are hard to understand.’

Although he hadn’t openly expressed it, Fern too felt something odd. It was as if this evaluation had been pre-determined and concluded too quickly.

“There must have been some manipulation behind the scenes. Otherwise, such a crucial evaluation wouldn’t have ended this quickly.”

Schwarzt, too, found this point peculiar and noted it. As the leader of the Azure Lion Knights, Schwarzt had built a reputation comparable even to Julian, though mostly in demon subjugation and border defense.

As a commander who had never faced Julian in direct combat, he believed he lacked nothing in skill, lineage, or honor compared to Julian.

Thus, being compared to ‘Julian’ was something he found demeaning.

In any case, he could not accept the outcome as it stood.

“Are you suggesting I’m biased? Do you have any evidence for such a claim?”

“None.”

“Then perhaps it would be best to let it go.”

“I cannot! How dare a mere collateral branch…”

“Heh, even the former vice-commander of the Azure Lion Knights said that,” Julian said as he casually touched his sword sheath.

Schwarzt instinctively stepped back. He could not be unaware of what happened to the former vice-commander ‘Alphas’ after the commotion at the Bayer Academy that caused an uproar in the royal family.

“Are you warning me now? If I don’t want to end up like Alphas, I should shut up?”

“Would I do that? To dare in front of the esteemed leader of the Empire’s Azure Lion Knights?”

With a mocking smile, Julian’s demeanor was teasing, and Schwarzt’s eyes sharpened. Simultaneously, an aura fiery as a blaze emanated from his body.

As if repenting for having stepped back without realizing it, Schwarzt emitted an aura like blue flames, fitting his epithet “Azure.” 

Meanwhile, Julian’s smile did not fade, and his half-closed eyes, barely revealing his pupils, remained unchanged.

‘Could it be, you’re aiming for this?’ Watching his smile, Fern wondered if this situation was something Julian had planned. 

Even if he’s called a mad dog, Julian isn’t foolish enough to start a fight within the royal palace. 

However, if there’s a clear ‘justification,’ the secretariat wouldn’t question him even if he drew his sword here.

‘What should I do…’ This thought made Fern’s face cloud with concern. 

Although former, as a member of the Azure Lion Knights, he did not want Schwarzt and Julian to fight. 

They might not be blamed for their ‘sins,’ but they would still be ‘responsible’ for what happened here. 

A battle in the palace is akin to challenging the royal family’s honor.

‘It seems Sir Julian has no intention of stopping…’ Fern had come to ‘Closed Eyes’ from the Azure Lion Knights to harness Julian’s ‘strength’ in some way. 

It seems he has found one aspect of that ‘strength’: his propensity not to avoid battle.

***

Has this guy lost his mind? I clicked my tongue internally as I watched Schwarzt, bristling with murderous intent, displaying his aura. 

Mentioning Alphas was the greatest extent of courtesy I could afford. 

Although he was dismissed from the knights for his misdeeds, Alphas had held the position of vice-commander. 

Given his connection, his dishonorable actions certainly tarnished the honor of the Azure Lion Knights.

‘I suggested he just let it go nicely. To show such hostility…’

His personality is unpredictable and generally not good, but it wasn’t like this when I was role-playing as ‘Sword Saint.’

“I can’t understand how someone like you could be Sword Saint’s top disciple.”

After all, this guy was one of Sword Saint’s followers. 

His sharp reaction might stem from that. 

Among those who clicked their tongues wondering how a guy like me could be Sword Saint’s disciple, Schwarzt was a notable figure.

‘It’s always been a question. The skill is undeniable, but the temperament is more like that of a beast than a noble.’

So what does he want from me? I scoffed, letting his words go in one ear and out the other.

“In that sense, I should do what Sir Hayden Reich could not.”

Clang! 

With a sharp metallic sound, Schwarzt reached for his waist and drew his sword. 

The reflected light from his drawn sword brightly illuminated the ‘Closed Eyes’ building, startling Fern who was watching.

“Sir Schwarzt! What are you doing now!?”

“Julian, it’s a duel. Draw your sword.”

A duel, I knew what that meant among knights. 

Those who prove themselves with their swords, determining superiority through combat.

‘I am stronger, so I am right!’

A thing that knights, whose brains are packed with muscles, might do. 

A barbaric act of trying to suppress the opponent with sheer ‘power.’ 

To me, or rather ‘Julian,’ it’s like spitting in my own face.

But seeing Schwarzt with his sword drawn, I couldn’t help but laugh.

“Haha. For what purpose do you say?”

“What?” 

If it’s a duel, especially not just any knight but one involving the commander of the royal knights, it cannot be for an ordinary reason. Surely the royal court would impose sanctions. This applies not only to the one who requested the duel but also to the one who accepted it. 

My sudden statement seemed to slightly unsettle him, though I had merely stated the obvious.

“What could I possibly gain by dueling you?”

“Honor.”

Instantly, the phrase ‘give that to the dogs’ almost escaped my lips, but I barely held it back. ‘Julian’ would be the type to obsess over something as intangible as ‘honor.’ 

However, if I think about it the other way around, if it’s not for ‘honor,’ Julian would have no reason to accept this duel. 

“Honor? The honor I’d gain by defeating you is… heh, trivial.”

Taking a moment to compose myself, I scoffed at Schwarzt. Honestly, it was bothersome. Not because swinging a sword isn’t my style, but because I disliked dealing with the aftermath of royal investigators. 

“What did you just say?”

“I said it’s trivial. The ‘honor’ you speak of. Do you even have such a thing? You, who requested a duel just because you failed an assessment.”

If he could see himself in the mirror, even Julian might want to punch himself. 

I can almost feel what my expression must be like, without needing to see it. 

From a position where I want to avoid conflict and commotion, I know such provocation isn’t wise. But like boiling water needs to be turned off quickly to cool, sometimes you need to stir things up. 

“I never imagined such words would come from your mouth.”

Contrary to my expectation, Schwarzt responded in a calm tone. 

…Did I fail? No, seeing his trembling hand, it doesn’t seem so. 

“How dare you speak of ‘honor’. You, who doesn’t mind even killing a child…”

It was easy to gauge what Julian typically thought of Schwarzt’s actions. 

Unstoppable, Schwarzt, who had been a vice-commander and was far sharper than ‘Alphas,’ approached emitting an even more intense aura. 

Step. Step.

However, I was confident that this would not escalate into a battle. 

<Remarkable Intuition>

Because of his anger, Schwarzt had missed one step that would mediate this place. 

“Seden, is it always this noisy here?”

“Would it be? Today is… just a minor issue.”

Seden and another man entered the building. Seeing the face of the well-known Secretary of the Royal Court, Schwarzt and everyone else turned to look at the man beside Seden. 

“Greetings to the Empire’s Little Sun.”

Meanwhile, I quickly followed the royal protocol. 

I knelt on one knee and raised my hand closest to my heart towards the sky. 

Here, ‘the sky’ obviously refers to the royalty of the Adratan Empire. 

That meant, the person next to Seden was a member of the royal family, specifically a prince.

As I took my position, Schwarzt belatedly knelt down as well.

“Greetings to the Empire’s Little Sun!”

Following his lead, Fern and the others seemed to come to their senses and also knelt, showing their respect.

“Haha, don’t make it awkward. Everyone, please stand up.”

With his slightly embarrassed remark, I raised my head to look at the face of the ‘royalty.’

The Fourth Prince, Ulysses Reno Adratan.

His black hair tinged with a subtle purple hue, a trait symbolic of the royalty.

“It was not difficult to recognize as it was blatantly obvious.”

“Sir Julian,” Ulysses’ voice floated out, calling my name.

“Did you know I was coming? You knelt without even making eye contact; I was quite surprised.”

Of course, I knew. Although it was my first time seeing Ulysses in person, I had met the Secretary-General Seden before. I had felt his presence approaching here, and I knew that someone was accompanying him right next to him. Moreover, that presence always preceded Seden’s. A powerful figure capable of being escorted by the Secretary-General, and at the same time, a person with a purpose in ‘Closed Eyes.’ From this, it was easy to deduce his identity.

“It was merely the radiance of Prince Ulysses that instinctively brought me to my knees.”

I said with a sly smile, pretending I had no idea.

Adding the kind of flattery commonly encountered by those in high positions.

To some, it might sound like a remark a power-hungry slave might make, but,

“Ha-ha, your loyalty always feels fresh. Even my brothers have no doubt about your loyalty.”

The flattery coming from ‘Julian,’ the human butcher, strangely faced no rejection.

Perhaps… it was to be expected. The fangs of the royal hound were, after all, safe for the royalty.

“Oh, Schwarzt!”

While conversing with me, Ulysses looked around the interior and spotted Schwarzt awkwardly standing there.

“Why are you here?”

“That is…”

“Seden, I’ve heard that the relationship between the knightly orders and ‘Closed Eyes’ isn’t very good.”

“It’s not certain, but I’ve heard there are people who think that way,” Seden responded.

“Hmm.”

Ulysses nodded once at the Secretary-General’s words.

“Is it because you are dissatisfied with the results of the recent captaincy appointment?”

Ulysses asked with a voice full of curiosity, and Schwarzt politely shook his head.

“No, that’s not it. One of our knights has transferred to ‘Closed Eyes,’ so I came to inquire about their wellbeing.”

Even Schwarzt, who acted crazily most of the time, was careful to speak respectfully in front of the royalty, even adding a lie to his words.

As Ulysses looked at Fern, trying to understand,

“Sir Schwarzt, surely you didn’t come here because you couldn’t accept that decision, did you?”

Of course, as if I would just stand by and watch. Haha.

You’re done for, you fool.

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