novelraw Chapter 199
Chapter 199
Chapter 199. Focal Point (1)
"The Sword Saint, Hayden Reich, has returned."
The "Follower" secretly felt disappointment towards Hayden, who had left for the Holy Kingdom without a word, but they couldn't conceal their joy upon seeing the Sword Saint's face again. After all, everyone affiliated with the Follower gathered under the name 'Sword Saint'.
"Sword Saint, we knew you would return!"
"Please lead us again, Sword Saint!"
"Long live Hayden Reich!"
"Long live Hayden Reich!"
While everyone was chanting the Sword Saint's name and singing his praises, Rinne stood at the corner, quietly observing Hayden Reich's face.
'He's unchanged.'
The figure was the same as when they first saw the Sword Saint.
The engraved wrinkles, the robust body, and the noble spirit exuding from him all at once.
He was undoubtedly proving that he was the noble "Sword Saint" known throughout the world.
"I apologize to everyone. Due to personal matters, it seems I left for the Holy Kingdom without saying a word."
"Did you handle your business well?"
"Ah, I concluded it quite satisfactorily."
Hayden Reich nodded in response to the Followers' questions.
Rinne, sipping her drink, stealthily watched the Sword Saint conversing with the Followers from behind.
'What exactly did he do?'
While in the Holy Kingdom, the matter that Hayden was engrossed in and studying was the place where demons were gathered and bred—"Sanctum of Solitude."
If he meant that he handled "Sanctum of Solitude" well...
'What on earth was Hayden thinking?'
"Rinne!"
Just when she was sorting through her thoughts, a booming voice cut in. The face was easy to imagine even without seeing it.
"Sir Theo."
The voice and imposing stature belonged to the commander of the Indomitable Knights, Theo Lenox.
He approached Rinne with his usual friendly smile.
"Sir Hayden is here, so aren't you going to meet him?"
"He has much to discuss with others."
"Aren't you happy?"
"Of course, I'm happy."
"For someone supposedly happy, you don't seem very convinced."
Despite her mentor, Hayden Reich's appearance in the capital, her expression didn't look happy at all.
Theo's words were precise. It was true. She had seen that "sight" in the Holy Kingdom; how could she possibly welcome him warmly?
"Ugh."
Because of it, Rinne let out a slight sigh. She nearly spilled her drink due to Theo's perceptiveness, which was unbecoming of his size.
Swoosh.
No, she ended up spilling it. Seeing the floor dyed purple, Rinne showed a troubled expression.
Theo called over a servant to quickly clean it up and then quietly spoke.
"What happened in the Holy Kingdom?"
Though Theo was often said to be 'light-hearted' for the commander of the Indomitable Knights, the sharp look he had while asking this question was one she had never seen before. Seeing him so serious made her wonder, 'Should I tell him?' She pondered whether her situation would become uncomfortable.
After a brief contemplation, she decided to share.
"Yes."
"What happened?"
"Would Sir Theo believe if I told you that the Sword Saint implanted a demon within himself?"
A shocking statement. Theo looked at Rinne with a previously unseen expression of shock.
"Moreover, would you believe he pointed a sword at me?"
Hearing Rinne's words, Theo brought the drink to his lips, seemingly with a dry mouth.
"It doesn't seem like you're lying, so I believe you."
"If Sir Yulian hadn't been there at the time, I certainly would have died."
"Yulian?"
"Yes."
Theo tilted his head in disbelief, naturally so.
Yulian, who wished to erase every trace of the Sword Saint, unexpectedly helped her against him.
"Now I understand why you have been wearing that displeased expression!"
Theo nodded, seeming to grasp the situation.
'Could he have understood?'
Rinne thought so and was about to discuss with Theo about Hayden Reich's future actions.
"Am I being left out of a fascinating conversation?"
The Sword Saint Hayden had approached unnoticed. Because of that, Rinne decided to postpone her discussion with Theo.
"So, how is it?"
Hayden looked at Theo and asked something.
"Have you found out why Rinne isn't looking happy?"
"Sir Hayden, it appears that the events in the Holy Kingdom have left a mark on Rinne's mind."
The thought only lingered for a moment. Theo started recounting the content of their recent conversation to the Sword Saint.
In that instant, Rinne realized she had made a mistake.
Even though the Sword Saint had defected to the Holy Kingdom, his reputation hadn't diminished yet.
The organization "Follower" also gathered under the star called 'Sword Saint'.
'I spoke unnecessarily.'
Rinne internally reflected on her mistake.
"Ah, the events in the Holy Kingdom...indeed, it's understandable."
As if he was saying, "I don't even remember such things,"
Hayden brushed his jaw with an expressionless look.
"I'm sorry, Rinne. At that time, I had unavoidable reasons."
'What were those reasons?'
Rinne intended to ask, but after looking around, she reorganized her thoughts. Even if she caused a stir here, nobody among the "Followers" would take her side.
Even the one she thought to be the most neutral, Theo, ended up like this.
"There's no need to apologize, teacher."
Feigning awkwardness, Rinne smiled. Perhaps because she often saw "someone" act that way. A 'smile' was a good way to navigate through awkward situations.
Seeing Rinne's smile, Hayden's two eyes, which should have been cheerful, appeared hollow and unfocused.
Among the "Followers" gathered here, none were reflected in that gaze—neither was Rinne, his most favored disciple.
"So, how is Yulian doing?"
Only when the name "Yulian" was mentioned did Hayden's eyes seem to regain focus.
"Yulian? Are you referring to that fellow?"
"Recently, he came to our assembly point and caused a scene!"
"The arrogant one! After the Sword Saint left the capital, his arrogance seemed to pierce the sky!"
When Yulian's name emerged, voices of resentment erupted from the 'Followers'.
Hayden didn't mind them and stroked his jaw again before speaking.
"The reason I returned to the capital is to conclude what was left unfinished before."
The punishment of the Dawn Society. Everyone gathered here knew that was Hayden's sole purpose.
"And I need to discuss matters with Emperor Adratan related to that."
"The, the Emperor!?"
"Yes."
Emperor Adratan was the pinnacle of power within the current empire.
Hearing his name, the assembled "Followers" looked perplexed, and Rinne was no different.
'Come to think of it, the Emperor must have permitted Teacher to be here now.'
In a typical situation, such permission wouldn't be granted considering the prestige of the empire.
Allowing the Sword Saint who sought asylum in a foreign nation to enter, even temporarily.
'Did they make a deal?'
Rinne refrained from voicing her curiosity about whether Hayden gained something desirable through his 'research' in the Holy Kingdom that even an emperor would diminish the nation's prestige for.
"Would you come with me, Rinne?"
Was he trying to manage her so she couldn't speak carelessly to other "Followers"? Rinne thought so but answered nonetheless.
"Yes. Of course, teacher."
She still harbored suspicions about Hayden Reich. Therefore, Rinne believed she had to keep an eye on his every move.
***
Alongside the Sword Saint Hayden Reich, Rinne headed to the Heavenly Reverence Palace, where the royal family resided.
After passing through the first gate, the Gate of Respect, she glanced around.
People whispering upon seeing the Sword Saint Hayden Reich.
It was only natural.
Though he returned under the guise of 'investigative cooperation', many within whispered the words 'traitor' and 'turncoat'.
"What a bunch of idlers,"
Sebion, a Follower temporarily assisting Hayden, clicked his tongue internally, observing those nobles.
"Don't worry about them, Sebion. It's only to be expected."
"But considering what achievements you've made for the Empire, it's astounding how such insignificant nobles dare to act so impudently!"
"No matter how loudly they bark, what I've accomplished will not vanish."
Sebion accepted Hayden's words, bowing respectfully.
"Ah, there's a place we need to stop by before proceeding to Heavenly Reverence."
"Where might that be?"
"To greet Secretary Sedn briefly."
Having said that, Hayden took firm strides in the direction where the secretariat was located.
A place bustling with activity, the secretariat was an institution inseparable from Hayden, as it passed down orders to various departments from the royalty.
'That's all in the past now.'
Setting aside the bitter taste lingering at the back of her tongue, Rinne glanced at Hayden's back.
The back viewed hundreds of times was unchanged. Was her thought process different, or was it the Sword Saint who had changed?
"Oh, look who it is!"
Lost in thought, Rinne was jolted by a friendly voice and lifted her head.
"Upon feeling a familiar aura, I realized it was you!"
Zahard, the blind swordsman, stood before them. Accompanied by a boy she had never seen but who seemed familiar.
"That person is..."
"Lazlot, this is the swordsman who used to represent the Empire, the Sword Saint Hayden Reich."
Lazlot, who had only heard of the Sword Saint's fame and was now encountering him in person, gave Zahard a look that seemed to say, "who wouldn't know that."
"Zahard! I never expected to see you here!"
Meeting an old acquaintance, Hayden's face lit up. It was probably the brightest expression she had seen on him recently.
"Is it the first time after the Teacher's funeral that we're meeting?"
"Haha, it couldn't be helped. I was a fugitive, after all!"
Slowly approaching Hayden, Zahard asked cautiously.
"Did you handle that matter?"
Hayden, who had been showing a welcoming demeanor until then, carefully inquired with a somber look.
"Ah, I sorted it out. Without assistance from your disciple, it would have been tough, but thankfully, I managed to send him away safely."
Listening to Zahard's words, Rinne realized the topic of discussion was the events at the 'Northern Front'.
"Disciple?"
Reacting to the term disciple, Hayden briefly glanced at Rinne. As if to clear his query, she shook her head slightly.
"He meant Sir Yulian, not me."
"You mean Yulian aided Zahard?"
"Yes."
"Hmm..."
Hayden trailed off. His sigh contained a feeling of deep incomprehension.
There, she shared a similar sentiment.
During their first encounter at the Northern Front with Zahard and Yulian, neither could quite grasp why Yulian would help him.
Was it possibly an attempt to root out the seeds of demons threatening the Empire early?
While that could have been one reason, it seemed more plausible that Yulian was drawn to the human aspect of 'Zahard's' story.
Knowing the current Yulian, that was quite feasible.
"It seems not only Yulian, but many have changed."
"Do you really think that beast in human skin can change all that much?"
Upon Sebion's unnecessary input to Hayden's self-talk, Hayden overtly showed his displeasure. The conversation paused briefly as Zahard interjected.
"What do you mean, Zahard?"
"It's about you, Hayden."
Zahard subtly tightened his grip on his cane-sword.