novelraw Chapter 258
Chapter 258
Chapter 258. Where the Sword Points (3)
The Emperor Adratan had fallen.
Upon hearing this news, a shocked Uruhar rushed directly to the secretariat.
"Is it true that His Majesty has collapsed?"
The head of the secretariat, Sedn Orbian, opened his mouth calmly in response to Uruhar's question.
Though it couldn't be said that Emperor Adratan's physical condition was "normal", it wasn't so bad that he was bedridden either.
His real problem was purely mental.
"Why all of a sudden!?"
Therefore, Uruhar was filled with questions.
Sedn reached for the teacup he had prepared for Uruhar. After savoring the aroma and taking a sip, Sedn spoke in a low voice.
"What do you think the reason is?"
Both Sedn and Uruhar.
The high-ranking officials serving the Imperial Household were currently aware that the "Emperor" was under the influence of a "demon".
The demonic entity whispering pathological ideas into his ear was the "witch", Abigail.
"Could it be that witch...?"
It was only natural that Uruhar's thoughts went in this direction.
As if to affirm Uruhar's suspicion, Sedn nodded.
"Don't even think about trying anything against Abigail. If anything happens to her, who is under the Emperor's protection, even the Imperial Knights would not be safe."
"But hasn't His Majesty, the one providing that protection, collapsed?"
Despite Uruhar's passionate question, Sedn only sipped his tea.
"Did you foresee a day like this coming, secretary Sedn?"
"We are nobles. In the Imperial Court, when the Emperor issues an order, we follow it. Even if there are issues with the Emperor himself."
"Are you calling that loyalty?"
"By no means."
Clink.
Sedn set down the teacup.
"This is business. Adding personal feelings to it is for fools."
Uruhar's face contorted upon hearing Sedn's words.
"I hope you're not too offended. After all, this is what a position in the secretariat entails."
Swish.
Sedn handed a document to Uruhar.
It was a document bearing the Emperor's seal.
"... Is it a mission?"
"Indeed."
"But isn't that the Emperor's seal?"
"So?"
"Are you saying that the one who is currently collapsed stamped this seal?"
"Hasn't His Majesty appointed a proxy at present?"
Diviner Abigail.
That was something even Uruhar knew.
Out of anger, Uruhar bit his lip. Nevertheless, he reached for the 'mission order' bearing the Emperor's seal and took it.
***
After finishing his conversation with Sedn in the secretariat, a fiery anger burned within Uruhar's heart.
Yet, it was not long before that emotion began to subside.
He, too, was merely someone who had the 'job' Sedn spoke of. Only a soldier burdened with the cumbersome title of 'Imperial Knights'.
"Damn it."
Swearing under his breath, Uruhar checked the mission directive.
At that moment, the 'Emperor's seal', which Abigail had surely affixed, caught his eye, but he tried to ignore it as much as possible.
"... Hmm?"
The content of the mission directive was remarkably simple.
"Retrieve the Demon God's Horn."
The 'Demon God's Horn' mentioned here was not one currently possessed by the Imperial family, but one held by "Flugel".
"To be precise, it's probably in the possession of Prince Kaldrach."
He didn't know the details, but as part of the 'Imperial Knights', Uruhar had received a confidential briefing from the secretariat.
The report stated that "the 'Demon God's Horn' Uruhar was sent to retrieve had been taken by Kaldrach."
"If His Highness Kaldrach holds it, what is the need to retrieve it?"
Puzzled, Uruhar reviewed the directive's content.
【In a plot to usurp the throne, the Third Prince Kaldrach plans to smuggle the Demon God's Horn to a foreign country.】
"What?"
The words were almost unbelievable.
Kaldrach de Adratan.
Born as the empire's third prince, he had a close relationship with the 'military'. After the first prince chose to become a monk, those in the Imperial court had considered him the closest to the next emperor.
"... No."
He could tell the reality differed from what was written here.
"I know that Prince Kaldrach would not."
However, orders were orders.
【A new report is expected soon. In the meantime, wait at the gate leading to the Federation.】
Having read the directive to its end, Uruhar sighed inwardly.
He had no way of knowing how the situation was unfolding. Even if he did, he wasn't sure he would dare to defy the 'Imperial Household's' order.
'At that time, if it were the Black Knight...'
What would that noble man do?
He pondered, yet still did not know the answer.
***
In the desolate dawn, a carriage departed from the capital.
Dawn was perilous. The sun, blessed by 'Solarun', had not risen, and because of that, the activity of demons increased in this period.
Without the barrier of 'resonance stones', one would inevitably face the ferocity of demons, and a wise coachman would not commit the folly of leaving before daybreak.
Yet the carriage charged down the eerie morning roads, as if concealing something.
"... As per the secretariat's directive."
From afar, dependent on a single torch, the carriage venturing through danger entered Uruhar's view.
A gate on the road.
Standing atop it, looking down, he easily spotted the carriage advancing through the darkness.
"The directive said a suspicious carriage would come by if I waited here."
And in that carriage, the 'Demon God's Horn' was said to be transported. So the directive stated.
"Abigail."
Such precise predictions could only be due to the witch Abigail's trivial tricks.
"Stop thinking about it."
Even if the emperor he followed had lost his way, following blindly was the duty of an Imperial Knight.
"That aside..."
He felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
The whole reason the rumors about the 'Black Knight' started was when he retrieved the 'Soul Stone' stolen by the 'Dawn Society'.
According to a low-ranking cultist within the 'Dawn Society', he heard:
― H-he fell from the sky... a-a pitch-black demon! I-it's true. I swear!"
The absurd explanation of that past incident.
At that time, the Imperial Palace held no stance on the 'Black Knight's' appearance, so testimonies from that period were buried.
But as an Imperial Knight, Uruhar had the opportunity to hear the tale and was drawn to the mystery of the 'Black Knight'.
― ... A pitch-black demon? From the sky? Sounds like something out of a myth."
It was the moment Uruhar became intrigued by the 'Black Knight'.
Initially, he derided the idea that a mythical figure could appear in reality.
As time passed, however, Uruhar realized the 'noble standard' the Black Knight possessed.
'The shadow falling from the sky, it was surely the Black Knight attacking the carriage from atop the gate.'
Positioned at the gate, waiting, Uruhar watched the carriage drawing closer beneath him, cutting through the darkness.
'Just like this.'
Uruhar leapt from the gate onto the carriage below.
Thud──!
Landing safely, Uruhar pulled his hood down deeper just in case.
"Umm!?"
The coachman's voice rang out. It seemed the impact from landing on the carriage's roof had reached him.
'... What did the Black Knight do at times like this.'
According to reports, he subdued two 'cult members'.
'Imagine, were it the Black Knight...'
Entering the baggage hold, he subdued the guards riding in the back.
Thinking thus, Uruhar entered the baggage hold.
"Who-who are you!?"
Having sensed presence, Uruhar easily understood that there were people in the baggage hold.
'Didn't expect there to be two.'
Two in number.
One more than expected, but he didn't mind.
"Uwaaahhhh!"
As one of the guards lunged, Uruhar observed his stance.
'A novice.'
Thwack──!
Sidestepping the overhead swing of the club, Uruhar casually grabbed the man by the scruff of his clothing and tossed him out of the carriage.
"Uwaaahhhh!"
Hearing the voice fade away, Uruhar turned his focus to the remaining guard.
"Who-who are you!?"
Perhaps it was the covered face that prevented recognition of 'Uruhar'. Or maybe it was too dark to properly identify him.
Either way, the fact he hadn't been 'recognized' filled Uruhar with inexplicable exhilaration.
The Black Knight.
He felt like he had become him.
"The Black Knight."
Unconsciously, he uttered the name.
"What did you say!?"
Hearing the name of 'The Black Knight', the guard looked around the carriage with frightened eyes.
"Heavens' sake! If a carriage chased by the Black Knight... what on earth is loaded in here!?"
It seemed as if he was unaware of what was inside. The guard looked at Uruhar with terrified eyes.
"Your deception is poor. Surely you boarded with knowledge of the package's contents and destination."
"I-I didn't know! I swear I didn't! They just offered a lot of money...."
Whoosh──!
Feigning ignorance, nodding his head sideways, the guard suddenly lunged at Uruhar.
Yet Uruhar remained unflustered by the sudden attack.
'Perhaps, I am tracing his footsteps.'
Simply pretending to be 'the Black Knight' and handling the situation brought Uruhar satisfaction.
"Kh, krahhhh!"
Uruhar quickly subdued the guard, the thrill escalating within him.
"For interrogation, one will be enough."
Coupled with a quote befitting 'the Black Knight'.
Unknowingly, Uruhar found himself smiling.
'Hold on.'
However, there was one strange thing.
His Highness, the third prince Kaldrach, despite being royalty, was self-reliant enough to volunteer for frontline duty in the North Pole.
A man possessing insight that belied his fiery temperament.
'He's not someone who would conduct such an operation so blindly.'
Guards who pretended not to know they were transporting the 'Demon God's Horn'.
A woefully small crew given the importance of the package.
Screeech──!
As he was consolidating his thoughts, the carriage began to stop.
'A trap, perhaps.'
Uruhar readied himself for combat, surveying the stopping carriage.
In case the coachman was attempting to flee, he enveloped himself in aura, preparing for explosive movement if necessary──.
"This is all a bit embarrassing."
The voice came from the front. The driver's seat.
Uruhar was taken aback, realizing the coachman he thought he'd scared into fleeing was still observing the situation.
Slowly.
Moving inward, Uruhar pulled back the cloth separating the baggage area from the driver's seat.
"Who are you?"
"I should be asking you. Who are you?"
"You heard me before, didn't you? I'm the Black Knight."
Having already revealed himself once as 'the Black Knight', there was no turning back.
Uruhar masked his identity once more, claiming the name 'the Black Knight'.
"What a coincidence."
Then the coachman turned, locking eyes with Uruhar.
A visor black as night.
An unparalleled noble ideal.
As moonlight streamed in, these features began to reveal themselves, and disbelief colored Uruhar's face.
"I thought I was the only Black Knight."