novelraw Chapter 164 : Chapter 164
Chapter 164 : Chapter 164
Chapter 164 : The New Red Iron Knight
Tap. Tap.
The sound of Zayd Aslan’s fingers tapping the armrest of his chair at a steady pace echoed in the quiet room.
His mind was completely filled with thoughts of one person.
The one who had appeared dressed as a blonde mercenary, defeated the knights, and then, as a black-haired knight, instilled fear in both Freddie and himself.
A young knight, said to be much younger than him, who was currently becoming the most famous in the kingdom.
Naturally, these were not positive thoughts.
‘How do I screw this bastard over…?’
Although they had joined hands out of necessity, the sense of humiliation he felt from the punk remained.
And precisely because of that necessity, he couldn’t do anything to the punk just yet.
Moreover, the punk’s standing in Iron Kingdom was also a concern.
‘Even setting aside the family’s situation…’
The martial reputation of the Black Knight, as it was known to the public, was achieved alongside the Dragon Sword Duke, so not many people fully believed it, but it was a fact that the punk had become a symbol of the Evil cult’s extermination.
The family’s situation was not good enough to eliminate him here, and the rumors of the world were also a concern.
But if that was the case, where was he supposed to get compensation for his already shattered pride?
The sense of humiliation he had felt in the clearing that day when he had subdued Freddie still remained vividly in his chest.
“Damn it…”
A softly uttered curse reflected Zayd’s feelings.
Knock, knock.
A knock sounded on the office door.
“Come in.”
Creak.
“Grand Prince, they say the Black Knight has finished his testimony to the royal family.”
“He has!?”
“Yes. He even said that he was able to discover the traces of the Regner family, the tail of the Evil cult, with the help of our family.”
It was welcome news.
If that was the case.
“Good. Then tell that bastard to get lost immediately!”
“…Yes?”
“Say some appropriately nice things, give him some gifts, and then send him away!”
“Ah, yes…”
The moment he gave the irritable order, a flash of inspiration (?) crossed Zayd’s mind.
If the punk were to meet with a misfortune after leaving the territory, could anyone really prove that Aslan was involved?
It was a thought born not of a grand scheme, but of a simple, impulsive murderous intent.
‘Yes, something everyone does.’
The fact that it had been attempted countless times since time immemorial, didn’t that mean it was a useful strategy?
‘I just have to not get caught. If I just use my sword well, who would ever…’
Zayd began to flesh out the plan in his mind.
To minimize the number of people who knew, it was best to entrust it to a small number of highly loyal individuals.
Then, in all of Aslan, who could kill that monster of a bastard and leave no trace?
No matter how much he thought, only one person came to mind.
‘The Lightning Blade Sword.’
But would he follow his instructions?
The only person who could directly command him, a 6-Star knight and the commander of the Aslan Knightly Order, was his father.
Not only was there no guarantee that he would follow the instructions, but this plan could also unnecessarily reach his father’s ears.
So for now.
“Wait! I will prepare the gift myself.”
“…Yes?”
“It will look better that way.”
He would part with the punk on the best possible terms.
So that he could deny any involvement even if the punk were to suffer an ‘unfortunate accident’.
Zayd Aslan gave a chilling smile and immediately left the office. No, he was about to.
“…But Grand Prince, Sir Evan has a message. The Black Knight will remain with the family until the royal investigation team arrives.”
“What? An investigation team?”
“Apparently, even if the Black Knight testifies, the investigation team’s visit schedule will not change…”
If only the knight’s subsequent answer hadn’t further fueled his annoyance.
But even amidst that, Zayd got a strange feeling from the words the knight had relayed.
‘He’s specifically telling me that?’
Having watched the Lightning Blade Sword, Evan Orgus, for a long time, the message came across to him like this:
- Let’s wait and not act rashly until then. When the time comes…
“Heh…”
A faint smile appeared on Zayd’s contorted face.
He would have to confirm it, but it seemed that Evan, too, was harboring feelings against that country bumpkin.
* * *
“This concludes my deal with you. Just testify to the royal investigation team and disappear.”
I received Evan’s irritable words with a calm smile.
And after leaving Evan behind and returning to my lodging, I smiled brightly at Rauel.
“This is fun.”
“Yes.”
“The head of the imperial family with whom Lenok Aslan contracted is an Evil cultist. And he even recommended a named wanted criminal, a poison master, in disguise.”
“If this fact becomes known, Lenok Aslan will not be able to evade responsibility. Whether he knew from the beginning or found out recently.”
“Would you like me to tell them?”
“…No, well, you can do as you please, Sir Muno.”
Though her answer was so, her already flushed expression spoke for her heart.
There is a big difference between saying that the Regner family has the backing of the Evil cult and saying that the head of that family is a cultist.
If the person who recommended an individual who committed a terrorist act against the royal family is an imperial noble, this could escalate into an international issue.
Furthermore, if a party to a trade ‘contract’ that is not officially permitted exists openly within the kingdom, they will naturally be suspected as an accomplice.
“…You could get proper revenge, you know?”
Here, Rauel was treated as a traitor, but they both knew well that the truth was the exact opposite.
My words had the power to stir Rauel’s emotions.
But she immediately shook her head.
“Still, your business is more important, Sir Muno.”
“I’m grateful that you think so, but it will be difficult for Lenok Aslan to be executed or lose his position with this alone.”
“Yes?”
“First of all, that witness is probably not in his right mind anymore. Is he even alive?”
“…He is dead.”
“Right, that’s the biggest problem. Of course, His Majesty the King will believe me, but he can’t purge a man who is a duke with just my words. Honestly, there’s no guarantee that Lenok intentionally brought the poison master into his family.”
At those words, Rauel’s expression instantly hardened.
‘Oh no…’
At that, I grabbed both of her shoulders, made her stand straight in front of me, and looked directly into her face.
“Don’t worry. It will still be enough to put pressure on Lenok Aslan. He won’t be able to just lay low anymore. He will have to somehow take the lead in eradicating the Evil cult to prove his innocence, you know?”
He might think that it would be over after being investigated and proving his innocence.
But the information obtained from Geron would be a whip that would absolutely prevent him from thinking that way.
“Aslan will have to see more blood than you think. The question is when. So just wait a bit.”
I spoke with sincerity, but strangely, Rauel wouldn’t meet my eyes.
“……Y-yes, y-yes. I-I understand. But, um, this is…”
With a flushed face, she averted her gaze to the ceiling and her surroundings.
It was only then that I realized I was holding her shoulders and thrusting my face right in front of hers.
‘Hup!’
After hastily stepping back, I felt even more embarrassed and could only let out a dry cough.
“*Ahem*. The royal investigation team will arrive in three days. My heart is pounding.”
Even I, who was spouting nonsense, was confused about the real reason for that pounding.
“I-I think my heart is also beating fast just thinking about revenge.”
…Uh, huh?
“I should control my heart rate by training.”
Rauel suddenly dashed out.
…Do people normally train at a time like this?
‘No, before that…’
That determined expression.
‘For… real?’
She seriously thinks so?
Suddenly, the image of Rauel tilting her head as if to ask what was wrong when she had offered to sleep next to me flashed through my mind.
“Hah…”
It was so absurd that a hollow laugh escaped me.
This was a fresh reminder that Rauel’s mental state, having lived as an assassin, was not normal.
A sigh escaped me at the slightly worrying thought.
But a contradictory feeling that it was for the better also arose.
‘Not yet…’
I myself hadn’t sorted things out yet.
Whether I was really attracted to Rauel, or if it was just an extension of the affection that had developed from living together and crossing the line between life and death together.
And on the other hand, the sly image of myself comparing her to another person who occupied a corner of my heart felt particularly bitter.
“I should train too. Damn it.”
Pushing the body to its limits clears the mind.
Recalling the immutable truth, he too went outside.
However, he did not forget to re-engrave in his heart a hypothesis he had previously discarded.
‘The Evil cult may be connected to the empire. They might even be hiding as a group.’
The chaotic emotions of his personal life and the thrilling sense of accomplishment from having seemingly caught the tail of his enemy mixed together, making his head even more complicated.
For the next three days, he soothed his complicated mind by pushing his body to its limits.
To the point where even the Aslan knights and guards who were watching them closely were dumbfounded.
* * *
Three days later, the royal investigation team entered Aslan territory.
Fortunately, the person in charge was a familiar face to me.
“It’s been a while… I should say. Sir Anthony.”
At my greeting, delivered with a smile, the red knight on horseback grinned back.
A reliable comrade-in-arms, with sturdy muscles already forming on his arm that had been cut off and regenerated.
“Yes. It is always a pleasure to meet a comrade, Sir Muno.”
As the two exchanged warm greetings, the expressions of the Aslan officials, including Zayd, who were watching from behind, soured even more.
And for good reason.
“Let me introduce you. This is Sir Mikael Trooper, and this is Sir Wade Boggs.”
To the left and right of the Blood Knight Anthony, there were two more knights in red armor.
Behind them stood 12 White Iron Knights in pure white armor, and behind them, a staggering 36 Steel Knights symbolizing the royal family.
About 50 of the most elite members of the Royal Knightly Order had been included in the investigation team.
It was a situation that clearly showed the intention to pressure Aslan.
“Nice to meet you, Black Knight.”
I shook the hand of the gigantic, blonde knight Wade Boggs, whose hand seemed twice the size of my own, and which I wondered if his horse could even support.
“You are…”
I exchanged an awkward greeting with the blue-haired Mikael Trooper, whose clean-cut face and sharp blue eyes scanned me from top to bottom, but I still couldn’t quite understand the current situation.
“Why, did you have to come all this way? Wasn’t the capital also in a state of emergency?”
“It’s all because of you, you know?”
“Yes?”
“Hearing that you were heading to Aslan, His Majesty the King went a little overboard. The original schedule wasn’t supposed to be this rushed either.”
Ah…
At those words, I could only let out a hollow laugh.
The overwhelming expectation the king had for me hit me all at once.
“I received a message on the way. You’ve already verified it?”
“Yes. There are no members of the Aslan family or their vassals who possess demonic energy.”
I delivered the news in a loud voice, as if for the Aslan family members lined up behind them to hear.
And the next words were quiet.
“There was testimony that the Regner family of the empire introduced the Evil cultists to Aslan. The family head himself, no less.”
“Regner?”
“They are said to be one of the families with whom Aslan has a secret trade agreement. It’s possible that Lenok Aslan knew as well.”
The last part, in particular, was delivered very quietly, so that only Anthony could hear.
At that, a faint smile spread across Anthony’s face.
“Good. I’ll take care of the rest. It will be a bit of a problem if it’s an imperial noble… but His Majesty will find a way.”
“Please contact me again then.”
“Then? What about you?”
“For now, I want to return to Drasen and rest.”
I expressed my desire to rest my tired, perhaps slightly broken, heart.
And.
“Ah, I plan to stop by the capital for a bit too.”
I added, thinking of a face I missed.
Anthony’s reaction was strange.
“The capital?”
“Yes. There’s someone I want to see.”
“Hmm. Could that person be the Knight of the Gale… by any chance?”
“Ah. Um, haha…”
I laughed awkwardly at his words, which had accurately pinpointed the person I had in mind, and then reluctantly nodded.
“…Yes.”
But an unexpected answer came back.
“If you’re talking about the Knight of the Gale, Sir Karina, I know her news. Very well.”
“Yes?”
“The undefeated knight of the Knight's Grand Tournament, already a 5-Star at her age.”
5-Star?
Just that alone made my eyes widen.
“As it happens, a vacancy opened up in our knightly order, so considering her potential, His Majesty has made her the new Red Iron Knight.”
The words that followed, accompanied by Anthony’s bitter smile, left me completely dumbfounded.