novelraw Chapter 98 : Chapter 98
Chapter 98 : Chapter 98
098
“Don’t let your guard down from now on. You don’t know what kind of bastards will pop out from where.”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers following behind answered loudly at the words of the leading platoon leader.
They were all wearing blue coats, and on the outside of the coats were a couple of medals symbolizing their military achievements.
The Military Police Battalion, a special unit that only the elites in the Imperial Army could enter, and one that boasted absolute power over the soldiers.
They were in charge of military crimes that occurred in the Imperial Army, and they boasted extralegal power all over the world.
If there was a criminal, they would enter any kingdom or holy kingdom without discrimination and punish the criminal.
In the process, major and minor problems were bound to arise.
They were also specialists in handling such problems.
'Did they say there was a Goldline-affiliated mercenary guild?'
Platoon leader Carlson mulled over the report from his subordinate.
The criminal to be captured today was Isadora Silvarena.
A deserter from the northern front, she was a felon who had murdered five of her superiors.
One of the military police had gone to capture her, but he had been stopped by the Goldline-affiliated mercenaries and returned helplessly.
'They've been running wild in the capital lately, and now they've dared to touch the Imperial Army.'
Recently, there had been a constant stream of major and minor fights in the underworld of the Empire.
This was because the Goldline Merchant Guild was fighting, divided into four or five factions.
The siblings fought fiercely as if they were enemies, and every day, countless people died or were injured as the battles continued.
At the center of this war were two people.
Abrahal, who was called the de facto ruler of the Goldline Merchant Guild.
And Avril, the youngest of the Goldline Merchant Guild, who had recently been expanding his power the most in the Empire.
The two of them indiscriminately threw money and people into the war, and the aftermath shook the Empire.
Countless riffraff flocked to the center of the Empire in pursuit of money, and the damage was all borne by the citizens of the Empire.
Of course, there was immediate intervention from the Imperial security forces.
However, subduing the Goldline-affiliated mercenaries was not as easy as the Imperial Army had expected.
'Above all, the problem is that power called Aura or whatever.'
They emitted a strange power from their swords.
A power that could cut through not only swords but also magic.
It wasn't a power that could be used for a long time or frequently, but it was a power that could certainly kill an opponent with a single blow.
In a stalemate, the one with the better weapon was bound to win.
In the end, the Imperial Army could only send an official letter of protest to the Goldline Merchant Guild and watch the fight passively.
'In times like this, we need to capture felons and make an example of them.'
The blue coat that only the elites of the Imperial Military Police could wear.
One blue coat soldier was the equivalent of one knight in terms of combat power.
Twelve such personnel had been dispatched to capture just one felon.
'There are signs that Avril himself was concerned about Isadora's whereabouts.'
If they captured Isadora, they might be able to get even one piece of information related to Avril right now.
As soon as they arrived in the Akarind territory, they went straight through the main gate.
“For a rural territory of a kingdom, it’s quite splendid.”
“Avril himself invested money, they say.”
“The layout looks just like the border of the northern region, meant to face a huge monster.”
“It seems he was cultivating his ambitions since then.”
Their eyes sharply scanned the territory.
Based on the map they had received in advance, they headed straight for Akarind Academy.
They were people who had nothing to fear and had lived their lives with all the arrogance in the world.
They reached Akarind Academy through the main gate with confidence.
“What’s the matter.”
Hati blocked their way.
He was, for once, properly dressed in a security guard's uniform.
“……”
The members of the Empire's unit, upon seeing Hati, all put their hands on their weapons.
A black snake tattoo on a smooth, bald head.
Sharp, deep eyes and a stable stance.
Even with clothes on, his short stature of 170cm was hidden by his firm muscles and physique.
'Why is a monster like that in a shabby place like this?'
Hati did not reveal his presence, but the Imperial soldiers, who had mainly dealt with criminals, knew instinctively.
He is a strong person.
And he is someone who has killed many people.
He was not someone who would work as a security guard in a place like this.
Carlson swallowed a dry gulp of saliva and spoke.
“We are the Imperial Military Police, dispatched to arrest a criminal of the Imperial Army. The Belmein Kingdom has an extradition treaty with the Empire, so you are to guide us to Isadora Silvarena in accordance with the treaty.”
Tension flowed.
This kind of authority worked well within the Empire, but not outside.
In fact, in some kingdoms, there were many cases where those with animosity towards the Empire drew their swords at the mere mention of the Imperial Army.
Just as the soldiers behind them were about to draw their swords.
“I see. Isadora. She's in the main building. Follow me.”
Hati turned his body and began to trudge away.
It was a sign that he didn't care at all about them standing behind him.
The soldiers exchanged glances for a moment and then followed Hati.
One hand was still on the hilt of their sword.
Their senses tingled, telling them that their necks would be cut the moment they took their hand off the sword.
That much pressure was being transmitted from that defenseless back.
In fact, Hati was currently in a state of heightened senses.
By combining the information felt through the Mana Road, a clear picture was drawn as if they were facing each other, even without looking at their backs.
If he were to rush in and swing his weapon right now, he could finish them all within ten minutes.
But today was not the day for him to fight.
“……!”
“……!”
In the distance, the main characters of today's fight were raising their voices.
They were three men.
One was a man who looked unremarkable.
He was slender in height, and his eyes were so kind that they had never cut a person once.
His facial features were elegant, and although he was wearing a sword, there was no sign that he had swung a sword for a long time.
He seemed to be a teacher of the theory department.
On the other hand, the other teacher was different.
He was over 190cm tall, and his whole body was filled with well-trained muscles.
He was wearing a loose and revealing T-shirt, as if to show off his physique, and the sword he was holding was full of scars, as if it were a cherished weapon used for a long time.
And behind them.
Even from a distance, a vivid golden hair, as if floating in the air, could be seen.
'Golden?'
Carlson quickly raised his fist and gave the stop signal.
The other soldiers, upon seeing the signal, all stopped and observed the situation.
'If it's that strong a golden color, it's royalty. I've heard that there's a royal who failed a coup and is hiding in this academy.'
Fortunately, the three men didn't seem to have noticed them.
Fortunately, the security guard who had been guiding them had also stopped and was looking at them when they didn't follow.
They were lucky.
“Step aside for a moment.”
“Don’t you need to be guided?”
“We’ll find our own way from here.”
Hati, who had been watching them, nodded once and then moved back to his post at the entrance.
Since he had his back turned to the Imperial soldiers, none of them saw the smile on Hati's lips.
“…This student is a useless student at the academy!”
“Where in this world is there a useless student! Speak sense, Teacher Cassian!”
“Now that the chairman has resigned, don’t you know that there’s no one to protect the rebellious prince!”
“We can protect him! We are teachers!”
From what they heard, the effeminate-looking fop was arguing to abandon the royal, while the one opposite him, who looked like he had muscles for brains, was arguing to protect the royal.
'The chairman has resigned? One of the pillars of Akarind Academy has disappeared. So there must be a conflict among the instructors inside.'
Both the Goldline Merchant Guild and the two places connected to Akarind Academy seemed to be in internal conflict.
It looked like a simple quarrel, but it was full of important information that could grasp the political situation of Akarind Academy.
“A teacher is fine. But this student, he has no talent at all!”
“That’s because you don’t know the sword! He has talent!”
“Look at his body! Where in the world is the talent! He can’t even swallow his food properly and has a slender body! He’ll die if you just hit him!”
But even if he's a student, is it okay to talk about a royal like that?
Just as he was thinking that.
“The time for using the sword with force is over! Look!”
A strange light flashed from the muscular brute's sword.
All the soldiers who were watching the situation lowered their posture and flinched.
'Aura? There's someone who uses that skill in a third-rate academy like this?'
Among the mercenaries of the Goldline Merchant Guild, only a very few could use Aura.
At most, the number did not exceed five.
And those people could easily handle more than fifty people by themselves.
If such a person says that that royal has talent.
'…Is there something I haven't seen?'
He couldn't help but think that.
“That kind of Aura, anyone can use it!”
But that thought was short-lived.
The moment the fop on the other side drew his Aura, the soldiers' minds went blank.
'?'
What kind of people were the teachers here that everyone and their dog could draw Aura?
No, even if I could understand that instructor, wasn't this instructor just a fop?
Just as that complicated thought was twisting in his mind.
“Hmph, that kind of petty trick!”
The muscular instructor began to swing his sword.
For a moment, the soldiers felt the illusion that their bodies were being cut.
It was a stable and terrifying sword stance.
'N-no way.'
He thought that twelve military policemen would be enough to arrest Isadora.
But he could tell from that one move.
They would have difficulty getting through even that one instructor.
It was a stable yet destructive cut.
The trajectory was simple, but the power behind it could not be ignored.
And the fop easily parried that sword.
'Easily?'
They doubted their own eyes.
The fop parried the opponent's sword with almost no movement, using only the elasticity of his wrist and arm.
The move was so exquisite that it was a believable attack even if one were to say that the two had planned it in advance.
Of course, that was the truth.
“See that! You have that kind of skill because you learned the sword qi I developed! This student here has also been learning sword qi from me for a year already! He’ll be releasing sword qi soon!”
“Damn it…!”
The two of them clashed swords a few more times and then retreated.
No one was injured or fell, but it didn't seem like the fight would continue.
“…I won’t forget today’s events.”
The one who left first was the fop.
When the fop teacher had completely disappeared, the muscular teacher spat once and then moved with the student.
The soldiers, who had been waiting until they were completely out of sight, slowly got up and exchanged glances.
“Captain.”
“Let’s retreat.”
If that story was really true, then the arrest of Isadora was not important.
The teacher who had created the 'sword qi' that had made the Empire buzz was here.
And among his top disciples who had learned that sword qi for over a year was a prince who had fled from the Traivan royal family.
If they used him, they might be able to grasp the chaos of the Empire more clearly.
It seemed they had to return to the Empire as soon as possible.
* * *
“Cassian, you should never act again.”
“Why? Didn’t I do well just now?”
“Really, do you think it’s appropriate to say things like ‘ugh, damn it’ after throwing a move like that? Did you really fool the Imperial soldiers?”
“……Hmm. Do you think they were fooled?”
“If this operation fails, it’s all because of your terrible acting.”
Anyway, the bait has been thrown.
Now, Gwen, Hati, and the others just have to use the Empire's movements to spread various rumors.
It's going to be a bit nerve-wracking for the next three months… but I'm sure I can endure it.
Right?