By Zephyria 
‘What should I do from now on?’
Elian looked at Kirendis with a complicated heart. He was still lying in bed, sleeping like a corpse.
Fortunately, he had been able to move and get out; otherwise, he would have had to spend the night in a difficult situation.
‘I’ve bought some time.’
Elian quietly closed his eyes and began to sort out his complicated thoughts.
‘Still just liking him. That’s all.’
Yes. Still at the stage of liking him. Fortunately, Elian’s feelings were still at the stage of liking him. It was a stage where the affection built up since childhood had developed into rational liking.
‘I just need to make sure it doesn’t deepen any further.’
He couldn’t erase the feelings that had already arrived. Nor could he afford to let them grow.
‘There’s still so much to do.He felt he would only have the leeway to look around after resolving the immediate problems.
‘It’s dangerous before then.’
What if he nurtured his feelings and things went wrong? How would he bear the consequences?
Elian was someone who always prepared for the worst-case scenario. This time was no different.
The worst-case scenario if he nurtured his feelings for Kirendis was being killed by the person he loved.
‘I don’t want to experience that.’
His heart felt bad enough now; he didn’t even want to imagine it if his feelings deepened further.
‘So, what should I do?’
The first thing he needed to do was persuade Lion. After persuading him, he needed to persuade the Rebel Army, and then begin full-scale operations.
He had to return, build up his power, and make Lion a king with a solid foundation.
‘I’m going to be busy.’
He would be busy, but he wasn’t too worried since it was work he had done before. The problem was his feelings for Kirendis.
‘Is it possible to stop here?’
This was something he couldn’t plan for. The best scenario would be to stop his growing feelings, make Lion king, and then proceed.
By then, he would have met the minimum conditions to avoid death. But…
Would that really work?
“Haaah…”
Elian let out a long sigh and opened his eyes. Dawn was breaking. His whole body ached from sitting for so long.
However, he still hadn’t made any plans regarding Kirendis. But there was one thing he was sure of.
‘I don’t want to discard this feeling…’
Elian just needed time. Time to gain confidence, time to love Kirendis to his heart’s content.
He had no intention of giving up. He just needed time.
Yet, because he always had to consider the worst-case scenario, he didn’t want his feelings to deepen further. He had to maintain their current relationship so he could stop at any time.
‘Until Lion becomes king.’
As he was concluding his thoughts, Elian suddenly realized something.
‘Wait. This is too…’
Isn’t this a garbage thought? To leave Kirendis’s feelings unattended, knowing them so well.
Realizing his selfish heart, Elian furrowed his brow. He wasn’t just any garbage; he was a truly wicked scoundrel.
‘Living like this will earn me punishment.’
Elian cursed himself, but his feelings didn’t seem likely to change.
“I know you’re awake.”
Elian quietly turned his head and spoke. The corpse occupying the bed flinched and trembled.
Yes.
At some point, Kirendis had woken up but had been pretending to be asleep.
Judging that he could no longer hide it, he slowly sat up and gave an awkward laugh.
“Ha. Ha. Ha. Good morning, Elian.”
His clothes were disheveled. His hair was messy too. He looked so lovable.
His flustered face, glancing around nervously, his eyes darting to figure out the situation.
‘Haaah…’
How could he not be greedy for someone like this?
He was a coward, but also a greedy person.
He didn’t want to lose him, and he wanted to hold everything in his hands. The non-existent future, his feelings for Kirendis, and the affection he received.
So…
‘Wait a little.’
He resolved to give even more overflowing affection than he received, if only he would wait a little longer. He vowed to be together for a lifetime.
So…
‘Until then… just for then, I’ll be a little sorry.’
Elian slowly walked towards the restless Kirendis.
As the distance closed, Kirendis’s large body flinched. Seeing him like this, it seemed he didn’t remember last night’s events.
Since he had decided not to deepen his feelings, not remembering was a good thing. But strangely, he didn’t feel good.
‘What a fool I am…’
Elian clicked his tongue briefly.
Last night’s events were something Elian himself had escalated, not Kirendis. His actions had undeniably given Kirendis an opening, so it would be problematic if Kirendis remembered. He would surely exploit it.
But his own feelings seemed separate from the situation. Seeing Kirendis’s oblivious face, after all the worries he’d had all night, made him feel twisted.
“Good morning? Do I look like I’m having a good morning?”
So, he spoke with a heavy dose of sarcasm, which made Kirendis jump in surprise. Flustered and unsure what to do, he buried his head in the mattress and shouted.
“S-Sorry! I don’t remember what happened yesterday. No, I remember what happened before that, but not what happened after… Ah, that is to say, it’s…”
He rambled incoherently. It was understandable, given the events that had unfolded one after another in a single day. He seemed lost, unsure of where to begin asking for forgiveness.
“Haaah…”
Seeing him like that, his fighting spirit quickly subsided. It was troublesome how cute he looked. He felt he might fall for him like bean sprouts growing rapidly if he wasn’t careful.
“Sorry… sorry.”
Kirendis mumbled, curling up his body. He looked like a puppy abandoned by its owner, which made Elian feel uneasy.
“Haaah…”
Elian could only let out a small sigh. After all, he had been the cause of it too, so it would be heartless to corner only Kirendis.
“I’ll forgive you… just this once.”
Finally, he uttered the words softly, and Kirendis’s face brightened as he lifted his head.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Really?”
“I said so.”
“Don’t go back on your word.”
“Have I always been tricked?”
He replied with his usual sarcasm, and Kirendis finally seemed relieved, his face lighting up.
‘Damn it…’
It’s blindingly bright…
Elian scowled. He had only just acknowledged his feelings, yet Kirendis’s beauty seemed even more dazzling than before.
How could this be?
‘I really need to be careful. Otherwise…’
Elian squeezed his eyes shut. He didn’t want to imagine what came next.
“Elian.”
As if emboldened by receiving forgiveness, Kirendis cautiously began to speak. He seemed to have something to say.
Elian was preoccupied and momentarily let his guard down. Thus, he was caught completely off guard by an unexpected question.
“If… if you’re okay with it, Elian, could you tell me what happened last night?”
“…Huh?”
“I think I forgot something important, but I can’t remember.”
“……”
“It feels strange, but my body feels refreshed, even though I drank…”
Elian, flustered, couldn’t say anything. A sense of unease washed over him.
‘…Even if he doesn’t remember, do the sensations remain?’
Elian quickly scanned his surroundings. He had cleaned up all traces, but he couldn’t be too sure. If even a small clue remained, it would be problematic. What if a small clue brought back his memory…?
“So…”
“Nothing happened!!”
“What?”
“Huh?”
He had spoken too hastily, without his brain filtering the words. Elian realized his mistake too late, but it was already done.
Saying it like this was like announcing that something had happened!
“So something did happen, didn’t it?!”
Kirendis, with a look of conviction, grabbed Elian’s hand.
“I must have made a mistake again. That’s why Elian is making that face.”
“W-What face am I making?”
Elian, flustered, tried to pull his hand away, but he couldn’t. Kirendis’s large hand held him firmly.
His captured hand felt hot, and the memories of yesterday returned. Before he knew it, his face turned bright red.
“Oh?”
Kirendis’s eyes widened, sensing something was wrong. He felt he would be found out if he remained held.
He prided himself on his ability to control his expressions, but it was useless now. He couldn’t control himself at all.
Elian shoved Kirendis with all his might and shouted.
“You! Uh, no approaching within 3 meters from now on! And you smell like alcohol, so wash up! I’m going for a, a walk!”
“What? Alcohol smell… No, a walk? Elian? Elian?!”
Elian fled quickly. He tumbled down the stairs, opened the door, and ran wherever his feet took him.
He stopped to catch his breath only when he was sure Kirendis wasn’t chasing him.
“Haa… Haa…”
Leaning against the wall, he slid down and exhaled. His heart felt like it would burst. It was from running with all his might, but somehow, that didn’t feel like the only reason.
“Ah, really…”
It was a mess. What was he going to do?
‘I just need to calm down and fix this.’
He hadn’t said much anyway. His facial expression had just slipped a little. Since Kirendis wouldn’t know why, he could just play dumb.
Besides, there was a situation within Kirendis’s memory that he could use as an excuse.
If so, what Elian needed to prepare was a shameless face and a confident tone.
“Hoo…”
After organizing his thoughts, he felt a little calmer. He raised his head and looked back the way he had run. Fortunately, Kirendis was nowhere in sight.
He thought it was good that he had used the excuse of smelling like alcohol at that moment. It was probably a big reason why Kirendis hadn’t followed.
‘I need to move from here.’
He had narrowly escaped, but he still needed time. Time to prepare sufficiently and put on a composed mask.
Elian brushed himself off and started walking. He walked wherever his feet took him. He figured he would find a familiar path if he just kept walking.
‘As long as I don’t go back to where I started.’
If there were grades for being directionally challenged, Elian thought he wasn’t that severely afflicted.
How long had he walked? Fortunately, a familiar plaza appeared before his eyes.
“Oh!”
He was happy that he had gotten out faster than expected, wondering if his directional sense was improving.
‘But is it okay to wander around alone?’
He had never wandered alone before, so it felt a little awkward. But this wasn’t the Imperial Palace, nor was it a dangerous place, so he walked slowly.
He thought, what kind of trouble could possibly happen in such an open plaza?
“Oh dear, young man. Where’s your sweetheart? Why are you out alone?”
Just then, a familiar voice called out, and he turned his head. It was the merchant who had sold skewers during the Harvest Festival. The same merchant who had mistaken Kirendis for him and then assumed they were lovers.
‘This person definitely doesn’t know my identity.’
He had heard that sharp people would recognize him as Archduke Esiton, but he was sure this merchant wouldn’t.
“Your sweetheart always buys so many things. Are you here to buy them this time?”
Even if he were pretending not to know, he wouldn’t be so familiar with Archduke Esiton.
Moreover, the merchant even showed him a large piece of meat, saying they had just butchered a cow yesterday and he should try it right away.
“Meat is best when eaten fresh. Shall I cut off a piece and grill it for you now?”
“What?”
Grill what?
Without Elian saying anything, the merchant quickly disappeared into his shop, saying he would grill some for him right away.
‘What, do they always sell like this?’
Elian, who had never bought anything alone, wondered if this was the normal way of doing business in this world, and he was dumbfounded.
‘Should I have taken something with me?’
He had nothing, so he wondered if he should have at least taken a button from the clothes he was wearing.
He couldn’t just ignore it and leave, nor could he buy anything, so he was in a difficult situation.
Standing there, unable to do anything, the merchant came out and handed him an unknown bag, saying.
“Here. Take it and eat it with your sweetheart.”
“…What?”
Elian’s eyes widened in surprise again. The bag was too large to be a sample.
Besides, who would put sample meat in a bag like that?
“No…”
“Take it. We’re grateful that your sweetheart has been using our shop so much.”
“So…”
“I put some other things in besides the grilled ones. It’s nothing special. Please take it.”
He accepted it hesitantly, but the bag was as heavy as it was large. It seemed he had put the meat he had taken inside into the bag.
“I’m also very grateful to you, young man. So don’t feel burdened and take it.”
Hearing that, Elian was surprised once more.
What could he, whom he had only met twice, be grateful for?
‘I thought he was unobservant…’
He must have realized his identity later and was pretending not to know. It would have looked awkward if he hadn’t acted as usual, and there were many eyes watching.
‘He’s braver than I thought.’
To be able to act the same way even after realizing he was Archduke Esiton. Or perhaps he had known his identity from the beginning.
Either way, both were impressive, so Elian let out a small smile. Seeing that, the merchant seemed to gain courage and asked in a cautious voice.
“Ahem. Well, I… I have one thing I’m curious about.”
Wondering what he was curious about to make such a face, Elian tilted his head. The merchant whispered in a small voice.
“Um… Since when have you and your… sweetheart been in that kind of relationship?”
“……”
“……”
“……”
A moment of silence fell between them.
Elian thought he had misheard. But his hearing was normal, so the assumption that he had misheard was impossible.
Emboldened, he was asking.
When exactly had Archduke Elian Esiton and Duke Kirendis Rippen become lovers?
“Oh dear, look at me. I had something to do and forgot. Well then, young man, see you later.”
Elian’s face stiffened, and the merchant, sweating profusely, bolted. He disappeared so quickly, leaving his shop behind, without even looking back.
Elian didn’t know what courage he had to ask that question, only to be so startled by a change in expression and run away.
“Haaah…”
He was extraordinary in many ways, but Elian’s heart became a tangled mess. His head felt as heavy as the meat in his arms.
‘This will spread properly.’
At this rate, it would only be a matter of time before the rumors reached the capital. Even if people tried to keep their mouths shut, once a word spread, it would travel like wildfire.
Moreover, a scandal between Archduke Elian Esiton and Duke Kirendis Rippen?
Even if it were a baseless rumor, it would be an interesting story, so it would spread like wildfire.
‘I should have denied it immediately.’
He had missed the timing from the start, and having his identity revealed, he didn’t know how to act, so delaying the start was a mistake.
“Haaah…”
Elian sighed again and walked on. He walked wherever his feet took him.
‘I don’t know.’
His brain was already overloaded and couldn’t function properly. He needed a change of mood.
Elian carefully opened the bag. A delicious smell had been wafting from it for a while, so it seemed like a suitable mood changer.
‘There’s really grilled meat inside?’
It was even on a skewer, making it easy to eat. A smile flickered across his lips, thinking he had worked hard in such a short time.
‘This place’s skewers were the most delicious.’
Memories of the Harvest Festival flashed by. It had been recent, yet it felt like a distant event.
The noisy, lively street.
The countless food smells that tickled his nose.
Even the red sunset he had watched at the end.
A natural smile appeared on Elian’s lips. He took out a skewer and put it in his mouth, feeling relaxed.
‘It’s delicious.’
Even though it was just lightly grilled, sweet juices seeped from the meat, stimulating his tongue. The tender texture was also excellent.
As he savored the meat in his mouth while walking, someone called out to him again.
“Oh my. Look who it is. The handsome young man I saw at the Harvest Festival, right?”
This time, it was a merchant selling fruit desserts. Elian tensed. He wondered if this merchant, too, had recognized him.
“I see your lover around often, but you’re alone today?”
“…….”
“That’s good. I happened to have something for you, so wait a moment.”
They say a bad feeling always comes true. The merchant put fruit into a bag, handed it to Elian, and continued speaking.
“Take this. The fruit you ordered before has arrived. You prepaid for it, so you just need to take it.”
“…….”
Elian could only stare at the bag with trembling eyes. The pattern was exactly the same.
‘What… should I say in response?’
It was certain. This merchant clearly knew Elian was Archduke Esiton. Otherwise, there would be no reason to tell such an obvious lie.
‘Right. First, I’ll deny having a lover, then say the fruit is fine.’
He already had heavy meat in his arms, so he couldn’t add fruit on top of that. How could he go for a walk carrying all this?
However….
“Lover….”
“Yes, go eat it with your lover. Our fruit is truly delicious. Oh my, my memory. I have to make a delivery.”
“Excuse me….”
“Then go carefully, young man.”
“…….”
Elian could only stare at the merchant with a vacant look. The retreating back was exactly the same as moments before.
‘I couldn’t even say a word.’
When he was Archduke Esiton, everything was easy. But without his mask, nothing was easy.
“Haa….”
Elian let out another deep sigh and had no choice but to walk with the heavy fruit in his arms once more.
What he held in his hands grew heavier, making it seem difficult to continue his walk. So he decided it was time to go back, but then….
“Aren’t you the young man who enjoyed it so much last time?”
“This is what’s left….”
“We have a newly developed special menu….”
…Merchants began to detain Elian with various methods and reasons.
They actively struck up conversations, trying to press something upon him. Elian was flustered and lost.
Should he act with the dignity befitting Archduke Esiton, or should he pretend to be an ordinary person? He couldn’t grasp which path to take.
His appearance wasn’t even dignified enough for an Archduke.
“By the way, what is your lover doing that you came alone?”
“Are you getting along well with your lover?”
“Come with your lover next time.”
To make matters worse, everyone asked about Kirendis, his supposed lover, tangling his thoughts even further.
Why on earth did everyone he met mistake him for having a lover!
‘Could it have already spread as a rumor?!’
He thought he had been careful enough at the Harvest Festival, but he couldn’t understand why the rumor had spread so quickly.
‘I need to get away first.’
This path was not suitable for a walk. It was a complete failure. Elian quickened his pace and left the plaza.
Even then, people who spotted him wanted to greet him, but Elian desperately increased his speed, ignoring them.
‘Why are the people in this village so fearless?’
Even if it was a remote village, they should know Archduke Esiton’s personality, so why were they so quick to approach him?
If it were just one or two people, he might think they were bold, but everyone he met was like this, making him realize something was seriously wrong.
“Haa….”
Once he left the plaza, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Elian set down the mountain of groceries on the ground and slumped down.
The fact that he chose to sit on the ground himself showed how mentally and physically exhausted he was, needing time to recover.
He had chosen to go for a walk to clear his head, but it felt like a fierce storm had just swept through.
“Should I go… a little further into the corner?”
Elian looked around and moved to an alleyway between buildings. It was a narrow path between walls, not easily visible.
Only then could Elian finally rest with peace of mind.
Since some of the food would spoil quickly, he knew he couldn’t rest for long. So he closed his eyes, timing when he should get up. Then, suddenly, he remembered something he had overlooked and opened his eyes.
With a look of realization, Elian muttered softly.
“How… do I get home?”
Yes. He didn’t know the way back.
“Haa….”
Kirendis let out a long sigh as he turned off the shower and ran a hand through his wet hair. Cold water droplets trickled down, sliding along his firm muscles.
Although his body had recovered its condition thanks to the cold shower, his mind remained troubled.
‘What was it?’
There must have been a mistake he couldn’t recall. But since he couldn’t remember, his mind felt suffocated.
‘This is why I didn’t touch alcohol at all.’
Kirendis let out a low sigh. The situation had escalated to this point because of his constitution, where he would black out whenever he drank.
He was known to be terrible with alcohol, and if he drank, he would black out. That’s why he had avoided alcohol, but things got complicated when he met someone he shouldn’t have.
Lucian and Lion.
Those two were always eager to get Kirendis drunk and were constantly looking for an opportunity.
To them, a Kirendis with a serious expression must have been easy prey.
‘Why are they so desperate to get me drunk?’
Since he always blacked out, he couldn’t figure out the reason. The two of them never told him, so he hadn’t found out until now.
‘I must have a drinking habit I don’t know about.’
Otherwise, Elian wouldn’t have made that expression.
His flushed face, his trembling eyes, his voice full of embarrassment.
‘Could it be….’
Did I sleep with him?
The circumstances made this a highly probable assumption, and his face turned pale. It was the kind of action he, having lost his inhibitions under the influence of alcohol, would most likely commit.
‘Still… it didn’t go all the way, right?’
He bit his lip anxiously and imagined it.
When he had explicit thoughts, his face would flush and his heart would pound, but as time passed, he somehow felt it wasn’t the case.
If something like that had happened, given Elian’s personality, he would have run away rather than waited in the same space.
‘Then… up to the point of trying?’
This assumption also felt weak. Even if it was up to the point of trying, the assumption that he would have run away remained unchanged.
Then…
‘He tried to, but failed.’
Kirendis was convinced. That’s why Elian’s mood had been so low. He had experienced something he didn’t need to experience twice in one day.
It was understandable.
‘I need to be careful.’
He had to be fully alert. Since his body didn’t obey his will, he had to overcome it with mental strength.
Therefore, alcohol, which ruined his mental strength, was absolutely forbidden.
It was fortunate he was forgiven; he could have caused serious trouble. He could have lost the trust he had built up over time.
“Alright.”
Kirendis decided to start anew. To do that, he first needed to find Elian. The smell of alcohol should have worn off by now, so he could approach him without worry.
With his mind renewed, he went outside. Feeling the magic of the tracking device on Elian’s wrist, he set his direction.
“The plaza?”
Fortunately, he hadn’t gone far, but being in the plaza was quite unexpected. Elian was the type to care a lot about people’s eyes, and he was currently in a state that made him difficult to recognize as Archduke Esiton.
For him, who cared about people’s eyes, to appear in a state other than Archduke Esiton.
It didn’t seem like a situation he would readily accept, so Kirendis was puzzled.
‘I need to get there quickly.’
There were more people in this village who were favorable to Elian than in other places.
Perhaps because it was a village where one didn’t encounter nobles often, there were quite a few people whose attitudes didn’t change even when facing someone of high status.
Merchants, in particular, made up a significant portion, and the plaza was one of the areas where shops were concentrated. Therefore, there was a high probability that something had happened.
As expected.
‘He’s in trouble.’
Kirendis chuckled as he watched Elian.
Elian was nervously dealing with a merchant who kept trying to hand him bread. He already held many groceries in his hands, and it seemed like he had experienced the same thing multiple times.
His reaction, given he was known as the Iron Blood Archduke, was quite clumsy, which made him smile.
He couldn’t even speak to refuse or accept, just struggling. Who would have expected him to be like this?
The people, seeing his awkward demeanor, must have concluded that rumors couldn’t be trusted.
‘It was a good decision to come to this village after all.’
Kirendis watched Elian with a satisfied smile.
His load had already been transformed into a large bundle by the baker, with bread, presumably baked fresh that morning, bulging out on top.
The sight made him find Elian even cuter, and he couldn’t suppress his laughter.
He was caught again after only a few steps, and the same thing happened two or three more times. By then, it seemed he couldn’t take it anymore, and he finally bolted.
‘Ah, really.’
His hasty escape was incredibly endearing. Even just his back conveyed his emotions so well that he couldn’t help but smile.
Just moments ago, his heart had been troubled, but it was instantly filled with affection.
A person he couldn’t help but love.
Elian was indeed a person he couldn’t help but love.
‘I don’t know. He’ll probably come looking for me himself.’
Elian leaned against the wall with a relaxed mind, looking at the bracelet on his wrist. He had been told it was a tracking device, so if Kirendis didn’t come, he assumed he would find him eventually.
At the same time, he realized he had an unspoken reliance, which made him wonder if that’s why he had acted so recklessly.
‘I’m relying on Kirendis more than I thought.’
If he had just thought of him as immature, he wouldn’t have acted this way.
‘Wait. Why am I constantly thinking about Kirendis? Stop!’
Startled, Elian shook his head and pushed the thoughts away. Kirendis might come looking sooner than expected, so he needed to regain the emotions he had aimed for.
“Hoo….”
First, he closed his eyes and took a long, deep breath as if meditating. His mind felt a little more stable. If he spent a little time in this state…
“What are you doing here?”
“Aaaah!”
He heard a voice he shouldn’t have heard and was more startled than usual. His body swayed from his seated position, and the neatly arranged pile of groceries began to tilt with him.
“Ah, no!!”
Elian cried out, instinctively spreading his arms to embrace them.
Although he had no choice but to accept them, these items were like people’s hearts, so his body moved first.
“Haa.”
Fortunately, he managed to protect the pile of groceries, and a sigh of relief escaped him.
Then, a cool laugh erupted from above him.
“How much did you receive?”
“……People were just pushy. I didn’t have time to refuse.”
He answered as if making an excuse, but the truth was closer to the fact that he couldn’t refuse the kindness he felt for the first time.
As if to prove it, his earlobes turned slightly red.
“You really received a lot. It must have been heavy.”
“Heavy? I can handle this much.”
Elian pretended to be strong and acted nonchalant. Fortunately, Kirendis was treating him normally, which made this possible.
“Give it to me. I’ll carry it back.”
“I told you it wasn’t heavy?”
“It makes my heart uncomfortable.”
“……Does it?”
Only then, as if he had no choice, he handed it over, and Kirendis lifted the pile of groceries with one hand.
When he had carried it, it had felt like an enormous bundle, but in Kirendis’s arms, it looked like nothing special.
‘He’s… big.’
He was reminded anew that Kirendis was truly an adult. And an adult much bigger and stronger than himself.
That slightly pricked Elian’s pride, but a large hand was extended, stopping his thoughts.
“Hold on.”
“……I can stand up on my own, you know?”
Even though he said that, Elian didn’t pull away. He grasped the offered hand and stood up, leaning on the pulling force.
Although his pride was hurt, the sense of security he offered was more significant. The large hand supported Elian firmly, and it felt like he would always be by his side, unchanging.
His heart felt a little fluttery.
“It’s too much for two people to eat. Wouldn’t it be best to call everyone and finish it all at once?”
“Better than throwing it away because it spoils.”
“It feels real when you receive gifts like this, doesn’t it?”
“Well… a little?”
He turned his head, unable to say no. As he said, after receiving such a barrage of gifts, he couldn’t help but feel it.
That there were more people in this world who were favorable to him than he had thought.
‘I still don’t know why, though.’
He thought he had performed his role as a capable villain, but he couldn’t figure out where this loophole had appeared.
It might be because his activities made the Rebel Army favorable towards him, escalating things, but it wouldn’t have been possible without some kind of opening.
‘The villain image makes it easier to stir up trouble, though.’
He was already used to being cursed at, so it didn’t hurt much. However, even Elian couldn’t help but be affected when people who were favorable turned away.
‘I should accept their favor without fully embracing it and keep my distance.’
Otherwise, his heart might soften. To operate the country stably, coldness was essential, but he felt his heart might become too soft.
If he kept his distance, wouldn’t the favor he received today also settle down?
‘I didn’t dislike it, but it’s still overwhelming.’
Elian blushed, recalling the intense favor shown by the merchants.
As they walked back side-by-side, Elian and Kirendis saw an armed soldier running towards them urgently from a distance.
“Hmm?”
His face was pale, and his hands and feet trembled as if he were in a panic.
Sensing something unusual, Elian turned to look at Kirendis. He seemed to feel the same atmosphere, stopping the soldier who was about to pass them by and asking,
“What is it?”
“K-Kirendis-nim.”
For a moment, relief flashed across the panicked face. It was not a good reaction. What reason would a soldier, whose duty was to protect the village, have to feel relieved upon seeing a noble and a knight like him?
The worst possible assumption flashed through Elian’s mind. At the same time, various pieces of information, such as the village’s size and location, naturally came to mind.
Among them were details he didn’t fully understand, making him anxious. He desperately hoped his assumption was wrong.
However, the words that came from the soldier were not much different from what Elian had expected.
“Monsters… monsters are swarming in!”
Elian immediately turned his head to check the city walls. They were not clearly visible due to the buildings. That meant the walls were not very high.
They didn’t seem substantial enough to be called walls even when viewed from the hilltop.
It was one of the fatal flaws of territories owned by the Imperial Family, not ruled by nobles.
‘If this information is true, it’s dangerous.’
Elian’s mind began to cool down more than anyone else’s.
Why would monsters suddenly descend upon the village?
From the moment he planned to create such a village, he had paid attention to its location. When granting permission, he had ensured that monsters were granted permission for safe zones rather than their territories.
Monster territories didn’t change easily, and they wouldn’t descend upon the village unless their territory was encroached upon.
They would only descend upon the village in two cases: when their territory was invaded, or when their population grew too large for their territory.
Therefore, periodic subjugation was carried out to control the monster population.
‘Monster subjugation is Marius’s jurisdiction.’
It seemed something had happened to Jade. He had been with Elian for a long time, and if he were well and in the Imperial Palace, this would not have happened.
‘He must have stirred up trouble somewhere else again.’
Then, what did he provoke this time? What did he provoke that made the monsters…
‘Could it be…….’
With one assumption flashing through his mind, Elian shouted urgently.
“Where exactly is this village located?!”
Elian shouted sharply. The soldier, overwhelmed by his gaze and voice, opened his mouth in a stiff posture.
“It’s a village located below the Rarkran Plains.”
“Tell me the coordinates.”
“The c-coordinates are….”
Each village had a unique coordinate. That way, they could ascertain their location without looking at a map.
It was a term used quite frequently, and especially for those who had to protect the village, it was essential to memorize.
But he, perhaps startled by Elian’s aura, had gone blank and couldn’t answer.
Seeing this, Kirendis, unable to bear it any longer, quickly provided the information instead.
“It’s AX7853.”
Elian quickly unfolded a map in his mind.
He was the type of person who memorized all the coordinates marked on maps, not just those of important points but even trivial ones.
If possible, he could acquire information quickly without looking at a map, but it wasn’t an efficient action.
As a human, errors were inevitable, so he had to double-check.
But Elian was different.
He had never once made a mistake regarding the locations and characteristics of the coordinates he had stored in his mind.
Thus, he recalled the surrounding terrain and key strategic points without looking at a map, and immediately grasped why such a situation had occurred.
‘Marius, that bastard.’
Elian scowled, spitting out a vicious curse.
This village’s coordinate was adjacent to an area where Marius had attempted a reckless Monster subjugation in the past. A place where, if mishandled, displaced Monsters could flood into civilian areas.
Elian recalled how he had stopped Marius back then, concerned about this very issue. Marius’s reason for attempting reckless Monster subjugation was always when he wanted to create positive public opinion, even if it meant deliberately exposing a weakness.
Fortunately, the operation had worked well, and the Monster subjugation did not proceed. Then Marius ascended to the throne, so Elian had thought the subjugation would also not proceed.
But that was entirely untrue. Marius seemed to have carried out the Monster subjugation even after becoming Emperor. Otherwise, there was no reason for Monsters to appear here.
‘Had he been holding onto it all this time?’
He knew Marius harbored feelings of inferiority towards him. And because of that, he often messed things up. But even so, how could the Emperor of a nation act like this?
‘Perhaps… is there another reason I don’t know?’
A bad premonition struck him. It felt like an ominous energy was gathering.
However, now was not the time to worry about such things. The important thing was to resolve the crisis before him.
“Listen carefully from now on.”
Elian, his face coldly set, began issuing orders to the soldier. He spoke of what was to come and gave specific action commands.
Since they likely had no experience moving organizationally under someone’s command, he gave orders with more detail and precision than ever before.
It was a characteristic action of someone who had led the Imperial Guard.
“If you understand, hurry up and run!”
“Yes, yes!”
As the resolute voice ended, the soldier quickly disappeared. His movements were without a hint of hesitation.
The way the orders were accepted as natural.
It might have been because they recognized him as Archduke Esiton, but the greater reason was likely the charisma that had begun to emanate from him.
That charisma now turned towards Kirendis.
“From now on, I’m going to the ramparts. So, gather the soldiers who can fight and come to me.”
Unlike the soldier, Kirendis scrunched his brow, expressing his displeasure. It was less dissatisfaction with the order and more akin to worry.
It was absurd yet not unwelcome. Being worried about felt quite good. So, he slightly lifted the corner of his lips and said confidently,
“Who do you think I am right now?”
Though he declared he would head to the battlefield, he wore no armor, nor did he carry even a common sword. Yet, he was more certain than ever.
A man who, at a young age, had seized the position of Imperial Guard Commander.
Even when he was the commander of the nation’s Knights Order, he rarely used a sword himself.
He maintained his position not through swordsmanship but through outstanding strategy and tactics, innate leadership, and command ability, a fitting display.
He was speaking with his entire being.
As long as he was alive, swords would not reach him. The things he had built up over time spoke for him and convinced others.
“Don’t worry. I won’t do anything dangerous. I’ll wait until you arrive, so hurry and go.”
Elian reassured Kirendis and casually shook the bracelet on his wrist. It was a gesture meaning he would activate the magic on the bracelet if necessary, so not to worry.
Kirendis, as if with no other choice, took a step forward and left a plea.
“I’ll be back quickly.”
“Yes. I’ll be waiting.”
Thus, the two parted ways and began to run in opposite directions.
Upon reaching the ramparts, Elian realized the situation was worse than he had anticipated.
‘If the Monsters push, this will be breached immediately.’
Not only was the height of the ramparts low, but there were too many weak points. It seemed to be under construction for reorganization, but it appeared unfinished.
Elian went to where the soldiers were gathered and shouted,
“Who is in charge here?”
At the familiar authoritative tone, the soldiers stiffened, their mouths shutting. Even in this urgent situation, they hesitated whether to give an answer to a stranger whose identity they didn’t know.
However, Elian exuded an aura too befitting a high-ranking noble to be ignored. Though his clothes were plain, the overwhelming presence emanating from him made it clear they were merely observing him cautiously.
‘Does no one here know me?’
Just as he was considering revealing his identity, fortunately, one soldier recognized him and rushed forward with a surprised expression.
“I am the captain of this village’s guard. P-please come this way.”
Elian ascended the ramparts and listened to the report as expected. He heard about the situation, what kinds of Monsters were approaching, and the approximate time remaining.
The report was quite organized for the village’s size. When he inquired about this, the captain replied,
“I was briefly a commander in the Cherus Territory.”
It seemed he had experience leading a small unit.
Elian considered it a small blessing and began explaining what needed to be done.
“With this number of personnel, you should be able to hold off a reconnaissance party. So, send out your fastest individuals to find out the size of the main force. The main battle will depend on that, so you need to gather detailed information not just on numbers but also on their characteristics. Understood?”
“Yes. We’ll send the fastest ones.”
“Also, send scouts to determine their exact arrival time. Divide the remaining personnel into three groups, and we will funnel the Monsters from both sides into one location.”
“What? Then the center will be too… ”
The captain looked at Elian in surprise. While it was an efficient method to prevent Monsters from escaping, it was too much for the current number of personnel.
If they deployed enough troops on both sides to prevent escape, the center would be left with too few people, increasing the possibility of it being breached.
It might have been possible if there were a few exceptionally skilled individuals, but this village lacked such talent.
However, Elian knew that suitable talents were present in this village.
“The Wide Mercenary Group is here in this village.”
“W-what, the Wide Mercenary Group?!”
He, too, knew the scale and skill of the Wide Mercenary Group, so relief washed over him along with surprise.
If they arrived on time, they should be able to hold off the reconnaissance party without issue.
‘The problem is the main force.’
In the current situation, even with the help of the Wide Mercenary Group, it would be a close call. They might be able to hold them off, but it was likely to turn into a messy fight, leaving the village in ruins.
‘The harvest festival just ended.’
Elian bit his lip. It was precisely after the harvest festival, so the village was filled with numerous food supplies.
If the Monsters swept through, their prospects for surviving the coming winter became uncertain.
Furthermore, the land swept by Monsters would turn into land unusable for farming, remaining imbued with magic power. Therefore, they had to fight as far away from the farmlands as possible.
‘There’s nothing I can apply right now.’
He needed to think. There had to be a way. But there was no time to calmly organize his thoughts. This deliberation could only happen after the reconnaissance party was safely repelled.
“C-captain! It’s a disaster!”
Just then, a pale soldier burst in. The fact that he returned with such a face so soon after being sent out was not a good sign.
As expected, the soldier shouted with a desperate expression.
“M-Monsters are about to storm in!”
“What?”
The surprised captain rushed outside. Elian followed him, heading towards the highest point.
As he had said, Monsters, appearing to be a reconnaissance party, were visible at the end of the Lac plains.
“Their speed is unbelievably fast. They’ll arrive soon, what do we do?”
Despair was etched on the soldier’s face. The fact that they were faster than expected was bad news.
‘There’s a leader.’
There must be a leader with immense magic power leading them. Otherwise, such speed was impossible.
When a powerful magic-user held command, the physical abilities of those under them often improved.
‘This is the worst.’
Elian fell into thought again. Kirendis had gone to fetch the Rebel Army, so reinforcements would arrive soon.
The problem was whether they could hold out until then.
The soldiers’ morale must have dropped significantly, and if it continued like this, even those who could fight might not be able to.
‘There’s no other way.’
With his cold, sunken blue eyes, Elian commanded the soldier who had delivered the news.
“Take it off.”
“Huh?”
The bewildered soldier, forgetting the current situation, looked up with wide eyes. Elian then scowled and continued,
“Take off the armor you’re wearing.”
“Eh? Ah, yes…!”
Finally understanding, the soldier removed his armor and handed it to Elian. The armor was merely a leather chest piece and coverings for his hands and arms, but there was no alternative.
Elian put on the armor with practiced ease and secured the arm guards tightly. The captain, who had been watching, asked,
“What do you intend to do?”
“What do you think?”
The answer was already clear. He had said he would wait, but hadn’t the situation changed?
Elian snatched the sword from the soldier’s waist, pointed it, and said,
“We have to fight for now.”
Archduke Elian Eshton, former commander of the Imperial Guard.
There was probably no one in this country who didn’t know him. He was the undisputed leader of the finest Knights Order, and he possessed countless achievements to prove it.
So, to boost the soldiers’ morale, Elian willingly revealed his name.
He appeared clad in humble leather armor, but due to his inherent intimidating presence and charisma, no one thought Elian was an ordinary person.
The familiar gaze looking down on people and an arrogant yet confident voice.
No one doubted Elian’s identity.
He was a person who shone everywhere, and this time too, he drew many gazes and shouted,
“Believe in me and follow! There has never been a defeat on the battlefields where I have stood!”
“Waaah!”
Everyone was enthralled by the dazzling ruler they had never seen before.
He wouldn’t have said such things if it weren’t a crisis, but he didn’t care. He gave the order to charge and rushed out, sword in hand.
‘It’s been a while.’
A chilling smile touched Elian’s lips.
Even if he was criticized for lacking swordsmanship, that was in comparison to the finest knights of the Imperial Guard.
He too had learned swordsmanship at the academy and his initial performance was not bad, ranking in the upper-middle tier.
He had simply chosen to focus on other skills because they were more efficient to learn than swordsmanship.
Fortunately, Elian was more adept at utilizing his surroundings than others and knew how to use his light body, making him strong in actual combat.
‘All I need to do is kill.’
After all, isn’t all that matters is to kill and survive?
The method was irrelevant.
Elian began luring the Monsters one by one. He moved towards the area with trees.
Using his light body, he leaped up, and as the Monster arrived, he leaped down.
—Kuek!
The Monster, its vital point pierced, died with a short scream. Elian began killing Monsters in a similar fashion.
Although it was a somewhat ungraceful method, because each kill was fatal, the speed was comparable to others.
He compensated for his shortcomings through other methods.
Otherwise, he would be surrounded by countless Monsters and have to swing his sword repeatedly, so this method was the best for him.
‘It’s good to conserve stamina when possible.’
He was not an ordinary soldier. He was someone who had to lead a unit. Therefore, he chose a method that would allow him to survive on the battlefield for a long time, rather than one that looked impressive.
‘This way, I can see vital points better too.’
That’s why his speed increased. It wasn’t easy to pierce the vital points of a moving creature, but strangely, Elian often saw them.
It was due to his innate keen eyesight. However, he was not satisfied here.
‘My movements have become sluggish faster than I thought.’
It was due to a lack of combat experience. If it continued like this, injuries would inevitably occur due to the rapidly declining stamina.
This could become a fatal weakness when the main force arrived.
Elian quickly began assigning numbers to the surrounding soldiers.
The five soldiers who received numbers 1 through 5 looked back at him with bewildered faces. However, before they could resolve their doubts, a Monster swung its club.
At that moment, Elian’s voice echoed,
“Number 3, to the right!”
The soldier who received the number 3 instinctively twisted his body. Then, something astonishing happened. The Goblin’s club cut through empty air, and the soldier’s body swayed and stumbled.
The soldier did not miss this opening and quickly thrust his sword into the vital point.
—Kuek!
Taking a life cleanly for the first time, he looked back at Elian with a surprised expression.
‘Is it a coincidence?’
It was too precise a timing to be a coincidence. Moreover, Elian was still killing Monsters in his own way.
He couldn’t understand how this was possible. But as the same thing happened a second and a third time, the soldiers who received numbers were engulfed in astonishment.
He was surveying the battlefield from above, issuing commands at precise moments.
They were simple commands, but each time the Goblin’s club missed its mark, they couldn’t help but believe.
It would be impossible unless one had an incredibly wide field of vision.
And not just vision. It required the ability to do multiple things simultaneously. Moreover, this was a battlefield where life and death were at stake.
‘As expected, not just anyone becomes an Imperial Guard commander.’
There had been much talk when Elian was appointed commander. The position of commander was usually held by the best swordsmen.
Elian’s swordsmanship was not at the level of being called the best, and he couldn’t even become an Imperial Knight.
At the time, Elian was only 15, which could be an excuse, but Jade Rustas, who was supposed to take the commander position, was only two years older at seventeen.
However, Elian had proven himself. Not through swordsmanship, but through his extraordinary leadership, command ability, and brilliant strategy.
As a result, the perception that the Imperial Guard commander did not wield a sword directly became strong.
But what was visible now?
Not only was he wielding a sword himself, but he was also dominating the battlefield in an unbelievable manner. Furthermore, it wasn’t limited to five people; the number was gradually increasing.
When the number approached thirty, Elian stopped swinging his sword and stood firm on the battlefield, issuing only commands.
His presence was like a beacon illuminating a dark path. A beacon guiding the way to victory.
‘This is Archduke Elian Eshton.’
Indeed, the soldiers agreed that rumors couldn’t be trusted. How could someone like this be a wicked miser who only cared about money, as the rumors suggested?
“Swing it properly!!”
“Uwaaak!!”
“Uwaaah!!”
As the battle reached its midpoint, the soldiers’ strength began to wane.
‘When will they arrive? Are they still far?’
Elian bit his lip anxiously. He was doing his best to elevate the soldiers’ skills, but they were reaching their limits.
‘I can’t increase the numbers anymore.’
Only about thirty people could be given orders with numbers attached. This was due to limited vision.
While this was impressive enough, the insignificant number on the vast battlefield brought on anxiety.
‘Should I pick up my sword again?’
A moment of hesitation crossed his mind, but he shook his head. The quality of his orders could suffer. But….
‘If it continues like this, it’s dangerous.’
Elian gripped his sword again, bracing himself. Hadn’t he always overcome moments of crisis to survive?
This time was no different.
He began to move again. Since he also had to issue orders, he didn’t use the strategy of luring and killing one by one as he had at first.
Like the others, he chose the method of swinging his sword multiple times to kill. The stamina drain was severe, but it didn’t matter as the battle was nearing its end.
Elian repeated the cycle of cutting and ordering, reducing their numbers. As he cut them down, and cut them down again, the end was finally in sight.
“Kill them!!”
“Aaaargh!!”
The soldiers, filled with desperation, shouted and swung their swords. Elian did the same.
His breath was ragged. Sweat poured down like rain. He couldn’t remember the last time he had moved so intensely.
He wondered if he should have managed his stamina more carefully.
‘I’m going to die first at this rate.’
He gritted his teeth as he plunged his sword into a Goblin’s head. He didn’t forget to remind himself that he would get revenge if he ever met Marius again.
‘My vision….’
It was growing hazy. He tried to focus, but it was difficult.
‘Almost there. It’s almost over.’
He endured, clenching his teeth. The number, which had increased to thirty, had now dwindled to ten. But no one seemed to mind.
This was because they believed Elian had led them to victory from a seemingly hopeless battlefield.
‘Last one!’
Elian swung his sword with all his might. But with a ting sound, it was blocked by a shield and bounced off.
‘Huh?’
His body was falling backward. The Goblin, sensing victory, raised its club high to swing.
‘If that hits me….’
I’m done for, aren’t I?
Instead of succumbing to fear, Elian had a surprisingly calm thought. However, the crisis remained unchanged, despite the quiet in his mind.
His body had no strength left, and the surrounding soldiers seemed unable to offer timely help.
‘Is this Kirendis’s foresight?’
Elian recalled the magic on his bracelet and slightly lifted the corner of his lips. Though not present, it felt as if they were fighting together.
‘Well then, shall we see some skill?’
The activation condition for the Artifact was to press the magic stone for one second.
Elian dropped his sword and brought his finger to the magic stone. One second was an eternity on the battlefield, but he thought he might just make it.
‘It’s okay.’
Just as the magic was about to activate.
—Shhink
Before the magic could activate, the monster’s head was cleanly severed.
The fact that the cut was so clean meant Aura had been used.
And in this country, only Lac Chen, the captain of the Royal Guard, and Jade could use Aura.
“Jade!!”
He appeared, his light brown hair fluttering.
He kicked the severed head and body away, then caught the falling Elian and pulled him close, saving him from his predicament.
As a result, Elian found himself embraced tightly against a firm, broad chest, but he didn’t mind.
He shouted with more joy than ever.
“Why are you so late!”
He felt immense relief at Jade’s timely, movie-hero-like appearance.
Uncharacteristically, Elian hugged him tightly, conveying his joy. Perhaps because he had been living without his mask, his emotions were more palpable than usual.
Jade, who hadn’t expected such a warm welcome, stood stiffly with a flustered expression.
It was a typical knightly reaction from the inflexible Elian.
Jade first met Elian when he was nine years old.
‘This household is hopeless. I might end up just paying off debts forever. I should run away,’ he thought, packing his bags and just about to climb over the wall.
Elian stood there as if he had been waiting for him. With eyes that seemed to see through everything, he smiled and spoke.
“You’re running away from home, aren’t you? If you have nowhere to go, will you come with me? I’ll take good care of you.”
“…….”
A lovely face and a gentle voice. But the words that came out were bizarre.
“I’m on my way to the Academy, and I thought it would be good if you came too.”
The Academy?
He couldn’t understand why such a preposterous offer was being made. From a stranger, a child who looked younger than him, no less.
‘A noble?’
Nevertheless, Jade quickly guessed the child’s status. He recognized the rather expensive clothing the child was wearing.
Thanks to his mother’s extravagant lifestyle, he could easily tell it was of the highest grade among luxury goods.
And that wasn’t all.
The perfect etiquette ingrained in his demeanor, the soft yet precise voice, the familiar way of looking down at people—all pointed to him being a high-ranking noble.
‘Why is he in a place like this, in the countryside?’
It was suspicious and unsettling. Why was he here? How did he know about his situation?
Why, of all things?
“I know about your family’s situation. They’re on the verge of ruin, aren’t they?”
As expected, the child seemed to know everything.
“I want to help you, but if I say I want to help because I’m too kind, you won’t believe me, will you?”
That was only natural. There were no philanthropists among nobles. They all acted only when it benefited them.
This was a truth that couldn’t be avoided, even for a child. Jade didn’t let go of his suspicious gaze.
“I value your abilities.”
The child’s soft smile vanished as he got to the point.
“You will become the strongest swordsman in this country. That’s why I want to invest in you. Your family seems to be in trouble, so I’m saying I’ll support you.”
The words felt absurd and a little embarrassing. As the child said, Jade was a genius and believed he had a talent for the sword himself.
Even without proper training, he was the strongest in the village and could hold his own against adults.
“You will become the greatest knight, and I will gain the greatest knight. What do you say? Isn’t it better than wandering the streets alone?”
The child was making an offer that couldn’t be refused. No matter how skilled he was, Jade was only nine years old. The world was not a kind place for a child to survive in.
However, since the child couldn’t be trusted either, he asked with a voice full of wariness.
“State your name. Whether I accept is a matter for later.”
At least he should know which family he belonged to, shouldn’t he?
“That’s right. I haven’t introduced myself yet. I should have introduced myself sooner. Then, the conversation would have been easier.”
His face was full of confidence. How high was his status?
‘Is he from a Duchy?’
He quickly recalled the characteristics of a Duchy. But before he could recall all the information, Elian spoke first.
“My name is Elian Eshton. I am His Majesty the Emperor’s only younger brother, and Prince Marius’s uncle.”
“What?!”
Jade couldn’t help but exclaim loudly.
Elian Eshton.
He knew the name well from rumors. The son of a woman who had captivated the former Emperor with her beauty alone, rising to the highest position.
Now that the king had changed, his position was ambiguous, but he was a person who remained in the Imperial Palace and maintained his standing.
Of course, this was possible due to complex circumstances, but still, to endure in the Imperial Palace without any support was truly remarkable.
Moreover, there was now an Imperial Prince who would succeed the Emperor. He must have faced dozens of assassination attempts.
“Does this sufficiently explain why I want to invest in you? How about it? Will you become my sword?”
The child extended his hand with a relaxed gesture. The hand was very small. But what it held was by no means small.
The path the child was taking was a perilous future unfolding in the eye of a storm. Though Jade was young, he understood that.
If he took this hand, he would not be able to escape it either.
But the child seemed to know this too, and added another irresistible offer.
“If you take my hand, I can make you the greatest swordsman within ten years.”
“Hah?”
It was a charming yet impossible promise. Ten years later, Jade would only be nineteen. An impossible age to become the greatest swordsman.
‘But why….’
His clear eyes, holding both confidence and arrogance, were filled with certainty.
He felt that this child could survive even in the midst of a fierce storm. It was an impossible feat, yet…
Jade fell into thought for a moment.
Becoming a mercenary as things stood, or taking a gamble on the promise of being made the greatest knight.
Which would be more advantageous?
‘It’s a no-brainer.’
If he didn’t take the hand, a common mercenary awaited him. If he took this hand, the position of the greatest knight awaited.
Looking at the outcome alone, the difference was incomparable. Besides, the path of a mercenary wouldn’t be easy either, so the decision was simple.
“It’s okay if I don’t become the greatest swordsman within ten years.”
Jade said, shaking the small hand. It was a statement made with the resolve not to change his decision.
But perhaps displeased that he wasn’t believed, the child asked with a look of displeasure.
“You don’t believe me?”
“I do.”
“I’m saying it because it’s truly possible.”
“I said I believe you!”
The child, still seemingly displeased, puffed out his cheeks.
Only then did he look his age, and a chuckle escaped Jade’s lips.
“Just you wait. I will definitely make you the greatest swordsman within ten years.”
The child’s bright smile as he said this was dazzling. He shone like a star illuminating the darkness.
That radiant image remained unforgettable. Then, he suddenly realized.
That smile had been etched into his heart.
That it had become one with him, buried too deeply.
The truth that his heart had become Elian’s.
Jade realized this far too late.
Jade dreamed of Elian after a long time. It was the dream of when they first met.
He often dreamed of that time. A dream of when he was unreservedly radiant, unlike now.
‘I thought it was just bragging back then.’
The promise to make him the greatest swordsman.
Jade hadn’t believed the words, but Elian kept his promise. Though his swordsmanship might have been lacking, his ability to teach others was exceptional.
Jade honed his skills under Elian’s tutelage throughout his academy years. He ended up joining the Imperial Guard, and after defeating the captain, he became the vice-captain.
This alone was an unprecedented career path. But Elian didn’t stop. Two years later, he defeated the Royal Guard and earned the title of the greatest knights order.
Elian was the captain, but since Jade was the most skilled in the Imperial Guard, the title of ‘Greatest Knight’ naturally followed.
Exactly ten years. It was truly in ten years that he had brought him the title of the greatest swordsman.
How could this be possible?
From then on, Jade began to realize that he was no ordinary person.
Elian was someone who knew no satisfaction, greedy, and an outstanding actor. He easily donned masks and captivated people. He obtained whatever he desired.
There were times he wondered if he himself was one of those captivated by his masked persona, but he knew now that it wasn’t the case.
He realized it was special treatment when Elian shared his innermost thoughts, which he never told anyone, and revealed weaknesses he should never show.
The superiority of knowing Elian’s thoughts, the Elian that no one else knew.
Jade soon found himself captivated by that charm. By the time he came to his senses, he was already irretrievably lost.
‘Elian.’
But Jade hid his feelings. He was a knight. Therefore, rather than confessing his feelings, he decided to be someone who would silently walk the thorny path Elian was taking. However…
‘Elian.’
Jade regretted it for the first time. When he heard the news of Elian’s disappearance, regret washed over him along with worry.
He should have at least tried to speak up. Tried to tell him.
Marius tying the hands of the Imperial Guard only made his heart ache more. Being forced to wait quietly for news was torture.
But today, this ordeal was over.
“We have received word from Phantom.”
Captain Krison of the Imperial Guard handed him a letter from the information guild, Phantom. It contained encrypted news about Elian.
The news was that he was safe and sound. It was a relief.
“Hoo…”
Jade let out an involuntary sigh of relief. He began to read the rest of the contents.
The group that kidnapped him was the Rebel Army. It was unexpected, but it wouldn’t be strange if people were starting to notice now.
‘Is it time?’
Jade burned the letter and turned his head. Then, Captain Krison spoke with a determined face.
“Shall we prepare?”
There was no explicit object, but no one in the Imperial Guard failed to understand the meaning of these words.
Jade checked the blade at his waist and said.
“Execute the plan.”
That day marked the first time in history that a large-scale desertion, disguised as unauthorized absence, took place.
“You’re late, Lord Elian.”
A large hand was placed around him from behind. Only then did Elian realize he had been too happy to be his usual self.
“Ahem. I’m aware.”
He gently pushed Jade away and looked up, seeing his still firm and upright figure.
He was truly reliable.
“Welcome. I desperately needed someone who could fight. How many have come?”
“All of them.”
“Right. If it’s all of them, then even a little bit of help…”
He trailed off, only then understanding the meaning of his words.
“Wait! All of them?!”
“The atmosphere seemed unusual, so I was the only one who arrived first. They will arrive shortly.”
“No…”
What in the world was going on? Why were the Imperial Guard, who were supposed to protect the Imperial Family, here?
“Is this… approved by Marius, or rather, His Majesty the Emperor?”
Elian spoke, disbelief etched on his face.
The Imperial Guard were protectors of the Imperial Family. He too was of the Imperial Family, so their presence here wasn’t entirely strange. The problem was that all of them were here.
There were still members of the Imperial Family left to protect in the Imperial Palace… the ones who should be protected first, no less.
However, Jade replied confidently, as if he hadn’t given it a second thought.
“No. He is unaware.”
Elian’s face turned pale. His mind quickly began to deny reality. The fact that it wasn’t approved by the Emperor meant one thing.
“Then…”
“It’s unauthorized absence.”
“Aargh!”
Elian couldn’t help but scream. Unauthorized absence was no different from desertion.
“Is this really that surprising?”
“Would you not be surprised?! You, that, that…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence and let his words trail off. Jade then firmly shook his head and dismissed it.
“It is unauthorized absence.”
“…….”
It seemed he was determined to stick to his claim. But this was not a matter to be dismissed so easily.
Elian regained his composure and shouted.
“What on earth were you thinking, doing something like this? What kind of position is that?”
“A position where Lord Elian is not present is unnecessary.”
“…….”
It was a typical statement from Jade. He had stayed at the Imperial Palace because Elian had said it was necessary. Otherwise, he would have followed from the beginning.
‘The trust built up over time….’
Is it returning like this?
It was what he had hoped for, but he hadn’t expected such an extreme method.
“Your retirement was also a premature decision. The Imperial Palace is in disarray. You need to return and prove your strength.”
“…….”
The hidden meaning behind those words was this:
The Imperial Palace is in chaos, so return, regain power, and make this unauthorized absence, disguised as desertion, as if it never happened.
‘Still, you acted because you had someone to rely on?’
I was dumbfounded and speechless, but it didn’t change the fact that it was a reckless act.
Elian’s eyes cooled as he prepared to scold Jade. As if he had expected this much, Jade waited for his punishment with a stoic expression.
However, before he could do anything, he spotted a variable rushing in from afar at tremendous speed.
‘Kirendis?’
Kirendis was sprinting like a madman, his face deathly pale.
‘Oh no….’
His desperate expression was clear even from a distance. He seemed very surprised. I wanted to run to him and tell him it was okay right away, but the situation was not good.
What could I possibly explain about Kirendis to Jade?
‘Don’t come! Don’t come!’
Elian desperately sent signals. He thought Kirendis would understand. Since they liked each other, there must be some connection…
“Elian! Are you alright?! Are you, are you hurt anywhere?! The, the blood… T, treatment….”
…There wasn’t.
Kirendis, in a panic, checked Elian all over. With trembling hands, he examined whether the blood on his clothes belonged to Elian.
After examining him for a long time, he let out a sigh of relief upon confirming Elian was unharmed. Then, as if angry, he suddenly hugged Elian tightly and shouted.
“Don’t do this again! You promised you wouldn’t do anything dangerous!”
The warmth from his fingertips was cold. That alone made it clear how worried and tense he had been.
Elian gently patted his back and opened his mouth.
“I’m sorry. I won’t do it again.”
“Promise… Promise me.”
“Yes. I promise.”
After patting him several more times, warmth finally began to return to his fingertips. Kirendis slowly pulled away and straightened up. Then, Jade, who had been watching quietly, asked a question.
“Why is Duke Rippen here?”
Cold sweat trickled down Elian’s back. How was he supposed to explain this situation?
To make matters worse, Lion, Lucian, and Gren, along with the mercenary group, were rushing in from afar.
‘No! If more people arrive now, I won’t be able to handle it!’
Elian desperately shook his head, sending signals. He was anxious because of his previous failure, but Lion was different. With his sharp intuition, he stopped the people and scanned the surroundings.
From afar, he could see the Imperial Guards approaching in a large group. Recognizing them, Lion quickly pulled up his hood.
‘It’s a relief that even Lion has some sense….’
He let out a sigh of relief, thinking the worst had been averted. He figured he could just make up some excuse for the Kirendis situation. But then…
‘Is there really a need to hide it?’
Jade was Elian’s man, and he had already decided to rebel. Was there any reason to hide it?
‘It might be one thing if it were just Jade, but informing the entire Imperial Guard is premature.’
Elian shook his head slightly and opened his mouth.
“I’ll explain the details later. For now, we should focus on cleaning this place up. The battle isn’t over yet.”
Yes, the battle wasn’t over. Tens of thousands more monsters than those he had already cut down would be pushing through.
Jade seemed to accept this, nodding in response.
“I will follow Lord Elian’s words.”
Only then could Elian finally let out a full sigh of relief.
Now it was time to start brainstorming ideas.
“What if we change the direction of the monsters instead of exterminating them?”
Elian gathered the relevant parties for a strategy meeting. He had summoned not only the Wide Mercenary Group and the Imperial Guard but also the village leaders.
“That would be problematic. If we change their direction, it will cause damage to the Kingdom of Carlston, and it could escalate into an international issue.”
A boy, the strategy staff officer of the Wide Mercenary Group, voiced his objection. His face was hidden by the deep hood he wore, but his sharp voice was unmistakably a boy’s.
‘As expected.’
Elian did his best to hide his pleased expression. The strategy staff officer of the Wide Mercenary Group, the sharp-voiced boy, was Lion.
‘Magnificent.’
Lion’s vision was quite broad. His judgment was good, and he understood the political situation well. He looked dependable, as expected of a future king.
“That’s right. If we change their direction, it will not only harm the Kingdom of Carlston but also prevent us from protecting the farmlands. Seventy percent of this village’s farmlands are in that direction.”
“Even if it’s the Kingdom of Carlston, why the farmlands….”
The captain of the guard interjected, looking puzzled. It seemed his vision had narrowed due to the imminent danger.
“Why? Are you not going to farm next year? Have you decided to starve to death?!”
Elian scowled and sharply rebuked him.
Jade, Lion, and Kirendis, who knew him well, remained calm, but the others widened their eyes in surprise.
They seemed quite startled by the outburst.
However, now that his identity was revealed, there was no need to hesitate. Elian began to speak without reservation, as usual.
“It’s common sense that plants cannot grow where monsters have passed. Shouldn’t those who protect this village have a broader perspective? It’s the same for all of you. I am here now, but what will you do if the same thing happens next time? Learn as much as you can, and if there are any shortcomings, ram them into your heads. That’s how you will be able to continue living in this village.”
After spewing harsh words for the first time in a while, he felt refreshed.
‘This village was built with everyone’s sweat and tears; I can’t let it be ruined like this.’
Still, thinking he might have been too harsh, he was about to open his mouth to offer a carrot when…
“As expected, you are magnificent!”
“Huh?”
It was Gren who shouted like that, his eyes shining. It was a reaction that could be expected from him, but the problem was that he wasn’t the only one.
“My thinking was shallow.”
“Thank you for your teachings.”
“Your Majesty’s benevolent words will be deeply etched in our hearts.”
A flustered Elian paused and looked around.
The village leaders’ eyes were strange. They were shining with an almost burdensome intensity. Lion’s eyes were the same, and Jade, without questioning the situation, calmly spoke.
“Please continue.”
“…Uh, yes.”
Elian couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was going wrong.
He had unleashed harsh words, but they were reacting positively?
He didn’t know what the problem was, but the meeting continued successfully. They were able to find the optimal idea and conclude it.
“To think there was a place like this. Without you all, we wouldn’t have been able to devise such a plan.”
He sincerely praised the village leaders, attempting to make amends for the harsh words throughout the meeting. He felt it might not be entirely necessary, but people couldn’t be judged solely by their outward appearance.
Giving them a bit of a carrot was necessary to quell their dissatisfaction and prevent unauthorized departures. This was a skill he had learned while managing and teaching the Imperial Guard and the Ministry of Finance.
“No. It is an honor to be able to share opinions with Your Majesty.”
“It was an honor.”
“It was an honor.”
“Uh… yes.”
…Looking at their respectful and shining eyes, they seemed to have quite different temperaments from the people in the Imperial Palace.
Even after being thoroughly scrutinized, their spirits remained intact.
He thought these villagers had great fortitude, and their mental strength seemed very strong. If he could, he wanted to properly train them and bring them into the Imperial Palace.
“Then, we shall take our leave.”
“Yes. Don’t forget to report.”
After sending off the group of village leaders and concluding the meeting, an unresolved issue resurfaced.
“Now, could you explain what happened?”
Jade calmly requested an explanation of the incident. Although Elian had thought about how to explain it during the meeting, he wasn’t sure if Jade would believe him.
He wondered if a lie would work, given how long they had been together.
‘I don’t want to lie either.’
What would happen if the trust they had built up over time crumbled with a single lie!
Elian paused to think before speaking. Then Jade spoke first.
“If you are hesitating because of Sir Krison, it’s alright. We are prepared to follow Lord Elian’s will at any time.”
“That’s right. We have already decided to follow Your Majesty!”
Sir Krison replied, his voice filled with a stern, almost military tone. While the words were quite moving, they also made him tilt his head in confusion.
“Prepared… for what?”
He couldn’t help but wonder what they were prepared for.
It was something he had never heard before. Jade, with an expressionless face, answered in his stead.
“It means we intend to join the rebellion.”
“…What?!”
He was so caught off guard that he reacted a beat late. The others present also widened their eyes in surprise.
“How did you know?!”
When he expressed his honest feelings, he was met with a question asking why he hadn’t expected it.
“Your Majesty. The information guild Phantom is a more capable organization than you might think.”
The information guild Phantom was an organization Elian owned. Therefore, it must have started operating from the moment they heard about his disappearance.
No matter how well the Rebel Army covered their tracks, they couldn’t escape Phantom’s eyes.
That meant Jade already knew everything. And not just him, but the entire Imperial Guard.
‘This is unbelievable.’
Elian couldn’t help but be astonished. His mind must have become dull from taking a few days off. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have missed such a simple logic.
‘I need to get a grip.’
Elian took a moment for self-reflection.
“Still, it’s reassuring to see you looking more at ease than I expected,” Jade said in an unusually soft voice. Elian looked up at the voice filled with emotion.
His usually stoic knight was looking down at him kindly.
What was reflected in his eyes was undoubtedly affection. Affection built upon the trust they had steadily accumulated.
Looking at him like this, it felt real. The fact that he genuinely believed in and followed Elian.
“Uh… well… it’s thanks to Kirendis.”
Feeling a bit embarrassed, he turned his head away. But then…
‘Huh?’
Kirendis was glaring at Jade with a stiff expression. Then, Jade met his gaze and uttered a meaningful remark.
“However… I had no idea that Duke Rippen was here.”
At first glance, the words seemed unremarkable. But the atmosphere they conveyed was different.
A subtle tension began to form between the two.
‘Hmm… do they know each other?’
He wondered if something bad had happened between them and tried to recall. But nothing came to mind. There was no occasion for the two of them to have met.
‘This is awkward.’
He felt a pang of awkwardness because they clearly weren’t on good terms. They were both precious people to Elian, so they would have to meet frequently. But this atmosphere…
“Of course, I will only follow Lord Elian’s decisions, so it doesn’t matter to me. Rather, it would be a great help if Duke Rippen were to join us.”
Jade spoke first, seemingly backing down. But could this be described as backing down?
He was clearly drawing a line. He was someone who moved as one with Elian, but Kirendis was different.
‘What is this? Why are they acting like this?!’
He had no idea what was going on. Whom should he grab and interrogate to get an answer about this atmosphere?
“Then, Sir Loustas is also on our side, right?”
At that moment, Lion burst forward and exclaimed cheerfully. As his hood fell back, his golden hair was revealed.
His face was completely visible.
“To think I had an ally so close by. If I had known, I would have approached you sooner, Sir. Then we could have become friends much faster.”
He seemed to have simply assumed that since Kirendis was accepted, he would be too. But…
“….”
Jade silently gazed at Lion.
“…?”
Lion still seemed unaware of the problem and tilted his head. Then Jade asked with a serious expression.
“…Why is His Highness the Second Prince here?”
“Yes…?”
Only then did Lion sense something was wrong.
“Is His Highness the Second Prince also a rebel? How did you end up joining the Rebel Army?”
“Uh, well, I… I created the Rebel Army…?”
Lion spoke while hiding behind Lucian. His last words were so faint they were barely audible, but no one present failed to hear them.
Lucian, judging that there was no point in hiding it any longer, lowered his hood and spoke.
“It’s been a while, Sir Loustas.”
“….”
Only then did Jade realize that this Rebel Army was more troublesome than he had anticipated.
“I… will follow Lord Elian’s decision.”
Jade said, doing his best to conceal his confusion. Elian, who had been taken aback at first, could fully understand his feelings.
After all, this was a rebellion led by someone with the second-strongest claim to the throne after Marius.
Furthermore, the target of the rebellion was Elian himself, not Jade. It was understandable that he would be confused.
However, one consolation was that Jade wasn’t the only one who was confused.
“H, His Highness the Second Prince?!”
Sir Krison exclaimed in belated shock.
“You two, I need to speak with you for a moment.”
Elian called Jade and Krison with a serious expression. He wanted to convey his goal before the full-scale battle began.
He had called both Jade and Krison to make a final confirmation.
‘I need to see Krison’s reaction first and then decide if I can tell everyone.’
As the saying goes, ‘Test the bridge before crossing it.’
Elian decided to proceed cautiously. But perhaps due to being too cautious, he was first intercepted by Kirendis, who looked worried.
“Is something wrong?”
Meeting his gaze, Elian realized he hadn’t yet conveyed his intentions to Kirendis.
‘Will he be disappointed if he finds out later?’
A moment of hesitation passed, but he shook his head. Kirendis was also one of the people who had pledged to make Elian king. Therefore, it seemed better to persuade him all at once after the battle was over rather than telling him now.
“It’s nothing. I just have something to say separately to the Imperial Guard.”
“Ah… separately…”
As if feeling left out, Kirendis’s shoulders slumped. Seeing that he couldn’t even hide his feelings, Elian found him quite endearing.
Elian couldn’t help but let out a small smile and gently patted him.
“It’s really nothing, so go on ahead.”
Of course, it was Elian’s way of comforting, so it sounded very cold.
“Let’s go, Lord Elian.”
Jade approached and urged him on. Their eyes met, and sparks flew. Seeing this, Elian couldn’t help but let out a quiet sigh.
‘Don’t do this… Get along.’
Why were they acting like this?
It was frustrating, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. Elian turned away, promising to deal with it later.
Jade followed him, and Kirendis watched them go, clenching his fists tightly.
Unaware of this, Elian led the two to a secluded spot.
The place where the operation was to be executed was a straight path between cliffs, and since there was no suitable spot, they had to come quite a distance.
“First, I called you two separately because of the rebellion.”
As if they had expected this much, both nodded. But perhaps they hadn’t expected this.
“I have no intention of rebelling.”
“Yes?”
“Yes?!”
As if it was completely unexpected, both opened their eyes wide. Jade’s reaction was less pronounced, but Krison’s emotions were laid bare.
‘It’s understandable that they’re surprised.’
Elian had openly shown signs of aiming for the throne. He had never told Jade that he had no interest in the throne, so it was natural.
“I was fixated on the throne because it was more efficient to appear that way.”
“No, for that reason…”
Krison trailed off. Had he voluntarily sought the harsh life of the Imperial Palace for such a reason?
Though the words were hard to believe, Elian’s expression was utterly serious.
“The reason I decided to retire is because I thought it would be more advantageous to operate from the shadows now, nothing more.”
“…So that’s why you told me to stay.”
Jade nodded in affirmation. If Elian had actually been planning a rebellion, there would have been no need to keep Jade in the Imperial Palace.
However, it was different if it was to operate from the shadows. He would be able to relay everything happening in the Imperial Palace. And that wasn’t all.
It was a double benefit, as it would also allow him to check Emperor Marius, preventing him from acting freely.
Jade finally understood the situation completely. However, Elian’s words weren’t finished yet.
“So, I plan to make Lion king.”
“What?!”
Krison was the first to react. He shouted with an expression of shock.
“Prince Lion, the second prince?!”
As if realizing his voice was too loud after shouting, he quickly covered his mouth and looked around. No one was there, but it was still something he couldn’t help but dwell on.
“Even if it were possible, the justification is insufficient.”
However, instead of being surprised, Jade’s face hardened, and he precisely pointed out the core issue. It seemed he had drawn up a similar scenario through the information Elian had given him.
But there was a difference in the information they possessed, which led to a roadblock.
Elian replied with a relaxed smile.
“That’s fine, because I’ve already found it.”
“You… found it?”
Jade furrowed his brow slightly, expressing his doubt. It seemed he was frustrated because no suitable justification came to mind, no matter how hard he thought.
Elian found his expression quite amusing and continued in a light tone.
“Lion summoned a Gold Dragon.”
“What?!”
“What?!”
This time, both of them shouted in surprise. Seeing their reactions, which were quite entertaining, he continued with a mischievous grin.
“I saw it myself, so it’s certain. He said so himself, too.”
“Himself, meaning Prince Lion…?”
“The Gold Dragon himself.”
“Hmph.”
Krison gasped, drawing in a breath of air, and covered his mouth. Seeing this reaction, it seemed it would be easily accepted by the Imperial Guard.
‘Still, it wouldn’t hurt to confirm one more time.’
Elian spoke to the two who were speechless.
“It will be a difficult path. Even if Lion becomes king, you won’t be rewarded as long as you follow me.”
It was only natural. Even if Elian supported Lion, he was of royal blood. It was obvious he couldn’t wield more power than the Emperor.
It was a path of hardship with no reward. This was the path Elian intended to take.
“But there’s one thing for sure. If you follow me, I will never betray you. That much, I can promise.”
This was Elian’s true feeling. A sincerity he was expressing for the first time. A repayment for those who had fled the Imperial Palace and come this far.
As if sensing that fact, the two stood frozen with surprised expressions.
Elian spoke to them confidently.
“So, what do you say? Will you join me?”
His tone suggested he already knew the outcome. A charisma that made anyone look up to him.
Jade immediately knelt on one knee. Krison did the same. They bowed their heads and gave their answers.
“My answer was already decided the day Your Highness extended your hand. I will follow you down any path.”
“It’s the same for me. If it weren’t for Your Highness, I wouldn’t have been able to grow this much. My ambition for advancement is satisfied; I will follow Your Highness.”
After a serious oath, a slightly playful one.
Elian smiled with satisfaction and conveyed the same words to the entire Imperial Guard. Repeating the same words felt a bit embarrassing, but such words were most effective when spoken directly.
They all looked at Elian with moved expressions and spoke one by one.
“Sniff. I didn’t know that, and I cursed you so much during tough times…”
“Your Highness wielded the whip for our growth, didn’t you?”
“I am sorry, Your Highness, for not realizing your heart.”
“I am sorry, Your Highness.”
“Your Highness.”
“Your Highness.”
“Your Highness.”
Voices of emotion and apology began to echo from all around. Some even confessed to cursing him, which was absurd. Seeing that no one found it strange, it seemed others had participated as well.
It was entirely as expected, but hearing it directly gave him a peculiar feeling.
‘It’s not as bad as I thought.’
It was strange that he didn’t feel bad when they confessed to cursing him. But it couldn’t be helped.
It meant that the time they had spent together had not been in vain.
‘Still, I can’t just let it slide.’
They were begging for forgiveness so earnestly, shouldn’t he give them an opportunity?
Elian spoke in a chilling voice to the large men who were sniffling.
“To think you thought of me that way. I have a longer memory than you might think, are you all aware of that?”
Flinch.
The knights simultaneously stopped their sniffling. At the same time, they began to reflect on what they had just said.
‘Didn’t someone just say they cursed Your Highness?’
‘…’
‘…’
‘…’
The knights’ faces began to turn pale. However, Elian didn’t act immediately. With a gentle expression, as if nothing had happened, he continued.
“However. Since I’ve spent so much time with you, I’ll let it slide just this once.”
‘Phew.’
‘We’re saved.’
Everyone let out a sigh of relief. But they didn’t realize it. Elian with a gentle expression? Wasn’t that too suspicious?
“But you know,”
Elian said, hinting at a twist.
“I didn’t know you all enjoyed my training this much. So, it should be okay to increase the training intensity from now on, right?”
“…What?”
“The intensity…”
“You’re going to increase it?”
It was quite shocking, as the Imperial Guard stood there blankly, unable to speak.
It was understandable. The training they had undergone with Elian until now had been hellishly brutal.
So, how would they feel now that he had announced he would increase the intensity of that training?
‘Wait a minute.’
But this was all Elian’s thought. The Imperial Guard’s minds were heading in a completely different direction.
‘He’s coming back?’
‘Increase training intensity?’
‘How much stronger can we get from what we’re already receiving?’
‘If Your Highness returns…’
They had already realized it. Elian’s true intentions and the effectiveness of the training they had done together.
They thought with one heart and one mind.
‘If it’s training with Your Highness…’
‘Isn’t it a double benefit?’
The Imperial Guard’s eyes sparkled.
‘Huh?’
Elian, sensing something strange, hesitated. They were supposed to be despairing and crying out that it was impossible, but instead, they were sparkling with excitement, which flustered him.
“Of course, Your Highness!”
“Just give us the order anytime!”
“If it’s Your Highness’s training, we’re ready to follow you anywhere!”
“Your Highness!”
“Your Highness!”
“Your Highness!”
The knights began to rush forward, shouting one after another. They called out to Elian in deep voices, cheering.
‘What, what is this?’
He couldn’t hide his fluster, as this wasn’t the reaction he had expected.
‘Are they crazy?’
They were crazy to be this happy about being pushed even harder.
‘Still…’
It wasn’t bad, after all.
Bright smiles and voices full of trust were seeping into his heart.
As if he had no choice, Elian smiled and opened his mouth.
“Since you all like it so much, only those who weren’t injured in today’s battle will participate in the training. Understood?!”
“Yes!!”
“Yes!!”
Resounding voices echoed to the sky. It was an absurd way to boost morale, but it was indeed exhilarating.
It felt like a strong bond, as if it were the only method only they could use.
‘I really have no choice.’
Since it had come to this, he had to see it through to the end.
Elian turned around with a clean movement. Jade and Krison followed behind him, and the Imperial Guard followed in formation.
Led by Elian, the entire Imperial Guard began to advance with one heart and one mind.
The plan for the upcoming battle was as follows:
Lure the Monsters into a path flanked by cliffs on both sides, then fight from the inside and outside.
This would not only offset the disadvantage of being outnumbered but also effectively utilize the characteristic of having many strong individuals.
However, this plan had one major drawback: the path leading inward was blocked.
In other words, even if the situation turned unfavorable during the battle, there would be no retreat.
“Everyone will do well, right?”
Perhaps concerned about this fact, Lion mumbled worriedly with a troubled expression. It seemed he was concerned as this was his first large-scale battle experience.
“The mercenaries and the Imperial Guard are all excellent swordsmen, so they’ll do well. Don’t worry.”
“Still, I’m worried. We have to constantly face Monsters in a dead-end path.”
There was a big difference between having a retreat route and not using it, versus not having one at all. The psychological pressure was different. Lion seemed to be worried about this point, but Elian’s thoughts were slightly different.
“We’ll have the advantage there.”
“An advantage?”
Lion tilted his head, not understanding. Elian chuckled at Lion’s expression and replied.
“The Imperial Guard is used to this kind of battle.”
Not only were they used to it, but when they had to push their skills to the limit, it was practically their daily life. He could confidently say that the Imperial Guard were world-class in terms of mental fortitude.
“The Wide Mercenary Group also doesn’t seem to have had easy training.”
“Now that I think about it, that’s true.”
Lion nodded subtly, recalling the Wide Mercenary Group’s training. It was said that they too had adopted Elian’s training methods and undergone strange training, so it wouldn’t be much different.
In terms of mental fortitude, they were no less than the Imperial Guard.
In fact, with no retreat route, he worried they might go wild with the overflowing adrenaline. Moreover, the village soldiers would also fight alongside them from the outside, reducing their numbers, so there were no operational issues.
“The problem is you.”
“Me?”
At Elian’s remark, Lion’s eyes widened, and he lifted his head.
“You’re not used to this kind of battle, are you?”
Lion was not accustomed to such large-scale battles. However, he was not the type to hide and watch, so he had decided to participate in the battle.
“I’m fine. I can protect myself, and I want to help even a little.”
“Really?”
Elian unconsciously wore a faint smile. It was all as expected.
“Then how about trying summoning magic?”
“Summoning magic?”
As he got straight to the point, Lion’s eyes widened. It seemed he had never considered using summoning magic, looking flustered.
“Even though that guy looks funny, he fights well.”
Even if he hadn’t awakened yet, a Dragon was still a Dragon. There was no way he couldn’t do anything.
“But summoning magic has to be kept a secret…”
“You just don’t use it openly. Since everyone will be mixed up fighting, no one will know.”
“Will they…?”
As if.
Elian was calmly lying. While the words about fighting in a chaotic tangle were true, it was clear that skilled individuals like the Wide Mercenary Group or the Imperial Guard, let alone ordinary soldiers, would notice.
It would be more strange if they didn’t notice the shimmering golden magic power.
‘This is when the magic power is truly golden, though.’
Although he had never seen it with his own eyes, Elian was certain. He believed his magic power would be golden. Therefore, by showing it to everyone, he intended to naturally impress upon them the reason why Lion must become Emperor.
As a bonus, it would reveal his combat prowess and naturally spread rumors, making it a double benefit.
“Try summoning him briefly now and ask if it’s possible.”
“Now?”
Lion was startled and looked around, but the two were standing far away. Moreover, they were waiting for Monsters to attack, so there was no reason for them to look back unless there was a loud noise.
“Ah, then…”
Lion seemed to realize that, nodded, and carefully drew up his magic power. Then, magic power began to leak from his body.
A clearer golden light than ever before flowed out and enveloped Lion.
‘When using magic power, the eyes also turn golden.’
The first Emperor had golden hair and golden eyes. Before him stood someone with golden hair and golden eyes, like the first Emperor, bathed in dazzling light.
However, it seemed Lion couldn’t see it, as only a slight tension was visible on his face, with no other changes. The saying that golden magic power is invisible to the user seemed to be true.
The golden magic power swirled around Lion, then gathered into one point, and with a ‘pong—’ sound, summoned a certain being.
It was Valterias, with golden, fluffy fur.
“Lion!”
As if very happy that Lion had summoned him, he immediately flew up and bounced on Lion’s head.
“Val, no. Come down. They’ll see you from behind.”
As if displeased with Lion’s plea, he rolled down with a sulky face and shouted.
“If I have to hide, why did you summon me? I’m a summoned beast that doesn’t want to go back once I come out!”
With a ‘hmph’ sound, he turned away, and his gaze met Elian’s on the other side.
He trembled as if he had seen something he shouldn’t have, and shouted.
“You, you!”
It seemed an unpleasant memory had resurfaced. Valterias quickly hid inside Lion’s clothes and said.
“There’s a rude human here too. Lion. I want to go back. You can dismiss the summoning.”
It seemed the initial torment had left a trauma.
‘He’s a timid Dragon. Can he really fight?’
It was a rather rude thought, but there was no harm in clarifying it.
“I’m in a hurry, but can you fight?”
“Are you asking me now?”
Elian smiled faintly at the absurdity. Fortunately, it seemed things were about to be resolved without major issues.
Valterias, enraged, shouted loudly.
“What do you take me for! I am the great Valterias! Even if I haven’t awakened, I can easily handle the small fry monsters swarming us now!”
“You can feel that too?”
Lion asked in surprise, and Valterias, with a proud face, emerged and said.
“Of course. What do you think I am, to be summoned by you?”
“Val… is Val?”
Frustrated by the answer, he tried headbutting Lion repeatedly. Due to his fluffy fur and soft body, there was no impact at all. He looked very insignificant, but Lion, accustomed to it, pretended to be weak and told him to stop.
It clearly felt like he was humorously indulging and playing along, not taking it seriously. He seemed to think of him as just a cute summoned friend.
Somehow, he felt a little understanding of the frustration Valterias must have experienced.
“I didn’t expect much anyway. Still, seeing you ask about this, it seems the rude human gave you some pointers.”
Valterias was overjoyed that the rude human was also useful, and Elian quickly grabbed him.
“Aargh!”
Why couldn’t he dodge? Valterias screamed and struggled. But Elian enjoyed the soft texture and said.
“As you can see, this is a dead end, so it’ll be troublesome if the Monsters push in. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes. I understand. I understand, so let go of my hand quickly.”
As if wanting to escape quickly, he answered vaguely and desperately pushed away, which was vexing. Still, since he seemed to have understood, Elian decided to forgive him just this once.
Elian stretched Valterias’s soft body horizontally one last time, enjoying it, and then let him go. Then, with a cute ‘thump’ sound, his body, unable to withstand the recoil, spun around and landed in Lion’s palm.
“The world… is spinning, Lion.”
…He was so insignificant that he made one doubt if he was truly a Dragon.
As if sensing that gaze, Valterias quickly got up and shouted.
“I am the great Valterias! Although Lion’s magic power is poor, someone like me can utilize it diligently, so you don’t need to worry!”
“……Yes. That’s truly fortunate.”
It seemed Lion wouldn’t be able to fight properly until he became an adult.
‘It doesn’t matter since I expected this.’
Honestly, I didn’t think Valterias could be of much help. What was important was for many to witness Lion’s magic power.
“Then, shall we go?”
Elian moved his steps lightly. Perhaps sensing that the battle was about to begin, the surroundings were filled with tension.
“Kirendis.”
His face was stiff with tension, so Elian placed a hand on his shoulder to ease it. Kirendis flinched and turned his head.
“Elian.”
“Are you worried?”
He didn’t answer, but Elian judged that he was tense. So, he opened his mouth to encourage him.
“Everyone is reliable, so don’t worry. The Imperial Guard is skilled in battles like this, and the Wide Mercenary Group is also proven in their abilities.”
“Ah……”
As if realizing something at last, a low exclamation escaped him. Elian nodded, glad that he seemed to understand, and continued.
“Especially Sir Jade and Sir Krison are more skilled in these kinds of battles, so just watching them will be a great help.”
The virtues of a good knight were not just about skill. How they led, commanded, and guided people was also considered important.
A large-scale battle required the entire Knights Order to move as one. Therefore, this battle would serve as a good example for Kirendis.
“Sir Rustas… you mean?”
But it seemed his advice wasn’t very helpful. Kirendis’s voice sank low.
Only then did Elian remember that the two of them didn’t get along well and felt a pang of regret.
“Uh… right. Jade is the captain of the Imperial Guard.”
Elian broke out in a cold sweat.
He couldn’t understand why Kirendis was so conscious of Jade. Did they have a rivalry?
It was a fairly accurate guess, but Elian was thinking in a completely different direction. So, he added words that weren’t necessary.
“Even though there’s a difference in skill now, you’ll catch up soon. Besides, you can use magic.”
Knowing the future where he would grow to be equal to Jade, he had no hesitation.
“Haa……”
Is this… not it?
At the low sigh, Elian rolled his eyes and watched for his reaction.
He pondered what to say to escape the atmosphere when, thankfully, Kirendis returned to his usual self and spoke.
“Please don’t do anything reckless this time.”
Elian replied with relief.
“I won’t.”
“I’ll be watching you closely.”
“What if you get hurt? I can take care of myself, so you just be careful not to get hurt.”
“Are you worried about me?”
“Of course. What do you take me for…?”
Had Kirendis thought he was a cold-blooded person who never worried?
Given his past actions, Elian was concerned. But it seemed Kirendis hadn’t meant it that way, as he replied with a gentle smile.
“Thank you.”
“Huh?”
Thank you?
“For worrying about me. You’re probably the only one who worries about me, Elian.”
“……”
Elian couldn’t say anything. It was true, not just a casual remark.
As he was a high-ranking noble, second only to the Royal Family, there were few people who genuinely worried about him.
Nobles were out of the question, and even dukes saw him only as the heir who had to lead the family, with no affection for blood ties.
Those he befriended at the academy likely saw him as a connection, and the Rebel Army viewed him as a strong asset, not someone to worry about.
He wasn’t the type to act weak either, so Elian figured he must not have heard such words before.
‘It really is just me.’
Thinking that, his heart felt strangely heavy. Being the only one who could fill Kirendis’s heart was a burden, yet he also felt good. It was a selfish thought, but it was Elian’s honest feeling.
“If you think about it that way, it will really be just me. After all, one should always keep an open mind…”
“I don’t care.”
“Hm?”
He had intended to gloss over it, but more words came out. Kirendis gazed at him with serious red eyes and spoke.
“I don’t need anyone else’s worry. I only need Elian.”
“……”
“So don’t worry about me, worry about yourself.”
“……”
“Because if you disappear, the person who worries about me will disappear too.”
“……”
This time too, Elian couldn’t say anything.
He was genuinely worried. Not just about him getting hurt, but about him losing his life.
‘Someone like this…’
Could he really kill me?
The predetermined future felt like it was drifting further away. He didn’t intend to abandon the person who worried about him, but he was happy. The future he envisioned with Kirendis felt like it had suddenly drawn closer.
Elian quietly approached him and whispered in a voice only Kirendis could hear.
“It’s the same for me. You’re probably the only one who worries about me like this, too.”
It felt good, as expected. He liked the unreserved affection pouring out. His heart beat pleasantly along with a ticklish sensation.
“So don’t get hurt either. If you disappear, I’ll have no one to worry about anymore.”
“Elian……”
Kirendis looked at Elian and moved his lips. An inexpressible emotion surfaced in his eyes.
Elian didn’t avoid his gaze and observed him quietly. Even as his sparkling eyes narrowed the distance.
Only when their faces were inches apart did Elian snap back to reality.
‘Huh?!’
Flustered, Elian quickly turned his head away. His heart pounded, and his face flushed rapidly.
“I, I should get going. I need to encourage the others too.”
He fled, but the pounding of his heart showed no signs of calming down.
‘Am I crazy? Am I really crazy?’
Elian was aghast.
They almost kissed. If he had stayed there, it would have happened. In front of all these people. While Kirendis might be one thing, he didn’t know why he had just stared blankly.
‘Did I… really not know?’
No. Elian had been waiting. For Kirendis to kiss him, to come closer.
He just wanted to deny that fact because he couldn’t believe it.
‘Snap out of it.’
Elian slapped his face with his palms and lifted his head. He attributed the burning sensation to his palms, trying to scatter his emotions.
—BWOOOOOM!
Just then, a sound echoed, signaling the arrival of the Monsters. It was a signal from the soldiers.
Elian ran towards the Imperial Guard. Everyone seemed tense, but the atmosphere quickly changed when he appeared.
‘Yes. It’s worth the effort I put into training them.’
Elian drew his sword with satisfaction.
“Well then, shall we see how rusty my skills have become?”
He uttered a remark disguised as a joke but carrying a threat, and scanned the front. Everyone held their swords, waiting for Elian’s signal.
As the Monsters came into view, he thrust his sword forward and shouted.
“Charge!!”
“WAAAH!!”
With a roar, the real battle began. The densely packed Monsters clashed with the knights.
No matter how many he cut, there seemed to be no end; their numbers were vast. But the Imperial Guard advanced steadfastly, unwavering.
Elian watched them with a hawk’s eye. He meticulously observed whether the formation was holding, if they were swinging their swords properly, and if anyone was letting their guard down.
The reason he wasn’t swinging his sword and was only observing his surroundings was not because he couldn’t fight.
It was because the Imperial Guard was so strong that he didn’t even need to swing his sword, and his mere presence boosted their morale.
While it was a morale boost in a good way, it was mainly driven by the thought that they would be screwed if they made a mistake.
He wondered if that effect had worn off, but thankfully, it seemed to be well-maintained.
‘Where is Lion?’
As the battle gained momentum, he first looked for Lion. He was swinging his sword among the mercenaries.
He hadn’t used his summoning yet, and Valterias could be seen protesting something in his arms. It seemed Lion lacked the courage to use it.
Just as he was thinking of giving him a nudge, Lion’s eyes met his. Elian nodded and gave him a signal.
As if gaining courage from that, Lion took a small breath and released his magic power.
Then, something astonishing happened. Valterias’s body transformed into a swarm of light and began to spread out widely.
At first, no one noticed, but gradually, people began to realize that something was strange.
‘Why is this so easy?’
No matter how great the skill difference, it wasn’t always possible to instantly kill Monsters.
There were always variables during battle, causing the flow to break. But from a certain point on, the battle continued without interruption.
‘What is this?’
A knight who recognized this fact tilted his head and observed the path of his sword. Then, he spotted a shimmering golden particle.
The light stimulated the Monster’s muscles, throwing off its balance. This created openings that were too easy to exploit, allowing him to precisely stab vital points.
The knight continued to swing his sword, observing the golden particles. The light kept following him, repeating the same action.
‘Whatever this is, it’s definitely on our side.’
He moved as if one with the golden particles, cutting down Monsters. Others did the same.
As a result, the number of Monsters began to decrease much faster than expected.
‘Good.’
Elian nodded with satisfaction and raised his sword. With this level of support, he felt he could join the battle too.
“His Highness has drawn his sword! Charge!”
“WAAAH!!”
Hearing the overwhelmingly loud cheers, he swung his sword.
Cut, cut, and cut again.
Valterias was truly a great help. It was a little amusing.
He said he would use his magic power diligently, and he was indeed using it quite skillfully.
Since it wasn’t direct offense, the magic power consumption would be low, and by transforming into small particles and permeating, Lion would have less burden of being known.
‘But the world isn’t that simple.’
As the battle neared its end, the widely spread swarm of light began to converge in one place.
Soldiers facing each other on both the mercenary and Imperial Guard fronts stopped and turned their gaze towards the swarm of light.
From Lion’s perspective, this was possible because he couldn’t see the swarm of light. His face was bright with the satisfaction of having succeeded.
As the light increasingly gathered towards Lion, even the knight who had just delivered the final blow to the last Monster focused his attention.
“Huh…?”
Sensing a strange atmosphere at last, Lion faltered. Now was the time to reveal the secret as planned.
Just the right timing.
But the world was not so accommodating. Jade rushed over with a hurried expression and said,
“Lord Elian. The leader is nowhere to be seen.”
Come to think of it, even though the battle was over, the one who had led them was nowhere to be found.
“And……”
He continued with a grave expression.
“Young Duke Rippen is also missing.”
Jade Rustas.
The current captain of the Imperial Guard, known as Archduke Elian Eshton’s dog, the greatest knight in this country.
He hadn’t been unaware of his existence. In fact, he had felt relieved that such a formidable knight was by Elian’s side.
But…
‘He has the same eyes as me.’
Kirendis clenched his fists tightly. He had harbored feelings for a long time, so he recognized it the moment he saw it. The fact that Elian filled his eyes.
It was by no means the gaze of a knight looking at his lord. It was a gaze filled with deep affection, just like his own.
The person closest to Elian, and the most needed.
Kirendis tensed at the appearance of an unexpected rival. His jealousy towards Lion felt laughable in comparison.
When he saw the look in Jade’s eyes as he gazed at Elian, his heart burned hotly, and when he witnessed Elian’s trust in Jade, his heart grew cold.
If there was a hell, it was here, as his emotions swung wildly.
‘I am too lacking right now.’
He didn’t want to compare, but he kept comparing.
What Jade Rustas had achieved, and what Kirendis Riphen had achieved.
He had desperately walked this path wanting to be Elian’s strength, but seeing Jade Rustas made him realize he was still insufficient. He had nothing superior to him now.
In terms of position, power, and trust. In everything.
‘This won’t do.’
Anxiety washed over him. He felt like he would lose Elian. Although Jade was acting like a reliable knight for now, it was uncertain when he might break.
What would Elian’s reaction be when that time came? Would he accept him?
‘Then what about me?’
Thinking like this, he couldn’t concentrate on fighting while swinging his sword. Realizing this could lead to disaster, he retreated slightly.
“Hoo……”
The various sounds leading to death felt distant. Stepping away from the battlefield felt like entering another world.
Knowing that being able to catch his breath like this was a great blessing, he gripped his sword again. He intended to return and fight after regaining his composure.
Just then.
‘What is that?’
A suspicious shadow appeared on top of the cliff. It looked like a black, large mass, and it was watching the battlefield with an unsettling green glow.
—Grrr.
—Grrr.
After hearing the unpleasant sounds, he realized it was something that wouldn’t help their allies.
‘Come to think of it, they said there was a leader among the Monsters.’
As his thoughts reached that point, Kirendis surveyed the battlefield. Due to the sheer numbers, he couldn’t identify it precisely, but there was no one who looked like a leader.
‘Then that thing is…’
He looked up again at the black mass. It was laughing with a ‘kikirikikirik’ sound, as if amused.
Its green eyes squinted, and its body wriggled, which was incredibly unsettling. But…
‘What is it looking at?’
Furrowing his brow, he followed its gaze, and there was Elian. He was swinging his sword, his silver hair shining brightly.
‘No way…’
His heart sank, and terrible thoughts flashed through his mind.
Kirendis turned his head back to the black mass. It was still chuckling, waiting for something.
As if timing its attack.
‘No.’
A surprise attack from up there would be undefendable by anyone. It would immediately put them in danger.
‘I can’t lose Elian here.’
Kirendis knew how easily a person’s life could be extinguished. Especially with the memory of losing his father to a Monster.
His father hadn’t been lacking in skill to the point of losing his life to a Monster, yet he had returned as a cold corpse.
In the face of death, skill was not omnipotent.
‘I have to stop it.’
This battle was one where every single person was precious. A battle where the formation had to be maintained at all costs. If it faltered even slightly, the outcome could be decided.
Moreover…
‘I know Elian is the core of this battle.’
He was a smart one. He knew where to attack to cause the most efficient collapse.
Kirendis took out an Artifact and threw it on the ground. He stepped on the magic circle that increased jumping power and leaped high. However, a single leap wasn’t enough to scale the entire cliff. He threw the Artifact at a protruding rock and began to climb upwards.
After repeating this a few times, he finally set foot on the summit. Only then could he clearly see the black mass.
‘It’s been properly affected by magic.’
When magic power accumulated in areas with a large number of Monsters, some would be consumed by its power and transform.
In such cases, they would grow larger and their minds would sharpen, becoming leaders, but their lifespans were short, so they didn’t live long.
Therefore, they were often not a great threat, but this time, they were unlucky. It had descended upon the village during its period of leadership.
The magic power seeping out indicated that its remaining lifespan was short, but no one knew when that would be.
So, it had to be dealt with.
‘First, I need to get out of here.’
Its target was Elian. If they fought here, he didn’t know what unpredictable actions it might take. Therefore, he had to move it far away.
Kirendis gripped his sword again and lunged forward. Rather than unleashing sword techniques that took lives, he began to lure the enemy by striking and retreating.
Fortunately, perhaps thinking it best to deal with the troublesome one first, the creature followed him well. It might have thought drawing attention unnecessarily would be a disadvantage.
Thus, Kirendis was gradually moving away from the battlefield.
Everything was for Elian, to protect him.
“What?!”
Startled, Elian quickly surveyed his surroundings. Kirendis was truly nowhere to be seen.
“Now that you mention it, I haven’t seen him since he fell back,” a mercenary raised his hand and spoke.
“Are you sure?!”
“Yes. I thought he might have joined the others…”
The ‘others’ could only mean the Imperial Guard. But Elian hadn’t seen even a shadow of Kirendis throughout the battle.
“Damn it.”
Elian bit his lip tightly. If both Kirendis and the leader creature were missing, there was a high probability they were fighting somewhere.
The problem was where that place was. There was no path leading behind them…
‘Wait. If I use magic…’
He looked up towards the cliff. He didn’t know much about magic, but it seemed like a plausible possibility.
If so, Elian had only one thing to do.
“Boss-level Monsters are just a hindrance if too many go. Jade, you follow me, and Sir Krison, please clean up here. Can I leave it to you?”
“Of course, Your Highness,” Krison replied, bowing his head. Elian led Jade towards the direction Kirendis had disappeared.
“Jade, can you tell where there was a magic power reaction?”
Magic power made to be seen was visible to anyone, but finding traces was difficult. However, Jade was a Sword Master, called the pinnacle of swordsmanship.
Even the smallest trace would be visible to his eyes.
“This way. It seems they used magic this way to go up,” Jade said.
“Good. We’re going up too,” Elian said confidently, looking up at the cliff. Neither Elian, who spoke, nor Jade, who heard him, pondered how they would climb the cliff.
Since becoming a Sword Master, Elian had often used Jade to ascend to high places.
So, he thought he would have Jade carry him up this time as well. But this time, the method of carrying was slightly different.
“Wait, why are you doing this… Ack!”
While he usually jumped up with a light embrace, this time he was lifted high in a bridal carry.
Elian, flustered, let out a short scream and clung on. However, they reached the top of the cliff in just a couple of leaps, and the embarrassment came belatedly.
“You…”
Elian did not like this posture. It was not a posture that suited Archduke Esiton at all, and he had always insisted that Jade not do it because it was embarrassing.
So why insist on this posture now, in this situation?
‘Is this defiance?’
But there was no time to dwell on such things now. He had to find Kirendis.
“We’ll talk about this later.”
Elian began searching for Kirendis. Fortunately, finding him was not difficult. Dust clouds were swirling in only one spot.
Elian ran quickly. To be honest, him moving himself was inefficient and dangerous.
To resolve the situation efficiently, sending only Jade would have been the right thing to do. But Elian didn’t.
The reason was that he was worried about Kirendis, and he had become that precious to him. And Jade couldn’t possibly have missed that simple truth.
“Kirendis!!”
Elian shouted loudly, his face filled with worry.
The battle seemed to be nearing its end, as Kirendis was relentlessly pressing the Monster.
The swiftly moving sword created countless sword trails, leaving afterimages.
‘That…’
Elian could only stop, unable to approach further.
Kirendis was in a state of trance, unable to see his surroundings or hear any sounds. A power other than magic power was leaking from his body and imbued in his sword.
Elian recognized it at a glance.
‘Aura.’
Aura was flowing from Kirendis’s body.
It was much faster than in the original story.
‘Why on earth?’
Jade was fast enough, but that was only possible because Elian helped him from the side.
But Kirendis was different. He had never even seen him swing a sword, so he couldn’t understand why the future had changed.
‘No.’
Elian knew. He was just ignoring it.
Kirendis had said he tried to become Elian’s ideal type. And among the many lists of ideal types, this appearance seemed to be on it.
—I wish you were strong enough to protect me. You’d have to be at least a Sword Master or a Great Mage.
Memories from the past flashed by.
Had the future really changed because of those words?
Because of just one sentence?
‘Could it be magic too…’
Something hot surged up from his chest.
Achieving such results in such a short time was no ordinary feat, even for a genius overflowing with talent.
He too had walked a path, so he could vividly imagine Kirendis’s efforts and his state of mind. The time they hadn’t met slowly began to seep in.
Kirendis’s effort, his heart, his desperation.
Everything was contained within the red aura woven into the air.
‘Kirendis.’
Elian quietly took in the sight. The nervously flickering aura stabilized and began to hold a sharp light.
The Monster was spewing out disgusting blood. Elian could feel that its remaining lifespan was short.
Perhaps sensing this, the creature let out a final, mighty roar.
—Kuaaaak!
The wind blew, and a powerful demonic energy spread out. Kirendis drew his sword diagonally and plunged inward.
—Pook!
The sword pierced precisely through its head, and its movements stopped. However, Kirendis did not let his guard down. Only after confirming the Monster’s breath had completely ceased did he pull out his sword.
—Thump!
With a heavy sound, the Monster began to crumble. The aura also lost its power and began to fade.
The sight of black demonic energy and red aura mixing and scattering into the sky felt otherworldly.
He stood alone in a separated world, as if from a movie scene, a painting, or a novel protagonist.
Elian could only watch, unable to approach. He wondered if it was okay to approach.
At that moment, Kirendis lost his balance and swayed. In an instant, Elian cast everything aside and lunged forward.
“Kirendis!!”
As he caught the large body, things that had felt distant suddenly drew near—sight, hearing, smell, touch, all senses revived. He was frightened by the reality that washed over him like a tidal wave.
Had he overexerted himself and fallen ill? Was something wrong? Was he badly injured…?
“Elian…”
A low voice seeped into his chaotic mind. As if by magic, his thoughts stopped for a moment. Kirendis’s voice echoed in his head.
‘Ah.’
Elian opened his mouth slightly. He remembered the time Kirendis had hugged him, saying he was worried. Kirendis, pale and trembling.
‘You felt this way too.’
Elian’s fingertips also trembled slightly. Something surged up, and he hugged Kirendis tightly.
“Elian…”
Elian didn’t reply. He just held him close. He quietly felt if his body was cold or still warm.
Fortunately, his heart was beating strongly. That rhythm brought Elian a sense of stability.
“Are you not hurt?”
The absurd question struck his ears. He wondered who was saying that now and lifted his head.
“Are you in your right mind?”
He scowled and spoke threateningly, but Kirendis just chuckled softly.
“I’m glad you look fine.”
What on earth looked fine?
He didn’t like it.
“I… I protected Elian.”
The way he smiled as he said that pierced his heart. A suffocating pain, as if his heart was being squeezed, found him.
Whether he knew it or not, he repeated the same words with his eyes closed.
“I… I protected him.”
Foolish Kirendis.
Elian thought he knew what Kirendis was thinking when he fought this Monster. He had clearly fought alone, not asking for help, for fear of Elian being in danger.
Truly foolish.
Yet, why didn’t he dislike it? He detested frustrating people, but Kirendis was different. It was always like that.
He just liked him and cherished him. His straightforward affection felt lovable. He knew he should stop here, but he couldn’t. His feelings were growing. They shouldn’t grow any larger, but he couldn’t control them.
‘Ah…’
What should I do?
Elian gently hugged the unconscious Kirendis and replied,
“Yes. You protected me.”
Jade watched the scene quietly from a distance.
Thanks to Sir Krison’s hard work, the battlefield was quickly cleared. Everyone murmured after seeing Lion’s golden magic power, but it didn’t last long as they were tired. Having stayed up all night, they dispersed quickly.
‘First, let him rest well, and then hold a banquet in the evening to announce Lion’s matter…’
Elian felt the same. The rapidly accumulated fatigue made it impossible to continue thinking. Even though everyone else was asleep, he himself had to plan for the next day, but his eyes kept closing.
‘I guess I should have washed up after finishing all my tasks.’
Washing first because he was worried about his dusty body affecting Kirendis was a mistake. But he couldn’t leave him alone, so it was unavoidable.
‘Just a little… rest?’
He felt that if he lay down on the bed, he wouldn’t be able to get up again. But the temptation was hard to resist.
Elian dragged his heavy body towards the bed. Kirendis was sleeping soundly on his bed.
‘Why did he have to injure his face?’
He was upset that his beautiful face had been scratched. Still, he was relieved that he wasn’t seriously injured and lay down beside him.
He hadn’t expected to lie down like this, so his body was hanging off the edge of the bed. But it didn’t matter. He only intended to rest for a bit, so this was just right.
‘Let’s rest for just 5 minutes like this.’
The bed was cozy. With a beautiful, healing face before him, what else could this be but rest?
Elian found peace listening to Kirendis’s steady breathing. He gazed at his face, listened to his breathing, and felt his cozy scent.
But perhaps he had fallen too deep.
His eyes began to blink slowly. He had set a time of 5 minutes to prepare for sleep, but he was helpless.
‘I can’t…’
Even Elian couldn’t overcome sleepiness. His eyelids grew heavier and finally closed completely.
He fell into a deep sleep, surrounded by soft clouds, unable to wake up. The sensation was so pleasant that he burrowed deeper, enjoying the sweet slumber.
How much time had passed?
His body, slightly refreshed from fatigue, remembered what he had to do and his eyes snapped open.
There was a large wall in front of him. Something firm was wrapped around his waist.
Realizing the situation at once, Elian pushed the wall hard. However, it was the wrong choice. Since the large body wouldn’t budge, his own body was pushed back.
“Huh?!”
By the time he realized his back was empty, it was too late. His body, precariously balanced, was falling.
He squeezed his eyes shut, preparing for the impact. At that moment, a hand wrapped around his waist pulled him in.
—Thump.
His body pressed tightly together, with the feeling of his heart dropping.
—Thump.
—Thump.
His heart began to pound loudly, so much so that he wanted to believe it was from surprise.
“Be careful. You’ll fall,” a low voice echoed from above his head. Feeling the unceasing pounding, he lifted his head.
His eyes met soft, curved red eyes.
“Are you not going to sleep more? Sleep more if you’re tired.”
Sleep had already fled far away. There was no way he could sleep again. The heat from their bodies touching was seeping in.
“Are you… okay?”
He regretted it as soon as he said it. He should have asked after he fell, but his lips moved first.
Kirendis smiled faintly at Elian and replied,
“Thanks to Elian’s care, I’m perfectly fine. My condition is at its best.”
…It was fortunate, but Elian hadn’t done much.
He had only had a doctor check his condition, confirmed he wasn’t injured, and moved him.
Even Kirendis had been cleaned up by the doctor. With professional skill, he had taken thorough measures, citing the risk of infection.
However, perhaps misunderstanding something, Kirendis said with a blushing face,
“Did Elian… my body…?”
“No!!”
Elian quickly denied it, but he didn’t believe him.
“Yes. I’ll pretend you didn’t.”
“I really didn’t!”
“Okay. I’ll believe you.”
“It’s not ‘I’ll believe you,’ it’s really…”
Elian scowled in frustration. Then, Kirendis replied with a cheerful face,
“I know. It was Mr. Marlon who did it.”
“…”
Marlon was the name of the doctor who had examined Kirendis. Only then did Elian realize Kirendis was teasing him and felt a surge of emotion.
“Let go!”
“Whoa, whoa? You’ll fall if you move.”
Elian struggled to break free from Kirendis’s embrace. But he only confirmed that there was nothing behind him.
His body was so precariously perched that he felt he would fall if he moved even slightly backward.
Elian stopped struggling and had no choice but to remain still.
As if finding the situation quite amusing, Kirendis continued speaking with a laugh,
“See, why were you there so precariously?”
“…If you knew it was dangerous, shouldn’t you have helped?”
Yes. Couldn’t he have pulled him closer and moved him to the center?
But his thoughts seemed to be different.
“Why would I?”
As he looked up in bewilderment, his face was full of mischief.
“Why would I let go of this wonderful opportunity? Elian came into my arms himself.”
“That’s!”
He tried to deny it, but Kirendis was faster. He pulled Elian in and hugged him tightly. His face was buried deep, and he could smell his scent filling his nose.
“Thank you for worrying about me. You worried a lot, didn’t you?”
Elian’s anger melted away at the gentle voice. He wasn’t really angry, so he quickly became soft.
“…That’s enough.”
He replied with a slight pout and closed his eyes. He could hear Kirendis’s heart pounding. It began to beat a little faster with each breath Elian exhaled.
“Your heart is going to explode?”
“…I know.”
Perhaps feeling quite embarrassed, his arms tightened, pulling him even closer, which Elian found preferable. He liked that his affection was so openly displayed.
How much time passed?
Just as he thought his heart might truly explode, Kirendis pulled away and let out a deep sigh.
“Hoo…”
It sounded like a sigh of restraint. Elian knew what he was holding back, and his heart began to pound.
It seemed he was holding back to avoid making any more mistakes.
‘You don’t have to hold back.’
He suddenly had that thought and was startled. His face instantly turned red.
‘What am I even thinking…’
What did he mean, ‘you don’t have to hold back’?
He was flustered by his own unspoken thoughts that had burst out. He should have been infinitely grateful that it wasn’t verbalized. But just because he didn’t say it didn’t mean it could be ignored.
Seeing his flushed face, Kirendis asked in a low voice,
“What are you thinking?”
He seemed to be reading his mind, and Elian was flustered.
“Wh-what am I thinking? I’m not thinking anything.”
He regretted it as soon as he said it, but it was too late. Elian quickly lowered his gaze, his face red. But Kirendis followed his gaze and lowered his own, nullifying his attempt.
“Are you thinking of me?”
His deep red eyes stared directly at Elian. He couldn’t do anything. He didn’t know if it was because he had hit the mark or because he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the eyes meeting his.
His deep, deep eyes began to reveal a hint of desire, shimmering.
“I always think of you. I think of you, miss you, and ache for you several times a day.”
There was a small plea in the way he laid out his feelings so calmly. He was whispering, ‘Look at me, don’t take your eyes off me.’
“What if you’ve come to dislike me, what if you’ve come to like someone else, what if you were to disappear from this world… I worry about things like that.”
Kirendis approached quietly. He came close enough that their lips could touch, but Elian didn’t pull away. He didn’t want to.
He could feel Kirendis’s anxiety so keenly that he wanted to do something about it. He wanted to tell him it was okay, that he liked him too, and that he shouldn’t be anxious.
But he couldn’t. Not yet. He couldn’t fully focus on Kirendis yet. He had to say it when things were certain, when he could change the future and focus perfectly.
Unaware of Elian’s thoughts, Kirendis quietly began to speak again.
“Still, I think I’m a little better now.”
In that moment, Elian’s heart sank.
What did he mean by ‘better’? Did he mean he was going to give up?
“You just need me to protect you, and I need to try harder not to like anyone else.”
At the indirect confession that followed, Elian’s heart began to pound again. He felt relieved, yet he couldn’t understand why Kirendis would think that.
The words ‘I will protect you’ seemed to stem from his anxiety about the upcoming battle. But what did he mean by ‘not liking anyone else’?
“But… I don’t know what to do about the parts of me that you might dislike.”
Kirendis mumbled in an uncertain voice and lowered his gaze. His long eyelashes obscured his eyes, creating a somewhat forlorn atmosphere.
“I don’t want you to dislike me, but I feel like I keep making mistakes.”
Only then did Elian understand what he was talking about. Kirendis was still worried. He was anxious about things Elian had already forgotten and moved past.
‘Isn’t this okay?’
Wanting to alleviate even a little of his anxiety, Elian opened his mouth.
“I don’t dislike you. Why would I dislike you?”
“Really?”
Red pupils glinted through his eyelids as he looked up again. Elian paused, feeling as though he might be drawn into them.
Kirendis, misinterpreting his reaction, spoke cautiously.
“Then… please tell me.”
‘Tell me?’
Seeing Elian remain silent, unable to grasp the intent of the question, Kirendis seemed to make up his mind and continued.
“Tell me what happened that day.”
“Huh?”
Only then did Elian’s eyes widen in surprise. Kirendis pressed on with certainty.
“After that day, the way you treat me seems a little different. If you don’t dislike me, please tell me what happened.”
He was sharp. So sharp that Elian instinctively tried to pull his face away. But Kirendis stopped him from escaping, saying,
“I’m anxious.”
“……”
“I’m anxious about whether I did something you dislike, and if that’s why you’ve changed.”
The only difference from before was that Elian had realized his own feelings of affection for Kirendis. Even if he wanted to soothe his anxiety, he couldn’t just say that.
However, leaving him to remain anxious felt a little pitiful, so Elian decided to take a different approach.
“Are you curious?”
He asked, no longer backing down. Kirendis nodded.
“I’m curious about everything about you, Elian.”
The words sounded somewhat suggestive.
Elian didn’t pretend not to understand and whispered softly.
“Then, I’ll tell you.”
He lowered his head slightly and kissed him. He felt a soft touch on his lips.
Kirendis, who hadn’t expected Elian to kiss him first, was startled and parted his lips.
Elian didn’t miss the opportunity and pushed in. He was immediately pulled closer, and a mouthful of hot breath rushed in.
A hot tongue swept through the small mouth, conquering it as if it were its own territory. It traced his teeth, brushed his palate, and then tangled deeply, sucking him in.
“Hngh.”
Though Elian had started it, the initiative had already shifted to Kirendis.
Their mouths mingled with saliva in a frenzy, their bodies entwined deeply. Kirendis held him tightly, as if trying to swallow everything, and Elian swallowed his hot breath.
As the kiss, which felt like being devoured, continued, Elian’s body slowly began to heat up.
He already knew what expression Kirendis made when aroused, and what expression he made when he came. So, the excitement from that time returned, and his body grew hotter.
“Haa…”
He opened his eyes, breathing heavily between their momentarily separated lips. Their gazes met, filled with heat.
Kirendis’s eyes were asking him to tell him the next part quickly.
Elian swallowed dryly and slowly lowered his hand. His gaze remained locked with Kirendis’s as he gripped the waistband of his pants.
Only then did Kirendis startle and try to stop Elian.
“W-wait a minute.”
He seemed completely unprepared for this situation. Elian wondered if he should proceed, but decided that showing was better than telling. At least he could hide who had started it.
“It’s okay. I said I’d tell you.”
Even after saying this, Kirendis didn’t let go. He seemed to be hesitating about something. Or perhaps hiding something. Whatever it was, Elian didn’t want to stop here.
Elian lowered his head and kissed him again.
“Ah…”
As he tangled his tongue through Kirendis’s parted lips, his face flushed red, and he began to panic.
Elian wondered where the person who had been so eager to devour him had gone.
He felt as if this was the hunter’s instinct to catch fleeing prey, and pressed his body closer.
Then, he understood why Kirendis was trying to flee.
“E-Elian…”
Kirendis’s lower body was hard and swollen. The more Elian tangled his tongue, the closer he pressed his body and stimulated him, the larger it grew.
It seemed Kirendis didn’t want to show his arousal. He could kiss so well, but why hide this reaction?
‘Perhaps…’
He thought back to Kirendis’s earlier worry about being disliked. Was this what he had been referring to? It was a completely unnecessary worry.
‘It’s more of a problem that I like you even more.’
Elian’s body had already been heated up from the kissing. His lower body was already heavy, but Kirendis just hadn’t noticed.
So, he would show him. He would show him that he didn’t dislike him, and that he felt the same way.
Elian showed him with his actions. He pressed his own lower body against the bulge and said,
“It’s okay.”
Because I’m the same as you.
Avoiding the verbalization of his feelings, Elian looked at Kirendis. He held their lower bodies tightly together so Kirendis couldn’t escape, conveying his feelings.
It’s okay.
You can do it.
Elian met Kirendis’s gaze as if seducing him. He wanted Kirendis to gain courage, to feel anticipation, and for his feelings towards him not to waver.
‘I’m quite wicked, aren’t I?’
He knew. He knew this was cheating.
But he couldn’t help it. Elian was greedy and had a personality that always got what he wanted.
Where would that personality go?
Elian pressed his lower body firmly and began to move his hips slowly. As he stimulated Kirendis with slow, deliberate movements, Kirendis’s face turned bright red.
“E-Elian.”
He closed his eyes tightly, looking so cute. The stimulation must have been intense. But Elian had no intention of stopping here.
He moved up slightly, taking Kirendis’s soft lips into his mouth, tasting them, and then teasing them with the tip of his tongue. Slowly, a reaction began. Kirendis’s lips, which knew the heat and passion of their kisses, began to part.
Seeing his chance, Elian slowly brought his hand down and pulled down Kirendis’s pants. Then, with a threatening ‘thump,’ a formidable object sprang out.
“Haa…”
As the cool air touched his genitals, a languid sigh escaped him.
Elian slowly stroked the shaft upwards as he kissed it. He gently kneaded it with his fingertips and nibbled on his lips. Kirendis trembled and reacted.
Since he had no memory of this, this must be the first time he had touched Elian. Perhaps that’s why even the slightest touch seemed to excite him greatly.
Rough breaths and hot sighs were exchanged between their lips, which in turn affected Elian. His lower body grew heavy and felt constricted.
Not intending to leave it like this, he pulled down his own pants and exposed his genitals.
Then, with a ‘thump,’ his penis shot upwards. At the same time, Kirendis’s shoulders twitched. His eyes flickered, lost.
He seemed to want to look down and confirm, but couldn’t bring himself to do it.
‘It’s different from last time.’
His inability to control his arousal made him look innocent. He seemed to have transformed from a ferocious beast into a gentle lamb.
Though his physique was far from that of a lamb, Elian liked even this side of him.
“Kirendis.”
Elian took a deep breath, holding both his own and Kirendis’s genitals. With the barrier of clothing gone, their hot, soft skin met and pressed together.
“E-Elian.”
Even that alone seemed to excite Kirendis greatly, as a clear liquid began to seep from his penis. It quickly became slick and rubbed against him.
Even a slight movement of his hand made it rub pleasurably, and a languid sigh escaped him.
“Haa…”
He slowly closed his eyes, focusing on the unfamiliar sensation in his lower body. He enjoyed the feeling of the soft yet firm flesh rubbing together, transferring heat.
A great satisfaction, found in secret intimacy, washed over his entire body.
But for some reason, he felt it was insufficient. It seemed Kirendis’s was too large, preventing him from stimulating it properly.
‘I can’t help it.’
Elian held only Kirendis’s penis in his hand and pressed his own body against it, beginning to rub.
“Haa.”
Only then did a satisfying pleasure arrive. The heat filling his hand and the sensation of their genitals rubbing and pressing together heated his mind.
With every movement, the pleasure grew, and Elian became bolder. He stroked the thick shaft with his hand and moved his hips.
“Ugh.”
A suppressed groan from above spurred Elian on. The rising heat of the air made him fall into the act.
He liked the raw feeling of their mutual arousal, and he liked the slick, rubbing sensation.
“Kiren… hngh!”
The moment he let out a voice filled with arousal, their lips met as if to swallow each other.
Kirendis roughly grabbed the back of Elian’s head and pressed his lips fully into his. With his large hand, he simultaneously gripped Elian’s hand and genitals, applying pressure.
“Hngh…!”
Elian was surprised, not expecting his hand to be so completely enveloped despite the size difference. His penis was rubbed and crushed indiscriminately.
Along with the passionate kiss, a lightning-like pleasure struck him. A strange heat filled his mind.
Confusing thoughts vanished, leaving only pleasure to shake Elian. The heat and pleasure felt throughout his body drove them both towards climax, regardless of who started it.
A wave of sensation, as if becoming one, surged through him as arousal reached its peak. The dizzying pleasure struck them like lightning as they fully mingled.
“Ugh.”
“Hngh…”
Hot liquid gushed out, wetting his hand. The heat that had reached the top of his head quickly subsided, followed by waves of languid pleasure.
“Elian…”
“Hngh…”
Kirendis softly rubbed his lower body and sought out Elian’s lips again. Elian slowly closed his eyes and surrendered to the kiss.
The sweet kiss gently explored his mouth, drawing him in warmly. He wanted to respond to the movement, but his body, already satisfied, wouldn’t budge.
The sleepiness that had been held at bay began to rush in like a tide.
‘If I fall asleep now…’
I shouldn’t…
The soft kiss seemed to whisper, ‘It’s okay.’ ‘Leave it to me.’ ‘It’s alright.’
He didn’t know if this was the truth, but he couldn’t hold on any longer. He tried to grasp even a sliver of consciousness, but it was impossible.
“Sleep well.”
Just before falling asleep, he thought he felt a moist touch on his forehead, accompanied by a gentle voice.