《I Became a Sick Nobleman》 Chapter 1: Lets live for now Chapter 1: Let''s live for now ¡°¡­huu..huu..¡± I can¡¯t breathe, I¡¯m suffocating. It felt as if someone was pressing down on my neck, cutting off my oxygen. Struggling, I opened my eyes. ¡°¡­huu¡­huk..¡± It was getting harder to breathe even more, and my head felt like it was being split open¡­ ¡®Damn, how long did I run yesterday?¡¯ I can¡¯t go to work in this condition. This won¡¯t do, I need to call and ask for the day off. Knock. Knock. I turned my head reflexively to the door. My eyes widened at the sight before me. A wall with a strange portrait, a fine wooden door disyed with natural grain, and a bed adorned with curtains. This¡­ Wasn¡¯t my room. Confused, I tried to get up from bed. I needed to find out where I was, but this nket was weighing me down. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is this my arm? Why the heck does it look like a dried branch.¡± ¡®Ehh?¡¯ I pulled the nket off me with all my might, the very act had my heart bursting in exertion, it¡¯s frantic beating could be heard in my ear. I was out of breath even though I had only rolled out of the nket. ¡®Mirror¨C.¡¯ Thud! My body tilted even before my legs touched the ground. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± The door opened and a man in a ck suit hurriedly approached. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°¡­ Ruel?¡± The stranger looked at me in askance. ¡®Why did the name sound so familiar?¡¯ The man who appeared to be a butler easily lifted me off the floor and ced me back onto the bed. ¡°You almost got in trouble. The fever just dropped this morning. Are you hurt anywhere?¡± The butler asked me, but I was absorbed in my own thoughts. ¡®Ruel¡­ Setiria?¡¯ That was the name that came to my mind after a bit of thought. The man standing before me became nervous. ¡°Do you still have a fever, Ruel-nim?¡± The butler carefully put his hand on my forehead with his white gloves on. ¡°The fever went up again. I¡¯ll get your meds ready right away.¡± Seeing the butler leave, I grabbed him with my withered, twig-like arms. If the name I said was wrong, the man would have questioned me. Since he didn¡¯t, that could only mean¡­ The butler chuckled. ¡°Mirror.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°The mirror.¡± Even the very act of talking seemed to sap my breath away. ¡°Would you like me to bring it?¡¯¡¯ asked the butler. I stared into the butler¡¯s eyes as a response. The butler bowed his head after much consideration. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± When the butler left, I felt the exhaustion sink into my body as if I had been running a marathon. ¡®It couldn¡¯t be.¡¯ ¡®There was no way.¡¯ ¡®The owner of this body, Ruel? That Ruel Setiria?¡¯ Ruel Setiria. A character in the first volume of the web novel ¡®SSS-ss Knight¡¯. A sickly aristocrat from a very prominent and powerful family. Since birth, Ruel had an unknown disease that gued him throughout his life, but it was never revealed in the novel what the cause was. How could it have been known? After all, he died in the middle of the first book. Knock. Knock. ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡± Cassion, the butler came into the room carrying the mirror with a faint smile. He brought the mirror and angled it to the man on the bed, judging that he wouldn¡¯t have the strength to hold it himself. Only after seeing the reflection looking back at himself in the mirror, did the sense of reality set in. What was staring back at him was a sickly face, showing the effect of a long bout of illness, the skin was pallid and the sunken-eyes were made prominent by the dark circles. Unmanaged gray hair grew wildly like weed, and blurred green eyes were distorted. What a fucking joke. Ruel Setiria. I be a weak and useless nobleman. ¡°Cassion.¡± The butler looked at me anxiously at this breaking voice of mine. ¡®You¡¯re so pretentious.¡¯ If anyone saw it, they could have mistaken the butler for someone loyal, who was worried about his master, and was heartbroken after checking his master¡¯s condition. ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim.¡± I waved my hand lightly. My body was dead tired, out of breath just by speaking one word. How weak was it? ¡°Ruel-nim, are you out of breath?¡± Cassion handed me something that was on the table. It was a tubr object simr to a flute. ¡°It may be hard for you sir, but please breathe through this Breath slowly.¡± After hesitating for a while, I ced the Breath in my mouth. No matter how much Cassion wanted to kill me, it was not time yet. As I slowly inhaled the Breath, the feeling of strangtion in my chest started to loosen. ¡°Don¡¯t hold your breath and continue using this magic tool.¡± ¡®So it¡¯s a magic tool.¡¯ The unfamiliar words felt strangely familiar. I looked at the magic tool with a lightened breathing. This was my life-saver from now on. I will keep it close to me. ¡°Ruel-nim, today¡¯s meal?¡± Cassion¡¯s worried eyes did not change as I calmly looked at him. ¡°I have an appetite today. Bring it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great sir. Since you¡¯re ill, you should eat a lot.¡± Cassion smiled broadly. ¡°Please wait, I¡¯ll get it right away.¡± ¡°The medicine is after eating.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim.¡± As soon as Cassion went outside, I rubbed my arm which was covered in goosebumps. ¡®Crazy guy.¡¯ In the novel, Cassion pretended to be a butler, but in fact he was actually an assassin. To be exact, he was an assassin hired by Ruel¡¯s cousin who was aiming for the throne of the Setiria family. Due to various reasons, Ruel was ostracized from society. He was pushed to the outskirts of the territory and lost Setiria to his cousin. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± I gripped my throbbing chest as I spasmed in pain at the sudden cough. Damn this body. How I wish I could be the main character of this novel. I thought about everything that I knew about the novel again. ¡®SSS-ss Knight¡¯ was an unfinished novel. In other words, no one knew the ending. ¡®What a fucking joke.¡¯ I patiently closed my eyes and considered my current predicament, and when I reopened them there was light in my hazy eyes. ¡®Let¡¯s live for now. Let¡¯s live on.¡¯ So what if I don¡¯t know how the novel ended, I will survive in this world. *** ¡°Do you like it?¡± I put the spoon down at Cassion¡¯s question. Cassion stood by the bed looking at me with his arm gently folded. There was a faint trace of an eerie smile on his lips. ¡®Asshole.¡¯ I was disgusted by him acting like that in front of the sickly. ¡°It tastes bad.¡± It may be because of the medicine that Ruel takes or because of the disease, but I can¡¯t tell what the food tasted like. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Cassion clenched his folded hand hard. I grabbed the spoon again. ¡°But I¡¯m still going to eat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you need to nourish your body.¡± ¡°Do you really want me to live?¡± I smiled at Cassion. It was a smile that revealed my craftiness. No matter what, I have to find a way to live first. ¡°Cassion.¡± The young man¡¯s weak voice called out to the butler. However, under the gaze that differed from usual, Cassion felt ufortable as if the cors of his shirt were too tight. Bearable but definitely not cozy. ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion looked at Ruel in response. Nothing had changed. He looked as if everything was normal. I drank the soup gracefully with my trembling hands. The noble attitude contrasted with my pale face. ¡°Let¡¯s not beat around the bush anymore.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± ¡°Stop pretending, no need to be nervous.¡± I paused and took a deep breath. ¡°This is annoying.¡± Cassion didn¡¯t know what was annoying, but he was clearly ufortable with the look in Ruel¡¯s eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t speak much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°But when do you n to kill me?¡± One corner of my dry lips tilted up. Cassion¡¯s hand, which had been folded, loosened. Laughter leaked from his lips. ¡°Oh, so you knew?¡± He dropped his act and immediately turned into a hunter who had seen his prey instead of being anxious for having been caught. ¡°Of course.¡± I looked at the hunter and answered leisurely. Cassion drew a chair while looking around and sat next to Ruel. He then unbuttoned his suit and crossed his legs in an imposing manner. ¡°I guess the n was for you to die in two weeks from now and the cause of death will be med on being unable to ovee the illness.¡± ¡°My cousin, Ma Setiria has prepared well for it all to happen, hasn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Well, you just can tell just by looking at their eyes that they¡¯re full of greed.¡± Cassion¡¯s confidence was amusing, and Ruel, who had firmly believed in him without knowing that he was an assassin that was sent to kill him. The thought itself was ridiculous. Cassion messed up his neatly arranged hair. ¡°This is very strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t know anything until yesterday, how did you know today? Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± ¡°What do you know after only half a year?¡± After coughing a couple of times, I finished drinking the soup. This fucking body. I can¡¯t even eatfortably. Cassion took out the dagger he had hidden on his sleeves and toyed it lightly. ¡°It¡¯s also a time to know a lot in half a year. Anyway, I¡¯d like to hear what made my master speak out.¡± ¡°Lord.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Call me Lord.¡± No matter what anyone said, Setiria¡¯s lord was Ruel. Cassion stopped toying the dagger and looked greatly surprised. It was the most honest thing he had ever shown. ¡°You?¡± At the derisive remark, l returned it as it was. ¡°Because I am the Lord.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Cassion dropped his dagger and held his stomachughing. I continued to eat silently while watching him. Theughter paused after a moment. ¡°Are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re going to die. Not in 2 weeks, but today. Do you know how hard my head was spinning because of that?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± Cassion suddenly got out of his seat and ced the finely folded paper packet down, next to the tray. ¡°This is the medicine you should take today. You know, without this medicine, you wouldn¡¯tst a day.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± At his determined answer, Cassion smiled and looked at Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m often told that I¡¯m quite easygoing. But it seems like you¡¯re more so than I am.¡± Like a child watching a circus, Cassion was filled with expectations of finishing his task of killing Ruel. As he said, Ruel, a character in the ¡®SSS-ss Knight,¡¯ was so weak that he could not even survive a day without medicine. But I was different. Though my body was weak, I wasn¡¯t sick to the extent that I couldn¡¯t think. I raised my finger and pointed at Cassion. ¡°You¡¯ll protect me.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± I decided to give Cassion a blow. ¡°Heirloom, you want the Turbulent Day, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cassion shut his mouth. ¡°My cousin promised to give it to you, right?¡± Although his expression didn¡¯t change, it was fully understandable how embarrassed Cassion was now. Cassion¡¯s motivation for assassinating Ruel was for a sword called Turbulent Day. A sword known to have cut down an evil hero, there was no special force in it anymore. But Cassion was a sword collector. It was not hard to guess what he would do, if he had the opportunity to hold the legendary family treasure of Setiria that everyone yearned for but couldn¡¯t have? But he was in the wrong about something though. ¡°Idiotic.¡± A word that was not at all noble popped out of Ruel. Only then did Cassion¡¯s mouth move. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± ¡°Water.¡± I looked at the cup. The initiative in the conversation has been handed over to him. Cassion furrowed his brows and poured the water. Slowly, I drank the water, the conversation making me tired. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± This time, Cassion called his name. ¡°The heirloom passed down through the bloodline.¡± ¡°Through the bloodline¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Ruel Setiria, that is the current head of Setiria.¡± Ruelughed at Cassion and continued. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who knows the location of the sword.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°You¡¯re being cheated.¡± ¡°No¡­way.¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± The fishing rod is bent greatly. In the novel, my cousin did not know the location of the heirloom. But the person who¡¯d know the location is obvious. The heirloom would naturally be in a secure ce with tight security. Chapter 2: Lets live for now (2) Chapter 2: Let''s live for now (2) I used three circumstances to my advantage to control the situation to my favour. For one, Cassion knows that I have an unknown illness. Second is that Ruel, who was stupid till now, had changed. And finally, Cassion¡¯s willingness to drop his superiority when it suited him. Cassion seemed almost feverish with the intensity of his thinking, especially with the current situation. ¡®Hmm, that¡¯s a very satisfying face.¡¯ I opened my mouth, holding back my desire to smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you.¡± Cassion pursued his lips. He must be upset since he was fooled by my cousin. ¡°Because I¡¯m ill, it¡¯ll be of no use to me anyway.¡± ¡°¡­ How do you guarantee that?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll sign a contract.¡± I patted myself on the chest. Everyone in the world of ¡®SSS-ss Knight¡¯ had mana and establishing contracts using the mana were amon urrence. ¡°The conditions?¡± Ho¡­ Not only was the fishing rod bent greatly, but it was also winning the fight. Just a little bit more. ¡°Be a loyal butler until I die.¡± Cassionter became the main character¡¯s loyal feet and ears. I must be a fool to let a fish already on the cutting board go, afterall I have to do my best to live. There was a shiny glimmer in Cassion¡¯s greedy eyes. This request was far simpler than he thought. It was easy to guess what¡¯s on his mind as he had been watching Ruel for half a year. ¡®Ruel is about to die. Wouldn¡¯t he be free after that?¡¯ Cassion didn¡¯t bother to hide his expression this time. Joy was exposed on the surface. ¡°Cough, Cough!¡± I coughed loudly on purpose. At the same time, the pain that I felt in my chest made me frown. Eventually, the fake cough became a real cough and something hot flowed down my throat. At the moment, I wondered if I really was going to die. ¡®Ha.¡¯ However, when I looked up I saw Cassion¡¯s face mixed with joy and embarrassment, I burst intoughter. ¡°Even like this¡­¡± I wiped the blood off my mouth and sped my trembling hands. ¡°I want to protect the Setiria.¡± I said once more. Cassion, He was the head of the assassin guild. Whether you belong to a family or a guild; as a leader or member, you will have the desire to protect. His delicate expression was erased and he sat as the head of a guild. ¡°Please drink.¡± Cassion held out a paper packet containing medicine. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we sign a contract?¡± ¡®The fish is caught¡­¡¯ I coughed and hid my smile. My first step on the path of survival, catching a valuable piece named Cassion in my palm was almost a done deal. *** The contract was concluded smoothly. The sword Turbulent Day would go to Cassion and in return Cassion would be a loyal butler until Ruel died. ¡°I didn¡¯t say the deadline on purpose. I¡¯d like you to think that we¡¯ll be together for at least half a year more.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Would I die after that? I don¡¯t know. I would sacrifice as much as I could, even such as a seemingly fine sword for a glimmer of hope. And I obviously will not let myself die. For that sliver of hope, I need the power left by the Hero. It was the power held by a Hero just like his name. It was known to have been scattered all over the world before he died, and if I had all his power, I could be a real hero. But currently I didn¡¯t know if I had a chance to be one. Even the main character, who had acquired this power, could not gather all the scattered power and tried to figure out it¡¯s origin, but the ending of the ¡®SSS-ss Knight¡¯ was never clear, so even he couldn¡¯t discover who the Hero was or what he did. ¡°Isn¡¯t that funny?¡± ¡°What?¡± Skrr, skrr. It was interesting to see the assassin sitting next to him peeling an apple. ¡°I am an assassin who came to kill you. I didn¡¯t expect to peel an apple like this.¡± ¡°But, now I¡¯m a butler.¡± Cassion smiled awkwardly. ¡°What date is it today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s September 11th.¡± So it¡¯s next week. Unlike the date Cassion promised my cousin to kill me, I was due to die a weekter. My cousin changed his n and tried to kill me by sending another assassin besides Cassion, but amusingly, Cassion killed Ruel first. Cassion doesn¡¯t like anyone else snatching his prey. After that, the main character appeared and solved the Setiria situation. ¡®Oh, right. There was the protagonist. The Hero.¡¯ The sound of peeling stopped. ¡°Do you have a headache?¡± ¡°No.¡± I want to avoid meeting the protagonist no matter what. Just by stepping on the samend as him, for sure troublesome things would shortly follow. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to live prosperous andfortable with the fortune I have at the moment. Of course, before that¡­ ¡®First of all, I have to live.¡¯ ¡°Here is it.¡± ¡°Aside from you¡­¡± Ruel asked, eating an apple piece handed by Cassion. ¡°Who else is here?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°People watching me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just me.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. Havinge to recuperate, he did not n to change his position as the head of Setiria. ¡®Somehow, only Cassion appeared in the novel. Was he just not sitting there?¡¯ ¡°There were originally about five people, including me, but I killed them all off when I was nning to assassinate you.¡± ¡°Why? It¡¯s a waste of money because I am dying?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it is.¡± ¡°Anyone else who¡¯s gonna kill me?¡± Cassion suddenly paused the knife and smiled slightly when I made an impression. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. Habits don¡¯t change at once. It¡¯s not a butler¡¯s job.¡± ¡°The butler keeps his master safe. From now on, include it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bit far-fetched, but I understand.¡± Cassion was clearly open-minded. It¡¯s as if you¡¯re fulfilling the wishes of someone who¡¯s about to die. Well he¡¯s not exactly wrong. My current situation doesn¡¯t offer many prospects, even my hands are tied to the point where I can hardly leave my bed. ¡°You are not aware but I was at the gathering. I saw them, there¡¯s no point lying, we¡¯re not even that close.¡± ¡°Are they here?¡± ¡°No.¡± At the moment, Cassion¡¯s eyes shed with killing intent. My weak body reacted quickly to that intent and squeezed my heart. Grabbing my heart and heavily breathing I cried out. ¡°Cassion!¡± ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± Cassion got up and bowed his head. He must have also been hit by the binding, there was sweat dripping on his face. Soon he will be getting more and more aware of the efficacy of the contract. ¡°So?¡± After inhaling Breath, I opened my mouth. Cassion hesitated but soon calmly answered back with pride in voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t want anyone to touch my prey, so I killed them all. At least in this mansion.¡± It was the same in the novel as well. Looking back at him I said, ¡°Get rid of the annoying things out of the house too.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s just a bit troublesome.¡± ¡°What are you doing with the report? Sending it to my cousin, no, the rabbit?¡± ¡°I will still be reporting, and no, the rabbit is you. I can¡¯t let this go.¡± Cassion smiled peacefully. Yeah, Cassion was that kind of guy. He¡¯s weird enough to have a discussion with the enemy even in the middle of a fight. ¡°If I were a rabbit, what would he be?¡± I asked curiously, after all it¡¯s weird for a grown man to bepared to something like that. ¡°Well, a slug would be more fitting.¡± ¡°So, when do you report to the slug?¡± ¡°The report is sent once a week. I originally reported through telegram, but it takes almost a month to deliver.¡± At the end of the sentence, ¡°Sorry¡­ . ¡± Cassion murmured a little. ¡°What¡¯s in the report?¡± ¡°To be honest, it¡¯s more like a medical journal that writes down your condition. How sick you are, how you vomited several times a day. How much did the fever go up and many more.¡± Ruel raised an eyebrow. This was a report done to confirm when I would die. That¡¯s good. There won¡¯t be any trouble any time soon. ¡°Keep reporting just as before.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°What do I need to know?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Tomorrow, your cousin wille.¡± I stopped chewing the apple, and scowled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°If you ask me why, I can only tell you that it¡¯s a regr event.¡± It¡¯s a regr event. ¡®It¡¯s hard to tell why an extra who is not even close to the supporting actor in the novel would be given so much attention.¡¯ This was the world of fiction, but it was now my reality. I gave a pained look. Ahh this is giving me a headache. ¡°When?¡± ¡°As usual, between 3-4 pm.¡± ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ I put down my fork and looked out the window. The sun was already setting. A new day will soon arrive. Tomorrow, I should try going out. ¡°Is it possible to deal with things outside of the mansion by today?¡± ¡°Of course, how do we dispose of the bodies?¡± ¡°Do it yourself.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of it so it doesn¡¯t bother you.¡± Seeing my skinnyplexion bing paler Cassion got up from his seat. I was getting another wave of sickness again. The effect of using Breath was getting less pronounced and was gradually reaching its limit. ¡°Please take a rest for today. Don¡¯t you have a headache?¡± No one knew what was the disease that Ruel had. It wasn¡¯t that Cassion didn¡¯t do anything. He was the one sent to kill anyway, but he thought he should at least know what disease Ruel was dying of. While Ruel was sleeping, he once again called the doctors. Illness of unknown cause. That was Ruel¡¯s diagnosis. Cassionid down Ruel on the bed. He was like a newborn baby who could do nothing by himself, no matter how imposing he looked earlier. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going out tomorrow.¡± That guy went out. Cassion gave Ruel a subtle look at the nonsensical words. ¡°I¡¯m going out.¡± Ruel spoke again. He didn¡¯t seem to know what he was talking about. Cassion sighed lightly, and spoke in a serious tone. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Nevertheless, don¡¯t rush your short life and lie down nicely.¡± The look Ruel showed today was pretty good. Over all the time they had spent together in thest 6 months, Cassion liked the Ruel he saw today the most, so he sincerely advised him. ¡°Cassion.¡± I smiled superciliously. ¡°I¡¯m not dying.¡± The eyes revealed on the pale face were filled with mes. ¡°So I will go out.¡± Cassion was speechless. How are you suddenly so resolute today? Howe your eyes are so determined now? Ruel, who originally had given in to death, the Ruel he knew, was not here. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say anymore.¡± What the hell is this about? Cassion knew how bad his condition was and how painful he looked earlier. What in the world made him change today. Even if it¡¯s like this. I want to protect the Setiria. The words spoken with conviction that shook one¡¯s heart, suddenly echoed in Cassion. Cassion clenched his fist. ¡°Is it because of Setiria that you are so stubborn? Are you doing this because you are dying?¡± Ruel looked at Cassion without saying a word. Cassion thought Ruel looked like a fading me, blooming brighter and grander than ever before dying out, maybe that was the case here. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll get ready.¡± Still, as a person who served, it was the butler¡¯s duty to grant his or her mastersst wish. Cassion bowed his head. ¡°Have a good rest.¡± There was no sound of footsteps. I couldn¡¯t hear the door closing. Soon I realised that Cassion had left. I looked at the door with an absurd face. ¡®What is he saying now?¡¯ He brought up Setiria this or whatever by himself, and he made up his mind and left. ¡®Ah, I don¡¯t know. I just want to go out.¡¯ l couldn¡¯t think of other things to do for fun activities. My head throbbed. My skin felt as if they were being sliced. I struggled with unfamiliar pain and suffering. After groaning for a long time, I couldn¡¯t win over the pain and my eyes finally closed. *** The night soon arrived and the sound of torches outside crackling could be heard. Cassion hummed as he walked back silently. He was on the way back from checking on Ruel who had fallen asleep. Today, Ruel¡¯s face was full of pain, from which he soon fainted. Such a pitiful fellow. The assassin disguised as a butler for a mission, but Cassion now thought it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to be a real butler for a short time since he already signed a contract. Cassion turned the dagger in both hands. The Lord ordered me to kill the flies, so I¡¯ll have to act on them. Back then, he showed his killing intent on purpose. Hehe. Cassion grinned at the thought. ¡®Five hunters, three more. You guys missed a lot, will have to punish youter.¡¯ Cassion took a step after unbuttoning his cor. Cassion stood in the shadows, and his hands raised caught all the lingering memories. His purple eyes sh for an instant. All the memories in the surroundings were caught, they were then pulverized and scattered into dust. Weapon tracking. Cassion walked among the shadows. He moved stealthily like a panther until reappearing behind the enemy hiding behind the flower bed. With a sh, the sound of the heartbeat disappeared. The dark scent of blood lingered on the dagger, which had stolen a life with a single swing. ¡®I caught one.¡¯ Cassion sunk back into the shadows again. He soon caught all five people he had seen with memorisation without causing a disturbance. Then Cassion walked back to the initial ce. ¡®There are three left.¡¯ There was news that the former employer (Ruel¡¯s cousin) had squandered his assets, and it seemed to be true. Otherwise, he could not have sent such sloppy people against him. In a blink of an eye, three people dressed in ck appeared. Cassionughed. ¡°Why did youe here in such a hurry?¡± He didn¡¯t hear the answer. Since their necks had already been cut off. Blood burst from the cut, and Cassion stood among them with not a single drop on him. Cassion raised his hand. His guild member, who was ambushed outside the mansion, appeared. ¡°Sir.¡± His voice was quieter than usual because he had done something wrong. ¡°You missed eight people and made mee out to do your job.¡± Looking at the subordinate he said ¡°Begin the clean up.¡± It wasn¡¯t because the cleanup was bothersome. It would now be the punishment to guild members who had be negligent. ¡°I¡¯ll take your orders, sir.¡± ¡°One more thing.¡± Cassion wiped the blood off the dagger and tidied up his uniform. ¡°Tomorrow the Lord is going out. It¡¯s been a while since I have gone out as well so don¡¯t cause any mistakes.¡± ¡°Yes sir.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m heading back, put everything back neatly.¡± As for what he¡¯d say to his former employer, Cassion thought about it. Let¡¯s say they fought each other. Chapter 3: Lets live for now (3) Chapter 3: Let''s live for now (3) Shuaa. All of a sudden, I woke to the sound of the curtains being drawn. ¡®Damn body.¡¯ I could barely open my eyes. After suffering the whole night in pain, I barely managed to get a wink of sleep after being constantly woken up due to pain. ¡°Are you up?¡± Hearing Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel didn¡¯t bother responding. ¡°Hey, I know you¡¯re awake. If you want to go out ande back before the sluges, you¡¯re going to have to hurry.¡± Knowing I can¡¯t pretend anymore, I opened my eyes and looked at Cassion. Trying to get up, I was immediately ovee with weakness, causing my body to feel limp and heavy as if it was shackled by steel chains. ¡®This damn body.¡¯ Feeling limp, Iid back onto the bed cursing. ¡°Here, let me lift you up.¡± Cassion raised Ruel¡¯s upper body delicately without shaking him too much. After making sure Ruel was sittingfortably on the bed, he brought water and medicine without a word. ¡°You still have a slight fever. You were sicker than usualst night.¡± As if he was following a routine, Cassion lifted his body straight to wipe the sweat gathered on his body with a damp cloth and he did this with great familiarity, even helping him change his clothes. I felt refreshed after my body was cleaned. ¡°I know you don¡¯t like it, but I¡¯ll bring you a meal.¡± Cassion said to him, after helping. ¡°Sure.¡± Seeing Cassion leave the room, l took the medicine ced on the desk next to the bed. Only after my body became morefortable did I take in the surroundings. I realized that my room, which I thought was fine, had their windows blocked up by newspapers. ¡®Could this house even be called a manor when there are no servants to even manage the house properly?¡¯ Iughed lightly. Although it was my second day of bing Ruel, I felt good today, thinking of finally saying goodbye to this wretched disease. ¡®If I get that power, it will be a great start.¡¯ The most important thing for a person is to cherish their health. After all you have to be healthy for you to aplish anything. I don¡¯t want to go back to who I was before and certainly not the way I am right now either. I just want to live a normal, healthy and peaceful life. ¡®That should be very simple.¡¯ *** After a light meal, I dressed before going out. ¡°Where did you find this?¡± Tugging at the loose clothes I asked. It felt like I was wearing someone else¡¯s clothes. Cassionined of injustice. ¡°It¡¯s only been half a year since I served you.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good because you personally confessed yourziness of not doing anything for half a year.¡± I took a breath and continued again. ¡°So you¡¯re really letting me go out wearing these clothes?¡± ¡°Sorry. Among other spare clothes, that one is the smallest one.¡± ¡°Thanks for saving my face.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hearing the same thing over and over again, I noticed a fact. That slug had more money to eat than I thought. It¡¯s been more than five years since he kicked Ruel out with the excuse of nursing him. As the condition worsened, his authority as the Lord also steadily declined paving a way for his cousin. Even the smallest clothes he¡¯s wearing now would be taxing for him to buy now. ¡°Ha¡­¡±, Iughed at the scene. I didn¡¯t know that Setiria¡¯s condition would be much more severe than I thought. ¡°Sorry.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°All right. Please wait a minute.¡± Cassion, who left with the door open, dragged something in. It was an object resembling a wheelchair with a tter. Cassion then carried Ruel to the wheelchair and gently pushed him out of the room. ¡°Ruel-nim, where do you want to go?¡± ¡°The backyard of this house.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± *** Druck. Druck. Followed by the echoing sound of the wheels, Cassion calmly pushed the wheelchair to the backyard, he couldn¡¯t help wondering what kind of outing it was. Seeing the backyard, unkempt due to the overgrown weeds wildly blooming, Ruel chuckled lightly. Cassion, the ¡®butler¡¯ who couldn¡¯t manage the entire mansion alone, felt ufortable considering he hadn¡¯t seemed to have done his job well. ¡°It¡¯s clean, no bloodstains. You cleaned it up very well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the reason you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Cough, Cough.¡± Just in time, I coughed. ¡°Of course not.¡± Cassion could see the corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth slightly rising. ¡®Should I have tidied it up?¡¯ Cassion gripped the handle tightly. The assassins sent by slug stole everything from Ruel. Even if they were dead, wouldn¡¯t they have wanted to smile at the mess they made? ¡°Go over there.¡± Looking around the yard, Ruel looked around and pointed to a tree. ¡®Ah¡­ I killed a man over there.¡¯ Musing, Cassion slowly pushed the wheelchair, considering the road was rather bumpy. Although he was careful, Ruel still turned pale. Cassion nced at Ruel¡¯splexion, he looked happier the more he saw. ¡®There!¡¯ Ruel was as excited. The power was asleep in that ugly tree. The way to live, my second chance. The power left by the original Hero. It was a kind of power that grew the more it was used. There were four forces left by the hero as he knew it. Who would¡¯ve guessed it would be resting in someone¡¯s backyard? No one would even suspect something so extraordinary was hibernating here. Although by iming this power he will be depriving the main character of one of his abilities, but so what? The hero will be able to live well without it, but he himself could not live. It was a necessary action for survival. ¡®The power of recovery.¡¯ The strength to recover from illness and to recover endlessly. With this ability, I wouldn¡¯t die unless I was decapitated or stabbed in the heart. He grinned happily at the thought. I pointed at the tree and said, ¡°Cut.¡± A perplexed Cassion,piled ¡°Yes, sir.¡± The lone tree was cut down mercilessly with that polite answer. When the heavy tree fell with a thud, a piece of thumb was visible at the base of the truck. You¡¯ve got to say the protagonist is a lucky guy. Even the random tree he idently cuts while fighting the assassins is full of opportunities. What a lucky guy. ¡®It¡¯s an amazing coincidence.¡¯ I reached out to the thumb sculpture before Cassion said anything. The moment I touched the thumb, it was as if time had stopped. All sound and movement froze as if they were captured in a photo. The trial had begun to see if I could inherit the power left by the hero. ¨DDo you know pain? Do you know the immensity of pain? ¡°I know.¡± I spoke with confidence. The main character was also seriously injured because of Cassion. ¡°I know more than anyone else.¡± I gripped the thumb tighter. I knew if I had this body, I would be able to pass the trial with ease. Light stretched out from the sculpture. It formed into a hand which slowly caressed his body. ¨D¡­ Huh. A sigh flowed out. There was no such reaction in the novel. ¨D I see, you understand pain more than anyone else. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruelughed. As expected, He passed the trail sessfully. ¨DPitiful man, ept me. I will give you strength to ovee the pain. ¡°Anytime.¡± The hands that were groping for themselves came into their bodies. And finally, the sculpture merged into his body, and the light vanished. ¡°Be careful! I don¡¯t know what it is¡­ What?!¡± Cassion was shocked to see the thumb sculpture missing, but with a weird feeling he looked up at Ruel. Who had a serious expression on his face. ¡°Ruel-nim?¡± Ruel didn¡¯t answer. He just looked at the cut tree with aplex expression. ¡®Is it a tree with a story?¡¯ It was a tree that had existed even longer than the house it resided in. Even when Cassion came here, it was such an unsightly tree that it did not fit in the backyard, but here it was left without any special instructions or care. It was a miracle, such a tree was not cut until today. Finally, after this day I can protect Setiria. ¡®I made up my mind.¡¯ Cassion, after looking around, decided to step aside. ¡°Ruel-nim, It¡¯s cold. I¡¯ll bring the nket.¡± When Cassion left, a sigh escaped from Ruel¡¯s mouth, who had been staring at the tree for a long time. Ruel soon quivered his lips and spat out a curse. ¡°¡­ Fraudster.¡± I only felt a little lighter, but the disease that is crushing my body did not disappear. ¡®What kind of recovery is this? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to get cured and should be relieved from all pain? Damn it!¡¯ It¡¯spletely different from the novel! The power of healing was real. Is it because I¡¯m not the main character? I looked around and picked a stuck stone under the wheelchair. ¡®Huh?¡¯ My body moved more easily than I thought. After seeing the sharp stone in my hand, I thought really hard, and then hit my leg. ¡°¡­ Ugh!¡± Maybe it¡¯s because the grip on the stone or my body is weak, but it¡¯s bleeding. And I watched it quietly. ¡®¡­ That¡¯s weird.¡¯ The blood stopped with the feeling of something warm moving inside the body, with that feeling the pain was also washed away. By the time Cassion came back, the wound had healed. ¡®What is this? It works?¡¯ ¡°Are you all right?¡± Instead of covering me with a nket, Cassion asked. ¡°No.¡± It couldn¡¯t have been all right. It was because I just thought of one theory. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s just go in. Cough Cough.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± l heard the wheel rolling and bit my thumb. ¡®Is it because the power only works after being inflicted with wounds? It speeds up recovery?¡¯ It seemed so. Hasn¡¯t it just been proven earlier? ¡®What a fucking joke.¡¯ ns don¡¯t always flow the way one wanted them to. Haaa¡­ My second chance to overturn my fate ended in failure. Soon I didn¡¯t have time to think about anything else. My stomach ached. A whole lot. *** ¡®¡­ Huh?¡¯ I could taste again. The moment I saw Cassion looking at me with anticipated eyes, my appetite dropped sharply. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°¡­ Somewhat good.¡± Cassion seems to be pleased with the reply because he was looking at me with delight. ¡°Cough, Cough!¡± In a sudden fit of cough, I stopped eating and grabbed my chest. Not sure how long, but even after a long time, my coughing didn¡¯t stop. Cassion stopped looking at Ruel and calmly pulled out the basin he had left under the bed and ced it beside him. Something hot flowed up my throat. ¡°¡­ Wek!¡± Pitch ck blood formed puddled on the basin. After a long time the coughs stopped, but my whole body felt even weaker than before. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Cassion wiped Ruel¡¯s mouth and moved his eyes toward the door. He seemed to be letting me know that someone was here, the slug appeared earlier than expected. ¡®What a crazy timing.¡¯ I stretched weakly on the bed andughed inwardly. Knock. Knock. ¡°Come in, please.¡± The door opened as soon as Cassion¡¯s words were finished. A middle-aged man dressed up in luxurious clothes from head to toe walked in. Ma Setiria was a man who glistened just like he was described in the novel. Especially his hair, they were shining even in this darkened room. ¡°How have you been, My Lord?¡± Ma bowed gracefully. When he lifted himself up again, he asked with a surprised look. ¡°¡­ Are you okay?¡± Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. You clearly heard it from outside. I¡¯m really powerless right now, so I waved my hand weakly. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ma said. ¡°Yes sir?¡± ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°He suddenly vomited blood during the meal.¡± Cassion nced at the basin and carefully moved it out of the bed. ¡°Did he take any medicine?¡± ¡°He did.¡± ¡°Then how is he not better!¡± Watching this farce, l wanted to apud him for his performance, if one didn¡¯t know his true character they would have thought that he was really concerned about his family. What a sly man. ¡°That¡¯s enough, get it out of here.¡± I said. Cassion lowered his head and carried the basin outside. ¡°Oh, howe you¡¯re getting so weak.¡± Ma sat in Cassion¡¯s seat and sped Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡®Cheeky¡­!¡¯ I wanted to shout, but didn¡¯t have the strength to speak. ¡°Please live a long life for Setiria, we need you.¡± Unlike his consoling voice, Ma¡¯s eyes were filled with desire. ¡°No matter what anyone says, the Lord is the rightful blood of Setiria.¡± The words had thorns mixed with it. Ruel was the only child of the main house, the heir to the throne of Setiria. His parents died in a sudden ident, so he naturally became a head of the household. ¡°You don¡¯t know how much the previous Lord cared about you. I have no doubt that you will be a great Lord just like your father.¡± ¡®It smells. This guy stinks.¡¯ Although Ma tried to hide his wiggling desire, every time he spoke the stench that leaked out made one nauseous. Looking at the scene before him, Ruel thought of a familiar cliche. ¡®You must be the one who killed Ruel¡¯s parents.¡¯ Then just as these thoughts drifted in his mind, a warm current flowed throughout his body. The power that disappeared earlier slowly returned. As it flowed through the body it became easier to breathe. The pain that was crushing my chest, also eased. This power. It might be possible for me to stand now. ¡®Ha.¡¯ I¡¯m not wrong, this path is correct. It¡¯s not a failure. To be exact, it was half sessful. The disease remains the same, but the power of recovery will not let him die. It will steadily heal me after a trauma. ¡®That¡¯s enough, for now.¡¯ ¡°Ma.¡± It may be because of a cough, but my voice sounded hoarse. They were like iron chains being dragged across the floor. ¡®That sounds terrifying.¡¯ He sounded like he was in a very serious condition and even felt sympathetic toward himself when he heard it. ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡± For a moment, I saw Ma¡¯s grin. l almostughed when I saw that. He wasn¡¯t aware of the fact that I was being vignt. ¡°Thanks.¡± Thank you so much. For misunderstanding things yourself. Chapter 4: Why are you coming out of there? Chapter 4: Why are youing out of there? ¡°No. You¡¯re praising me for something I¡¯m not worthy of. All I have done is for Setiria and for you, my Lord.¡± Pretending to be moved by Ma¡¯s words, I watched Ma shake his head from side to side. ¡°Please make sure to take care of yourself and get back to where you once were.¡± ¡°You must be busy, Ma, you can go.¡± I was satisfied with this meeting since I got to see whom I¡¯m against, this asion was inevitable, he would havee to see how I was doing anyway. Ma, as expected, rose from his seat without any hesitation. ¡°That¡¯s true. I¡¯m afraid you¡¯re having a harder time because of me.¡± ¡°Go home safely.¡± Although he spoke calmly, Ruel¡¯s appearance resembled that of a patient who had only a few days left to live. Ma had a feeling that he didn¡¯t have to wait much longer. What he wanted was almost within his reach. He bent down as if he wasn¡¯t willing to leave. ¡°Make sure you get well.¡± ¡°Ma, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll being back¡­to my rightful ce.¡± Ma paused for a moment and looked taken back as he bowed to Ruel. As he rose, his eyes were filled with indescribable emotions that were not there earlier. It wasn¡¯t hard to see the condescending gleam in his eyes as he left the room. Fuu¡­ I almost ruined my performance back then, I didn¡¯t know what that look was, but I knew it was nothing good. *** Ma walked outside while lightly biting his lips. ¡°Ma-nim.¡± Cassion was waiting for him. Ma quietly gestured to him and went out of the mansion to the main gate, he asked Cassion. ¡°What was that in there?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°Have you gone blind?¡± ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± ¡°Do you know something? Maybe the medicine didn¡¯t work?¡± ¡°Those who are close to death originally have false hopes. Don¡¯t think too much.¡± Cassion looked back calmly at the restless Ma who by now had calmed down a bit. ¡°But did you mix something in the medicine?¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to die soon, so I just added something extra, fastening his condition, so there¡¯s no concern about getting caught.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not like what¡¯s on my contract. It has to be me who should be killing him.¡± Ma¡¯s flustered face had a fierce look. ¡°It just makes him weak, so don¡¯t think too much into it. It is your job to see if the work is done. Don¡¯t neglect to watch him.¡± ¡°Of course, as reported, he¡¯s gotten worse.¡± ¡°I saw it with my own eyes.¡± Tch. Annoyed Cassion clicked his tongue at Ma. His eyes were as if a viper was staring at its prey, but at this moment there was nothing he could do. Cassion raised his hand after confirming that Ma had left. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Immediately three people appeared behind him. Cassion took the packet of medicine out of his pocket. ¡°Look into it.¡± He¡¯s not happy. Each assassin had their own belief and his convictions were not assassin-like. ¡®I do not doubt my client.¡¯ An assassin led a dangerous life. Dying with a de on their neck (being betrayed) was not umon. But his belief was very strong. Even at death he would never change it. This is my belief. Cassion never doubted the medicine Ma gave him. He was a client and it was Ma who repeatedly broke that trust first. The contract? It is all over from today. Suddenly, an interesting image came to mind and Cassionughed. The Lord of house Setiria, died of poison. The killer was a certain assassin disguised as a dutiful butler. *** Cassion almost dropped the basin containing water, only to reflexively catch it at thest moment. That¡¯s how surprised he was. Until not long ago, Ruel, who had difficulty in any aspect of physical movement, was actually standing before him. ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± ¡°You sound like a butler who¡¯s been with me for a long time.¡± My legs were shaking, but this is how far I could go now. My lips curled at the fact. ¡°I know it sounds strange, but please listen.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± I slowly moved back to bed and sat down. It was aborious process. My body was considerably stiff and weak due to the fact that I haven¡¯t used my muscles for a long time and much of it has wasted away. ¡°Looking at this¡­ It turns out that the tree was something that granted wishes?¡± ¡°What bullshit are you talking about?¡± I was really irritated. ¡°After I cut the tree, something came out, and as a result, Ruel-nim is even able to walk now.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather have Gode out of my dreams and make my wishese true¡­ Cough!¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s not good. Sorry. It was a hasty judgment.¡± Cassion showed regretful expression as he stared at Ruel. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Cassion put his hand on Ruel¡¯s forehead. ¡°Hmm¡­ You still have a fever. Sorry I did something I shouldn¡¯t have done to your body today. No wonder you are heating up.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± I said calmly, looking at him with misted eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Whether it¡¯s due to the contract or not, Cassion was now one of my people. Even though Cassion was curious that Ruel stood up without any help, he didn¡¯t try to pry the reason, because he knew there were things he shouldn¡¯t ask. For Cassion, his belief is to ce his trust in his client. The contract was a kind of request that Cassion would trust more than anyone else, it was also something he expected from his clients in return. Ruel slowly exined. ¡°There was power sealed in that tree.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°I felt the sleeping power and ordered you to cut it down.¡± But of course I can¡¯t reveal everything. ¡°That power is the power of recovery. It didn¡¯t cure me, but¡­ it¡¯s true that I¡¯m now a bit healthier.¡± ¡°Really? You¡¯ve recovered enough to stand without help even walking, but the disease seems to be working from different points of origin. That¡¯s too bad.¡± Surprisingly, Cassion didn¡¯t seem to be affected by the truth. ¡°You believe me?¡± ¡°I know better than anyone else about your condition, and with what I¡¯ve seen just now, I have no choice but to believe it.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel smiled satisfactorily. He dipped his hand in the basin handed by Cassion. ¡°Did you have a good conversation?¡± ¡°It was rather unpleasant.¡± ¡°If I knew beforehand, I would have told you that the medicine was poisoned.¡± Despite the hesitation from Cassion, Ruel did not stop talking. ¡°I won¡¯t me you because you didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°You know that you¡¯re stupid right?¡± Cassion grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s stupid and now you¡¯re serving me as my butler.¡± Cassion closed his mouth with a face full of unspoken words. ¡°I will settle this with Setiria again.¡± ¡®You knew about the poison even before, didn¡¯t you?¡¯ For a short time, Cassion¡¯s eyes shone with light respect. ¡°Sure.¡± Ruel soon became out of breath from talking and his breathing became fast and heavy, however, no matter the struggle his eyes were still firm. Cassion smiled lightly. ¡°Is that right? I¡¯ve followed up well with my act.¡± ¡°Because you can get an heirloom.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve gotten myself in too deep now, it¡¯s rather interesting.¡± ¡°So you want to give up the Turbulent Sword?¡± ¡°I never said that.¡± I smirked at Cassion¡¯s determined voice. I tried to inhale Breath, but I showed it to Cassion. ¡°You¡¯re not gonna kill me with this are you? That¡¯s kind of cheap.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hurt that you only trust me this much. It¡¯s a magic tool I bought from my own money.¡± ¡°You?¡± l was obviously surprised to hear this. Afterall, Cassion was an assassin hired to kill me. ¡°Did I look so pitiful?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If one could measure being pitiful in number then you are ranked the highest. You were one of my easiest targets for the highestmission.¡± ¡°Well, good. Thanks to you, I¡¯m still alive.¡± Ruel inhaled it and passed the Breath to Cassion. ¡°Turn it into a ne, I can carry it around. Also I wish there was meat for dinner.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Oh, while you¡¯re at it, bring some information on Setiria, especially regarding the financial aspect, and I¡¯m thinking about slowly making my move from tomorrow, but you know better than I do¡­¡± ¡°Calm down, wait a minute!¡± Cassion said bbergasted ¡°Why? Just write it down for me.¡± ¡°I remember everything.¡± His voice became a little blunt. I rxed on the bed and looked at Cassion, waiting for him to speak. Let¡¯s take it easy. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± ¡°I want to work hard to give it back to you, and prove my worth as your Master.¡± ¡°Do you know what the person who¡¯s been struggling all day today has just ordered me to do?¡± ¡°I mean with the power of recovery, I won¡¯t end up getting myself killed.¡± Cassion exhaled deeply. I had no idea where to start either. I was able to stand. However, that doesn¡¯t mean I can immediately move my body as I want. ¡°This is being very loyal. The contract¡¯s effect is good afterall.¡± Iughed haughtily. Cassion had his nose stuck up in the air, looking very condescending, but there was no turning back. He looked at his weak Master, a guy who didn¡¯t even realize his own pitiful condition. ¡°The more urgent you want to take action, the slower you have to be.¡± ¡°Slower? How long would that be? After I die?¡± ¡°I understand you¡¯re worried about Setiria¡¯s situation. But in a few days¡­¡± I raised my palm at Cassion. ¡°I¡¯ll look at the data as soon as I open my eyes tomorrow.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression crumpled when he was told not to talk anymore. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest, so get out.¡± ¡°I see.¡± I closed my eyes and slowly felt the power of recovery. The power was still coursing through me, healing everything in its path. I never liked my body as much as I did now. I smiled as I felt the power was gradually growing. *** ¡°¡­uuh.¡± Every time I saw the documents that Cassion brought to me, I was aggrieved at what I saw. ¡®This is just a mess.¡¯ Setiria was a family that could never be poor. There were six noble families in the Kingdom of Leponia, one of them was Setiria. Itsnds were fertile and farming always yielded a great harvest every year. If you dug the mine, a series of precious ore and gems would pour out and its road served as a gateway to the kingdom due to its location, somerce was very active. In addition, due to its proximity to the Masu Forest that contained a den of monsters, the country also provided thend with support funds to fight against the monsters. It was basically and blessed with prosperity and abundance. But that slug lost his mind, ruined the mine, dismantled Setiria¡¯s proud soldiers, and cut off all thepetent men who had worked for Setiria. I sped the paper hard. This. I am so angry. In particr, the worst thing slug did was that he was in debt. That exins the smoky clothes I wore yesterday. ¡°Ruel-nim, anger is not good for you.¡± ¡°What a great job he has done.¡± ¡°What the heck is this? Owing debt to two high lords and eight barons?¡± ¡°Yes, and that is just one of the many worst things.¡± The debts owed by slug and his family were considerable. It was much equivalent to Setiria¡¯s two-year budget, which already made many eyes water. He was not angry just because of the debt. It was due to the fact this was just a paving stone for the wolves hungrily staring at Setiria. In fact, after Ruel died, Setiria was split into the hands of debtors. ¡°Cassion, let me check one thing.¡± ¡°Please feel free to ask me.¡± ¡°Whose name is the debt under?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the slug.¡± I raised the corners of my mouth. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a mistake.¡¯ ¡°Any good move you¡¯vee up with?¡± ¡°Yeah, please rx a bit and don¡¯t get angry anymore.¡± Scowling, I folded my hands and looked at a pile of papers. ¡°Get rid of it.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen it all yet.¡± ¡°I already feel a headacheing.¡± Today, Cassion¡¯s eyes looked very tired. He must have worked hard to gather all this information for me. I felt sorry that I had to be unjust to him this way. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cassion replied reluctantly. He paused cleaning up the pile of papers and asked. ¡°Are you going to read them again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s enough.¡± I already checked the information I wanted to get, so there¡¯s no point looking at the rest. ¡°Are there any other documents I must see?¡± ¡°None sir.¡± Cassion bit his lips tightly. Compared to the documents he prepared, there were very few documents that Ruel had looked into. I smiled as I watched Cassion¡¯s trembling shoulders. ¡°When are we going to start rehabilitation?¡± ¡°You seem to have gotten sick again.¡± ¡°I want to start today.¡± Ruel replied. ¡°You said you had a headache. You might have a fever again.¡± Maybe it was because of the documents, but there was emotion in his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± I said pointing at my chest. ¡°It was you who said that the power of recovery would not cure the disease.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be mean.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes grew wide for a moment, but soon, he said with a big smile. ¡°Okay, Although it¡¯s not my body, I¡¯ll do my best to take care of it.¡± Chapter 5: Why are you coming out of there? (2) Chapter 5: Why are youing out of there? (2) ¡®As expected, eating meat is the best.¡¯ My heart was filled with joy as I finally got to eat meat for the first time in a while. The more I chewed, the more abundant the juice flowed into my mouth, the better the taste of meat prevaded. Satisfied, I put down my fork and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re going to have much of a big budget here.¡± I can¡¯t believe that Ma decided to be a wasteral, spending fortunes just because he thought I would soon die. Ruel drank a mouthful of carbonated water. ¡°It¡¯s on me. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve got more money than you seem.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely more than you.¡± The corners of Cassion¡¯s mouth went up. I scoffed, not wanting to be caught in his childish provocations. ¡°Really? Please use it more often from now on. There is nothing better than meat for recovery.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you eat well, thanks to that power. It¡¯s worth making the dish.¡± Far from being disappointed, Cassionughed like a dutiful butler. Well, this is going to be fun. Soon¡­ it¡¯ll be time to treat myself like a dog. ¡°Here take this.¡± Cassion handed over Breath which was tied to a string. Eyeing the rope on the Breath, Ruel noticed it looked somewhat unusual at the first nce. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ruel was happy, Cassion was good at what he was told to do, and it was very satisfying to see that he even went beyond the initial request to add something extra. Thinking this, if Cassion had been lost to the main character, how painful would it have been? I wouldn¡¯t have such a considerate butler and would have to suffer even more than before. As soon as I wore the braid chain around my neck, I immediately feltfortable. ¡°Are you feeling any pain?¡± ¡°My head still hurts, but it¡¯s bearable. I¡¯m feeling much better than I used to be.¡± Although I still had a sicklyplexion, my physical condition was quickly being stabilized after gaining the power of recovery. Still, it had not yet reached the level of an ordinary person. Cassion said quietly while clearing the dishes. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back in an hour.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Instead of leaving, Cassion stopped at the door. I rubbed my stomach while looking at him. ¡°Sooner orter, I¡¯ll bring a proper medical doctor.¡± The door closed quietly. ¡®He¡¯s quick-witted.¡¯ I held my arm tightly. My hands trembled. I pretended to be okay, but my whole body was horribly painful as if it were being sliced by a knife. An hour. That¡¯s what Cassion said. If the condition didn¡¯t stabilise within that time, today¡¯s rehabilitation training was over. I couldn¡¯t do that. I need to survive the next five days, I can¡¯t chicken out now. In order to cope with the assassination toward me and the situation of the main character, at least I needed to get stronger to the point where I could move without any help. ¡®Cycle around, move more.¡¯ Closing my eyes I urged the power of recovery. *** Knock, knock. ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡± Cassion found Ruel¡¯s room exactly an hourter. As soon as Cassion opened the door he was rmed by the smell of blood that came from the otherside of the door, fearing the worst he rushed in. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± ¡°Good to see you.¡± Iughed with blood dripping from my mouth. Cassion was speechless at this scene. Cassion rushed over and looked at the ck blood spilt on the nket and the paleplexion of Ruel. His condition has calmed down. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be staring at it like that, but you should clean it up.¡± I said, showing my bloodstained hands. ¡°It smells different.¡± ¡°You have a dog¡¯s nose, I just move around a little bit.¡± I ced my thin hand at Cassion¡¯s chest. Cassion frowned. ¡°Who¡¯s after you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk rubbish, just prepare for rehabilitation training. I¡¯m ready.¡± ¡°¡­oh, good. You want me to live up to that expectation of yours, don¡¯t you?¡± Cassion raised the corner of his lips. *** ¡°¡­keuk!¡± I clenched my teeth and reached the end of the backyard. Immediately I fell down on a nketid on the floor so that I wouldn¡¯t get hurt. ¡°Now that¡¯s the 2nd round.¡± Cassion raised Ruel up and made him hold the crutch. ¡°Ruel-nim have a strong will, so I won¡¯t be weak either.¡± ¡°¡­ Damn it.¡± I bit my lip. Twice in number. It was one round trip. As Cassion said, sweat soaked my whole body. ¡®What a garbage body I have. ¡® I grabbed the support and as if I was hanging on for life, I moved my twig-like, shriveled legs. Each step was so heavy that a groan came out. It felt as if dozens of people were standing on my shoulder. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°Are you going to stand there and see the scenery?¡± ¡°Fuck!¡± I know I had the will, but my body refused to move forward. I was jittery. My legs, my arms, and my head; my whole body was shaking. But I need to keep moving forward, one step at a time. Day 4 Little by little. ¡°You¡¯re slower than yesterday. Look, the sun is already setting. I¡¯ll give you these dumbbells, train your arms in your spare time.¡± Day 3 A bit more than yesterday. ¡°Good job. It¡¯s better than yesterday. But do you know how many times you slipped today? I would have been in big trouble if I didn¡¯t catch you. Take care of your arms, too.¡± Day 2 Shake it off. I can do this. Pain was nothing in front of survival. ¡°I¡¯m getting some muscles. It may be thanks to the power of recovery, but it¡¯s quite fast. If I keep going at this pace, it won¡¯t really be a problem for me to walk.¡± That¡¯s right, I want to live. Day 1 ¡°¡­as expected, you¡¯ve pushed yourself too far.¡± Cassion shook his head as he felt Ruel¡¯s forehead. Some ns don¡¯t always go as one desires. Rather than thinking of it as just walking, Today was the highest record set by Ruel, ten round trips. I was angry. Even if I knew what would happen in the future, my freaking body is obstinately hindering my way. ¡°Cassion.¡± Aborious and a voice too difficult to hear called out. Cassion dragged a chair to sit closer. ¡°No.¡± ¡°¡­ I have to.¡± ¡°You¡¯re doing great. You don¡¯t have to be nervous. We still have the rest of the week left. If this situation continues, you can walk without fail, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Laughing at the easygoing fellow, I said. ¡°It¡¯s tonight.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Get ready.¡± Eventually, the fever swallowed everything. I couldn¡¯t fight my heavy eyes any longer. Cassion looked at Ruel silently. Ruel wasn¡¯t the one to talk nonsense. He did not know what he was preparing for, but he tried to walk even after he had fainted several times. Cassion could feel the strong will from the frail man on the bed. This feeling was as if he was burning himself to fuel his determination. If he continues on this path, he will get himself killed. *** Cassion opened his mouth quietly, looking at the figure in front of him. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°The slug¡¯ people moved. There are 30 peopleing this way.¡± A smile hung around Cassion¡¯s mouth. A creepy smile that made the reporting man flinch. Ruel didn¡¯t know what wasing after him. A smallugh came out. ¡®You thought you could do anything if you walked? Or perhaps did you want to escape by running away?¡¯ Well it didn¡¯t matter either way.¡¯ ¡°Has the master given any instructions?¡± ¡°My master needs a good rest, so no one should be allowed into the mansion.¡± Cassion turned his head and looked at his subordinates. ¡°Tonight I¡¯m joining too. Just leave one to look after my master.¡± The assassinughed. **** The mansion was shrouded in silence, with its uncared yard filled with weeds and trees made it appear even more eerie in the darkness. Then, a shadow moved, it was heading toward the mansion. ¡°¡­it¡¯s big.¡± But seeing blood suddenly spurting from his neck, the shadow trembled. ¡°Shhh.¡± A low voice came from behind. ¡°My master is sleeping.¡± Cassion kicked lightly. Then he took out a dagger and swung at the next prey. For him, the night was never an obstacle, he could see them as clear as the day. He took a moment to grasp the enemy¡¯s position and closed an eye. [Track] The intruder¡¯s bodies faintly glittered for a moment. That was enough. Cassion¡¯s men were like hunters who had finally spotted their prey, they did not miss this chance to bite their target at once. Suddenly, Cassion stopped in ce. The enemies were dying too fast. ¡®They¡¯re not my men.¡¯ He ran, sprinting toward the source of the fighting. Kaang! A dagger and a sword collided, sparks sprang up illuminating the night. Cassion and the man with the sword were surprised to see each other, but Cassion, not missing the opportunity, did not stop. He moved his foot as if he were falling backwards. Kaang! As soon as Cassion moved the man shed his sword blocking his action. Cassion twisted his body and attacked the man¡¯s head with his other leg. ¡°Yipe!¡± Taking the kick, the man was forced onto the ground. Cassion materialized out of the shadow of the man and ced the dagger at his throat. ¡°Who sent you?¡± ¡°What the heck are you talking about? Why are you attacking the mansion?¡± ¡®Hmm? He¡¯s not an enemy?¡¯ Cassion looked at the man. Leaves on the hair, clothes that were slightly torn from branches. Above all, the ent was somewhat awkward. ¡°Are you a Leponian?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not going to fight anymore? My heart is burning from the blow.¡± The man¡¯s sword had a subtle glow. It was a fine weapon. ¡°It¡¯s the Lord who went easy on this one.¡± Cassion backed off the man and nced at the sword. Cassion liked collecting swords, so he recognized it at once. It¡¯s a sword given to knights of the Cyronian Kingdom. Cassion raised his ears to check the surroundings. ¡°It¡¯s already over. It¡¯s been a while since I used a sword.¡± The man put the sword down in regret. ¡°You think that old mansion has something to take? What¡¯s the reason for the fuss?¡± ¡°As it appears there is nothing valuable in that mansion. Anyway, I borrowed your hand, so I¡¯ll let you stay for a few days.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I¡¯m ashamed, but I¡¯m lost.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lost?¡± Cassion looked suspiciously at the man. There was only one way from Masu Forest to Setiria. T/N : Masu forest is a forest full of beasts. ¡°We were here with the merchants, and the beasts started attacking us. I yed the part of the bait and ran around, leading myself here.¡± It must¡¯ve been quite a match given the man¡¯s terrible appearance. Cassion thought for a bit and buttoned up his cor considering it didn¡¯t look like the man was lying. ¡°My name is Ganien Croft. It may seem suspicious, but I am a knight.¡± The man took a magic item from his sleeve and showed it. His blue eyes glistened yfully. ¡°Look, here¡¯s the token.¡± A pendant with a lion pattern was disyed. Cassion bowed to Ganien only after confirming that it was a token of the Blue Knights. ¡°I¡¯m Cassion, who serves the owner of this mansion, Ruel Setiria, the Lord of Setiria.¡± ¡°¡­is the Lord here?¡± Hearing this for a moment, Ganien covered his mouth with a faint glimmer in his eyes. The Lord of Setiria is living in an old, almost depleted looking mansion. It smelled of conspiracy. When Ganien saw injustice, the instinct of the knight who could not resist helping the weak was roused. It looks like I¡¯ll be needed here. Thinking this he decided. ¡®Someone needs my help¡¯ *** Thirsty¡­ My body was too hot, and my head continued to hurt as if someone was drilling holes in it. I opened my eyes with difficulty while trying to breathe. ¡°Drink slowly.¡± Cold water ran down my dry lips as I listened to Cassion¡¯s voice. I was a little distracted. I closed my eyes as I inhaled the Breath with my trembling hands. ¡°How many days ¡­ have I been unconscious ?¡± ¡°Two days.¡± Two days. Being alive despite the attack meant that Cassion did something. However, the attack was not important now. ¡°By any chance¡­¡± I stopped talking. I btedly noticed a man standing behind Cassion. Don¡¯t tell me¡­ ¡°Good morning, Lord. My name is Ganien Croft, and I¡¯ve been staying here for two days.¡± I looked at Cassion with questions in my eyes. ¡®Why the heck did hee here?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m sorry to have brought in outsiders. I owed him a small favor from that night. Please help me repay the favor,¡± Cassion said. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ I frowned. The reason why I tried so hard to stand until the attack, was now in the same room as me. Ganien Croft, the main character in ¡®SSS-ss Knight.¡¯ He was so broad-minded that he could not pass by the weak and the injustice. Ganien¡¯sing to the mansion was one of the plot settings in the novel. I treated myself like a dog while training relentlessly so as not to fall for either, but I already met him during the attack. ¡®I¡¯m screwed. I¡¯m fucked up!¡¯ The moment I saw Ganien¡¯s sparkling eyes, I swallowed, I had a terrible hunch. Ganien had already decided to help me. Chapter 6: Why are you coming out of there? (3) Chapter 6: Why are youing out of there? (3) ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked Ganien. How could I be all right? I nned to live quietly without getting involved with the main character, but now we¡¯re already face-to-face. This situation waspletely different from the one in the novel. First, Ruel hadn¡¯t died, and second, the main character became a glutton. ¡®Yeah, he¡¯s still a glutton, mooching off me.¡¯ I need to kick Ganien out before he gets too involved. ¡°Excuse my rudeness, I didn¡¯t greet you earlier.¡± l tried to make my voice sound very solemn, but my voice still cracked. ¡°No, I thought I¡¯d say hello to you, the owner of this mansion, but I think I was greedy for nothing. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t treat our guests poorly when they go.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Ganien bowed and went outside. Just as Ganien turned to go outside, he smelled the scent of blood. When he saw the blood in the basin, he frowned. Ganien smelled a familiar scent mixed in with the blood. ¡°Excuse me.¡± When Ganien turned around and came towards me, I was greatly unsettled. I didn¡¯t even think I would suddenly throw up blood again. ¡®Now, everything is really ruined.¡¯ My heart beat frantically. ¡°Get out of here. Even a guest won¡¯t be shown any more respect.¡± Cassion restrained Ganien. However, Ganien adamantly opened his mouth, not showing any intention of backing down. ¡°Your blood smells like it¡¯s been poisoned.¡± ¡®Not everyone has a dog nose, you know.¡¯ I wiped the blood off my mouth. It was the same ck blood again. Aside from the vertigo from throwing up earlier, I was feeling much better. ¡°I¡¯ll introduce myself properly. I¡¯m Ganien Croft from The Blue Knights of the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± Even though he knew it was discourteous, Ganien revealed his identity as a knight. This showed his attitude to intervene in this matter. ¡°I¡¯m ignorant of many things aside from the sword, but I do know a little bit about medicine. Please allow me to check your condition, Lord.¡± It was true. Ganien¡¯s grandfather was a very famous medical doctor, so Ganien naturally learned medicine from him. Cassion looked at Ruel. I waved my hand lightly. ¡°Feel free.¡± I couldn¡¯t kick out a knight from another country for no reason. Things will get even more troublesome than it is now. However, there might be other benefits if the main character gets involved in this¡­ With this thought, I stretched out my bloodstained hand to Ganien. It was not a bad idea considering there¡¯d be no loss for me because even if Ganien doesn¡¯t know the name of the disease, with that personality of his, he will at least owe me a favour. As Ganien held Ruel¡¯s wrist, warm light blossomed on his fingers. There was no concept of divine power in web novel, ¡®SSS-ss knight.¡¯ If there was such a thing, I would have rushed to the temple right away and begged every day to God to heal this bloody body. When the light on Ganien¡¯s fingertips disappeared, Cassion asked. ¡°How is it?¡± Ganien had an embarrassed look on his face. It was the first time Ganien hade across this type of disease. To medical practitioners, a disease looked like shapes. Severe diseases were usually caused by 5 to 9 different types of these shapes bumping into each other creating conflict. A medical practitioner usually would treat the body using simr shapes counteracting them and creating a stable bnce. However, within Ruel¡¯s body, there were almost a few dozen of these shapes and those were the only ones he can see due to his weak power; if he were a bit stronger there could be at least hundreds more of these shapes wreaking chaos on Ruel¡¯s body. ¡°How are you still alive?¡± Ganien asked sincerely even though it was a rude question. ¡°Somehow.¡± I replied unfazed. Only then did Ganien realize his mistake because Ruel is alive right in front of him. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. Anyway, can you treat it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I¡¯m sorry for myck of ability, but I can cure the poison.¡± ¡°Thank you, that¡¯ll be enough.¡± Ganien lowered his hand and looked at Ruel. Ganien felt heavyhearted when he saw Ruel¡¯s young face. He couldn¡¯t even imagine how many life and death trials this young man has faced. Ruel smiled faintly at Ganien¡¯s expression. ¡®You look like you want to help me.¡¯ It was a sessful ruse in owing a debt of the heart. Ganien was visiting the Kingdom of Leponia for the purpose of sightseeing. However, that was just a superficial camouge and the actual reason was to confirm the reconciliation with the Kingdom of Leponia was even possible. He wasmanded by the Cyronian King to check the situation. Everything Ganien sees and feels here will affect the rtionship between Leponia and Cyronian. ¡®I can get rid of the idea of chasing him away.¡¯ For helping him out in time of his need, I have made him indebted to me. Maybe I can use the name of Blue Knight at least once for my needs? ¡°Well¡­¡± Ganien hesitated. He was thinking if he should step in. Help me, so I can cease my worries. ¡°Cassion, did you clean the back?¡± I asked, wiping my mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°Yes, I cleaned it up with Sir Ganien¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Sir Ganien, I¡¯m ashamed. It¡¯s my bad reputation that got you involved in this.¡± The hesitation in Ganien¡¯s eyes disappeared. It was because he found a chance to intervene. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question while I¡¯m at it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try to answer as much as I can.¡± ¡°Why is the family head¡­¡± ¡°Sir Ganien.¡± Cassion stopped Ganien, and Ruel in turn stopped Cassion. ¡°It¡¯s been taken away by someone else, I will soon reim it.¡± With just the two of you? Ganien already knew they were the only ones in this mansion. Ruel smiled. ¡°I know what you¡¯re going to say. But I don¡¯t want to be a coward who runs away without trying.¡± Ganien reacted loudly to his words. In the knight¡¯s Initiation test that Ganien took, a monster suddenly popped up and posed a problem for everyone and when he was asked to run away Ganien said those exact words and valiantly confronted the beast. Ganien had shown his will to the world at the time. ¡°How are the Blue Knights?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking how much is the name of the Blue Knights worth in the Leponian Kingdom.¡± I caught him. Iughed out loud inside. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a great title.¡± *** ¡°Cassion.¡± Sitting unceremoniously in the backyard, Ganien frowned as he called Cassion. He couldn¡¯t sit still after seeing him helping Ruel in their rehabilitation training, so he spoke out. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re pushing him too much?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the master¡¯s will.¡± ¡°Oh, right.¡± My figure could be seen, struggling to run. Sweat pooled with each step I took. ¡°I know that. But look, his muscles are too atrophied, they aren¡¯t ready to walk yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but it¡¯s the Master who is very determined.¡± He can¡¯t even talk about the contract with Ganien, who is a stranger. Since he was now a faithful butler due to the contract, his heart would throb in pain whenever he opposed Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°That¡¯s not the answer, Cassion. Are you going to mess up Ruel at this rate? He¡¯s already worn out due to his hot weather.¡± ¡°Then you can try to persuade him. What power would I have as a servant?¡± Cassion smiled lightly. Whenever Cassion did something, he didn¡¯t like to be nosy except when ites to certain people of interest. ¡°All right.¡± Ganien got out of ce and stood in front of Ruel blocking his path. l continued trotting in the garden, I would¡¯ve seen Ganien if I had the strength to lift my head. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel did not react. I kept on willing myself to move. p! At this sudden noise, l raised my head, seeing Ganien pping his hands. I looked at the obstruction while taking a short breath, Ganien flinched for a moment as he looked at my eyes. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Get¡­ out of the way.¡± It will be over in a short while. Ganien hesitantly stepped aside while looking at my back. ¡°This stubbornness is no joke.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice had a slight mixture ofughter. Ganien nodded, his eyes following Ruel. I copsed breathless,pletely drained of energy when I reached the end of thep marked with a pole. I exhaled a Breath and inhaled after. ¡®Is that a magic tool?¡¯ Ganien then raised his eyebrows and said. ¡°Just because you¡¯re determined doesn¡¯t mean your muscles are in ce. I can be your guide.¡± When Ruel looked over to hear what he meant, Ganien gave Ruel a little bit of his power. ¡°My strength will guide you, It will show you how to use your muscles effectively.¡± ¡°Is it okay to infuse an aura?¡± Cassion asked with a slight surprise. It was simr to the method he thought of, but he didn¡¯t want to take action as it may have the opposite effect on Ruel. ¡°This should be ok, but you have to put in just a bit. Ruel¡¯s vessel is very big, but as you know, he is weak right now and won¡¯t be able to hold it all.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, I felt a slight loss. If I could really get better, I could be a great archmage. After steadying my breathing, I stood up with Cassion¡¯s assistance. ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯ I felt a fiery power in my body. This power was different from the recovery ability. ¡®Is this the power, Ganien infused in me?¡¯ A force could be felt coursing through his body, pooling most of it toward the inner soles of the feet and thighs, as if to show where the power should mature and develop. ¡°You should follow it.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, l held onto the pole as before. It was much morefortable. I raised my head and gazed at the sky. It was as if this was my first ever sight of the sunset. Everything about it was beautiful. However, it is not yet time to enjoy the scenery leisurely. My life, which is at stake even if I beat the slug, is not over yet. I had to live. I will live and watch this sunset everyday. *** ¡°¡­so I got annoyed and reported killing them all.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Lying in bed, I responded sourly. Cassion expressed his regret because it was not the response he expected. ¡°It will probably be quiet for a while because they probably don¡¯t have the money to send another bunch of assassins. Also when do you want me to announce the existence of Ganien?¡± ¡°Report on the day I can walk.¡± ¡°Do you want to go to your mansion standing on your own feet?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Is Ganien helpful?¡± ¡°He¡¯s essential to my n.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed that he is a member of the Blue Knights. So rest assured.¡± I smiled satisfactorily. How good of him to be so thorough at his job, doing all the work without being told. The corners of my mouth went up at the thought of finding a talent like Cassion to take care of Setiria, with him here I can live a peaceful and normal life. ¡°You must be in a good mood today.¡± ¡°I looked up for the first time. The sky was beautiful.¡± ¡°If you walk, you¡¯ll see a lot of things in the future. Well, then, it¡¯s time for you to rest now.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± I grabbed Cassion, who was leaving. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± ¡°If you go to the basement of this mansion, you¡¯ll find a red box. It¡¯s not the heirloom, but take it.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± In fact, the heirloom, Turbulent day was twin swords. One was housed in the basement of this mansion and the other was secured in the heirloom room. Although they look simr, the only thing that could contain special power was the heirloom, which led to the fall of the Cold War. Although the sword was very valuable this was meant to be the use of a sword, and it would be a considerable gift for a sword collector. ¡°You¡¯ll see when you get there. It¡¯s a gift, and also my encouragement.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion went outside looking puzzled. It was because of the sudden arrival of Ganien that Ruel gave Cassion a gift now. Ganien had his covetous eyes on Cassion, Ruel felt that he had to give Cassion something to keep him on my side. So¡­ Cassion, don¡¯t turn your eyes to Ganien. *** Cassion was astonished to really see the red box in the basement. But when Cassion saw the contents, he was so surprised that he looked paralysed. ¡°¡­ Is he crazy?¡± Cassion realized what the sword was when he looked at the de twinkling daylight as if it had been carved from a star. ¡°It¡¯s a Turbulent Day Sword.¡± No way. There¡¯s no way that a family heirloom would¡¯ve been thrown here in this depleted mansion. As Cassion thoughts buzzed through his head, the corners of his lips rose uncontrobly ¡®It¡¯s a twin! Turbulent Day was a twin sword!¡¯ The fact that the Turbulent day was twins was a fact that no sword collector knew. Not only did Ruel inform him of the truth, but Cassion was greatly indebted to Ruel for having received this gift. Cassion smirked, stroking his new treasure. ¡®You want me to follow you to death, huh?¡¯ Such a proposal was very bewitching. Chapter 7: Im back Chapter 7: I''m back ¡°Cassion.¡± Ganien called Cassion, who was heading to Ruel¡¯s room. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Do you have any inconvenience?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not something like that, but I do have something to say.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you have been talking to me so politely since this morning.¡± Cassion took the watch out of his pocket and checked it. There were 10 minutes left. Ruel had asked Cassion to wake him up at 8 o¡¯clock, so Cassion had to wake him up on the dot. He didn¡¯t want to imagine his heart pounding in pain, if he failed toplete themand, Cassion said. ¡°Keep it short.¡± ¡°I apologize in advance for being rude. Why don¡¯t you join me? I don¡¯t mind if it¡¯s not right now. Butter¡­¡± ¡°I refuse.¡± Cassion cut him off with a phrase. Ganien, who suggested it, seemed to not understand the reason for refusal. ¡°I suggested it because I knew the time you spent with Ruel wasn¡¯t that long. But I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d say no at once.¡± ¡°Because you¡¯re a guest here, I¡¯m putting up with this rude behaviour.¡± Cassion took a step without looking back. ¡°Sigh, what a waste.¡± Ganien looked at his back and scratched his neck. If he had met Cassion first, they could have teamed up. The Lord, assassins, and raids. Thebination of these three things made the rtionship between Ruel and Cassion so strange. But it certainly wasn¡¯t a close rtionship. ¡®¡­did that mean there¡¯s something strange about Ruel?¡¯ In Ganien¡¯s eyes, there was nothing special about Ruel that could capture Cassion¡¯s heart. No. In Ganien¡¯s eyes, Ruel was just powerless. ¡®Did I understand something wrong? Is there something else I¡¯m missing?¡¯ Hmm¡­ It would be best to observe Ruel again. *** 5 dayster. My eyes were filled by the red sunset. The sky was really wide, as I stood on the ground with my own two legs. I kept my mouth shut because I felt something was going to rise up from the inside. ¡®I did it.¡¯ I really did it. I walked. I walked over to the peak and smiled back at Cassion who was behind me. Cassionughed all the way up to that point. ¡°Well done.¡± ¡°Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you to do it so soon.¡± Ganien pped his hands in admiration. ¡°Thanks to your help, I did it. Thank you.¡± With a nod, I thanked the two. ¡°Ruel-nim, please sit down for a moment.¡± Cassion walked into the mansion with his mouth raised, as if he had seen something that excited him. I nced back at the backyard where Cassion had gone. Ganien, who had nothing to do, pulled out all the weeds and cleared out a wide space. I sat on the ground and inhaled my Breath. ¡°Sir Ganien, I¡¯m sorry, but could youe over here?¡± ¡°I¡¯lle up to you.¡± When Ganien came next to me, I tapped the floor lightly. The attempt to win over Cassion was disgraceful today, but necessary. Ganien sat down and asked, ¡°Did you have anything to say?¡± ¡°What do you think of me?¡± Ganien smiled awkwardly as if Ruel had read his mind. ¡°Did you happen to notice that I was trying to take Cassion? I didn¡¯t know Cassion was such a light-mouthed person.¡± ¡°No, I just saw Sir Ganien¡¯s eyes coveting Cassion. So what¡¯s your opinion of me?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s great that you walked in such a short time, but honestly, it¡¯s not interesting.¡± At the very straightforward review, Iughed. The evaluation was about to be overturned easily. Soon enough. ¡°It would be a long way to the Royal Court, but would you mind staying here for a while?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here for sightseeing, so I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Are you going to look at the Kingdom of Leponia and decide on reconciliation or even an alliance?¡± ¡°Since I am here for sightseeing, isn¡¯t it right to look around?¡± There was a brazen conversation between each other. I pointed to myself. ¡°Then don¡¯t look far and look at me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°See how I get Setiria back, which is currently in ruin.¡± The wind blew softly, stoking the fire to Ruel¡¯s firm eyes. ¡°Sir Ganien, you know what kind of power Setiria holds. The only entrance to the Kingdom of Leponia and the gate block to protect the country through the Masu Forest. Once Setiria is destroyed, the Kingdom of Leponia is over.¡± My firm voice doesn¡¯t sound so bad. Hmm ¡°Because you¡¯re aware of that fact, you came to Setiria.¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes were filled with embarrassment. But it wasn¡¯t long before a smile crossed his mouth. ¡°I know that, so I have to use you, the Lord.¡± Ganien was beginning to like Ruel¡¯s brazenness. ¡°Because of this, I¡¯m going to have to get Setiria back.¡± The looks in Ruel¡¯s eyes were pretty good. Ganienughed loudly. Obviously, until a few days ago, Ganien didn¡¯t know why Cassion was willing to follow Ruel. But Ganien was sure of something today. How can I hate him when he admits his weakness and does not feel ashamed to seek my help, and is working so hard for the people of the kingdom and not just for himself? Ganien was interested. Ganien held out his hand even though he knew it was rude. ¡°The only people who can ask me this brazenly for a favor are His Highness, my parents, and my friends.¡± I took his hand. ¡°I am shamelessly asking, dear friend.¡± ¡°Puahaha.¡± Ganienughed again. It was fun to see Ruel calling Ganien a close friend without a change of expression. ¡°All right, feel free to use it.¡± Ganien had a smug smile as if to provoke Ruel. Originally, Ganien was supposed to visit the King of Leponia first, but now he decided to postpone his own task. Because he didn¡¯t want to miss the fun that was going to happen. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± As soon as the sweat cooled down, I coughed. I nced at Ganien and reached out to him. When he tried to hold my hand, I told him my demand. ¡°Lend me your cape. It¡¯s a little cold.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± Ganien took off his cape with a dumbfounded face. Ganien felt ufortable, he felt like he was being robbed. ¡°Give me a gift to celebrate our new friendship.¡± ¡°What?¡± It was a bit absurd, but Ganien still looked through his belongings. As far as I knew, Ganien received goods in return for helping merchants when he came here. He may not need them, but I needed it. So Ganien should hand it to me rather than selling it elsewhere. Ganien, looking through his belongings, then held out a bracelet. ¡°Do you have a mind-reading ability?¡± ¡°Would I stay here stupidly if I did?¡± ¡°Right.¡± I pretended not to hear Ganien¡¯s sarcasticment and received the bracelet. The bracelet was tightly embedded with yellow gems and was dazzling, but it did not look practical at all. But it was useful for him. ¡°It looks expensive.¡± I shook the bracelet, pretending not to know. ¡°It looks shoddy. They said it¡¯s been imbued with magic that makes one walk better. You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s something I really need.¡± It was a necessary item rather than a weapon decorated with various magic for myself, who could barely lift a sword. ¡°It¡¯s ok, I don¡¯t have any use for it.¡± Ganien said as if he doesn¡¯t need payment. Can I? The grace I received is undeniable, but the resentments I¡¯ve received so far are unforgettable. Ruel wore the bracelet. Soon, he felt a ticklish sensation on his legs. ¡®Is this what using magic feels like?¡¯ The sensation soon went away, but I felt good. ¡°Thank you.¡± I sincerely expressed my gratitude to Ganien. ¡°It¡¯s not great. I can¡¯t take the gratitude for this simple thing.¡± ¡°You¡¯re itching for a fight, aren¡¯t you?¡± How about having a match with Cassion until you leave.¡± ¡°That¡¯d be great!¡± Ganien answered without hesitation. The word ¡®match¡¯ had already lit the spark in his eyes. Before he was a knight, he was a swordsman who loved to fight. This will be a better gift than any other Ruel can ever offer. ¡°What is this? Deciding without the person involved.¡± With a cane in his hand, Cassion walked over them. ¡°I got something good, so I have to repay the favour. ¡± l shook the bracelet on my arm. Cassion came over to Ruel in no time, and looked closely at the bracelet. ¡°It¡¯s just a shoddy bracelet. I¡¯m unhappy that you received something like this and are getting me to have a match with this guy.¡± Cassion grumbled as he was frustrated. ¡°This bracelet is useful for me. It can assist me with walking.¡± ¡°Oh, if that¡¯s the case, I can try. I will fight hard, even if I am not good enough.¡± Cassion bent down and stuck out his cane. The handle of the ck cane was decorated in silver. ¡°It¡¯s my present. I thought you would need this in the future.¡± ¡°Thank you Cassion, I¡¯ll use it well.¡± It just so happens that I was thinking I needed a cane. Haa.. The best thing I ever did was roping Cassion. I rose from my seat with the cane as the support. The lightness, length, and touch of the cane were perfect. I felt a familiar ticklish feeling surrounding my body, so I realized that there was some magic. I didn¡¯t bother to ask because I thought Cassion would have already bound it with decent magic. I stood straight and looked at Cassion. ¡°I¡¯m going home in two days. Make the sluge here with proper information.¡± Cassion nced at Ganiel and bowed. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll throw some bones to make theme running like a dog.¡± ¡°I like it.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Ganien called out to Cassion. ¡°You have to fight because your master has already given his word.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it after I get the Lord inside.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll be watching from here. I¡¯ve never seen you fight.¡± I wanted to see with my own eyes what Cassion and Ganien were capable of. ¡°You can get cold and have a fever.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine with this.¡± The cape was quite warm, perhaps there¡¯s a warmth spell. Cassion looked around, frowning. ¡°Sit over there, then.¡± The ce he pointed out was the very corner of the backyard. ¡®That far?¡¯ Before I could say anything, Cassion guided me to the spot. ¡°Raise your hand if you think you¡¯re going to be shocked and strain yourself. Not only that but if you feel ill again¡­¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion chuckled lightly at the young man voicing his displeasure. ¡°I see.¡± Cassion knew that no matter how much Ruel pretended to be an adult, he hadn¡¯t gone through hising of age ceremony yet. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you like this, but healthes first. Don¡¯t force yourself.¡± I waved my hand instead of answering. Cassion chuckled at Ruel¡¯s altitude. As soon as Cassion turned his back, all theughter stopped. Cassion unfastened his cor and took out his dagger and stood facing Ganien. Ganien¡¯s lips curled slightly at the battle intenting from Cassion. ¡°Are you going to do it with the intention to kill? Or do you want to kill me?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Sparring is like killing, isn¡¯t it?¡± As soon as Ganien finished talking, Cassion disappeared. At the same time, Ganien¡¯s sword shed backward. Kkang! Wind arose. The two des facing each other trembled slightly. ¡°It¡¯s very hard to live.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Whirl. Cassion turned the dagger in the other hand and aimed for Ganien¡¯s neck. Ganien¡¯s hair fluttered as he twisted his waist and leaned back his neck. Ganienughed. That was a killing blow. ¡°This is fun.¡± Ganien straightened his posture and raised his knees aiming for Cassion¡¯s chin, which his opponent swiftly dodged. But Ganien, like a hellhound scenting its prey, did not allow a single moment of respite. He chased and threw his sword at Cassion¡¯s heart. Shhhh! He felt no sensation in his hand except for the sound of air being pierced. Cassion was not there. Ganien immediately pulled back his sword. Kaang! Two daggers and a sword struck. Cassion felt his arm tremble from the force. At the same time, Ganien¡¯s sword drew back, going for another attack. Kaang! At the ensuing sh, My mouth gaped open in disbelief. I heard something scattering near me, but I couldn¡¯t see the two¡¯s movements properly any longer. Gulp. I knew. That they are now fighting purely with physical strength. Whoosh! Ganien¡¯s leg, which blocked Cassion¡¯s attack, slightly shook at the impact. ¡®Crazy guys, should I start digging a hole to hide myself?¡¯ The two men¡¯s offensive became more intense. Even though it was just swinging and bumping, the wind intensified, and dust blew everywhere. ¡°I¡¯ve finally warmed up. Why don¡¯t we really go now?¡± ¡°All right.¡± I couldn¡¯t hear what they were talking about, but the moment I saw the light rising from their swords, I hurriedly raised my hand. If they didn¡¯t stop it here, I felt like the mansion would be destroyed. In a blink of an eye, Cassion appeared in front of me. And I saw Ganien. ¡®Haha, look at the speed.¡¯ Cassion asked anxiously. ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°My¡­ head hurts.¡± My head hurt when I found out that I was involved with a monster on my own. ¡®I chose to live with this path. I can live, right?¡¯ Myplexion turned blue. Chapter 8: Im Back (2) Chapter 8: I''m Back (2) 2 dayster. ¡°Are you sure you want to wear this?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ruel answered Cassion¡¯s question in a grumpy voice. He was wearing the same outfit he had when he first went out. Although I had gained more weightpared to before, my clothes were still loose on my body, fluttering as I moved. What can one do, even if the clothes are good looking, they don¡¯t fit the person wearing it. Cassion stared at Ruel¡¯s clothes and opened his mouth. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want it altered?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You know you¡¯d be shamed by others if you went out like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I will wear it. How excited will our slug be by then, when I wear these clothes and walk besides Ganien.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes were curved happily at the thought. ¡°What would he feel then? How embarrassing would that be?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the same for Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°Me? Well, I don¡¯t know if there is anyone else¡¯s name that can fall further than mine.¡± Who do they curse at when their Lord lies in bed and his deputy, Ma, eagerly steals the livelihood of themoners. ¡®As for Ma, who took away my means of survival? Well¡­¡¯ Ruel thought he was the only one they were pointing fingers at. Unfortunately the role of a Lord was like that. You get criticized if you do your duty well, and get cursed even more if you don¡¯t. As Setiria has been dwindling over the past five years, there must have been a lot of criticism thrown around. He was sure that his image was so bad that it couldn¡¯t fall further. Cassionughed despondently at his side. ¡°Ruel-nim, you¡¯re really strange.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a noble, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°ss of people that live and die with honor. That is the nature of the nobility. But I can¡¯t understand in my mind why you would deliberately lower your own honor.¡± ¡°What has the honor done for me? I can throw it away as much as I want in order to live.¡± Ruel rather looked at Cassion strangely. The first thing to throw away as a member of society was the honor, in some way simr to throwing away his pride. I didn¡¯t know why I had to hold on to something like pride if it can¡¯t feed me. ¡®So you are saying, you don¡¯t consider yourself a nobleman?¡¯ Cassion smiled with satisfaction. He liked the money that nobles and barons had, but Cassion passionately hated them. Mainly due to the always pompous and arrogant look on their faces. ¡°Why? It can¡¯t be fixed, so just give it up.¡± Ruel replied. As Cassion observed him, there was no such arrogance in Ruel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Okay, sir.¡± Fu¡­ If I were to go against him anymore, my heart might¡¯ve torn due to the contract. ¡°How are you today?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same, but it¡¯s not the worst I experienced.¡± The poison left by the slug was cured thanks to Ganien. But that didn¡¯t truly treat the disease. It was as if he had a time bomb in his body, that could explode at any moment. ¡°Please, don¡¯t overwork yourself.¡± Cassion looked anxiously at Ruel. He¡¯s nowpletely Ruel¡¯s man, since the day he received the Turbulent Day¡¯s Twin Sword, he¡¯s already known. ¡°Look forward to it.¡± Ruel said, raising the corners of his mouth. ¡°As promised I¡¯ll give the rest to you.¡± Cassion was already as excited as a sword collector who finally had in his possession a precious heirloom. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Cassion folded one foot and entered. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel walked outside, supported by his cane. Ganien, who was waiting outside, was dumbfounded by Ruel¡¯s appearance, forgetting to greet him. ¡°Is that all you¡¯re wearing?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Do you want to wear my cape?¡± ¡°No, I like it this way.¡± When Ruel refused, Ganien hesitated to bring it up again. ¡°I speak as a friend, your outfit today is not good.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So you dressed like this on purpose?¡± Ruel smiled instead of answering. Then using my new cane, I walked forward. Since the slug¡¯s visiting today to meet me, shouldn¡¯t I stand at the gate and wait for him as the host? Less than ten minutes after waiting, they heard the sound of a carriage. ¡®It¡¯s so fast.¡¯ When Ganien revealed his name, that slug personally came to meet him. Ruel was already having fun. It takes about a day and a half to get here from the main house by carriage. It was enough of a distance that it wouldn¡¯t be strange for anything weird to happen between the slug and himself on the way back. ¡°Coming.¡± As soon as Cassion finished speaking, the carriage stopped right in front of the gate. How much of a hurry was he in to use a carriage with four horses? At a nce, I could see howvish the slug was at spending just from looking at the carriage; the entire carriage was covered in intricate details, embossed with the luxurious materials. The knights that soon followed after, showed a clearck of discipline, didn¡¯t even line up properly and stood scattered over the ce. ¡®What a fool.¡¯ Ruel turned his head directly to the knights. The carriage door opened and the slug appeared with the same terrible glistening appearance. ¡®He is glittering today as well.¡¯ Ruel frowned briefly, squinting at the light reflecting from the slug¡¯s head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve kept you waiting long.¡± Ma¡¯s eyes, which first homed in on Ganien, trailed to Cassion, and finallynded on Ruel, quickly grew wide. The clothes were obviously luxurious, but they didn¡¯t fit the figure, this was no different from dressing up as a beggar. ¡®Well, what the heck is with that outfit? It doesn¡¯t suit you at all.¡¯ ¡°Long time no see, Ma.¡± Ruel smiled with delight but Ma couldn¡¯t force himself to do the same. To think he even cut off the money so he couldn¡¯t buy fitted clothes. It¡¯s toote to get a new change of clothes, and no clothes will fit that petite figure anyways. Instead of meeting the Blue Knights of the Cyronian Kingdom, are you going to get your clothes tailored? What type of bad example are you setting? ¡®You bastard!¡¯ I will have to take him in his ill-fitted clothings, as is. Ma¡¯s is already grating on my nerves. ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s go, my Lord.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you going to keep the guest standing here?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have any other clothes?¡± Ma asked very carefully. Instantly, Ruel¡¯s face turned cold. As if to cover up his remark, Ma hurriedly opened his mouth. ¡°Forgive me. Let¡¯s get on.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ruel shed him a dashing smile, as if he had never had that cold look on his face. Tak. The cane touched the ground first. Again. Ruel¡¯s legs moved. Ma became btedly aware that the movements of the leg were very natural. Ruel was walking. He actually moved on his own! Ma¡¯s face suddenly turned pale. ¡°Are you all right, Ma-nim?¡± The voice from behind him made Ma look back. He saw Cassion was smiling,ughing as if he had seen aedic y. At that moment, Ma realised. He had been lied to and the assassin he hired had defected to Ruel. ¡®Fuck! Damn it! Fuck you!¡¯ ¡°Be careful.¡± Cassion tapped Ma¡¯s face lightly. ¡°Everything has already been revealed.¡± ¡°¡­ You.¡± The words could be barely heard from Ma¡¯s gritted teeth, but Cassion simply ignored him and followed Ruel. ¡°Oh hi, I¡¯mte to say hello. I am Ganien Croft, a member of the Blue Knights of the Kingdom of Cyronian.¡± Ganienughed with amusement, and half bowed his head to Ma introducing himself. However, no answer was heard. Ma had a hard time swallowing his rising anger. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ruel coughed for everyone to hear. At that sound Ma jolted out of thought, remembering someone was talking to him. Ganien raised his head and looked at the fellow in front of him. Ma noticed what he had done when he saw the young eyes that looked displeased. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I was rude.¡± ¡°No no, I was a bit too hasty with my introduction.¡± ¡°My name is Ma Setiria, currently in charge of Setiria on behalf of the Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ganien Croft. Nice to meet you.¡± Despite his apology, Ma clenched his fist hard at Ganien¡¯s cold response. This was all because of that damn Ruel. Ganien pointed to the carriage. ¡°Let¡¯s get on first.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Ma¡¯s voice was mixed with anxiety. Ma did not make a good first impression, so he had a headache thinking how to rectify his image in the future. Ma got on the carriage. When he saw Ruel was already sitting, he felt his stomach was tumbling into chaos. As got in, he sat face to face with Ruel, so he kept his mouth shut. The fact that he had to go to the main house like this is leaving an unpleasant taste in his mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t look so good. Are you all right?¡± Ruel asked. At the intruding voice, Ma briefly closed his eyes. Now that Ruel had spoken to him, he had no choice but to respond back. ¡°Are you feeling well, My Lord?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m better than you today. Haha, that¡¯s a joke.¡± Ruel smiled pleasantly. Seeing the slug¡¯s face distorting, made me feel much better, making me briefly forget the pain in my body. Inside the carriage Ganien sat by my side and Cassion sat next to Ma. The carriage departed atmand from Cassion. ¡°Cough, Cough.¡± As the carriage continued its journey, only the sound of Ruel¡¯s coughing resounded in the chamber. Ma found the sound grating, but he couldn¡¯t say anything due to the atmosphere in the cabin and at the same time fearing it would affect Ruel. It was when Ruel fell asleep that the carriage became quiet. Grasping this opportunity, Ma said. ¡°Sir Ganien.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Please forgive my inattention and rudeness a little while ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t care.¡± At that response, Ma felt that his mistake had a bigger impact than he thought initially. It was then, Ganien hinted. ¡°If you¡¯re so concerned, would you be able to answer my questions?¡± ¡°No, of course not. Feel free to ask.¡± When those words left his mouth, Ganien¡¯s eyes glowed like a beast that caught its prey. Cassion, sitting on the side, raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°The Lord had given me a ce to sleep and food to eat when I got lost, and I was greatly indebted to him. However there were a few things I saw that I couldn¡¯t understand.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s obvious that Cassion is the only butler in the house of Setiria and the Lord, he didn¡¯t even have the right clothes in that unmanaged mansion. Why is it like that? You¡¯re wearing such fancy essories and high-quality fineries.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­¡± Ma stammered. He was stumped; he never expected Ganien to bring that up suddenly. ¡°Now please answer my questions.¡± At Ganien¡¯s firm words, Ma¡¯s eyes rolled quickly and soon stopped at Cassion. ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk about it privately, not here.¡± Ma pointed to Cassion with his eyes. Ganien nodded lightly. ¡°Okay, sir.¡± Ma swallowed his saliva. His hands trembled in fear under Ganien¡¯s gaze. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait, surely.¡± *** Fisss¡­ Snap! The fire crackled and sparked in the campfire. Ma was worried to death that Ruel, who was supposed to be resting in the carriage, was outside. The whole experience made him ufortable and troubled. He could hear the sound of Setiria¡¯s dignity falling to the floor because of Ruel. ¡®Of course, it doesn¡¯t help.¡¯ Ma himself was forced toe out because of the fact that he had to personally bring the head of the family back to the main house. ¡°Tch.¡± Ma clicked his tongue as he nced at Ruel. Cassion was preparing the dinner, and Ganien went off for a short walk. ¡°My Lord, why don¡¯t you rest inside?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t mind me. I feel pretty good maybe because I have always been staying inside the mansion.¡± Ruel grinned ignominiously. ¡°No, I¡¯m afraid you will get sick.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, because you¡¯ve already hurt my body as much as you can.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The gift you gave me made my body very much messed up.¡± Ruel gaze contained hostility and he stared at Ma without averting his gaze. Ruel wanted Ma to go crazy. The more you run, the more enjoyable I will find your situation to be. ¡°My Lord, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± The corners of Ma¡¯s mouth trembled as he spoke. ¡°I heard you gave me the medicine I was taking. I have a certificate validating that it contains poison. That¡¯s too bad. You¡¯ve been bitten by your dog.¡± Ruel openlyughed at Ma. ¡°There¡¯s plenty of dogs.¡± ¡°Oh. You got the money to call for another set of dogs? Well, I¡¯m sorry for my words. Why don¡¯t you send the dogs again?¡± ¡°It¡¯s so touching that you¡¯re concerned about my finances.¡± ¡°Why would I think of your money? No, I¡¯m just thinking of my wealth you had been nibbling away at.¡± Ma¡¯s eyes turned red, he clenched his fist. The Lord didn¡¯t even realise he was kicked out of his house and didn¡¯t even know his life was in the hands of another. If I reach out my hands right now, I can kill the Lord with one hand. ¡®A mere weak bug like you?¡¯ How dare you. His whole body trembled with anger. He couldn¡¯t stand it. Ma¡¯s pent up anger exploded. ¡°Kill him now!¡± The knights, who were guarding the area around the carriage, pulled out their swords. ¡®Isn¡¯t this too easy?¡¯ I thought it would happen, but I didn¡¯t know that the slug would readily jump into the pan. Ruel smirked and simply inhaled the Breath. I was too rxed for someone who was to die right now. At that sight, Ma screamed again. ¡°Kill him right now!¡± As the knights rushed in. I heard the sound of rattling armor. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel quietly opened his mouth. ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion emerged from Ruel¡¯s shadow. ¡°Kill everyone except that slug.¡± Ruel smiled at the slug, who did know there were two monsters ready to help him. Chapter 9: Im Back (3) Chapter 9: I''m Back (3) ¡°As you wish.¡± Cassion¡¯s hands, each held a dagger in them. Ruel looked at Ma with determination. His journey will begin by using him as his stepping stone. This was a world where strength spoke better than thew. It was quitemon to see people lose their life on a meremand. Knowing this, Ruel didn¡¯t turn his eyes away, he watched while pinching his thighs tightly. The assassin¡¯s dagger danced. With each swing, blood gushed out like a fountain from the knights¡¯ necks at the smooth, swift motions. Ruel frowned. ¡°Ugh!¡± The scream came from Ma. This was because the sharp de was aiming at his neck. ¡°Never mind, keep going.¡± Ganien did show any intention of stepping in. There was no point ining forward in the first ce. There was no one here to beat Cassion. Shoosh. A knight approaching Ruel was dead before uttering a single sound.. ¡°It¡¯s over.¡± At those words, Ruel finally rxed, loosening the hand that held his thigh. Only then did he feel the pain. Ruel stood up enduring the pain,walkibg with a cane as his support. Tak. At the sound of the cane getting closer, Ma trembled violently, as if experiencing a seizure. He was desperately wishing this was merely a nightmare. All the knights he brought with him were in in an instant. ¡°Slug.¡± A weak sound came out of Ruel¡¯s mouth. But the fear in Ma¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t disappear. ¡°You¡¯re just a puppet. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± The slow-witted man was not the one at the top. The real culprit was borrowing the slug¡¯s hand and was sucking him like a parasite. ¡°So who told you to do this?¡± Ruel said a bunch of random names he knew at the start. And only at the end did Ruel bring out the names of the culprits. The real mastermind of the Setiria crisis, which waster revealed in the novel. ¡°¡­¡­my aunt, Carbena Setiria, and your wife, Jane Setiria.¡± Ma¡¯s face froze. Ruel looked at him coldly. ¡°Did the people of Setiria, really wanted to kill my parents that badly?¡± ¡°¡­¡­AAH!¡± At the screaming, Cassion and Ganien gaze hardened at once. ¡°Ganien, I want you to be quiet.¡± My head was ringing because of the loud scream. He had already been in the worst condition due to the time he spent on the carriage. He activated the power of recovery and barely spoke, so he didn¡¯t have the spare energy to focus on anything else. Ganien stabbed a sword into Ma¡¯s thigh, while covering his mouth. ¡°You¡¯d better be quiet.¡± The momentary pain brought his sense of reason back. Ma nodded, sweating heavily. Ruel grabbed his head and asked. ¡°Slug.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Slug, answer me.¡± ¡°¡­¡­yes, yes.¡± ¡°Do you want to live?¡± Ma¡¯s eyes were shaking. He nodded his head as tears flowed out at the hope that he could live. ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°Uck, I want to live! Help me, My Lord! I¡¯ll do anything! Please!¡± ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s something even you who¡¯s an idiot can do. Are you up for it?¡± ¡°I can do it! I can do anything!¡± ¡°For now, you swear by mana. That you¡¯ll do anything Imand. Then I will save you.¡± Ma signed a contract with Ruel and Mana without any hesitation. Watching him kneel down, Ruelughed at Ma. The third way for him to survive, catching slugs. Even though he was nothing more than a figurehead, the slug yed a very important role. Ganien took back his sword at Ruel¡¯s nce. Ruel bowed lightly to him. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to thank me for everything. It wasn¡¯t a big deal.¡± After contemting whether to say more to him, Ruel stopped. He was so tired. Now that he had achieved one of his goals, he thought that was enough for today. ¡°Dear Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion helped himself next to him and gravely said. ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to stack up Mana¡¯s contracts.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Go have your rest. I will not kill the slugs for now.¡± While the words ¡°for now¡± bothered him, he was in no condition to think more about it because of the pain stabbing through his body. ¡°Deal with as you see fit.¡± Cassion will take care of it. Ruel believed so andid his heavy body inside the carriage. *** ¡°¡­¡­I learned very little. But he decided to give us evidence of what they¡¯ve done when we get home.¡± Ruel listened to Cassion with a slightly dazed face. Ma¡¯s face looked a little swollen after night, but there was no visible wound. ¡°And today there is a meeting held once every two weeks at home.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a gathering.¡¯ The fact that the meeting was held was information that did note out in the novel. By the way, the date was perfect. It was going to be a great day. ¡°And My Lord¡­¡­.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Although he became Ruel, it was hard to recognize a person who had not seen their face as his parents. I decided not to listen to it because I thought it would make me feel ufortable. Cassion misunderstood this and heard it. ¡°¡­¡­Ugh!¡± Suddenly Cassion punched Ma in the stomach. Ma grabbed his stomach in pain and all the food he had just eaten ran down his mouth. ¡®Ugh.¡¯ Ruel turned his head and continued the meal. ¡°Ruel.¡± In order to be considerate of himself, Ganien spoke quite brightly. ¡®It¡¯s burdensome.¡¯ But Ruel let him be misunderstood. I wondered what they were thinking. In their eyes, would he look like someonefortable enough to eat with the enemy who killed his parents? ¡°You didn¡¯t forget you could use my name, did you?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Why would I forget that? The name of the Blue Knights was quite extraordinary. I wasn¡¯t lying, but I was able to arrange a ce with the prince of this country. To be honest, I wanted to tie Ganien up with a contract like Cassion. But s he was a Cyronian, and he was a Leponian. Tsk. The difference was so great that I couldn¡¯t even bring it up. ¡®That¡¯s too bad. I could¡¯ve hugged the main character¡¯s thigh and lived well.¡¯ Ruel ruefully sighed and ate silently. Without caring what caring how the two look at him. *** ¡®¡­¡­Wow, that¡¯s crazy.¡¯ Ruel poked his head out the window of the carriage and looked around. I saw a castle standing alone in a huge wheat field. The castle was white as a snowy mountain with its fortified walls reaching for the sky, and arge shield pattern indicating Setiria was drawn on the wall. ¡®This is where Ruel in the novel should be.¡¯ Ruel smiled as he looked at the distant ce. As he came close, he saw several viges huddled together with small walls raised. He was surprised to see the vige, but the moment he saw the castle he knew how small the viges were. The cold wind caressed my face. Thanks to that, I can feel it. This ce was all Setiria, and it¡¯s a ce for one to rule. ¡°It¡¯s windy.¡± Even without Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel was going to bring his head back in. ¡°I can see why Setiria is the gatekeeper of Leponia.¡± Ganien said with admiration. It was big, it was magnificent. That was enough. ¡°Slug.¡± After appreciating the sight, Ruel softly called out for Ma. He replied in amazement. ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°When you go back to your hometown, what you have to do is very simple. For now, let¡¯s act normally, as you normally can be.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°And show Cassion the room where the evidence is. Finally, you¡¯ll be a spy for me.¡± ¡°What the¡­.¡± ¡°Report your secrets, your conversations, your situations in Setiria to Cassion. Let me know when I ask. It¡¯s easy, right? ¡°It¡¯s easy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. Even if you want more work, what I just said is enough for your level.¡± Ma trembled despite Ruel petnt remarks. Whatever the hell happened that night for him to end up like this. Ruel didn¡¯t bother to ask. The carriage entered the castle and drove along the paved road. And I finally arrived home. A white mansion unfolded before my eyes. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ But the moment I got off the carriage, my excitement quickly cooled down. It was not a formal knight guarding the main gate of the mansion. It was an unknown man who¡¯s origin couldn¡¯t be pinned down. I could tell the level of the soldier, who usually guarded the mansion door. Ruel had a lot of eyes on him right now, so he kept his words. Tak. The sound of the cane stopped for a moment. An unmanaged garden was visible. ¡°Ma.¡± When asked to give an exnation at this sight, Ma looked around and confessed. ¡°Well, there¡¯s no money.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have money to manage the mansion?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes stopped on the clothes Ma wore. ¡°No, it¡¯s not about luxury.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it because of luxury?¡± After examining Setiria¡¯s financial status through the documents, Ruel also thought that a veryrge sum of money in the vault was empty. Ma was speechless. It was because of the footstepsing in haste. ¡°Wee, My Lord, and my knight. I¡¯m Carbena Setiria. I am sorry I do not hold a position and I have nothing to introduce myself.¡± A middle-aged woman whose hair turned white greeted them. The young woman who immediately followed after, also introduced herself with her head down. It was Carbena and Jane. ¡®Something¡¯s not right.¡¯ I expected a thrilling confrontation, but I didn¡¯t see any of it here. The two women were oddly trembling, their hands shaking, with visible dark circles under their eyes, and were thin. Above all, they seemed quite anxious. ¡®Is it because of the meeting?¡¯ On the day the barons of Setiria gathered, they must have felt impatient. ¡®Something¡¯s not still not adding up, though.¡¯ After a short moment, Ruel noticed that Carbena was looking at him. Now that he¡¯s seen himself, he¡¯s proud to show off that he¡¯s capable of walking. I ordered. ¡°Guide me to the conference room.¡± Two women and Ma were greatly surprised. Ruelughed as he looked at the two shocked women. Anyway, shouldn¡¯t we announce that the lord of the is back? *** ¡°¡­¡­No, I mean, it¡¯s no longer possible. If we collect more taxes here, we¡¯ll be in trouble! How long did it take you to get your stomach full!¡± ¡°Did you pass it on to someone stupid? The tax is for protection, you know, for protection.¡± There was a heated meeting going inside the room that can be heard from outside the door. Today¡¯s topic is taxes. ¡°Open up.¡± At Ruel¡¯s order, Cassion opened the door. Everyone¡¯s eyes immediately bolted on Ruel and hispanions. ¡°Imprudent!!¡± One of the barons shouted fiercely. In their eyes, Ruel was just a troublemaker. ¡®¡­¡­Ah.¡¯ It has already been five years since Ruel was sent away. Five years was enough time to forget many things. No wonder they couldn¡¯t remember themselves because Ruel Setiria, who as far they remember, would still be a little kid. But what¡¯s up with their confidence? They were supposed to be kicked out anyway. Tak. The cane hit the floor. The strangely clear sound turned everyone¡¯s eyes on Ruel. ¡°What are you all doing, without bowing your head?¡± Ruel smiled devilishly. And looked down at them with eyes that held no respect for them. In the eyes of these barons, Ruel still looked nothing more than a newborn. However, the barons were astonished by the words that followed. ¡°Hold your head down. This is Lord Ruel Setiria, the head of Setiria.¡± Cassion mentioned Ruel¡¯s name more proudly than any other moment. ¡°Ruel Setiria¡­¡­?¡± The barons pulled out the name they had buried in their memories. He fell ill with an unknown disease and was chased away from Setiria under the guise of recuperation. Since then, they have forgotten the name Ruel Setiria. It¡¯s a name you don¡¯t need to remember. And he¡¯s back? ¡°Bow your head. I don¡¯t want to see this disgraceful behaviorr anymore.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice, drenched in arrogance, was heard. They looked into each other¡¯s eyes. I hardly got my head around this nonsense. Seeing the still stiff neck, Ruel smiled fiercely. Baron. It was too much for the aristocracy to manage the territory alone, so they selected people to manage various viges and treated them appropriately. In other words, unlike noble aristocrats from birth like himself, a baron¡¯s positions can be changed at any time. ¡°All of you.¡± All the authority to cut and seat the barons as they wished came from the family. Don¡¯t you think you should use the power you have? ¡°You¡¯re discharged!¡± Chapter 10: Im Back (4) Chapter 10: I''m Back (4) Ruel sentenced them to death. They were like parasites that were guing Setiria anyway. There is no reason to keep those who are not needed. ¡°Oh, yeah everyone except him. Excuse me.¡± Of the many barons, there was only one who bowed his head when he was introduced. ¡°I greet the lord of Setiria. My name is Minart Hen.¡± It was the voice that insisted earlier on lowering taxes outside the door. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ruel looked at Minart and smiled softly. ¡°¡­leave, my lord?¡± At those frightened voices, Ruel turned his head and nced at them. Their shocked faces were an interesting sight to behold. ¡°Why are you guys who aren¡¯t even barons anymore still standing here? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll send you the certificates of resignationter.¡± ¡°For-, forgive me!¡± ¡°Please forgive these humble men for not bowing their heads to the Lord!¡± There was no anger in their eyes, only fear. It was obvious what the reason was. In this world, the barons could never be considered a true nobleman. It would be unfair, but the only way for them to seed was to cling to the legs of a nobleman or to enter a government office like in the past. ¡°Cassion, I¡¯m getting tired.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get the knights right away.¡± Only then did they cling to the ground at the sound of knights. Their squealing sound bothered my ears. Ruel made a face. ¡°Who said it was okay to sound like that?¡± The hall descended into silence at once. Ruel walked slowly and sat on one of the conference tables. ¡°Sit down, Minart.¡± ¡°¡­You, you can¡¯t do this.¡± A voice that suppressed an embarrassed tone spoke out. Ruel turned his head to see Carbena looking at her hands shaking. How disappointing this sight of her was. I need to cut them off from the root. Ruel held back hisughter and opened his mouth. ¡°Did I allow you to speak?¡± ¡°Even if you are a lord, there is no suchw!¡± The eyes of those of the former barons were quickly dyed with hope at the shrill scream. What a spectacle. ¡°Law?¡± Ruel lost hisugh. ¡°There is a phrase in thew. The decision of the right to decide and allocation of the positions of the barons rests solely with the head of state. What are you angry about?¡± Carbena¡¯s mouth quickly closed. ¡°I have a question for you. Do you want to be the Lord? In other words, do you want tomit treason?¡± ¡°NO! Absolutely not!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you another interestingw. An immediate execution is possible for this offense as it is equivalent to spheming the entire aristocracy, which is represented by the six great families of the Kingdom of Leponia.¡± The aristocracy in Leponia was even more special because of their minority. It was all the more reason they were venerated and treated with respect due to their unique noble titles. ¡°What you have done has defiled my dignity.¡± However, even among the same noblemen, as the bloodline has stretched and thinned, the power among them was also different. Ruel is from direct bloodline while Carbena is of a branch. Only direct lineage can be head of household. This was the reason why Carbena held back for a long time, it would be truly dangerous to the point of suicidal for her to kill a member of the direct line of the family. The royal family moved nonsensically whenever someone from the main bloodline was harmed. I don¡¯t know the reason why that could be but Carbena knelt down at once after my short talk. It seems she still has some rity of her situation. ¡°Give me mercy, my lord! I made a slip of the tongue!¡± It was not the time yet. It was like cutting only the leaves if he were to make too much noise. Only by pulling out the whole root, would the Setiria be safe and could I live in peace. Ruel pretended to hesitate for a moment and responded benevolently. ¡°I¡¯ll close my eyes this time. Get out of here. Don¡¯t be in my sight for a while.¡± ¡°Thank you! I am moved by yourpassionate heart.¡± Carbena grabbed Jane and quickly scrambled out of the conference room. It was at this moment, I was too stimted to the point where my head was feeling as if it were being ripped apart. Fighting it off, I inhaled Breath. My breath was alsoborious as I had talked too much. ¡°Why don¡¯t you guys go out? I¡¯ll take it as a sign that you don¡¯t want to keep your neck as well. wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no! I thank the Lord for his kindness.¡± Those barons bowed their heads several times before rushing out of the conference hall. Now it was just himself, Ganien and Minart in the room. It was nice to be quiet. Ganien looked around and pointed to the door. ¡°I¡¯ll be out.¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± It¡¯s just the two of us having a meeting. Where else would you find such an amusing scene. Although he did not recognise the character, Minart but he could at least judge the situation was only one quick to react. I liked that point. ¡°Minart.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°I want you to be honest with my question.¡± ¡°I will answer with all my heart.¡± ¡°What do you think of Setiria now?¡± Minart quickly averted his gaze. To be honest, he looked very restless. A person who has been absent for 5 years suddenly appears and cuts off all the barons except for himself, and furthermore pressured Carbena to leave, who was the actual ruler, to announce that he is the ruler. This is Ruel Setiria. What kind of answer does he want? What does he want to do? He looks so weak that he is getting anxious to carry him to a bed immediately, he felt pity just from looking at his sickplexion. ¡°Minart, don¡¯t think too hard and say your thoughts.¡± Nevertheless, Ruel¡¯s eyes shone. He didn¡¯t know where his spirit came from, but Minart spoke out what he had been suppressing. ¡°It¡¯s a mess.¡± A few seconds of silence after those words, quickly made him regain reason. Minart was so red faced, he couldn¡¯t speak. ¡®I should take back my words. I have to say I¡¯m kidding.¡¯ But instead Ruelughed and It was a very pleasant soundingugh. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. It¡¯s a mess.¡± I can use him. Ruel just listened to Minart and judged. ¡°Minart.¡± ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to get this ce back to normal, will you be my strength?¡± There was amotion outside as the knight arrived and was dragging them with whom they had just discussed. But the noise did not reach Minart. His heart raced. His position was inherited from his father. If he doesn¡¯t want this role any longer, he can throw it away. However he had been bowing down all this time, with his perseverance he managed to grab a ce for himself, because Setiria is his beloved home, and it¡¯s also a ce that he so proud of. ¡°Of course! I¡¯ve dedicated everything to Setiria for a long time!¡± Minart got up and bowed in front of Ruel. ¡°I¡¯ll give my all my heart for Setiria.¡± *** Ruel fiddled with an old wooden desk. From the looks of it, it seemed quite expensive. ¡®I don¡¯t think I can sell it.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡¯ll be right back after unpacking.¡± ¡°¡­¡­¡­Oh, In that case I¡¯ll have a look around.¡± Ruelughed despondently at the clumsy attempt to leave the room. ¡°You don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s okay.¡± This was a room formerly used by the previous Lord, Ruel¡¯s father. It will now be a room for himself soon. ¡°Everyone, sit down.¡± Ruelid on the reception sofa in front of the desk, not on the chair by the desk. I¡¯m burned out. He already did well enough not to spit out blood in the conference room a while ago. ¡°Now tell me what you saw and what you were in charge of.¡± Ruel¡¯splexion had turned paler than ever before. Cassion advised him anxiously. ¡°Get some rest for today.¡± ¡°No need for that. Time waits for no one. So get on with it.¡± While Cassion was on his way to call a knight, Ganien had tailed Ma, He must have found a clue somewhere and Cassion would have followed the trail. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you first.¡± Ganien stepped up first. ¡°Carbena and Jane have their hands on drugs.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes grew at the news. It was a totally unexpected subject than he expected. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s Prazio.¡± ¡°Prazio?¡± It was the first name I¡¯ve ever heard. ¡°It¡¯s less addictive, and it¡¯s more pleasant. That¡¯s why it¡¯s expensive. But it¡¯s only slightly less addictive than other drugs, which are generally dangerous. It would still be a serious issue if anyone got their hands on them.¡± ¡°These are the evidence to support the information I have obtained.¡± Cassion, half-heartedly, pulled a bunch of papers out of his arms. ¡®He¡¯s not X- Raemon, is there dimensional space inside his suit pocket?¡¯ Sg. Ruel quickly looked over the documents. I was so engrossed, I couldn¡¯t hear the two of them talking. The contents of the documents in my hand were greatly shocking. When Ruel finally ced the papers down, a snack was pushed on to his table, and a nket was wrapped around his body, cuddling him. ¡°What the¡­?¡± ¡°It has been over an hour. As I have seen before, Ruel-nim¡¯s concentration is considerable.¡± I looked out of the window to see a fading red glow in the sky. As he got hungry, he picked up a beautifully baked pie. ¡°What about Ganien?¡± The space next to Cassion was empty. ¡°He went to check out the knights, he was a bit curious about them.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± When I sliced through the pie, the meaty juice flowed out. It was a snack often eaten in the old mansion. ¡°Did you make it? Why?¡± ¡°Because Ruel will have to be a lot more careful now.¡± ¡°What?¡± Staring at the person looking at him with innocent eyes, Cassion signed after a moment. He knows more about the disease than the sick person. ¡°You have allergies.¡± ¡°¡­¡­Wow, that¡¯s great.¡± At his soulless remark, Cassion wanted to write down all foods he should be careful about right now. If you can¡¯t do it, you¡¯ll get 3 pages. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it for a while, but I think one of the groups has seduced Carbena.¡± Ruel pointed to one section of the report. There was a me-like pattern stamped between the dense letters. ¡°Here¡¯s the details of how to kill my parents, how to kick me out, and so on.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t identify the group name.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s not here. Cabena doesn¡¯t know either. It¡¯s a secretive organization that rmended the drugs, and at first it was free and once they got addicted to it, they were at it¡¯s mercy.¡± Ruel breathed for a moment. ¡°Now I know where the money went on thest document.¡± It was all wasted on drugs. I felt like I was going to tear up fromughing. ¡°By the way, Ganien asked me to deliver this message.¡± Ruel mumbled as he ate the pie. ¡°Prazio is a creature thates from the sea.¡± ¡°Sea? That¡¯s not close to us.¡± The Kingdom of Leponia was a country surrounded by arge mountain with a barrier that no one could break. The barriers created around the time the country was founded to blocked everything, so Setiria which neighboured other countries naturally took on the role of the gatekeeper. ¡°It was said that it was a difficult creature to find as it was born in the depths of the sea.¡± Ruel ate the pie without saying a word. I felt an indescribable sense of difort. It was a little annoying because it wasn¡¯t something he could check right away. ¡°Shall we call Ma?¡± ¡°Yes, I have to look around the mansion.¡± ¡°All right.¡± After confirming Cassion¡¯s exit from the room, Ruel frowned. ¡®It¡¯s not just debtors who are after Setiria?¡¯ The novel revolves around Ganien, so Setiria and what he went through ended in volume 1. Although Setiria was mentioned asionally, the information was just too little. Still, I had to prepare. Ruel picked up another slice of the pie and ate it. ¡°Di,did you call me, My Lord?¡± With about four pieces of pie left on the te, Ma groveled into the room being lead by Cassion. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, you know why I called you.¡± ¡°Carr- and my wife, I went to appease her.¡± ¡°So what?¡± ¡°When they¡¯re done, they say they¡¯re going to start smashing things.¡± Ruel coughed and shook his head. ¡°The Drugs and the organizations that approached you, and the series for debt.¡± Briefly, Ma threw a topic for discussion. If that¡¯s the case, even an idiot would understand. Ma bit his lip several times before starting to talk. Chapter 11: Im Back (5) Chapter 11: I''m Back (5) ¡°It was Carbena who introduced my wife. The moment I met Jane, I knew she loved me. That was five years ago, before that incident.¡± Ma checked Ruel to see if the mention of his parent¡¯s death had any effect on him. Ruel waved his hand as if to go on. ¡°It was eight years ago when that unknown group approached Carbena. She refused at first¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough narration.¡± ¡°The organization has supported everything in the Setiria for thest three years and from then on their n has been sessful. Carbena was in their clutch and was engulfed in fear daily, the royal family sent people here several times. Due to her anxiety, she got into drugs that the group gave her.¡± ¡°Is it Prazio?¡± Ma was surprised. ¡°That¡¯s right. Well, I don¡¯t use it but my wife, like Carbena, touched it. It was sent free of charge for several years. However, it was 3 years ago they started epting money and the price quickly shot up like crazy.¡± When his expectations fell t, Ruel was surprised for a moment. ¡°Due to this, I raised the tax, my property went empty, and I ended up having to borrow money from that group again.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°I was given a list, they told me the people on it lend me money. And just as they said, it was really easy to borrow money.¡± Ruel shook his feet. ¡°Now you¡¯re under pressure, aren¡¯t you? So you sold out everything you could use.¡± ¡°¡­Yes¡­ that¡¯s right¡­¡± Carbena and Jane were addicted to the drug, and there were things Ma didn¡¯t notice as he was stupid. There was a contract in the report he had obtained. An evidence that is very clear and powerful enough to turn everything upside down. After Ruel checked everything, he got up in a good mood. At once, he was assaulted by dizziness, and felt something hot rise from within. Ruel covered his mouth while clutching onto his cane. His fingertips trembled. ¡°Go out and wait.¡± Cassion calmly sent Ma out. He immediately brought out a te of pie. ¡°You can take it out.¡± He had no intention of losing the meat pie. Before Ruel could even point a finger at the pie, Cassion pulled out his handkerchief and ced it over the pie. ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­¡± ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± I threw up to my heart¡¯s content. The sight of the red blood gave me goosebumps. The color was so vivid that it was very unnerving. ¡°Ha¡­ha¡­¡± It was not untilter did the power of recovery move. It was amusing at howzy it was. Ruel didn¡¯t even have the strength to wipe the tears away. It was different from when he had vomited the ck blood. The world was spinning so much that it¡¯s making him dizzy. ¡°I think we¡¯d better take a look at the mansion tomorrow.¡± Cassion said. I blinked at him not being able to answer back. Ruel could no longer hold back and lost consciousness. Cassion hugged the limp Ruel. ¡®You can¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡¯ Cassion clicked his tongue. He immediately looked at the door. ¡°Ruel, I know you¡¯re disappointed¡­¡± Ganien opened the door without knocking as if it were his home. It was quickly shut after a moment. ¡°It must be hard for you, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already hard.¡± ¡°Then my suggestion is¡­¡± ¡°Go follow the one outside first.¡± ¡°All right, all right, don¡¯t stare. You wanna fight?¡± Ganien said as he clenched his itchy hand with an eager face. *** ¡°Cough, cough.¡± When Ruel opened his eyes, he was coughing making a noise akin to being choked. Hearing a movement, Someone turned their head over. ¡°Spit it out.¡± Realising it was Cassion, Ruel didn¡¯t refuse. It was ck blood, they poured out so much that my stomach felt like it was pierced. Once the ordeal was over, I felt much better. ¡°¡­¡­Pie?¡± Ruel asked with his voice hoarse. Cassion, who was stunned for a while, managed to function again. ¡°I¡¯ll bake it again for you.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± As I watched Cassion wiping my mouth, I rolled my eyes and looked out the window. It was pitch ck outside. ¡°It¡¯s still 4 a.m.¡± ¡°You are diligent.¡± Cassion did not reply. He was angry, talking to someone who didn¡¯t realise his condition all morning had made him very frustrated inside. ¡°Everything okay?¡± ¡°Yes, it was very quiet. How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Today is good. I wish it was a bit more attentive.¡± Ruel pointed helplessly at his chest. ¡°Can the ck blood be considered the impurities expelled by the body recoveying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure exactly, but so far I¡¯ve vomited, it seems to be the case.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take note of it.¡± Cassion took a serious look at the pool of blood. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel got nervous at his serious voice. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it for half a year. But I¡¯ve been thinking even more this month.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°How about carrying around an exclusive handkerchief?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, we¡¯ll have to request the product to be a magic tool and make it a perfect handkerchief to clean up the mess. With it¡¯s appearance of a handkerchief, it will go unnoticed.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯llmission it at my own expense, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± ¡°¡­¡­are you joking?¡± ¡°I am serious.¡± Cassion was more serious than ever. He opened his mouth gravely. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you want to tell people around you, ¡®Your illness is okay now?¡¯¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°The disease you have will continue to clutch your ankles. If something like yesterday urs at a critical moment, you will lose control at once.¡± ¡®What did you say?¡¯ Frustrated, Ruel couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak. How can you say it¡¯s okay when it¡¯s definitely not. I didn¡¯t even try to hide it. I wanted to show myself walking confidently, and I also hated throwing up. ¡°Do as you please.¡± What can I say when he¡¯s so serious. The annoyance was revealed on Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°All right.¡± ¡°But why are you so quiet?¡± It was still too early for him to wake up, but not for the knights. Ganien gets up at dawn and trains. At that moment, a sound broke the silence. It was a small but firm sound. Ruel opened the window and checked outside. It was Ganien. He looked at him and waved his hand. ¡®Was he up to something?¡¯ Cassion plumped up the pillow when he saw a wicked smile. ¡°No, go to sleep. You have been sick all night.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m going back to sleep.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll see you sleep and leave.¡± Ruel rubbed his arm with goosebumps in an instant. ¡°It¡¯s like you are wandering around without knowing your physical condition.¡± ¡°No way, then tell me one thing.¡± ¡°Who are you talking to?¡± ¡°Tell Ma. Gather all the knights and tell them to train until I wake up.¡± ¡°Why do you have to¡­¡± ¡°Without money, the knights wouldn¡¯t be fine. I have to check with my own eyes. Of course, when I wake up.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Cassionughed with an answer. It was a pleasant sound. *** ¡°Tsk, tsk.¡± Ruel clicked his tongue as he watched the running knights. They were worse than a third-rate adventurer. ¡°How can they guard the residence properly when they¡¯re so out of shape?¡± ¡°The-., they have been running since dawn. I hope you will consider that.¡± Ma responded appropriately and acted awkwardly next to him. ¡°Mr. Ruel, there¡¯s something mixed up.¡± Without looking at the Knights, Cassion gave Ruel a small notice. When I looked at him for an answer, I heard Ganien reply. ¡°I¡¯ve seen at least seven knights and one decent warrior.¡± Ruel saw Ma. He bowed his head and answered. ¡°That¡¯s right. Due to the debt many left, the knights were sent over and as well as the adventurer, when I was looking for them in a hurry.¡± It was a spectacle. Now I couldn¡¯t even sigh. The debtors were already deeply involved. ¡®Good thing you nailed it.¡¯ It was sent as a threat, so at a nce, the number was a little more than 50 people. That was a pathetic show. ¡°Basically, What kind of knights were they?¡± ¡°¡­¡­it, that.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°This, some of them got kicked out, and some of them went out on their own.¡± Ruel moved his cane. There was nothing more to see. I can¡¯t help but want to soothe my heart with a meal. ¡°Where are you going, my lord?¡± Ma looked at him as if he were looking at a bomb that might explode at any time. Is there anything else to worry about? Ruel couldn¡¯t describe his displeasure as he¡¯s seeing Setiria crumbling with his own eyes. ¡°Are you ordering me?¡± ¡°Oh, no, no! Absolutely not.¡± ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± Cassion asked, walking side by side with Ruel. ¡°Somewhere to eat.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± It was something unfair, but Ma couldn¡¯t even intrude in the conversation. He silently followed after Ruel. ¡°Can you deal with them?¡± Ruel looked at Ganien and Cassion and asked. Ganien quickly made a face. ¡°I¡¯m offended you¡¯d doubt me.¡± It sounded like anything was possible. It was reassuring. These were two powerful men, no, two monsters. Cassion cautiouslymented. ¡°Do you mind if I touch them?¡± ¡°Is there a reason why you can¡¯t?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have a debt?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not mine.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion sneaked a look at Ma and raised the corners of his mouth. Ma trembled at that smile but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask. ¡®Driving me crazy.¡¯ I¡¯ve never been so anxious in my life. I¡¯m worried that even my hair would fall out. *** Clink. Kirik. Gulp. There were sounds everywhere interfering with the peaceful meal. Compared to the old mansion Ruel stayed in, there were many servants here but considering the size of the actual mansion, the poption was very small. Moreover, from the looks of theirck of discipline they had just learned working here, Ruel looked at Ma without saying a word. Carbena and Jane were absent, so the staff acted with much more confidence. Ma¡¯s spoon fell helplessly. ¡°We¡¯ve hired a new¡­¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Some of me, some of them.¡± ¡°Did they leave or did you get rid of them?¡± ¡°Both.¡± Ruel let go of his spoon. I¡¯m hungry, but there were so many bugs here that I couldn¡¯t concentrate on rice. ¡®That¡¯s enough.¡¯ There was no reason to drag this on, no reason to keep ying this ridiculous game. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ganien, can you lend me your strength?¡± ¡°What can I do for you?¡± ¡°What you should do as a knight. It¡¯s about punishing evil. Ma.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Gather them all to the training ground. Everyone.¡± Sshhh. As Cassion¡¯s arms moved, the servant who was trying to sneak out the door copsed. A scream was heard as blood flowed out. ¡°The rat tried to run away.¡± Tak. The cane rang. ¡°Quiet.¡± Ruel said, looking at the servant¡¯s face covered with tears and fear. ¡°You follow me. I¡¯m warning you all, don¡¯t try to run away.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. Everyone except the two were enemies. As time went by, the disadvantage one was myself. The fact that he¡¯s here will be known to those who covet this ce. The things they nted before that. Everything they left here. I¡¯ll weed it out. *** Ruel walked over, looking at people who hadn¡¯t filled the training ground. The sound of a cane mixed with the sound of footsteps caught their attention. The cold wind as the winter was soon approaching. Ruel breathed out ¡°Ha¡± and stood in ce. I met everyone¡¯s eyes. Not even a hundred people, I guess. Fewer than 100 people gathered to eat the Setiria. ¡®My pride is hurt.¡¯ He was meant to be a prey that was almost eaten. ¡°Is everyone here?¡± ¡°Everyone is here.¡± Ma replied. Ruelughed as his eyes met with Carbena, who looked to be with lots ofints. ¡°Ma, pick out the ones you chose.¡± It was necessary to skip once. Whenever Ma picked someone, they were full of worry. ¡°It is not good to act hastily.¡± Ganien has built battle intent. Even the air swayed with fierce momentum to reveal what he was capable of. He exhaled calmly because he wasn¡¯t heading towards Ruel. ¡°Did you finish choosing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Then take the two of you over there.¡± When Carbena and Jane stood up, the stage was set properly. Ruel ordered looking at them who were not chosen. ¡°Kill it.¡±
Chapter 12: Im Back (6) Chapter 12: I''m Back (6) As soon as the words resounded, light rose on Ganien¡¯s sword, and Cassion disappeared. Carbena did not try to stop them like she would¡¯ve done. After all, there were only two people. 2 against 100. The oue was easy to imagine. She satfortably on the side, watching the current situation. However, as time passed, the situation was progressing to a more and more unexpected result, as Carbena watched the scene her face turned pale. Each time the two swung their de, lives were extinguished like candles amidst a storm. It was someone¡¯s feet, and someone¡¯s head that flew away. The chasing, bloody rain turned inside out. The two weren¡¯t human, they were monsters. Badumpp¡­ Badump! Her heart was pounding. Everything in front her has be a grotesque mess. ¡°¡­¡­rgh!¡± She couldn¡¯t stand the disgust and threw up whatever was inside her. ¡°Look right. That¡¯s what you did.¡± Unlike the staggering body of Ruel, his voice was steady. He looked like an uptight tree, unmoved by the hellish scene in front of him. His figure was so dissimr to herself that Carbena looked up again at him. ¡°You sold out Setiria and I will im it back.¡± Ruel¡¯s words shook her heart. It was something she wanted to deny for a long time. Because she was under influence and with her mind far from reality, reasons was something that had abandoned her long ago. ¡°I didn¡¯t sell it! I have it! I¡¯ve got the Setiria!¡± ¡°Then, what is that?¡± Ruel pointed to the dead and dying littered on the ground. Speechless Carbena clutched her skirt tight. It was a bloodbath. The blood and body parts were scattered all over the ce. The dirty sight was difficult to behold. ¡°You don¡¯t have Setiria.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve got it, I¡¯ve got it all! I have Setiria, the protectors of thisnd! It will be recorded for the first time in this country!¡± ¡°You failed. You¡¯ve mistaken to rely on drugs for Setiria.¡± ¡°Shut up, shut that mouth of yours! Shut that mouth!¡± Carbena screamed as she scratched her head again and again. ¡°Direct bloodlines, direct bloodline, damn the main branch!¡± ¡°Tsk, is the one I¡¯ve been talking to degraded to her state? What a waste of time.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that! Don¡¯t you dare look at me with those arrogant eyes!¡± Jane walked out from behind the screaming Carbena. She looked at Ma with disgust. ¡°Trash.¡± And ran towards Ruel. She brandished a dagger that was hidden under the folds of her skirt. ¡°It¡¯s over if you die! Hehe, hehe!¡± Ruel made a face. It was so cliche that he was worried that theughter he was holding in would burst out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you at least pretend to avoid it?¡± Cassion, suddenly appeared in front of Ruel, swatted Jane away with a kick. Grasp! Jane flew away coughing, rolled several times andnded on the outermost of the training ground. ¡°I can¡¯t run.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too exhausting.¡± The sound of the swinging finally stopped. Ganien walked to Ruel side with his sword sheathed. ¡°¡­¡­Ha, that was really boring, can¡¯t even be called a fight.¡± He sighed, longingly nced at Cassion and quickly turned his head away. What can he do even if he tried provoking Cassion? That guy doesn¡¯t have any intention ofpeting with him. ¡°Tch.¡± Ganien clicked his tongue. Ruel passed Carbena and stood in front of Ma¡¯s chosen servants and thugs. ¡°What do you guys think?¡± ¡°Save me! Save me! Please show us mercy!¡± It turned into a sea of tears at once. This got Ruel. ¡°Quiet.¡± Everyone shut up without a peep. They knew, for the strongest person here was the one in front of them, who was likely to copse just by pushing lightly. ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up this house first today. I¡¯m sure there are some people who feel that this is unfair.¡± Many pairs of eyes had a strange look at Ruel¡¯s equivocal remark. ¡°So what?¡± I felt my heart drop when I said it out loud. ¡°Are you dissatisfied? Thene out here in front of me.¡± The sound of a coughing echoed. No one coulde forward because the sound was like a bell announcing their end. Then, a woman walked out. There was flour and sauce on her apron. Ruel smiled.. ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± She looked at Ruel, trembling but confident. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I was called here to make a pie.¡± ¡°Is that so¡­ What kind?¡± ¡°It was a meat pie.¡± ¡°Why?¡± She nced at Cassion. ¡°The pie he made was better than mine. So I was angry. I wanted to be personally evaluated by the Lord in the morning.¡± Her face blushed as she spoke. She doesn¡¯t even know what she is talking about. Ruel observed her very close, herposure contesting the rest of the group who could only shed tears. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°This is Astell.¡± ¡°I like meat pies. I¡¯ll look forward to it. Come this way.¡± Only then did Astell sink into ce, perhaps she had so tensed that legs gave away at the moment of rxation. ¡°Cassion.¡± The crowd watched with bated breath until Cassion helped her back. Are you really saving her life? Ruel saw them just as they saw Astell. There could be someone as unfair as her. But there was no more. Ruel turned his head away at the sight of the gathered crowd. Astell approached Ruel safely and opened her mouth to speak. At the same time, Ruel ordered. ¡°Do it.¡± *** The calm voice of Cassion flowed over the suffocating coughing sound. ¡°The bodies were neatly removed, and the two women were held in strict custody. And Ma couldn¡¯t ovee his shame andmitted suicide. Here¡¯s the will.¡± Ruel received the will helplessly. It acknowledged Carbena and Jane¡¯s crimes and wrote down what they had done neatly. -¡­ ¡­ And above all else, there are sins that I want to be forgiven for. There is only one thing they asked of us. ¡®Open the door of Setiria.¡¯ Knowing this is treason, we carry out our n¡­ . It was a very good phrase. Ruelughed hard. One of the documents Carbena had collected was a contract. A sneaky hand that can turn everything upside down. It was a simple contract that said, ¡®Open the door to Setiria,¡¯ but the meaning was never simple when Setiria is the gatekeeper of the Kingdom of Leponia. This would be a treason against the royal family and even the country. ¡°Cough, Cassion.¡± ¡°Stop being stubborn and I¡¯ll just tell you the current situation. Then that¡¯ll be it all for today. I can¡¯t get rid of this fever.¡± That night, Ruel copsed. I¡¯ve been suffering for three days, like that time where I copsed from over working. I¡¯ve only juste to my senses today. Cassion looked pitifully at the owner who does nothing but to roll around in his tired body. ¨C Report the situation. ¡®That¡¯s what you say as soon as you wake up.¡¯ He wanted to steal that will that was in Ruel¡¯s hand and get out of here immediately. ¡°The content is good.¡± Ruel passed the will back to Cassion, who was pleased that heughed. In the first ce, the will was ordered by Ruel before he passed out. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving. I also need to rest, I¡¯m refusing to do anything annoying.¡± ¡°¡­You can get sick?¡± ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Cassion pointed at Ruel¡¯s chest chuckling. ¡°I¡¯m going to rest until Ruel-nim¡¯s fever goes down.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± ¡°Make a copy of the will and hand it over to the debtor. I¡¯m going to meet the aristocratic debtors, so handing them to the barons will do. Ah, and say Ganien, the Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom, will back it.¡± Cassion waited as he knew that Ruel wasn¡¯t finished yet. After inhaling deeply using Breath, Ruel continued. ¡°Do you want to continue? If you want a small debt underneath it, write to Carbena and Jane.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°They are no longer part of Setiria. I severed their names.¡± Pretending to use scissors, Ruelughed again. Then, he grabbed his chest and frowned as he once more started coughing. ¡®The damn body is going to be ruined¡­¡­!¡¯ After a moment of derisiveughter, Ruel raised his head. Cassion bowed as politely as ever. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± As soon as the door closed, Ruel closed his eyes. ¡®Lying through his teeth, he has no shame.¡¯ Of the things he ordered, Cassion does it himself, but most of them were by the guild members. Nevertheless, it was funny for a suave person like him would to request him to have his rest that brazen. ¡®What a cheeky fe.¡¯ ¡°Ruel.¡± Ganien came in moments after without courtesy to knock. Ruel opened his eyes and looked at him. ¡°It¡¯s too much.¡± Ganien stuck his butt where Cassion sat. ¡°Not much.¡± ¡°Here we go.¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s just the beginning.¡± ¡°The Setiria has not been rebuilt yet, so I¡¯ll shield you in the meantime. Use me to your heart¡¯s content.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already used it.¡± At the Ruel¡¯s confident tone, Ganien struck me on the knee andughed out loud. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy. Did you sell me out already?¡± ¡°You never told me not to use it? It¡¯s toote to say anything.¡± ¡°A knight never goes back on his words. You couldn¡¯t have sold it to the wrong ce, and the more your name is known, the better. That¡¯s why I allowed it.¡± Ruel asked him in a favourable tone, as he glowed like a protagonist. ¡°Am I still weak in your eyes?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange that you¡¯re getting far from that term.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯ll help me a lot in the future. Because you¡¯re a knight.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you as long as you don¡¯t veer off the right track. As a close friend.¡± Ruelughed, satisfied. Ganien was a man of his words. ¡°Ruel.¡± He said in a heavy voice. ¡°Your actions are like that of a true Lord.¡± It was something of an embarrassment but it didn¡¯t feel so bad to beplimented. ¡°I¡¯m a knight, so I only know how to fight. I respect the fight because it is an honor for a knight to uphold justice.¡± Ganien was a man of the righteous but he was ruthless inbat. ¡°Your battle, it wasn¡¯t wrong.¡± That¡¯s how much Ganien could see. Such Ganien admitted to acknowledging Ruel¡¯s action. Ruel¡¯s eyes grew hot. A lot of people died at his word. He remembered those eyes engulfed in blood and resentment that were aimed at him. If only he had made the wrong choice. He was afraid to even bring up such a thought. ¡°Get some rest.¡± Ganien turned around with a smile. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ruel whispered as a choked whimper escaped from his chest. Click. The door closed and Ruel wept, silencing all noise. *** ¡°Thank you.¡± Cassion bowed to Ganien. At this Ganien quickly brushed him off. ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re talking about, cut it out. I¡¯m just saying what I truly meant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I want to thank you.¡± Ganien looked at Ruel¡¯s room. As a close friend, he felt sorry for him. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if his body was normal? ¡°He¡¯s not used to watching people die yet.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Stay tuned, people like Ruel will burn their body to protect something they care about.¡± Cassion sighed deeply, signaling that he knew enough. ¡°¡­¡­ not much time left.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t pretend you don¡¯t know. You know Ruel¡¯s life is numbered.¡± Cassionughed inside. I shut up because there was no reason to let him know that Ruel had the power to recover. ¡°It¡¯s a year at the most.¡± ¡°Why do you care so much? To be honest, if this ce goes under, it¡¯s good for you.¡± ¡°Who cares if there¡¯s a man who wants to protect this ce for the rest of his life?¡± ¡°Is it because you¡¯re a knight?¡± ¡°Yes, I made up my mind when I became one. I will only follow my code of honor.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a very rigid way of thinking.¡± Instead of answering, Ganien patted Cassion¡¯ shoulder and walked away. ¡®Everyone has their own worries.¡¯ Cassion shook his head shaking while looking at Ruel¡¯s room and Ganien alternately. Knock, Knock. ¡°I¡¯ming in.¡± ¡°You¡¯re already done¡­¡­?¡± Cassion pretended not to see him as he hurriedly wiped his face. ¡°I recharge fast.¡± There was no reason to waste his time when there were many people under him that could do it. Ruel nced at him with an inquisitive expression. So what if you doubt it? Cassion sat next to Ruel with an impassive face. ¡°Cassion, what do you want me to do¡­¡­.¡± ¡°For you to get well soon.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to im the heirloom early?¡± Isn¡¯t life supposed to be tiring? Cassion smiled kindly. ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± ¡°Say it. I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°Tell Minart to find out where those who originally worked in this mansion are.¡± When he saw Ruel already thinking about what to do next, even though his body was still a ball of fire, he remembered what Ganien had just said. -Watch closely. People like Ruel will burn themselves out to protect something. ¡®Even if you have the strength of recovery, isn¡¯t it useless if you burn out too fast first?¡¯ Cassion briefly agonized between seeking the heirloom and handling his butler¡¯s work. Since I already gathered one, it¡¯s okay to get the next one at a slower pace. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡± Chapter 13: The Rusty Sword Again Chapter 13: The Rusty Sword Again Cassion felt his heart squeeze in pain as he refused Ruel¡¯s words. Ruel frowned. ¡°Today¡¯s business is over.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Good night.¡± Cassion took a mysterious ck object from his sleeves. Chik! As soon as the pump was pressed something was sprayed out, hitting Ruel causing him to stretch weakly. Ba-bump ba-dump. Cassion¡¯s heart pounded hard in his chest as if it was going to explode. Cassion¡¯s back was drenched in a cold sweat after a long time. ¡®¡­Damn! It hurts like hell.¡¯ He felt like was going to die before he became a butler. Cassion faintly regretted what he hadmitted himself to. *** Two dayster. Ruel was eating the meat pie gracefully. ¡°I¡¯m amazed, as soon as you open your eyes, you really dove in that.¡± ¡°What do you expect? I¡¯m hungry, I¡¯ve been asleep for too long thanks to someone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d, thanks to that you¡¯ve lost your fever.¡± Crinkle. I deliberately spilled pie crumbs on the nket. The pies were sulent, oily and juicy, so I¡¯ll have to wash my nket. Ruel brushed away the crumbs and said. ¡°Delicious.¡± ¡°You can try spilling as much as you want. I¡¯m going to throw it away anyway.¡± Ruel¡¯s face wrinkled up. He put the second slice in his mouth and shook his hand. ¡°You got something for me, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Eight letters came out of Cassion¡¯s pocket. The numbers were the same as the eight barons in debt. ¡®You must have been in a hurry anyway.¡¯ Ruel read them one by one. It was not until he took out thest letter and read it that a smile leaked out. The contents were all the same, however the names were different. Setiria did not borrow money. Borrowing money was just a dogmatic choice of Carbena and Jane. It was better to have no debt altogether aspared to meeting a bitter end by treason. ¡°You¡¯re wise.¡± ¡°Did you get the results you wanted?¡± ¡°Yes, Minart¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already heard from you. After Ruel said he was hungry as soon as he woke up.¡± Ruel asked while going for the third slice. ¡°What do I have to do today?¡± ¡°All you have to do is bring out what you want for me.¡± ¡°Then add one more. I¡¯m going to inspect the most remote ces. Get ready.¡± Cassion didn¡¯t answer and stared at Ruel. With a look asking them to exin. ¡°¡­Ruel-nim.¡± He called his name with a sigh. Ruel exined as he knew, Cassion was waiting for one ¡°I¡¯m the Lord. I haven¡¯t done anything for five years.¡± ¡°That was due to your circumstances.¡± ¡°In other words, it¡¯s just an excuse. The Lord has been missing for 5 years and the person that was left in charge caused a serious mess. It¡¯s pretty clear what a runaway like myself has to do. I have to protect my territory, it¡¯s people and win back their trust.¡± After speaking, Ruel dug into his fourth slice of the pie. ¡°Will you be able to continue eating breakfast like that?¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m growing up, but I¡¯m still hungry.¡± ¡°It could also be due to that power.¡± ¡°Whatever the cause, I¡¯m leaving after breakfast. Oh, make a lot for breakfast. I¡¯m taking Ganien with me. Tell him.¡± Calmly, Ruel is demanding a lot. Cassion offered a suggestion to Ruel, who looked at him like a magic tool that popped out of thin air in his hands. ¡°Why don¡¯t you have one more butler?¡± ¡°Good idea.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°They have to be just as strong as you are. Feel free to bring someone like that.¡± ¡®¡­ you bastard!¡¯ Cassion¡¯s heart throbbed for a moment. It was not an easy job for a loyal butler to swear at their owner, especially for one that signed the mana contract. Seeing Cassion wince, Ruel hinted. ¡°You were having bad thoughts.¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Go, you¡¯re going to be busy making breakfast for two people.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel put the pie back in bed after confirming Cassion had left the room. ¡®Ruel is five years behind. We need to get it all together as soon as possible.¡¯ In thetest chapters of ¡®SSS-ss Knight¡¯ he read, there was a strange atmosphere between the Kingdom of Leponia, the Kingdom of Cyronian, and the Kingdom of Kran. The air held the smell of gunpowder as if a war would break out. However, that wasn¡¯t confirmed. Since I came into a novel that wasn¡¯t even finished. ¡®There¡¯s no harm in being prepared.¡¯ This will be my fourth rule of survival. Ruel noted the things in his head that he¡¯ll need to do in the future. ¡®I hope there¡¯s some information about that unknown group¡­ something unpleasant will always cause trouble.¡¯ In addition, he added a simple wind to his boat of peaceful and ordinary life. ¡®For a rich, tranquil and normal life.¡¯ *** ¡°Have it on your way, My Lord.¡± Cassion received the basket that Astell held out. There was a fresh scent of baked cookies and bread made with generous amount of butter. ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± Ruel said with a smile on his face. Her workmanship was no less than Cassion¡¯s, and I get to happily eat breakfast. As we were about to leave, Cassion asked Astell before closing the carriage door. ¡°Did you take out everything I said?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯ve made sure to follow the list carefully, Mr. Butler.¡± Cassion frowned for a moment, perhaps due the awkward title. ¡°Great, and we may return tomorrow morning, so you don¡¯t have to prepare dinner.¡± ¡°Yes and have a safe trip.¡± The door shut at Astell¡¯s words . As Ruel searched through the basket excitedly, Ganien brought up something he had on his mind. ¡°Cassion, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask, the ones you brought here. They have a scent simr to you.¡± ¡®They¡¯re definitely from the guild.¡¯ Ruel pretended not to know and ate a cookie. He had seen the new servants on the way to the meal room today. Soldiers guarding the mansion were also replenished, so when I enquired Cassion, he said they were people he had brought in here. ¡°Well, maybe they¡¯re using a simr shampoo as I do.¡± ¡®I don¡¯t know if he is shameless or if he can¡¯t lie.¡¯ Ruel stuck his tongue out at Cassion¡¯s ridiculous excuse and ate another snack. Crunch. The carriage moved quickly out of the castle. ¡°The outermost vige is called Sisel. It¡¯s the closest to Masu¡¯s forest, so it¡¯s a ce of gathering for adventurers.¡± In this world, people who did many odd jobs, including catching monsters, are called adventurers. The Kingdom of Leponia was also called thend of adventurers because it had the forest of beasts with the highest concentration of monsters. ¡°There¡¯s a big wall between Masu¡¯s forest and Sisel¡¯s vige, but it¡¯s said that wild beasts often jump over. Please be careful.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to be very careful.¡± There are Ganien and Cassion, what¡¯s there worried about? Rather, it was time to give a little constion for poor creatures. Nothing happened until the carriage reached the vige of Sisel. Ruel expressed regret because he expected the clich¨¦ scenes to happen on the journey. ¡®It seems that there is no thief big enough to dare rob a carriage that looks like a nobels.¡¯ But soon I had to take back my thoughts and was excited for the uing action. A thief was also a person who lived in this territory. The fact that there are a lot of bandits means that they have many different perspectives. One doesn¡¯t have to rob a travelling carriage to be called a thief, there are many other ways to make someone¡¯s life miserable. Soon the carriage stopped outside the town, out of sight. If the carriage were to be taken into the vige of Sisel, it¡¯s easy to draw attention. Ruel¡¯s purpose here was to inspect, not to show off. Ruel got off the wagon with Cassion¡¯s help. ¡°Stay calm.¡± Ruel stroked the horse and said to the horseman, believed to be a guild member of Cassion. ¡°Please take care of me.¡± It was important to make the best impression because the guild member of Cassion was also part of his faction. ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± Ruel entered the vige of Sisel, being sent off by a horseman. Even though it was a small vige, there was a tall wall that acted as a barrier. The guard at the door was much better than the ones previously seen in his mansion. I felt a sense of aplishment as this was hisnd. While inspecting the pass, Ruel saw a wall in front of the vige and a rock high enough to reach the sky. The frequent fog gusted around the rock, making the colossal only visible when they were seen closely from a certain angle. ¡®Is that rock covered with the famous barrier?¡¯ Looking at the rock from a close position, He could see an unknown script engraved on the rock. It was different from when I saw it in the carriage. Everything about it was overwhelming due to its ridiculouslyrge size. ¡®Amazing.¡¯ ¡°Are you seeing it for the first time?¡± Ganien followed Ruel to see the rock. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s foggy a lot. Besides, It¡¯s can¡¯t be seen from the mansion.¡± ¡°Did you say it was an act of prevention for something?¡± ¡°I heard so, but no one knows the details.¡± Looking around for a moment, Ganien smiled yfully. ¡°Actually, I¡¯ve been close.¡± Ruel eximed loudly to Ganien¡¯s words and urged him. This would be an interesting story. ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°I was scared shitless, really.¡± ¡°Scared? You?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not some kind of devil. I can get scared too.¡± For some reason, Ganien was afraid of birds, he gets unnerved by the way a bird¡¯s neck moves strangely when it walks. ¡°Anyway, stop approaching that rock out of curiosity. I felt like I would be swallowed up inside.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cassion, who came in between the two, pointed to the gate. The soldier stepped aside from the door to confirm the pass presented. Ruel¡¯s heart was pounding with excitement as he entered through the gate. Since he had entered a world of fiction, one based on fantasy, shouldn¡¯t he enjoy it? The view on the other side of the gate was a bustlingndscape filled with buildings in western medieval style with tinted red roofs. It was impressive. He could see soldiers and armor-d people wandering around the town. Perhaps they were adventurers. ¡°This is Cabena¡¯s skin that came in today!¡± ¡°I got the blood of Hanang! There are only three left, so hurry up ande!¡± Merchants in the shops were full of energy, and the atmosphere was energetic, prosperous sight could be seen everywhere. However amidst this flourishing ce there¡¯s few contrasting images that can be gleaned through. Ruel looked down as he felt his clothes were being pulled. It was a child who looked about nine years old. The child looked anxiously at him holding a basket the size of his body. ¡°Are you in a lot of pain?¡± Ruel blinked at the boy¡¯s sudden question. Is it serious enough to hear this from a random passing child? Ruel seriously thought about it. ¡°You look very sick. It¡¯s an herb, and I got it from Masu¡¯s Forest yesterday.¡± Ruel finally noticed the strange nts in the basket. Ah this was like the kids that would often be seen in the novel, selling flowers on the street But I was more concerned about the child¡¯s words than the herbs. ¡°Did you say it came from the Masu¡¯s Forest?¡± ¡°Right, look at this. It has three pairs of leaves, and has bluish tint. It is an herb called Akal.¡± The child smiled innocently. ¡®Is the Masu¡¯s Forest unmanaged enough for a child to go there as he pleases?¡¯ There is one more thing that needs to be solved. ¡°Akal is definitely the herb you need. It helps reduce your pain.¡± Ganien whispered to Ruel. Ruel smiled warmly at the child. ¡°Yeah, it looks like I need it.¡± When Cassion reluctantly took out the money, the child¡¯s narrow eyes turned to Cassion. Ruel asked, looking at a child possessed by money. ¡°The Masu¡¯s Forest is dangerous. Are you going alone?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going with my grandfather. He¡¯s very strong!¡± ¡°Your grandfather taught you about herbs?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± The child was excited to see the money he received from Cassion. Then he handed over the basket. ¡°The basket is for free. Buy from me again next time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± At Ruel¡¯s reply, the child hummed and disappeared into the crowd. Cassion, who was looking at the child, sighed. ¡°You are even more nosy than Ganien.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it before.¡± Ganien said unpleasantly. Ruel was also unprepared for those, so his voice became a little sharp. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Look.¡± Along with the child who had just disappeared, other children rushed out with baskets of Akals. Only then did Ruel understand Cassion¡¯s words. In a word, he just got ripped off. That boy¡¯s grandfather is basically everyone¡¯s grandfather. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°What else? Buy it all.¡± It is possible that the owner of the house that the children lived in, will allow them to stay only when they had worked. Hoping for a good night¡¯s sleep tonight, Ruel bought all the Akal from the children. ¡°You can start a business with this.¡± Cassionined as he carried several baskets. Ganien looked back and forth at Akals in the basket. ¡°Although it was forced on us, the price is conscientious. The quality is fine too.¡± ¡°My grandfather told me not to do anything expensive!¡± ¡®But you can force them on the streets?¡¯ Ruel grinned. ¡°Big brother, do you want to meet my grandfather? My grandfather is a doctor!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, Cough, Cough.¡± A cough came out of nowhere. Ruel desperately tried to stop coughing but to no avail. The children looked at Ruel with anxious eyes as they watched him. If we didn¡¯t go with them, they looked like they were about to cry. What matters if those innocent eyes were fake. Don¡¯t I have two monsters tagging along? I could hear Ganienughing. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do. I have to go.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ruel walked under the guidance of the children to see how far the children were driven. Small legs did not stop no matter how far the supposed grandfather lived which was located opposite the main gate. Thanks to this, he got information from the murmuring kids while looking around. ¡°Hey, brother, you know what? Not long ago, Sisel¡¯s big warehouse was burgled!¡± ¡°How about eating as much bread aster!¡± ¡°It was a good time, that the uncles and the aunts allughed!¡± Someone robbed arge warehouse full of goods and seemed to have distributed the grains in it to many people. The strange thing about that day was how thatrge warehouse was robbed. ¡°Do you know who did it?¡± ¡°No one does. The barons blew their horns and ordered adventurers to find it.¡± ¡°I hope they don¡¯t get caught. I want to eat bread again.¡± Except for Minart, all of the barons were killed by Cassion without leaving any traces. Although it was revealed that the mission had to be cut short, it was strange that adventurers were still continuing the quests of the barons. ¡®Is moderate threats to the family, but that wasn¡¯t enough?¡¯ Seeing that the names of the barons are still being used, it seems that they do not know the fear of the contract yet. Let me show you, if you don¡¯t. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel called Cassion quietly so that the children could not hear him. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Find out from the adventurers why the request is still ongoing.¡± Chapter 14: Rusty Sword Again (2) Chapter 14: Rusty Sword Again (2) Instead of answering, Cassion indicated the baskets in his hand. ¡°Ganien-nim, Carry this for me.¡± And in the eyes of Ganien, Cassion seemed to say, ¡®You can¡¯t leave it all to Ruel,¡¯ as he passed all the baskets over casually. ¡°Can you still find me after?¡± Ruel asked before turning around. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can find you even if you were to fall in the desert.¡± With those words, Cassion quietly disappeared. Ruel saw him leave and then followed after the children. How long had he walked? The children suddenly stopped and pointed to a ce full of soldiers and adventurers. In front of them was arge building. It was as if three to four other buildings werebined. ¡°What a big warehouse!¡± ¡®Ugh¡­ I¡¯m feeling a bit nauseous.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim¡± Ganien said quietly. Ruel looked at him instead of answering. There was a brief glow in Ganien¡¯s blue eyes as he caressed the handle of the sword at his waist. ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s an ordinary thief.¡± ¡°What is he then?¡± ¡°He¡¯s not as good as I am, but he is definitely a man of ability. If our strength were ranked, with the strongest at 10, he would be a four.¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a six.¡± He said humbly. Ganien was already on the level of a monster. Ruel couldn¡¯t even imagine what it would be like to go beyond that. ¡°For your information, Cassion is between five and six. Maybe we can make it to 7. I haven¡¯t really shown my skills yet either.¡± Ganien went on as if he was giving me the benefit of the doubt. Ruel was stunned for a moment. ¡®Was Cassion that strong?¡¯ I only wanted his service because he seemed quite useful, but he turned out to be quite the catch. ¡®What an unexpected windfall!¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Sick looking brother,e quickly!¡± ¡°Hurry! I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ruel and Ganien speeded up a little at the sound of the children¡¯s voices. As they moved away Ruel looked at the oversized warehouse once again. ¡®The fact that someone powerful intervened means this can¡¯t be brushed up as ordinary.¡¯ It was a clear crime to rob therge warehouse, no matter how much it was entangled with the former aristocrats. Those who challenged the powerful, regardless of their intentions, usually started with the support of ordinary people. It was a good time for them to be active when the resentment of themon people exploded due to the harsh taxes raised by the Barons. ¡®This is not good. I have a bad feeling about this.¡¯ Once the me of the rebellion is ignited, it could not be quenched easily. This has to be dealt with before it explodes. He found it hrious that as soon as he left for inspection, he was faced with a serious incident, and Ruel could already feel the great power of the protagonist¡¯s halo. ¡°Ganien, I don¡¯t know much about swords, but I heard that each person has a different color for their Aura. Is that correct?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, what it¡¯ll be based on the person themselves.¡± Ganienughed briefly and showed what he meant. ¡°You can tell by looking. I¡¯m still trying to find mine.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go take a lookter. I want to see what the sword that shed a fallen hero looks like.¡± ¡°All right.¡± This is ok, as It was still before he fully handed over his heirloom to Cassion. ¡°Is the Setiria heirloom very famous?¡± ¡°Of course, that was one of the reasons I wanted toe here.¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes twinkled like a child who spotted a toy. ¡®Hmm¡­ If it¡¯s that famous, I¡¯ll have to make a replica before giving it to Cassion.¡¯ Ruel thought seriously. *** ¡°Grandpa!¡± The children ran toward a man who was walking feebly. While the man¡¯s hair was turning white, he was still too young to be called grandpa. Ruel stopped looking at the man and checked the vige that was creeping through the trees. The person the children wanted to introduce was in fact living in the forest outside the vige of Sisel. ¡®Thanks to you lot I don¡¯t know how many times I inhaled Breath on the way.¡¯ ¡®It was a good thing I came to just to inspect things.¡¯ The furthest ce from the mansion was the best ce to understand the current situation of Setiria. However, why would someone build a residence here that can¡¯t even be considered a vige? ¡°Wee back, but who are those people?¡± The man weing the children stared at them sharply, clearly weary of the strangers. Ruel stumbled just as he was about to introduce themselves. Ganien quickly grabbed Ruel and had him lean on his back. ¡°¡­pfff.¡± It was not until he confirmed that he heard a small moan and that he just was too tired to continue that Ganien felt calm. ¡°I brought a sick older brother with us!¡± ¡°He bought all of our Akals. He¡¯s so nice!¡± ¡°He coughed a lot on the way. I was scared.¡± The children exined how sick Ruel was on the way without knowing what had happened. It was embarrassing to listen to. ¡®I didn¡¯t cough that much.¡¯ Ruel thought wearily ¡°Excuse me.¡± The man approached them and bowed his head. It seemed to be an apology and appreciation for their help and also for the fact that the children had brought them here. Then he looked up and scrutinized Ruel and seemed to notice that his condition was indeed not great. ¡°I¡¯m sorry since you¡¯ve made it this far, please allow me to treat you as a guest.¡± The man turned around and walked with the children. Ganien, who stared at him, said in a low voice. ¡°I found him.¡± Ruel, who was wiping off cold sweat, silentlyughed. ¡®You¡¯re lucky.¡¯ *** Ruel blinked as he woke up to see an unfamiliar ceiling. ¡°Are you finally awake?¡± He turned his head to Cassion¡¯s voice and saw that he was inside a house made of wood and mud. ¡°I knew it. You copsed on the way.¡± The corners of his mouth curled up seemingly suppressing augh. Ruel at the side clutched his head and retraced hisst memory. He even remembered seeing a log wall. ¡°When did you get back?¡± Ruel asked with a frown. ¡°About two hours ago. The children were very worried. As soon as I got here, I thought someone had died.¡± ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°Shh, there are a lot of people here who have good ears.¡± As I was about to ask what he was talking about, I heard a knock. ¡°Come in.¡± When the door opened, the man who had supposedly robbed therge warehouse, who the children called grandfather, walked in. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯d always end up like this because of my health.¡± Ruel tried raising his upper body and to get up but was stopped. ¡°Don¡¯t, stay in bed.¡± The man nced at Cassion and then to Ruel. He stood there, scratching his head in hesitance. ¡°Speakfortably.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been stuck here for a little over four years. I had to make ends meet, so I learned a bit of herbalism and studied medicine.¡± Looking at the hesitation of the man again, Ruel already knew what would follow. ¡°I can¡¯t cure your illness because of the short amount of time I¡¯ve studied for. I can¡¯t keep the promise I made with the children.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right, I already knew that.¡± ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be of any help anyway.¡± The man sighed deeply. Ruel reached out his hand. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Cheynol.¡± After shaking hands, Cheynol¡¯s face lightened up a little. Ruel was trying to exploit the Cheynol remorse. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help you, so please feel free to speak.¡± ¡°Why is there a vige in the forest, especially so when Sisel is nearby?¡± At that time, Cassion reached out to Cheynol. ¡°My name is Cassion. My younger brother is weak, so I hope you can understand that this is his first outing in almost five years.¡± Ruel clenched his fists. ¡®What brother?¡¯ At face value they don¡¯t look alike, stating this¡­ still he endured it. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± For a moment, pity shes across Cheynol¡¯s face. Soon he started talking quietly. ¡°¡­that¡¯s no good reason.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right, if your brother¡¯s curiosity can be solved.¡± Cassion grinned at Ruel. I¡¯m sure he was enjoying it. ¡°So four years ago, the Barons kicked out those who couldn¡¯t pay taxes, citing the reason for cleaning up trash. When I epted those who had nowhere to go, it became like a vige. That¡¯s all.¡± In Cheynol¡¯s voice, his hatred towards the Barons was seen. Ruel hit back by trying to read Cheynol¡¯s mind. ¡°What a load of rubbish. If the Barons were doing something wrong, the head of Setiria had to step in. It¡¯s really trash that he didn¡¯t do anything¡­ .¡± ¡°No!¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Just as a King bes a scarecrow if he has no strength, so does the King.¡± Cheynol just stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll call you at dinner. Please stayfortable until then.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ruel wondered. Who was thest expression of his bitter feelings toward? ¡®Isn¡¯t that what the powerful hated? So what feelings do you have for the nobles?¡¯ It was the role of the head of state to stop the Barons when they made a mistake. While Ruel was puzzled, Cassion began to speak silently. ¡°This has nothing to do with the former Barons.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it rted?¡± ¡°It is said that the client has changed from a Barons to an adventurer. The apparent reason was to restore trust for notpleting the quest on time.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± While making a sound, Ruel suddenly remembered the crude role that Cassion had made at will. ¡°Did you enjoy your y?¡± ¡°Then should I have called you Lord? You have a more naive side than you think.¡± Ruel turned the subject around, as he got really mean when he got angry. ¡°What¡¯s the real reason?¡± ¡°It is said that the thief belittled the adventurers continuously. Eventually, the client changed and the request was re-implemented.¡± Ruel shot at Cassion. ¡°Cassion, can¡¯t you get things done right?¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°The thief is Cheynol. Why would he turn adventurers into enemies when he hates the Barons? It just so happens that the client has disappeared, so if things stay quiet, the interest will cool down.¡± ¡®How the hell did you find out the culprit?¡¯ Cassion was surprised at the news. ¡°I¡¯m going to deal with them both today. Get Ganien.¡± ¡°He is in the middle of a fight. He won¡¯t like it if I disturb him.¡± ¡®Are there any ghosts that died because they couldn¡¯t fight? No, it means there are quite a few talented enough for him to ask for a match.¡¯ Ruel asked, recalling what Cassion had said. ¡°You said there were a lot of informers, didn¡¯t you? ¡°That¡¯s right. Half of the people in this town are sword-wielders.¡± ¡°In terms of power?¡± ¡°So, you can think of it as a Knights Temr.¡± ¡°The Knights¡­?¡± In an instant, one of the novel¡¯s plot shed through Ruel¡¯s head. ¡®It turns out, Ganien received his knighthood when he left from the Kingdom of Leponia to the Kingdom of Cyronian.¡¯ After resolving the Setirian crisis at the request of Ruel, just before Ruel¡¯s death, people that called themselves the Knights of Setiria appeared. Thanks to Ganien for sorting out the situation in Setiria. When they heard that it was Ruel¡¯sst request, they decided to follow Ganien. ¡®Wait, wait.¡¯ Ruel grinned as he looked at the door. ¡°Ruel-nim¡­?¡± Cheynol, who hates Barons, but defends the region. ¨C Just as a King bes a scarecrow if he doesn¡¯t have power, neither does the lord. Those who are aware of the situation in the family state that no one cares about it. Knights who decided to follow Ganien at the word of Ruel¡¯sst request. Everything was just right. ¡®¡­What a jackpot. Don¡¯t tell me they were here?¡¯ ¡°Are you all right?¡± ¡°Call Ganien.¡± Ruelughed happily like the man who found a hidden treasure. ¡°All right.¡± Thinking Ruel must have found a clue to the case. Cassion went outside to call Ganien. As soon as Ganien came in, the smell of sweat spread through the room. Not sure how many times he fought, but Ganien had a refreshingly happy face. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you know how much I love sparring?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s the point of stopping me from fighting?¡± ¡°Make a mess you are with the name of the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°A mess¡­?¡± It was a word that didn¡¯t match the knight. Nevertheless, Ruel did not change his words. Rather, he inhaled the Breath and threw out his bait. ¡°Maybe we should fight the adventurers. You like to fight, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°I like it, the more reason to fight, the better.¡± ¡°One, there are no adventurers at the target that the thief is aiming at. Two, who will benefit if the request continues?¡± ¡°How can you be sure that there are no adventurers?¡± ¡°Adventurers are money-driven. You can be allies as much as you want, but there¡¯s no reason to be poor. For example, if a thief hired shopkeepers, wouldn¡¯t there be adventurers in it?¡± ¡°Certainly adventurers are quite variable.¡± Ganien nodded if he was convinced. ¡°So who do you think the culprit is?¡± ¡°That¡¯s themission. Those who manage requests in the middle will benefit from having a high-priced request. Cassion, how much is themission for the Barons to make a request?¡± ¡°25 percent. Even when the client changes, 25 percent.¡± ¡°See? 25 percent is huge. I bet there is quite a lot of money involved, so how frustrating it must have been when the request of the Barons was canceled.¡± Themission served as a bridge between clients and adventurers. In other words, epting a request from a client is purely up to those fortune seeking adventurers. Ganien grinned. His face changed color when he found out that it was made up by amissioned cow for profit. ¡°In a word, you grew up off the right path, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take this opportunity to clean up the bad habits of those ipentent people.¡± Chapter 15: Rusty Sword Again (3) Chapter 15: Rusty Sword Again (3) ¡°You want me to go on a rampage?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ll handle the consequences.¡± Ruel smiled with satisfaction. I had to step on it when I broke it. It wouldn¡¯t have changed otherwise. I will. ¡°What¡¯s the thief up to? You know who did it.¡± ¡°I will handle that. So, do as I have requested.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When Ganien left, Ruel reached out to Cassion. I¡¯m hungry. I wanted to eat the rest of the cookies. ¡°Give me the basket Astell gave me.¡± ¡°I gave it to Ganien. Everything.¡± The basket was not here. Cassion soon smiled as he thought of something. ¡°Oh,e to think of it, they¡¯re almost fighting over something. There was.¡± ¡°¡­it¡¯s been taken away.¡± Ruel was really disappointed. The taste was excellent with Cassion, but what Astell made was strangelyfortable for the body. ¡®Actually, What the heck is up with Astell?¡¯ *** ¡°What are you doing?¡± A child stared at Cassion¡¯s actions. Unsurprisingly, Cassion was choosing the distributed food with a careful face. Meals were served in the open space outside. It was noisy as most of the vigers gathered. With the loud noise, Ruel couldn¡¯t hear anything around him. Grabbing his hungry stomach, he raised his eyebrows at the dwindling sheep. ¡°It¡¯s rough.¡± ¡°No,¡± Cassion said firmly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The children asked again. ¡°There are foods that cause trouble when you eat them, so I¡¯m choosing them.¡± ¡°Do you have to get hurt again?¡± ¡°Are you sick again?¡± ¡°Yes, it hurts when you eat it.¡± Cassion patted the children¡¯s heads andughed. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Cassion, who had been taking it out for a long time, stuck out the te. ¡°Well¡­¡± All there was on the te were potatoes and sweet potatoes. When I saw Cassion¡¯s te, which was rich in bread, meat, and soup, I was embarrassed. However, when I see him doing this, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s trying to screw me with all his heart, so I held it in and ate it. ¡°The meal suits my taste¡­¡± Any other words said were inaudible. Cheynol looked at Ruel¡¯s te of potatoes and sweet potatoes. His face hardened slightly. ¡°There are foods I shouldn¡¯t eat, so I gave them away. Please, kindly pass on it.¡± ¡°How many are there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s hard.¡± Cheynol looked at Cassion, who smiled as if he were tired and then turned to his te. He turned his gaze. Cassion¡¯s te was pretty empty, perhaps taking Ruel¡¯s share. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you give me a heads-up?¡± ¡°No. It is rude to even make such a request on the subject of getting a meal.¡± ¡®Don¡¯t be such an asshole!¡¯ Maybe it was because I ate sweet potatoes or because I was watching Cassion¡¯s smoke, but my throat was choked. As I was about to drink water, Cassion took the cup. ¡°Why again?¡± ¡°Because I have hair.¡± Cassion showed off his gray hair. It was also really long. ¡°Pua hahaha¡­¡± I heardughter. Cheynol spoke without pausing hisughter. ¡°You seem to have a deep rtionship.¡± ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Ruel was furious. Then he realized that Cheynol had taken a seat where they were and calmed his mind. ¡°Your brother is very shy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what it looks like.¡± While listening to the conversation between the two, Ruel munched on potatoes to keep his mouth shut. When the potatoes and sweet potatoes on his te were almost gone and the children who had finished eating were ying, Ruel raised the topic. ¡°On my way here, I heard a story about a big warehouse being robbed.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a buzz in the town of Sisel.¡± There was no change in the look on Cheynol¡¯s face. ¡°The bandit must have distributed food to the people. The children were very happy.¡± ¡°Right, when I opened the door in the morning, Everyone was happy that they had food stocked up for weeks.¡± Cheynol smiled gently if he had any regrets. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it hard for you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s always the case. Living for a day. We might as well be kicked out.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m asking if it was hard to steal and take care of people who were struggling with taxes.¡± Cheynol¡¯s hand stopped. He put his spoon down and looked at Ruel without any emotion. ¡°¡­it was hard.¡± ¡°A sin is a sin. There¡¯s very little that can be changed to sin.¡± ¡°Even that little thing was precious to me.¡± ¡°Will you not stop?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Cheynol¡¯s face was frowned upon. ¡°Who will make themugh when I stop?¡± Ruel felt the eyes of the children looking at him from behind him. But he didn¡¯t stop talking. ¡°What you have taken away is the grain that the people of thisnd have cultivated. You can¡¯t take them away to make themugh.¡± Ruel let out a short cough and continued. ¡°And people should not be ustomed to theughter that was bought by that sin. Stop.¡± ¡°¡­ It is already toote.¡± Cheynol lowered his head. He was a knight. How many worries did he have to get out of the right path? His voice of resignation already sounded ufortable. It wasn¡¯t good. Ruel didn¡¯t want the one who would be his knight to sit down like this. ¡°It¡¯s not toote.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°Who asked you to make themugh?¡± Ruel gave his voice strength for everyone to hear. It was a thin voice, but it drew everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°It makes meugh. So stop.¡± But Cheynolughed as if in sorrow. And he got up. ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are, but we can¡¯t end here. I¡¯m sorry.¡± The children were gone before he knew it. The people who were watching Ruel and the others while eating were getting up and approaching. nk. A smooth metallic sound followed. ¡°Can I see this as my failure to persuade you?¡± Cassion snorted as he continued his meal. The fact that he hadn¡¯t moved meant that things were still fine. Ruel didn¡¯t respond and alternately looked at them and Cheynol as they approached. He soon took a deep breath and opened his mouth seriously. ¡°What have you traded for chivalry? Stealing at the most?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Setiria.¡± He might be angry, but Cheynol was calm. Thatposure was eptable. ¡°What did Setiria do to you?¡± ¡°We are Setiria.¡± ¡°Even if Setiria abandoned you?¡± ¡°Abandoned or thrown away, we are Setiria.¡± His love for Setiria was great. Ruelughed cheerfully. Then he coughed and grabbed his chest. ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ It was a really annoying disease. I felt dizzy, and hot inside. As if a huge wave wasing from behind, Ruel sped the hem of his clothes hard. Cassion put down the tes and watched over Ruel. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m really sorry. I will pay for this sinter.¡± The sound of a sword being drawn from its sheath was heard. Ruel closed and then opened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s all right, you¡¯re all right now.¡± Ruel trembled and stood up with his cane as a support. It was possible to confirm with one simple thing why Nobles were noble and how to distinguish between the Direct Family and the Branch Families. Ruel held out his unclenched hand. As he released his mana, shield glyphs glowed from the back of his hand. ¡°¡­ Well, that!?!?¡± Everyone living in Setiria could recognize what they were looking at. The shield pattern shining in light blue and the simple shield pattern indicated direct lineage. The sky blue light that shone brightly as if the morning hade. The color that symbolizes Setiria. I heard them drop their swords. ¡°It¡¯s fine now.¡± Ruel broached the same thing a little while ago. Even Cheynol dropped his sword. And as if seeing God, he knelt on his knees, and his eyes reddened. Why didn¡¯t he know? That the little child came back here again. Sky blue, it was a color that only the Lord could possess. ¡°Now that the Lord is back, there is no need to work hard.¡± ¡°¡­Lord.¡± Everyone there knelt along Cheynol. ¡°Come back to me, my knights. This is an order that I, the Lord, am giving to you¡­¡± Ruel covered his mouth. ck blood flowed from between his fingers. ¡°It¡¯s an order¡­¡± Cassion caught the falling Ruel. A thick silence swept through the forest. ¡°Today, the Lord is not feeling well, so I will leave.¡± ¡°Go, my lord.¡± Cheynol looked at Ruel, stunned with confusion all over his face. ¡°The Lord has given you an order, so prepare to meet the Lord as his knights. Get rid of your ideas of frivolous theft.¡± After finishing the conversation, Cheynol shed tears as he looked at Cassion, who disappeared with Ruel. He came this far with his ungodly body. ¡°Ruel¡­ Setiria.¡± He brought up the name that he had cried out so much for. He¡¯s back. He came to find those who had already been forgotten by everyone. He told them it was okay to give up his legitimacy as a knight and even resorted to stealing. He vomited blood and called him a knight. What greater glory can there be than this? Cheynol eximed. ¡°I will be back.¡± Everyone¡¯s voices followed. ¡°I will be back!¡± ¡°I will definitely be back!¡± On this day, the rusty sword was forged again and became a sword aimed at its master¡¯s enemies. *** ¡°Once again, I am a Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± Ganien faced the head of themissioned cow standing with his feet on his desk. ¡°Oh, that can¡¯t be! A knight is asking about what this kind of municipality is doing¡­¡± Boom! The desk crumbled in an instant. The chief trembled and moved his eyes behind Ganien. His shop was literally cut in half to expose its inner flesh, many adventurers wereid out on the floor. During such an absurd situation, the chief seemed to go crazy when this man called himself a knight. ¡°Now, are you ready to talk?¡± Ganien took one step closer to the chief. The chief took a further step backward, but the hard wall hit his back. He had nowhere to turn. ¡°The-, the soldiers will be here soon.¡± ¡°Do you know how many times I¡¯ve talked to you?¡± Garnien tapped his shoulder lightly with his sword. It was good to run. He also fought against adventurers, and he tried to sh a shop, something he had always wanted to try. However, the mouth of the chief of themissioning office was tighter than expected. He was afraid because he had encountered so many adventurers, but he was not terrified. Ganien stopped as a hand tapped him on the shoulder and looked behind him. ¡°I¡¯m here? Ruel is¡­ Did you copse again?¡± ¡°I did.¡± Cassion showed the Ruel in his arms to Ganien. Then, Ruel opened his eyes and said, ¡°Cassion put it down now.¡± ¡°Did you not copse?¡± ¡°I was embarrassed and pretended to copse. You knew everything and pretended that you didn¡¯t.¡± I felt dizzy, but not enough to faint. But I vomited blood. I judged thetter to pretend to be OK in the situation and to turn around and copse. ¡°What? You scared me.¡± Ganien looked at the chief again. Ruel pointed his cane and looked around. There were many spectators, perhaps because the building was cut in half. ¡°You, you bastards!¡± The chief shouted in disgust. ¡°Isn¡¯t it over yet?¡± He was terrified, but Ruel was bewildered by his bubbly appearance. Indeed, cheating adventurers was something that most adventurers could only do. Ganien shook his head softly. ¡°He¡¯s quite poisonous. You didn¡¯t say I could cut him anywhere, so I didn¡¯t touch him.¡± ¡°One arm is fine. By the way, did the soldierse?¡± At the sight of the two casually spewing out scary noises, the chief became terrified. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t do any harm, it was that he knew he didn¡¯t. ¡°They didn¡¯t show up.¡± ¡°¡­Ha, I was about to solve a problem, but I¡¯ve found another.¡± Ruel sighed deeply and walked to the chief. ¡°Cassion, cover for a second.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± He took off the cloak he was wearing and almost wrapped it around the chief and Ruel. ¡°Come on, look at this. Before that, if you see this and scream, your neck is dingy.¡± Ruel held out the back of his hand and showed the shield pattern. The chief desperately covered his mouth. However, he could not hide hisrge eyes and his trembling body. It was as if he was about to copse at any moment. ¡°You must have heard all about what you did, right? Continue to cry out about your sins from this ce until the soldierse. Okay?¡± ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± ¡°Answer.¡± ¡°Oh, I see! I¡¯ll keep that in mind! Definitely, definitely¡­ ¡± ¡°There. Now, shout in front of the crowd. Loudly.¡± When Ruel turned around, Cassion took the cloak back. The chief shouted at the sound of Ruel¡¯s cane. ¡°I, I swindled adventurers using bandits who robbedrge warehouses so that I could embezzle themission fees! I am a killer!¡± ¡®Kya, that¡¯s why it¡¯s so good.¡¯ ¡°Are you going back to the mansion now?¡± ¡°No, we need to know why our soldiers aren¡¯ting don¡¯t we?¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°Ganien, will you go on a rampage again?¡± ¡°As much as you want me to.¡± Apparently, Ganien had just gotten a taste of work. Chapter 16: The Wizard Came Chapter 16: The Wizard Came Setiria served as the gateway to the Leponia Kingdom and because of its location adjacent to the Masu Forest, there were small andrge barracks in every vige. When I followed the children, I checked the barracks in the center of town, so it was easy to find. There were only two soldiers patrolling around the barracks. ¡®It¡¯s very quiet.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± One of them saw Ruel¡¯s party and blocked the road with a spear. ¡°There was amotion at the Request Center, but they did note to the rescue, so I came to see them.¡± At that moment, the sounds of oveppingughter of both men and women could be heard from the barracks. The soldier was slightly perplexed and turned away. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready soon to go to the barracks. For now, you guys better go back.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡± There was a strong smell of alcoholing out of the window someone had opened. The most vignt time for soldiers was at night. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel let out augh. As I thought, this is a mess. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early to have a drinking party?¡± ¡°I told you to go back.¡± ¡°Thanks to you, I¡¯m really going to have to root it out.¡± ¡°Hey.¡± ¡°Tell him the Lord hase.¡± Cassion brought it up politely. ¡°¡­what?¡± The soldier suddenly turned into a gentlemb and blinked quickly. ¡°Tell them.¡± At Ruel¡¯s smile andmand with arrogance, the soldier rushed into the barracks. Thumping. How busy it must be since the banquet they have opened has been canceled. Ruel said to Ganien. ¡°Catch everyone and tie them up.¡± ¡°Even women?¡± ¡°Of course, everyone. If they resist, you can knock them out.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll clean it up.¡± Ganien strode into the barracks excitedly. ¡°Argh!¡± I could already hear a scream. ¡°Tsk.¡± Ruel kicked his tongue. This ce was full of mess. Everything from big matters to small things need to be fixed. ¡®Let¡¯s fix everything we see.¡¯ Although money could not be obtained immediately, public security was different. If they fix their rotten heads, it will be somewhat resolved. After about five minutes, Cassion opened his mouth. ¡°You can go in now.¡± Tak.Tak. I went into the barracks with Cassion. I had them all kneel on the floor to see if they had realized their mistakes. Everyone had a bruise on their face, apparently they were hit quite a bit. ¡°Who¡¯s the captain?¡± Without needing to say anything, they all looked at the same man. ¡°I¡¯d like to cut them all, but I have a lot to pack, so let me put it simply. Cough, cough.¡± A strange skepticism appeared in their eyes as the coughing sound followed. It was as if they were saying, ¡®The sick man should go away?¡¯ ¡®Isn¡¯t this the third time already? I want to do this better.¡¯ But it was hard just to move Mana because of this weak body. I can¡¯t. Ruel showed a pattern indicating that he was the head of the household. Then their faces turned blue. ¡°First, alcohol is prohibited. Drink alcohol when you take a break. If anyone sees a bottle of alcohol, you all have to take off your clothes as a solidarity responsibility. Second, it is forbidden to bring women who are not soldiers into the barracks. Do it while you rest.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and wiped away the cold sweat before bringing it up again. ¡°Third, for longer distances when an incident urs, soldiers should arrive in up to 10 minutes. Short distances should be dispatched within 2 minutes. Fourth, divide the vige of Sisel into 4 districts, and patrol in two groups of four and send them to each district. Especially at night patrols. Fifth, of course, it is forbidden to act violently.¡± Tak. Tak. Ruel rolled his cane. ¡°I don¡¯t take questions. Starting today, these rules will be effective immediately.¡± They were all embarrassed of being caught today. I¡¯m sure the buzz from the alcohol has already been blown away. ¡°I¡¯m going to assign a watchman on this and ask the vigers, so don¡¯t act recklessly. Don¡¯t forget, this responsibility belongs to all of us.¡± ¡°I, I¡­! Lord! My-, My lord!¡± As it was, Ruel turned around. It was a waste of time to hear excuses. When I left the barracks, the night wind brushed against my body. Once I got rid of the things I could see, I felt relieved. ¡°It¡¯s windy.¡± I also had a cloak on, but Cassion still took off his cloak. I didn¡¯t refuse and put on another cloak. I felt a chill down my spine. It¡¯s probably because of the cold. Cassion asked. ¡°Would you like to stay here?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to the mansion. I have a guest to greet, so I¡¯ll have to prepare for that.¡± Shouldn¡¯t he bring the knights who will wait for him? ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Ruel.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, Ruel looked at him. ¡°Are you going to keep doing this?¡± He didn¡¯t know what he meant, but Ruelughed yfully. ¡°It¡¯s a mess, is it fun?¡± ¡°What¡­¡± Ganien blurted his words, but showed no sign of dislike. How fun it must have been since he¡¯s never done it as a knight. What was better was the fact that there was more to go. Ruel tempted him softly. ¡°Do you want to continue your stay here? If you do, I¡¯ll appoint you to be in charge of making a mess.¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes shook for the first time. Cassion looked at him with sympathy and turned to Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°As you can see, I¡¯ve never been off the right track as you say. It¡¯s pretty reliable, isn¡¯t it?¡± For a moment, Ganien looked at Ruel in a state of question. No matter how hard you look at it, Ruel was far from reliable. Rather, I think he should be receiving help from others. ¡°Okay, fix your words.¡± Ruel admitted his mistake. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it look like someone you can trust rather than trustworthy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Unlike a while ago, the answer came out smoothly. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Something felt bad, but Ruel persevered andid paving stones so that he could use Ganien more. ¡°So do you want to try?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be bored then while I¡¯m staying here.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s take it as yes, let¡¯s back. To the mansion.¡± Ruel turned his back and grinned. For a while, I was able to treat Ganien like an escort. It was not enough to hand over hundreds of jewels, but they were free to eat because they were close friends. ¡®Haha¡­ This is free manpower.¡¯ *** The carriage moved. Blisters formed on Ruel¡¯s feet from how much he had walked throughout the day. Cassion took out a few bandages and an Akals from an X-Raemon-like pocket and treated it. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re used to walking yet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen blisters form just this much.¡± Even though he knew that Ganien had no intention of being sarcastic, it sounded harsh. He himself barely walked for five years, and he was both an ordinary man and a patient. Ganien continued to talk even though he saw the look on Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°It feels strange to know how weak your body goes day by day.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You¡¯re so weak physically, but you have a strong mind like a knight. There is a strong mind in a strong body. That¡¯s what the people who hold the sword know. But you, you are different. You take your strength for granted.¡± The words grew longer and Ruel didn¡¯t notice what Ganien was talking about. Ganien rubbed the back of his neck for a moment and moved his mouth embarrassingly. ¡°I mean, you¡¯re amazing. You¡¯re weak, but not weak.¡± ¡°That¡¯s apliment, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m not very good with words.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to call it apliment. These are the words of a Knight of the Blue Knights, and it is an honor that will be passed down from generation to generation.¡± Ruel lowered his head slightly. Ganien¡¯s embarrassment also subsided deeply for a while. ¡°Anyway, your actions are great, but I want you to move in moderation. This is my request as a close friend.¡± ¡®How am I supposed to move more moderately?¡¯ It was my third outing in five years. I stayed in Sisel and the unnamed viges for a while, but it still took me about a day to get here. Here, the word ¡®moderate¡¯ sounded simr to a voice telling you not to go out. ¡®Well, there¡¯s something that¡¯s bothering me.¡¯ Today alone, I copsed and vomited blood. I thought that because I have a lot of thoughts. ¡°Good word Ganien.¡± Cassion finished treatment and carefully put shoes on his feet. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s not a bad thing to listen to your friends.¡± Cassion said. Ruel felt burdened by the gazes of the two. Even Cassion, who is troubled but knows he doesn¡¯t die, thought about whether he really moved recklessly. ¡°As long as I¡¯m around, it¡¯s fine, but have you thought about it after that? You need someone like me who¡¯s good at it and who¡¯s going to work for free.¡± I¡¯m getting prickly. Ruel suddenly felt a sting in the back. He knows I¡¯m using him, but he lets me take advantage of him. ¡®Is he the main character because he has a big heart?¡¯ ¡°Have you thought of anyone?¡± ¡°There is.¡± I answered without hesitation. Ganien smiled reassuringly without asking who it was. As he came to the Kingdom of Leponia, he met many talented people. Whether it was an idental meeting or an approach based on the possibility, the person he took was enough to create knight squadrons. It seems that all the talented people are all gone, but as a Leponia person, how can I just look at it? I¡¯m gonna take everything Ganien should¡¯ve had. ¡®To live.¡¯ Suddenly the carriage stopped. Ruel¡¯s body shook at the same time. In the meantime, Ruel had no choice but to put his tongue out when he saw Cassion and Ganien, who were not budging. ¡°I¡¯ll go check it out.¡± Ganien opened the carriage door and went outside. ¡®Is the clich¨¦ showing up?¡¯ Ruel was a little excited. The reason the carriage suddenly stops is usually because of ignorant thieves. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to barge out like this.¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard through an open door gap. ¡®Isn¡¯t that a clich¨¦?¡¯ ¡°Who is it?¡± Ganien had a fierce voice. ¡°My name is Drianna, a disciple of the Magic Knights of Setiria.¡± ¡®You¡¯re a disciple of the Magic Knights of Setiria? Was there such a thing in Setiria? Of course, there was a wizard in ¡®SSS-ss Knight.¡¯ Everyone had mana, but using that mana to turn it into magic was another matter, so it was a rare existence. ¡°Is this the carriage that the Lord is riding?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Calling himself, Ruel opened the carriage door and looked at her. The soles of my feet hurt to go down. ¡°Why are you looking for me?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s really rude, but could you show me the crest?¡± ¡°No, today¡¯s minutes are up.¡± If I showed the crest too much, I didn¡¯t know if I would faint at once, dye the wagon with blood, or maybe both. Drianna grabbed her skirt with a troubled face. ¡°So, what¡¯s the matter?¡± It felt like she was going home excitedly after work, so she couldn¡¯t look good when she stopped the carriage. ¡°Are you really the Lord?¡± ¡°Ganien,e back. Let¡¯s go home.¡± I turned a blind eye to her rudeness even though I made time for it, but it was suspicious enough that she woulde back after me. I was tired. My head started pounding. ¡°Well, I¡­!¡± When Ganien got back on the wagon, Drianna sped her hand in bewilderment. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± With the word that Ruel took out, the carriage started again. ¡°You don¡¯t mind if you don¡¯t hear her story? No one is dare enough to sell using the wizard¡¯s name.¡± ¡°I have a headache.¡± ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t ask you any more.¡± Ruel smiled leaning against the wagon. He did not know what she was approaching him for, but the basics of the deal were the fact that if someone was in a hurry they should bow their head. *** ¡°Ugh.¡± Ruel opened his eyes listening to the bird chirping. Looking around, I couldn¡¯t see the Cassion. ¡®Is it too early?¡¯ It was cloudy looking out the window. Ruel got up from his seat and looked at his feet. All the blisters were gone. ¡®That¡¯s the power of recovery.¡¯ If anyone knew the power of recovery, they might point fingers right away, but anything small was good. ¡®Peaceful, normal life.¡¯ Ruelughed as his mind wandered and pictured this enthusiastic prospect in his head. Knock, Knock. ¡°Did you cough, my Lord?¡± Astell¡¯s voice was heard. It was somewhat awkward for someone other than Cassion to take care of him. ¡°Come in.¡± Still, Ruel sat with dignity as the Lord. ¡°The butler left hastily because of the guest.¡± ¡°Guest?¡± Hmm¡­ Is there anyone who wants to see me? ¡°Is the guest¡¯s name Minart?¡± Ruel asked, recalling Minart. ¡°No. I¡¯ve only heard that she¡¯s a disciple Magic Knights of Setiria.¡± It must have been quite urgent. Ruel was already excited because he didn¡¯t know what Drianna might have brought. Chapter 17: The Wizard Came (2) Chapter 17: The Wizard Came (2) ¡°I¡¯m going out, so just give me something simple to wear.¡± ¡°Yes, sir. Oh, my Lord, by the way¡± ¡°What?¡± Astell crouched and held out the pie she hid behind her back. No wonder it smelled so good. ¡°The butler said that the Lord would look for the pie when he wakes up.¡± ¡°Did you make it?¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Thank you for the food.¡± Ruel picked up the pie with a smile. As the power of recovery turned around, there was a great sense of hunger. Crunch. I heard a pleasant sound. I liked the crunchy texture along with the juices that spread in my mouth. ¡°Astell.¡± When he ate up the second slice of the pie, he called Astell in question. ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question. Can you answer me?¡± ¡°Ask as much as you like.¡± Astell looked at Ruel with her expectant eyes. Perhaps she thought he would ask questions rted to cooking. Let¡¯s answer first. ¡°The pie is delicious.¡± ¡°Well, really?¡± ¡°Do you have any special powers?¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± Astell blinked her eyes and sped her hands. She looked worried that she might have made a mistake. ¡°I thought it was weird every time I ate your food.¡± ¡°My Lord, I have sinned to death! But I swear, I never put anything weird in it! I always use fresh ingredients for your health! I¡¯m telling you the truth!¡± Out of nowhere, Astell suddenly bent over. ¡°No, no. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s your fault. Just look at me.¡± ¡°Then¡­.¡± Astell nted up her bowed waist, with a tear in her face. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m getting healthier.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± It was natural not to understand. Even himself couldn¡¯t believe it. However, the more I ate it, the more I felt like I was being supplied by herbal medicine, so I couldn¡¯t help but wonder. ¡°Did anyone else eat your food and ever say that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of¡­ There is.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Bu-t, but they didn¡¯t tell me something like what the Lord is speaking of.¡± Then there was the possibility that it would not work very well for others, or that it would only work particrly well for some people. I was satisfied once I saw that possibility. ¡°Please prepare my clothes, I¡¯ll wear them on my own, so bake me some snacks. I think I¡¯ll be out again today.¡± ¡°But the butler sai-¡­okay.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel reiterated her name over and over again after Astell left. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Astell was not mentioned in the novel. I thought she might have died during the Setiria incident. ¡®That¡¯s great.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. *** Tak.Tak At the sound of the cane, Cassion sighed and looked back. ¡°Have youe out?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re dressed lightly.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m wearing threeyers.¡± ¡®I¡¯m not even a grandmother. This is ridiculous.¡¯ Ruel smiled lightly and saw Drianna fidgety. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re here.¡± ¡°My Lord, I hope you¡¯ll forgive me for my rudenessst night.¡± ¡°Forgiveness doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t just babble with your mouth.¡± ¡°What can I do to make you feel better?¡± ¡°Tell me your business first.¡± Drianna pointed to the carriage I was riding on. ¡°May I speak to you over there?¡± Regardless of how important the story was, Ruel would have allowed it. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± ¡°Your opponent is a wizard.¡± Cassion said. ¡°I¡¯ll go.¡± Ruel followed Drianna with a grin. Then he got in the carriage with her support. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± At the sound of a cough, she looked at Ruel with a worried look. ¡°So what is your business?¡± ¡°Will you ept us again?¡± Instead of answering, Ruel crossed his legs andughed arrogantly. There was no wizard-rted story in the novel he saw and the material Carbena had. It must have been a secret ce that even Carbena didn¡¯t know. Then they concluded that they are free of Setiria on their own. Ruel threw his own conclusion once. ¡°Didn¡¯t you leave on your own?¡± ¡°¡­yes. I didn¡¯t expect you to know that.¡± ¡°Why are you back?¡± When the spection became true, Ruel looked different toward Drianna. She was different from the knights who were forced to flee. They loved Setiria enough to betray chivalry. But what about wizards? ¡°You might don¡¯t know. Perhaps now the Lord thinks we are fugitives who have abandoned Setiria.¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Do you even know about mind reading? Oh, I¡¯ll have to ask if you¡¯re using magic.¡± ¡°We didn¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°You should havee to see me.¡± ¡°What do you mean? About half a year ago, I went to see the Lord. Of course, I could not mention the name of the wizard, so I did not meet you.¡± ¡°¡­me?¡± Ruel was genuinely embarrassed. It was because he had no memory. But soon the corners of his mouth were raised. ¡®Mta, it¡¯s you.¡¯ Everyone who visited the Setiria must have been kicked out to erase the name Ruel Setiria. ¡®That¡¯s a bummer.¡¯ ¡°After half a year, I could not visit because of the person who is now working as a butler. You will know that we are wizards.¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t you get caught?¡± ¡°Because the Lord is going to die. Of course, that¡¯s why it doesn¡¯t matter now. So I came here myself.¡± ¡°Was it because of Carbena?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, she¡¯s the fucking bitch who cut off everything you have.¡± Drianna wrinkled her face and clenched her fists. ¡°We are the Knights of Magic, created exclusively for Ruel-nim. It is the only legacy that the Lord left behind that has not disappeared.¡± ¡°Made for me? Why?¡± The fact that Carbena was not seen in check was fine. But I didn¡¯t understand the story behind it. ¡°The Knights of the Magic nned to make their appearance five years ago. But it¡¯s all messed up because of Carbena.¡± Unlike the words which filled with anger, Ruel could not find any anger in Drianna¡¯s eyes who looking at him. The eyes were filled with endless gratitude. Ruel was embarrassed. There was no reason for her to look at him like that. ¡°First of all, I¡¯d like to apologize for having to give you limited information due to Mana¡¯s contract.¡± Ruel shut his mouth and waited for Drianna to speak. ¡°¡­Ruel-nim saved us all from the evil monster.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t tell you more, but it¡¯s all right because we remember the kindness we¡¯ve received from Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel tapped his knee with his finger. Things are getting more interesting. A wizard was needed for the escort, and to reveal Astell¡¯s mysterious power. Ruel didn¡¯t like them because they ran away when Setiria was in danger. ¡®Yes, if a man is in a hurry, he can run away. They say it¡¯s because of me that they ran away.¡¯ Ruel smiled softly. Setiria worked properly and could ept anything if could afford it. Besides, didn¡¯t they say that they received grace that they couldn¡¯t remember? I really want to praise the original Ruel from the novel. ¡°So what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ruel asked with a haughty look on his face like the first time. ¡°Please meet my master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± When he agreed, Drianna couldn¡¯t control her joy. ¡°Thank you very, very much.¡± ¡°By the way, it was Ma, not me, who drove you out. I couldn¡¯t even move from bed because I was terminally ill. Anyway, I¡¯m sorry about that.¡± Drip. Drip. Thick tears fell from Drianna¡¯s eyes. Ruel was very surprised. He knew Drianna would be surprised, but he didn¡¯t expect any crying. Drianna sat on the wagon as if she were falling, covering her face with her hands. ¡°¡­I haven¡¯t done anything for you yet. Not yet¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± Ruel sighed. ¡°I won¡¯t die, so stop there.¡± ¡°Ha, but it¡¯s incurable¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± I looked up and said in a firm voice. His body and voice had changed from then, but he was still himself. It hasn¡¯t changed. Even if Ruel doesn¡¯t remember, he remembers. ¡°I have to bring my Knights, so wait at the mansion. Astell¡¯s a good cook. So ask her to make something for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± ¡°When you¡¯re done crying,e out.¡± Ruel trembled and came down the wagon. ¡®Damn, why are the stools so wide?¡¯ By the time I thought that I should make the foothold tight, I heard Cassion¡¯s voice. ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I heard someone cry.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t cry.¡± Cassion looked at himself with a significant look. ¡°She cried when she found out I was terminally ill. Let¡¯s just eat. I¡¯ll bring the Knights.¡± ¡°In a word, you cheated her.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fool around here and prepare your meal.¡± Ruel brushed Cassion into the mansion. Listening to theughtering from behind, Ruel frowned. *** This time, unlikest time, I rode a wagon with shield patterns to the vige of Sisel. Everyone noticed it without having to be announced. The Lord is back. Setiria¡¯s owner is back. Ruel traveled beyond the vige of Sisel to the woods to greet his Knights, creating a tremendous sensation. Even though he was not a boy ying the flute, people followed him behind the carriage. ¡°You¡¯re very popr.¡± Ganien grinned at the window. ¡°You¡¯re here to see what the face of a damn beggar is like.¡± ¡°The people feel more sympathy rather than anger towards Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°It¡¯s because you can¡¯t swear directly.¡± Ruel chewed the cookies in a sour way. It was a snack made by Astell. It is not only melting in his mouth but also lightening his body. ¡°Oh, how about you guys eat these cookies?¡± ¡°Delicious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± At about the same time, Ruel asked again. ¡°Hmm, don¡¯t you feel healthy after eating?¡± ¡°Well, I guess so and I guess not.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t feel that way.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel smacked his lips. Poor bastards, not receiving the healing power of cooking. Ruel¡¯s mouth didn¡¯t stop moving until the carriage stopped. ¡°Stop eating and get off.¡± ¡°One more.¡± ¡°You¡¯re about to get off, so why don¡¯t you pop the cookie off your mouth?¡± Cassion¡¯s fingertips trembled a little as he looked at the crumbs on Ruel¡¯s mouth and clothes. He resisted the heat from the bottom of his heart and forced himself to smile. ¡°It¡¯s hard for you, too.¡± Ganien got out of the carriage first, looking pitifully at Cassion. ¡°What¡¯s the trouble?¡± Ruel snorted and ate another cookie before he got off the wagon holding Cassion¡¯s hand. ¡°He turned too quickly.¡± And in case Cassion might say something, he pointed to his chest before hitting the yer with a K.O. Ruel moving recklessly doesn¡¯t mean that the disease has gotten worse. Cassion looked at Ruel anxiously. ¡®I wonder why you looked at me like that, is it because I haven¡¯t given you the heirloom yet?¡¯ I¡¯ll give it to you as soon as I get back. Ruelughed as soon as his feet touched the ground. Boom. Boom. There was a loud sound on the floor. Even Ruel¡¯s mind became morefortable with the perfectly neat arrangement. All the clothes they wore were as shiny as a sword in their hand, even though they were worn out. Cheynol stood in front of them and looked at Ruel, bringing it up, which he had called hundreds, thousands of times. ¡°Setiria!¡± At the short, thick cry, all the knights standing behind them raised their fists and shouted. ¡°Setiria!¡± The more he screamed, the more heat swelled in his chest. In order to get rid of the shame he had in the past, Cheynol shouted louder. ¡°Setiria!¡± Ruel raised his hand. In an instant the forest became quiet. Looking at them, Ruel gave a simple order. ¡°Let¡¯s go back, my knights.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s reim what is mine!¡± Chapter 19: The Wizard Came (4) Chapter 19: The Wizard Came (4) ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed furiously when the carriage was just around the corner. My back bent down due to the pain, the cane was the only thing holding me up. ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m like this when I have to show off my confidence. Ruel coughed and stopped as Cassion prepared to receive vomit at any time. ¡°I¡¯m not throwing up.¡± ¡°Is that so? Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As I straightened my bowed waist, I could see everyone¡¯s worried gaze on me. ¡°The carriage is here.¡± Feeling burdened by the gaze, Ruel decided to board the wagon quickly. The new foothold was firm enough for me to climb on my own. Cassion, Ganien, and Ruel were seated in Setiria¡¯s undecorated, small carriage. Their carriage followed Drianna¡¯s wagon. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to overdo it?¡± Ganien asked bluntly. Ruel asked on the contrary. ¡°Why?¡± There are a lot of people who can do it. Ganien loosened his stiff face at the words. Ruel reached out to Cassion. The amount of snacks Astell made was sorge that I left it to him. Cassion said, taking out a basket. ¡°They also put in the akals they got from the kids.¡± ¡®Allergies and other things are said and it seems to work.¡¯ Crunch. The sound of cookies breaking filled the carriage. ¡®It¡¯s delicious.¡¯ *** Drianna¡¯s carriage stopped at the vige on the border between Setiria and Lumina. Cassion woke up Ruel. ¡°Ruel, you need to get up.¡± It had been a long time since Ruel was physically exhausted and fainted. As I struggled to open my eyes, the sky outside the window became dark. ¡°Have we arrived?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice was locked. ¡°I think you have a fever.¡± Ganien sensed the heat from Ruel¡¯s body. ¡°I have a fever if I overdo it, but it¡¯s still okay. If I get some rest, I¡¯ll fall off.¡± Knock. Knock. Ganien opened the carriage door. Right in front of the carriage door opened, Drianna smiled broadly and said, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± ¡°Wait a minute, please. Ruel hasn¡¯te to his senses yet.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, Drianna sped her hands tightly with a worried expression. ¡°I, I¡¯ll carry you.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± Ruel breathed heavily when he saw the turn. It¡¯s just that there was always a slight fever. But he was also busy. I got a little dizzy, so I got off the wagon with Cassion¡¯s support. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring you there by magic.¡± Drianna said in a fidgety way. Normally, it would be ignored by Ruel, but this time, there was a special word in there. ¡°Magic?¡± His interest was piqued. He had never seen magic. Ruel said, ¡°Try it.¡± ¡°Leave it to me!¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Then, Ganien and Cassion changed at the same time. Ruel¡¯s face frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you intend to use [Hold]?¡± Ganien stared at Drianna. She was intimidated and cringed. ¡°That¡¯s right. It is the most suitable magic for lifting objects or people.¡± ¡°Ruel¡¯s body won¡¯t be able to withstand the magic and will break.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hold.¡± It seemed that the word ¡®only¡¯ was omitted before Drianna¡¯s words. ¡°He¡¯s a sick Lord. Unlike [Hold] or anything, mana flows directly to Ruel, doesn¡¯t it? He will not be able to stand it.¡± Cassion exined politely. Drianna¡¯s eyes glistened. ¡°You mean he can¡¯t even hold on?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At those words, she looked at Ruel as if she had decided something. ¡°I¡¯ll make a new one for him. Please look forward to it.¡± ¡®¡­What?¡¯ Ruel wondered what was left out sharply. ¡°This way, my Lord.¡± When he saw the ring eyes of Drianna, Ruel decided to rx and wait. ¡®I¡¯m giving you a present, so you have to wait.¡¯ *** Drianna led us to an ordinary house in town. As soon as he entered, Ruel was stunned. Unlike the narrow buildings seen from the outside, the interior was spacious enough to be called a mansion. ¡°This is the magic my master has installed.¡± Drianna spoke with pride. ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Ruel thought he wanted to install it in his mansion. ¡°This way.¡± It was quiet enough to hear footsteps because it was only Ruel and his party walking around the building. ¡°Everyone is doing their own research. Time is precious.¡± ¡°Oh, Drianna.¡± ¡°Yes, My Lord?¡± When called by name, Drianna replied with delight. ¡°Will you show me the magic of the hold?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Cassion immediately stopped him. Ruel pointed to the pot. ¡°Not me. On that pot.¡± ¡°Anything is possible.¡± Drianna stood in front of the flowerpot. At that moment, the wind rose around her. A little twitch of light in her eyes rose, a small shimmer ured around her. ¡°Lend me your hand instead of mine.¡± The flutter moved around the flowerpot and floated in the air. ¡°Wow¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t help but admire. It was like a superpower. ¡°Great.¡± ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s magic that everyone can do.¡± ¡°Is that swaying thing a mana?¡± In response to Ruel¡¯s question, Drianna looked at herself, as if she was embarassed. Her eyes were shining brilliantly, as if she had found a gem. ¡°Can you see that?¡± ¡°The flutter from your body enveloped the pot.¡± ¡°So, is it true that you see it?¡± ¡°Yes. I see it.¡± Drianna was mixed with joy and sorrow, and made a strange look. ¡°Do you really see it?¡± asked Ganien. The expression was very serious. ¡®Can¡¯t I see it?¡¯ Ruel nodded reluctantly. Ganien shook his head from side to side as he looked at Drianna. ¡°What is it? I think it¡¯s mana.¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Ganien smiled mischievously. I couldn¡¯t see the slightest willingness to answer. When I saw Cassion, he turned his head awkwardly. ¡°Drianna.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll show you around.¡± Seeing her running away, Ruel became irritated. ¡®What is it?¡¯ Tak. The cane sounded unusually loud. It¡¯s got to be loud because it¡¯s filled with irritation. Drianna stopped in front of a room. She looked atr Ruel¡¯s expression and carefully spoke her words out. ¡°Please, please meet my Master. He has locked himself in the room.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°The Master, from the day you were kicked out of the family, he was shocked and has locked himself up in the room.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take him out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Because there¡¯s a magic barrier.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be worse off.¡± ¡°Only the Lord can do it. It¡¯s a chain that only those who have Setiria¡¯s bloodline can pass through.¡± Ruel picked his ear for a moment, wondering if he heard something wrong. ¡°My master, that is, the formermander of the Magic Knights, is the Lord¡¯s uncle.¡± ¡°¡­¡­ha.¡± Ruel automaticallyughed with ridicule because he had no good memories with those named Setiria. ¡®I¡¯ll have to pray that this is a good person this time.¡¯ I must have the Magic Knights of Setiria. There was no choice. If it was the same character as Carbena, it might be a trap in itself. Ruel put his hand on his chest andughed. ¡®It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m not dying.¡¯ Then he took a step forward, talked to them in a bitter way, and went into the room. ¡°Let¡¯s at least take a look.¡± *** As soon as I stepped inside, I covered my mouth. The smell of flowers was so strong that I felt like throwing up. The room looked more like a forest than a room. The whole room was full of flowers, including white flower trees, red flower trees, yellow flowers, and blue flowers. ¡®Is it a fantasy or another space?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t tell it apart. I just wanted to meet my uncle and leave right away. Tak.Tak The sound of the cane echoed in the air. It was a sound that should not be made when a cane struck the soil. ¡®Is this a fantasy?¡¯ Ruel took a step forward. It was because he knew that he would reach the end of this room. This was fantasy magic and carelessly thinking about it wouldn¡¯t let him find a way out of this room. It was better to move around. Because he was sure he would get it. About ten stepster, I heard a sound from the left. ¡®A male voice?¡¯ Ruel picked up the direction and went through the flowers. No wonder I felt nauseous. ¡®I don¡¯t feel good.¡¯ It was different from the throbbing that I felt because of the disease. After walking for a while, I saw a man among the flowers. With his neatly cut hair and beard than he had expected, he didn¡¯t look like someone who had been stuck in a room for years. There were two graves in front of him, and he was just about to offer flowers on them. Ruel made a sound and proceeded, but the man did not even respond. Looking at one of the tombs, Ruel flinched. His own name was written on it. ¡®I feel bad.¡¯ Ruel clicked his tongue. ¡°I¡¯m not dead.¡± The man reacted to the voice. He turned his head away from cing the flower. Ruel said, looking at the blue flowers that were trodden under his feet. ¡°¡­that¡¯s my brother¡¯s favorite flower.¡± The man soonughed, as if he didn¡¯t see Ruel. ¡°I was in phantasmagoria, and it looks like I had hallucinations.¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria is not dead.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± ¡°Come out, Uncle.¡± The man got up from his seat with his mouth open and approached Ruel with difficulty as if he had just started walking. He reached out and put his hand on Ruel¡¯s shoulder. I felt a tremor. The man¡¯s eyes quickly turned red. ¡°Is it Rue-¡­ l? It¡¯s not a hallucination, is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a hallucination. It¡¯s not an illusion.¡± ¡°Hah, can you confirm one thing for me?¡± A throbbing appeared within his body. As soon as it spread to himself, something poured down. It was blood, too red. Ruel copsed helplessly, feeling the pain of his whole body. ¡°¡­Ah.¡± The man did not receive the falling Ruel. The blood sttered on his hand was hot. The illusion disappeared at that moment. The only thing left in the room was himself and the fallen Ruel. Only then did Ruel¡¯s condition be visible. The man was screaming and hugged Ruel. ¡°Ahhhh!¡± He stormed out of the room that had been stuck for years. *** Whizz. A loud noise echoed in my ears as if someone was running a vacuum cleaner. Ruel couldn¡¯t resist the sound and opened his eyes. ¡®I¡¯ve never seen this ceiling before¡¯ I blinked and my whole body throbbed and frowned. Doesn¡¯t it seem like I¡¯ve got a flu? When I opened my mouth to find Cassion, it was not the sound but the ck blood. ¡°Whew.¡± It was not until it poured out twice as much as usual that the buzzing sound stopped. Ruel was exhausted and fell back on the pillow. ¡°¡­are you all right?¡± Only then did I hear it clearly. Cassion¡¯s voice was full of worries as usual. Ruel turned his eyes and looked at Cassion. Behind him, even Ganien spoke with an anxious look on his face. ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Why¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t speak well because my voice was hoarse. I wanted to ask you why you¡¯re here. ¡°That idiot blew a lot of mana into you.¡± Ganien looked at someone. When Ruel turned his head around, there was a man with swollen eyes. ¡®Is that Ruel¡¯s uncle?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯m d Cassion was holding the finest potion just in time. Otherwise¡­¡± While talking, Ganien looked at the man furiously. How angry he must have forgotten to be polite. ¡®A potion?¡¯ Potion was the only wound recovery medicine in the ¡®SSS-ss Knight.¡¯ It works well depending on the grade, but it was ineffective on diseases and only worked on external wounds. When Ruel saw Cassion, he lifted his index finger and put it around his mouth. I realized that he said so because he did not want to say anything about the power of recovery. Instead of words, Ruel blinked his eyes and replied that he knew. ¡°It¡¯s been about two days.¡± ¡®The power of recovery, of course.¡¯ ¡°Maybe it¡¯s better to say that your whole body, uh, copsed because of Mana, or split up. I don¡¯t know. Anyway, it was the worst because you had blood all over your body.¡± ¡®¡­ Also the power of recovery.¡¯ Gulp. Ruel swallowed his saliva for no reason. ¡®Wait a minute¡­¡¯ Isn¡¯t this what happened because of the swaying thing that the man sent to him? In other words, the swaying thing was Mana and he could see Mana himself. Ruel couldn¡¯t stop his frown. ¡°Are you sick?¡± ¡°¡­uh.¡± I closed my eyes answering Cassion¡¯s question. It hurts. I was heartbroken because my chance to be an archmage just flew away. Chapter 20: Knock. Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? Chapter 20: Knock. Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? ¡®Damn body!¡¯ He recalled Ganien¡¯s words that his bowl wasrge, but he could not contain it because the bowl was too weak. ¡®The Archmage¡­¡¯ Ruel suddenly opened his eyes with chills while swearing at his body. ¡°Do you know that you just tried to kill your nephew with your own hands?¡± Ganien suddenly jumped at the man in anger. Caught by the cor, he bowed his head like a sinner, and Drianna, standing next to him, could not stop him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Do you know how long Ruel fought alone, holding on to that body, while you were locked up?¡± The man¡¯splexion simply turned pale. ¡°He walked for the first time in five years.¡± The man looked up at Ruel, raising his bowed head. On the face of guilt, Ruel¡¯s face showed nothing. ¡°Water,¡± Ruel said. Cassion got up and went outside. ¡°Stop it, Ganien.¡± Even though it was a small sound, Ganien let go of his hand and pushed the man away. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk to you.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay.¡± Ganien and Drianna went outside. Ruel inhaled Breath with trembling hands. The man looked at the Breath. ¡°That Breath¡­ Are you not getting any rest?¡± ¡°After we finished our conversation.¡± Ruel checked his breath as he returned and pointed to the chair next to him. ¡°Sit down.¡± The man didn¡¯te up to me in a hurry. ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m tired.¡± Only then did the man rush and sit down. He rolled his eyes around, anxious like a person sitting in a chair for the first time. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°¡­ But,¡± ¡°I¡¯m alive and I¡¯m not dead, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­you¡¯re right.¡± Feeling like he¡¯s not referring to this one, Ruel asked. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Everything¡­¡± For a moment, Ruel noticed. A man named Ruel¡¯s uncle had a great deal of guilt on him. It was roughly expected. Maybe he could have saved Ruel¡¯s parents, but he couldn¡¯t save them, and he could have stopped them when Ruel was kicked out. I wondered why, but I didn¡¯t need to know. ¡°Forget about the past.¡± By forgetting the past, that man could not be bound by the past. And cover the past so that he can get his hands on the Knights of the Magic. The man made eye contact with Ruel for the first time. Ruelughed when he saw the eyes of a man full of fire. His eyes are not dead yet. ¡°Can you protect me this time?¡± That man couldn¡¯t protect Ruel¡¯s parents or Ruel, but he had to protect himself. I¡¯ve given him a chance. A man must hold his hand because he has lost everything. The swollen man¡¯s eyes turned red again. Ruel reached out his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s say hello. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Introduce yourself. The act of sharing names with people you meet for the first time. Ruelpletely covered the past. The man bit his lips hard. No matter how ugly you are, you can¡¯t even show tears to your nephew. ¡°My name is Tyson Setiria.¡± Ruel held his skinny hand. ¡°Can you protect me this time, Uncle?¡± Ruel raised the same question as before. He, who was a child, had grown up with adult eyes. In the past, Tyson was nearing thepletion of his research, and everything happened so he could save no one. He ran away like that. If he had known, he would have run right away to study or whatever. If it were, my brother would have been alive, and Ruel would still have the eyes of a child. Even now, the regrets remain. However¡­ Tyson closed and opened his eyes. He was like my son. He almost killed such a child with his own hands. He got down on his knees and bowed his head. ¡°I will protect you even if I have to give up my life.¡± He made a pact of mana himself. This was like atonement for the past and amitment to protecting Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s done. I don¡¯t want anything grandiose like that.¡± Ruel reacted sullenly. Even if Tyson didn¡¯t risk his life, Cassion was next to him. Tysonughed silently. The smile seemed somehow aloof. ¡°I just need you to do a few things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°You say a few things, but it¡¯s not a few things, right? It was like that when you were a kid.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t say, ¡®You can do it indefinitely.¡¯ Cough, cough.¡± Tyson stood up at Ruel¡¯s cough. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°What kind of disease do you have? Can you tell me¡­?¡± Ruel was puzzled by the careful question. ¡°Isn¡¯t it from childhood?¡± ¡°You were healthy when you were young. You don¡¯t know how much my heart shrunk when I heard that you got sick and kicked out.¡± ¡®I was healthy when I was young?¡¯ Ruel had doubts. Ruel Setiria, what a sick nobleman. ¡®Did he get sick from when he was kicked out?¡¯ Carbena and Ma tried to take advantage of the bottle. In other words, it wasn¡¯t them who made him sick. ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t believe it.¡± As the long silence continued, Tyson sat down sullenly again. ¡°It must sound like an excuse because even after that, I didn¡¯t look for you. However¡­ ¡± ¡°I believe you.¡± Ruel cut off the conversation, fearing it would take a long time. Tyson smiled and moved his mouth without noticing it. ¡°Yes, what do you have to ask of me?¡± ¡°Come back to Setiria.¡± ¡°Will you ept me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your disciple, but set aside your time to teach someone anyway. I want to ask you one thing right now.¡± As Tyson looked surprised, Ruel smiled palely and said, ¡°Now cover up the past.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I¡¯ll do that.¡± Tyson clenched Ruel¡¯s hands. ¡°Tell me what you need to do right now.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion brought two cups of water and a small basin. ¡°Show him the cookies.¡± ¡°All right.¡± When Ruel rinsed his mouth with water and watered his dry mouth, Cassion took a basket out of his pocket and handed over several cookies to Tyson. Tyson¡¯s eyes changed when he received cookies. The light was hovering in his eyes. ¡°Where did you get it?¡± ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± ¡°Every time, what do you call this? The power of healing or regeneration? Well, that¡¯s what¡¯s in it anyway.¡± Tyson said. ¡®As expected.¡¯ Ruelughed. ¡°It¡¯s a very small amount, but it¡¯s great. How could you put this power into a cookie?¡± ¡°Di-d you say a small amount?¡± ¡°Yes, I need to look into it more, but if it wasn¡¯t for trace amounts, it would have been a great discovery.¡± ¡°It worked for me.¡± Excited, Tyson¡¯s face darkened sharply. ¡°Did, did it work?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°So this is¡­ I¡¯ll have to do more research, but the power that lies here is¡­ It has the power of regeneration that restores it to its original state. If it¡¯s working for you, it means you¡¯re not in that good condition¡­ .¡± He started talking more and more. In the end, Ruel¡¯s poor condition meant that Astell¡¯s strength in the cookie was greatly exerted. ¡®I feel bad, but if it works.¡¯ Ruel ate a cookie as if he was satisfied. He felt refreshed as soon as he ate the cookie. ¡®This is the best.¡¯ ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me what kind of disease you have?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t die. Anyway, I asked for it.¡± Ruel got out of bed. There was no problem getting up, even though it was a little staggering. Cassion immediately handed over the cane to Ruel. I wanted to lie down a little longer, but I was busy on my way. ¡®I can restter.¡¯ Tak. Tak Feeling a familiar touch, Ruel moved his cane. ¡°Rue-, Ruel¡­!¡± ¡°Go back to Setiria first.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not well yet! You need to rest!¡± Ignoring Tyson¡¯s words from behind, Ruel stepped out of the room. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too much to move already?¡± Ganien leaned against the wall and asked. ¡°I¡¯ll rest in the carriage. It¡¯d be frustrating to stay here all the time.¡± ¡°Ruel!¡± The door opened hard and Tyson rushed out. There was a pretty thick tingle around him. His bloodshot eyes didn¡¯t look normal. ¡®I¡¯m gonna have to take it off.¡¯ Because he had lost hisposure, Ruel understood his earnestness. But it was difficult when that heart led to obsession. He should have been fine now. ¡°I can¡¯t send you out like this. If I lose you too¡­ I am, I am¡­¡± ¡°Ganien, have you ever faced a wizard?¡± ¡°Of course I have.¡± Ganien pulled out his sword. His smile was already prevalent as if his body was itching for a fight. ¡°He¡¯s my uncle, so please be polite.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do enough to get his act together.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Cassion.¡± Cassion stood behind Ruel and followed him. Clink! When Drianna, who brought the tea, saw the confrontation between Tyson and Ganien, she was startled and broke the teacup and kettle. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s going on?¡± Drianna asked in dismay. ¡°His uncle doesn¡¯t want to let his nephew go because he cares too much.¡± ¡°¡­ You can¡¯t move yet!¡± ¡°Drianna.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Ganien will take care of himself, but just in case, evacuate the neighborhood. Oh, he¡¯ll lose, so I¡¯ll call a doctor.¡± Drianna knew that the Blue Knight was famous. However, it was embarrassing to easily dere the defeat of her master, the Knight of the Magic. Ruelughed. Like a man who knows everything ahead of time. Drianna couldn¡¯t bring it up when she saw the smile. She just stared nkly at Ruel¡¯s back. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much?¡± Cassion smiled lightly and said. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Yes, the wizard has lost his mind, and Ganien is strong.¡± ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no easier prey than a mad wizard. In my experience, I think it¡¯ll be over in five minutes.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± To Cassion, shrugging his shoulders, Ruel smiled and headed for the carriage. About five minutester, Ganien got on the wagon. ¡°Did it take long?¡± Considering the time it took to get to the carriage, it meant that it was settled in at least three minutes. ¡®It¡¯s a monster, a monster.¡¯ ¡°Uncle?¡± ¡°He cried.¡± ¡°Did you hit him enough to make him cry?¡± Ruel asked with a grin. Then Ganien voiced his voice as if he was falsely used. ¡°No way, I just spoke politely, with a sword. I¡¯m not good at talking.¡± He must have been a huge fan. With his asional satisfactory face, Ruel didn¡¯t want to hear any more of it. ¡°Is there any damage to the surroundings?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s rude.¡± Isn¡¯t it rude to beat people? Ruel suppressed the question and leaned against the carriage. ¡°¡­ I want him to know.¡± That he¡¯s busy. ¡°He¡¯ll know. That¡¯s why he cried.¡± Ganien calmly frowned. He and Cassion looked at each other with warm eyes. It was just the expression of looking at his nephew, who was just for his uncle, with a happy expression. It was so offensive that Ruel quietly covered my mouth. ¡®¡­ I can¡¯t say I saw Tyson for the first time today.¡¯ The carriage moved quietly. *** Knock. Knock. ¡°Young master.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man spoke bluntly. His blush was red, and his whole body smelled of alcohol. The servant carefully opened the door, shrugged once, and entered the room only after confirming that the owner was not throwing a drink. With a very nervous expression, the servant spoke to the owner who had been drunk since broad daylight. ¡°The Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom hase to see the young master.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± The man put down the ss he was going to drink. ¡°A little while ago, the Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom came to see you.¡± ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Suddenly, heughed hysterically and the servant trembled. Then he rolled his eyes around to avoid things that mighte at any moment. ¡°Are you crazy?¡± The man had a straight face in an instant. ¡°Why would the Blue Knighte to see me?¡± Although he was the eldest son of the Lumina family, he was wretched and fell behind the ranks. No one didn¡¯t know about it. And the famous knight of the Cyronian came to find himself? It was a really bad joke. The man tried to throw a ss of alcohol. If it wasn¡¯t for the urgent word of the servant. ¡°And there was someone next to him.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± In response to the servant¡¯s answer, he shook the ss he was about to throw, shot the servant a look once, and drank. ¡®Is it simr to them?¡¯ A year ago, some strange people came to see him. They said that if he granted them one request, they would make him the sessor right away. He kicked them out, dismissing them as crazy people. ¡®The knight, the Blue Knight, came to me. With someone next to him?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know the answer at all. The man kicked his tongue and said. ¡°Bring them in.¡± *** ¡°Come in.¡± The servant opened the door politely. ¡°I¡¯d like your name.¡± Ruel spoke with pleasure while talking to Ganien. For himself, Ruel couldn¡¯t mention his name, because he had to work hard to rebuild Setiria. The servant looked at the sickly-looking boy speaking vaguely with the Blue Knight and had his doubts. ¡°Could you please guide me?¡± Cassion said, enjoying the gaze of the servant who looked at them here and there. ¡°This way please.¡± As Ruel approached the room where Lumina¡¯s eldest son, Hale Lumina, smelled strongly of alcohol. ¡®He¡¯s a nobleman who drinks all day.¡¯ Ruel knew this sort of thing. There was a strong feeling of a spoiled man in web novels. As the door opened, he saw a man whose face was flushed red. Seeing and greeting his guests was not even expected in the first ce. Even though they came, Ruel thought the three-year-old had a higher insight into drinking. A maniac shouldn¡¯t be treated as a normal person. It was all wrong from beginning to end. Chapter 21: Knock, Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? (2) Chapter 21: Knock, Did You Come to Pay Off Your Debt? (2) ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Hale did not even make eye contact with Ruel¡¯s group and suddenly treated them like dirt. The sight made the servant restless. ¡°Get out.¡± Ruel sent him away. ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Cassion closed the door and stood in front of him. ¡°Hey.¡± He didn¡¯t act like a human, so he called Hale like an animal. ¡°Are you¡­?¡± Hale quickly grabbed the ss and threw it at Ruel. However, the ss of wine, let alone the drink in the ss, did not reach Ruel. Boom! It was Hale who rolled the floor. Ganien grabbed the ss at the same time as he held him in. Ganien waved his hand with a ss and introduced himself with a smile on Hale. ¡°Ganien Croft, the Blue Knight of the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to introduce yourself.¡± Ruel sat in the chair where Hale sat and looked down at him. ¡°Hey.¡± Hale grabbed his kicked chin and looked at Ruel. Because he had been humiliated like this by a guy who was less than a fist, his anger was boiling. ¡°You crazy thing!¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s crazy. Now, I¡¯m gonna say something very important. You have to listen carefully.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and smiled at Hale. ¡°You lent me a lot of money to get Setiria. I don¡¯t think it came out of your head. Who did you hear that from?¡± ¡°¡­ What, are you from Setiria? Why, are you scared?¡± Upon learning the identity of Ruel¡¯s party, Hale began to act as if he had put aside the upper hand. Ruel asked again. ¡°Who told you that?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve had a hard time getting there. So, I¡¯ll give you more interest.¡± Haleughed at Ruel with a scornfulugh. Ruel also smiled at Hale, pitifully. ¡°Interest? Debt? You don¡¯t know the situation yet.¡± ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°You touched your father¡¯s money, and you lent it to Ma. Mta died of treason.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°You lent money to someone who rebelled¡­ Isn¡¯t that very suspicious, Ganien?¡± ¡°Thews vary from country to country, but taking part in treason is obviously treason.¡± Ruelughed, perhaps pleased with Ganien¡¯s answer. ¡°What, what are you talking about?¡± Hale asked. ¡°Crazy? Oh, I didn¡¯t introduce myself. I am Ruel Setiria, the Lord of Setiria.¡± Hale snapped and stopped as if time had stopped for a moment. Even the same aristocrat knows well that there is a difference between the family head and nobility. Hisplexion soon turned pale, reflecting on how arrogant he had been. Ruel ordered. ¡°Lower your head for your lord.¡± ¡°Sir, that was only a slip of the tongue!¡± Perhaps he was sober at once, Hale got up in ce and bowed his head to Ruel. ¡°I am Hale Lumina, the eldest son of the Lumina family.¡± ¡°No, your introduction is wrong. You¡¯re a traitor.¡± Despite Ruel¡¯s ridicule, all Hale could do was to think hard. Didn¡¯t he know he just stole his father¡¯s money? But treason. That stupid Ma did that? He resented his head for not working well because it was dangerous to raise the word treason recklessly. ¡°You wonder why I came here?¡± Thump-thump. His heart beat so fast that Hale was suffocating. ¡°Have you been ying well with Setiria until now? It must have been fun and has been different from the reality of being the eldest and crawling behind the ranks.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. ¡°For-forgive me¡­¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion took out the copied documents and put them on the table. ¡°Read it carefully and try it.¡± The scoundrel was not a man. The scoundrel who touched Setiria wasn¡¯t even human. Ruel headed to the door to the sound of a cane. ¡°Well, hold on a second!¡± Hale¡¯s voice calling for Ruel and his hands trembled. His body staggered. ¡°Forgive me!¡± I kicked the weirdos out, but I made a joke out of what they alluded to. ¡®Because I had nothing to lose.¡¯ But it wasn¡¯t true. Tak.Tak. I still had something to lose. ¡°Lo-Lord!¡± The name of a nobleman. Even that is likely to be lost. Ruel stopped for a moment and saw Hale pouring tears and a runny nose. ¡°My Lord, I, I¡¯m foolish¡­¡± ¡°What would you be if you lost the name of a noble? Are you penniless?¡± The door closed with Ruel¡¯s sneer, which filled the room. Hale just copsed. *** ¡°Are you going to finish it here?¡± At Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel freaked out. ¡°What do you mean, I¡¯m gonna put a debt on it.¡± If the child did something wrong, shouldn¡¯t he go to his parents? ¡®And his parents are also guilty.¡¯ If the family head didn¡¯t know that his son was stealing his property, he was disqualified as a family head. I¡¯m sure he didn¡¯t touch it on purpose because things are going well. ¡®That¡¯s the parents, that¡¯s the son.¡¯ If you owe me this much, you won¡¯t have to eye on Setiria anymore. ¡°Ganien, I¡¯ll have to borrow your name again.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be so famous.¡± Ganienughed yfully. *** ¡°Wee, Blue Knight. I¡¯m familiar with your activities. You¡¯re¡­ ¡° Lumina¡¯s Lord, Corrence Lumina, greeted Ganien with great pleasure. Soon he turned his head and looked at Ruel and Cassion alternately, and his eyes fixed on Cassion. ¡®Ha, I¡¯m a nobody. Is this it?¡¯ At best it was a servant¡¯s look. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and looked at Corrence. He looked kind, but his son could tell him that there were thousands of needles in it. Ruel approached Corrence first and reached out his hand. ¡®Cause you did it first.¡¯ Insolent. I felt like I was going tough because I wanted to shout it out right away. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°¡­what did you say?¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria, Corrence.¡± For a moment, Corrence¡¯s eyes lit up with embarrassment. What kind of embarrassment was that Ruel had no way of knowing. ¡°Ruel Setiria¡­?¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± It seemed that it took quite a long time to get the old name out of his head, so Ruel was willing to show a broad mind. ¡°I¡¯m Ruel Setiria, the Lord of Setiria.¡± A boy who looked like he¡¯s about to fall over as he¡¯s blue and young. Corrence couldn¡¯t control his emotions and looked at Ganien. ¡°Yes. This is the Lord of Setiria, Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Huh, I¡¯m sorry about this. I didn¡¯t know if it was because the world was dark. Good to see you, Ruel.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, we came here for each other today without revealing our names.¡± ¡°Come this way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait here.¡± This time Cassion couldn¡¯t follow in. He was attentively out of sight. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Ruel broached the word and followed Corrence. ¡°What about the tea?¡± Leading to the room, Corrence still suggested in a gracious voice. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine, too.¡± When the two refused, Corrence sent the servant out. ¡°Did youe to see me for something important?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a long story, so I¡¯ll make it short. Your son hasmitted treason.¡± At the end of Ruel¡¯s words, Ganien handed out the documents from Cassion to Corrence. ¡°Ruel, treason! This is not something to say lightly!¡± ¡°I swear on the name of Ruel¡¯s best friend and Blue Knight, that it is true.¡± Because he sold his name at the right moment, Corrence had to get the paperwork without much fuss. There would have been no excuse to make a fuss about the fact that the Blue Knight¡¯s words were true. As he was reading the papers, Corrence was astonished as if he had seen it for the first time and even his hands trembled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I raised my son wrong.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel let out a ridiculousugh. It was so funny to see him trying to lower his crime, saying he raised his son wrong. ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t, I still can¡¯t believe it.¡± The kindness disappeared from Corrence¡¯s face, and a viper took its ce. ¡°The family head. Isn¡¯t it your responsibility that you didn¡¯t even know you saw this?¡± ¡°Responsibility, that¡¯s a good thing. Then you have to take responsibility, too.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m guilty of raising my son wrong, I¡¯ll dly ept it.¡± ¡°Ganien, take out one more.¡± How would you have prepared just one in front of a poisonous snake? Ganien pulled out one more document and handed it over. ¡°Here¡¯s proof that your son left your safe unattended even though he confirmed it.¡± Correnceughed. ¡°Only¡­¡± ¡°Also, proof that you know how your son spends his money and neglects it. Ah, your son stole it. Evidence that you put more money into the fund.¡± It was him who made it, but it was Cassion who did all this. It was obvious how overworked his guild members must have been. Corrence¡¯s face hardened. He looked at Ruel as if he had seen a ghost. The evidence that he thought had definitely been eliminated made him feel embarrassed. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Pretend you didn¡¯t owe me anything, and a mana contract that you will never cross Setiria again. The knight next to you will confirm.¡± ¡°Will that be all?¡± ¡°No, I need you to do one more thing. You will not retaliate against Setiria for this. Of course, with the Mana contract.¡± Corrence¡¯s lips trembled. A vein ran down his neck, and his eyes widened. But he persevered. His treason was by sit-in. Isn¡¯t it cheap for the price of his life as branch families? He opened his mouth consoling himself. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± ¡°Very good.¡± Ruelughed spitefully as he inhaled Breath. Corrence signed a memorandum of renunciation of debt and two mana contracts. ¡°Exactly both times, we signed a contract normally.¡± At Ganien¡¯s words, Ruel rose from his seat. I didn¡¯t want to be in a ce like this anymore. But I smiled leisurely, holding a cane like an aristocrat. ¡°It¡¯s meant to be, so let¡¯s be friends.¡± At least you won¡¯t get bitten because you¡¯ve put a leash on a noisy crying beast. ¡°Thanks.¡± Ruel thanked Ganien. ¡°You love to say thank you so much.¡± The two went around the way they came. Cassion asked, looking at Ruel¡¯s bright face. ¡°You must have finished it well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s thanks to you. Thanks.¡± ¡°¡­ Well, I¡¯m d it was helpful.¡± Cassion smiled awkwardly, as it was a little harsh to say thank you. ¡®It seems like most of my guild members have been stabbed.¡¯ At least he confirmed that he had a conscience. Ruel has now safely crossed a bridge, but he thought that he had to somehowpensate the guild members of Cassion because he had helped him so far. ¡°Let¡¯s have a meal.¡± But the meal came first now. Ruel spoke pleasantly. *** When he had to eat the dishes Cassion had made outside, Ruel burst into discontent. ¡°If you do something wrong, you¡¯ll really die.¡± It was not until Cassion gave a fierce warning that he took a step back. It was not good for my health to go to a ce where many people go, so I got a room and started eating there. It was delicious, but I didn¡¯t feel good, so I stared at the dishes of Ganien and Cassion. ¡°I envy you.¡± ¡°The food I made tastes better.¡± Cassion quietly boasted of his cooking skills. ¡°It¡¯s just that I feel like it.¡± ¡°Are we going straight to the Shio family?¡± Ganien asked a question and immediately put a juicy steak in his mouth. ¡®Oh, I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ He was eating meat, but originally, other people¡¯s rice cakes looked bigger. T/N: Other people¡¯s rice cakes look bigger means a person does not always seem more appealing than the things he or she does have. He looked at the steak, putting the meat in his mouth as if it was a crisis. ¡°Ruel?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going right away.¡± ¡°Well, is there a stop somewhere?¡± ¡°There is, the Adventurer Guild.¡± ¡°Would you like to be an adventurer?¡± Cassion brought it up as a joke. It was because I thought there was no reason to go to the Adventurer Guild even though I was confident. ¡°How did you know?¡± Ruel was a little surprised. ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Looking at the startled pair, Ruel raised his lips yfully. ¡°Are you going to be an adventurer?¡± Chapter 22: One by one Chapter 22: One by one ¡°That¡¯s an interesting joke.¡± Ganien took the steak unpeeled fork into his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s a very, very funny joke.¡± Cassion smiled and inserted a knife into the chicken leg. Even I want to apud him for his neat workmanship. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding.¡± When the two denied it more than expected, Ruel became more serious. ¡°I¡¯m going to be a real adventurer.¡± ¡°Are you crazy¡­?¡± His heart probably hurt, Cassion said with a sharp edge. ¡°Listen till the end.¡± Ruel wiped my mouth and inhaled Breath. ¡°I need a fake identity to get aroundfortably outside. For that reason, the status of an adventurer is pretty good.¡± ¡°Where and how long are you trying to get around?¡± ¡°Cassion, when my name is mentioned, what kind of modifier is usually attached to it?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a disease-rted modifier.¡± Ruel flicked his finger lightly into the ss. ¡°Setiria isn¡¯t ready yet. I¡¯m going to do something different, and I¡¯ll get attention every time¡­ I¡¯ll be swept away, for sure.¡± ¡°Are you saying you need a fake identity to go unnoticed?¡± ¡°No, you have to say that it was me when Setiria stood up. Why would you waste that opportunity?¡± ¡°Are you going to lead a double life?¡± Ganien looked at Ruel with interested eyes. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Right, a double life.¡± Cassion¡¯s sigh was followed by Ruel¡¯s answer. Ganien sat deep in his chair, folded his arms, and said. ¡°Isn¡¯t that bad? Clearly, as you said, Ruel, there¡¯s no way Setiria deserves the attention. It¡¯s time to solidify it.¡± ¡°As expected, my best friend.¡± ¡°That¡¯s it, and how crazy are you thinking of needing a fake identity?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ruel really didn¡¯t know either. He was just being prepared because he didn¡¯t know. Don¡¯t be swept away until Setiria hardens. ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡¯m asking you just in case. Do the adventurer titles include me and Ganien?¡± ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t even fight. Let¡¯s get on your back.¡± Cassion was speechless because he spoke so confidently. Then, Ganien tapped the table. ¡°Okay, I think it¡¯s going to be fun, so I¡¯ll cooperate.¡± I was thinking he¡¯d be happy to allow it. Isn¡¯t there a lot of fighting because of his job as an adventurer? Being able to get out of the mold of being a knight would be pretty liberating. Ruel smiled and looked at Cassion. ¡°The majority have agreed, so you¡¯ll have to follow, right?¡± ¡°An adventurer is certainly free. But do you know that you need the right identity to be an adventurer?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Are you going to keep your mouth shut?¡± Feeling Ganien¡¯s stinging gaze, Ruel immediately shook his head. Ruel coughed out and said, ¡°Why are you so ferocious? We can find a guild of adventurers we can trust.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy for you to say.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡± Ruel grinned and raised the corners of his mouth. *** A shield pattern appeared on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand to prove that he was the Lord of Setiria. The guild leader, called the ¡®Hand of the Wind,¡¯ was stunned and copsed backward. ¡°Will you believe it now?¡± ¡°Forgive this old man¡¯s insolence.¡± The guild leader stepped out from behind his desk and gave Ruel a polite bow. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, so give me an ID to prove myself to be an adventurer.¡± ¡°Lo, Lord, How would I dare to deny the Lord¡¯s help? I will make it right away.¡± Ruel looked at Cassion, coughing. Seeing him startled and astonished, he felt relieved. ¡°How the hell did you know?¡± I didn¡¯t mean to tell you, so I kept smiling. Hand of the Wind Guild. It was originally a guild with the greatest adventurers. However, it declined dramatically due to its misced connection with the Barons. He came here because he knew that they would grab his hand if they knew he was a nobleman. Isn¡¯t it a way to help with joy, to be guaranteed an adventurer¡¯s status, and to keep a secret? ¡°What do you want your name to be?¡± At the question of the guild leader, Ruel looked at them. Ruel had a name already set. ¡°I¡¯ll just go with Cassion. I don¡¯t care if I get more jobs.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with Gaff.¡± ¡°Yes, Cassion and Gaff. What name would you like, Lord?¡± ¡°Han, let¡¯s go with that name.¡± Kim Han. Before I knew it, it was his real name. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll make it for you in a minute.¡± ¡°The ce of birth will be decided by you ording to your name.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel and his party took the adventurer ID card as soon as it was made. They got a bronze rank, because they were beginners who didn¡¯t take any quest. ¡°A person named Han, do you know anyone with that name?¡± ¡®A quick-witted guy.¡¯ After a brief bite of solitude, Cassion didn¡¯t miss the gap. ¡°You don¡¯t have to remember.¡± ¡°All right.¡± It was okay not to remember. There¡¯s no possibility of him bing Kim Han again. Ruel grabbed the cane hard and rxed his hands. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Now I¡¯m used to the chest pain caused by coughing and wheezing. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± There was a ce to stop before punishing the Barons. But I didn¡¯t tell the two where to go. It was because I had to pretend it was a chance meeting. *** The name of the Baron that afflicts the Hand of the Wind Guild is Matyros Henya. His money situation had be very urgent because he got into debt while gambling. He ran the Adventurer¡¯s Guild before he owed money, but he didn¡¯t have much fun because of the Hand of the Wind Guild. How mean it would be. Some work well and some don¡¯t in the same area. When that anger piled up, eventually people would bet on tricks. If you entrust the Hand of the Wind Guild with a usible quest called a top escort, and when the quest ispleted, you say, ¡®Hey, the thing is gone.¡¯ The Hand of the Wind Guild imed that the goods had not disappeared, and the rumor had already spread while its client, Matyros, imed that they had disappeared citing fabrication. In the end, the Hand of the Wind Guild wept and confessed to it, but it was not enough to catch the widespread rumors. ¡®If a person who was originally good doesn¡¯t do it once, it¡¯s a big deal.¡¯ Ruel saw the sign in front of him. Matyros Guild. It was a guild named after him. ¡°That¡¯s interesting.¡± Ganien showed his surprise. Because he didn¡¯t know that he woulde to the base right away. ¡°It¡¯s not new, it¡¯s ridiculous. What are you thinking? You¡¯re not going to ask me something out of the blue, are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see what it looks like. Wow, look at the building. He pped it on with money.¡± The signboard was decorated with gold, so it stood out from afar. To be honest, I didn¡¯t intend to get this close, but I wondered how much money the inside of the building was painted with. ¡®Not now, but I¡¯lle byter.¡¯ ¡°¡­ Are you interested?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯ve never seen it before.¡± Yeah. Cassion watched Ruel with a sharp edge and soon calmed down. He forgot that Ruel was still excited about life outside. How amazing everything must be since he had been living in a mansion for several years. ¡°You can¡¯t go inside.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ruel walked slowly, pretending to be watching. It wasn¡¯t just to make an adventurer ID card that allowed me to work in the Hand of the Wind Guild. It was to have a future escort to protect the adventurer guild and Ruel. Ruel walked toward an alley where a wagon could barely fit. That was the Matyros Guild building, so I thought the two would not doubt it. Bam! At that time, Cassion snatched Ruel and pulled him back. It was so sudden that Ruel felt the shock of his whole body shaking. ¡°Who is it?¡± Ganien looked at someone and raised his momentum. Ruel looked forward with a nk look on his face. A dirty boy with the smell of blood was lying on the floor. It looked like his legs were twisted. At a nce, I felt sorry for his thin bones. ¡®¡­this never happened in the original novel.¡¯ Ruel wrapped his throbbing head around for a moment. Originally, between 3 and 4 o¡¯clock, when guests would be quiet, those who had been secured for use as ves in the Matyros Guild were picked up by carriage in the back alley. In the novel, Ganien checked the smell of blood in the carriage and followed him because he felt suspicious. And it was not long before he noticed that the Matyros Guild was engaged in human trafficking. That¡¯s why I brought them here. In particr, there was an expectation that Cassion, sensitive to the smell of blood, might find something. ¡°Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine, but he¡¯s¡­?¡± ¡°He suddenly popped out of the alley.¡± Cassion, wary of the front, pulled Ruel behind him. ¡°Who is it?¡± Ganien¡¯s voice became sharper than before. When Ruel turned into the alley, it was natural for the boy to appear suspicious. ¡°Sa, save me!¡± The boy, who barely raised his upper body, cried desperately. Ruel walked forward despite Cassion¡¯s restraint and looked at the alley and the boy. The entrance door to the alley was slightly open. Whoever saw it, the boy must havee from there. ¡°Ruel, step back.¡± Ganien raised an eyebrow. There was a possibility that the boy had hidden a de on his slender body. ¡°Do you need help?¡± But Ruel reached out to the boy. It was a moment, but I saw a huge swaying thing around the boy. It must have been because he couldn¡¯t control his mana, so he was seeing it everywhere. With so much mana, there was only one person who coulde out of the alley of the Matyros Guild. ¡®Found him.¡¯ Ruelughed. Aris, the right arm of Ganien and a genius Archmage. ¡°Help me¡­¡± Of course, I¡¯ll help you. You¡¯re gonna be my escort. ¡°I¡¯m taking you.¡± Ruel looked at him and said. Ignoring the sighs and smirks that ensued. *** ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ganien apologized to Aris, who was eating while looking around. Aris opened his eyes wide and shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t touch the food.¡± Ruel said with a sharp edge. It was Ganien who was going to take Cassion with him, so it was difficult to keep a mole on Aris. ¡°I just apologized.¡± ¡°He says it¡¯s burdensome. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± Aris¡¯ eyes at Ruel were a little soft. The difference between those who reached out their hands and those who were wary was huge. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s Aris.¡± When he heard the boy¡¯s name, Ruel smiled gloatingly. As expected, Aris. ¡°That¡¯s a nice name. Do you want to eat more?¡± Aris shook his head. Looking at the spoon still in his hand, Ruel called Cassion. How can I be so disingenuous? ¡°Cassion, order more.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ruel. The bad brother there is Ganien, and that¡¯s Cassion.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ha, that¡¯s very offensive.¡± ¡®Well, then we¡¯ll have to make a big dent in our favorability.¡¯ Ganien did not make excuses because of what he did. ¡°I¡¯ll hear from you when you are done. Do you want me to leave you alone?¡± Aris nodded again instead of answering. Ruel thought it was fortunate that at least human distrust did not ur in those intimidated-looking eyes. Looking at Ruel and Aris, Ganien quietly moved aside. Then he took Cassion out of the restaurant, noticing that he had returned from the order. Cassion, who came out together unexpectedly, asked puzzledly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Did you notice? Aris, a child, was abused. It¡¯s not normal abuse¡­¡± ¡°People are trafficking, people being sold as ves. It must have been harsh.¡± ¡°Ruel will intervene, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s highly like that. Didn¡¯t he bring in a person already?¡± Ganien touched his chin. While working as a knight, he did encounter ve traders a few times. They were animals, not people. An animal to be killed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good sight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ruel, so I¡¯m sure he already made up his mind. He doesn¡¯t move without thinking.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ganien nodded and agreed. Ruel never did anything without thinking. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go in.¡± ¡°Wait, I¡¯ll be there in a little while.¡± Ganien grabbed Cassion. Cassion looked at Ganien instead of words. ¡°Somehow, I want to make the two of them get along as they are the same age.¡± ¡°Ruel will be angry if he hears it.¡± ¡°But Ruel¡­¡± Lowering his voice, Ganien whispered. ¡°Isn¡¯t he young?¡± Cassion looked at Ganien with a ridiculous look on his face at the words. Chapter 23: One by one (2) Chapter 23: One by one (2) ¡°He is 17 years old.¡± ¡°¡­ What? Isn¡¯t he 14 years old?¡± Cassion said to Ganien as if he were pathetic. ¡°How did you propose they be close friends when you didn¡¯t know his age?¡± ¡°How old is your friend? If you like that, everyone will be friends.¡± Ruel looked young because he was shorter than his age. As a butler, I work hard to feed him, but where does it all go? ¡®Is the amount of recovery power consumed greater than I thought?¡¯ Cassion thought for a moment, then headed back to the kitchen to make a snack for Ruel to feed him. However, he felt a strong gaze from behind, so he reluctantly opened my mouth. ¡°If you can¡¯t go in because you feel guilty, take a walk around. I have to pack Ruel¡¯s snacks, so¡­¡± ¡°Me too.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have feet? You can go downstairs and order.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a cheap shot.¡± Ganien leaned against the window, smacking his lips with regret. It was even more regrettable that Cassion¡¯s trust in Ruel seemed deep and he could not evene up with a proposal now. ¡®¡­ Let¡¯s see, Ruel is 17 years old¡­you¡¯re an adult next year and everything happened when you were 12?¡¯ His face was stiff. 12 years old¡­ Ganien sighed deeply. *** Crunch. Ruel was eating a meat pie elegantly. And with the cake cut in the other hand, he looked serious. ¡°You eat it, too.¡± Ruel offered Aris a snack. ¡°I ordered extra snacks, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Three pieces of the cake had already fallen into Ruel¡¯s stomach. ¡®Why don¡¯t you gain weight when you eat like that?¡¯ Cassion was worried about Ganien¡¯s words. He thought about whether he should increase the amount of his overall meal, and then felt someone¡¯s gaze and looked back. Aris then hurriedly turned his head, holding a spoon. ¡°If you wait a moment, the food will be served soon.¡± ¡°Thank ¡­ you.¡± Aris, who turned his head again, made eye contact. His eyes, which he thought would be dead, were rather full of intelligence. ¡®¡­¡­?¡¯ Cassion knew those eyes. It was a more difficult being to kill than a swordsman, the eyes he often saw in wizards. ¡®Let¡¯s see what the owner of those eyes chooses.¡¯ Cassion slightly raised the aura and poked Aris. ¡®Ohh.¡¯ Immediately to protect the master, the mana swayed and counterattacked. It was very fierce and brave. It was mana with a golden hue that shone so brilliantly that it did not suit Aris, who was intimidated. ¡®I don¡¯t know if my Master is lucky or just has a good eye.¡¯ Cassion just looked at Ruel proudly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Feeling his gaze, Ruel asked Cassion. Contrary to words, his eyes were wary of not wanting to be taken away. The temperature difference was funny, so Cassion smiled lightly. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± When the mealtime, which was a time of happiness for both Ruel and Aris, was over, it was time to talk. ¡°Speakfortably. I¡¯ll help you. Cough, cough.¡± Aris was surprised by Ruel¡¯s coughing. ¡°Are you going to get sick?¡± Aris felt a little burdened by Ruel¡¯s appearance of pain that did not match the words of help he spoke. Maybe it wasn¡¯t him who needed help, but the person in front of him. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so tell me your story.¡± Aris wriggled his fingers because he knew the look of enduring pain. His heart was heavy. At that time, Cassion handed over cocoa with plenty of chocte. ¡°You can speakfortably.¡± ¡°Help me¡­¡± Aris said, looking at Ruel, who reached out to him for the first time. Three years ago, Aris said he was sold to cover his uncle¡¯s debt. The phrase ¡®sold¡¯ was used, but he did not speak ill of the farmer there, who was apparently doing quite well on the farm. However, a year ago, he imed to be the debtor by forcibly stealing the farmer¡¯s farm, and Aris had no choice but to go to him. Since then, he was forced to work in the mines and was injured and was trapped in the guild basement of Matyros as a product for human trafficking. If it¡¯s useless, then sell it. Aris wriggled his fingers and said, ¡°¡­they taught me how to obey. I was beaten because I didn¡¯t obey.¡± ¡°How many people are there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, but there were a lot of people.¡± In the novel, Ganien attacked the trading site. There were also quite a few people who were captured as ves. But the real thing was the guild. ¡®You¡¯ve been thinking a little bit.¡¯ Who would have thought that a ce to tame ves was built in the basement of a crowded guild? ¡°So what do you want? Revenge? Or do you want me to save everyone?¡± ¡°¡­ Save me.¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll take revenge for you.¡± ¡°¡­¡­!¡± Aris¡¯ eyes got bigger. His face looked as if he was looking at a Savior, so Ruel turned a blind eye to it and ate cookies. Crunch. I happen to have some business with Matyros. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tonight, move quietly and bring me proof. The more detailed, the better.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Anything had to be rooted out at once. Since two cases were intertwined with one person, it is a good opportunity to uproot them. Ruel sneaked up the corners of his mouth. *** ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel felt pain, gripping his chest with a cough that began this morning. ¡®Damn body.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯re coughing a lot today.¡± Cassion, who came to wake him up, quietly spoke out. Knowing what kind of gossip would continue, Ruel hurriedly showed his palms. Matyros was very interested in the Hand of the Wind guild, so he knew they came by. Perhaps a spy nted inside the guild heard the deal. It was the best timing to break in before defending something. Cassion was preparing to raise his eyebrows and stick out a basin of wash water. ¡®It would be nice if the exclusive magic handkerchief waspleted.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s all right, Cough, Cough.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no shame in being sick, Ruel-nim.¡± He couldn¡¯t even say that bullshit was bullshit, and Ruel inhaled Breath in a hurry as he came from choking. ¡°Well, I can¡¯t. I¡¯ll tell Ganien and Aris well.¡± Ruel grabbed Cassion. His hands were always skinny. I fed him like that yesterday, but it¡¯s the same. Squeak. Every time he breathed, the breathing became harsh, but Ruelughed. ¡°¡­it stopped.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, you don¡¯t look very well today.¡± To prove it, Ruel inhaled Breath once more. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of myself on your behalf. It¡¯s easy toe back with a will and a head cut.¡± ¡°Get ready.¡± ¡®That stubbornness.¡¯ Cassion sighed loudly. Preparing to wash his face, he looked at Ruel. Ruel¡¯s breathing was more stable than before. But his cheeks were a little red. asionally he frowned as he felt pain in his body. ¡®It¡¯s not good.¡¯ Today, I was going to pay close attention to Ruel. All you have to do is force yourself to sleep. ¡°Cassion, you have work to do.¡± Cassion¡¯s hand stopped. ¡°I¡¯ll meet with the Ganien and the Barons, and you¡¯ll start with the trading ce and save the people trapped under the guild.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this something Ganien can do?¡± Of course, as Cassion said, it was something Ganien could do. But I don¡¯t want to lose them to Ganien. Because there were a lot of people who were sold instead of debt, mainly because they did tough work, their basic physical strength was much higher than that of ordinary people, and strangely, there were quite a few people who had a talent for magic¡­ as was written in the novel. I was thinking of making them official Setirians. People tend to lean toward the person who saved them rather than the person who made the rescue n. I didn¡¯t want them to be taken away. Because Setiriacks talent. ¡°I¡¯m asking you because I trust you more.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a request, it¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°That, that¡¯s it. Ruel said sourly. I heard a slight sigh. ¡°You have to take care of yourself.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t listen half-heartedly, and you¡¯re not feeling well today.¡± ¡°I know.¡± I knew that I was in a bad condition more than anyone else. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± *** Ruel bought a shield-shaped ne before stopping by the Baron¡¯s house. As he had to gain the upper hand from the start, he prepared to bury himself in the name of the Blue Knight. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Ruel slowly felt burdened by Ganien¡¯s constant gaze at him. ¡°No, by the way, is that it?¡± Obviously, Cassion must have asked him to take a good look at him. ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel nodded, covering his mouth. I¡¯ve been coughing a lot since morning. I felt a little impatient because I was nervous for no reason. The evidence Cassion had gathered was well kept in Ganien¡¯s arms, and now it was enough to drag enough time to catch Matyros so he wouldn¡¯t run away. ¡®But I¡¯m still worried about something.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at the sumptuous mansion. And he smirked. ¡®I¡¯d be able to afford the debt if I sold that mansion. You can¡¯t give up, can you?¡¯ ¡°Please reveal your identity.¡± The soldier blocked Ruel¡¯s party. Ganien showed me his ne and said, ¡°I am a Blue Knight from the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± The soldier was so nervous that he lowered his spear at the sound of a Blue Knight while staring at his ne. Ruel showed the ne he bought a little while ago. ¡°I¡¯m from Setiria.¡± Arrogant voice and shield patterns. The soldier undoubtedly bowed to the two men as he looked at the blue knight. ¡°Si-r, excuse me! I¡¯ll report to Mr. Matyros right now!¡± Thanks to the name Blue Knight, the ne bought with 10 fairy tales passed lightly. Ganien sneaked a thumbs-up at Ruel. He really went through without even examining it properly. ¡°¡­ You know?¡± Ruel smiled arrogantly. ¡°Sure.¡± What Ruel asked for was simple. Hold on to the weight. To protect yourself. After a while, the soldier who had gone inside jumped in. ¡°Pleasee inside.¡± The door opened. Ruel was pleased to inhale Breath. When the soldier guided him to the entrance of the mansion, a man who appeared to be Matyros approached the party, greeting the servant. ¡°Nice to meet you, Nobleman. Knight of the Blue.¡± For the first time in his life, Ruel had goosebumps. ¡®What a noble man.¡¯ ¡°This humble man is Matyros Henya.¡± Greeting politely, Ruel didn¡¯t miss the look at him. ¡°Nice to meet you, let me know if I have something to say rather than an introduction.¡± ¡°All right.¡± There was no reason to introduce him because he was the one who would not see him today anyway. Matyros led them into the room without a murmur, as his status was previously confirmed. ¡°Which tea do you want me to bring?¡± ¡°Oh, get me some Akal tea.¡± I usually wouldn¡¯t drink it, but I had to wait until the promised time, so I remembered the tea Cassion gave me. ¡°What would you like, then, sir?¡± ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Matyros asked the servant for tea and sat down again. Ruel began to use his tongue to ease the tense atmosphere. ¡°You must have been very surprised by the sudden arrival.¡± ¡°No, the Noble hase, and I am sorry that I have not been able to meet you on my own two feet.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been watching your business, Matyros.¡± When the business story came out, Matyros¡¯ eyes looked greedy like a merchant. ¡°You run an adventurer¡¯s guild, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Yes, as for my adventurer¡¯s guild¡­¡± Despite not saying much, Matyros began to stretch his guild¡¯s strengths alone. Ruel rxed and listened to everything. How should he pay off his gambling debts? When he had a hard time thinking, a man and a knight suspected to be a nobleman came to him. How happy you must be. Ruel sneaked a look at Ganien. He told me it was time to hold the weight. As the atmosphere of the room changed, Matyros suddenly stopped talking. ¡°I hear you owe a lot of money to gambling.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s, uh, it¡¯s not that long. Did you hear the rumor spread? The reality is different from rumors.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. I heard the guild is flying away. Such a great guild is gone. This is a huge loss.¡± Gulp. Matyros swallowed without realizing it. In the context of the atmosphere, there must have been talks of lending money. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what time is it?¡± However, what he actually said was asking for time. Matyros was in the mood for something mischievous because he couldn¡¯t get rid of steam. He wanted to argue with his heart, but when he saw the knight sitting next to him, he felt as if his throat was going to run off at any moment. ¡°Now, excuse me for a moment.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Matyros went out briefly to check the time and came in with the servant. ¡°It¡¯s 11:23.¡± ¡°I see, thank you.¡± Ruel picked up the tea set by the servant and smelled the incense first. The scent of Akal was more intense. He seemed to have put in some pretty high-quality tea to make himself look good. ¡°It smells good.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Sweating profusely, Matyrosughed. Ganien nced at the teacup, smelled it, and gave Ruel a look. ¡®There¡¯s no poison.¡¯ Reading Ganien¡¯s eyes, Ruel continued. ¡°So, can I keep talking?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel had no choice but to drink tea to stop the coughing that had started again. ¡®Oh, it¡¯s hot.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t express his feelings, so he closed his lips and barely opened his mouth. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a loss to have a great guild gone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just grateful that you see me like that.¡± ¡°Not your guild, but the Hand of the Wind Guild. A very good guild. Isn¡¯t it a waste to disappear as it is?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes?¡± Matyros had a stupid look on his face. ¡°Did you mistake me for a savior that would pay off your debts? I¡¯m sorry about this. I don¡¯t even want to step into that crap.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth with his fingers crossed. Chapter 25: One by one (4) Chapter 25: One by one (4) *** ¡°Come to Setiria.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± The Hand of the Wind guild leader, who had just finished giving his thanks, froze at Ruel¡¯s sudden suggestion. ¡°I hear there¡¯s a lot of tax cuts here in Lumina.¡± Tak. Tak. Ruel tapped on the table. ¡°It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t know who Baron Matyros is. Turn this ce into a branch office and move to Setiria instead. I¡¯ll give you a good deal.¡± The Hand of the Wind Guild trembled at the mention of Matyros, but the know-hows and management system they had was real. ¡®I¡¯m gonna take it.¡¯ Ruel smiled at the bewildered guild leader. The request center in Sisel Vige was destroyed, so why not set a new one up and make it a guild? ¡°Do you know the location of our Setiria? There¡¯s a Masu Forest nearby, so requests are always abundant. Interference? Don¡¯t worry, I hate being bothered. As long as you don¡¯t cross the line, I¡¯ll close my eyes.¡± ¡°Pfft.¡± Cassionughed next to him. Ruel red at him and continued. ¡°What do you think? I can only say this orally for now, but I¡¯ll write a contract to give you that much in detail.¡± ¡°¡­ Really?¡± ¡°There was amission in the Sisel Vige. The Sisel Vige is located close to the Masu Forest.¡± The story was out of the blue, but the guild leader became focused. It felt like something great was about to happen. ¡°The request center crossed my line, so it disappeared. Our knights broke it in half.¡± ¡°It was pretty fun. When are you going to take that building apart?¡± Ganien brought up the story with joy. Although the guild leader hesitated, Ruel struck the desk again and made a clearer suggestion. ¡°Well, that¡¯s it for the story anyway. I¡¯d like to make it a guild and request center, what do you say?¡± ¡°Does that include themission, too? But there¡¯s a lot of resistance¡­¡± ¡°I am the Lord.¡± Ruel looked at the guild leader as if he was casually talking about something. ¡°There are a lot of rotten ces in Setiria, so the request center is probably the same. Shouldn¡¯t all the rot be removed?¡± The guild leaderughed as he saw the grand wordsing out so casually. ¡°I was discourteous back then. Let¡¯s officially greet each other. I¡¯m Flenn, the guild leader of the Hand of the Wind. I look forward to our kind cooperation.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ Speaking of which, I¡¯ll leave you with a request.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to take your first request.¡± The mindset of starting over wasn¡¯t bad. Ruel opened his mouth with a satisfied look on his face. ¡°Have you heard of Matyros keeping working ves?¡± ¡°I heard, it¡¯s not something a human can do.¡± Flenn quietly showed his anger. ¡°We¡¯re the adventurers who saved them. I now belong to the Hand of the Wind Guild, so sell it well.¡± It was said that it was some adventurers who revealed Matyros¡¯ whereabouts. Flenn was surprised, and Ruelughed. ¡°Our names are Han, Gaff and Cassion, don¡¯t forget. I¡¯ll be a signed adventurer in the future.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Anyway, get back to the request and make sure to take them safely to Setiria. The reward, well¡­ It will definitely make the Hand of the Wind guild sign wonderful.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take responsibility for your request andplete it!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. He stepped out of the guild receiving Flenn¡¯s farewell. ¡°Cassion, contact Minart to extend the building to the Sisel Vige Request Center.¡± Except for Minart, the Barons in Setiria had all been cut off, so there was no one else to direct. ¡®This time, after getting the big money, I¡¯ll have to chop up Setiria beautifully.¡¯ The cornerstone for that was money. It was unreasonable to find the merchants that Ma had sold. Then it was the only way to acquire a pretty decent merchant. ¡°I¡¯m going to the Shio family.¡± ¡°I see.¡± But before that, I had to meet one more debtor. *** Today, as always, the name of the Blue Knight was thoroughly exploited. Who would dare refuse the Blue Knight? Seeing the wide-open door, Ruel was satisfied. ¡°The more I use it, the more I feel it¡¯s a good name.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you make Cassion a Blue Knight? Even if he¡¯s not an official knight, he can borrow the name.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even dream.¡± Ganien giggled at Ruel¡¯s stern words. ¡°My body is itching right now. If someone gives me a match, I think I¡¯ll get better.¡± ¡°There are adventurers out there. So give them money and fight them until you are satisfied, not just one match.¡± Cassion said politely with a smile on his face. ¡°It¡¯s sad. No one knows the freshness of sweating while fighting.¡± Flicking his sword, Ganien exposed his sullen face. Fearing that they might end up in a bloody fight, Ruel calmed him down. ¡°Do it with Cassion when you have time.¡± Ruel brought it up and stepped forward. ¡°Ruel, I¡¯m a butler.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re a butler, you should listen to your master.¡± ¡°Are there ghosts that died because you couldn¡¯t fight?¡± Cassion looked at Ganien with an annoyed face. It was because he had been keeping silent for so long. Spending several days keeping his mouth shut had made the irritation inside him umte. ¡°You¡¯re a knight.¡± ¡°Your head has to be full of swords.¡± Heughed at Ganien and followed after Ruel. Ganien grasped the handle of his sword tightly. ¡®It¡¯s more fun when your opponent is just as intense.¡¯ Ganien moved his feet thinking about how it was such a pity. *** ¡°Nice to meet you, Blue Knight. You have made a valuable step in the right direction. My name is Serti Shio, the second daughter of the Shio family.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Ganien Croft, a member of the Blue Knights of the Cyronian Kingdom. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± After greeting each other, Serti looked at the two men standing behind Ganien. ¡°And the one over there?¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria, this is my butler, Cassion.¡± Serti¡¯s eyes bent at the word Setiria. It was a reaction that Ruel was familiar with. A look that said she thought she had the upper hand. ¡°You havee a long way, my Lord. I heard that you had returned, but I didn¡¯t know you woulde all this way.¡± ¡°I onlye where I¡¯m supposed to be, so don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take you, this way.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Cassion bowed his head. Serti¡¯s eyes narrowed when he saw him. ¡®You covet Cassion. When you don¡¯t even know the subject.¡¯ Ruel pretended not to know and followed Serti. The sound of his cane rang loudly in the hallway. ¡°If it¡¯s not rude, may I ask how you know each other?¡± ¡°He¡¯s my only close friend.¡± Ruel answered. I didn¡¯t forget to give strength to every word. He had to make sure she knew he was on his side. Serti looked at Ganien as if to seek confirmation. He spoke calmly. ¡°He¡¯s my best friend.¡± ¡°Is that so? I envy you because you both seem to be on good terms.¡± If Hale, the eldest son of the Lumina family, was clumsy, Serti was a true noblewoman. She hid her expression and intentions withughter. ¡®If Ganien had a different answer here, things would have changed.¡¯ Just like with Hale of the Lumina family, Ruel was able to visit the Lord of the Shio family immediately. But he didn¡¯t do that. It was because each person had different values. Corrence, the Head of the Lumina family, was a person who valued ??his honor more than his children. The Head of the Shio family on the other hand was very fond of his second daughter Serti. ¡°I¡¯ll bring the tea.¡± Serti said as soon as she sat us down in the drawing room. Ruel refused, and Ganien agreed. It was some time until the tea came. Serti waited for Ruel to speak. The one with the highest rank present was him. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± A small cough followed, and Ruel rxed his breathing using Breath. ¡°You must not be feeling well.¡± Serti broke the silence under the pretext of anxiety. ¡®Your patience is not as good as I thought.¡¯ That¡¯s great. I can add on a debt. ¡°Right, it¡¯s not good.¡± When Ruel simply epted, Serti spoke with a slightly cold face as if she had lost interest. ¡°Healthes first in everything. I hope you get well soon.¡± ¡°Do you know what hurts the most?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know due to my short insight.¡± ¡°Money.¡± Moving right to the point, Serti peeked at Ganien. ¡°¡­ Would it be all right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I will tell you straight. I have no intention of reimbursing the money. It was possible to bring the knight and meet me, but I believe it would be unreasonable to go beyond that.¡± Ruelughed at the sound of her openly scolding himself. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t youe here to meet me without revealing your name? If you were proud, you should have given your name.¡± Serti raised the corners of her lips and spat out her words leisurely. Ganien looked coldly at Serti. ¡°That said, can you handle it?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The Blue Knight¡¯s name was only used to meet you, didn¡¯t you say that?¡± ¡°What nonsense.¡± ¡°Well. Did I hear that right?¡± Tak. Tak. Ruel tapped on the table. ¡°A knight does not hesitate to reveal his name anywhere, anytime. I didn¡¯t reveal my name? Shouldn¡¯t I be scolding the soldier who didn¡¯t ask my name before? I didn¡¯t tell you because you didn¡¯t ask.¡± Sitting deep in the chair, Ruel looked at Serti¡¯s expression. There was a slight wrinkle between her brows after eating one bite. Serti gently put her hands together and bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never meant to tarnish the name of the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°I ept your apology with a broad heart.¡± Serti couldn¡¯t react any more, even though she was arrogant. Everything was possible because he was a blue knight. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you now that the situation has calmed down. One there is no debt. Two, give me back ownership of the mine you stole. Three¨C¡± ¡°Ha. It seems that the Lord is very sick. Seeing as you can¡¯t judge the situation.¡± Tak. Before Ruel could bring it up, Ganien put a bunch of papers on the table. ¡°Look at this and judge for yourself if he doesn¡¯t know the situation.¡± ¡°Sir Ganien, who do you think you are?¡± Serti raised her voice proudly. Ruel smirked. ¡°You said it.¡± ¡°Lord, whoever you may be, I am also a noble of the Six Families. I¡¯m not going to let anyone disrespect me anymore.¡± ¡°How rude.¡± As he stretched his tongue, Ruel looked pitifully at Serti. Serti¡¯s face crumpled. It was an unpleasant look. ¡°Should we have been polite to the traitor?¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria! I told you I wouldn¡¯t let it slide!¡± Serti got up from her seat and grabbed the hem of her skirt and shook her hands. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you called the name of the Lord. How impolite.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who hasn¡¯t been polite.¡± ¡°Oh, right. I haven¡¯t heard any information from you yet. Well, I guess I¡¯ll just have to tell you because I¡¯ve lost all my will to listen.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°You lent money to Ma, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ll tell you what happened to him.¡± Ruel looked at Serti with such a fierce expression that he didn¡¯t look like a sick man at all. ¡°Out of guilt for treason, hemitted suicide. After all, he tried to open the gates of Setiria to an unknown group.¡± Suddenly, he touched the papers in front of him. ¡°Read it. See just what kind of business you were involved in.¡± After speaking, Ruel inhaled Breath. Serti stood there until the tea came. ¡°Get out!¡± She took her anger out on the servant and, after kicking the servant out, sat down again. Every time she flipped a document page over, Serti ran out of breath. Ruel said earlier that Ma was associated with an unknown organization when she lent him the money. Seeing Setiria¡¯s state right now, what she did was more than just a sin. ¡®¡­To the traitor, I lent money!¡¯ Ma, that man came to her and begged for money. She was willing to give even though she knew it would destroy Setiria. For the future. She was envious of Setiria. Setiria which had everything, military,merce, resource. She was waiting for the day when it waspletely destroyed. Not long ago, she heard the news that the Head who was exiled had returned. But so what? Even if the Head returns, in less than two weeks, what can he do? Today the Lord came. When I finally realized that the day hade, I was overjoyed. Serti gripped the pile of papers tightly. ¡®What is this!¡¯ Before she even knew it, a sword was pointed at her neck, without a single sound. ¡°Three, don¡¯t go after Setiria anymore. Four, no harm must be done to Setiria.¡± The Lordid out the conditions to the extent that he felt at ease. Serti¡¯s long eyshes trembled. ¡°Five, swear your allegiance to me.¡± As soon as she heard Ruel¡¯s final condition, she felt the ground sink. It was an irresistible condition. If one was found guilty of treason, not only her own life but also her family¡¯s life would be in danger. After all, treason was guilt by association. ¡°What¡¯s your answer?¡± She bit her lips until they burst. It was humiliating. It was a disgrace. But Serti bowed her head. ¡°I¡¯ll take it.¡± At the end of her speech, she volunteered to sign the Mana contract. Ganien nodded and Ruel got up from his seat. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have desired it.¡± Serti closed her eyes tightly. She had sworn allegiance, so if she did anything harmful to Ruel, her mana would flow back and she would die. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I will help you be the head of the household.¡± Currently, Serti was the leading candidate for head of the Shio family. It was because she was the only child of the court, a wizard. For Ruel, it couldn¡¯t have been better if Serti became the Lord. Even though they seemed equal on the outside, the Shio family would now be under his feet. ¡°But I won¡¯t forget your rudeness to me, your debt, You¡¯ll pay me back soon.¡± Tak. Tak. The sound of the cane echoed cheerfully. The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth also went up. Serti, who had been rolling her hands in debt, was an unexpected blessing. Now, the nobles of the two families were roasted and boiled. ¡®Was there only the three families and the royal family left?¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± While Ruel was happily imagining, Ganien suddenly said something out of the blue. Chapter 26: You have to take care of yourself Chapter 26: You have to take care of yourself ¡®Did he notice something?¡¯ Ruel suddenly got thirsty. Well, things have been going so well so far, so I could feel something strange. ¡°What is it?¡± Ruel asked back with proficiency. ¡°If it were me, I would have cut your neck right away. That person is a wizard, so the evidence could easily be destroyed if she wanted.¡± ¡®That¡¯s what he wants to say?¡¯ Ruel breathed out lightly and quickly stepped into the conversation. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve experienced it. Have you?¡± ¡°No way, but if that happened to me, I would¡¯ve strangled them.¡± Ganien fiddled with the handle of his sword. Ruel said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me,¡± but I knew Ganien would do that in the future. The Cyronian Kingdom had quite a few aristocrats, unlike the Kingdom of Leponia. Ruel brought up some advice and words. ¡°Be careful with thosements. Don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re a nobleman, too.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s in my family, I have an older brother. Thanks to you, I¡¯m enjoying freedom to my heart¡¯s content.¡± Ruel snorted at the childish words of the Croft family¡¯s youngest. The world didn¡¯t go its way. ¡®Enjoy it to your heart¡¯s content, Ganien.¡¯ ¡°Did work go well?¡± Cassion weed the returning Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you nning to return to the mansion now?¡± ¡°No.¡± Ruel said proudly, inhaling from Breath. Cassion¡¯s smile hardened for a moment. Ruel had just been saved from getting poisoned, and he hadn¡¯t even rested yet, only wandering around. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since you were able to get up from your bed.¡± He said while suppressing the growing irritation at the sound of Ruel¡¯s frequent coughing. ¡°I¡¯m always sick anyway.¡± Hehe(Giggle), Ganien next to himughed. Cassion held back his anger again. He couldn¡¯t even swear out loud. His sighs increased. When they left the mansion, Cassion asked. ¡°Where are you going, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°To the inn. Cassion, you¡¯ll be investigating. Ganien, what about you? ¡°To the inn.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow me.¡± Ganien snorted at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m not going because of you.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± ¡°Aris asked me to teach him the way of the sword.¡± ¡°Aris?¡± My mind floated to the slow healing wound I saw on his body. It makes sense if it was a wound caused by training. ¡°Ruel, you have a very good eye. His body and muscles are better than he looks, he¡¯ll grow tall.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare covet him.¡± Ruel hurriedly drew the line. Because of his criminal record, Ganien could not express his dissatisfaction and changed the subject. ¡°It¡¯s about teaching the sword.¡± ¡°No other teachers?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what Aris wants.¡± Ganien, who hinted, moved ahead as if he were running away. ¡®I¡¯m anxious.¡¯ Ruel smoothed his cane. *** Cassion saw the effects of thepleted magic handkerchief when Ruel was poisoned. When Ruel vomited ck blood, the magic was activated. Adding the way he grabbed it so cleanly, blood did not stter and simply disappeared like snow. ¡®It works, definitely worth the money.¡¯ It was easy to carry, and it wasn¡¯t strange to use. ¡°¡­ Cough.¡± When Cassion saw the pouring blood, he couldn¡¯t help but check the amazing effectiveness of the handkerchief again. Ruel red at him. It was not the time to admire the handkerchief, but Cassion¡¯s heart did not move at all. How much did I warn him to rest? Cassion thought. After coughing out blood a total of five times, Ruel, who had almost copsed from exhaustion,id right on the bed. ¡°What did I say?¡± Cassion took out a magic item he had ordered together with the magic handkerchief. It was an item that had the function to cool down the heat. It was just the right size for the forehead. ¡®It¡¯s like a heat patch.¡¯ Ruel thought as he looked at the mysterious tool. He was so weak that he couldn¡¯t even move his mouth. Even when he was still, his surroundings were spinning. ¡®Is it anemia?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± The poison made his body feel weaker. The amount he had coughed up was not small. Cassion said, with a throbbing heart. ¡°Since you entrusted me with the investigation, I¡¯ll stop nagging. Take a rest because you have a fever. Don¡¯t even think about moving.¡± When the heat patch touched his forehead, it quickly became cool. Cassion went outside and familiarly brought a basin and two sses of water. One for rinsing the mouth and the other for drinking. ¡°You won¡¯t have an appetite right now. I¡¯ll serve the meal after the investigation.¡± Ruel blinked his eyes instead of answering. Anyway, he had already left the investigation to Cassion, so he would now try to rest for himself. Find a failing merchant. That was the investigation left to Cassion. ¡®Let¡¯s get some rest.¡¯ Ruel stopped thinking and closed his eyes before the fever swallowed him up. Only after confirming that he was asleep did Cassion raise his little finger. ¡°Let me know when things get worse.¡± ¡°All right, there¡¯s no news about 18 yet.¡± 18. It was the temporary name given to the organization created by Matyros, who tried to devour Setiria and sell its people. Cassion thought it was a perfect name. ¡°And one more request came from the chief.¡± The guild member handed Cassion a piece of paper. ¡°This is the ce, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cassion did not stop takingmissions even while serving Ruel. The sword will rust when it stops being used, and the assassin will be culled if he doesn¡¯t kill. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back, so keep an eye on him.¡± Cassion went out the door, and the guild member quietly retreated into the walls. *** Aris moved his heavy legs, the veins on his neck popping. ¡®A little more.¡¯ He could see Ganien in front of him. He would reach his goal by running just a few more steps. Aris ran with his eyes closed. ¡°Pass.¡± Arisy on the floor with the sound of that confirmation and took a rough breath. ¡°You¡¯re more persistent than I thought.¡± Ganien sat down next to Aris. In swordsmanship, physical training was the top priority. To learn how to handle frustration. That was what Ganien¡¯s teacher had done to him. The teacher gave him conditions that he couldn¡¯t meet. So, Ganien did the same. He pointed out a condition to Aris that he definitely couldn¡¯t do because he had learned that way. But Aris did it. Don¡¯t covet him. The determined voice of Ruel echoed in his head, making Ganien smirk. What can I do if I want it? Ruel had a very good eye. Cassion, Aris, and Ganien. Cassion didn¡¯t know who else Ruel would scout next to him. When Aris¡¯ breathing calmed down, Ganien handed over some water. ¡°Thank you.¡± Aris was shyer than Ganien thought. Nevertheless, Aris asked Ganien to teach him how to use a sword. His strong will reminded Ganien of his childhood self, so he gave him permission without realizing it. ¡°Why do you want me to teach you the sword?¡± Ganien brought up a question that he should have asked back then. ¡°To be Ruel¡¯s sword.¡± He answered without hesitation. Ganien suppressed his surprise. ¡®Do you mean for him to take you as an escort instead of a servant?¡¯ Ganien looked at Aris with admiration. ¡°All right, you have to be strong to protect Ruel. I¡¯ll keep teaching you while I¡¯m in this country.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ganien smacked his lips because there were no more words left to be said. If you call me a teacher, I¡¯ll act like I can¡¯t beat you. ¡®Ruel didn¡¯t say anything about being with Aris in the meantime, did he?¡¯ Ganien stroked his chin. *** ¡°Ugh.¡± Ruel opened his eyes, holding onto his fragile head. He blinked as the sun shone on him. ¡®Did I sleep all day?¡¯ ¡°Are you up?¡± Cassion came inside, pushing something. ¡°I figured it was about time for you to wake up, so I¡¯ve prepared breakfast.¡± ¡°¡­ You didn¡¯t put me to sleep, did you?¡± How do you know when I¡¯d get up and prepare the meal? Cassion answered, putting food on the table one by one. ¡°That¡¯s right. The pain in my heart was killing me.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re doing all sorts of things.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t help it because you were so sick. Are you feeling better?¡± Instead of answering, Ruel touched his chest. It was natural to vomit ck blood after being sick. ¡®I¡¯m fine today.¡¯ ¡°You¡¯ve already vomited. Exactly around 2 A.M. and 4 A.M.¡± ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you tired?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not as tired as you are, but I can manage using aura, so I can sleep for a while.¡± ¡°It sounds like I¡¯m being too fussy.¡± Ha. Cassionughed in amazement. ¡°Did you only realize that now?¡± ¡°What about the data?¡± ¡°Can I rest now? Please give me a month off.¡± ¡°Take a rest after I die. Or add one more servant and then you can rest.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that you¡¯ll give me a break?¡± Cassion grumbled and handed over the data. ¡°You said you were less tired if you¡¯re using your aura. Oh, I¡¯ll let you take a day off when we return to Setiria.¡± After receiving the data, Ruel rose from his seat using his cane. He felt good because his forehead was now cool. He sat at the table and ate the meat pie first. While examining the documents, Ruel hinted. ¡°Cassion, do you still work at night?¡± ¡°I walk around every now and then.¡± Cassion admired Ruel¡¯s intelligence. What did he notice? He confessed honestly because he knew that lying would only put his heart in pain. Ruel paused for a moment. I didn¡¯t expect him to continue working as an assassin. ¡®From his butler job, to the jobs I order him to do, to his job as an assassin? What a monster.¡¯ Tell me you¡¯re not a monster even though you¡¯re doing something that¡¯s barely possible even with three bodies. Ruel kept looking at the documents and asked questions. ¡°Why do you keep going?¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to me.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have enough money?¡± ¡°I have more than you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°What is the standard for killing people?¡± ¡°I judge by my own standards.¡± ¡°Do you intend to continue?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t have any trouble serving you as I do now.¡± Crunch. Ruel bit the second slice of meat pie in his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s enough, just make sure to rest your body.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Not knowing who needed to tell who to rest, Cassion wanted to hit Ruel. But his throbbing heart had him calm him down quickly. ¡®I¡¯m screwed.¡¯ As he ate meat and sd one after the other, Ruel smiled. His gaze turned to the ce marked as the Beto Merchants. ¡°Find out how much you can buy this ce for.¡± Ruel threw three jewels from the pocket at his waist. Cassion¡¯s eyes got bigger as he caught the scattered jewels with a single stroke of his hand. ¡°Aren¡¯t these Sertia¡¯s tears?¡± A single Sertia tear was worth more than 500 gold coins, because it¡¯s processing process was difficult. Ruel chuckled. He felt like he was finally out of the stalemate he had with hisck of money. ¡°I took the emergency money from my safe. It should be enough to buy a ruined merchant¡¯s store. Buy some ice cream with the rest of the money.¡± I brought it up on purpose because I knew Cassion liked sweet things. ¡°¡­ When did you know?¡± ¡°Buy it while I¡¯m finishing eating, we¡¯ll be leaving right away.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s a merchant of Beto, it means it¡¯s a serious problem. It¡¯s a ce where if one lost trust, they would lose their status as a merchant.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we need to fix it. Depart.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion bowed his head and went out of the room. The most important thing for a merchant was trust. A merchant without trust could no longer be called a merchant. In the novel, after Ganien solved the problem of the Beto merchants, within a year, it grew into thergest group of Leponia. In other words, it was a merchant group that would grow greatly if the problem was solved. If support was added, how much more would it grow? The credibility issue that Beto was facing was due to the framing of another merchant, who had been eyeing it for a long time. ¡®The proof. It¡¯s bound toe out if you rob it.¡¯ The question was, could they buy it faster than the other merchant, who was aiming at Beto? Ruel put the meat pie in his mouth and put on a serious look. Knock. Knock. ¡°This is Aris.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Have you been eating?¡± ¡°Did you eat?¡± ¡°Yes, I ate early and finished my morning training.¡± Aris smiled innocently. His hair was wet because he had just washed it. ¡®I think you¡¯ve grown again¡­¡¯ Aris¡¯s clothes seemed to have shrunk slightly. Ruel looked at his own loose clothes and put the steak in his mouth. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, can I stay here until Cassiones?¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Ruel felt like he was being watched and stopped his eating. It was because of Aris standing behind him. ¡°Sit in front of me.¡± ¡°Can I?¡± He was as happy as a child with a cookie in his hand. Ruel somehow thought he looked like a golden retriever. ¡°You must be working hard.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯m working hard. Because I want to be Ruel-nim¡¯s sword!¡± Ruel munched on the sd and corrected one fact. ¡°I think you¡¯re more talented in wizardry, so don¡¯t learn aura, just train your stamina.¡± ¡°¡­ Pardon?¡± Aris was embarrassed by Ruel¡¯s remarks. He thought he would be a knight. ¡°A Wizard¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what Ganien says, but I can see Mana. There is so much mana around you. You¡¯re better off being a wizard.¡± ¡°Ha, but isn¡¯t escorting the job of a knight?¡± Ruel giggled as he stopped eating. He must have seen a fairy tale somewhere. Then, a good idea suddenly came to mind. ¡°The wizard can escort me. If you don¡¯t want to throw away the sword, pretend to be a knight.¡± ¡°So you want me to be a wizard pretending to be a knight?¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s a wizard hiding his power.¡± Ruel excitedly talked about the title of the web novel he once saw. Aris, who had been embarrassed, also listened with glistening eyes as he gradually sympathized with the story. ¡°¡­ That¡¯s cool! Whenever a crisis hits, he goes back to his job as a wizard and defeats the enemy! I feel like something¡¯s opening up.¡± ¡°So no matter what Ganien says, you shouldn¡¯t learn Aura.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯ll follow since Ruel-nim says so!¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel sighed inside. If Aris hadn¡¯t visited him today, the genius wizard would have disappeared. ¡°Oh, if Ganien asks you why you don¡¯t want to learn Aura, you answer like this.¡± I inhaled the Breath and told him how to do it. ¡°For a knight, stamina is not fundamental. Aura is too much of a luxury for me who didn¡¯t even learn the basics.¡± ¡°I see!¡± I tried to make up simr things that had Ganien said to his teacher. It was going to be very easy. Because that was just how Ganien was. The corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth curved up. *** Cassion appeared exactly in time for Ruel to finish his meal. ¡°I bought it.¡± Despite the purchase, Ruel waited for the letter. This was because the guy who was aiming for the Beto Merchant wouldn¡¯t just sit and watch. ¡°Before that, He¡¯d like to see you at the Beto Merchants.¡± Ruel coughed out and thought about the reason for the conditions. To deal with a tiger, one must also call a tiger. Just in time, someone appeared to buy his merchant. It was strange to stay still when he had the chance to rx himself after bing a rabbit. ¡®I¡¯m going to pass it on.¡¯ Ruel wasn¡¯t offended by the slyness. The merchant had to be. Rather than being a tiger, you have to be a fox to survive. ¡°Call the Blue Knight. If you say he¡¯ll have a chance to fight, he¡¯ll jump in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call him.¡± As Cassion went outside, Aris asked quietly. ¡°May Ie, too?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not going to be a good thing.¡± People might die¡­ ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± How can I say no when you are so determined? Ruel nodded his head. ¡°I¡¯ll wait outside the inn!¡± Ganien, who came to the room, left only those words before quickly running out together with Aris in excitement. With the help of Cassion, Ruel set out to go out. ¡°Isn¡¯t this a little too thick?¡± ¡°It¡¯s cold outside, and you get colds easily.¡± Ruel looked quite satisfied because he looked like he had a healthy build thanks to the clothes he was wearing. Winter hadn¡¯te yet, but he wore mufflers and earplugs. It was going to be noisy. Tak. Tak. Ruel moved with his cane. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Yes, I will.¡± Chapter 27: You have to take care of yourself (2) Chapter 27: You have to take care of yourself (2) *** Looking at the sign of the Merchants of Beto, Ruel could see people with grim expressions crowding the front. ¡°A lot of people are here.¡± Ruel smirked. He had heard a lot of people saying there were no winners in a gang fight. However, thinking of the two monsters he had following him, he could only say it was aughable idea to even think they could measure up to them. Ruel went inside without even looking at them. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ruel asked the two people. The only answer that came was a snort. Ruel was satisfied hearing the meaning that it was not worth dealing with. ¡°Will it be okay?¡± Aris was the only one who was scared. It was understandable. He didn¡¯t know those monsters well, so Ruel understood how he felt. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay.¡± Ruel gave a light answer. After recognizing Cassion¡¯s face, a guild member guided them to the owner. ¡°It is a pleasure to meet you, nobleman. I am called Jirie, the upper owner who runs the Merchants of Beto.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t say much, who exactly am I dealing with?¡± A cough followed. Ruel sat roughly before Jirie answered. He had a slight headache because his fever had yet to go away. Every breath he took made a sound. Aware of what he looked like from others¡¯ perspective, Ruel looked into Jirie¡¯s eyes and grinned. Ruelughed. Jirie was truly a merchant by nature. Even though he knew Ruel was a nobleman, he was already putting a price on him. ¡°It¡¯s the Merchants of Ribone.¡± ¡°I mean, being vicious is not the way of a merchant. You insist that I give you the merchant even though I¡¯ve already bought it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not funny.¡± It was a voice full of sincerity. It was not a merchant¡¯s job to threaten someone to revert what had already been done. A person who does such things is a thug. ¡°Oh, no! Go back!¡± It was noisy outside. ¡°Get out of here.¡± Bang! The door opened violently along with the sound of a curious voice. A man tall and big enough to reach the top of the door came inside. ¡°It¡¯s a disaster to see a junkie crawling in.¡± Ruel looked at the man and criticized him. ¡°What?¡± He approached Ruel with a harsh sneer. But he couldn¡¯t get close. Cassion¡¯s aura pushed him to stop walking. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to lose your neck, don¡¯te any closer.¡± ¡°Hahaha! That¡¯s funny.¡± The man¡¯s smile was directed at the coughing and spouting sick man. ¡°Is that the sick bastard who just barely hung on? Jirie!¡± ¡°It¡¯s noisy, Cassion.¡± ¡°I apologize, I¡¯ll take care of it quickly.¡± In a blink of an eye, a dagger was already in Cassion¡¯s hand. It only took a step forward. Rolling. The man¡¯s neck fell off the smile still on his face. It was not long before the body copsed, spouting blood. Blood poured out but not a single drop spilled toward him. It was a very neat kill. Ruel peeked at Aris. He was calmer than he thought. ¡°Ganien, if you¡¯re bored, you can go out and y. I still have some things to say.¡± ¡°I finally have a chance to fight.¡± Ganien squinted at his sword,ining about not being put to action. ¡°At first, I was just trying to keep things clean. But the n has changed.¡± Ruel looked at Jirie and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re going to be punished for touching a noble.¡± Ganien stopped at Ruel¡¯s words and asked, as he was about to go outside. ¡°Other than that, wasn¡¯t everything outside already dealt with? Where should I go?¡± ¡°Merchant of Ribone. Tell him that I¡¯ve taken one of their men¡¯s neck because they dared to touch the nobleman.¡± ¡°Are you selling my name?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, if you act like how you are now, you can deal with it. There must be some pretty strong people at the merchant¡¯s side.¡± ¡°Haa.¡± Ganien sighed. So far, Ruel¡¯s words had been unambiguous, but this one was a bit vague. It is true that he was part of the aristocracy, but he was a knight. There was no justification for killing as a knight. ¡°Jirie.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me straight what Ribone¡¯s superiors have done. No lies.¡± ¡°They are a merchant guild that¡¯s famous for being messy. They¡¯re rted to the underworld, and we can¡¯t mess with it, so everyone¡¯s hands are tied.¡± After hearing Jirie¡¯s story, the Merchants of Ribone seemed to have deeper roots than expected. There was nothing missing in the underworld check list, such as drugs, kidnapping, and human trafficking. ¡®It¡¯s hard, the underworld.¡¯ Ruel looked sideways at Ganien, who was angry at him for justification, and soon gave Cassion a look. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can touch them.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Did you go out for a drinkst night?¡± ¡°¡­ !¡± ¡°I cut off their necks.¡± What he didst night for a drink was to get rid of the boss of the underworld. It was work done in one area, but it was still quiterge. Ruel asked calmly in contrast to his surprised heart. ¡°Who¡¯s the second inmand?¡± ¡°Are you going to meet them?¡± ¡°Later.¡± There must be an uproar since the boss died suddenly. It made no sense to go now. ¡°Ganien, how are you now? Are you ready?¡± ¡°Where is the location?¡± ¡°Cassion, let him know.¡± Ruel spoke and looked at Aris. When he made eye contact with the boy, he smiled warmly. Aside from being used to seeing death, an escort had to be cool anytime, anywhere. Aris stood beside him like a tree, still without receding. While Cassion and Ganien were out, Ruel asked Jirie a question. ¡°How much am I worth you?¡± ¡°Noble, if you don¡¯t mind, may I ask who you are?¡± ¡°Ruel Setiria.¡± Like those with gold in their hands, Jirie¡¯s eyes glinted with the ssic greedy gaze of a merchant. Contrary to the rumors that he was weak, he was quite useful. Jirie bowed and answered Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°The Lord is more valuable than any jewel I have ever seen.¡± There was a lot of ttery. Ruel rubbed his arm in a surge of goosebumps. Ruel asked for something else instead of talking. ¡°I¡¯ve helped you once, so you owe me one, right?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Give me two swords, one of the most famous swords you have, and one for my escort standing next to me.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll get it to you as soon as possible.¡± I thought it was a kind of investment, so I didn¡¯t spare anything in obtaining Jirie. In the end, I knew that money came from valuable people, not valuable objects. ¡°Well, Jirie.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I bought the merchant group, so follow my instructions.¡± ¡°Please give me your order.¡± ¡°Cut them all.¡± Jirie revealed emotion for the first time. Ruel understood. They were like his hands and feet, so how could he cut them like branches? But it was necessary. The reason Beto Merchants¡¯ were ruined was because of the spies that Ribone had hid inside the group. Ruel was bold. ¡°Fire them all and hire new men with the money I gave you. It¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to trust people, but if you don¡¯t want them to get burned, shouldn¡¯t you set fire to the ones who¡¯ll cause them to burn first?¡± When he heard that there was a spy, Jirie closed his eyes tightly. He seemed to be aware but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it ¡®Yes, how could a person be perfect?¡¯ Tsk. Ruel said with a deliberate tongue-clicking sound. ¡°Give me the list before hiring a new person. You know where I¡¯m staying, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­ I know.¡± Ruel got up from his seat because his business was done. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris looked at Ruel and Jirie alternately, before following Ruel. Feeling Aris¡¯ hesitation, Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°You look confused.¡± ¡°Oh, no.¡± ¡°You can choose a spy. But you can¡¯t choose who sympathizes with the spy. Do you think that just because you cut out the rotten parts, the other parts won¡¯t rot? I don¡¯t think so. That¡¯s all.¡± Tak. Tak. The cane rang loudly in the hallway. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What I say is not absolute, look at it with your own eyes and judge for yourself.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aris grinned. To be a judge of your own, not a living doll. That was what Ruel was telling him. Kill your emotions, don¡¯t think about it. Aris was d that was not what Ruel said. Suddenly, Cassion jumped out of the shadow in the hallway. Aris covered his mouth in surprise. ¡°We¡¯ve got a carriage ready.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Looking at Ruel, who didn¡¯t care, Aris was ashamed of himself for being flustered. ¡°It is natural to be surprised. The only reason I¡¯m not is because I¡¯ve seen it a lot.¡± When he said it was okay, Aris lowered his hand that covered his mouth. ¡°Ca¨CCassion-nim, can you teach me, too?¡± Cassion shook his head after a moment of hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t want to be an assassin.¡± With a brutal smile, Aris swallowed without realizing it. ¡®Cassion-nim is an assassin?¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel rushed them. *** The wagon moved. ¡°Don¡¯t be like a dog that needs to shit. If you want to say something, say it.¡± Cassion looked at the restless Aris and said, As soon as Ruel got on the wagon, he fell asleep after opening the button on his suit. ¡°Are you really an assassin?¡± ¡°Will you believe it if I slit your neck in the blink of an eye right here?¡± Aris was frightened for a moment, but soon turned into anger. Cassion waited because he wondered where the anger was directed at. ¡°Even if you really do that, I can¡¯t respond¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s funny.¡± It was so funny. He got angry because he knew he was weak. ¡°I don¡¯t know what Ruel-sama offered to you, but if you don¡¯t like it here, then quit.¡± Cassion sighed as he saw Aris in shock. ¡°He¡¯s a very difficult man to follow. He asks for a lot of things, and he expects a lot. He treats my body like a stone, making me think that I should learn medicine too. He is a person who is worried about things going wrong if he sits quietly in the mansion like any other head of state.¡± Cassion¡¯s heart ached a little when he spoke a little of his loyalty. As he turned around andined, Cassion confessed theints he had umted over the months in front of the sleeping Ruel. Aris gave a subtle look at the strange words of praise and criticism. What should he call this? ¡°¡­ Well, that¡¯s it forints.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression changed. The inside of the carriage instantly became cold. ¡°Ruel has an illness unounted, and we don¡¯t know when it¡¯s going to be fatal. In dangerous situations, the condition can be mild, and in contrast, it can be serious at critical moments.¡± As Cassion became serious, Aris corrected his posture and listened to the conversation. ¡°The escort is different from me, the butler. You have to deal with the entirety of the situation. Can you do it? Under any circumstances, can you be a person who can protect the Lord?¡± Every word was heavy. Aris couldn¡¯t say anything with his hands on hisp. The wagon was filled with silence. After a long silence, Aris opened his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Cassion smiled with his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m d you aren¡¯t taking this lightly. ¡° ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°If you said you could handle it, I was going to stop the wagon. Think about whether you can be an escort in that position.¡± This is the end of the advice. It was Ruel¡¯s choice, but in the end it was up to Aris to do his part. ¡®Because the beginning is important.¡¯ He will continue to support Ruel well if he gets the foundation right in the beginning. It¡¯s going to be harder because he wasn¡¯t normal in the first ce. Cassion saw Ruel, who had not awoken throughout their conversation. He was always sick, but Cassion thought he was a little too sick today. *** Otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be such a mess. ¡°You¡¯re here?¡± As he followed the bloodstains down to the basement, Ganien was sitting in a chair. It was even more creepy because it was the only clean site in the room. Ruel could not get any closer and grabbed his chest. Cassion nced at Ruel and said, ¡°How about lowering the momentum?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a little pissed off.¡± ¡°Did they insult you?¡± Ruel asked, holding onto his chest. ¡°Right. Exactly sphemy against the Blue Knights. Was it a little too grand?¡± ¡°What about the boss?¡± ¡°There.¡± There was only a desk where Ganien pointed. Holding the sword again, Ganien swung at the desk. Under the desk neatly cut with wind pressure, Ruel saw a man curling his body in a fetus position and shivering. ¡°¡­ Aah! A monster, a monster!¡± Seeing Ganien, he trembled, going into a seizure, bursting into bubbles and passing out. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel swept down his face. ¡°That was grand.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you just need the data?¡± Ganien threw something at Cassion. When he opened his hand, he saw a key in his palm. ¡°The key to opening somewhere. I¡¯m going to calm down.¡± ¡°Aris, follow me and talk to me so I can calm down.¡± ¡°I see!¡± In pursuit of Ganien, who had gone away, Aris moved his feet. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a thief.¡± ¡°Find something that fits the key, and I¡¯ll be looking for the data.¡± ¡°¡­ Ha, I see.¡± ¡°Now you¡¯re asking me to do everything,¡± Cassion said, diligently moving on. Ruel looked at the room where Cassion went and burst intoughter. If one followed the sword path, one could see that the sword was swung only twice. ¡®He must¡¯ve been really pissed off.¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and searched the desk Ganien cut first. It was neatly cut, so the inside of the desk was clearly visible. He sat down on a rather clean chair and flipped through the papers one by one. ¡®There is nothing worth writing about.¡¯ After roughly throwing it on the floor, Ruel searched the owner¡¯s body. He took off all the bracelets and nes that looked expensive, as well as the rings on both hands. Ruel searched his pocket and found one that was deeper than it looked, so he stretched out his hand and took something out. ¡®It¡¯s smooth.¡¯ At that moment, he felt something slipping out of his body. He barely managed to support his staggering body, checking what was in his hand. It was a statue made of gold. It was so heavy that he couldn¡¯t lift it up and had to let it go. Bang. Ruel¡¯s body also copsed because he could no longer support the statue that was lying on the floor. There was no strength in his body. Still, Ruelughed. ¡®It¡¯s like the magic pouch that Cassion has. It looks like it¡¯s connected to the warehouse, right?¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because he was not set as the owner or if that was just how it¡¯s supposed to be, but he knew it. The umted wealth was going to be huge. While his body was shaking, Ruelughed. ¡°Haa.¡± A sigh came from behind. ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Cassion got goosebumps when he saw Ruel¡¯s smiling face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Did you pick up something wrong?¡± ¡°Magic pocket. I found it.¡± Blood suddenly gushed out of Ruel¡¯s nose. It was simr to the symptoms that urred when one ran out of mana or aura. Cassion looked around and found the golden statue that appeared out of the blue. It was taken out of the magic pocket, with its ss-like body. ¡°Are you crazy!¡± Cassion felt his heart ache and inted a very small amount of aura into Ruel. ¡°No matter how much money there is, how can you touch someone else¡¯s magic pocket? Have you sold the face of a householder?¡± Ruel¡¯s mouth opened with his face looking as if he was about to faint. ¡®Did you find a ce to use the key?¡¯ ¡°I found it! I found it, so we¡¯re here!¡± When Cassion screamed, his heart felt like it was about to tear. Cassion broke out in a cold sweat. If Ruel died, he would die too. That was the effect of the Mana¡¯s vow he took to be a loyal butler. The aura he had been giving to Ruel stopped. Just like the way Ruel¡¯s body broke when mana was injected, so would the aura. If he gave more than this, Ruel¡¯s body would not be able to withstand it and would copse. The nosebleed stopped. At least the minimum amount of life he needed had been filled. Cassion was relieved for now. ¡°I told you not to use magic pockets.¡± Whether it was mana or aura, they were like blood that sustained life. The countdown to death would begin the moment it was depleted, and one would die if it was not filled again within a certain period of time. That was true for everyone. ¡°¡­ I didn¡¯t know.¡± Ruel wiped his nosebleed and made a sincere face. I really didn¡¯t know. What can I do if I had already done it? ¡°Don¡¯t get up. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Cassion put Ruel in a chair, stripped the top of his jacket and put it in his pocket. ¡°We¡¯ve found a secret room. I¡¯ve packed it with a lot of money that Ruel likes, and I¡¯ve also packed the well-stored documents.¡± ¡°How about material for the story?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Ruel also made the impression that he had found money and evidence. But now, he felt dizzy and nauseous as if he had anemia. ¡°Are you going back to Jirie?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go alone.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ming, too.¡± Jirie was a merchant. Ruel knew he couldn¡¯t show weakness to him already. He had to go boldly and reaffirm his worth in Jirie¡¯s mind. Cassion knew that, so this time there wasn¡¯t much protest. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to make a copy before that. You should be the only one holding the original unconditionally.¡± ¡°I have them all, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then go ahead and sit down for a while.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Cassion handed something to Ruel and disappeared. When he unpacked it, it was cookies made by Astell. Ruel ate a cookie and closed his eyes. He tried to fill up the shortage of mana by moving the power of recovery quickly even for just a moment. Crunch. ¡®I want to eat meat pie now too.¡¯ Chapter 28: You have to take care of yourself (3) Chapter 28: You have to take care of yourself (3) *** Tak. Cassion carefully put the documents down on the table. Ruel coughed lightly before looking at Jirie. The man looked a little surprised. ¡°Have you already gone there¡­?¡± ¡°What will you give me if I give you this?¡± Ruel pointed at the documents. It was too important for Jirie to refer to it as simply this. Not only was Ruel able to restore the people¡¯s lost trust, he was also able to improve public opinion and get a chance to reverse the losses he had suffered. Rather than ncing at the documents, Jirie looked at the man he previously thought was weak. ¡®It¡¯s fun.¡¯ Jirie¡¯s heart swelled. As long as Ruel had the power and strength, it was possible to make his face immediately touch the floor. But Jirie wanted to make a deal with him. The difference between other nobles and him was so interesting. ¡°What do you want?¡± For the first time, Jirie handed over the initiative to his opponent. What he didn¡¯t have was power. The essence of merchants was to build up capital by clinging onto those in power and using their influence. However, Jirie didn¡¯t attach himself to anybody. Was it because the aristocrats who im themselves to be noble and the barons under their feet dirty? It wasn¡¯t. He was a dirty merchant himself. But it was pathetic. The ones he saw were all the same, only the names and faces were different. Things that shone the more one wiped them, things that were old but valuable because of their old age. Jirie had seen so many of such things that he didn¡¯t find interest in them. But Ruel sparkled. Who said he was a weak nobleman? Who said he was a poor Lord? ¡°You.¡± His arrogant smile, his desire to possess, and his tant intentions were so bright. There was a smile on Jirie¡¯s face. ¡°You mean me?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± The value didn¡¯t match. Jirie closed his eyes for a moment. After he sold Beto¡¯s Merchant, he ceased all his ns without hesitation. He didn¡¯t need it anymore. But Ruel appeared. ¡®Yeah, it¡¯s kind of an investment.¡¯ Seeing the smile Jirie gave, Ruel already knew he would ept. Jirie made a joke without hesitation. ¡°I¡¯m expensive.¡± ¡°For a failing upper-ss merchant, you¡¯ve got a lot of pride.¡± ¡°I failed because I had the pride to not beg.¡± ¡°So, did you find a ce to stay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s your ce.¡± Ruel burst intoughter. It was because he liked how Jirie didn¡¯t disregard his beliefs even in the obvious disadvantage. ¡°I¡¯ll invest in you.¡± ¡°You and I are equal?¡± ¡°How can you say that you are equal to a noble? All I¡¯m saying is that during a deal everyone is equal.¡± Ruel said while reaching out his hand. ¡°Okay, I like that.¡± Jirie took it and bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m d you like it.¡± ¡°Cassion, give it to me.¡± He handed over a sheet of paper from his pocket. It wasn¡¯t your normal piece of paper. It was a certificate of something engraved in gold leaf. ¡°I will hand over temporary ownership of one of Setiria¡¯s mines to you. Call me, and I¡¯ll hand you something delicious one by one.¡± Ruel inhaled from Breath. ¡°Is this a test?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget. Only you are to me if it fails. Oh, let me add something. Don¡¯t forget that you are only the temporary owner. Well, do your best.¡± Leaving a calm smile, Ruel took his party and left. After he left, Jirie sat still for a long time. Setiria was originally one of the wealthiest families. At least that was how it was five years ago. Now, it was nothing but an empty fancy shell. But something was changing, and it was changing because of Ruel Setiria. Jirie sighed. He didn¡¯t know how Ruel and the others got ownership of the stolen mine, but as long as there was high-purity ore there that could only be found in Setiria, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem to start over. ¡®What a huge gambler.¡¯ Who else would dare buy a failing merchant and not cut off their ties? He even gave Jirie temporary ownership of a mine. Jirie couldn¡¯t think of Ruel¡¯s intentions as simply an ¡®ident.¡¯ ¡®But you won¡¯t regret choosing me.¡¯ Jirie rose from his seat with the certificate in hand. A piece of paper fluttered down. ¡°¡­?¡± ¨CSetiria shouldn¡¯t be in the spotlight yet. Surround yourself with the Hand of the Wind Guild adventurers, Han, Cassion, and Gaff. Jirieughed out loud as he read the paper. ¡®What a funny person.¡¯ *** ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re thinking.¡± After thinking for a long time, Ganien still couldn¡¯t find the answer. He eventually asked Ruel. ¡°What on earth are you thinking?¡± ¡°What?¡± Ruel inhaled using Breath. ¡°It¡¯s not normal. It¡¯smon to take over a failing merchant group. That¡¯s fine, but you don¡¯t need your own merchant, do you? Why did you save that merchant?¡± He stared at Ruel curiously. ¡°A feeling.¡± Ruel answered briefly. He was toozy to answer. ¡°Is it? Is it really so simple? That¡¯s simple enough to be called ignorance.¡± ¡°I have a good feeling about it. That¡¯s it¡± Ganien and Aris were much easier to convince than expected. ¡°Well, all the choices you¡¯ve made so far¡­¡± Ganien muttered something, but Ruel only looked out, listening with one ear. The power of resistance. It was time to obtain it. The power of resistance resided on the main road from Setiria to the Lumina family. Ruel couldn¡¯t get to the ce because he ran to meet Tyson, the head of the Magic Knights. However, now that he was back in Setiria, he was now on the main road. The power of resistance was the power that Ganien did not acquire. An extra was used to boast its power instead and that would then suggest to Ganien that there were more powers left by the hero. Ganien had been blessed with resistance since birth anyway. ¡®I¡¯m different.¡¯ He had to have it if he didn¡¯t want to die because he had nothing but weaknesses. Cassion kept looking at Ruel with a nervous look. ¡®It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to go to the bathroom.¡¯ Ruel averted his gaze immediately and looked out again. By the time his weak body was forced to close its eyes, Ruel said. ¡°Stop.¡± When Cassion knocked on the wagon wall, the wagon stopped quickly. Ganien stopped talking to Aris and looked out the window. He checked the forest spread out on both sides of the road. ¡°It¡¯s a long way off.¡± ¡°Toilet.¡± Ruel replied calmly, got off the wagon, and went into the woods. Cassion, who followed him, said nothing until Ruel stopped in the middle of the woods and held out his hand. ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to drink?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± The person who boasted the power of resistance was a woodcutter who saw and ate a precious medicinal herb, like wild ginseng, and found out that it was poisonous. At that time, after identally discovering and gaining the power of resistance, he was so proud of it. Ruel ordered Cassion to buy the same poison the woodcutter had that made him gain strength. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, so stand there.¡± ¡°What do you intend to do?¡± ¡°Live.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to be sick.¡± Cassion just stared at Ruel, who kept going forward with excitement. He had no idea what Ruel wanted to do. He didn¡¯t know why Ruel didn¡¯t want to take him with him, but whatever it was, it must be important. ¡°Be careful, have a safe trip.¡± Cassion gave a bow and waited for Ruel toe safely. Ruel chased the annoying bug around looking for flowers. It was necessary not to take Cassion. Ruel had to take poison, but if he took Cassion with him, he would definitely get in the way. ¡®It¡¯s around here.¡¯ Ruel had to find a red flower near where a tree had been cut. ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel wiped away his sweat. There was no uphill road, but it was difficult to proceed because it was not paved. Whizz. Suddenly the power of recovery howled. It was as if it was telling him to look to the left. He was a little annoyed when he checked the power calling for guidance. ¡®Let¡¯s go ahead.¡¯ Whizz, I walked toward the ce where the sound came from. There he saw lots of red flowers blooming near the tree that hadn¡¯t been cut yet. ¨DYou who possess the power of recovery. The power inside the flower showed itself even though he didn¡¯t ce his hands on the sculpture. Ruel¡¯s eyes got bigger. ¨DYou are one who already knows pain. I will not test you. ¡®I don¡¯t need to take the test?¡¯ How unexpected. Ruel put the poison back into his pocket. ¨DI was born to ease pain. It will only cause more pain to test you who already knows pain. The power came to Ruel in the form of light. ¨DDon¡¯t get sick. Don¡¯t be in pain. Don¡¯t fall down. I will persevere for you and protect you from the things that make your body suffer. Ruel closed his eyes and opened his eyes feeling the power enter his body. Sharr. A gentle sound was heard from his chest. ¡®I got it.¡¯ Ruel put his hand in his pocket, touching the vial of poison he prepared. ¡®Do I try it?¡¯ He took his hand out of his pocket while agonizing between curiosity and pain. His hands turned sweaty, as if the pain he had suffered from the poisonst time was suddenly revived. ¡®Next time, next time.¡¯ Ruel retraced the way he hade and suddenly stopped. ¡®He¡¯s here. Isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Ruel was confused because he was sure the tree was quite far away. Ruel sighed loudly and called Cassion. ¡°Have you finished your business?¡± In Ruel¡¯s shadow, Cassion appeared. He didn¡¯t really know how Cassion could follow him without a sound. So, Ruel looked at Cassion as if he were looking at a mysterious animal. Cassion also looked at Ruel. ¡°¡­ Have you gained a power like the power of recovery? I saw something like this.¡± ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°A thin film. I saw it surround you. What did you get?¡± ¡°The power of resistance, it allows you to endure many things. Like poison.¡± Cassion hesitated and asked carefully. ¡°You didn¡¯t drink it¡­did you?¡± Ruel showed the poison as if trying to prove something. ¡°Crazy? I almost died from poison. Do you think I¡¯ll dare drink poison again?¡± ¡°Yes, I made a mistake. I thought the very Ruel, who treats my own body like stone, would definitely drink it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? There is no one who cares about my body as much as you do.¡± Ruel snorted. At that moment, the curse rose to his throat, so Cassion struggled to smile. ¡°You¡¯re going the wrong way. Follow me.¡± *** ¡°Is it a big one?¡± Ganien grinned with his legs crossed. Ruel looked under him. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the point of staying still in the wagon? It¡¯s so boring, that¡¯s why we train.¡± Aris was underneath Ganien. His hands were trembling just trying to hold on. ¡°¡­?¡± Ganien suddenly stood up and went towards Ruel, circling him. ¡°There was no such thing before. Did you eat something good?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Something has happened. Hmm, it¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen it, so I don¡¯t know how to describe it.¡± Aris, who was breathing heavily, also opened his eyes wider at Ruel. ¡°The mana I was worried about has be dense.¡± Ruel was pleased because he didn¡¯t expect to see even Aris had improved. Well, he was indeed a genius, so he was different from the beginning. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s not talk nonsense.¡± Everyone followed Ruel into the wagon. *** When the wagon arrived at Setiria¡¯s mansion, knights in silver armor lined up outside the mansion gate. ¡°Setiria!¡± As Ruel got off the carriage, the knights all saluted towards him. ¡°I¡¯m d you¡¯re back safely!¡± Cheynol bowed his head to Ruel on behalf of the knights. ¡®It¡¯s quite like a surprise show.¡¯ The corner of Ruel¡¯s lips raised as he looked at the things different from when he first came here. ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job.¡± Ruel patted Cheynol on the shoulder and walked among the knights. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Even though he walked while coughing, the respect in the eyes of the knights who looked at him did not change. ¡®Now everybody looks like true knights.¡¯ Waiting for the gate to open, Ruel told them. ¡°Be strong.¡± He entered the mansion with a bright smile. The knights did not rx until every single person in Ruel¡¯s party entered the mansion. ¨CBe strong. His words and smile were stuck inside the knights¡¯ heads. During Ruel¡¯s absence, they all constantly trained to death. But does that mean they haven¡¯t reached his standard yet? ¡®Let¡¯s try harder.¡¯ They thought. To repay the Lord for giving them the opportunity to be knights again. *** ¡°What about my knights? Have they gotten stronger?¡± Ruel asked Cassion and Ganien, who had gathered in his room. ¡°I don¡¯t know what your standards are.¡± ¡°Well they¡¯re definitely different. We¡¯ll have to fight and see if they¡¯re that strong.¡± Ganien fiddled with his sword handle. The quality of the Knights seemed to have increased to the point where even Ganien wanted to fight them. ¡°You have to fight to find out. All right.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ganien waited for Ruel¡¯s next words with a look of expectation. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Cheynol, so you can fight as much as you want. Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°From tomorrow, I¡¯m going to train my knights.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t talk about magic because Ganien was there. ¡°I see!¡± Ganien suddenly looked like he liked training. Ruel was a little worried, but he was also curious about what was going to happen. ¡°That¡¯s enough, everybody go back and get some rest. Cassion, show Aris to his room.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t know why they rushed to his room, but he was tired. All he wanted was to kick them all out andy in bed thinking about what he was going to do next. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Aris said. Instead of answering, Ruel simply looked at him. ¡°I¡¯ll be strong, too!¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± No matter how genius he was, Ruel knew he couldn¡¯t be strong overnight. He just answered in hopes that they would disappear soon. ¡°Cassion will show you around your room and how to get ready for a bath.¡± Ruel waved his hand. When they all left, he inhaled Breath and looked back on today. Fourth, improve my way of life. Get my hands on the merchant, the guild, and the escort. I¡¯ve aplished everything. Everything, except for my health recovery. ¡®Damn this body.¡¯ No matter how many times he cursed, Ruel didn¡¯t feel better. How to get rid of the disease. There was no clue at all. ¡®What is this disease in the first ce? It¡¯s a disease, right?¡¯ He thought about whether he should find an excellent medical doctor soon, but he put off thinking about it. Now, what he needed to do was to implement his fifth n for living. Knock. Knock. ¡°It is Tyson, the head of the Magic Knights.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Tyson ran in as soon as he opened the door. He looked all over Ruel¡¯s body and looked sorry for him. ¡°You¡¯re tired.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°Your recovery is behind my expectations.¡± ¡°Well, something¡¯se up.¡± ¡°How are you feeling? There are no aftereffects of that time¡­was there?¡± Tyson was reluctant to ask more and more questions, but suddenly Tyson closed his mouth. There was a trembling in his hand. Ruel hurriedly pulled his body back. ¡°What are you doing, Uncle?¡± I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve already forgotten thatst time you did this something big happened. ¡°It will be okay. I¡¯m just checking something.¡± As if his wizard switch was turned on, his face was suddenly filled with emotions. His expression was that of looking at something very interesting. ¡®Did he sense the power of resistance?¡¯ ¡°Just stay where you are for a second. I won¡¯t do you any harm.¡± Fire bloomed on Tyson¡¯s fingers, although it was as small as a candle me. He grabbed Ruel¡¯s wrist and brought it towards the me. Ruel thought it would be hot, but it was only warm. ¡°As expected.¡± Tysonughed. ¡°You have be resistant to Mana.¡± ¡®It seems that the power of resistance is working properly.¡¯ Ruel was satisfied, too. ¡°Oh! Wait a minute, take this.¡± Tyson pulled a bracelet out of his sleeve and handed it over. ¡°It¡¯s a magical item created by Drianna. Your body is just like ss, or a piece of paper, so you¡¯ll definitely need it.¡± ¡°What about this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bracelet that boosts Mana¡¯s tolerance.¡± The previous words were quite insulting, but it wasn¡¯t like Ruel would reject the items that wereing. ¡®Last time, what did Drianna say she was going to do, and she did it to give it to me?¡¯ As soon as Ruel put it on, a tickling sensation surrounded his whole body. That was all. ¡°Okay, my disciple. The mana surrounding your body is now more stable.¡± Tyson made another me and ced it on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°It¡¯s as strong as before.¡± ¡°It feels less warm.¡± ¡°Done. That means it works. That¡¯s not gonna make your body copse anymore.¡± Ruel was a little ufortable when he looked so happy. He was called uncle, but he was a stranger to himself. ¡°Did you happen to see the boy next to Ganien on his way?¡± ¡°Of course I did. I¡¯ve never seen such beautiful mana before.¡± Tyson was ecstatic. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to have someone from my side teach him magic before?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My escort is named Aris. Teach him. You can pour out all the knowledge you have.¡± Tyson jumped with joy, as if he suddenly forgot his age. ¡°This is a miracle! It¡¯s a miracle! Mana blesses me!¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± But at the sound of Ruel¡¯s cough, Tyson¡¯s energy sank at once. ¡°I didn¡¯t get an answerst time. Is the condition bad?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bad. It¡¯s not treatable right now.¡± It was better to tell the truth than to give false hope. As Ruel¡¯s words entered Tyson¡¯s ears, he had be as hopeless as a man who lost his country. ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m not going to die.¡± ¡°¡­ Is it your desire? Or is it true?¡± Tyson looked so desperate. Ruel felt he looked a little bit like a man holding onto a rope even though he knew it would break. Ruel answered the same way as before. He didn¡¯t want to let him know that there were powers left by the hero. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll meet the boy named Aris.¡± No matter how he felt about Ruel¡¯s words, Tyson tried to calm down. ¡°I heard you haven¡¯t announced the thing about the Magic Knights of Setiria to the public yet.¡± ¡°¡­ What¡¯s the use of giving an announcement when the owner isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve brought many people. You¡¯ll see themter. If they have talent, take them.¡± The mansion had many vacancies, so all the people brought from the Hand of the Wind Guild stayed. Ruel was going to have them picked up by Cheynol and Tyson, and then hire the rest as servants or pay them to help them settle in Setiria. Ruel turned his head and looked at the window. Before he knew it, the sun was already setting. ¡®A meal tastes best after taking a bath.¡¯ Tyson felt sorry looking at the gentleness in Ruel¡¯s gaze looking at the sunset. His mouth moved without realizing it. How many things do you have in that sick body? ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°If the seat of the head of the household is too heavy, you don¡¯t have to carry it.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not that heavy.¡¯ ¡°You don¡¯t have to overdo it if you¡¯re having a hard time. Uncle can raise you well, even if you don¡¯t have such a position.¡± There were people who were obedient when asked to do something. However, why did he have to leave just because Tyson told him to leave. Why did he have to leave all that he had aplished just because the burden of a name was too much? Ruel pushed down the curse about toe out of his mouth and spoke as calmly as he could. ¡°Uncle. I¡¯m the Lord of thisnd. Setiria is mine.¡± ¡°But the name of the Lord is¡­¡± ¡°Setiria must rise up. That¡¯s my job. I want to rest, so please go back.¡± As Setiria grew well, he had to step up his game to befortable. Isn¡¯t that why I¡¯m dragging my fucking body around? ¡°Ruel, although I have no children, I have always thought of you as a son. Call me whenever you need me.¡± Ruel could feel the deep affection between the words. However, it was burdensome. After all, he wasn¡¯t Tyson¡¯s beloved Ruel. ¡°I will. Definitely.¡± But still, Ruel replied with a bright smile. ¡°Eat a lot because your uncle brought a lot of healthy food for dinner.¡± Tysonughed weakly. Ruel didn¡¯t want to interpret that smile. He sighed as Tyson turned around. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ Ruel had already taken care of one thing and was going to rest for the time being. No matter how strong the power of recovery was, a body that had been burdened as much as Ruel¡¯s was excessive. I¡¯ve been feeling it desperatelytely. Ruel closed his eyes. Soon, his whole body went in pain and he squeezed his nket to put up with it. Chapter 29: Fill in the blanks Chapter 29: Fill in the nks ¡°Is this what it¡¯s like when you get ready to take a bath?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel and sighed. ¡®I thought I might get wrinkles on my forehead.¡¯ Looking at the nket mixed with sweat and blood, Cassion counted how many nkets he had left in his head. ¡®I¡¯ll have to get a new one.¡¯ ¡°¡­ It¡¯s noisy.¡± Ruel said, suppressing a scream that seemed to leak out. ¡°Having the energy to talk means that it¡¯s still okay.¡± Cassion handed the Breath over directly to Ruel, who couldn¡¯t even lift it properly. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°Damn it¡­¡± ¡°Do you want me to put you to sleep?¡± How painful must it have been to squeeze his arm to the point of bleeding? Wouldn¡¯t it be better to sleep so deeply that you didn¡¯t know the pain than to endure it? Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°Alright. I will wait patiently.¡± Thinking that he wouldn¡¯t want to show this to anyone else, Cassion dragged a chair and sat down. After returning to this mansion, Ruel didn¡¯t even take painkillers. After gaining the power of recovery, his body was better than before, but Ma seemed to have caused distrust of the drug. He had been taking poison medicine for years, so he honestly felt like he was going to get fed up with it. ¡°Would you like some painkillers?¡± The answer was not heard. ¡°It¡¯s a pain reliever I bought myself. There is no poison in it.¡± Cassion said that he had bought it himself to assure Ruel. It¡¯s not good to rely on medicine, but it seemed foolish to endure the pain recklessly. Now that he had even let out a scream, Cassion asked again. ¡°How about taking some medicine?¡± ¡°¡­ Give it to me.¡± Ruel struggled to get his words out. Only then did Cassion smile with relief. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Even the sound of the door opening and closing did not reach Ruel¡¯s ears. This pain was too great. There was no sign of it calming down even though the power of recovery was so strong that it rang, ¡°Wi-ing.¡± ¡®Damn body.¡¯ Since he didn¡¯t know the name of the disease and the medicine didn¡¯t work, all he could do was get used to the pain. ¡®Calm down, sink!¡¯ ¡®I wanted to cry right now. I wanted someone to grab hold of how much it hurts and appeal.¡¯ Then, the pain disappeared in an instant. Ruel put down the nket that he was holding tightly. ¡®I¡¯m exhausted all over my body.¡¯ ¡®I should¡¯ve just taken medicine.¡¯ ¡®The reason I didn¡¯t take the medicine was that the pain that I could endure came after I gained the power of recovery.¡¯ Also, he didn¡¯t want to depend on drugs. ¡®But it was the first time I had such a strong pain like today.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m dying¡­¡¯ I felt like I was going to die. ¡®Hungry.¡¯ As the pain went away, I felt very hungry. Ruel looked around him, feeling his energy gradually rising. He was drenched in so much blood and sweat that he vomited. He frowned right away. ¡°I¡¯m here. Here¡¯s some medicine with water.¡± ¡°Bath.¡± As soon as Cassion returned, Ruel said as if he had waited. ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to eat right after taking a bath, so get ready.¡± *** Sniff. Ganien sniffed as he sat next to Ruel. ¡°Did you throw up again? It smells like blood.¡± While trying to pick up the meat that had just been cut thickly with a fork, Ruel red at Ganien. ¡®I didn¡¯t know his senses were this sharp.¡¯ nk. Tyson dropped his cup of water. Even his lips, on his face that turned whiter than the tablecloth, were shaking. What about Aris? He couldn¡¯t even sit on a chair, he just stood still and looked at Ruel. He looked like he had lost his soul. ¡°¡­ Ha.¡± Ruel sighed. As the pleasant meal time went by, ¡®I thought it might turn into a funeral home.¡¯ Only then did Ganien notice. Tyson and Aris only knew that Ruel was sick, but didn¡¯t know what symptoms he had. Ganien closed his mouth and held the spoon calmly. Cassion put down a freshly drawn water cup and spoke quietly to Tyson. ¡°You dropped your cup.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± He couldn¡¯t grab the cup steadily so he drank all the water with his trembling hands. Ttak. Ganien quieted the area in an instant, and even the sound of Tyson putting his cup down was loud. Tyson struggled to call Ruel. ¡°Ruel.¡± Feeling that it hade, Ruel red at Ganien again and quietly moved his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s just a symptom of a disease that always urs, so you don¡¯t have to pay much attention to it.¡± ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± ¡°Have you decided on a date to publicly announce the Magic Knights?¡± ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it, but rather than a grand announcement, I want it to be quietly announced only to the Royal Family. Setiria is going to bustle. I don¡¯t want that.¡± After finishing his words, Ruel put another piece of meat in his mouth that tempted his tongue with its luscious flesh. It felt like the energy that had been lost due to Astell¡¯s cooking was being restored. Looking at the stunned Tyson, Ruel called Aris. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Is, is that true? I didn¡¯t know Ruel-nim¡¯s condition was that bad¡­¡± ¡°Is the training going well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I want to know about Ruel-nim¡¯s condition rather than that story right now.¡± ¡°I chose you because I needed my escort. Stupidity isn¡¯t an option, is your training going well?¡± Ganien pleaded for something with his eyes, but Ruel lightly ignored it. Aris reluctantly replied with a sullen face. ¡°I¡¯m always doing my best.¡± ¡°Yeah, learn a lot when you¡¯re with Ganien.¡± Ruel inhaled from the Breath and finally called Ganien. He hurriedly pounded on his chest while eating. ¡°Why? Why?¡± ¡°When are you going to leave? Shouldn¡¯t you move slowly?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to stay a little longer. It¡¯s too early to leave now. Speaking of which¡­¡± ¡°Okay. Please pay more attention to Aris. I¡¯m fine because I have Cassion.¡± Ganien looked at him absurdly. What if it wasn¡¯t for him. ¡®I¡¯m going to focus on Setiria for now anyway, so it¡¯s okay if Ganien doesn¡¯t follow me.¡¯ Ruel pressured Ganien with his eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mean to say that?¡± ¡°Yes, well.¡± After borrowing time to talk to everyone, Ruel focused on the food again. ¡®There was a lot of food that I had never seen before, so it seemed like it was something good for the body that Tyson brought.¡¯ What was unusual was that they cooked using only one ingredient on a te without mixing the ingredients. It tasted great, so what about it? Cassion took notes from time to time while waiting, but he was so serious that I couldn¡¯t talk to him easily. ¡°Ruel, eat a lot.¡± Tyson, who looked older than before, sounded weak. ¡°I¡¯m eating a lot¡­ Cough, cough!¡± Ruel suddenly coughed out. Something was different. My fingertips trembled and red spots came up on the back of my hand. ¡°A-Are you having another attack again?¡± ¡°Are you okay, Ruel?¡± While Tyson and Aris were in chaos, Cassion¡¯s deep sigh came. ¡°Everything from 4 to 10 is eliminated.¡± What? He said strange things and took something out of his arms and showed it to Ruel. When Tyson looked at Cassion frighteningly, he said, ignoring his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s medicine. You don¡¯t have to be surprised.¡± ¡°What kind of medicine is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a medicine that relieves allergies. Ruel has quite a few illnesses. so there are a lot of things to be careful about.¡± Ruel opened his eyes wide. ¡®¡­ Crazy!¡¯ When the first ingredient came out, Cassion was looking to see if he was allergic to it or not. It was a checklist that he wrote down seriously. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you look at it that way. I didn¡¯t know the material, so I had to check it.¡± Tyson grabbed Cassion by the cor. Feeling relieved, Ruel coughed andughed. ¡°Did you experiment with my nephew?¡± ¡°Then, Tyson-nim, how do you know the foods that cause allergic reactions to Ruel? If you can tell with magic, I¡¯ll dly follow your direction, too.¡± Cassion forced Tyson off. He was not the butler of Tyson, he was Ruel¡¯s loyal butler. ¡°I¡¯ve only served Ruel for half a year, but I¡¯m the one who knows his condition best. Not you who say you¡¯re his uncle with that condescending mouth.¡± He was the only blood rtive to his only nephew, so it was natural to be worried. He was able to bring food that was good for the body in the hopes of helping him be healthy. However, he had to let him know that the food could be a means to endanger Ruel¡¯s life. ¡°¡­That¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel barely opened his mouth when he was about to stop coughing. ¡°Okay.¡± Cassion smiled loyally. Knowing that he deliberately pushed Tyson, Ruel frowned at Cassion. ¡°I¡¯m¡­sorry. I don¡¯t even know, you¡­ .¡± He had roughly noticed what the loyal butler had done to Tyson¡¯s face, who was engulfed in guilt. He was induced to speak directly of the disease with his own mouth and his condition. ¡®You don¡¯t want me to take care of myself alone, right?¡¯ Ruel bit his lips and sighed soon. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think deeply about what Cassion said. It was my fault for not telling you.¡± Ruel pretended he couldn¡¯t win over what Cassion had done. It was something that Tyson and Aris would find out someday. Ruel told them what he knew of his condition and the symptoms of his illness. Meanwhile, Cassion took away the food that Reul couldn¡¯t eat in front of him and brought those that he could eat closer. Only Ruel and Ganien were not swept away by the gloomy atmosphere at the end of the story. Ganien expressed dissatisfaction when he saw the changed locations of the food between Ruel¡¯s stories. ¡°How can you change the location of food so cheaply?¡± ¡°The person of highest stature here is Ruel-nim. I¡¯ll take you to another seat.¡± Cassion went to the end of the table and pulled out the chair. Ganien muttered and put the mushrooms in his mouth. Ruel calmly waited for the allergic reaction to subside, and Tyson and Aris continued to y with each other without knowing whether the food was going through their nose or mouth. *** ¡°Cassion.¡± After returning to the room, Ruely in bed and put his hand on his belly. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do anything useless.¡± ¡°I did it because it was useless. When were you going to tell them if I didn¡¯t force you?¡± Ruel was amazed to see his shameless face without any remorse. ¡°My uncle nearly had a mental breakdown, no, he¡¯s weak-minded. What if you stimted him too much?¡± ¡°You know, there¡¯s Drianna. What does it matter if there is a student who will seed him?¡± ¡°Aris?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve allowed you to make up your mind faster. When Ganien leaves, your side will be empty.¡± ¡°What¡¯s your decision?¡± Cassion smiled without answering. He seemed to have called and talked with Aris. How burdensome was it to receive a mixture of pity, sadness, and confusion from both sides during the meal? ¡®I nailed it again when I mentioned that I didn¡¯t die, so they must have understood it well.¡¯ ¡°The data I received from Minart. Did you finish your research?¡± The data received from Minart were a list of people hired by the former lord. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s already beenpleted.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°I guess you forgot what your condition was like before this evening.¡± ¡°You have to move when you can.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression briefly hardened at the subtle words. ¡°We cannot keep the Baron¡¯s positions vacant forever, so we have to fill it up slowly. Even though you know Minart was getting letters asking for help.¡± ¡°Here you are.¡± It seemed like he was going to say one more word, but Cassion politely handed over the data. Ruel, who was looking at the data silently, opened his mouth. ¡°Did you include all the former Barons?¡± ¡°As you can see from the results of the survey, the former head of the household has chosen the right people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief, I was thinking about which people to choose.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send a letter.¡± ¡°No, it was unfair to be kicked out, but it¡¯s not just about sending letters.¡± Cassion¡¯s heart fluttered whenever Ruel brought up the word ¡®no.¡¯ Should Ruel say that he was like a child before making trouble? ¡°I will personally go. I¡¯m going to go around everything tomorrow, so get ready.¡± ¡°¡­are you serious?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion was silent for a moment. He suddenly frowned as if he was pondering something. ¡°Did you curse inside again?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not. It¡¯s¡­ My heart is throbbing because I¡¯m getting a little intense thinking about how to do it.¡± ¡°Anyway, get ready. As you know, I¡¯m not feeling well, so let¡¯s n the fastest and best route.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite absurd that someone who knows it well says something absurd.¡± ¡°I¡¯m hungry when I turn around, maybe because I¡¯m growing up. Go bake some meat pie.¡± After eating like that? Cassion showed embarrassment, but he had already bowed. No, he had to eat a lot. so that he could gain weight. ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you soon.¡± Cassion turned around and thought that he might have to find an exclusive butler soon. ¡®Where do I get a guy simr to me?¡¯ Even if he was too talented, it was a mask. Suddenly, something sweet pulled back. ¡°Yesterday, while nning the route, we found the location of the Barons again, and as a result, they all went on a fishing trip together.¡± Crunch crunch. Eating cookies in the carriage, Ruel looked out the window. Blinking his sleepy eyes, he was btedly startled. ¡°What kind of trip?¡± ording to data handed over by Cassion, the seven Barons originally had a bad rtionship. However, after being chased, their rtionship became strangely strong, and they even became as close as siblings. ¡°It¡¯s a trip that brings back memories by cursing Setiria who kicked them out.¡± Ruel smiled at the clear sky. Did youe together in old age as a group? ¡°Where are we going now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Franna Vige in the center of Apor and Sisel. There is a fairlyrgeke behind Franna Vige, so I think they traveled there.¡± Apor was the center of Setiria. And it was also the ce where his mansion was located. ¡°Did you travel often?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I was wandering around Setiria at regr intervals.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you go outside of Setiria?¡± ¡°I never left Setiria before or after I was kicked out.¡± Ruel crossed his arms. If Setiria had been hated so much, he would have escaped quickly after being cut from the position of Baron. ¡®There is something, something.¡¯ Ruel pondered while inhaling Breath, and asked one thing. ¡°Did they all go on a trip together?¡± ¡°No, they went around Setiria in pairs of three or four or two, two or three.¡± ¡°You¡¯re saying that they all moved together this time, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Listening to Cassion¡¯s answer, Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. The date they went on a fishing trip together cleverly ovepped with the date we returned. ¡®Are you going to test me?¡¯ Whatever it was, I would know if I met him in person. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel closed his eyes until the carriage arrived. Chapter 30: Fill in the blanks (2) Chapter 30: Fill in the nks (2) *** ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± At the words of Cassion, Ruel opened his eyes. He didn¡¯t know why, but Cassion¡¯s face looked exceptionally refreshing. His well-groomed hair was a little messy, and dirt was visible on the floor of the wagon. Ruel was unsure and asked. ¡°What happened while I was sleeping?¡± ¡°Yes, the rat stepped in the trap without knowing the subject.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Apparently, amon clich¨¦ popped out while sleeping. Ruel got off the carriage. An openke was the first thing that caught his eye. He could see peopleing for a walk or fishing. The carriage was unintentionally attracting attention because it was the only one of its kind there. ¡°It¡¯s not a walk that Ruel-nim could handle so I had no choice but to drive the carriage all the way here. I apologize for bringing unnecessary attention to you.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Ttak. Ruel walked to theke while listening to the people gossiping. The sparkling appearance of theke under the sun was beautiful. It was as if it was sprinkled with jewels. The water was so clear that the fish at the bottom were clearly visible. ¡®It¡¯s a good ce.¡¯ It was the perfect ce to camp. It would be nice toe to yter. ¡°I think it¡¯s over there.¡± Cassion looked around and pointed to the right. Seven middle-aged men huddled together and were waiting for the fish to bite on their fishing rods. In a ce with very shallow water where no fish could be caught, in a corner where there were not many people. Ruel walked leisurely and approached them. Tak tak. He hit his cane to the ground to announce his presence and to attract their attention. But they didn¡¯t even give him a single nce. Ruel sat on a t-looking rock and asked. ¡°Did you catch a lot?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t catch any.¡± The answer was fast. ¡°There are 7 of you, but you couldn¡¯t catch a single fish?¡± Then one of them saw Ruel. He asked him a question with a firm face. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to meet someone.¡± ¡°The people are scattered about like fish here.¡± ¡°I hate talking too much, so I¡¯ll keep it simple. Pleasee back.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? There are so many ces to go back to. Where are you telling me toe back to?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡®Oh man, he likes to talk back.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t what he liked to hear. Ruel gave strength to his voice so that they could hear it well. They seemed to be sulky. ¡°The seat is reserved, so please return to your original seat.¡± The man let go of the fishing rod. And he said with a slightly gloomy face. ¡°It seems like I caught a fish for the first time in five years.¡± ¡°You were caught, and I came directly to you because you seemed to be upset.¡± ¡°I had a lot¡­ of resentment.¡± ¡°I know, but you didn¡¯t leave this ce.¡± ¡°We me ourselves, not you. Honestly, I didn¡¯t expect you toe.¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel coughed out andughed. ¡°How could I not know when I was teased like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The men put their fishing rods down one by one. The fishing rods were slowly submerged into theke. ¡°Nothing, nothing. You must have been only twelve. You were so young¡­¡± Some had tears in their eyes. It seemed to be true that tears get weaker with age. Ruel saw them who were kind and tender. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte. I¡¯m back now.¡± ¡°Sorry, my lord, we have done nothing. He¡­ He entrusted you, and we¡­¡± Ruel held out his palm. I didn¡¯t want to hear anything else at the moment. ¡®What I had to do now was fill the vacancy.¡¯ Ruel looked at each of them and spoke out. ¡°I was ipetent, so Setiria became like this. I want to fix it now. Will you help me?¡± ¡°If you give us a chance, we will work for Setiria even if this body breaks.¡± They bowed their heads almost at the same time. They didn¡¯t gather here to test themselves. Even when he returned, he simply did not find them and was holding a small protest. ¡®If I had been reincarnated as one of them, the story would have progressed faster. Why is everyone so timid? Didn¡¯t he announce that he had returned with the knights? If his situation had been promoted like this, shouldn¡¯t they have returned on their own? ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe to see me?¡± The man hesitated at Ruel¡¯s question. The man expressed guilt and replied after a long time. ¡°I couldn¡¯te because I was filled with shame.¡± Soon after, he looked around and approached Ruel and spoke quietly so that he could hear him. ¡°Because on the day the Lord died, I lost you to them. ¡­ We are all sinners. So even if you get kicked out, even if youe back, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to face you.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha.¡± Ruelughed out loud. Carbena was gone, but she was still gnawing on Setiria. I was d I didn¡¯t kill her. It was a relief that I sent her to the dirtiest, most disgusting ce here. She had to live a long life and suffer. Ruel stopped thinking about her and sighed. ¡°In the end, those who were loyal to Setiria left because of me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Hasn¡¯t the lord been in pain for so long because of these lowly ones?¡± I couldn¡¯t hear a string of excuses. Even the sky seemed far away from the fact that in order to bring back those who were loyal to Setiria, they had to grab their neck by themselves as they are now. ¡®¡­ I was going to rest.¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Today, the sound of his coughing sounded pitiful. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I want from you, creating a ce where people can happily enjoy their normal lives.¡± Ruel got up from his seat with help from his cane. He smiled as he watched the gazes follow him up. ¡°Before that, I will have to clean up the huge filth that the former barons bought. I have a lot to do, so let¡¯s hang out and go home.¡± ¡°Ho-How can you say that so fast?¡± ¡°Since my mind is empty, shouldn¡¯t I fill it up? The letter of appointment will be delivered tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, so go back to your seat and do your job.¡± Ignoring the questions that followed, Ruel turned around. The cane was exceptionally heavy. ¡®First of all, I thought that if I filled up the seats of the Barons, the rest would naturally follow, but it didn¡¯t.¡¯ It was too badly burnt by Carbena. ¡°It¡¯s not Ruel-nim¡¯s fault.¡± ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°If you have such absurd feelings, I want you to shake them off quickly. It¡¯s not good for your health.¡± Ruel reced the answer with a snort. It was not him who was kidnapped by Carbena or whatever he did. He was a poor Lord who cleaned up the consequences of Carbena¡¯s cheap dirt and old Ruel¡¯s stupidity. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Among those who have been driven out, who are the closest living here?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ Are¡­ Are you nning to visit?¡± ¡°You heard it too, everyone is shy. For Setiria to normalize, we need to put those shy people back to their original positions. You know?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath in a tight breath. Then came a sigh from Cassion. ¡°Can¡¯t it be written?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± In response to the firm answer, Cassion rubbed his face. *** Boom Boom! Aris didn¡¯t stop swinging his sword even though the sun went down. He felt like a fool. Didn¡¯t he waste his time not knowing that Ruel was so sick? From the moment Ruel chose him, He decided to make him his lord. ¡®I had to be stronger and stand next to Ruel as soon as possible.¡¯ That was the reward for Ruel, who saved him and chose him. ¡°Stop it. You¡¯ll get hurt.¡± I could see Tyson¡¯s face with the me behind his back. ¡°Mr. Tyson.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re impatient, you¡¯ll ruin everything.¡± ¡°But Ruel-nim is very sick, and I haven¡¯t taken a step on the path to protecting him yet.¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m upset.¡± ¡°I¡¯m angry, too.¡± The mes zed sharply as if representing Tyson¡¯s emotions. ¡°I didn¡¯t know anything, really nothing. The only Ruel I can remember when he was younger.¡± Tyson waved his hand over his thigh. He drenched himself in the past for a moment, and then looked at Aris, his face mixed with misery. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about it all day. What Ruel wants.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Ruel kept talking to me. He kept asking me to help Setiria be stronger. So I thought about what I could do.¡± The misery engraved on Tyson¡¯s eyes disappeared and they shone like bright stars. ¡°First of all, I will turn you into a wizard, that¡¯s what Ruel wanted me to do.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim said to me. I should be a wizard rather than a swordsman.¡± ¡°You were wise. Right. You have very beautiful mana.¡± Tyson held out his hand. The murmur grew deeper and deeper, turning it into a purple color. ¡°This is my mana.¡± His mana aggressively rushed to Aris. Paang! Something bloomed on Aris¡¯ body and erased Tyson¡¯s mana. ¡°Did you see, that¡¯s your mana.¡± Aris saw the golden light blooming from within his body. It was light enough to erase even the night. ¡°A very dazzling golden color.¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± ¡°Let¡¯s get stronger together.¡± Tyson smiled kindly and extended his hand to Aris. ¡°Let¡¯s get stronger and protect Ruel and Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, I will be strong.¡± Aris squeezed his hand tightly. Chapter 31: Fill in the blanks (3) Chapter 31: Fill in the nks (3) *** ¡°What¡¯s that? I think it¡¯s near my house.¡± Violet and golden lights appeared almost identically out of the carriage window. ¡°It¡¯s Tyson and Aris.¡± Cassion smiled happily. ¡°I see you¡¯re finally teaching, ha¡­¡± Ruel exhaled deeply. ¡°Who else is left?¡± ¡®I met the butler and several servants. Thanks to this, I was able to return home after dark.¡¯ ¡°Congrattions. Thanks to Ruel-sama¡¯s persistence, only Setiria¡¯s Ear remains.¡± The being called the Ear was a so-called living informant, also known as a spy. They were essential in finding various information from outside or inside Setiria. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it hurt?¡± Ruel pointed to Cassion¡¯s heart. ¡°This is fine. It was a great time to feel the power of an exclusive magic handkerchief again.¡± ¡°You saw it, too, right? Crying and saying that they did something wrong to me. As expected, I shouldn¡¯t have sent a letter.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really like that look on their faces. It has been five years. They did nothing and were devoured by their sense of helplessness. It¡¯s not worthwhile in my personal opinion.¡± Unlike his serious words, Cassion took out a thermal patch, a magic tool, and put it on Ruel¡¯s forehead. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Are you going to help others again?¡± ¡°Are you crazy?¡± ¡°You are not like the old Ruel. Regardless of the past, you¡¯re the one who¡¯s looking for usable people, aren¡¯t you?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. He turned his head and looked out the window. ¡°It¡¯s just a trace.¡± Traces of Ruel¡¯s presence other than himself. ¡®I didn¡¯t even want to erase it.¡¯ Cassion answered as usual. ¡°Is that so?¡± Whirlik. Suddenly he took the dagger in his hand. And the carriage stopped. Ruel noticed a strange feeling. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Stay calm in the carriage. You can¡¯te out.¡± Cassion disappeared from his sight. Ruel looked out the window again. It was dark around and only the stars in the sky were clearly visible. For a brief moment, a few lights appeared. It was a number that seemed to be more than eight people, even as an estimate. ¡®The thief¡­ I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ Ruel held his breath at the quiet sound of swords shing. ¡®Who is it?¡¯ ¡®There were many things that I could have guessed because there were many things that I did, but I did not put restrictions on most of them.¡¯ Smack! Something flew in and broke the window. Crash. With a loud noise, Ruel¡¯s eyes grew bigger together. Ruel hurriedly covered his face with his hands. His hands and face have been burning. Numerous pieces of ss fell into the wagon. ¡®It wasn¡¯t bulletproof ss.¡¯ Kwajik. There was the sound of something being crushed. The sound was so terrifying that Ruel unconsciously lowered his hands and looked towards the source of the sound. ¡°Are you okay? Were you surprised?¡± Cassion asked while holding someone¡¯s neck. Ruel looked at his arm. Blood flowed because of the excellent water-studded ss. ¡°The ss is broken.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. There were more of them than I thought¡­¡± Gang! Someone¡¯s sword hit the dagger wielded by Cassion. There was no spark. Since Cassion¡¯s dagger cut the sword and cut his opponent¡¯s neck. ¡°They were doing something that bothered me.¡± Cassion raised his hand. An arrow flew towards him from somewhere and was caught in his hand. Weapon tracking. A light shed in his purple eyes. Without even leaving an afterimage, Cassion disappeared. Three necks flew in the starry sky. When Cassion, who had disappeared, reappeared, his dagger was soaked in red blood. ¡°It¡¯s unfair.¡± Cassion caught an arrow through the broken window. He identally received an arrow, but Ruel watched what he said. ¡°I was relieved that the carriage window was made of tempered ss, but the arrow had magic on it. This is kind of unfair.¡± As Cassion said, there was a swaying thing(mana) around the arrow. ¡®Whether the window was smashed and shards of ss were pierced in my arms and face, there was something more important than that.¡¯ ¡°Did you catch one?¡± ¡°No. When the window was broken, I decided to kill them all.¡± ¡± ¡­Cassion.¡± ¡°But I brought a clue.¡± Cassion opened the carriage door, came inside, and paused. The inside of the carriage was a mess than he thought. When he saw Ruel with a piece of ss embedded in his arm, his killing intent began to rise. ¡°Okay, you did a good job killing them.¡± Cassion clenched his teeth and handed over the remaining pieces of paper. ¡°me patterns¡­¡± Ruel burned with anger whilst looking at a piece of paper. An organization that ordered Carbena to open the door to Setiria. ¡®Are youing out now? Am I going to get in the way?¡¯ Ruel twisted the corners of his mouth into a smirk. ¡®It was very nice to meet you all.¡¯ ¡°I think they¡¯re the same people who came in the morning.¡± ¡°This morning was only the start of things¡± To check how many soldiers he brought. ¡°I will pull out the ss shards.¡± Ruel reached out both hands. ¡°Is that the only clue?¡± ¡°Yeah, they were all full of burn marks, probably because they burned their faces on purpose. That paper, too, I barely managed to catch that in a hurry.¡± It hurt every time the ss was pulled out, but Ruel didn¡¯t even blink. Was he used to pain? Cassion asked after pulling out all the ss shards stuck in his hands and face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you sick?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll get better soon.¡± When he had just gained the power of his recovery, he had stabbed his thigh with a stone. ¡®I healed eventually, so I think I should get better in no time.¡¯ Cassion waited. ¡°¡­ It keeps bleeding. It will stop bleeding.¡± But it wasn¡¯t stopping. ¡®Huh¡­¡¯ Wasn¡¯t the power of recovery working? ¡®Was it working?¡¯ The ce where the ss had pierced him was hot. The pain was vivid, the blood was flowing. There was no sign of it healing at all. Cassion asked, sprinkling powder on the wound. ¡°Are you sure the power is working?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Seeing Ruel¡¯s absurd face, he seemed to have found the situation as something unexpected. Soon Ruel exhaled deeply. ¡°I guess this is it.¡± ¡°What about the amount of power used?¡± ¡°Yeah, it worked hard, but I think this is the limit for the current growth, wi-i-ing, because it rings in my ear.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± Cassion also sprinkled powder on Ruel¡¯s other arm. ¡°The sound of maximum power.¡± With a sour voice, Cassion took out the bandage as it was. Soon, he opened his eyes wide and looked at Ruel. ¡°¡­ I think it is.¡± Ruel only found out today. That the sound was the sound of the power of recovery crying out for him to stop stressing your body. As he nced at Cassion, who stopped like a statue, he looked closely at the piece of paper on myp. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I know, stop there.¡± ¡°I¡¯m craving ice cream. Very strongly.¡± ¡°I was an idiot. I¡¯ll just be quiet and pretend I don¡¯t know anything.¡± ¡°There have been times when I wondered what the role of a loyal butler would be.¡± Cassion spoke heavily. Unlike his hardened expression, his hands were bandaging Ruel¡¯s injuries quickly and neatly. ¡°I¡¯ve been tricked by you. I was very insensitive.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°A loyal butler never sees his master die. They would usually blow themselves up and die first.¡± It seemed to be an experience. ¡°If you die, you are breaking my oath, and I will die too.¡± Ruel still stared at Cassion indifferently. Was he a fool who didn¡¯t know? ¡°It is difficult to say that I do not regret it. But I don¡¯t want to die. So tell me anything about your illness, about your powers.¡± ¡°That sounds like a threat.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just my true feelings. This is a request from a loyal butler.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯re already doing it, aren¡¯t you?¡± After hearing that he had confessed everything without hiding so far, Cassion loosened his face and smiled. Even though it was a warm smile, it was somewhat creepy. It was like a cat in front of a mouse. ¡°When I go back, I¡¯ll ask for the carriage to be repaired first. You won¡¯t be able to use it for a while.¡± ¡®Huh, look at this?¡¯ He seemed to have a rough idea of ??how far the loyal butler could spit out. *** ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Ganien alternately looked at Ruel and the carriage with a confident face. Both of them looked the same. ¡°I will not forgive you! I will punish you even if I have to search all of Setiria!¡± Cheynol eximed in anger and roared loudly. ¡°Is your body okay? Doesn¡¯t it hurt a lot? Look at this, didn¡¯t I tell you to take Cheynol.¡± Tyson made a fuss like Ruel was dying. Rather than Aris, who was silently chewing on his anger, Ruel put his hand on his head. ¡°Quiet.¡± Everyone shut their mouths at the helpless voice. As he waited for his own words, he slowly inhaled the Breath. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, everyone please get inside.¡± At that nonsense, they were busy spittingughter with absurd faces. Among them, Ganien was the only one who knew about Cassion¡¯s skills, so he thought he should at least hear an excuse, so he called Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°The carriage ss was weak. Why didn¡¯t you reinforce the ss with magic?¡± Cassion saw Ganien but scolded Tyson. He rxed his shoulders and looked at the broken carriage. ¡°I will take that advice.¡± He witnessed firsthand the fact that Ruel, who gives orders for Setiria, doesn¡¯t give any orders when ites to things rted to him. He had a sense of what to do next. Ruel walked away with a tired look on his cane. The throbbing sound of his arms and the chirping noises in his ears grew louder than before, making him anxious. ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop looking at me and treat me first?¡± Cassionughed at Ganien, who continued to ask for wrongdoing. ¡°There¡¯s one thing you¡¯re mistaken about, so I¡¯ll tell you. I¡¯m a butler, not an escort.¡± Aris and Cheynol shook their heads and bowed their heads. At Cassion¡¯s words, which skillfully stabbed each person one by one, Ruel couldn¡¯t stopughing. ¡®He¡¯s a really toxic guy.¡¯ *** ¡°You are a real bastard. Do you know, Cassion?¡± Ganien moaned and treated Ruel¡¯s arm. Herbal medicine was applied to the smaller wounds, and therger wounds were stitched up. There was nothing much different from modern medicine, so Ruel asked with a dull face. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to spray a potion on it?¡± ¡°A potion is not a cure-all, it is highly addictive like drugs. Mana potions, unlike physical potions, are less addictive, but both are used when it¡¯s dangerous.¡± After wrapping up Ruel¡¯s injuries with the bandages, Ganien put his hand on Ruel¡¯s wrist to check his condition. His face hardened automatically. Ruel btedly shook off Ganien¡¯s hand, but he had already confirmed his condition. Ruely on the bed pretending not to see it, feeling annoyed that the fact that he had openly wandered around to this point with his condition came to light. ¡®It¡¯s bothering me.¡¯ ¡°How is his conditionpared to before?¡± ¡°It¡¯s worse than after taking poison.¡± ¡°Is it that bad? It wasn¡¯t this bad two days ago.¡± They talked as if they had checked the condition from time to time. When? Ruel shut his mouth in wonder. ¡°Ruel, you must rest now. I will stop it before Cassion stops it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Not as a doctor.¡± He didn¡¯t know when he changed from a knight to a doctor, but Ganien nagged, saying dozens of forms he saw looked close to hundreds. Ruel listened to most of his words with a frown on his face. In the end, it was just a verbose statement that said to rest. ¡°I have a lot to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s something I can do for you. So you want to try some medicine?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t even tried moving from ce to ce, but not now, it¡¯s impossible to healpletely, so I¡¯ll aim to slow down the progress at least.¡± ¡°I will unconditionally support you.¡± Ruel was not even angry at the sight of himself being the topic of conversation without being involved. ¡°Go out and talk.¡± Ruel drove them away. It was difficult to hear more. The biggest goal was to slow down the progression without treatment. It was a bitter pill to swallow. ¡®If I didn¡¯t get the power of recovery, I probably would have already died.¡¯ So he looked at the ceiling quietly.¡¯ *** There was a building where the Hand of the Wind Guild would stay, and they moved their headquarters to Setiria as promised. The merchant of Beto was adapting faster than expected and making immediate profits. It was proof that high-purity ore from Setiria yed a big part. The Barons who had been expelled returned to their seats, checked the current situation of each vige, and were quickly recovering. The mansion he was in was already full of servants. Under the direction of the butler, Billo, who had returned, he had hired some of them, who was about to be ves and was conducting training from start to finish. As the number of servants increased, even when they stayed in the mansion, they made repairs, and it was gradually changing. ¡°¡­ This is the report for this week.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel sighed. ¡°You didn¡¯t get a reply from Setiria¡¯s Ears, did you?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯te.¡± ¡°Setiria!¡± A powerful slogan was heard through the window. The number of knights increased. Many had not yet been officially knighted, so it was difficult for them to be called official knights. Ruel also looked at the rest of the documents. It had already been two weeks since he¡¯d been locked up in his room. The reason he allowed this strange situation without saying a word was because he had copsed two weeks ago and couldn¡¯t wake up for four days. ¡°How are you feeling today? You look a little better.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel was relieved to hear it after a long time. ¡®It seems like you¡¯re thinking of letting me go.¡¯ I nced around and looked at Ganien. He stood like a gatekeeper. After Ruel opened his eyes and they told him how surprised they were, he was put under surveince in his room like this. ¡®Obviously, I should be on my own.¡¯ Thanks to his rapidly deteriorating condition, the power of recovery had grown even further. The fact alone made him very happy. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to look after Aris?¡± ¡°No, the road has been paved, so it¡¯s up to Aris to decide how to go about it.¡± His words were exceptionally sharp. It seemed to bergely because he had not been called a teacher until now. Ruel focused again on the documents and ate up the pie he had been given as a snack. ¡°Security is still a problem.¡± ¡°I looked into it in advance.¡± Cassion presented new data. In case Ruel was to leave, he stuck out his tongue in the prepared position. He went on to read new material. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± He coughed and inhaled the Breath. When Ruel put down the material, there was no sound from outside so the knights were resting. Ruel put down the data and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°How dare rats roam inside my territory?¡± Chapter 32: What happened at the gate Chapter 32: What happened at the gate Everywhere there existed a ce called the underworld. Setiria was no exception. As it copsed, quite a few people seemed to have flowed in. The number of rats was not a problem. The real problem was now that they had consolidated their forces into one. ¡°The rats who fought against each other suddenly formed a camaraderie and recently joined forces?¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Ruelughed at something that wasn¡¯t even funny. ¡°Someone intervened. Who was it?¡± ¡°Them? We are looking into it.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be them?¡± ¡°Oh, you mean that group? I named it 18.¡± ¡°What an amazing name, 18. You named it very well.¡± Ruel let go of the paper. At Ruel¡¯s gesture that showed that he had seen it all, Cassion took the documents back. When Ganien, who was standing like a gatekeeper, approached, Ruel familiarized himself with turning his wrist. ¡®I¡¯m in good condition today.¡¯ Ruel was going to leave the room today, regardless of whether or not Ganien was okay with it or not. Wouldn¡¯t it be better than staying inside for another two weeks? Ganien¡¯s fingertips gleamed with light. As he carefully checked Ruel¡¯s condition, he smiled brightly. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten better. It seems that the disease has abated a little.¡± That was because of the further growth in the power of recovery and the fact that the medicine that Ganien had given him was effective. However, the disease had only slowed marginally. ¡®Where did he learn all this?¡¯ Ruel pretended to be surprised and praised Ganien¡¯s medical skills. ¡°Why don¡¯t you be a knight and a doctor?¡± ¡°I hoped for it, but I didn¡¯t know I had the talent, it surprised me too.¡± Ganien raised his nose high. ¡°Thank you.¡± With Cassion¡¯s sincere gratitude, Ganien looked at Cassion nkly. Crunch crunch. After eating up thest of his meat pie, Ruel touched his cane after a long time. ¡®As expected, this feeling.¡¯ He stood on the ground on both legs, using his cane as support. People also had to walk. Ganien was startled and stood in front of Ruel. ¡°Wait a minute. Your body is just entering the recovery phase.¡± ¡°Ganien, I know how hard you worked for me, I¡¯m so grateful. It¡¯s hard to take a break like this. I have so many lives to take responsibility for, you just heard that rats are eating up my territory, right?¡± The moment he saw Ruel¡¯s unwavering gaze, Ganien gave way. It was impossible as a swordsman to stop him from going to fight. ¡°Mr. Ruel.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to go even if you stop me.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s wear something else and go out. The newly customized clothes arrived yesterday.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t remember measuring myself¡­?¡± ¡°Oh, I had to measure Ari¡¯s figure as a reference, but I forgot.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back.¡± Ganien and Cassion rushed outside as if they were chased by someone. ¡®What is this? It¡¯s scary.¡¯ *** Ruel wore newly tailored clothes and went around the mansion first. He wondered how much the butler Billo decorated the mansion and he wanted to remember the new faces. ¡°Oh!¡± Ruel was astonished. He couldn¡¯t see any cracks or peeling floors and wallpaper. Looking at the newly decorated walls in neat basic colors, it felt like he was in a new house. ¡°It¡¯s like my home now.¡± nts and sculptures were ced in a t area to relieve boredom. ¡°But what about money? I can¡¯t open my personal safe. Did you pay for it?¡± ¡°Mr. Billo took care of everything.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He said it doesn¡¯t matter how much it costs as long as he can relieve his debt to Ruel.¡± ¡°It seems that he has already grasped Setiria¡¯s financial situation.¡± Their situation was like a fine-looking vase. Beautiful on the outside, empty within. It was a little difficult to go around the whole mansion, so Ruel mainly went around the main areas. When he saw the servants in person, he realized that the inside of the mansion was running properly. Some of the servants were still clumsy, but their appearance was neat. ¡°Good morning, my lord.¡± Every time he walked, he was greeted, and Ruel was thrilled to feel that he had be the real head of the household. Billo, who was instructing his servants, turned to the unique sound of Ruel¡¯s cane. ¡°Can you move already?¡± Cassion shook his head left and right behind Ruel. Billo smiled graciously as if he hadn¡¯t seen anything. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel coughed and continued. ¡°I¡¯m really surprised that it¡¯s changed a lot, now I feel like I¡¯m in a mansion. It must have been hard for you to manage.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing to suffer from thinking about the past.¡± ¡°What about those who took them? Is it worth it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to start with the basics. Thanks to this, I¡¯m d this old man is not lonely in hister years.¡± ¡°You¡¯re old, so take a break if you¡¯re tired.¡± Cassion let out a shortugh. He was worried about whether the wordsing out of Ruel¡¯s mouth were correct, so he asked him about his condition. ¡°Do you have a fever?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°How about choosing one more exclusive butler for the Lord? Cassion alone seems a bit overwhelmed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Cassion quickly picked up the food that Billo had taken out. ¡°That¡¯s okay, Cassion is a verypetent butler. Then, I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Ruel smiled and walked past Billo. Cassion sighed deeply and reluctantly followed him. ¡°Cassion.¡± At Billo¡¯s voice calling him, he stopped for a moment and looked at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you came from, but you¡¯ll have to point the sword you hold at the master¡¯s enemy.¡± ¡°You are doing well. Even my master couldn¡¯t keep it, but he seems to have the pride to preach to me.¡± Billo was not an assassin. However, the smell of blood emanating off of Cassion¡¯s body was the smell from those who had killed many people. If so, in the end, he could not protect his master. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. Since I smelled something familiar, I just remembered something and was talking about my old self.¡± ¡°If even you had saved Ruel, wouldn¡¯t many things have changed?¡± Cassion didn¡¯t like to project his dirty old self, so he stabbed hard. But Billo just smiled and said with kindness. ¡°Please, don¡¯t walk the same path as I do.¡± Cassion did not answer. He followed his Master¡¯s voice calling out to him. *** ¡°Aww!¡± Aris breathed shouts and stabbed the sword in front of him aiming for the knight¡¯s abdomen. Ttak. The knight, who barely blocked Aris¡¯s sword, pushed it with all his strength, and took advantage of Aris¡¯ stumble, and aimed at his leg. Aris¡¯ eyes showed the trajectory of the sword. The first thing to do was to get in position. Aris rolled his back feet hard and kept his bnce and avoided the approaching sword. The knight¡¯s body was bent to aim for his thighs. Aris took a big step and raised his knee. ¡°Gasp!¡± Since he was hit properly, the knight¡¯s body bowed further toward the floor. Just as he was about to lift his knee one more time, something touched the nape of his neck. ¡°¡­!¡± Suddenly, the knight¡¯s sword in his hand was aimed at Aris¡¯ neck. ¡°Did you fall for it again, Aris?¡± The knight giggled as if he had never screamed and stretched his back. Looking at his yful face, Aris put his hands up. ¡°I lost.¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve stabbed me in the back with a sword, not kicked me again.¡± ¡°You¡¯re bing better.¡± ¡°Of course. It¡¯s only been a week since I¡¯ve held a sword.¡± The knight smiled pleasantly and handed over the water bag to Aris, holding it in the corner of the training ground. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°You should add Horen-hyung at the end.¡± ¡°Thank you, Horen-hyung.¡± TL/N: Hyung is a word used by Korean males to address another male older than them who they are close to. Hyung literally means ¡°older brother¡±. Horen sat down, gulped down the water, and nced at Aris. His disappointed face was exposed so he almost spewed water along the way. ¡°Aris, you are really greedy, no, you are obnoxious.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°Who can fight a knight less than a week after holding a sword? You¡¯re a genius, so please, don¡¯t feel any more despair.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve seen me a lot.¡± ¡°No. Look, I¡¯m a knight. not just a soldier. Haa¡­ That expression came out. A genius has an expression that does not understand the subject.¡± Horen grumbled and knocked next to me. ¡°Hey man, you should be more confident. Ruel-nim personally appointed you as his personal escort.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t been officially appointed yet.¡± ¡°Are you doing this because you¡¯re afraid that Ruel-nim will say something negative?¡± Aris clenched the water bag instead of answering. Horen really spewed water this time. It wasn¡¯t because Aris¡¯ words were outrageous, but because Ruel was walking towards him. ¡°I see you, Lord!¡± Horen straightened his chest and put his hand on his left chest. Aris, who was shocked still, bowed as well. ¡°I see you, Lord.¡± ¡°You were resting, but I intervened without realizing it.¡± ¡°No! It¡¯s okay!¡± This was his second time seeing Ruel in person, so Horen was very nervous. Reul¡¯s face reflected so much of his pain that Horen wanted toy him on his bed right away. He seemed to be a little taller than before. ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Aris. Tall¡­ You grew up again.¡± Ruel noticed that his gaze at Aris was higher than before. ¡®What is he eating that he¡¯s growing up like that?¡¯ ¡®I thought I grew up.¡¯ Ruel held the cane hard. He was upset. ¡°Are you feeling well? Can you stand up like this?¡± Aris looked at Ruel once, and his gaze was fixed on Cassion. Cassion shrugged his shoulders as he asked if he could walk around. ¡°Aris, I unintentionally overheard the conversation. Are you anxious?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m nervous and because I¡¯m inexperienced.¡± ¡°Sir Horen.¡± ¡°What?¡± Horen, who was suddenly called by name, was startled. Ruel knew his name. He was deeply moved. ¡°How long has Aris been like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from the day that Ruel-nim did not regain consciousness.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Horen. For raising Aris¡¯ spirit.¡± ¡°No. We are protecting Setiria, but Aris is the one who will protect Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel smiled happily. He liked the way he distinguished himself well. Ttak. The sound of the cane approached Aris. He bowed his head. ¡°Aris, why are you lowering your head?¡± ¡°I am ashamed that I cannot stand by your side.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t raise your expectations on your own. You¡¯re weak.¡± ¡°¡­ I know.¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t set your expectations on yourself. I told you to be strong because you haven¡¯t turned your back on it yet.¡± Ruelughed at Aris¡¯ shaking hands. When expectations were ced on someone they were put under pressure, nothing could be done. He didn¡¯t expect anything. ¡®I have to show him reality to shatter all of his expectations.¡¯ Ruel turned his head to look at Cassion. ¡°Can I add one more load?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the training ends here, Sir Horen.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow your orders.¡± ¡°Sir¡¯s swordsmanship, I saw it well. Cough, Cough¡­¡± Hearing a deep cough, Horen noticed that Ruel was overdoing it. Ruel walked to Horen. When he looked closely at Ruel, he could see the traces of his long battle with the disease. Somehow he felt ashamed of himself. Wasn¡¯t Ruel the one who threw himself into the revival Setiria even with such a messed-up body? Tap. Ruel patted Horen on the shoulder. Even though he tapped lightly, the weight was as light as a feather. ¡°I will continue to work hard.¡± Horen spoke more sincerely than any other moment, under the constant shaking of Ruel¡¯s hands and his wrist that seemed to be ready to break. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to protect Setiria!¡± Ruel was slightly perplexed. He thought it was ordinary encouragement. As he had traveled through the mansion, he had encouraged many knights. They burned like a Horen every time he did. ¡®Why?¡¯ As he turned around, he looked at his hand. ¡®Is there a power I don¡¯t even know about?¡¯ There was a possibility of that. If this was a novel, his life would have already ended. ¡°Follow me, Aris.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± After confirming Aris¡¯ stupid face was following him, Ruel left the training ground. Chapter 33: What happened at the gate (2) Chapter 33: What happened at the gate (2) *** ¡°Ruel-nim, everything is ready!¡± Cheynol called loudly from in front of the carriage in which Ruel was on. Before going to the training ground, Ruel stopped by Cheynol and gave him an order. The order was that he should prepare for Ruel¡¯s departure and gather the Knights with no experience inbat and the Reserve Knights so that they could set out with him. The mansion should not be vacant when they did not know when another attack would ur so he left the main force there. Cheynol strongly opposed his departure and the fact that he was leaving the main force at the mansion, but he could only agree when he found out that Ganien was going with Ruel. ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice flowed through the open carriage door. He prepared this outing so that the newer Knights and the Reserve Knights who had no actualbat experience could gain that experience and know what to expect and the positions they would be in further in the future. Since this outing was an official event, the carriage had the Shield Emblem of Setiria engraved on it. ¡°Ruel-nim, I have received a call from the Magic Knights.¡± Cassion showed the lighting from themunication bracelet. ¡°Then look after the mansion while I¡¯m away.¡± ¡°I will protect it no matter what.¡± Confirming Cheynol¡¯s strong will, the carriage¡¯s door closed. ¡°Connect.¡± The Magic Knights were also scheduled to be put into practice just like the Knights because the number of recruits increased. Unlike the Knights that should stand out, the Magic Knights, who only announced their existence to the Royal Family, were sent to the Masu Forest to move quietly. T/N: As a reminder, Masu Forest is the forest of the Beast. -My Lord, we have safely arrived in front of the Masu Forest. Are you feeling okay? I heard Drianna¡¯s voice. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m doing good.¡± A sigh from Cassion was heard from the front of the carriage. Ruel continued to talk ignoring this. ¡°They are ying first. As much as fun as possible.¡± -All right. A lot of people are already excited. Some people were about to die through themunicator. The only one excited about it was Drianna. She came closer to themunicator and whispered. -Are you okay? It was that question again. Drianna was surprised to hear that Ruel was heading to the Masu Forestand asked how he was now. -If you have a headache or something else, you should get out of the Masu Forest immediately. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t ask because he knew that she couldn¡¯t teach because of Mana¡¯s oath. -My Lord, may I ask you a favor? ¡°What is it?¡± -Can I satisfy my personal curiosity by collecting specimens from the monsters and nts that grew in the Masu Forest in thest 5 years? ¡°Do whatever you want.¡± The corners of Drianna¡¯s mouth went up. She was already excited. -Thank you! We¡¯ll make sure to meet your expectations! Before even asking the question of what to expect, the contact was cut off arbitrarily. ¡°¡­ Ha, what else are you going to do?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s going to be fun.¡± Ganien smiled. As the Magic Knights entered the mansion, a new space was created underground. There must be many other rooms, but when asked why they went underground, the answer was, ¡®Sunshine interferes with research.¡¯ For a moment, he felt like he was seeing office workers who were tired due to working overtime. Anyway, the first thing they were interested in was the carriage. Cassion heard that quite a few people rushed in, saying they would build a carriage that would never break. Boom boom. Ruel, who was immersed in thought, was surprised, and Cassion, who hit the carriage, was satisfied. ¡°You hit it hard, right?¡± Aris looked at Cassion curiously. ¡°Right, it¡¯s stronger than I thought.¡± ¡°You have to hit harder. Is that enough?¡± Ganien clenched his fists and struck out with a blow that could kill a man. The carriage itself seemed to stumble for a moment, but there was no breakage. ¡°I¡¯ll check if it can be cut.¡± Suddenly, Cassion had a dagger in his hand. Ruel looked at him absurdly. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± ¡°You can¡¯t get hurt again. You don¡¯t know how much I¡¯ve been nagged by Ganien.¡± ¡°What kind of nagging?¡± Ganienughed as if exasperated. The ss-carved area healed neatly without any marks. It wasn¡¯t a big scratch in the first ce. ¡°It¡¯s definitely strong. If this is enough, it won¡¯t break. Well, it would be different for people of that level.¡± ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°It is.¡± Cassion showed me my empty hand. ¡®When?¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s rather strange for you to see. Did you see that?¡± While smiling at Ruel, he gave Aris a look. ¡°I saw it up to two times. I don¡¯t know about the rest.¡± ¡°You have good eyes, I can¡¯t believe you saw them.¡± ¡°Of course. Someone taught me.¡± As he wiped his nose with his thumb, Ganien was ttered. ¡®These monsters.¡¯ Ruel clenched his cane and shook his head from side to side. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion called Ruel. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are we on your way to catch a mouse or are we really on the way for actual training?¡± ¡°Actual training.¡± ¡°That is unexpected. I thought you would catch the mouse first.¡± ¡°We have to catch it. But not yet, we are not ready.¡± It wasn¡¯t up to him to catch mice. It was up to him to see the caught mouse lying t. *** After taking a nap in the carriage, Ruel found out that he had forgotten to get a fact confirmed by Drianna. As he was trying to connect themunicator, he thought of the Magic Knights who would be having a good time by now, and he closed his mind. ¡°Cassion, stop the carriage for a moment.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Aris, you follow me. Cassion and Ganien will be waiting here. Drive the carriage when I call for you.¡± ¡°Do you mean me?¡± Aris squeezed the hem hard at the sudden nomination. ¡°I have something to check. If I take Cassion, I can¡¯t check.¡± I remembered the fact that the children who had previously been kicked out of the vige of Sisel went in and out of the Masu Forest like it was their own homes. The road to the Masu Forest and the entrance to the outside consisted of a total of two gates. One gate allowed people to enter Setiria and the Leponia Kingdom while the other allowed people to exit. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t it be checked whether all the gates are the problem or just one?¡¯ Cassion didn¡¯t seem as bubbly as Ruel looked, so he had toe with a bubbly-looking Aris. ¡°Ganien, how was the gateway from the outside to the inside?¡± Ganien thought, touching his chin. ¡°It was quite strict. Even if I showed them the ne, they contacted me directly through themunicator.¡± ¡°Really?¡± I thought maybe the problematic side was inside. Whether it was for internal or external use, one side was automatically passed when the pass fell. Ruel got off the carriage. Ruelughed at Aris¡¯ face, who was already nervous. ¡°What are you nervous about?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s no one next to you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°How about the sword you received? Was it worth it? I really liked Cassion.¡± The sword that he asked about came in from the merchant of Beto. As soon as Cassion received the sword, he shook his hands on the spot, perhaps paying more attention than he had said. ¡®What was your name, was it Siriena¡¯s flower?¡¯ It was pretty with flower-shaped decorations on the handle. ¡°It¡¯s a good sword that I can recognize.¡± ¡°You¡¯re protecting me with that sword. Until we arrive there.¡± Ruel pointed to the gateway. It was a long-distance if far and a short distance if short. He didn¡¯t ask if Aris could do it because it was something he had to do. Ttak. The cane moved. Aris also moved. ¡°The weather is nice.¡± Ruel was in a good mood, perhaps because it had been a while since he went out. His clothes didn¡¯t look good on him. It was as if winter hade to him alone. But what could he do? As long as it was warm. Many people were heading to the gate. There would be adventurers among them and herbalists. Ruel nced at Aris. He felt like he was going tough at the look of judging Aris sent out. He seemed to see that everyone was an enemy. Everything was good. It was enough to know where he was today. Ruel stopped walking for a moment. ¡®¡­ Is this the case even though you know I¡¯ming?¡¯ The gate was wide open. There was no line and everyone was free to enter. There were too few guards standing guard at the entrance. What was with their drowsy faces? Ruel suppressed his boiling heart. He passed a guard as he looked straight forward. He didn¡¯t trail Ruel¡¯s figure with his gaze. He stood in ce and inhaled the Breath. ¡®Let¡¯s see, who was the Baron who managed the vige of Sisel?¡¯ If this wasn¡¯t Setiria, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered if he had opened the gate as much as he wanted to. If that gate wasn¡¯t the only entrance to the Leponia Kingdom, it wouldn¡¯t matter if the guard stood at his post with a drowsy face. But this was Setiria. What if there was an intruder among those who were leaving now? What if there was a way to steal Leponia¡¯s information and get out of it? ¡®Should the inside and outside be this different?¡¯ Ruel went back and approached one of the guards. Even though the guard stood in front of him, he stared at Ruel with a drowsy face. Ruel spoke up first. ¡°Hey.¡± The guard reluctantly replied because of the boy looking at him with a zing gaze and clothes that made it seem that he was enjoying winter alone. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Who¡¯s in charge here?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Laughter leaked from Ruel¡¯s mouth. The guard¡¯s expression twisted. He didn¡¯t know if the truth woulde out after a while, but if the guard threatened him by sticking out his spear, he shouldn¡¯t expect Ruel to run away. ¡°Leave quietly. Before you end up in trouble.¡± ¡°Is themunicator connected to the Baron working?¡± ¡°Are you kidding me now? If you make a fuss in front of the gate, you can get arrested right away.¡± ¡°Connect it. Right now.¡± The guardughed in dismay at the impudence. He looked at Ruel quietly. His paleplexion made it seem like he was about to copse right away. Gulp. The guard swallowed his anger. What could he do to someone this sick? ¡°Have a nice trip. I¡¯ll let it slide today.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me telling you to connect to the Baron?¡± ¡°Hey, who are you to say that?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong, captain?¡± As the scuffle did not end, the other guards flocked to the area. Ruel grabbed his throbbing head andughed. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that the Lord ising here today? Don¡¯t draw attention from others and connect quietly.¡± Ssaaa. The captain in charge of the gateway suddenly got goosebumps all over his body. The gateway was one of the ces where many people visited. If you¡¯ve been doing this for 7 years, you could feel it just by looking at his face. That was real. He barely opened my mouth with a trembling voice. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll connect you to him immediately. Pleasee this way.¡± The captain was convinced of the attitude of receiving his guidance with a casual expression. He seemed to believe that the real Lord had arrived. Gulp. He swallowed deeply. He nced at Ruel and their eyes met. Ruel had a smirk on the corner of his lips. ¡°Where is the gateway?¡± ¡°This, this is the entrance.¡± ¡°No, where is the gateway to Setiria?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a ce that¡¯s open for everyone, but a ce to weed out the real from the fake.¡± He almost lost the spear he was holding for a moment. His eyes darkened. Ruel sat in a seat inside the gate and looked at themunicator. -What¡¯s going on¡­ my, my Lord! The Baron was the one who answered many of his words at thestke. ¡°Will, are you surprised that I¡¯m here?¡± -No, the Lord was supposed to pass by this ce today. But what¡¯s going on? Did you suffer any inconveniences? ¡°Didn¡¯t you stop me froming today because you seemed busy?¡± -¡­ That¡¯s right. Will¡¯s eyes moved busily as Ruel continued to speak. ¡°Sisel Vige is important, yes, but I think gates are even more important, what do you think?¡± -Important! It¡¯s important. ¡°Why is the gate open to everyone? Have you forgotten what Setiria is?¡± Ruel¡¯s expression was crunched in dissatisfaction. He looked angry, so he immediately gave Will a hard time. -This humble person didn¡¯t think much. I thought everyone would feel ufortable if I suddenly changed it. ¡°The difort is temporary. But information sold is forever. Do you know the faces of everyone who lives in Setiria and Leponia?¡± -No! I¡¯m really sorry! Ruel inhaled the Breath. As Will said,ints could arise because of the sudden inconvenience. But shouldn¡¯t we look at the long-term effects? Security could not be avoided because of immediate difort. ¡°If I could, I¡¯d ask you to change it right away, but I¡¯ll hold it in. You are to correct the situation as soon as possible.¡± -Okay! We will correct the situation by this week at thetest. ¡°In addition¡­¡± As he mentioned one more thing, Will stiffened and swallowed his saliva. ¡°The number of soldiers stationed at the gate is too small, double it.¡± -I will increase the amount. ¡°Apparently, the only emergency contact was amunication device. I¡¯ll try to make an emergencywork soon, so keep up the good work.¡± Ruel cut off the contact. He let out a cough that he had barely endured and looked at themander of this ce, who had a close-knit discipline. He lowered his head until he touched the floor. ¡°Ple-Please forgive me for being rude!¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know, so that¡¯s fine, as long as you don¡¯t do what you did wrong again.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll treat the gateway as if it were my own body!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon. Let¡¯s go, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Unlike Ruel, who passed by the soldier, Aris showed him his life. ¡°Be careful.¡± The captain let go of the spear because of the brutality that was so huge that it did not suit the boy. ¡°Are you less nervous now?¡± Listening to the spear falling, Ruel asked. ¡°Yes, I feel much better.¡± ¡°Even if there are raiders, it is very difficult for something to happen in a ce with so many people¡­¡± Aris grabbed Ruel¡¯s clothes and pulled him back. Chaeng! There was the sound of something colliding with the sword that was quickly drawn. ¡°It should be¡­¡± Feeling out of bnce, Ruel fell on his butt on the floor. ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Did you get hurt?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± What fell on the floor was an arrow filled with mana. ¡®Again, these 18 guys.¡¯ Ruel bit his lips. ¡°Protect the Lord!¡± ¡°Protect him!¡± The soldiers also btedly came out in front of Aris and took out their shields to maintain their protective positions. It was only then that Ruel realized the screams from all directions. ¡®Ah, where was Ganien?¡¯ Chapter 34: The Great Purifier and Ruel Chapter 34: The Great Purifier and Ruel ¡®I forgot that the main character, who wouldn¡¯t be odd in this kind of incident, was still in the carriage right now.¡¯ Shhh! A sound was heard piercing the wind. ¡°I¡¯m still here!¡± Aris raised his voice toward the soldiers. Ting ting! Shields were concentrated to protect Ruel. They seemedzy, but when the situation called for it, their hands and feet were more ready than ever. Their training seemed to have been well done. Ruel didn¡¯t get up. ¡®I¡¯d rather sit, it would be better for them too.¡¯ ¡®¡­ Cassion isn¡¯ting?¡¯ If anything happened, he would havee running, but he didn¡¯t. ¡®Was there an attack on that side, too?¡¯ ¡°Fire.¡± Harrrrr. mes rose on both hands of Aris. Ruel¡¯s mouth opened wide at the sight of using magic. ¡®¡­ Crazy, he definitely wasn¡¯t called a genius for no reason.¡¯ Soon, Ruel smiled cheerfully. The genius was currently his escort. ¡°The body shall be divided and burned.¡± The six mes appeared in front of Aris¡¯ body as he chanted and were quickly fired in a direction out of Ruel¡¯s line of sight. ¡°Appear, shout, blow.¡± Soon, the wind blew from Aris. As before, it was divided into six equal parts and shot out in a simr direction a momentter. Ruel grasped Aris¡¯ intention. ¡®Right! The wind makes the fire stronger.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t that far away from Cassion or Ganien¡¯s level of strength. It was very sad that he couldn¡¯t see it. ¡®Did he hit any enemies?¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was heard behind him. ¡°You arete,¡± Ruel said. ¡°I camete on purpose. Just like you, I was curious about how much Aris can do.¡± ¡°Did Aris handle it?¡± Without knowing that Cassion hade, Aris continued to be wary of the surroundings. ¡°I checked on the way here, a few of them were being grilled quite nicely. Oh, I killed the two people that he missed.¡± ¡°What about Ganien?¡± ¡°He¡¯s swinging his sword excitedly.¡± ¡°Did you catch one of them?¡± ¡°I caught one this time.¡± That was very good news. I was starting to wonder about the mental state of this group, 18, who dared to attack even at the most crowded ces. ¡°Tell your subordinates to watch them. I¡¯m going to meet you when I¡¯m done with my business.¡± ¡°Did you know that this would happen?¡± Instead of answering, Ruel looked at Cassion with an arrogant expression. ¡°To think that even you had noticed¡­ Hmm. Alright. We¡¯ll proceed with the interrogation in advance.¡± For a very short time, Cassion expressed his anger. It seemed that one of the guild members made a mistake. These were the people who were like his own limbs, so it shouldn¡¯t happen if there¡¯s something against them. ¡°¡­ I stabbed him once.¡± ¡°What do you mean you stabbed him once?¡± His voice was harsh, Ruel quickly turned his head. ¡°Ah¡­ When did you get here?¡± Aris was surprised to see that Cassion had arrived. ¡°Good job.¡± Ruel stood up with Cassion¡¯s support and praised Aris. Clink. Aris let go of his sword in his hand and looked at Ruel. With Ruel¡¯s proud expression, Aris slowly turned his eyes to his own hands. ¡®Did I protect¡­ him?¡¯ ¡®I fought them off by chance and I happened to protect him.¡¯ ¡®No, I¡¯m still inexperienced in my use of magic and missed a few of them.¡¯ Aris clenched his fists and looked at Ruel again. Except for the dust on his clothes, he had no injuries. Aris bent his back to Ruel while hiding his face and held his trembling mouth tightly. ¡°I will continue to protect you, Ruel-nim!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At his calm voice, Aris firmly bit his lip. ¡®I¡¯m so d that what I did was not in vain.¡¯ Ruel picked up the fallen sword and handed it over to Aris. ¡°Don¡¯t drop the sword anytime, anywhere.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± *** The two gates were wide enough to take 10 minutes to travel through even by carriage. After passing the external gate, the Masu Forest entered their field of vision. Unlike ordinary forests, the trees were more than twice asrge, the branches were ck, and the leaves were purple. The Masu Forest, which gave off an ominous and gloomy feeling, was divided into two sides along the road in the center. ¡°What day is it today?¡± Ganien grabbed the sword¡¯s handle excitedly. Ruel asked reluctantly, worried about something. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°A beast ising.¡± ¡®It¡¯s because of you!¡¯ Ruel swallowed the words he couldn¡¯t bear to say and looked at the wagon window. It was angled so Ruel couldn¡¯t see outside unless he opened the door. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The Knights can handle that much. Are you feeling better at that?¡± ¡°What did you hear from Drianna?¡± ¡°I was told by Tyson to take good care of you when we enter Masu Forest.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Is that so? Let me know if you have any problems.¡± ¡°You have to tell us.¡± When Aris helped, Cassion was satisfied. Ruel reluctantly replied, ¡°I will.¡± A few minutes after stopping the carriage, Horen appeared at the carriage window after stepping out of the forest. He made eye contact with Ruel and saluted, and at the same time, the carriage started moving again. Bizarre creatures with severed limbs were seen lying about. Ruel¡¯s face was distorted. ¡®That¡¯s gross.¡¯ ¡®I feel a little nauseous.¡¯ The carriage stopped after moving forward for around 15 minutes. When he got out of the carriage, red gs were ced on both sides of the road as a warning sign. ¡°They say they marked the areas where the beasts often appear.¡± Cassion looked at the g and exined. It is said that the Masu Forest was originally a singlerge forest, but after a long struggle against the beasts, a road was built in the center to separate the beasts to two different sides. As it became a road that people often walked, the paths that the beasts traveled on changed, and the high-risk beasts were ced at the edge of the forest, making the road rtively safe. ¡®Although the novel did not tell us why it was created.¡¯ A strange forest. It was the first feeling Ruel felt when he saw and felt the Masu Forest in person. Except for some of the Knights who remained behind to protect the carriage, everyone headed to the ce where the Magic Knights gathered. ¡°Ruel, you didn¡¯t have toe, did you?¡± Suddenly, Ganien asked. Thinking that Ruel¡¯s slow pace also slowed down everyone overall, Ruel looked at Ganien. ¡°I¡¯m training the knights, so they have to keep pace with me.¡± ¡°I came because I was curious. If I didn¡¯te at a time like this. When would I get the chance?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good excuse. Don¡¯t worry, this brother will protect you.¡± Ganien giggled and cut down cumbersome trees and grass in their path. Thanks to this, Ruel was able to walk more easily. However, he was not on t ground, so he became tired far faster than usual, so he was inhaling from his Breath over and over again. ¡°Should I give you a piggyback ride?¡± Seeing that, Aris reluctantly asked. ¡°Pfft.¡± Ganien¡¯sughter echoed through the forest. Ruel was seriously contemting the difference between shame andfort, and then suddenly thought of a magic trick. ¡°Rather than that, Aris, do you know the magic, ?¡± ¡°I know it.¡± ¡°Do it. Let¡¯s gofortably.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re tired, take a rest here. Don¡¯t say crazy things.¡± Ganien said absurdly. Instead of saying anything, Ruel showed him his bracelet made by Drianna. There was no need for him to fear magic like before as the bracelet enhances resistance to magic. Aris just faltered in fear because he didn¡¯t know what was going on. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Aris, go ahead.¡± Aris nced at Cassion. He didn¡¯t pay much attention to Aris. Soon, he took a calm breath and opened his mouth. ¡°I can lift anything.¡± The ticklish feeling wrapped around Ruel¡¯s entire body. Ruelughed when the feeling of his body floating soon registered to him. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s keep going¡±. *** With the help of magic, Ruel was able to reach the Magic Knights sooner than expected. Ruel even wanted to p his hands at the sight of them pulling out all the trees around them, as they were cultivating thend, and building a house there. ¡°You¡¯re here, my lord.¡± Drianna bowed down in greeting. She pointed around and opened her mouth again. ¡°I was taking a break after walking around. It¡¯s been a while since I came here but nothing has changed.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ruel pointed to the corpse of a beast piled up next to the house. ¡°I was collecting samples. The beasts here are different from the beasts from other countries, so I wanted to study them all the time.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the difference?¡± ¡°They are less malignant than I thought. I¡¯ll let you know the exact facts after the study.¡± Drianna smiled while her eyes gave off a slight glimpse of madness. Ruel did not ask any more questions and instructed Horen. ¡°Horen, unpack the luggage here and unpack everything carefully.¡± ¡°Okay. We will take measures to ensure that there are no injuries.¡± ¡°Everyone should do this together¡± Ruel lowered his voice more than before. ¡°After hunting, I will also collect loot. I have a merchant that I know well.¡± Beasts be money. Nails, leather, blood, bones, etc. were all used as materials, so throwing them away was like throwing away money. There are also the Magic Knights here so no matter howrge the target, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to hunt them all without suffering casualties. ¡°Did you aim for the money?¡± Cassion asked. ¡°Well, it¡¯s just a matter of fact.¡± Money was money, but the purpose of their visit was for the Knights and Magic Knights to gain practical experience. Ruel brought them here because he reasoned that there was no better ce than Masu Forest that would serve as their training ground while gaining practical experience. ¡®Now, everyone¡¯s moving on their own, so I¡¯ll move, too.¡¯ It was a bonus to satisfy his curiosity in small ways. ¡°Ganien, you stay here.¡± ¡°A scarecrow¡¯s role doesn¡¯t suit me.¡± ¡°Overlook their training. I don¡¯t know anything about that so I would be of no use.¡± ¡°You purposely brought me here to y this role.¡± Ganien sighed and sat down on the floor. ¡°Okay, because I¡¯m in debt. Go ahead.¡± He mumbled, ¡°I hope something happens,¡± but I heard it very well. At those frightening words, Ruel hurried Aris in a new direction. In the novel, Masu Forest was mentioned quite often. Doesn¡¯t it mean that it was such a unique ce? ¡®I have a chance to see it with my own eyes, so how could something like a house built by the Magic Knights catch my eye?¡¯ Aris walked with him in the direction Ruel pointed. ¡°Tell me if you run out of mana.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t cost too much to use .¡± ¡®Is it like a fan?¡¯ It would cost less mana to have something to act like a fan. ¡°You lookfortable.¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s veryfortable.¡± Ruel responded to Aris¡¯ statement. ¡®The magic, , is sofortable that I might get addicted to it.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, can you tell me the reason why you came all the way to the Masu Forest?¡± Cassion walked silently and opened his mouth. ¡°I came for a walk.¡± Ruel replied leisurely, inhaling Breath. ¡°Masu Forest¡­ Are you saying you came here for a walk?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s exciting.¡± Sometimes it is good for mental health to get away from work and enjoy your personal interests. Ruel looked around with a smile to Cassion, who wanted to hit him. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s expression subsided. Something was weird. ¡®I can¡¯t even see the beasts with my eyes, but I can feel where the beasts are, like a mini-map in a game.¡¯ As we approached the depths of the forest, the feeling became more distinct. ¡®¡­ What? This is very strange? What should I say about this?¡¯ After contemting for a while, Ruel called Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Will you go over there for a second and check if there are any beasts there?¡± Among the beasts spread out, Ruel pointed in the direction of the one closest to them. ¡°There is. It¡¯s a little far, but I¡¯ve detected 11 in the direction you¡¯re going.¡± ¡®Isn¡¯t it 15?¡¯ When Ruel found out that his senses were not false, It felt like someone had hit his head with a hammer.¡¯ ¡®Do I have an ability? The kind of ability that detects beasts? Really?¡¯ However, despite knowing that he had an ability, Ruel was surprisingly not happy. Rather than that he felt drained and let out a deep sigh. ¡°Is there anything you¡¯re ufortable with?¡± Aris was treating Ruel very carefully like a ss doll. ¡°No, I¡¯m doing good.¡± ¡°Are you expecting a beast to appear?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a walk.¡± Masu Forest was quieter than I thought. The purple leaves were interesting, but the flowers on the ground were also unique in shape, which caught Ruel¡¯s eye. Even the grass took on various colors such as yellow and blue. If there were no beasts, it would be perfect for a walking trail. ¡®¡­ Huh?¡¯ The 15 beasts suddenly began to flock to one ce. ¡°Cassion, the beasts. Do they cooperate with each other?¡± ¡°If it turns out that they¡¯re coborating, the schrs will be shaken up.¡± ¡®Then what is the situation? They just flock together as ifpeting for one prey.¡¯ Ruel felt a deep curiosity. Ruel also had a simple expectation that he might be making a discovery that would upset the academic world. ¡°That way.¡± Aris turned around without a word and walked to where Ruel pointed. As Aris approached where Ruel pointed to, Cassion¡¯s expression turned fierce. ¡°Not over there. Let¡¯s go somewhere else.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The beasts are swarming.¡± ¡°You mean the beasts are gathering? They don¡¯t cooperate, right?¡± Ruelughed yfully. They were about a 10-minute walk away from them. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± However, Cassion looked at Ruel with a face that showed his incredulity at the situation. Ruel nced at the ce he was going to and inhaled Breath at what he said while enduring the pain in his heart. ¡®Since he¡¯s against it like that¡­¡¯ ¡°Okay, go back.¡± ¡°Aris, take him over there.¡± Cassion pointed to the side where there were no beasts. ¡®At least, let me see one beast.¡¯ ¡°Zeep.¡± Ruel suddenly stopped talking and couldn¡¯t even scream at the sudden shock. ¡°¡­!¡± Something flew and crashed into Ruel¡¯s body. The magic of Aris¡¯ spell was broken, and he flew helplessly. A momentter, Cassion noticed and caught Ruel, who was falling. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Cassion was nervous for the first time. He couldn¡¯t sense what had happened at all. ¡®Obviously, there was nothing there¡­ !¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aris looked at Ruel in surprise. Ruel hadn¡¯t lost his consciousness yet, but he was shaking all over. -Boo hoo! He felt like he was about to die of pain. He had caught a glimpse of a bright red fox piercing his body. It was that fox kit who had suddenly flown and collided with Ruel. Ruel gasped at his fading consciousness and desperately moved his mouth. ¡°¡­ Fox, damn fox¡­ .¡± ¡°Fox¡­¡± Ruel¡¯s words before passing out made Cassion doubtful. This was Masu Forest, where not even the tail of a fox could be seen, let alone an actual fox. Cassion got up while holding Ruel. ¡°We¡¯re going back, Aris.¡± The walk was over. Aris couldn¡¯t even breathe properly because of the aura the angry assassin had been emanating. Chapter 35: The Great Purifier and Ruel (2) Chapter 35: The Great Purifier and Ruel (2) *** As soon as Ruel opened his eyes, he was startled by the face of the fox in front of him. As he tried to shift his hand, he felt a stiff sensation that caused him to look at his left arm in panic. Puzzled by the splint, he soon found Cassion. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He saw Cassion looking at him worriedly. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my arm?¡± ¡°It¡¯s broken.¡± When he looked closely at his body, he saw that it was littered with many small wounds. His ribs were aching too. ¡°Why don¡¯t you get rid of this fox?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion frowned and approached Ruel and looked at his eyes. ¡°You didn¡¯t hurt your eyes, did you see anything wrong?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? This fox bumped into me and I became like this.¡± The fox widened his eyes and wagged his tail. -Ahem, this one is not a fox, but a Great Purifier. The voice rang in Ruel¡¯s head, not in his ears. ¡°¡­ Is this a dream? Do foxes talk?¡± -Unlike what you have in your body, you have very clear and beautiful eyes. The fox circled Ruel¡¯s prone form. Ruel¡¯s eyes also followed it. -Look at that. That human being can¡¯t see me. ¡°Ruel-nim, are you in a lot of pain?¡± As Ruel continued to behave strangely, Cassion thought that something serious was wrong. -You don¡¯t know how happy I am to see you, you defiled being. The fox tapped Ruel¡¯s body with his tiny front paw. Suddenly a ck substance came out of his body and flowed into the fox¡¯s mouth. At that moment, ck blood flowed from Ruel¡¯s mouth and nose. ¡°Cough!¡± At the same time, the pain came rushing in which caused Ruel toy back on the bed and curl his body. ¡°I¡¯ll bring Ganien.¡± Cassion quickly left the room. Soon after, not only Ganien but also Drianna and Aris entered the room one after the other. Seeing blood dripping from his mouth and nose, Ganien hurriedly checked Ruel¡¯s condition. Ganien looked at Cassion with a serious look and said. ¡°It¡¯s fine, he¡¯s even gotten a little better.¡± ¡°Is that so? But why is he in pain? It¡¯s a little different from his usual seizures.¡± -That¡¯s because this one forcibly ate the dirty thing in your body, so it hurts. It¡¯s like biting off your flesh. The fox lolled its tongue and wagged its tail. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ Ruel felt like he was going to die because of the cheeky fox in front of him. -Oh, it¡¯s much better than I expected. Good, good. The fox jumped on its short legs while a light glowed from his body. ¡°First, take the medicine. You need to reduce the pain. I have the medicine I made¡­¡± Ganien couldn¡¯t finish his speech and stared at a creature that resembled a fox suddenly appearing in front of Ruel. ¡°¡­ Fox.¡± Recalling Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion opened his eyes wide. He soon drew his dagger while approaching like the wind and cut off the fox¡¯s head. -It¡¯s useless. He felt no resistance as he cut through its body. Cassion turned his head and looked at the fox. The fox, which dispersed like smoke and then re-formed, raised the corners of its mouth while waving its thick, long tail. It was a very cheeky smile. ¡°It-It¡¯s a spirit!¡± Then, Drianna screamed in shock. -Oh, there is one that knows of this one¡¯s kind. Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Drianna. She was embarrassed and spoke out what she had to say right away. ¡°The spirits are not our enemies. They cannot be cut with swords, nor can they do any harm.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Cassion pressed Drianna with a smirk. ¡°T-The spirits are creatures born from nature. They can¡¯t hurt us either. Because we, too, are born of nature.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim said that the fox definitely crashed into him and was the reason for his injuries.¡± ¡°No way! The only things that a spirit can touch are those who are out of nature.¡± While talking, Drianna looked at the fox eagerly. ¡°Spirit, please tell us.¡± -You¡¯re wrong. This one can touch your human being. Cassion¡¯s dagger once again aimed at the fox¡¯s neck. However, its body was once again dispersed and reformed the same way as before. -One, do not touch this body. The fox put a small foot on Ruel¡¯s body and looked at Cassion. -Two, this human being is different. It¡¯s full of filth, so there¡¯s a problem in the process of touching this body. ¡°Bull-shit!¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t stand it and shouted in anger. ¡°Ruel, calm down.¡± Even if Ganien stopped him, Ruel had no intention of stopping. It was an obvious contact ident. When he saw that the fox was about to jump away, he couldn¡¯t let this chance pass up. Ruel squeezed the fox¡¯s tail. -Hick! ¡°You flew towards me and then crashed into me, admit it¡­ I know you were crying that time!¡± -Oh, I don¡¯t cry! This one doesn¡¯t know how to cry! Ruel endured the pain from his injuries and squeezed the fox¡¯s tail harder. Then the fox¡¯s big eyes be teary. -Yes! I did it! I was in such a hurry that I flew at you and then bumped into you! As soon as Ruel let go of its tail, the fox rushed to Ruel. He soon dug into his arms, crouched down on him, and wept, ¡®Beep!¡¯ -The beasts suddenly attacked me. All of a sudden! Huahhh¡­ ¡°Ha¡­¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath with a great deal of energy. ¡°Medicine.¡± The taste of blood lingered in his mouth. The smell of blood vibrated with every breath he took. Ruel inhaled the Breath again, wiping his sleeve under his nose. The pain subsided a little only after taking the medicine that Cassion handed over. Ruel grabbed the back of the crying fox with his unbroken hand. The tears dripping could have been quite pitiful, but Ruel didn¡¯t feel that way at all. ¡°Drianna, is he a spirit?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a spirit.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± As soon as Ruel coughed, the blood that had stuck in his chest flowed out again. Ruel wiped his mouth and asked. ¡°I can see him regardless of whether he¡¯s visible or not.¡± ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know. Spirits were originally invisible to humans until they showed themselves.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t there such a thing as a Spirit Summoner?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± As Ruel knew, spirits existed in the novel ¡®SSS-ss Knight,¡¯ but Spirit Summoners did not exist. It was a relief. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll ask you again. What the hell is this spirit?¡± It looked like a fox, but his legs were short and his eyes wererger. Above all, the thought that the tail that nearly covered his body was thick and perfect as a pillow floated around Ruel¡¯s head. -A¡­ Great Purifier. The fox mumbled in a rattled voice. ¡°Okay, Great Purifier. Why did youe to me?¡± -I¡¯m hungry¡­ ¡°What do you mean?¡± -I feel full when I eat that ck thing. Because this body¡­ I can¡¯t even purify it. It smelled delicious, so I ran because I was so hungry! As soon as he finished speaking, the fox jumped back into Ruel¡¯s arms and rubbed his face all over. At the sound of beeping and crying, Ruel stroked the fox¡¯s fur. The soft feel and silkiness were enough to tempt Ruel to use it as a nket. ¡°Hey, fox. What can you do?¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve heard of something suspicious.¡± Cassion hurriedly opened his mouth to prevent Ruel¡¯s next remark. The fox definitely said he forced himself to eat the dirty substance in his body. What does dirty mean? It was a disease of unknown cause. The fox shed tears and looked at Ruel. -Are you epting my body? ¡°If you can eat up my disease then I will.¡± -I can do it! This one is good at eating! I¡¯ll eat all the dirty stuff in your body. I¡¯ll clean it up! The fox pricked its ears and wagged its tail. ¡°Hmm.¡± Ganien touched the fox¡¯s tail. He opened his mouth in wonder at the soft sensation. ¡°The weak have to help. I agree.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not weak, it¡¯s a beast.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression twisted. ¡°Can the spirit heal Ruel¡¯s illness?¡± Whether it was a spirit or whatever was not important to Aris. What was important right now was that the spirit could heal Ruel¡¯s disease. The fox tilted its head. -I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll heal you. I can only devour the ck stuff. ¡°A kind of purification¡­ Is what you are implying?¡± Drianna asked, recalling the words the spirit had uttered in her head. Wouldn¡¯t the act of eating up the harmful substances be like purification because he introduced himself as a Great Purifier? -This body can¡¯t be purified. I¡¯m just eating the dirty stuff in this human being. ¡°How much is there?¡± Ruel asked only after he coughed once again. The fox jumped in ce. -There is so much! I can eat it for the rest of my life. This body is lucky. I can¡¯t believe that dirty stuff continues to appear. I¡¯m so happy! As soon as the fox finished speaking, Ruel clenched the spirit¡¯s head hard. ¡°You said you¡¯d clean it up. What? Is it being served forever?¡± -It hurts! Don¡¯t do anything disrespectful to this body! ¡°¡­ But why have you guys rushed in?¡± Ruel noticed themte. There were as many as five people and one beast in the narrow room, so it was almost torn apart due to theck of space. ¡°I only called Ganien.¡± ¡°I¡¯m here to see how you¡¯re doing. ¡°I came here because I was worried about the Lord.¡± ¡°The same goes for me.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t catch a line of words in his ears. He just looked out the window. The sun was still there. And through the window, he could see the Knights and Magic Knights. ¡°What about training?¡± ¡°Since you were in this situation, did you think that they would be able to continue training?¡± Ganien smiled lightly. ¡°No, they shouldn¡¯t forget their purpose in any situation.¡± Ruel grabbed his cane that was set down near one side of the bed. ¡°You cannot get up yet. The consequences may lead to furtherplications.¡± For Cassion, who forgot the power of recovery, Ruel¡¯s actions were a shock. The pain, which had been throbbing even after taking the medicine, has already stopped. ¡°Drianna, don¡¯t put me ahead of the Magic Knights under any circumstances.¡± ¡°What do you¡­¡± ¡°I have enough people to protect me.¡± The fox got off the bed and easily mbered up to Ruel¡¯s shoulder. It was so light that Ruel thought that the wind had brushed over his shoulder. The warmth and cozy feeling it emitted were pleasant, but he then remembered that the fox did hurt him, so he threw it off of him. ¡°You should be reflecting. You did this to me.¡± -That¡¯s too much, human! ¡°It¡¯s Ruel Setiria. Remember, Leo.¡± -Leo? Ruel thought he wouldn¡¯t have a name because he kept referring to himself as this one. ¡°If you don¡¯t like it, forget it.¡± -Right! My name is Leo! Leo! Leo even showed his teeth andughed. ¡°Look at the wall and reflect.¡± Looking at Leo, who really turned toward the wall, Ruel went out of the room. ¡°Ruel-nim, are you really going to take that animal in?¡± ¡°I saw Leo take something out of me and eat it. That power is real no matter what anyone says.¡± When Leo ate the ck substance within his body, it hurt a lot, but now his body was very light. He even felt refreshed. ¡°You made Ruel like this, didn¡¯t you?¡± Thinking about why he was so worried about him, unlike Cassion, he thought of the sword he gave him a while ago, the flower of Siriena. As expected, bribes are good. ¡°Get well soon.¡± As his healing powers had grown, his arm would probably be healed within the day. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ruel-nim.¡± Aris walked ahead of Ruel and bowed his head to him. Ruelughed while thinking about why Aris was doing this. ¡°My butler was standing still like an idiot. That¡¯s enough.¡± Spirits were present in ¡®SSS-ss Knights¡¯ but they were hardly ever mentioned. But one had appeared in front of him and had even touched him, even Cassion did not recognize the existence of the spirit. ¡®How interesting.¡¯ Chapter 36: The Great Purifier and Ruel (3) Chapter 36: The Great Purifier and Ruel (3) Looking back, it was a very chilling situation. I was so d Leo was a fool. ¡°I still don¡¯t know what a spirit is, but I couldn¡¯t feel it either.¡± Ganien smiled quietly as his fighting spirit burned. ¡°I want to fight it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance, Ganien, I want to see what a spirit is like.¡± To him, Leo was prey. Wouldn¡¯t he be like a bundle of gold that never runs out and continues to produce riches? ¡®I should treat it well and make ite with me.¡¯ Ruel smiled lightly and walked out of the house. As soon as he saw the Knights and Magic Knights crowding at the entrance, his smile disappeared. ¡°Sir Horen, is the training everyone is going through the act of looking at me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an excuse, but we all couldn¡¯t continue our training at the news that you copsed.¡± ¡°If I faint, will Setiria copse?¡± ¡°It will fall!¡± Horen answered without any hesitation. Without asking, Drianna, who followed, answered the same. Ruel¡¯s face quickly cooled down. He looked at them coldly and said, ¡°I am not Setiria. If Setiria will copse if I fall then I don¡¯t want to save it anymore.¡± It would not be strange if he copsed right now and lost consciousness. Wouldn¡¯t it be a big deal if Setiria shook like this every time? He neither wanted nor hoped for a living doll. ¡°Setiria is you. If you fall, Setiria will really fall. What happened today was only during training, but next time it may be in a ce full of enemy swords and magic.¡± Ttak. The cane hit against the ground. ¡°Don¡¯t be shaken even if I¡¯m not there. Think about it. Move. Judge, you are not puppets, you are Setiria.¡± Again, the cane rang as it struck the ground. At that small noise, they looked at Ruel with pride. ¡°Remember, Setiria is you.¡± ¡®Strangely, I want to follow his every word even though they weren¡¯t anything special,¡¯ Horen thought. ¡°Don¡¯t be swayed by this.¡± Putting himself down to the ground, his heart thumped at the words that raised them. What kind of existence is the Lord? Wasn¡¯t it the root, stem, and leaf? But Ruel denied all of it. He mentioned that they were the trees. Then, what is the lord? Horen¡¯s mouth moved automatically due to deep doubts. ¡°If we are Setiria, what would the lord be?¡± ¡°The shell.¡± ¡°You mean the shell?¡± ¡°Yeah, the shell. The more it is decorated, the more beautiful it is, but it is useless. It¡¯s not going to be a good shell because of my shape, so you guys have to fill it up more.¡± ¡°No! The Lord is not a shell!¡± Drianna insisted from behind. Then the Knights and the Knights of Magic literally said what she said. Numerous sounds rang out, and Ruel grabbed his head, which throbbed for a moment. To live a rich,fortable, and ordinary life, you had to be a shell. Therefore, Ruel did not intend to bend his argument. ¡°Even if you say so, the shell doesn¡¯t change, so what you have to do now is not to worry about me, but to move your body for even a second to be stronger.¡± Cheynol and Tyson gave them orders to train. Knowing who the order wasing from, they tried. This time the same order was issued. However, the feeling they felt from this order was different. It touched them deep in their chests and excited them because it was an order they had received directly from their Lord, Ruel, theyughed with a burning desire. ¡°We¡¯ll be stronger!¡± ¡°Okay, continue training until it is time to eat.¡± ¡°My Lord.¡± Horen said with a firm face while waiting for the two knight corps to finish answering. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The training will continue. I will raise the intensity even more than before. So tell me who has harmed you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already been resolved, so don¡¯t worry about it anymore.¡± The stupid fox must still be smiling at the wall. Ruel passed through them with a vengeance and spoke to Drianna. ¡°Drianna, I¡¯d like you to make a ce for me to sit. It¡¯s a bit stuffy inside.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make it right now.¡± As he gave the order to Drianna, all the magic knights gathered and quickly exchanged words. It was good to see because there was no formality, but Ruel couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of chairs would be made when they started talking about what decorations should be added and how muchfort he would like to have since it was a seat for the Head of a Noble Household. ¡°Just a in seat will do¡­¡± ¡°Ruel.¡± Ganien spoke to me along the way. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you would lower yourself, but don¡¯t do that too much. You¡¯re like the sun to them.¡± ¡°Lower myself? When?¡± When Ruel asked, Ganien sighed deeply. ¡°Never mind, anyway, have some confidence in yourself. You¡¯re doing great.¡± ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ Ruel frowned because Ganien, who tapped his shoulder lightly, was being strange. ¡°That¡¯s what I wanted to say.¡± When Cassion said something strange, Ruel just ignored it. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when the chair isplete. Please wait inside until then.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just wait here.¡± He didn¡¯t want to go back and forth twice, so Ruel slumped down on the stairs. When he heard a cough, Cassion took a nket out of his pocket and covered Ruel¡¯s knees with it. ¡°Aris, don¡¯t just stand next to me, you can stand anywhere.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, how dare I¡ª¡­¡± ¡°No, don¡¯t say it.¡± When he mentioned his name, he nagged. ¡°Give me a snack.¡± Ruel was getting hungry listening to the wizards still talking about how to make the chair. Holding the basket handed over by Cassion in his arms, Ruel bit the cookie in his mouth. Crunch crunch. His second way of life was not a failure. The power of recovery worked to get rid of the disease. But the disease didn¡¯t go away. As much as he tried to get rid of it, it would have disappeared because it became bigger every time it was removed. ¡®Should I call this a disease?¡¯ A disease that grows constantly. Suddenly, his old father came to mind. His father had died of cancer. Crunch crunch. ¡®The disease grows, the power of recovery gets rid of the disease, and Leo eats my disease. I hope it¡¯s bnced like that.¡¯ If he couldn¡¯t get rid of it, wouldn¡¯t it be better to maintain it in moderation? Crunch crunch. Ruel let out a long sigh while eating cookies. ¡®By the way, I wanted to see what a living monster looks like.¡¯ He had no idea what happened, but he couldn¡¯t even see the hairs of the monsters around here. ¡®If I go again, they¡¯lle and stop me, right? ¡®No, you can¡¯t do it¡¯ while saying, ¡®Lord.¡¯ At least one is fine, so I hope somethinges.¡¯ There was no reason to roll on the ground this time because there were two knight corps as his escort. The spirit he bumped into must be quietly looking at the wall. Crunch crunch. He didn¡¯t know how many cookies he¡¯d been eating, but just as he was about to put the meat pie in his mouth, Ruel suddenly noticed a monster running towards him. It was quiterge. ¡®Ohh.¡¯ There was an opportunity to look at a monster while eating a meat pie. He wondered how the two knight corps would react. ¡°Ruel-nim, would you like to go over there?¡± Cassion pointed to the corner most rock. ¡°Why? This is perfect.¡± ¡°A monster ising. It¡¯s pretty big.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Before answering, Cassion picked up a basket containing the snacks. Ruel walked leisurely to the ce Cassion pointed at with his cane as help. No matter which side you look at, you can see the skills of the current knights. ¡°Don¡¯te forward, Cassion, and Aris too.¡± ¡°All right.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll be back to Ganien for a while.¡± Cassion disappeared to announce Ruel¡¯s message. Ding. Ruel suddenly stopped walking. ¡°Ruel-nim¡­¡± Aris looked at Ruel, who stopped suddenly, and then supported him as he stumbled. Pudduk. Blood dripped from Ruel¡¯s nose as soon as he felt a pain in his ear. -Did you call me? It wasn¡¯t Leo¡¯s voice. Ruel grabbed his ear and looked around at the sound of scraping metal. ¡°Ruel, are you okay?¡± ¡®What?¡¯ -I¡¯m here as you called me. Kuung! The surrounding trees copsed. When he straightened his bent back, a lizard-like monster revealed its figure. ¡®What is this sound?¡¯ It was like a searing heat pierced his head. The nosebleed didn¡¯t stop. Unlike the blood that was shed because of Leo, it was red. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Aris called Ruel again. Ruel¡¯s body shook as he barely held onto his cane, perhaps because the disease had red up again. Looking towards the monster. Ruel¡¯s consciousness seemed to be fading. Symptoms simr to when using magic appeared, but the mana surrounding his body did not move. Aris picked up Ruel for now. Quaang! Dozens of mes engulfed the monster. However, at the same time, the rising ck smoke disappeared with a single gesture of the monster. -What do you want? I¡¯ll do what you want. Even though the distance from the monster was far, Ruel felt that the voice was very close. ¡°I¡­ ?¡± -I came here because you wanted me to be here. ¡°Me?¡± -That¡¯s right. ¡°This is¡­¡± As soon as Cassion came out of Ruel¡¯s shadow, he saw his condition and sighed. ¡°Something is strange. His magic hasn¡¯t manifested, but it is in a state simr to when it was manifested thest time.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aris stopped walking and showed Ruel to Cassion. There was a glimmer of light in Ruel¡¯s eyes. Cassion stared at those eyes and opened his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s using something.¡± He soon turned his gaze to see the monster standing there. ¡®Maybe¡­¡¯ ¡°¡­ Go.¡± A small sound came out of Ruel¡¯s mouth. The monster disappeared back into the forest without looking back. At that moment, the light in Ruel¡¯s eyes went out, and at the same time, his head was tilted back. ¡®Ruel¡­ You can control the monster?¡¯ It was his first time seeing it. Cassion calmed down, turned his head, and looked at Aris. ¡°I know. I will never betray you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°All I need is to know.¡± Cassion looked back at the sound of footsteps. Drianna was running. She spoke her words softly yet impatiently. ¡°Just now, did you see that?¡± Cassion didn¡¯t answer, just looked. It was a situation to be cautious of. Being able to control monsters could be regarded as dangerous in another sense. ¡°Please, keep it a secret.¡± Drianna bowed her head. ¡°I think you know what it means to be able to control monsters in this country of adventurers, so please don¡¯t tell anyone¡­¡± ¡°Did you know?¡± Drianna couldn¡¯t answer Cassion¡¯s question. She just looked at Cassion and Aris as they eagerly waited. ¡°I can¡¯t speak.¡± The words ¡®because the contract was at stake¡¯ were swallowed inside. Drianna looked at Aris. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Just then, at Aris¡¯s reassuring words, she let out a sigh of relief. Cassion stared at her and brought it up. ¡°Is there a contract at stake?¡± ¡°Yes, I can¡¯t tell you.¡± ¡°By any chance¡­ Did you erase his memory?¡± Drianna smiled sadly. It meant that someone had erased Ruel¡¯s memory, even if it wasn¡¯t her. ¡°Do we still have to erase it?¡± Aris asked anxiously. If it was erased in the past, shouldn¡¯t it be erased now? ¡°Even if he has developed a resistance to his disease, Ruel-nim will not be able to withstand it now. ¡­please.¡± As people flocked, Drianna bowed her head and stepped down. ¡®I have a very good Lord.¡¯ Cassion flicked his tongue. Chapter 37: The Great Purifier and Ruel (4) Chapter 37: The Great Purifier and Ruel (4) *** p. When he felt something soft touching his face, Ruel opened his eyes in surprise. -Wake up, Ruel! This one was reflecting while you were asleep. ¡°The monster¡­ ?¡± -Listen carefully to what this one has reflected on. First of all, I chased you just because there was delicious food. This is something that even children do not do. Also, breaking your arm by hitting it recklessly is something that even a child does not do. And then¡­ Grabbing Leo¡¯s chattering mouth, Ruel looked for Cassion. ¡°Are you up?¡± Cassion, who had just entered the room, had a washbasin in his hand. When I turned my head and looked at the window, the sun was rising. ¡°What about the monster?¡± ¡°The monster went away. Maybe Ganien is on his way back from cutting it down. He was excited and chased after the monster.¡± Cassion said disgustedly. ¡°Did you see that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°I saw it. If I pretend I don¡¯t know, can¡¯t you just let it slide?¡± It wasn¡¯t something to let go of. ¡®The sensation and voice that came into my head that I felt were definitely real.¡¯ ¡®Did the original Ruel have the power to control monsters from an early age?¡¯ ¡®Previously, I was dumbfounded to hear that Drianna had saved them, but now I can see what happened.¡¯ Old Ruel had used this power to rescue Drianna and them. ¡°Who else saw it?¡± Ruel was not happy. Beasts were monsters that were rejected in any country. Being able to control them meant that he, too, might be marked as a dangerous being. ¡°Aris saw it.¡± ¡°Who else?¡± ¡°Nobody, other than the fact that Drianna noticed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°Rx, Ruel-nim is supposed to be recovering from a previous injury.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. He came to know this power unintentionally, but he saw the monster he so desperately wanted to see. ¡°How was the training?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t stop even after Ruel copsed. From what I can tell, everyone cheered up and showed unexpected skills.¡± That¡¯s it. It was a satisfactory result if he could do his part even if he copsed. ¡°I¡¯m going back today.¡± If the Head of a Household leaves the mansion for a long time, what¡¯s the point? *** When Ruel returned to the mansion, he didn¡¯t waste any time. He sent Cassion in advance to check the condition of the barracks in each vige. He stopped by the barracks in the vige of Sisel, the closest to the Masu Forest, and praised them for their progress. One after another, Ganien and the two knight corps quarreled and overturned the barracks in all viges. He did not forget to correct his instructions, just as he did at the barracks in Sisel. ¡°Messing up. This is pretty fun.¡± Ganien said satisfactorily in the carriage. At first, he was just a knight, but when he led them for the third time, he took the lead without saying a word and led his knights. ¡®He is very excited.¡¯ Ruel arrived in Apor, the center of Setiria, where his mansion was located and stopped at the merchant of Beto, who first settled in Setiria. As he sold off the loot from the monsters, his pockets became quite thick. ¡®I¡¯ll have to do this quite often in the future.¡¯ Ruel smiled satisfactorily and entrusted all of the money he received to Jirie, the merchant owner of Beto¡¯s upper management, for equipment expenses for the two knight corps and any other knights. *** ¡°Ruel.¡± Ganien opened the door on his own. I was about to change my clothes and rest. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this during your break, but I have to leave now¡­¡± ¡°Cassion, can I have some tea?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± While Cassion brought the tea, Ruel slowly got up and guided Ganien to the table. ¡°Tell me when the teaes. There¡¯s nothing urgent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Ganien sat down smiling. After a while, Cassion came out and Ganien opened his mouth. ¡°I want to see a Turbulent Day Sword before I leave.¡± ¡°Cassion, bring it.¡± Cassion reluctantly went out of the room after asking with his eyes several times, ¡®Is it really okay to bring it?¡¯ ¡°Are you going to leave now?¡± Ruel asked as he put down the teacup. His broken arm was all healed, but it would be strange to see that his arm had healed in a day, so he was wearing a cast. ¡°Yeah, Setiria is also slowly finding stability, so now I have to go do my job.¡± ¡°The alliance between the two countries is in your hands, so I have to ask. How was it here?¡± ¡°It was fun.¡± Ruel was quite satisfied with the positive response. ¡°Except for Aris not calling me a teacher.¡± ¡°You must know the reason for that.¡± ¡°I know why he can¡¯t call me that. The country is different, so what can we do?¡± Ganien sighed loudly. If he had found Aris a little faster than Ruel. Ruel ate a cookie without saying a word in his open disappointment. Crunch crunch. ¡°Ruel, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t catch that rat with you.¡± ¡°If you stayed much longer you would have been under pressure from your home country.¡± ¡°Did you know?¡± ¡°It would be silly not to know.¡± Ganien giggled at Ruel¡¯s words. He stayed longer than expected, but the time was never boring. Ganien turned his head and looked toward the door. Listening to Ruel¡¯s cough, he saw a sword carefully appearing. ¡°Oh!¡± Ganien got up and looked at the heirloom, the Turbulent Day Sword, firsthand. ¡®You passed.¡¯ Ruel smiled and drank tea. ¡°Are you saying this is the Turbulent Day Sword of the rumor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s somewhat mysterious. But I can¡¯t feel the strength of the sword.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s an old story. Do you want to swing around?¡± Ganien wondered how well the sword was made. He asked with a little excitement. ¡°Can I really swing it around? I¡¯m going to.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re close friends, Cassion, lend him your gloves.¡± Still, even if he asked, I couldn¡¯t let him touch it with his bare hands. Ganien pulled out the sword from its sheath while wearing Cassion¡¯s white gloves. ¡®Oh.¡¯ The sword sheath and other leaf patterns were densely engraved up to the de. ¡°It must have been quite old, but it looks new.¡± ¡®It doesn¡¯t look new, it is new.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his lips again. A light sound rang out every time he swung the sword to see if Cassion did his job properly. Crunch crunch. As he put a cookie in his mouth, Ruel identified a strange curiosity in Ganien¡¯s eyes. He shook his head without saying a word at Cassion¡¯s nce at him. Let him do whatever he wants. No matter how fake it was, he spent quite a bit of money on it, so Cassion felt ufortable. But what could he do? His Lord hadmanded him to stay still. Pajijig. When Ganien drew his aura into the sword, a blue aura that resembled the sky appeared. ¡°Wow, look at this. Also, rather than exploding. Even if you put an aura, it will hold up¡­ ¡± Ttug. Even though Ganien¡¯s words were not finished, the de split in half. Ruel drank tea silently. Ttak. The sound of the teacup being put down was so scary. Ganien¡¯s eyes shook while his face gradually paled. ¡°Ru, Ruel, this is¡­¡± ¡°You owe me another debt.¡± Ruel smiled furiously. ¡°Because you broke my family heirloom.¡± Chapter 38: With the moonlight Chapter 38: With the moonlight Gulp. Ganien swallowed unconsciously. Cursing his own damned curiosity, he cautiously looked at Ruel. ¡±H-how can I even do this?¡± ¡°The heirloom, Turbulent Day, remains whole. That¡¯s it.¡± ¡°Wait a moment, Ruel! This isn¡¯t something we can ignore. I¡¯ll pay you as much as I can, no, I¡¯ll do anything!¡± ¡°You already owe a great deal, and the heirloom remains unbroken. Cassion, you know this.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Before Ganien could interject, Ruel held out his palm to stop him. ¡°It¡¯s fine. This is just a formality. What¡¯s a little more debt at this point?¡± ¡°Ruel¡­¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath while turning away from Ganien¡¯s eyes full of respect, finding them a little burdensome. ¡°On my name, this debt will not go unpaid, Ruel. Even if I have to betray my country.¡± This time, he did not stop Ganien¡¯s oath. ¡®Even a fake sword is useful.¡¯ Isn¡¯t piling debts onto the protagonist a great way to have a good life? ¡®I think it¡¯s maybe the 5.5th rule for me to live.¡¯ Can¡¯t forget to make another fake Turbulent Day, just in case. I don¡¯t know who will get it, but I¡¯m already excited. *** ¡®If I send the two knights to Masu Forest from time to time to train and earn money¡­¡¯ Ruel thought while grinning at the papers piled on the table. ¡®¡­ And the merchant of Beto uses the materials for building, and the ores to make more money¡­¡¯ I was excited. Even if I just stood still and breathed, the money keeps rolling in. Although he wasn¡¯t rich-rich yet, he was still happy to know how it felt like, even for a little bit. Though Billo, the butler, got very angry when he found out he had entered Masu Forest, so what? Everything was awesome. ¡°Isn¡¯t Ruel-nim¡¯s health more important than catching a rat?¡± Looking at Ruel using the magic tool, Thermal Patch, attached to his forehead to peruse the documents, the wrinkles on Cassion¡¯s forehead never eased up. ¡°I¡¯m going hard.¡± Ruel put down the documents in his hand pointed at his chest. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Though my fever is soaring and I¡¯m overkilling it a bit, the power of recovery is keeping me from dying and Leo is eating it up.¡± ¡°But if you breach your limit again, you¡¯ll fall unconscious likest time¡­¡± ¡°Ruel! Ruel!¡± Leo, after zooming around the room, rushed to lie on Ruel. ¡°This is why animals should be leashed.¡± Cassion looked at Leo coldly. The fox, having been scolded so suddenly, did not look good. ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m a spirit. Uncle doesn¡¯t have a spirit leash, do you?¡± ¡°All you do is run around like a dog. What use are you?¡± ¡°This body is a spirit! What¡¯s wrong about getting to know where I¡¯m going to stay?!¡± Ignoring Leo¡¯s howling, Cassion continued with his tirade. ¡°There¡¯s already an uproar about Ruel keeping a fox as a pet in the mansion. And just how many snacks are you getting from the attendants?! Insufferable!¡± It¡¯s crazy to think of getting great snacks just wandering around doing nothing. He seems to be nursing a grudge. That¡¯s understandable. Cassion, or his guild members to be more precise, is working really hard. Ruel put down the documents. ¡°Even if I haven¡¯t, I¡¯m going to do it now. Ganien hasn¡¯t gone yet, right?¡± ¡°He was packing his things.¡± ¡°Tell him toe to the training center. He¡¯s my friend, so I¡¯m going to give him a present before he goes.¡± Ruel saw Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Aside from purifying, can you fight?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never fought before. I was always too hungry.¡± ¡°Can you fight now?¡± ¡°This body¡¯s a great spirit before it¡¯s a great purifier. I¡¯m full now, so yes I can fight.¡± Ruel smiled at Leo¡¯s wide-open eyes and his pricked up ears. ¡®I didn¡¯t mean to, but I¡¯ll add one more escort.¡¯ The more, the merrier, right? Crunch crunch. Cookies~ Yum. *** ¡°Wow. Honestly, I¡¯m impressed.¡± Ganien¡¯s low-keyment as he pulled out his sword did not match his eyes aze with fighting spirit. The little fox in front of him was invisible. ¡°You have to get a present before going.¡± Ruel lounged in a corner of the training ground while stuffing his mouth with meat pie. He didn¡¯t want any spectators, so he asked Tyson to cover the area with magic. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m fighting a spirit. I¡¯m probably the first one in the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°Ruel, how much strength should I use? I haven¡¯t fought before, so I have no idea.¡± ¡°Just use a bit.¡± An ear of Leo drooped at Ruel¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t seem to understand what I was saying. ¡°Let¡¯s take it slow first, Leo. It¡¯s my first time fighting a spirit.¡± Ganien¡¯s excitement was evident in his voice. He clenched his teeth and held his sword hard. ¡°Ruel, can I really use the video recording device?¡± There was one more excited person. Tyson¡¯s lips were dry, revealing his excitement and nervousness. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Record away.¡± ¡°A spirit, oh an actual spirit! Mana has definitely blessed me, right?!¡± Wizards, like Drianna, insisted Leo should be a fox. Very strange. It was also amusing to see her try to take Leo¡¯s body measurements. In any case, as per her advice, only a select few knew that Leo was a spirit. ¡°Pay close attention, Aris. Spirits are different from us wizards. We merely borrow magic from nature, while spirits can be said to be nature itself.¡± ¡°Nature itself?!¡± As if Ganien¡¯s spirit possessed him, Aris also started to grip his sword tightly. Birds of the same feather, eh? ¡°Why not go farther apart?¡± Cassion proposed to increase the distance between Ganien and Leo, and Ruel. But there was nowhere else to go. Ruel¡¯s still just munching on his meat pie. ¡°Start!¡± Ganien only observed Leo at the start. He seems to be waiting for Leo to attack first. Leo mmed his cute front paws hard to the floor. Smack! Ganien chuckled lightly. A crack suddenly appeared under Ganien¡¯s feet, a sharp rock thorn forming under it immediately. Ganien, as if just taking a leisurely walk, dodged it. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of openings.¡± Though only taking a step forward, Ganien somehow appeared in front of Leo. ¡®I thought he was wielding a sword, but he suddenly flicked my forehead.¡¯ ¡°One death, Leo.¡± ¡°AWWW!¡± Leo covered his face in frustration but soon started stomping the ground several times. Quaaaaang! The ground underneath Ganien started to bulge. On Leo¡¯s behest, the ground geysered up, shooting Ganien into the air. ¡°OH!¡± Leo¡¯s ears perked up immediately. A tree suddenly shot up from the ground, morphing into a sharp sword ready tounch at Ganien. Shashashak. Ganien¡¯s sword finally moved. There was only the sound of a swing, but the tree fell to the ground asunder. Chaag. Ganien, whonded easily, sauntered towards Leo, avoiding all rising rocks. Another flick has been added. ¡°You¡¯re dead again, Leo.¡± ¡°Hey¡­¡± ¡°¡­ Huh.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t even continue eating the meat pie in his hand. Even seeing it with his own eyes, it was hard to believe the ground moving freely and trees just popping out of nowhere. ¡°I give up!¡± Leo flopped on his back and showed his stomach. ¡°Giving up already? Are you angry? Is that all you got? I haven¡¯t even started yet.¡± Leo¡¯s tail stood up at the sarcasm. Harrrrrrrr. A me was already forming behind Ganien¡¯s back. ¡°Yeah, this is it. This is it. Do more. Show me more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t belittle me!¡± Leo, who raised his body, bared his fangs. His fur stood up, and sparks started to sh around Leo. ming lightning, and lightning winds. The things people referred to as the Elements were being controlled so easily. Aris didn¡¯t even blink to capture the beautiful sight with his own eyes. ¡°It¡¯s kind of creepy.¡± Ganien looked back and properly positioned himself. At any moment now, the real fight would ur, but all of the sudden, the multiple elements that were on disy suddenly vanished. He looked at Leo baffled. With eyes half-shut, Leoy t on his back again. ¡°HUNGRY¡­¡± ¡°Ha ha, I can¡¯t do this anymore.¡± Ganien hinted at Cassion. Cassion turned his head away. ¡°Tsk.¡± Clicking his tongue, Ganien sheathed his sword and carried Leo to Ruel. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure. He really doesn¡¯t know how to fight. Well, it¡¯s like a 3-year-old with a magic sword. One sh, another bigger one, and another even bigger one, you get the picture.¡± ¡°What if you train him?¡± ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t seem he wanted to fight in the first ce, right? It¡¯s only possible if he really puts his mind into training how to fight.¡± ¡°Really?¡± That should be enough to rile him up enough. Leo¡¯s tail stood up as if he didn¡¯t want to hear anything from him. ¡°But it wasn¡¯t all that bad, this present. It would¡¯ve been perfect if that thing just hit a little while ago.¡± Ganien sighed repeatedly at that one disappointing shot. Ruel started to pet Leo and thought. ¡®So what kind of cor should I put on you?¡¯ *** Ganien left the mansion immediately after fighting Leo. After the main character left, Ruel was able to enjoy a little leisure time. On the bed. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The coughing and the dizziness came at the same time, souring my mood. ¡°Good job. You forced yourself out of bed, and now your fever is likely to spike tonight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still okay, ah, don¡¯t forget to recreate the heirloom.¡± ¡°Ruel! Ruel! This body will eat you up. I am very hungry right now!¡± ¡°Let me ask you a question, Leo.¡± Leo¡¯s ears were perked up. ¡°What exactly is this dirty thing you mentioned?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Are you the only great purifier?¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s more. Everyone¡­ left me behind.¡± The ears that were perked up were drooped down again. ¡°Can I meet them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°You¡­ Do you really need me?¡± Ruel smiled suspiciously. ¡°I really do! You fill my stomach! You are very good food for this body!¡± When Ruel told him to eat, Cassion was fiddling with his hands. He seemed to be measuring how to cut Leo¡¯s neck. ¡°What if I told you to leave?¡± ¡°Did I do anything wrong?¡± ¡°Answer me.¡± ¡°This body can¡¯t fight like the human said. If I can¡¯t feed on you, I¡¯ll slowly fade away. Eventually, I¡¯ll return to nature.¡± It was the answer he wanted to hear. Ruel licked his lips while eating his cookie. ¡°I don¡¯t trust people because I¡¯ve been stabbed in the back before, so how can I trust you if you¡¯re not even people?¡± Leo widened his eyes. He whirled around Ruel with his short legs and sat down on his thigh. ¡°You¡¯re surrounded by people full of faith. Why do you say that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s different. I didn¡¯t pick those up because I wanted to.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. Ganien was an exception, but most of them just sort of happened. The fact that he could be betrayed at any time by someone he didn¡¯t specifically choose, be they people, spirit, or anything, was very annoying. ¡°But didn¡¯t you pick up this body, me, Ruel?¡± Leo smiled and waved his tail. ¡°You followed me.¡± ¡°You gave me a name, and I was happy. So this body was picked up by Ruel.¡± ¡°Congrattions. You have a beast as a pet.¡± Cassion sarcastically raised the corners of his mouth. Crunch crunch. Ruel spilled crumbs on the nket. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m nervous if you don¡¯t have a leash. What do you want to do?¡± ¡°This body already has a leash given to me by you.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you give me a name? For a spirit to be given a name, that¡¯s already what you want.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes got bigger. The unchewed cookies melted in my mouth. ¡°¡­ Are you an idiot? You saw me for the first time that day. Why did you believe me?¡± Leo¡¯s stupidity made me raise my voice. Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡®What a foolish fox.¡¯ Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s thigh. ¡°It was the first thing that Ruel had asked of this body. So I was happy.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel tried to say something more, but the cough stopped it. Leo looked at the ck, ck things that filled Ruel¡¯s body and shouted loudly. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll eat well!¡± Leo tapped Ruel¡¯s thigh and a ck thing popped out. Yummy food! Leo grinned wide and hurriedly ate as if there was no tomorrow. Listening to the chewing sound, Ruel gritted his teeth as the pain of tearing his flesh off cascaded on him. Cassion carefully observed Leo. It seems to be eating something, but he was not able to see it. ¡°Beast, can I see that dirty thing you mentioned?¡± Leo, who was smacking his lips, stuck out his front foot. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± It was grimy, but Cassion gave his hand. Leo¡¯s paw then flickered with light for a brief moment. ¡°That¡¯s¡­.¡± He couldn¡¯t stand what he saw. Having finally witnessed the ck things that filled Ruel¡¯s body, Cassion found his appetite plummet. ¡°Cough¡±! As soon as Ruel vomited ck blood, Cassion caught it readily with a handkerchief. It was noticeable faster than when the dregs came out due to the power of recovery. ¡°Did you see it? Ruel is a very good prey. I will eat them all!¡± ¡°Yeah, eat a lot. Get rid of it all.¡± Ruel¡¯s body was so full of ck things that it seemed terrible. Cassion decided to ept the existence of that beast for now. As Leo was enjoying his meal, he furtively whispered a question to him ¡°Could any other beasts get rid of that?¡± Leo shook his head. ¡°It is simr to what needs to be purged, but a little different.¡± ¡®In the end, is this also a temporary solution?¡¯ Cassion sighed lightly and put out a handkerchief to Ruel¡¯s mouth. As expected, ck blood came out. Chapter 39: With the moonlight (2) Chapter 39: With the moonlight (2) *** ¡°Hey, I feel refreshed today, unlike yesterday.¡± Ruel put on a heat patch and walked around the room as if to impress Cassion. ¡°There¡¯s still a slight fever.¡± ¡°My body temperature must naturally run high.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it only natural for someone who didn¡¯t eat for two days and has a slight fever to not feel well?¡± ¡°You probably didn¡¯t eat enough.¡± ¡°No, I ate lots!¡± The impulsive Leo insisted. Cassion smiled for a moment and pointed to the bed. ¡°Call Aris. I¡¯m going to the Hand of the Wind Guild. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had an appetite, so it¡¯d be nice if there was a lot of meat. Oh, I¡¯ll also have ice cream for dessert.¡± Cassion thought for someone who has a fever to have ice cream¡­ ¡°Ruel, even if you don¡¯t do anything, the rats won¡¯t run away.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t moved for two days.¡± Even if Leo ate a lot of the ck thing, or the power of recovery did its thing, I had to suffer for two days with a fever. Even though I was hungry then, I couldn¡¯t hold down anything, so I couldn¡¯t eat properly. Ruel tried to be as patient as possible while caressing his rumbling stomach. ¡°Like you said, the rats won¡¯t run away until they think there¡¯s no more food to be had, but it is also true that we cannot afford to dy this any longer.¡± I inhaled Breath. ¡°So, I¡¯m going to throw some bait.¡± I had intended to wait a little longer. Ganien isn¡¯t here, and Aris isn¡¯t ready yet. However, Leo¡¯s appearance made immediately implementing the n feasible. If I utilize both Leo and Aris, isn¡¯t it like having a not-totally-reliable Ganien? Ruel walked to the table and shook the documents. ¡°The rats are so busy that they don¡¯t have enough hands to do their dirty work, so they¡¯re hiring adventurers, right? We cannot miss this opportunity.¡± ¡°Just the two of us will go. Ruel-nim, please go to bed right away and calmly go to sleep.¡± ¡°I want to, but I don¡¯t know why Setiria¡¯s Ears are in the hands of the rats. I need to go and check.¡± ¡°Is it Minart? Jirie? Or is it Flenn?¡± Cassion wore a displeased look because this information was something he didn¡¯t know. ¡°We¡¯re going to find out soon.¡± The answer was Jirie. As our interactions with merchant Beto increased, so did the flow of information. Specifically, he told us a rumor about Setiria¡¯s Ears being in prison in one of our transactions. It was information worth checking. ¡°I wonder who it is?¡± No matter how much Cassion poked and prodded, Ruel remained tightlipped on the answer. Previously, I was in no shape to acquire Setiria¡¯s Ears, but now? A chance to finally catch the rats, and at the same time Setiria¡¯s Ears? You bet I¡¯m going to make a move. ¡°A night like this is perfect to do things quietly.¡± ¡°Have you already forgotten how much you groaned in pain all day long?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Ruel asked back, fawning surprise. Cassion let out an exasperated sigh. ¡°And the ice cream. I¡¯m sure you said you wanted to eat some?¡± ¡°Of course. I only like things that are good for my body. I¡¯d also like to have some ginger tea with dessert.¡± When he saw Ruel¡¯s smile, Cassion started to rummage through his pockets. ¡®Should I put this guy to sleep forcibly?¡¯ ¡°This body likes ice cream too.¡± Leo, who¡¯s always prancing around, said while grinning. ¡°Hurry up. I¡¯m hungry.¡± Crunch. As soon as Ruel sat on the bed, he started to munch on the meat pie he had on hand. Seeing the crumbs falling all over, Cassion lifted his hand from his pocket. ¡®Yeah, this is how you should be when you¡¯re sick.¡¯ Knock, knock. After Cassion left, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Did you call for me, my lord?¡± Billo bowed his head at a perfect angle, like he was meticulously measuring it to be just right. As I thought, he¡¯s a real butler. Cassion could learn a thing or two from him. ¡°Are you feeling unwell? You look out of sorts?¡± ¡°How could I?¡± Ruel went straight to the point before Billo could speak any further. ¡°I was hoping to leave a certain matter to Cassion, but you know how he has a habit of just killing anything he finds annoying.¡± ¡°Are you perhaps referring to the dogs you caught?¡± Cassion captured 1 of the 18 groups that were buzzing around the gates like flies. The wizards were safely locked up in the basement, but now we need them to talk. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve done it before. Torture.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an unwanted skill.¡± ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°For you, my lord? Anything.¡± ¡®Wow.¡¯ From the way he looks to the way he speaks. If only Cassion could learn to also be this way. ¡°I know you¡¯ve been working incredibly hard and are busy¡­¡± ¡°Say no more. The repairs to the mansion are almost done anyways.¡± ¡°Marvelous. Let¡¯s all live well and don¡¯t dwell on the details.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll live up to your expectations.¡± Billo smiled graciously. ¡°By the way, I think I may be absent from the estate for a while.¡± Billo¡¯s kind smile stopped at Ruel¡¯s worrisome words. ¡°The lesser nobles run the estate well enough, and the two knights ensure the mansion is protected. With apetent butler taking good care of the matters of the mansion, inside and out, I can go without worrying.¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried that your health may decline further.¡± Billo grabbed Ruel as he tried to earnestly dissuade him. What a good expression. Ruel smiled and said. ¡°I have to catch the dirty rats in Setiria. I don¡¯t think I can leave it alone any longer. So Billo, take care of the simple things here while I am away, but contact me if big things crop up.¡± ¡°All right. Pleasee back safely. If you get hurt, this time, I won¡¯t end it with just nagging.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± *** The carriage was silently moving under the cover of darkness. Cheynol and Tyson were left to protect the mansion, and Astell gave me my snack rations. My clothes were a far cry from my normally exquisite apparel and Cassion wasn¡¯t in his ck butler uniform. Actually, we were wearing normal clothes for once. Few people even knew Ruel¡¯s face, nor would anyone think of him if they saw him right now. ¡°It¡¯s heavy.¡± Ruel tried to lift his sword with one hand but had to let go. ng. And with that, the silent atmosphere of the carriage abruptly ended. Cassion snorted. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to be an adventurer? Useless poser.¡± ¡°I can probably manage a dagger.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, should I be the one to pose as an adventurer?¡± Aris, who was clearly sitting ufortable, asked carefully. ¡°That¡¯s probably for the best, because apparently I¡¯m useless.¡± Having voiced his sarcasm, Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°Flenn, The Hand of Wind Guild guild master will doctor our careers well. Just don¡¯t mess up until the rats take the bait.¡± Normally, adventurers would have toplete a certain number of requests before being able to raise their rank. ¡°If actual adventurers hear about this, they¡¯ll definitely wring Ruel-nim¡¯s neck.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong about using your connections to get ahead?¡± ¡°So how are we doing this? Do I justplete actual requests?¡± Aris was clearly very excited. ¡°Try focusing only on the high profile ones.¡± ¡°How about this body? What can I do?¡± Leo¡¯s eyes were twinkling as he wagged his tail. ¡°You can be in charge of clearing out the flies that buzz around me. In other words: protect me.¡± ¡°But¡­ I¡¯m no good at fighting. I¡¯m not confident.¡± Leo¡¯s tail quickly stopped. ¡°Then just cover me with rocks as needed. You can¡¯t fight, but you know how to defend, right?¡± ¡°I know that!¡± ¡°Good.¡± After briefing the group and assigning roles, Ruel tried to get some rest. He had to seize every opportunity to replenish his stamina. *** Shhhhhh. Flenn was shown all the quests the Hand of the Wind Guild was currently offering. And they were also quickly given three silver ques, as if they were freebies. Aris decided to register with his real name because he said his name was quitemon, same as Cassion. ¡°Is your arm okay, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°Oh, I just rolled a bit. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Flenn looked at him as if something precious had been tarnished. What kind of ¡®rolling¡¯ do you have to do to break your arm? The only thing he knew is that he wanted his master to remain safe for as long as possible. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have medicine here that can heal broken bones in a jiffy¡± ¡°I said I¡¯ll be fine.¡± Flenn reluctantly dropped the issue and went back on topic. And all this while, the fox was sleeping on Ruel¡¯sp. ¡°Originally, silver ques were only issued to adventurers who¡¯ve sessfullypleted 300 Grade B or higher requests, so I hope your side kept things confidential.¡± ¡°Of course. This is my guild.¡± ¡°My kids are already out and about. They¡¯ve already settled down nicely here in Setiria.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. I hope everything goes as nned. Quick and efficient. ¡°But why didn¡¯t you alter your faces at least? You can even use magic to do so.¡± ¡°Do we stand out?¡± ¡°Very. In particr, Ruel-nim leaves a strong first impression.¡± With a deathly-ill face, pale skin, and trembling lips. Above all, the green eyes that seem to see through everything¨Csimply unforgetable. ¡°It seems someone failed to mention it so I had no idea.¡± Ruel really had no clue. If Cassion had said something, I would have done something about it. ¡°Aris, would you happen to know a spell to change appearances?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the magic book, so yes, I can.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s a bit too much for you to handle that kind of magic, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion chose his words extra carefully. The mana that keeps the alterations active will inevitably prate the body. It doesn¡¯t matter how much resistance you have, you won¡¯t be able to stand it. ¡°Then do you have anything that can cover my face, Flenn?¡± ¡°There are. Among adventurers, those wearing masks are quitemon, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Masks aremon?¡± ¡°Masks are convenient for hiding your identity and protecting oneself. Adventurers aren¡¯t the sort to mind doing dirty things.¡± After saying all that, Flenn got up from his seat to rummage through the nearest drawer. In the meantime, Ruel perused through the requests. He only picked out the ones who gave the most money and the most dangerous ones, and set everything else aside. ¡°Ruel, my ransom is more expensive than you thought.¡± I only chose the best paying ones, but they didn¡¯t always catch Cassion¡¯s interest. Just how expensive is this ransom?! Ruel ignored Cassion, as he had no choice in the matter anyways, and only asked Aris for his opinion. ¡°Do you think you can handle this?¡± It was the most lucrative and thus the most dangerous request. At least, among the ones that don¡¯t require killing people. That¡¯s where Aris draws the line. For him, letting people die and actually doing the killing yourself waspletely different. ¡°You¡¯re too soft on him.¡± Upon seeing the request, Cassion made a knowing smile. ¡°I think it¡¯s too early.¡± ¡°Well. I disagree.¡± Cassion chose another request. One that paid more, was more dangerous, and involved killing. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel nced at Aris through his coughing fit. In the end, he will decide what to do. ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Ruel-nim, but it¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll do it.¡± ¡®Murder¡­ You can¡¯t be saying you have experience? Is that why Cassion said I was too soft on him?¡¯ It was an action that did not match with Aris¡¯ pure eyes. But in the end, Ruel nodded. ¡°If you say so.¡± Aris smiled at Ruel¡¯s calming words. While Cassion and Aris were actively choosing requests, Flenn handed him a mask. The mask was mostly white, and was made to look like a fox. The eye holes were covered by something simr to cellophane. ¡°It is a magic item. The device conceals eye color, but doesn¡¯t impede sight. When worn, it locks in ce and isn¡¯t easily taken off, even when hit.¡± ¡°Are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s small, but consider it a gift.¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°At least you know how to be grateful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural. The grace I received from Ruel-nim was so great that I wanted to do even a small thing like this.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Ruel spoke calmly. The respect and loyalty in Flenn¡¯s eyes were sincere. Having left his original home to build a new one here in Setiria¡­ Just how much trouble did he go through? My investments are finally paying off. Since they started working with the Client Office, sales jumped four to five times from their heyday. Even for himself, Ruel is hard-pressed to find anything more beautiful. ¡®As expected, money is the best.¡¯ Ruel saw Cassion and Aris. Everyone stood up at the signal that they had chosen previously. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back after I take care of this.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting for your return in the meantime.¡± Flenn saw Ruel off and returned to examine the request they took. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Although he paid me a lot for my cooperation, he also took the most dangerous and troublesome request out of my hair. The client was a smartass and normal adventurers didn¡¯t want anything to do with him, so this has been a constant pain in the ass until now. He must have taken it on purpose. ¡®It seems I owe you another favor.¡¯ What should I give to Ruel-nim next, Flenn pondered. ¡®I think he was raising a pet¡­¡¯ I remembered a fox sleeping calmly on Ruel¡¯sp. ¡®Nah! What does he need the most? Medicine! Health is wealth, right?¡¯ Chapter 40: With the moonlight (3) Chapter 40: With the moonlight (3) *** ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± As he was leaving the room, Cassion put a magic handkerchief on Ruel¡¯s head to cover his mouth. ¡°At least cover your mouth when you cough.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t answer because the coughing wouldn¡¯t stop. Cassion looked at Leo trying to soothe Ruel and asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you eat more?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full¡­¡± The coughing fit was harsher than usual because Leo had had his fill of the ck things already. ¡°Wasn¡¯t everything going well? Why are you like this again?¡± With the coughing fit showing no signs of stopping, Cassion handed Breath to Ruel. Ruel, who had finally managed to breathe properly, stopped coughing like magic. This damn sickness had no middle ground. With his chest in pain, Ruel just had to say something while in pain. ¡°At least¡­ we know¡­ it¡¯s working very well¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll organize a special group for now. I know that no matter howpetent my guild members are, you can¡¯t trust just anyone on a matter as important as this, right, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you know.¡± Cassion sighed while he brought the table within arm¡¯s reach of Ruel. ¡°There¡¯s water here if you need it. Drink some if your throat hurts too much.¡± Ruel only frowned. ¡°Beast.¡± At Cassion¡¯s call, Leo turned and looked at him. ¡°Protect him. No matter what.¡± ¡°This body has never tried to protect anyone before, but I will protect Ruel.¡± I can¡¯t say that his words were reassuring at all. When Cassion heard Aris approaching, he reluctantly started to move. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back in letting things out if you have it. Even if it hurts, it¡¯ll make you feel better.¡± ¡°¡­ Fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Cassion, an assassin turned adventurer, sighed and went out of the room. Ruel bit his lips and closed his eyes. The whining sound hadn¡¯t started yet, so things were still tolerable. He struggled to get up to inhale Breath. His hands trembled from the effort. ¡°This body will give it to you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Rather than relying on those short legs, it was better for him to use his hands, even if they were trembling. Even the shadow in the bedroom stirred. The guild member Cassion had assigned to protect Ruel was stirred to action by worry. ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Trying to sound reassuring, Ruel spoke his words softly. And finally managing to take his medicine, he immediately copsed on the bed as he fainted. Cassion and Aris left. Even though he knew the situation was very dangerous, Ruel felt relieved. [Ruel, this ne has a protective magic on it. And this ring is imbued with attack magic.] [How do you use it? There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll bother you with such trifles. Leave the controls to me. So rx. I¡¯ll protect you even from afar.] Remembering Tyson¡¯s words, I peeked at the ornaments I wore. Ruel smiled. ¡®It¡¯s like having ackey.¡¯ I was a bit worried that I¡¯d screwed myself for epting something I didn¡¯t want in the first ce. ¡®Is uncle personally controlling it? Does that mean he¡¯s also acting as a surveince camera?¡¯ That thought was a bit disconcerting. I definitely should ask Aris when hees back. ¡°Does it still hurt?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Ruel closed his eyes, fiddling with Leo¡¯s fur. After a time, unbeknownst if he had fallen asleep or simply fainted, Ruel found himself being rudely awakened. With eyes still heavy, he awoke. ¡°¡­ Wake up.¡± A woman¡¯s voice was heard. It was difficult to know who it was because it was still dark. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel asked quietly. He could hear Leo, still asleep, breathing heavily on his fingertips. ¡°I¡¯m a shadow.¡± It was the one Cassion¡¯s. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Please excuse me, but the enemy is here.¡± She then carried Ruel and jumped out the window. ¡°Uh-uh¡­?¡± Having been woken by themotion, Leo was about toin when Ruel quickly shut his mouth. ¡°Keep quiet.¡± Leo nodded. Gang! The sound of shing swords could be heard from the inn they were just in. ¡®Are they from the 18 flies?¡¯ Ruel tried to think of possible culprits as they were being carried away. ¡°My cane.¡± I left my cane at the inn. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± I tried to block the sudden cough, but to no avail. The woman put down Ruel for a moment and parried something with her sword. Kaang! It was a mana covered dagger that failed to hit its mark. ¡°I¡¯ll be dropping you off soon. Are you good at staying still in one ce?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± If anything, I am confident in my ability to stay still. Just how long do you think I¡¯ve been lying motionlessly in bed? ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± She smiled brightly and carried Ruel again. ¡°Are we at the point where we need to fend for ourselves?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± I patted Leo¡¯s head to calm him down. Exactly who¡¯s protecting who? ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel suddenly thanked her, knowing it was quite awkward. I knew that if I didn¡¯t do it now, I wouldn¡¯t be able to say ¡®thank you¡¯ to her face even if I wanted to. ¡°So not sorry, but thankful, eh?¡± The woman audibly grunted. Kang! Ruel nced back at the sound of metal hitting metal again. Somehow, though the moon shone in the sky, it was dark. I couldn¡¯t even figure out where the attacks wereing from from where I was. Ruel looked at her. ¡°Just to let you know, I intend to have you work for me far into the future. So let me know if you need anything. I¡¯ll try my best to amodate you!¡± ¡°What I need is a vacation.¡± ¡°Denied.¡± ¡°¡­ Huu.¡± An exasperated sigh was let out. This interaction was somehow funny and familiar. Like how it is with their guild master. The moment we got down to the ground, I suddenly felt lightheaded. We were at a dead end, with a wall behind our backs. Shadows fluttered on the wall and two more people suddenly appeared. ¡°Protect him.¡± She put down Ruel and ordered them. ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll be killed by the chief.¡± At that moment, the two shuddered. Ruel asked a question while still plopped on the ground. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Hina. I¡¯m the vice guild master.¡± Ruel¡¯s own introduction was unnecessary. I¡¯m sure you know lots about me. Hina hid herself in the shadow like Cassion. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo looked at Ruel anxiously. Ironically, he should have been the person who was most anxious. My weak ass body. ¡°You. Protect me.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll do that.¡± Leo pulled out of Ruel¡¯s embrace and looked towards the two shadows with his tail erect. The silence was broken when the enemy appeared. Ruel wore a smile as a big fireball hurled towards him. Is this how it is to live dangerously? ¡®This night is shaping up nicely.¡¯ ¡°Cough.¡± The fireball hurtled towards them as if in sync with Ruel¡¯s coughing. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you!¡± Leo mmed his front paws to create a wall. Quaang! The other side of the wall zed with an inferno. Finally, something warm. I had been cold since I was only wearing thin clothes. ¡°Uh!¡± Leo flicked his ear and looked behind him, seeing one of the guild members already intercepting the assant. Swords shed and sparks flew everywhere. The altercation caused a dust cloud that only made Ruel cough worse. ¡®Leo is always one stepte.¡¯ All of a sudden, I got goosebumps. Ruel turned his head toward the blocked wall. The wall was making a huge racket. ¡°Don¡¯t worry!¡± Leo¡¯s wrapped the very thick and sturdy wall around Ruel like a dome. Boom boom boom! Almost immediately after, a rumble could be heard from the other side of the dome, like someone was trying to break down a door by recklessly kicking. Crack. However strong the dome wall was, that little crack heralded its demise. A person wielding a blood-stained sword wrapped up in aura could be giving him a death stare from the other side. Ruel found the red eyes full of madness unsettling. And his aura caused my body to tremble. ¡°Well, you seem excited.¡± The sword moved, but the ne activated. Ting! A magic shield formed around Ruel. ¡°Don¡¯t steal my prey!¡± Pajic. Sparks flew across Leo¡¯s body. Without caring about whether or not his short legs were enough, Leo found himself already rushing towards the enemy. Pop. With the sound of something breaking, the enemy flew away while being engulfed by lightning. ¡®Oh right. I was hit by that attack.¡¯ At that time, my broken arm started to throb. Meanwhile, the ring started to buzz. Multiple sharp ice arrows were fired at the enemy from the ring. Shush Shush. The enemy could only do so much mid-air, so he could only swing his sword to try to avoid fatal wounds. ¡°Ugh!¡± Soon, a scream was heard. ¡°I¡¯ll protect you!¡± Leo¡¯s ears stood up, and a tree quickly grew under the enemy¡¯s body. When the enemy¡¯s hands and feet were tied, an ice arrow was fired again. Papapapa! All the arrows went straight through the head. ¡®Uncle must be very angry.¡¯ The ring¡¯s buzzing stopped when he died. The two new shadows appeared at his back. Ruel turned his head towards them. ¡°It¡¯s strange that you were discovered so quickly, since you only just arrived. Did you perhaps leave a trail for them to follow?¡± Hina was standing next to Cassion. She looked at Cassion like a starry-eyed child that wanted to be praised. ¡°You forgot about this.¡± Cassion flicked Hina¡¯s forehead lightly and walked to Ruel. Ruel was handed his cane. ¡°Ruel! Ruel! This body kept you safe. Ahem!¡± ¡°Good job, Leo.¡± Before I realized it, I was already petting Leo. In any case, it is true that he protected me. Albeit, a bitte. ¡°Aris?¡± ¡°He went to themission.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°Well, it was okay. As strong as one of my fingernails.¡± ¡°Impressive.¡± Ruel stood up with the help of his cane while Leo continued to gleefully beg for pets. ¡°I was just sitting down the whole time, but I¡¯m a mess.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the 18, right?¡± ¡°Maybe¡­ At least, that¡¯s what it looks like.¡± ¡°It seems that they really don¡¯t like you, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion smiled lightly. ¡°At the very least, you¡¯ll be able to hear all about it right now. Hina.¡± Hina came dragging someone. The man she brought was bloody and his limbs were broken. She threw the man on the floor. Cassion took out a bottle of drugs. ¡°This is kind of like a truth serum. In the first ce, these guys don¡¯t like to talk.¡± ¡®I made Billo open his mouth, so when I go back to the mansion, I¡¯ll have to check if the information is correct.¡¯ Ruel unconsciously nced at Leo resting on his shoulders and keeping his neck warm. When the man was forcibly given the truth serum, he opened his eyes instantly. ¡°What¡¯s your goal?¡± When Cassion asked, the man answered without hesitation. ¡°To kill Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°For him.¡± ¡®Him?¡¯ At first, Ruel wondered if these guys were the same ones Ganien was involved with, but it seems they weren¡¯t. The novel¡¯s events mainly urred in the Cyronian Kingdom, Ganien¡¯s homnd. His enemy was part of the nobility that didn¡¯t want the Blue Knights to grow in power. ¡®If they weren¡¯t mentioned in the novel, who are they then?¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow in thought. I mentally prepared myself when I took in Ganien, but things seem to be rapidly diverging from the events of the novel since I didn¡¯t die. Why? ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Red Ash.¡± When the man finished answering, he suddenly began tough like crazy. And he looked at Ruel with an eerie smile. Ruel trembled from the thick vicious aura. ¡°I will kill you! I¡¯m going to kill you! Because you¡¯re alive! Not dead! Everything started¡­¡± Before the man could finish, Cassion slit his throat. It was unpleasant to hear more. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel¡¯s hands were trembling as he inhaled Breath after the execution. ¡®Why do you have to kill me?¡¯ The story of the novel had almost nothing to do with him anyway. He was nowhere near where the story urs, and he could barely even be called a side character as he was just a person who supposedly dies in Volume 1. It was unpleasant. It¡¯s so frustrating when you¡¯re not in the know. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The cold night air that flowed through Breath soothed his throat. ¡°The soldiers areing.¡± ¡°They¡¯reing fast.¡± I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s been, but it felt pretty fast to me. At least my displeasure lessened due to the prompt actions of the soldiers, way different than usual. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cassion¡¯s guild members will clean up. Ruel looked at the bright moon with a serious look. *** All hell broke loose when Cassion and Aris began to sweep the most lucrative and most dangerous requests the Hand of the Wind Guild posted. Titles, even the shy ones, weren¡¯t all that important to adventurers. All they knew was these men were shamelessly stealing food from their rice bowls. ¡®Very good.¡¯ Whatever. Ruel¡¯s aim was to be famous anyways. Doesn¡¯t matter how. ¡°Lord.¡± Flenn carefully called out Ruel. ¡°Cassion.¡± At Ruel¡¯s prompt, Cassion took out a pouch of money out of his pocket. Flenn¡¯s eyes twinkled with the sparkle of gold coins. ¡°Distribute it evenly. Comints will subside.¡± This is a job you do for money anyways, so if you just give them the cash, they¡¯ll quiet down. It was only a fraction of the money earned by Cassion and Aris. Ruel smiled at Cassion¡¯s dissatisfied look. I¡¯ve shown off that I¡¯m filthy rich. As he inhaled Breath, he was sure. ¡°I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get the request any day now.¡± It was the perfect time for the rats to take the bait. Chapter 41: Cleaning for sure Chapter 41: Cleaning for sure ¡°How did you know?¡± Flenn could not hide his surprise because he was just about to bring up the issue. ¡°Just a feeling.¡± Ruel answered and held out his hand. ¡°I personally picked three people.¡± ¡®That¡¯s why rumors are good.¡¯ Looking at the request, Ruel smiled. They only really had two people who did request, but rumors spread that there were really three people. At least, that¡¯s what they suspected as the truth. ¡°It¡¯s a rat.¡± The client himself, ne the merchant, was a rat. The request was to move some valuable goods. ¡®This bastard. Valuable drugs, most likely.¡¯ It was a bit obvious, but in order to capitalize on this, they had to match the rumors. ¡°ept it.¡± Ruel held his palm out to Cassion. ¡°Mask.¡± -Wow, it looks just like this body. As soon as he saw the mask, Leo¡¯s eyes shone brightly. He didn¡¯t talk aloud to pretend he was a normal beast. ¡°Is Ruel-nim going this time, too?¡± Aris asked anxiously. In his eyes, Ruel was as fragile as ss. ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll need me.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of doing something dangerous?¡± After reading Ruel¡¯s suspicious smile, Cassion asked in displeasure. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you on the way. We¡¯re just teasing the rat.¡± Ruel stood up with the mask already put on. ¡°Okay, on to the adventure!¡± Ruel was really looking forward to all the exciting situations that might ur. *** ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m ne, a merchant and the client who issued this request.¡± ¡°Thank you for having us. My name is Han. And they are my party members.¡± ¡°Are you injured?¡± ne looked from Ruel¡¯s masked face to his bandaged arm and cane. ¡°The injury I suffered from the previous request has not healed yet. However, it won¡¯t interfere with your request, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel deliberately revealed a weakness. So that ne remembered. ne introduced himself with a distrustful look and shed a wider smile to Cassion and Aris than to Ruel. Ruel and his party had changed their faces thanks to Aris¡¯ magic. ¡°You just have to safely bring this wagon to the destination I asked for.¡± Afterpleting the introduction, ne pointed to a wagon he had dragged. ¡°The situation at the merchant is not very good as the fortress monsters and thieves have infested everywhere. Besides, this is something we have worked hard to get, so it must be transported safely.¡± ¡°Oh, you purposely chose a small number of people.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. If there¡¯s a lot of people, it¡¯s the same as letting them know that there¡¯s something expensive. They may be just a few but verypetent at the merchant. Then, please.¡± ne handed Ruel a map of where he had to go and bowed his head. Ruel smiled broadly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We will carry it safely.¡± ¡°I look forward to your kind cooperation.¡± ne left the ce with difficulty, ncing at Ruel as if reluctant. Ruel looked at the map. ¡®Are we going through the Masu Forest to the neutral zone?¡¯ The neutral zone was a small ce located between the Kingdom of Leponia, the Kingdom of Cyronian, and the Kingdom of Kran. It was too small to be called a country and toorge to be a vige, so the three countries recognized it as a neutral zone. ¡®Shall we see if there is a base there or if it¡¯s only a trick?¡¯ Ruel walked to the wagon, receiving suspicious looks his way. -Ruel, did you do something wrong? Everyone is staring at you. And he just smiled silently at Leo¡¯s words, who was chasing after him. One out of the three key offense adventurers was injured, so it was just annoying for them. But that¡¯s just their case. The loyal butler couldn¡¯t leave him alone. They suddenly screamed as if they had met a ferocious beast and hurriedly fled. ¡®Oh, there is Aris too.¡¯ Contrary to his innocent-looking face, Aris was also angry, which made him quite frightening. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ruel called them in, notifying them that it was enough. As he approached the wagon, it was full of luggage. The wagon they were riding in was the same as a luggage wagon and seemed ufortable at first nce. ¡®I want to be able to sleep properly.¡¯ ¡°I have prepared it in advance.¡± Cassion took out a rug covered with fur from his pocket. ¡°Hang on. What are you doing?¡± One of the merchant members asked, puzzled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassion frowned at the merchant members blocking him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? We can¡¯t allow that in our wagon!¡± ¡°There¡¯s an injured person.¡± ¡°That¡¯s your business.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re an adventurer, act like one. We have to show them well so that they can roll their tongues and give them a lot of money.¡± All the merchant membersughed together at the words. Ruelughed as well. The obvious clich¨¦ was so funny. It must have been a trick that worked well for adventurers they had encountered so far. Up until now. Ruel pointed at them with his finger instead of his words. He had to deal with clich¨¦s with clich¨¦s. The content of the quest was to safely transport the wagon to its destination. Other than that, it had nothing to do with the mission. ¡®That¡¯s why the contract has to be done properly.¡¯ ¡°What do you want me to do? Do you want me to cut their neck?¡± Cassion raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Moderately, just enough to listen to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Aris stepped up. His eyes gleamed as if they were delicious prey. ¡°Okay.¡± When Ruel had granted the permission, Aris rushed in. He didn¡¯t clench his fist. He spread his palm wide and pped the person who just made fun with his mouth. aap!! A crisp sound rang out. The one who was hit was so shocked that he lost his consciousness, and the one who wasn¡¯t hit raised his hand reflexively without realizing what happened so quickly. It was different. The speed at which he wielded a sword and ran was different. He was an opponent whom they could not win against no matter what. It was different from the adventurers he had met so far. ¡°Can I put something soft on it now?¡± Ruel looked straight into their eyes and asked. ¡°All right, I take that as a yes.¡± Seeing them tuck in their tails, Ruelughed at them to the fullest. They were the ones he had to kill anyway. Maggots that gnawed away Setiria¡¯s flesh. ¡®It¡¯s exciting. This will be a happy trip.¡¯ *** Because he had seen them check their IDs urately at the gate and even check them in their home country if they were outsiders, Ruel was in a very good mood. ¡®My actions were not in vain.¡¯ However, one thing was caught. It was hard even with severalyers of soft rugs. Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at the crew members in the same wagon. At the same time, Cassion and Aris looked at them silently, so they rushed to the corner of the wagon and cowered. Ruel felt strange at the number of monsters that he detected as he stroked Leo. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t expect anything this time.¡¯ Thest time he wanted to see a monster, it was amand to summon a monster instead. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel quietly called Cassion. ¡®When a monster appears, make it look like they¡¯re dead by the monster.¡¯ Instead of speaking loudly, Ruel mouthed his words. With that alone, Cassion would understand. He nodded and sat back in his original seat. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± A constant coughing sound filled the wagon. Cassion nced at Ruel, then pulled out a handkerchief and handed it over. He vomited ck blood, but it disappeared like a lie. ¡®It¡¯s definitely useful.¡¯ Now, Ruel understood a little why Cassion cared about this handkerchief. After wiping his lips, Ruel sensed a monster approaching the wagon without returning the handkerchief. Leo pricked his ears and tapped Ruel with his front paw. -A monster ising. Cassion did not move. He just waited leisurely. ¡°It¡¯sing.¡± Aris pulled out a sword and said. ¡°It-, it¡¯s a monster! A monster ising!¡± Btedly, one of the merchant members shouted. The wagon abruptly stopped. They were so tantly asking for help that it felt like a lie that they were afraid of them a while ago. Ruel waved his hand. ¡°Go.¡± Cassion and Aris moved at his indifferent voice. Lastly, the merchant member of the wagon met Ruel¡¯s eyes. ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a wagon keeper.¡± Perhaps his voice didn¡¯t sound brazen, the merchant member was convinced and ran toward the monsters. Ruel was feeling the position of the monster. ¡®There are five.¡¯ He stopped thinking about summoning monsters with more excitement. Since their number was small, maybe five monsters would be okay. The sound of sword shing made his concentration gradually decrease, but the number of castings remained the same. Ruel smirked. He waited for their return with a rxed mind. -Why don¡¯t Cassion and Aris fight? ¡°Well.¡± For the innocent Leo, Ruel closed his mouth. -They¡¯re back! Leo happily ran to the end of the wagon like a dog to meet his owner. Only two returned. The hem of Aris¡¯ clothes was tangled with blood and flesh. ¡°Are they all dead?¡± ¡°Yes. Unfortunately, all of them were torn to death by the monsters. I wish I had reacted a little faster.¡± Cassion smiled slightly. His purple eyes looked a little creepy. However, Ruel looked genuinely sorry. ¡°I see, is it because I¡¯m the only one injured?¡± ¡°Yes, you got injured in your arm and leg while fighting a monster. You were originally sick, but it has only gotten worse.¡± -What is he saying? Ruel, weren¡¯t you sick from the beginning? Leo, who did not know that it was a bluff, strolled around Cassion and Aris. ¡°Aris, drive this wagon. Cassion, you drive that wagon.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The answers of the two came right away. Ruel confirmed his and Cassion¡¯s neat attire as he watched Aris. ¡°I need to make it dirty.¡± ¡°Do you really have to do that?¡± Cassion frowned because he had read Ruel¡¯s intention. ¡°The y should be dramatic. In that sense, Aris, you have passed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m still inexperienced, so I can only do this much.¡± ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think of yourself as inexperienced. Cassion is just a monster.¡± These words might not beforting, but it was better than not saying anything. How many people would be able to master the sword and magic after learning them within a month? It was a pity that he could not recognize himself as a genius because there were many monsters around him. ¡®I hope there¡¯s an opportunity to show it off.¡¯ Aris needed to feel that he had be strong. Ruel smiled suspiciously. ¡®If there¡¯s none, I¡¯ll make one for you.¡¯ ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Aris¡¯ voice was weak. Aris, sitting on the wagon, grabbed the reins tightly. The gap felt so distant because he had witnessed the power of Ganien and Cassion with his own eyes. When he achieved one thing, he felt helpless on his own as he saw them already holding on to their enthusiasm. Aris was upset. He wanted to be stronger. In the fight just now, Cassion seemed as free as the wind. ¡°Aris.¡± Aris was startled because it seemed that Ruel had read his mind at the moment. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°No matter what anyone says, my escort is you.¡± His heart, which was strangely shaken by the indifferent voice, was settled. As Ruel said, no matter what anyone said, his escort was him only. ¡°Yeah!¡± Hearing Aris¡¯ powerful voice, Ruel was relieved only then. He had to raise Aris well. He could never let him get off the rails in the middle. ¡°Do you know how to drive a wagon?¡± ¡°I do. I learned while working on the farm.¡± ¡°Really? Then, drive it without shaking.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Aris smiled brightly and shook the reins. Ruel inhaled Breath and closed his eyes quietly. ¡®It¡¯s quiet now.¡¯ Whatever monsters appeared in the future, it had nothing to do with him now. Because the two monsters would protect him. -This body is going to sleep, too. Touching Leo¡¯s fluffy fur, Ruely down on the slightly hard rug. *** ¡°¡­ Are you saying they¡¯re all dead?¡± The supervisor of the mission, who was waiting for the wagon in the neutral zone, asked again. Ruel said again, pointing to the blood on his body and the bits of flesh on Cassion and Aris. ¡°Because of the monsters¡¯ attack, all I had to do was protect the wagon.¡± While he was about to ask why Ruel was all right, Ruel spat out a cough. It wasn¡¯t a coughing sound on purpose. The supervisor almost asked him if it was okay without realizing it. Ruel barely stopped coughing and spoke in a slightly hoarse voice. ¡°I got injured because of that, too, so I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the missionplete safely? I have to take him to the doctor, so please give us a confirmation.¡± Cassion acted feisty. It was because he wanted to wash away the unpleasant things on his body right away. ¡°Yes, yes. Please wait a moment.¡± Several people, including the supervisor who was talking to Ruel and the others, carefully looked inside the wagon. Is there anything missing? The contents of the wagon had already been searched once. Thanks to Cassion¡¯s dog-like sense of smell, he found drugs that were cleverly hidden. Prazio, the cheap drug that brought Carbena to her downfall, was also mixed in it. When Ruel discovered the drug, things got very interesting. He caught it since he thought it was a rat¡¯s tail, but unexpectedly it was a beast¡¯s tail. He realized it after he had already filmed the video with the help of Aris. Ruel had put it back as it was before looking it up, so there shouldn¡¯t be anything wrong with it. About 10 minutester, the supervisor walked back to them. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to keep you waiting. The mission has beenpleted. Here¡¯s the confirmation card.¡± ¡°I should get going, then.¡± Cassion left the wagon without looking back. Aris also left the scene, supporting Ruel. It¡¯s a product that ne personally asked for, so it would definitely head to their base. Now that they had attached a shadow, all they had to do was wait for the wagon to go. ¡°Cassion, it¡¯s starting now.¡± The mice had dug up too many holes. Waiting for the wagon to move, he was thinking of destroying it one by one. ¡°I¡¯ll contact Horen, Drianna, and the barons.¡± Why did he continue to send the two knights to the Masu Forest? So that the rat didn¡¯t doubt it. So that they let down their guards and got used to the movement of the two knights. Ruel waited for that moment. The stinking bugs that scattered all across Setiria would disappear today. Chapter 42: Cleaning for sure (2) Chapter 42: Cleaning for sure (2) *** Shhhhhh. Gold coins poured down. It always looked beautiful. Following the orders given to him, gold and silver coins really fell into his hands. ¡®You idiot.¡¯ ne remembered the lord, who had returned a few weeks ago. He seemed to be trying to do something on his own, but how desperate it would be to find out that it was all just a futile struggle. Soon, Setiria would be dominated by the rest of the world. He dug a tunnel hard for that. ne wanted to see the lord¡¯s desperate expression. ¡®Before that, I¡¯ll have to figure out what the lord¡¯s up to.¡¯ He had been stuck in the mansion for long and didn¡¯t think of what he was doing. Not long ago, the lord went to the Masu Forest. However, the protection of the knights was tight, so he failed to grasp his face. Knock, knock. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Mr. ne, the wagon has arrived.¡± ¡°Oh, I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s already here. They¡¯re pretty useful.¡± As the long-cherished n was nearing the end, he kept rushing in, so he had to lend his hand to adventurers. ¡®Adventures are very convenient. Even if I kill them, there is nothing holding me back.¡¯ It was a profession where adventurers died so frequently that they were told that they were working with their hearts out. Even if they were surrounded by monsters to the point of being killed by one, no one doubted it. ¡®Did he say that he was Han? I¡¯ll have to use them a few times and put them away.¡¯ But too many deaths could lead to suspicion, so ne stood up, carefully and cautiously contemting a n to kill them. ¡°Everyone must have arrived, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± The ce where he stopped was a safe made of a thickyer of metal and various magic devices. When the door opened, numerous drugs were piled up like mountains. ne smiled so widely that his mouth reached his ear. If that amount was released at once, what would happen to Setiria? Both the aristocrats with high pride and the knights who regarded their beliefs as their lives were bound to copse over that. ¡®¡­Oh, I¡¯m going crazy just imagining it.¡¯ An ecstatic expression cast on ne¡¯s face. Tak. The sound of something tapping filled the cave. ¡°¡­¡­?¡± Tak. The sound was quite close. As soon as he looked back, ne stiffened. ¡°I saw it very well. Thanks to you, I know for sure what you¡¯re aiming for, thank you.¡± ¡°¡­ Han?¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to have you remember my name.¡± ¡°How can you be here¡­¡± ¡°Because I¡¯m a bitpetent.¡± Ruel pointed to the inside of the open safe. ¡°Burn it.¡± It was just a small gift for eating Setiria little by little. ¡°Oh, no!¡± ne reactedte, but the mes had already touched the safe. Baang! As it exploded beautifully, Ruel smiled in satisfaction. -Did you see it? This body did it! I can do it because of this body. Leoughed triumphantly and ran around Ruel. Ruel took one step, then two steps, and caught the sight of the burning fire. ¡°Looking at the sheer amount of it, it seems like they have been collecting them for years. Are you upset?¡± ¡°¡­ Ugh.¡± ne groaned on his knees. The servant, who was driven into the corner, did not know what to do. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It was clear what to do in the current situation. Aris sprinted and cut off the head of the servant. Then, he shook off the blood from the sword and aimed it at ne¡¯s neck. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± People flockedte to the sound of the explosion. The moment they saw a sword pointed to ne¡¯s neck, they uniformly pulled out a sword. ¡°Kil, kill me! Just kill me!¡± ne shouted ferociously. There was blood in his eyes. Bits of burnt drugs drifted before his eyes. His anger grew at the two intruders for destroying those lovely things, and he wanted to tear them apart. ne ignored the sword pointed at his neck and red at Ruel with eyes full of hatred. Blood dripped from ne¡¯s neck. As the pain came, his reason returned a little. [¡°The injury I suffered from the previous request has not healed yet. However, it won¡¯t interfere with your request, so don¡¯t worry.¡±] Suddenly he remembered what Han had said. ne tried to think by forcibly suppressing the anger that pervaded his mind. The safe was burned, and his henchmen came from the east of the cross aisle, and the distance was close to the ce where Han stood. At best, Ruel seemed to be standing defenselessly. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you. For sure!¡± In response to ne¡¯s deathly threat, Aris thrust the sword into his leg. ¡°Argh!¡± ne, while screaming, forcibly lifted his finger and pointed at Ruel. ¡°Catch him! Catch him!¡± ¡°It¡¯s useless¡­!¡± Aris twisted the sword he had stabbed in. Despite the screams that followed, his finger was still pointing to Ruel. Aris wanted to cut it off right away, but he endured it. The sound of footsteps rang loudly. Following ne¡¯s instructions, his men began to move. Aris¡¯s head heated up. ¡ªFirst, take a deep breath. Unlike his head, his body cried out to run ignoring Ruel¡¯s instructions. ¡ªCount to three. As Ruel told him to do, Aris took a deep breath and counted up to three seconds. ¡ªOne step behind. Slow down. That¡¯s how it is. ¡®¡­ Ruel-nim.¡¯ Aris walked toward Ruel slowly, one step behind ne. ¡°Give up!¡± The enemy¡¯s sword touched Ruel¡¯s neck. Ruel slightly raised the corners of his mouth. A silly smell emanated. ¡ªNever let go of the sword even if the enemy makes you surrender. Pour out your fighting spirit until the opponent runs away in fright. Aris¡¯s sword did not stop. He cut down the enemies in front of him with force to chew the sword that was aimed at Ruel. His fighting spirit was zing. He burned his hatred. ng! Swords shed into each other. Subsequently, several swords approached. ¡ªI¡¯m a ck beast. I eat up everything. He pushed his opponent with the teachings Ganien gave him in his heart. He avoided the approaching sword and rushed back. He believed in the sword given by Ruel and struck it vigorously with the determination to break the enemy¡¯s sword itself. ng! aang! After several moves, the enemy¡¯s sword was broken. Aris breathed in once and did not stop his hand. The faces of the enemies turned pale as the sword path continued again. They were not backed out even if they were pushed, but at that moment, someone opened their mouth to the momentum that was pressing them. ¡°¡­ Monster.¡± In their eyes, Aris began to look like a beast. ¡°Retreat with him!¡± ne opened his mouth while watching the situation. There was only one opponent. Nevertheless, dozens of his subordinates were being pushed back. ne split his subordinates in half and let some deal with Aris, and some ran away with Ruel. ¡°You held it in well.¡± Cassion appeared only after confirming that they had run away. With a drooping head hanging in his hand. With a surge of blood. The assassin was angrier than ever. It was because of his master¡¯s ridiculous n. He held it in until his heart hurt. But he couldn¡¯t stop him. ¡°You¡¯re having a hard time, too.¡± He didn¡¯t know he¡¯d say what Ganien said. ¡°You have to follow me. It¡¯s an order.¡± Aris clenched his fists and looked vaguely at those who had taken Ruel away. The order given by Ruel was simple. While he drove the rat king and some of his men, he ordered them to ughter the guild members without sparing a single one in the central base here. It was a reckless n. However, there were too many exits here. ¡ªThis work doesn¡¯t just end in ne¡¯s line. Prazio came out. 18 is also taking part in this. The hard-to-get Prazio. If a single person escapes, it will be noticed at the top. I¡¯m going to catch the mastermind. He couldn¡¯t figure out all their escape holes. They might have a hidden path. Therefore, Cassion failed to persuade him to the end. Cassion grasped the dagger again. He already alerted Hina. She¡¯ll figure it out on her own. ¡°I¡¯ll be back after finishing it quickly.¡± *** Rats were supposed to be scattered when they were cornered. It was simpler than he thought to make them stick together so that they didn¡¯t scatter. He just had to lend his hand a way to turn the tables. So, Ruel decided to give them a way when they stopped to take a breath. ¡°You¡¯d better let me go.¡± ¡°You bastard! You won¡¯t die in peace!¡± ne¡¯s face turned red and blue, and he smashed Ruel¡¯s face. Baam! He heard a fierce sound. -Hiss! I can¡¯t forgive him! Leo stared at ne angrily. Leo was only visible to Ruel because he told him to hide his appearance. ¡°No!¡± Ruel stopped Leo. It¡¯s not time yet. In addition,pared to the pain that ured irregrly, it was weak. Because he endured well, Ruel did not scream. He just liked the mask ne gave him because it was so strong. -Ruel, Ruel, are you in a lot of pain? ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°It hurts, right? You punk.¡± Didn¡¯t even know it was the sound of coughing because of the disease, neughed. ¡°I feel kind of dirty.¡± The cane, which he had missed as he fell after being hit in the face, rolled over Ruel¡¯s head. ¡®My cane.¡¯ When Ruel saw the cane, ne smirked again as if he had found delicious food. ¡°I guess it¡¯s hard for you to walk without a cane.¡± ne touched Ruel¡¯s cane with his dirty hands. He lowered his cane to his knees to see if it would make him suffer frustration in front of his eyes. Crack! There was a sound of something else breaking instead of the cane that should have been broken. ¡°Pfft.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter. He soon became suffocated and had no choice but to inhale the Breath. ¡®Indeed, Cassion, you¡¯ve got a very sturdy one.¡¯ ¡°What the¡­¡± ne looked at Ruel as he threw the unbreakable cane. Anxiety flooded his mind. ¡®Should I let myself get one more blow?¡¯ Ruel soon gave up his thoughts. He had already been hit once. ¡°You¡¯d better change your mind, ne.¡± ne¡¯s flustered face turned white. Some of them dropped their swords on the light blue shield pattern that appeared on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Lo, lo, ¡­ Lord.¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s me.¡± Ruel smiled at them. ¡°Fo, forgive me¡­ !¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ne grabbed the cor of his subordinate, who was lying t, and shouted. A smile bloomed on his face, which had turned ashen. It wasn¡¯t a normal reaction, but Ruel wanted to see that reaction. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t this the lord of Setiria? How can you get to such a shabby ce?¡± neughed at Ruel as soon as he straightened his bowed waist. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d say that? Hahaha! A lucky charm rolled on its own! Good, very good!¡± A trump card that could turn the tables at once has rolled to his feet. The fact that the lord became an adventurer and came to his own ce was something he had been preparing for a long time. He destroyed what I owned, so he should pay it back equally. ¡°Gather the rest of you.¡± Now that the lord had been captured, the knights and soldiers were bound toe. To prepare, he had to gather his subordinates spread out in the tunnel. Wasn¡¯t it a tunnel created for this purpose? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You search his body and see if there¡¯s any tracking magic.¡± ne hurriedly rushed to the ce they hade from. He made several exits just in case, so it was troublesome if there was a location tracking magic. Ruel looked at the approaching man and said. ¡°I¡¯m allergic to mana, so I will die when manaes in.¡± The man paused and looked at ne. Ruel pointed to where he came from. ¡°Look, they¡¯re still not chasing me, there¡¯s no location tracking magic in the first ce.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to fool me. Isn¡¯t that a magic item that you¡¯re wearing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a little weak. It¡¯s like a life support device. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel let out a cough. He didn¡¯t feel good because he felt nauseous. ¡°Then you can try it. You know that if I die here, you¡¯ll have no answer, right?¡± Ruel bit Breath, but ne grasped his hand. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°My lifeline.¡± ¡°Are you going to call your knights with this?¡± ¡°If I could call the knights with this, I would have called them sooner, idiot.¡± ne tried to yank it by hand, but the cord was so hard that it could not be cut. The Breath was pulled out of his neck without a choice. Ruel also tried to resist, but he couldn¡¯t even do it. ¡®Damn it¡­ .¡¯ Losing the Breath was unnned. Ruel¡¯s breathing slowed down. ¡°Bo, boss. No contact.¡± ¡°What do you mean? Try contacting other tunnels.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t reach anyone.¡± ¡°Give it to me!¡± ne took themunication devices and connected them one by one. As the non-response continued, he threw themunication device to the ground and approached Ruel. Bzzt. Bzzt. Ruel smiled as ne grabbed his neck. The two knights and the soldiers seemed to have cleared all the tunnels. The rest were just them. It was insignificant. He thought there would be more, but the hard work was not worth it. ¡°You! You! What do you know? What the hell is going on!¡± ne¡¯s grasp on Ruel¡¯s neck tightened and he lifted him into the air. ¡°Le¡­ O.¡± -Alright! This body ising out! The cave was full of moisture, so Leo could gather water very easily. One drop was small, but when tens of thousands of droplets gathered, it became a very terrifying power. Leo fired tens of thousands of droplets at once. Toward the very bad people who attacked Ruel. Chapter 43: Cleaning for sure (3) Chapter 43: Cleaning for sure (3) ¡°Can I step up now?¡± Leo huped at the sudden appearance of Hina. However, the water droplets that had already been shot did not stop. Tatatada! ¡°Ugh!¡± ne and his men were thrown backwards by the bluntly forged water droplets. Hina picked up the Breath and handed it over to Ruel. ¡°If the chief was here, he would have said, ¡®Was dropping the lifeline part of the n?''¡± Ruelughed as he inhaled Breath. Cassion cares about his safety more than anyone else, so I thought he would have at least one attached. ¡ªRuel, are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere? Do you want me to hit you more? Then this body will hit you. Leo rushed in and wandered around Ruel. ¡°Close your eyes for a second.¡± Ruel grabbed Leo and covered his eyes. Then Leo struggled and soon calmed down. Hina picked a dagger. ¡°Would it be okay if there¡¯s only one mouth left to speak?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do you like to be beaten up?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If that were the case, I would be less scolded by the chief.¡± Hina walked forward, pushing her long hair back into her shoulders. ¡°You probably know my name, but I came out a littlete because you didn¡¯t call me.¡± And she approached ne and his crew, defenselessly. However, they, who had fallen down, did not dare to get up. Shaking. They were shaking as if there was someone in front of them. Hina smiled, moving her thick lips. ¡°Oh, You dropped this.¡± Obviously, it sounded like she was right next to him. The man tried to turn his neck. ¡°I¡¯m talking about your neck.¡± A cool sensation touched his neck following those words. ¡°¡­da, darn!¡± As he watched his men die one by one, ne was going crazy. Why isn¡¯t anyoneing? Didn¡¯t the sound of the explosion work even with magic items that served as emergencymunication? ¡°They can¡¯te.¡± Ruel grabbed the cane Leo had brought. I was still out of breath, so I just sat down. ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°You must be excited that I¡¯m going, so I forgot to look around, right?¡± ne swallowed his saliva. He couldn¡¯t admit that Ruel was right. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯re all dead.¡± ¡°Th-that can¡¯t be true! This is the center of the underground cave! There are dozens of them just by looking at the exit! Do you know how many years I¡¯ve devoted myself to this ho¡­le?¡± Although he tried hard to deny it, ne had no choice but to ept the fact that he was trapped. This ce is a maze. A maze dug underground. His stomach churned because he knew it better than anyone else. ¡°Then why isn¡¯t anyoneing?¡± At Ruel¡¯s question, ne bit his lips hard. Drugs collected over the years were burned in an instant. I grabbed Han with anger against him. An adventurer named Han was actually the lord himself, and ne himself thought he had a reversal card. But he doesn¡¯t. The moment he grabbed Han, his life was already over. He should have dispersed his men rather than gathered them together. ¡®He, I should have sent my men to tell him that the operation had failed¡­ I should have done that before¡­¡¯ The moment he thought of himself as a wolf, everything was over. Seeing ne die in despair, Ruel smiled arrogantly. As soon as she saw Cassion emerging from her shadow, Hina stiffened. ¡°Are you done already?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m a bit worried, so I came earlier. Is that right?¡± Cassion¡¯s gaze headed toward Hina, she quickly permeated into the darkness. Then, Cassion saw the Breath in his hand, not his neck. ¡°I attached a very strong string so as not to drop it, but I didn¡¯t think it would be taken away. We¡¯ll take actionter.¡± He bowed his head neatly toward Ruel and looked at ne with a smile only an assassin would make. Puck! Something came and instantly kicked ne in the face. ne flew into the air with the sound of something breaking. Soon after, Cassion appeared on his back falling down from the air. Crackle. Due to the weight of Cassion on his back, ne¡¯s face fell to the floor. There was an eerie sound of his face being ripped apart. ¡®People aren¡¯t snowboards¡­¡¯ Ruel was so startled that he couldn¡¯t even blink. Cassion grabbed ne¡¯s neck and lifted it slightly. Blood dripped from ne¡¯s face. ¡°Who¡¯s your owner?¡± When there was no answer, Cassion took out a dagger and cut off his useless leg. ¡°Aww!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s your owner?¡± ¡°Liberan! It¡¯s Liberan!¡± ¡°Where is he?¡± ¡°P, Prios.¡± Prios was one of the six families of Leponia. Ruel breathed out calmly. ¡°What¡¯s your purpose?¡± ¡°Crashing Setiria¡­huff¡­do,down with drugs.¡± ¡°Was there a Red Ash on you?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Answer me.¡± Cassion urged. ¡°I, I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t know. I can be the king of this ce if I do what Liberan tells me to do.¡± ¡°Stop the bleeding.¡± I still had to listen more. Cassion replied that he knew Ruel¡¯s instructions for now, but he seemed dissatisfied. ¡°Aris?¡± Ruel stroked Leo and asked. ¡°He¡¯s probably searching through his room by now. You once said that you like money while driving a wagon.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Expecting to bring a pile of money and documents, Ruel closed and opened his eyes. ¡°Thank you, Leo, Hina.¡± I don¡¯t know if Hina heard it, but I have to say thank you. ¡ªThis body is a great purifier! Hearing that it was helpful, Leo swung his tail so much that his body flew away. ¡°Anyway, is your face okay?¡± After the rough hemostasis of ne¡¯s legs, Cassion approached Ruel and examined his condition. ¡°Get well soon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hit it for you. Do you feel better now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll feel better when I hit it with my own hands. By the way, that cane was incredibly strong.¡± ¡°I spent a lot of money on it because you had to use it for a long time.¡± Cassion looked at the cane in Ruel¡¯s hand and looked at him. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Hearing his serious voice, Ruel unknowingly rubbed his thumb with his index finger, waiting for his next words. He knew what he did wrong. With the title of lord, I treated my life so easily. Cassion is trying to me it now. ¡°Is Setiria that important?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°More than your life? How can you be a bait for such guys?¡± There were bones in his words. However, Ruel¡¯s answer was conveyed in one word. T/N : Bones in words mean to have the intention to criticize or attack someone. ¡°¡­yes.¡± If Setiria copsed, everything was over. If his actions were dyed and that amount of drugs had been released, Setiria would have copsed. There were already strange people who called themselves ¡®Red Ash¡¯. I came all the way here to live a rich, ordinary and peaceful life. Even though it was unfair, I couldn¡¯t give up on Setiria. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you as a butler. Leave this reckless act to us in the future. You just smile arrogantly andmand. That¡¯s your seat.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like doing things like that. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed violently. Cassion waited until Ruel¡¯s cough subsided, because he felt like he was going to say something after. ¡°I won¡¯t go forward like this. I will arrogantlymand you from behind. But I have a lot of doubts, so I¡¯m afraid if I don¡¯t see it with my own eyes. I can¡¯t make concessions until there.¡± After speaking, Ruel smiled calmly. That should do it. Cassion no longer brought it up because he knew he made a lot of concessions. ¡°I¡¯ll help you get up.¡± Even though Cassion helped Ruel, Ruel stumbled. ¡°I think you got it right.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel walked to ne, feeling the pain btedly. Whether his leg was cut off or not, since this guy hit him, he had to strike him once as payback. Standing on two legs, Ruel swung his cane down. Pak. The feeling in his hand was better than he expected. He stumbled for a moment, but he did not fall. He felt like he had muscles in his legs. ¡ªYou bastard! Bastard! Leo also mmed ne on the head with his short legs. ¡°I think I¡¯ve gained muscles, too.¡± ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s still far from the average person.¡± ¡°Shall we learn magic?¡± ¡°¡­ do you want to die?¡± Although he had the strength of resistance, he seemed to have not reached that level yet. Feeling regretful, Ruel followed Cassion, who guided the way. ¡®What¡¯s the best way to develop tolerance? Is it poison¡­hmm?¡± The reason why the power of recovery grew was because it reached its limit. Wouldn¡¯t the power of resistance grow when it reaches its limit too? ¡°Ruel, don¡¯t think about anything weird.¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s true. His expression was weird. As Cassion and Leo spoke almost at the same time, Ruel became a little embarrassed. ¡°Can you tell?¡± *** ¡°Cough, cough.¡± While coughing, Ruel did not let go of the documents in his hands. He returned to his mansion with all of ne¡¯s property, materials, and ne himself. ¡°I¡¯ve eaten a lot, and I¡¯ve been involved a lot.¡± Ruely in bed and shook his legs lightly. It¡¯s been a long time since the rats have prated underground, so it¡¯s a rted merchant, and there are too many stores. My head has been pounding. I wondered when I would cut them all and how I could fill the vacancy. ¡°Sir Horen, Drianna.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two answered at the same time. ¡°You worked hard.¡± Ruel peeked at Cassion. Cassion pulled out two purses from his pocket and gave them to Horen and Drianna. The pocket was quite heavy. ¡°Tell everyone that you¡¯ve worked hard and can have afortable day.¡± ¡°Yes! Got it!¡± The corners of Horen¡¯s mouth rose high. ¡®How long has it been since I drank?¡¯ ¡®Wow.¡¯ ¡®I¡¯m already drooling.¡¯ ¡°What do we do with the leftover drugs?¡± Drianna mentioned the drugs that came out from breaking down a tunnel. She asked, because she had saved it just in case. ¡°Take the evidence and then burn it. All of it.¡± ¡°All right. We will make sure that we deal with it as per the Lord¡¯s expectations.¡± After a brief greeting, Drianna and Horen went outside. Ruel put down the documents for a moment and called Cassion. ¡°The treatment will be over, bring them back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cassion went out and Ruel inhaled Breath. It was a very dark night. While robbing ne¡¯s property, Aris said he found something. Abandoned Birds. Click. At the sound of the door opening, Ruel opened his eyes. Abandoned bird, Setiria¡¯s ear. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ruel saw a man without one eye. He stood like a sinner, as if he denied reality. Ruel just asked because he didn¡¯t know how he was standing here. ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe back to me?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you abandon us?¡± ¡°You must have heard that I was back.¡± ¡°A spy that failed to fulfill their roles should be discarded. Thrown away.¡± ¡°What were you doing there?¡± We were at odds. Nevertheless, Ruel only asked and asked until the end. The man barely vomited words while biting his lips. ¡°We were preparing for our finale.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Thest, because even thatst wish could note true.¡± His voice was full of despair. Ruel slowly looked at the man, inhaling Breath. Setiria¡¯s ear were in a prison made by ne. Even though they could havee out, they didn¡¯t. Looking away from life, Ruel thought they were abandoned. ¡°What was the wish?¡± ¡°The ident where the former lord passed away¡­¡± The man struggled too hard to speak out. ¡°It happened because of the betrayal of some of us.¡± The former lord died when the wagon overturned. It was such a vain death. Cassion saw Ruel. I couldn¡¯t tell what kind of mind was swirling in that calm expression. ¡°My ears were broken, thework was disrupted, and the former lord died. And you¡­¡± ¡°I was sent to the most remote ce in Setiria. So what?¡± Ruel made a hoarse voice. ¡°Did you get your revenge?¡± ¡°Only half is sessful because I couldn¡¯t kill ne.¡± That was so funny. As a result, it eventually returned to the fundamental problem of Setiria. After the death of the head of the household, his sessor fell ill with an unknown disease and was detained in an old mansion. ne, no, his owner Liberan. No, the Red Ash did everything. ¡®Maybe this disease is also rted to Red Ash.¡¯ Ruel said, fiddling with Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°Then I helped you get revenge, we caught ne. Killed all the rats too. I found out who used them.¡± Every time Ruel spoke, a look of surprise appeared on the man¡¯s face. ¡°Are you feeling better now? Or do you want to grab on to what¡¯s already been done and go back to that dirty, rotten prison?¡± Setiria¡¯s remaining ear found the culprit, but the story was drawn in his mind that it failed and he was captured by ne. They weren¡¯t monsters like Cassion, they didn¡¯t have soldiers like themselves. ¡°¡­ Actually, revenge is not over yet.¡± After thinking, Ruel pointed up. ¡°There¡¯s something hanging around. What do you want to do?¡± I¡¯ll give you a chance this time. Whatever choice they make, it will be up to them. If you refuse, it¡¯s a bit of a waste, but if you go after them, you¡¯ll get a better ear than them. ¡°I¡¯m afraid.¡± ¡°What?¡± The man just looked at Ruel. Setiria¡¯sst hope, the me. If the only direct line, Ruel, disappears, Setiria will fall. Reading the man¡¯s gaze, Ruel grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t like people who don¡¯t have grit.¡± And he soon stoppedughing and looked at the man. ¡°I hate people who give up without even doing it.¡± Ruel pointed to the door. ¡°Get lost, cough.¡± A cough followed. The man stood stunned and looked at the door that Ruel had pointed to. What would happen if he went out that door himself? He turned his head again and looked at Ruel. He meant it. The man felt as if the irritation reflected in his eyes was holding him back. ¡®If¡­¡¯ My colleagues once talked about what they would do if Ruel found them. Everyone said they couldn¡¯t go back. But the man knew. That all those words are false. He gave up his name, face, and family for the sake of Setiria and became his ear. He became an adventurer to get any information, became a chef, a servant, a handyman, etc. There were no unseen things. ¡°Can I go back?¡± The man asked. His mouth trembled. ¡°Do you want toe back?¡± ¡°Can I go back?¡± ¡°I gave you a choice.¡± The man tightly closed his eyes. His eyes got hot. His heart beat so hard that the ce where he was cut by ne and the ce where he was trampled on hurt. ¡®I haven¡¯t felt anything¡­ .¡¯ The man grabbed and unfolded his hand and looked at Ruel. He said as he lowered Ruel¡¯s hand, which was pointing at the door. ¡°¡­ I want toe back. I want to go back to my hometown, my everything.¡± When he brought out the sincerity he had not yet revealed, the man felt a heavy burden lifted. ¡°Okay.¡± The man knelt down on two knees at Ruel¡¯s voice that it was natural. ¡°Greetings from Dion, the head of the ear of Setiria. Greetings, Lord.¡± ¡°Now it¡¯s a bird, not an ear.¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re birds.¡± ¡°Will you ask for information for me, Dion?¡± ¡°Of course! We exist for the lord.¡± The bird, which shook off its hesitation, pped its wings to fly again. Chapter 44: Prios (1) Chapter 44: Prios (1) ¡®Not yet.¡¯ However, in Ruel¡¯s view, they have yet to fly. Then shouldn¡¯t you help them fly as the lord? ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Go to the Birds and make them swear by Mana. The condition is not to betray Setiria.¡± One bird is weak, but a flock is different. Ruel broke it from the foundation so that they wouldn¡¯t think about anything else. ¡°Those who refuse are enemies. Kill them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°You too, make an oath of Mana, Dion.¡± He didn¡¯t know what the lord was thinking about releasing the birds, but he was different. Everything needed a leash. Trust can be gained slowly over time Dion signed a mana¡¯s oath with him without saying a word. ¡°It¡¯s been signed.¡± As soon as Cassion¡¯s words fell, Ruel smiled with his hands folded. ¡°You can¡¯t escape Setiria with this.¡± ¡°From the moment I gave up my real name, I had no intention of leaving Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the first order. Take the birds¡¯ oath. Cassion, follow him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two answered at the same time and went out of the room. Ruel finished looking at the data while touching Leo¡¯s ears, who was still asleep. ¡®Liberan, the baron of Prios.¡¯ I wondered if the barons could really have enough power. Perhaps there is a powerful family from Prios in the background. ¡®Should I meet him? There is no muzzle to cover the mouth, no leash.¡¯ E/N: Means nothing is stopping him from doing so. There was no emotional connection between Prios and Setiria. In good words, it was normal, and in other words, they were not interested in each other. Knock. Knock. A knock was heard while Ruel sighed. ¡°Come in.¡± It was Billo who opened the door and came in. Did the Red Ash minions open their mouths? ¡°Greetings, Lord. Within a few days, your face became emaciated.¡± ¡°I am always emaciated. So? Did they talk?¡± ¡°It has not been opened. But I made it open.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± Ruel looked through the snack basket on the table because his mouth was bored. Sniff. Sniff. Leo, who smelled the good food, opened his eyes. ¡ªI want to eat in this body too! Isn¡¯t that the sweetest thing in the world? I thought I should teach him how to say cookies. Ruel handed over one cookie to Leo. He put it in his mouth. Crunch. Crunch. ¡°He¡¯s a Red Ash, aiming for Ruel-nim¡¯s life.¡± ¡°And?¡± The information I know came out. Ruel listened bored and chewed on the cookies again. ¡°He used Flenn, who had attracted Liberan, Prios¡¯ baron, who dominated the world behind Setiria.¡± ¡°How was it that only a baron could use Flenn in Setiria?¡± ¡°He gave Liberan a weakness of Prios.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the weakness?¡± ¡°Prios is said to be a coteral.¡± ¡°¡­ Ha.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. I heard an unexpected ball of luck rolling around. ¡°Can¡¯t a coteral be the head of the household? It doesn¡¯t add up.¡± I touched the back of my hand. The only thing a coteral could have was the name of a noble. ¡°You can fool your eyes with magic as much as you want. If your liver is out of your stomach.¡± T/N : If your liver is out of your stomach it is a Korean saying used to make fun of, condemn, criticize someone who acts way too recklessly without fearing possible consequences. ¡°The head of Prios is someone who act recklessly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Liberan took advantage of that weakness and turned even the head of Prios into a puppet for me.¡± ¡°¡­ Things are going interesting.¡± The reason Liberan was able to reach out to Setiria even though he¡¯s only a baron was because he had captured the head of Prios. ¡®It¡¯s going very well, three noble families are raging like this to eat Setiria, so Setiria must have been a very tasty restaurant.¡¯ Ruel quit thinking about whether any of the remaining nobles had touched Setiria. He was already so tired. ¡°I¡¯ve caught a guy called Flenn. Check if the information matches, this time his mouth is light, so you can just sting it a little.¡± ¡°I will know for sure so as not to go against the expectations of the Lord.¡± ¡°Okay, let¡¯s work hard.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Billo bowed and stood up. He was acting as if he would go out at any moment, but he gently looked at Ruel. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± ¡°Do you get better from the illness?¡± ¡°Are there many rumors about my illness?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this old man has fixed all the rumors circting in the mansion.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel replied calmly and smiled subtly at Billo. ¡°What are you curious about?¡± ¡°Excuse me a lot. I was just worried, so don¡¯t think too hard.¡± ¡°I believe in you because of the oath in your heart.¡± ¡°I know. I crossed the line. I apologize.¡± Billo bowed again and apologized to Ruel before leaving the room. Leo tilted his head. ¡ªThat human being is nice, giving this body meat and a lot of sweet things. But why are you angry? ¡°Cassion is enough in making a fuss.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. Billo himself vowed two conditions: ¡°I will not betray Setiria and I will keep Ruel Setiria as my master until the day I die.¡± He must have acted like that out of guilt for the former lord and Ruel. If I put more pressure on him, he might travel around the world in search of a medical doctor due to the nature of Billo, whom Ruel watched. Ruel positionedfortably on the bed. He had to curl up because of the cough that followed soon. ¡ªRuel, are you sleeping? This body is not sleepy at all. y with me. ¡°I¡¯m just resting. Because if I overwork my body, I will have to sleep for several days.¡± It wasn¡¯t that he was in a bad condition, but there were signs of it, so Ruel decided to rest calmly. ¡ªThen this body will move around. Leo pressed his soft feet on Ruel¡¯s face, and then went down under the bed with a bashful smile. Tap. Tap. Tap. Hearing the sound of Leo¡¯s feet moving as a luby, Ruel closed his eyes. Soon there was a deep breathing sound. How long has it been? The door opened quietly. Now that Ganien left, there was only Cassion who could enter Ruel¡¯s room without knocking. ¡ªShhh. Leo looked at Cassion and lowered his voice. It was desirable to sleep, but it was difficult because dinner was prepared soon. Cassion asked. ¡°How long has it been since he fell asleep?¡± ¡ªThis body blinked hundreds of times. ¡°It means it hasn¡¯t been long.¡± He pondered whether or not to wake Ruel. He ate poorly to catch Flenn and Cassion nned to put him to sleep after feeding him ate night dinner. It¡¯s been a while since I heard the breathing sound. ¡®There¡¯s nothing I can do.¡¯ The prepared dinner can only be given to hungry Leo and the knights. ¡°Have a good dream.¡± Cassion turned off the light that filled the room. *** Munch. Munch. Ruel swallowed the meat pie with his unopened eyes. He was so hungry that he was going crazy whether the power of recovery, which was always moving, ate up all of his nutrients. ¡°Can I have breakfast?¡± As soon as he opened his eyes, Cassion, who expected him to say ¡®meat pie,¡¯ handed over a pre-prepared meat pie. He ate it up really well. Ruel looked like he was going to live after eating seven slices of pie. ¡°Yeah, prepare a lot. It¡¯s like not my stomach is possessed by some hungry ghost, but I¡¯m still hungry.¡± ¡°A tailor wille around 10 a.m. today.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to whine again that my size has decreased.¡± I made money, I didn¡¯t have clothes that fit me, and I called a tailor to get my clothes tailored, but he¡¯s already fixed and fixed my clothes several times on my body, which is decreasing day by day. ¡°Where does everything go when you eat? I think the beast gained weight.¡± Leo, who buried his face in the special rice bowl at Cassion¡¯s words, raised his head. Certainly, it was a little bigger than the first time. ¡°Here and there.¡± Ruel pointed in turn to Leo, his chest with the power of recovery. In fact, Aris is big and Leo is big, but I was a little dissatisfied that he wast the only one who¡¯s not big. ¡°Do you have any medicine to gain weight?¡± ¡°If there is, the person who prepared it must have already be a corpse after beingmissioned by someone.¡± ¡°I know, I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d worry about this.¡± He made an impression on his face while drawing a chubby stomach suffering from overtime work and party dinners. ¡°What are the results of the investigation?¡± ¡°Give me a little more time, as it is not an aura thates out quickly. The gap is as narrow as the opponent has taken the lead.¡± I asked Cassion to investigate Liberan, but this time it seemed a little too much. When it¡¯s morning, the data you get is the best. ¡°What about the Bird?¡± ¡°They started training with the Knights.¡± ¡°What about uncle? He said he started making something.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°He says they are researching a magic device here to protect Apor.¡± Tyson was researching a magic device that could be locked underground and could activate the shield in the entire Setiria area. What I learned as a bonus was that the magic item he gave me did not have a function such as a surveince camera. It seemed that if he felt I was in danger, Tyson¡¯s rm system would be activated. ¡°How was the back alley?¡± Now that the rats have disappeared, there must have been confusion that they would take over the rotten throne. ¡°As expected, there was an uproar.¡± ¡°Speak well to the nobles who control them not to harm other viges, and keep monitoring the back alleys.¡± ¡°What should we do after that?¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Cassion waited until Ruel¡¯s cough stopped. ¡°Once the number one is decided, bring him here, there can be no other back alley anywhere.¡± If you can¡¯t get rid of it, you have to tame it. I am going to use anything because the hands of the head of the household can never be clean. Tap. Ruel knocked on his thigh. Where should I start? There is a mountain of things to do. He inhaled the Breath and asked Cassion. ¡°Today is the day of the meeting, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Taxes have been lowered, the number of thieves has decreased, farming has improved, ore is pouring out of mines, there are no natural disasters, the Masu Forest is quiet, and the crime rate has decreased. What topic are they discussing?¡± The more he spoke, the corners of Ruel¡¯s lips rose. Originally, Setiria was abundant. It¡¯s just that silly Carbena and Ma ruined it. ¡°They¡¯re discussing Ruel-nim¡¯s marriage¡­¡± ¡°Dismissed.¡± It seems that these old people arefortable in their bodies, so their heads are alsofortable. ¡°What is Minart doing without stopping this?¡± Being the youngest and most capable, Ruel made Minart the center of the barons. If such a nonsensical topic had been discussed, I would have cut it off. ¡°Minart strongly insisted.¡± ¡°Today¡¯s topic is warp devices. Say that.¡± Thend of the Leponia Kingdom was wide, and Setiria was also wide. It took about a day by carriage to the vige of Sisel, farthest from Apor, the center of Setiria, so it was too far from Ruel. The gap should be narrowed so that it can shine in times of crisis. ¡°Okay.¡± Cassion bent down and went outside. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± With a lot of meat pie on his face, Leo smiled. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed out and smiled suspiciously. ¡°Would you like to y with Aris?¡± ¡ªy? Leo tilted his head. ¡°Whether it¡¯s a spirit or a wizard, it¡¯s the same nature in the end, so wouldn¡¯t it be stronger if you y a game of attributes with each other?¡± Leo¡¯s eyes were sparkling. ¡ªCan this body protect you better? ¡°Probably.¡± ¡ªThis body wants to protect you. I want to protect you better. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªIt feels great to protect it. You¡¯re my food, so it¡¯s natural for this body to protect you. Leo ran over his short leg and rubbed his face full of meat pie in Ruel¡¯s arms. Cassion would freak out if he saw it, but Ruel stroked Leo. How can I not smile when you speak so firmly without any doubt? ¡ªI will. This body will protect you. ¡°Okay.¡± Maybe Aris and Leo were simr. The eyes longing for affection that appear asionally may be due to the environment in which they were raised. Ruel bit Breath in his mouth, hoping they would get close to each other. *** ¡°Pardon? y with Leo?¡± Aris was surprised by Ruel¡¯s sudden remark during the meal. Leo suddenly walked over and rubbed his face on Aris¡¯ feet. ¡°Yeah, are you looking forward to it too? How the spirits manipte nature.¡± ¡°Yeah! It was very beautiful.¡± Aris recalled the fight between Leo and Ganien that he saw not long ago. How I wish I could do magic like that. Because the current magic cannot contain both attributes at once. ¡°Is it fun being an adventurer, Aris?¡± Ruel cut the meat intorge pieces and put it in his mouth. Aris showed signs of surprise. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Flenn said you liked it so much that he talked about it.¡± When he went to catch the rat, Flenn suggested that the most innocent Aris ask for a request, as it was quite suspicious when Cassion and Aris solved it. Of course, with his permission. If the enemy of the two knights was the army, Aris¡¯s enemy was an individual. Ruel is willing to allow it because it would have been difficult to make the fighting method simr because they were training together. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, you made a good decision.¡± Now that Aris was taller and better than himself, he smiled happily as if he had not be sullen. No matter how you look at him, he resembles a golden retriever. ¡°In addition to my name, I also sold Ruel-nim and Cassion.¡± ¡°Good job, an adventurer is a status that can be used at any time.¡± ¡°Are you frustrated to the person who came into the mansionte yesterday?¡± Cassion put down the new dishes. ¡°You should always be ready to move. Adventurers can go anywhere.¡± Even if the opponent is a noble. ¡°Eat a lot.¡± Cassion sighed deeply and said. Ruel stopped picking up the meat with a fork and opened his mouth. ¡°It seems like your sighs have increasedtely?¡± ¡°Thanks to someone, my sighs increase.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to rest for a while. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Cassion, who was putting the food on the table, and Aris, who was trying to put his sd in his mouth, stopped and looked at Ruel. Bite. Bite. I could only hear Leo eating. Ruel raised his eyebrows when the atmosphere suddenly became quiet while chewing. ¡°Why?¡± Chapter 45: Prios (2) Chapter 45: Prios (2) ¡°Are you sick?¡± Cassion asked quietly. ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± Aris looked at Ruel anxiously. ¡°No, it¡¯s the same as usual.¡± Cassion carefully examined Ruel. Breathing, fever, trembling, everything was simr to usual as he said. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The familiar cough sound was also the same. Cassion couldn¡¯t help but ask questions that camete. ¡°What do you think Ruel-nim is resting for? Isn¡¯t he the one who can move even if there are two sides of the sky?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± It was a joke that wasn¡¯t even funny. Looking back on Ruel¡¯s own actions, wasn¡¯t it simple? He had, of course, been running around a bit with his condition, so he was thinking of taking a break. ¡®A day or so?¡¯ ¡°Then I¡¯ll get a tailor. I¡¯ll also put off the meetingter.¡± ¡°No, I need clothes to wear, and I¡¯m going to show my face for a minute at the meeting.¡± Cassion¡¯s smiling face hardened. The meaning of resting was different from that of himself. ¡®Well then.¡¯ Cassion answered, letting go of the food. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell them separately.¡± *** The tailor closed his eyes tightly and was happy that the size did not decrease as much as expected, and the barons including Minart watched Ruel¡¯s eyes throughout the meeting, so they could not even say the ¡®ma¡¯ of marriage. Since the warp device will not be made overnight, it has been decided to discuss it one more time at the next meeting. Flop. Ruely in bed and coughed. Is it because it was harder than I thought to catch a rat? I was tired even though I didn¡¯t do anything. ¡°Change your clothes and lie down.¡± Cassion held back his anger while carrying a change of clothes. ¡°Let¡¯s do it roughly.¡± Isn¡¯t it my room anyway? It doesn¡¯t matter what I wear when I sleep. Leo pressed Ruel¡¯s back hard. ¡ªIt is full of filth again. This body will eat you! ¡°Wait!¡± But before Cassion could even speak his words, Leo had already touched Ruel¡¯s body. Looking at the ck things emanating from Ruel¡¯s body, Leo swallowed his mouth. Ruel groaned and gripped the duvet tightly as his heart had been removed without preparation. His hands trembled. Cassion hurriedly took out his handkerchief and put it in Ruel¡¯s mouth. Yum. Yum. ck blood flowed from Ruel¡¯s mouth with the sound of teeth shing. ¡°Beast, from now on, get my permission before eating Ruel-nim¡¯s disease. The duvet I put on today will get dirty.¡± Teary-eyed. As if appealing to his disappointment, Ruel vomited ck blood. I¡¯m d I supported it with a magic handkerchief, otherwise I would have almost gone for a new nket today. Cassion looked proudly at the handkerchief and was relieved. ¡°¡­ Cassion.¡± Ruel was dumbfounded and looked at Cassion. ¡°Please understand that I take care of everything, including bloody clothes, nkets, and pillows.¡± There were servants in charge ofundry. However, we can¡¯t just leave the blood-stainedundry to the servants. No matter how much Billo cracked down on the rumors, there was no guarantee that such a big event wouldn¡¯t leak out. Ruel quickly averted his gaze. I was poked inside. ¡°Thank you for your generous understanding.¡± Despite Cassion¡¯s intentionally twisting and sarcastic remarks, Ruel was desperate to endure the pain from what just happened. How embarrassed he would have been if he hadn¡¯t been sick. ¡°¡­ Go.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle whenever you call me.¡± Cassion raised the corners of his lips and walked away. After he left, Ruel put down the nket he had been holding for a long time. Chomp. Chomp. Leo, who was still chewing something, looked cheeky, but he was feeling lighter. Leo jumped twice in ce when Ruel held the cane. ¡ªRuel, are you ying with this body today? Are you doing the same thing you didst time? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªIt was fun because Ruel stumbled. Do I just have to push it with the wind again today? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ruel opened the window. Only after creating an environment where the wind can flow well, Ruel got up from his seat. Ttak. He put down the cane. By the time Ruel failed to bnce and was falling, Leo pushed his back with the wind. The cane was what he needed, but he shouldn¡¯t rely on it. How helpless he was when he lost his cane to Flenn. He told others to be strong, but it was himself who cannot do it. ¡®I have to be able to walk without holding a cane. I have to be able to run.¡¯ I kept walking in ce leaning on my weak body. To withstand mana, he had to develop resistance and learn magic. He couldn¡¯t just throw away this talent. ¡®Let¡¯s be strong. So I can protect myself.¡¯ Hearing Leo¡¯s bashfulughter, Ruel continued moving forward. *** Tweet. Tweet. Ruel opened his eyes at the clear sound of birds ringing in his ears. ¡°Did you sleep well, Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion¡¯s gaze was somehow high. When he looked around him, there was only a nket on the floor of the room, covering him. It was not as cold as I thought, but several stones with thermal instion magic were ced around him. ¡°What did you do yesterday that made you faint?¡± I didn¡¯t remember exactly. I left myself to Leo and just walked. ¡®No, I didn¡¯t walk. Because I stumbled.¡¯ Ruel pulled the nket up to his nose. ¡°If you see something that has fallen on the ground, shouldn¡¯t you put that person on the bed instead of leaving him there?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have to think about how I feel when you did not show up for lunch and dinner?¡± ¡°Does it work properly?¡± It was questionable whether Mana¡¯s oath worked properly. Cassion smiled vigorously. ¡°It works well.¡± Ruelughed despondently at Cassion¡¯s answer and inhaled Breath. Usually, I woke up to inhale Breath because I was often suffocated at dawn, but today I didn¡¯t have that at all. ¡°I inherited it. So it¡¯s working fine.¡± ¡®I thought I got healthier.¡¯ ¡°Why did you faint so much that you couldn¡¯t even breathe properly? There was no sign of vomiting blood.¡± ¡°Pretend you don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Cassion said firmly. In the past, it was not safe, so I would have attached my guild members to guard him, but now there is no need for that. ¡°What¡¯s for breakfast today?¡± ¡°They say Liberan is secretly gathering people.¡± Cassion answered Ruel¡¯s question differently, took the documents out of his pocket, and handed it over to Ruel. Ruel, who quickly received the documents, read them as they were. Liberan didn¡¯t know if Flenn was caught. He deliberately kept in touch without killing Flenn. The contact only asked if he was collecting drugs well and asked him to overturn Setiria. But he got another call today. [We¡¯re going to move it. Buy the guard at the gate of Setiria in advance.] Ruel put down the note that was sandwiched between his documents and turned his gaze to the letter. ¡®Are you secretly gathering adventurers to transport things?¡¯ There were quite a few people recruiting considering it being conducted secretly. It seemed that he was going to move things by pretending to be a merchant. ¡°Cassion, how did you get this information?¡± ¡°It¡¯s simple. Everyone¡¯s mouth is light in front of death.¡± ¡°Buy one of the adventurers and change the list of adventurers to us.¡± ¡°Are you also going, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°I won¡¯t do reckless things like when I was catching Flenn. I have to meet the head of Prios as well.¡± Cassion sighed instead of answering. ¡°We¡¯ll leave in 5 days.¡± The goods were scheduled to be shipped a weekter. Shouldn¡¯t we go to Prios in advance and prepare various things? ¡°Call my uncle. You don¡¯t have toe to me after.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± From the smile on Ruel¡¯s face, Cassion sensed that he was up to something. A moment after Cassion left, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Did I interrupt your research?¡± ¡°No. You¡¯re calling, and of course I shoulde.¡± ¡°Uncle, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± Tyson wondered why Ruel was sitting on the floor, but smiled broadly at the request of his nephew. ¡°Tell me anything.¡± ¡°Please strengthen this to the point where I can stand while using it.¡± I handed over the bracelet I received from Ganien. It was a magic item that made me walk better. ¡°¡­ Ruel, magic items are less than direct mana, but it¡¯s easy to strain your body.¡± ¡°So you only have to strengthen it to a level that I can tolerate.¡± ¡°May I ask why?¡± ¡°I want to move as much as I can.¡± I couldn¡¯t leave my body alone forever using my illness as an excuse. That item was the foundation for that. ¡°I want to be strong, too.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°It¡¯s two different things, not getting better and being strong.¡± Tyson shut his mouth tight. He¡¯s afraid he¡¯ll say something that will make Ruel lose his expectations. ¡°Red Ash is aiming for me. I don¡¯t know the identity of the enemy. But they knew very well what was going on around me.¡± He manipted Carbena, reached out to Hale, the eldest son of the Lumina family, a baron of the Lumina family, and Matyros that trafficked people. And he threatened Setiria by handing over the secrets of the Prios family to the baron Liberan. All of this is not just a coincidence, Ruel thought. It must have been a long and painstaking preparation. ¡°Everything they have done so far, all of them are directed towards Setiria and me. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel frowned and let out his cough. ¡°Someday, they will also target those around me and will remove the obstacles one by one. I can¡¯t even move at will, so should I just watch the situation?¡± With a firm look, Tyson saw the bracelet Ruel gave. It was dangerous. If he creates an item that exceeds Ruel¡¯s tolerance, he will break again like before. He was scared. He wonders if he¡¯s hurting Ruel again with his own hands. ¡°Uncle, I know what you¡¯re worried about. But I¡¯m fine. I believe in my uncle.¡± ¡°Ruel, it¡¯s not a hasty decision. Your existence is much bigger than you think.¡± ¡°I know. So I can¡¯t stay still like this. My existence shouldn¡¯t be a weakness. I have to be strong.¡± Ruel has already made up his mind. With that firm will, Tyson felt like his heart was breaking. He wanted to shout asking why he had to walk on the thorny path right away. ¡°Uncle, even if my body is weak, I don¡¯t want to be as weak as my mind. Can you help me?¡± Ruelughed. Tyson couldn¡¯t say anything more about the sad smile. A guy like my son wants to be strong, and he wants to fight. I can¡¯t do anything about it. ¡°I got it.¡± Tyson struggled to ept it but looked at Ruel and smiled. Chapter 46: Prios (3) Chapter 46: Prios (3) *** Five dayster. ¡°Did you¡­ gain weight?¡± Cassion hesitated as he dressed Ruel like usual. It wasn¡¯t to the point that the outfit couldn¡¯t be worn, but it felt like it was a bit tight. ¡°¡­ I see. You¡¯ve gained some muscle.¡± Ruel smiled happily at the sound that he gained muscle. Even while passing out every day, he had walked consistently and it was already the fifth day of walk training. It could be wondered if there was anything that could change in five days¡¯ time, but it was also time for quite a lot to change. It was possible because he had gained some muscles while walking. As if to show off, Ruel got up from the bed. He was dizzy for a moment and staggered a bit, but he was able to stand. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to close all the buttons yet¡­¡± Cassion btedly noticed. Ruel got up from his seat without a cane. ¡°Congrattions. It seems your efforts havee to fruition.¡± ¡°You said I wasn¡¯t under surveince.¡± ¡°I can tell by the shape of your muscles. You could have told me though.¡± ¡°Would you have approved?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true. I apologize. I think I¡¯ve underestimated Ruel-nim.¡± ¡ªThis body helped! Leo was jumping on the bed and said after shrugging with pride. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s all thanks to you, Leo.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you in the future. Do you wish to be strong?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Will it be okay? Do you know that you still have a fever because your body is frail?¡± ¡°I know, that¡¯s why I have this on.¡± Ruel pointed to the thermal patch. Illness was not something he could do anything about. He will have topromise moderately in the future. ¡°Did the ce where you were hit by ne hurt?¡± ¡°Yeah, it really hurt.¡± ¡°Up to where are you looking for? I will get a sense of the expectations.¡± ¡°A level where I can protect myself.¡± Cassion immediately frowned. The wrinkles looked unusually deep. ¡°Do you know that using a sword is unreasonable and using magic is difficult?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t beat around the bush.¡± ¡°Your body will break like before. As you know, your bowl is wide, but it¡¯s too weak to hold anything.¡± It was a story he already knew, but his heart ached again. ¡°It¡¯s too much.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way.¡± It was possible if the power of resistance grew. Also, weren¡¯t there still two powers left behind by the hero? ¡°My goal is to run around without relying on magic items.¡± ¡°That is possible, though it¡¯s going to take a long time.¡± ¡ªThis body will help you again. I¡¯ll push you with the wind! ¡°Okay. Help me.¡± Ruel finished speaking and inhaled Breath. Knock. Knock. ¡°Ruel. Can Ie in?¡± Cassion opened the door to Tyson¡¯s voice. Tyson was slightly surprised to see Cassion as he came inside. Cassion was displeased by that reaction. ¡°Did you perhaps talk behind my back?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Ruel replied calmly, but Ruel sighed at Tyson¡¯s eyes asking if it was okay. He really can¡¯t hide his true feelings from showing on his face. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Pleasee in.¡± ¡°Are, are you standing without a cane now?¡± Immediately after making a slightly embarrassed expression, Tyson stopped in his tracks when he saw Ruel standing upright. And soon, he slowly approached and looked at Ruel as if he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°¡­ Keep up the good work.¡± He didn¡¯t cast any magic. Ruel had gotten up on his own. Tyson proudly looked at Ruel and handed him a bracelet. ¡ªThis body likes shiny things too. Leo suddenly stuck close to Tyson and rubbed his face. ¡°Yes, I will also make one for you and gift it to you.¡± ¡ªHehe. At Tyson¡¯s answer, Leo¡¯s tail swung so fast it couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°That bracelet, isn¡¯t it dangerous?¡± Cassion looked at Tyson and spoke in a threatening voice. ¡°I asked for it.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I need it. I forgot the feeling of running.¡± ¡°The situation now is different than before. At least, there are no people here who will bring harm to Ruel-nim¡¯s life.¡± Ruel drove a wedge as he closed up thest button. ¡°I said I need it.¡± At the incredible aura that could not be believed to havee out of such a weak body, Cassion closed his mouth shut. It¡¯s already been long ago that he knew it was useless to stop Ruel any further when he acted firmly like that. Ruel casually wore the bracelet that could be a poison to him. Wiing. The power of resistance cried out. His body seemed to do its best to resist the sudden mass of mana from entering. Drip. Blood flowed from Ruel¡¯s nose and mouth and fell to the floor. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s an adjustment period.¡± Before the two people and Leo reacted, Ruel said beforehand. There was pain. But it was okay. It was bearable. He had to endure this pain to move forward. Wiing. Wiing. Two forces moved violently. One side resisted the mana and the other side tried not to break from the prating mana. ¡°¡­ Ruel.¡± Tyson couldn¡¯t stand it and stopped Ruel. Ruel shook his head without saying a word, feeling like blood would rise from inside if he spoke out. It was a bearable pain. He could stand it. He felt the power of resistance growing inside of him. Ruel closed his eyes. ¡®Grow a little faster. A little bit more.¡¯ As he regretted thinking, ¡®I should have just closed my eyes and drank a bottle of poison¡¯, his throat became hot. ¡°Cough.¡± To prevent getting it on the clothes he had changed into with effort, Ruel tried to lower his head. He nced at the handkerchief that appeared in front of him at the right time and vomited blood to his heart¡¯s content. ¡ªRuel is fine! Leo said, patting the top of Tyson¡¯s shaking feet. Dirty things didn¡¯t grow. So it was okay. Ruel opened his eyes. He could no longer hear the sound. He looked at the others and smiled. ¡®I endured it.¡¯ And Ruel seemed to be walking and jumping from the spot. It was for a brief moment, but the feeling of being in the air didn¡¯t feel bad. He now stood at the starting line. Many things will change in the future. Ruel looked very much forward to the changes that were toe. *** He headed to the territory of Prios by carriage. First of all, he had to meet the family head of Prios. He was going to take action after checking with his own eyes what position the head was in. There was no pattern or crest attached to the carriage. It would be better for Ruel and also for Prios to meet each other discreetly. Crunch. Crunch. Ruel took a leisurely look at the scenery outside while eating cookies. ¡°I¡¯m d your wound got better so soon.¡± Aris smiled broadly at Ruel¡¯s arm without the bandage. ¡°My wound heals quickly.¡± ¡ªNo, Ruel is¡­ Before Leo spoke more, Ruel handed over a cookie. Jjap Jjap. With the cookie in his mouth, Leo forgot what he was going to say and busily ate the cookie. ¡ªThis is the second sweetest thing in the world! The first one is ice cream! ¡®Has Leo ever eaten ice cream?¡¯ Ruel peeked at Cassion. Cassion shrugged his shoulders. ¡°After meeting the head of Prios, I will attend a prearranged meeting as an adventurer, so prepare ordingly.¡± ¡°Prearranged meeting?¡± Aris asked, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s a meeting for giving out information in advance. Information such as: what needs to be guarded, where the destination is, and so on. They do this because it¡¯s arge scale. Cough, cough.¡± After speaking, Ruel coughed. ¡°Our goal is to take the item that needs to be guarded.¡± ¡°May I ask what the item is? ¡°I don¡¯t know except that it¡¯s sealed.¡± Liberan did not even tell ne what the object was. Considering that, it¡¯s probably very important. ¡°May I ask why you should also be going for this mission?¡± At Aris¡¯ question, Cassion seemed satisfied. Ruel looked at Cassion. Cassion only shrugged as he did before. ¡®Did you trick innocent Aris¡­? Even though you know why I¡¯m going?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°That¡¯s a good question. But before that, let me tell you for sure. You guys will be doing the job. I am just observing.¡± After the premise wasid out, Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°First of all, I told Cassion to bring the item, but the result was a failure.¡± ¡°It is not a failure. It¡¯s just that it was enchanted and it couldn¡¯t be taken out.¡± ¡°That¡¯s called failure, Cassion.¡± ¡°What kind of magic was enchanted on the item?¡± Aris asked with a curious look. ¡°It¡¯s called item disposition magic.¡± The answer was from Cassion. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of such a name for magic.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just magic that sets the material on fire. It¡¯s magic that¡¯s usually used by guys who have something to hide, and it¡¯s more efficient than thought. If you say a certain word, or it falls within a certain distance, or the caster dies, the item burns on its own.¡± ¡°So, you can¡¯t touch it. The problem is that the agent we see tomorrow is also one of those people who cast that spell.¡± Ruel smoothed Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°How difficult. If we can¡¯t take it out secretly, then the only way is to go and unseal it there. But I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the reason Ruel-nim has to go.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a valuable item, they must have put warning magic on it. You have to unlock the magic seal as well. If there¡¯s another way to trick the guards¡¯ eyes and get the item out safely, do tell.¡± At Ruel¡¯s question, Aris pondered. Even if they ambushed, it was over once the agent spoke that certain word. ¡°If the shadows hid and somehow unleashed the magic seal¡­¡± ¡°Unfortunately, the shadows are not wizards.¡± Cassion admitted that it wouldn¡¯t be possible to quickly unlock the seal. ¡°Then, Tyson-nim¡­¡± ¡°The wagon is going to travel through the Masu forest.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Only then did Aris notice why Ruel was going. ¡°Also, I want to see what kind of item it is.¡± Whether or not Cassion crumpled his face, Ruel sped his hands together andughed. Chapter 47: Prios (4) Chapter 47: Prios (4) *** ¡°It¡¯s Ruel Setiria.¡± Since Ganien, whose name was the most formidable to use as a disguise, had left, Ruel used his own name. ¡°I, I apologize! I¡¯ll get in contact right away!¡± The soldier freaked out and hurried into the mansion. Who in the world would use the name of a powerful family head other than the head themself? Looking at the soldier running in without checking his identification, Ruel inhaled Breath. Ruel was holding a cane. Even if he could walk without a cane, he didn¡¯t intend to change his image of being weak. ¡°Do you have anything to pick up this time?¡± At Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel was willing to answer. ¡°There is.¡± There is only one line mentioning Prios in the novel: ¡®I went through Prios to get to Shio¡¯s estate.¡¯ It was a very uncharacteristic ce. There was only one thing to pick up here: Prios¡¯ Lord. Ruel only smiled but did not answer exactly what it was. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± Aris, not Ganien, was standing behind him. So-so. This was the assessment that Cassion had bestowed on Aris¡¯ skill. The word ¡®so-so¡¯ in the eyes of a monster was taken as that it was better than most adventurers. Soon the soldier returned, and Ruel went inside under the guidance of a servant. Ruel was slightly offended by the servant¡¯s words that the head of Prios had already entered the room. ¡®Their treatment toward their guest is awful.¡¯ Although he spoke his name, he was still Setiria. He didn¡¯t think he deserved to be treated this badly. Since the other party didn¡¯t keep to their manners, Ruel had no intention of keeping his either. Ruel took all members of his party and entered Prios¡¯ room. There were no butlers or servants in sight to stop this. ¡°There are many eyes.¡± Cassion spoke quietly before opening the door. ¡ªShould this body protect you? ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Looking at Leo sitting on his shoulder, Ruel nodded towards the door. Ttak. With the sound of the cane hitting the floor, Ruel entered the room. ¡®¡­Hmmm.¡¯ The family head of Prios was sitting at the table and biting his hand with his head bowed. At his actions as if being chased by something, Ruel grinned. ¡°Thank you for weing me even though I came without prior notice. I am Ruel Setiria.¡± Only then did the family head of Prios get up in surprise. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t meet you in person. I¡¯m not feeling well today. I am Ken Prios.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s clean up the area first since there are many flies around. Aris.¡± There was no need for Cassion toe forward. Even in Ruel¡¯s eyes, people surrounded in mana were seen here and there. ¡°Yes.¡± Aris pulled out a sword. It was best to get rid of buzzing flies. ¡°What, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°Sit still.¡± Ruel was known for being sickly, but his spirit was extraordinary. Ken covered his ears. Ruel sat down at the table leisurely, listening to the screams and the sound of the sword being swung. Tock. Tock. He then tapped the table with his finger and drew Ken¡¯s eyes to him. ¡°You¡¯re of a coteral line.¡± His voice was buried by the background, but Ruel¡¯s mouth shape was clearly visible to Ken. Ken lowered the hand that covered his ears. He couldn¡¯t help but listen. ¡°You¡¯re of a coteral line, but how did you climb up to where you are now?¡± Tock. Tock. Ruel kept tapping the table and made eye contact with Ken. Ttak. With thest blow, Aris sheathed the sword. Ken onlyter realized that there was blood and corpses around him. He vomited. ¡°Who ced you in the position of the lord?¡± ¡°argh!¡± ¡°Hey.¡± The finger that was tapping the table stopped. Leo, who was sitting calmly on Ruel¡¯sp, pricked his ears. ¡°Do you not get the picture?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice became fierce. At the tone of the voice that made him feel like he was caught by the cors, Ken looked at him while covering his mouth with his arms. Too mature to be called a boy and too young to be called an adult, the lord of Setiria looked as sickly as ever. However, his green eyes shone like bright stars in the dark. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a question.¡± How could that arrogant smile suit him so well? ¡°Who made you lord?¡± ¡°¡­ My mother.¡± Ken could not bring himself to speak carelessly even though it was not a threat. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like dying from having to live such a fake life?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ken burst into tears when he saw the eyes that looked to be looking straight at his heart. ¡°¡­ Yes, I feel like dying.¡± He didn¡¯t know why, but his mouth moved at its own will. To think that the person to whom he would confide everything in ¨C about his sufferings from pretending to be a fake ¨C would be someone who he met for the first time today. Ruel listened to Ken¡¯sint. Seeing him covered with tears, Ruel tossed him a rope. ¡°Do you want to get away from Liberan?¡± ¡°Get out¡­ Can I?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That is if youe under me.¡± At Ruel¡¯s response, Ken stopped crying. His head naturally bowed. So this is how it ends up again. He would have to live another life of being used and monitored by someone. Ken thought this as his heart pained. ¡°Is the position of the lord of Prios heavy?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Do you want to escape?¡± ¡°Can I get out of here?¡± ¡°Is there anyone who can rece you?¡± ¡°¡­ There is no one. The direct line of Prios is already¡­ There¡¯s no more.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°They all leftmenting about being trapped in a cage. They were thest ones.¡± Ruel lightly kicked his tongue. They were terrible beings to drop their responsibilities and run away. Ruel nced at Cassion and Aris diligently cleaning up the corpses and removing their traces before opening his mouth again. ¡°So, do you want to quit ying Prios¡¯ Lord?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Can you leave everyone behind in Prios?¡± Ken still failed to answer. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed to the point his back bent at the force. He made a face at the pain that rose at the same time as his coughs. ¡°Being a lord myself, it¡¯s a tedious position. It¡¯s the kind of thing where if I disappear, everything copses. It¡¯s really hard to change that. I wouldn¡¯t know aboutter, but if I disappeared now, Setiria will definitely fall into ruins.¡± Ken clenched his hold on his knees at Ruel¡¯s calm voice. ¡°If you disappear, will Prios not copse?¡± ¡°¡­ it might copse.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you leave this ce if you can handle all the resentment and tears.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t go¡­¡± Ruel grinned at Ken¡¯s answer. Ruel believed that Ken, though of the coteral line, was better than those of the direct bloodline, who left everything behind, not caring whether or not Prios was destroyed. ¡°You are the only direct line of Prios.¡± ¡°What¡­ ¡± ¡°Live as the proud head of Prios.¡± Ken silently looked at Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s simple toe under me. Don¡¯t look down on Setiria. Help Setiria. I¡¯m asking you toe under me for those two conditions.¡± ¡°What, what about surveince?¡± ¡°For what?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want Prios? If you put a leash on my neck, you can enjoy more money and power. And you don¡¯t have to deal with dirty things with your own hands.¡± Ruel snorted. It was funny because what Liberan had made Ken do was so insignificant. You only took control of Prios for that? Ruel expressed his opinion exactly after inhaling Breath. ¡°I don¡¯t want it. Setiria is a much better ce than Prios. Money? Power? I have enough of those right now. Oh, it¡¯s good to have more money, but I¡¯m not in an urgent need to squeeze Prios dry.¡± ¡°Is, is it fine to require only those two conditions from me¡­¡± ¡°Listen.¡± ¡®I knew it,¡¯ Ken calmed his excitement and waited for Ruel to speak. ¡°You are the lord. Whether you are of a coteral line or of a direct bloodline, I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s make this clear.¡± Ken had on a stupid face. He wanted to talk, but his mouth didn¡¯t move. ¡°Remember this. You and I met today because I needed to borrow money from you.¡± Ruel then pointed to the body that had yet to be cleaned up. ¡°Form an excuse saying there was a slight dispute. These things will be changed out anyway. Since it¡¯s me we¡¯re talking about, they¡¯ll let it slide.¡± Ruel urged Ken after inhaling Breath. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not swearing the Mana Oath on the terms I said. Should I even tell you how to do that?¡± Ken¡¯s breathing got a little faster. There was a very small light reflected in his dead eyes. ¡°Really, would that be enough? Really?¡± ¡°Do it.¡± Ken smiled for the first time at the firm answer. It was a rope of salvation. There was no reason to refuse. This was someone who gave him back his hands and feet and drove out those who nned to take his neck. Ken said after a hasty oath of Mana, ¡°The lord came to borrow money from me, and I refused. As a result, there was a slight dispute.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°You and I have never officially met.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ruel smiled satisfactorily. ¡°I¡¯ll chase out the rat. I will wash away your stigma as well. Instead, swear your loyalty to me.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve already sworn allegiance in my heart.¡± The coward that was seen at the beginning was no longer there. This must be the real Ken. Ruel was done with his business. All that¡¯s left is to kill the rat in order to fully get Prios in his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel got up from his seat with the cane. For the sake of acting, he put on a fuming face as he left the room. When the door closed, Ken firmly bit his lips. For the first time since he¡¯s climbed up here, he¡¯s be a person. For the first time, he could breathe. Tears streamed down his face, eyes brimming with emotion. ¡®Thank¡­you.¡¯ Chapter 48: A Noble Person Chapter 48: A Noble Person Until he got into the carriage, Ruel maintained an angry expression. But as soon as he sat, he put his hand on his stomach with anguid face. It was difficult for him to make this expression. ¡°Why?¡± After patting Leo on the head, Ruel opened his mouth. Shortly after riding the carriage, Aris looked at him with respect. ¡°I¡¯m so proud of my decision to follow you.¡± ¡®What?¡¯ ¡°But I think you can be more greedy.¡± ¡°I was greedy.¡± Thanks to ne*, Liberan¡¯s nemesis, he learned about the weaknesses of the head of Prios, and as an added bonus, he received an oath of allegiance. T/N : ne here is a merchant from chapter 41, in the previous chapter he was tranted as Flenn. Actually, they are different people. So ne is a bad guy here, the rat. Flenn is still the leader of Hand of the Wind guild. I¡¯m so sorry for the misunderstanding. Isn¡¯t thatpletely beneficial? What more can I be greedy about? Arisughed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s like Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°The pride of Prios are the artisans.¡± Cassion spoke with regret. Ruel was impressed when he heard that only a few of them could have been brought out. I didn¡¯t know that. The pride of Prios are the artisans. Had I known that fact, of course I would have added it on the condition. ¡®Well, it¡¯s a bit disappointing, but I can bring them back even after this is over.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, Ruel. ck things are growing. But this body is full now, so I¡¯ll eat itter. Leoughed as he watched the food increase. No wonder my head was throbbing. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go to the inn.¡± ¡°You seem to be in good health though. There was no loss of consciousness like before.¡± Cassion calmly pulled out his handkerchief as he started the carriage. ¡°Give it to me.¡± Looking at Ruel¡¯s hand, Cassion searched his pocket without a word. He took a basket of snacks out of his pocket and handed Ruel a meat pie. Preservation magic was applied, so it was warm as if it had just been baked. ¡°Astell cared more. In addition to meat, only ingredients that Ruel-nim can eat have been added, which are good for the body.¡± After passing the meat pie to Aris and Leo as well, Ruel took the pie in his mouth. Crunch. A pleasant sound was heard. *** Stretch. Stretch. An annoying noise was heard throughout the meeting. The client¡¯s agent was impatient and pointed to the man in the fox mask. ¡°Hey! Why do you keep eating?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s time to take my medicine.¡± Regardless of whether his eyes were focused or not, Ruel finished what he was eating and raised the corners of his mouth. He originally hated herbal medicines or things that are bitter, but he started taking herbal remedies to help him regain his vitality. Rather than getting frustrated because only painkillers work, wouldn¡¯t it be better to take herbal medicines to keep the body healthy? ¡°What are you doing without exining? They¡¯re all waiting.¡± Ruel¡¯s brazen tongue made the agent feel ridiculous. He stopped talking because of someone. ¡°Hmmm, the brief introduction ends here, and now I will tell you what you need to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s bitter.¡± Without paying attention to the agent¡¯s subsequent exnation, Ruel put into his mouth a medicine that looked like uhwang-cheongsimhwan instead of just drinking it directly. T/N: Uhwang-cheongsimhwan : a pill formted with a variety of herbs, used to treat various symptoms such as traumas, paralyzed limbs, etc., from a stroke, etc. The bitterness came right up. ¡°Don¡¯t leave anything behind, drink everything.¡± All herbal medicines have been made by Cassion after consulting a well-known pharmacist in Leponia Kingdom. ¡°The task you have to aplish is simple. It is to deliver our products safely and in good condition. The number of wagons is four. There are hundreds of things in it. The value is indescribable.¡± ¡®I need to find out about the doctors and pharmacists.¡¯ ¡°This time, our Carpen merchant has made a deal with an important customer. That¡¯s why we need the help of all of you.¡± ¡®After this is over, I¡¯ll have to look at the Birds¡¯ status and ask them for information.¡¯ ¡°We will start here from Prios, cross the Masu Forest, and head to the Kran Kingdom.¡± T/N: For reminder, masu forest is a beast forest. Ruel gave a long yawn as he had already heard the information. ¡°I would like you to form four groups of five people and protect one wagon. Let¡¯s set the group right now.¡± I ordered Cassion to look inside the wagon in advance. ording to Liberan¡¯s n, which they got in advance, there was one sealed item for each wagon. ¡°You know¡­¡± It was Aris who went out to draw lots on behalf of his party. ¡°I know.¡± What¡¯s the point of having one thing sealed? He already knows where it is. Ruel ate cookies mixed with akal¡¯ herb and secretly put one into Leo¡¯s mouth, who was invisible to others. ¡ªOh, this one is very sweet, too. It tastes good and relieves the pain, so it sticks to my mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t eat everything at once, and have fewer snacks.¡± Cassion slipped out. No matter how much conservation magic was put on, the amount did not increase. If two people share a limited amount, it will be depleted quickly. Cassion was worried that Ruel¡¯s body that had grown would shrink again. ¡°You can make it again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s very easy to say. Are there cooking utensils lying on the street?¡± ¡°Oh, really? I thought it was in your pocket. I¡¯ll control myself.¡± As the sincerity was buried in Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion let out a sigh. He wasn¡¯t omnipotent, no matter how good he was. ¡°What¡¯s the result?¡± About the time the twentieth cookie entered Ruel¡¯s mouth, he stopped and asked. ¡°Got it.¡± To avoid maniption, the wizard and the swordsman were drawing lots separately. Because Aris was a swordsman externally, he picked number 3 very easily. When Aris sat down and everyone had finished drawing the lots, the agent informed everyone of the result of the lottery. Ruel listened to the names of those who would be in the same group as him. If someone gets in the way, it¡¯s better to get rid of them. ¡°We¡¯re leaving at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning. We¡¯ll give everyone the same 10 gold coins, as posted on the request.¡± The pay was enormous. It cost more than 1,000 gold coins to buy a failing merchant. Twenty percent of the money was wasted to summon 20 adventurers. ¡®Well, it doesn¡¯t matter whether the amount isrge or not.¡¯ In the first ce, the Carpen merchant was not an existing one. It was just a hastily created merchant group to trick everyone¡¯s eyes. In other words, it doesn¡¯t matter when or how it disappears. The adventurers were bewitched by 10 gold coins and sold their lives. ¡®Tsk.¡¯ Ruel clicked his tongue and waited for the meeting to end. Exining the route of the agents and the items in the wagon, it was so boring that he fell asleep. ¡°Is it strong?¡± Ruel yawned and asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s worse than Aris.¡± Cassion simply replied. Aris clenched his fists, he was slightly unhappy that the reference point became him. But he couldn¡¯t say much. Still,pared to Cassion, isn¡¯t he the same when he was armed? Ruel coughed and nced at Cassion and Aris. Obviously, Cassion had brought up Aris¡¯s name on purpose. ¡®The crazy one keeps stabbing the already intimidated kid.¡¯ ¡°Well, let¡¯s be quiet now.¡± They sat in the back row, but the adventurer sitting in front of Ruel couldn¡¯t help but speak. The sound of coughing, of constantly eating something, and above all, thements about being weak was very annoying. Ruel raised the corner of his mouth when he deliberately picked a fight. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I was so loud because I caught a cold.¡± He spoke as politely as he could. There is no reason to attract unnecessary attention. He tried to say more, but he was caught up with the two people giving him death stares from both sides of Ruel. Gulp. The adventurer who swallowed dry saliva mumbled after turning his head. ¡°Be respectful to each other¡­ Let¡¯s keep it that way.¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s do that. I¡¯ll be as careful as I can, so I¡¯m sorry again for the noise I just made.¡± With a cool apology, the adventurer looked straight ahead as if he were dead. After the long speech, the adventurers gathered a team on their own. Ruel stood up and hinted. ¡°You decide and let me know.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Group 3 consisted of themselves and two soloists. One appeared to be an archer, and one appeared to be a shield-wearing swordsman. ¡°Trash.¡± Cassion simply said, no more, no less. ¡°Nice to meet you. I am¡­¡± ¡°You will need my arrows in the future. Speaking of my skills¡­¡± There was no need to look any further. Let¡¯s say those two can¡¯te out because of a sudden stomach ache. Ruel concluded and spoke. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk in a ce like this. How about this?¡± Then he made a drinking gesture, and the two immediately smiled. Ruel asked. ¡°Do you know a good ce?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The swordsman wearing a shield proudly tapped me on the chest. ¡°Guide me, it¡¯s on me.¡± ¡°Haha! Unlike your appearance, you have a lot of courage. I like it!¡± ¡°Are you going there by any chance? Bitter beer.¡± The archer asked the shield-wearing swordsman. The swordsman opened his eyes wide and soonughed cheerfully. ¡°That¡¯s the best ce in Prios.¡± ¡°No one is there¡­¡± The two immediately became close friends over alcohol and walked forward. ¡°The symptom is a stomachache.¡± ¡°Yes, I have a medicine we can use. Those three days will be pretty tough.¡± ¡°Okay, do that.¡± ¡°But do you know how to drink? Aris, you too?¡± Cassion looked at those who were not yet adults and was thinking about what to do. Aris shrugged his shoulders. He never had a drink. Ruel had never even had alcohol in his current body. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you drink it.¡± Shouldn¡¯t it be alcohol that I¡¯m going to drink? His mouth is watering already. *** ¡°Kyaha.¡± Ruel drank the best liquor in the store without hesitation. Checking for allergies, He just dropped some on his tongue, and when there was no reaction, he had one, two, and more and more sses. Whether it was the one with the shield or the one with the bow, the two had already gone to the bathroom and did note out for a long time. ¡°¡­ Huh, it¡¯s like a beached whale.¡± Cassionughed despondently, putting the side dish in his mouth. Drinks are as good as the meal. Aris hit his head on the table as soon as he touched the booze. The only thing they could hear was breathing with no movements at all. Leo was busy eating snacks from Cassion under the table. Ruel, who was drinking the whole time, suddenly put down his ss. ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± Ruel stopped looking at the ss and inhaled Breath. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? There¡¯s still alcohol in the ss.¡± ¡°¡®Wiing!¡¯ It¡¯s just the beginning. I¡¯m a drinker. This can¡¯t be happening.¡± Ruel smiled softly with sullen eyes. Cassion immediately drove the booze out of the way. ¡°Let¡¯s go back now.¡± The only way to find out whether alcohol was harmful to Ruel was to make him drink it first. No more alcohol. Cassion put a piece of information on the checklist. Ttak. As Cassion put the notebook in, Ruel banged his head on the table. ¡°Ha¡­.¡± There was a long sigh. Chapter 49: A Noble Person (2) Chapter 49: A Noble Person (2) *** Unlike Aris, who has been suffering from a hangover since dawn, Ruel was busy vomiting ck blood. ¡ªOh, it¡¯s getting more and more delicious. Based on Leo¡¯s growing size, a lot of ck things are being devoured. How many side dishes did you just eat at the store? Cassion shook his head while looking at Leo, who looked at his owner and ate well. ¡®The sound of sipping and the groan of Ruel were mixed.¡¯ The pain was even greater because it was torn more than usual. ¡°¡­ medicine.¡± Ruel struggled to get his words out. I wanted to ask Leo what he meant by getting more and more delicious, but I couldn¡¯t think straight. Ruel took the medicine that Cassion gave him and fell back on the bed. ¡°We have to start now.¡± We had to get together at 5 a.m. The clock was already ticking toward 4 a.m. ¡°¡­soon.¡± Ruel closed his eyes tightly, bringing up a brief remark that he would be fine soon. Who do you me? It¡¯s his fault for being crazy about drinking after a long time. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll wait until 4:15. If you don¡¯t get better, stay here and return to Setiria, and Hina will protect you.¡± Cassion looked at the clock leisurely. The second hand moved diligently with the sound of chewing something. With three minutes to go, Cassion¡¯s hand moved. Cough. Ruel coughed up ck blood once more. Only then did Ruel look at Cassion with a refreshed face. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel got up from his seat, putting on the mask he had ced over his head. He stumbled for a moment, but he didn¡¯t fall. Cassion sighed as he tucked in his handkerchief. He set the time short on purpose. ¡®The power of recovery has grown more than before. He recovered earlier than expected.¡¯ Cassion followed Ruel, who walked well without a cane. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m ashamed.¡± Aris couldn¡¯t raise his head in shame. He never thought he¡¯d faint with a drink. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± So what if the escort can¡¯t drink? Ruel reacted sourly and looked at Leo. ¡°What do you mean by saying that ck things are delicious?¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s thicker. That wasn¡¯t good news either. ¡°Didn¡¯t it increase?¡± ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t grow even though I ate so hard.¡± Leo licked his lips again and smiled mischievously. ¡®It¡¯s a relief that he didn¡¯t grow.¡¯ Whether this, which is not known whether a disease or not, is getting worse and spreading, it¡¯s okay as long as Leo bnced the strength of his recovery. They arrived at the meeting ce by walking in the morning. By five o¡¯clock, the appointed time, the agent appeared. Like an attendance check, he checked the adventurers one by one and checked the paper in his hand. ¡°¡­and there¡¯s Han, Cassion, and Aris¡­ Where did the rest go?¡± There were two missing. ¡°Come to think of it, we metst night, so we had a drink, but I haven¡¯t seen them since.¡± Ruel spoke in a pompous manner. The agent asked in surprise. ¡°You mean you don¡¯t know what happened?¡± ¡°Yes, we¡¯re in the same group, but I¡¯ve never seen him before. Shouldn¡¯t you figure it out?¡± ¡°I see. Group 3 will have 3 members first, and the rest¡­¡± ¡°No, thank you. We¡¯ve been working together, so these three are morefortable to work with.¡± The agent opened his mouth with a ¡®hmmm¡¯. ¡°Would it be difficult with only three people?¡± ¡°If it¡¯s really difficult, I¡¯ll talk to you separately, so go ahead.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t want to talk any more, so he pushed his agent away. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and put a medicine in his mouth that Cassion had passed. While departing, the agent emphasized the value of the goods in the carriage and demanded that the mission bepleted safely. The carriage left at six o¡¯clock, an hourter, due to attendance checks and speeches. The wagons, which were going smoothly in Prios, stopped at the gates of Setiria. ¡°¡­ No, what are you doing? I¡¯ve shown you the merchant token, the referral letters, and the adventurers¡¯ cards!¡± The agent raised his voice against the soldier. There has been news that the gate security has be tight these days, but I didn¡¯t know it would be this much. ¡°It¡¯s taking time because the merchant token is a bit strange. Please wait calmly.¡± ¡°That¡¯s already an hour. An hour!¡± The most important thing in the upper convoy was to deliver the goods safely, but the second was to deliver them within the scheduled time. Unexpectedly, they were kept hostage at the gate. Ruel yawned and watched it leisurely. ¡®I told Baron Will in advance and I¡¯ve got my hands on it.¡¯ He ordered Will, a baron who manages the Sisel Vige, to hold onto him appropriately when a merchant named Carpen arrives. ¡®Very good.¡¯ The promised date is probably correct, apart from this being a normal convoy request. ¡®Your mouth will be dry. We¡¯ve already spent an hour.¡¯ The Masu Forest was an uncontroble ce. I¡¯m sure it¡¯s the time I expected, so how anxious will it be. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed while taking the medicine. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a nap?¡± asked Cassion, looking back. Judging from themotion in the gate, it was likely to drag on for two, no, more than three hours. ¡°No.¡± Adventurers who were showing their patience must be feeling the pressure at the gate when irritation arises from their mouths. ¡°We¡¯ll see how they will handle this.¡± Ruel leaned back like a spectator and took the medicine. ¡°Hey, can¡¯t you get things right? I showed you everything. What¡¯s the problem?¡± One of the adventurers came down from the wagon and walked to the soldiers. The agent calmed down the adventurer as he was about to show it. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take care of it soon. Give me a minute.¡± When he slipped a silver coin, the adventurer pretended to hold back his anger and went back to the carriage. The agent approached the soldier and secretly showed him a flower, the symbol of Prios. The soldier remained motionless. Rather, he pointed to the shield pattern engraved on his armor in the sense of why he showed this. ¡°This is Setiria.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the captain here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± The soldier who was talking to the agent raised his hand slightly. The agent was briefly embarrassed, but soon whispered. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°ne.¡± The merchant was in a hurry, which could have caused disruptions. But it¡¯s not this name. The agent watched the soldier in anticipation. However, the soldier only frowned as if he were talking nonsense. ¡°Wait, no one is an exception.¡± The soldier turned away. Ruel smiled pleasantly at the long and hardened appearance of his agent with an absurd face. ¡®Then, no one is an exception.¡¯ Despite the adventurers¡¯ frustration and irritation, the gate held on for about two and a half hours and allowed them to pass. The morale of the adventurers hit the bottom. Seeing that he was already exhausted before starting in earnest, the agent could not easily straighten his hardened face. Ruel chuckled to himself and put one meat pie into his mouth. Crunch. No monsters came out until they¡¯re in the middle of the Masu Forest. It was not the order that Ruel gave to the monsters, but it was the result of their knights going to the Masu Forest and subjugating the monsters once after the ne incident was over. ¡°We¡¯re halfway there.¡± Cassion said. It was also the sound of the start of the n. ¡®I¡¯m going to bring them in little by little.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, what are you so happy about? This body doesn¡¯t like it here. Leo leaned against Ruel and crouched. Isn¡¯t it the ce where he was chased by monsters? ¡°There¡¯s something like that, get some sleep.¡± Leo knew he wouldn¡¯t be able to sleep all night. ¡ªDo I not have to protect you? ¡°Not right now.¡± Leo closed his eyes slowly under the touch of Ruel. ¡°¡­ Would it be all right?¡± Cassion asked as he was about to implement the n. ¡°Well, that¡¯s fine. I don¡¯t want to leave this power alone, it¡¯s a waste to let it rot.¡± How can you discover your own power and just let it go? Ruel sensed the location of the monsters and summoned them one by one. Jjiing. His head began to ring. ¡°Follow me quietly.¡± -As you wish. (the monster) What Ruel wanted was chaos. Heughed with a bloody nose. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Aris gripped the sword and asked in an uneasy voice. ¡°No.¡± I felt like countless needles were stuck in my head. Ruel stillughed. ¡°Your role in this n is the most important. You know that, right?¡± Drip. Ruel¡¯s nosebleed wet the wagon. In vain, Cassion handed the handkerchief to Aris, who held it out to Ruel and said, ¡°I know. We¡¯ll make sure we meet your expectations.¡± -Did you call me? -What do you want? -I¡¯ll do anything for you. As the number of monsters following increased, the sound that resonated in his head increased as the pain grew. Ruel endured the pain while holding back the curse that was about to pour out. ¡®¡­ It hurts terribly.¡¯ He held his breath once, and only after feeling the rising pain he exhaled. Dozens of monsters followed. It¡¯s done now. This number was enough. ¡°Come this way.¡± -If that¡¯s what you want. The gathered monsters came rushing towards me. Ruel wiped his nosebleed with a handkerchief and inhaled the Breath. Tap. Tap. Tap. Tap. A sound was heard. A smile bloomed over his pale face. The wagon that was leading stopped, followed by their own wagon. ¡°The monsters have appeared!¡± At the loud noise, Ruel opened his mouth, ¡°¡­go, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris ran out of the carriage. ¡°Do you want some medicine?¡± ¡°No.¡± He had no energy left, but as soon as themand was finished, the pain stopped. Cassion also got off the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°You have to move.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Rather than staying still, it was better to pretend to protect the wagon to avoid suspicion. Ruel was also nning to go out of the carriage when he recovered his strength. ¡®I feel dizzy.¡¯ The goods were not in his wagon. The first wagon. The carriage on which the agent was riding was mixed up to look like a normal wagon of goods. A monster attack was needed to naturally approach the carriage. ¡°Whoo.¡± With a light breath, Ruelid Leo on the floor. Enough energy to stand back was regained. Getting out of the wagon, Ruel saw the first wagon and ordered the monsters. ¡°Just attack the carriage.¡± Drip. The nosebleed again. Ruel grabbed the wagon he had juste out of and barely fell. Wiing. The strength of recovery began to sound disturbing. ¡®Not yet.¡¯ Ruel saw the adventurers surrounding him as if escorting the wagon. The agent hasn¡¯t gotten off the first wagon yet. As long as he was guarded, Aris¡¯ approach would only lead to suspicion. Kooo! Trees fell, and monsters appeared behind them. They were grotesque. It was too big to be a beast, and it borrowed the shape of a beast and a monster. Oooh! All the adventurers were nervous at the roar of monsters announcing their appearance. ¡°They¡¯re too many!¡± ¡°Fight with your teeth clenched!¡± Each of them grabbed their weapons and took a deep breath. The vicious monsters beat the adventurers and beat the leading fourth wagon and rushed in from the first carriage in the middle. ¡°Argh!¡± Who can not think of their lives when they see the sharp teeth of monsters? The agent gave up the wagon and got off. ¡°He went in.¡± In Cassion¡¯s small voice, Ruel inhaled Breath. Sneak. nk! The adventurers moved. No one had any questions about why the monsters were only aiming for one wagon. Because the opponents were monsters. He must have felt relieved that his wagon could be safe. In a situation where monsters and adventurers were mixed, the confusion only grew. The agent trembled while hiding in the midst of the adventurers and prayed that the monsters would disappear. Ruel asked Tyson to look at the situation around him, pretending to use magic roughly. In case my share disappeared, the adventurers who were covering the wagon they had to protect also moved toward the first wagon when the monster did not move much. People flocked to the first carriage. Then, his gaze shifted from the carriage to the monster. ¡®Good, good.¡¯ Ruel also moved towards the first wagon. Cassion followed and informed Aris of the situation in real time. ¡®It¡¯s very much like a herd of dogs.¡¯ As if the enemy had been lost by the wagon, the monsters happily ate and smashed, despite the resistance of the adventurers. In the meantime, Aris appeared quietly. He cut down a monster and made a trail of battle on his body. ¡°Scattered.¡± Ruel gave orders, covering his nose with a handkerchief. As soon as themand was given, the monsters ran towards the forest in an instant. In the sudden situation, none of the adventurers showed embarrassment. Rather, they roared loudly and enjoyed the victory. ¡°The monster has retreated!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a sess.¡± Aris said softly andughed. There were many things that Ruel asked Aris to do. Unlock the defense system around the wagon, exchange the item with another object, then restore the defense system. Cassion couldn¡¯t, but Aris, the wizard, could. ¡°Hu, hurry up and check if there¡¯s anything missing!¡± The agent btedly came to his senses and shouted at the wrecked wagon. The adventurers scattered and headed for their wagons. It was because there was a possibility that someone could tamper with the object by taking advantage of the chaos. Ruel also entered the wagon. The object they were aiming for was a ne with rubies. Aris showed off the ne proudly. It was very faint, but the mana fluttered. ¡°It¡¯s sealed. It¡¯s a very precise seal.¡± Just in case anyone heard, Aris lowered his voice. ¡°Can you solve it?¡± ¡°I can solve it.¡± He answered without hesitation. Ruel automatically burst intoughter when he thought about how much other wizards were hung on to this seal. Genius was different no matter what. ¡°Release the seal.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion looked at them and said, ¡°The agent ising.¡± Aris rushedly stashed the ne into his pocket. ¡°Is there anything missing?¡± ¡°There is none. There is no damage too because no monsterse here.¡± Cassion replied to the agent¡¯s question. ¡°All right. Please keep an eye on it just in case.¡± With a sour lemon-filled face, the agent left the carriage. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel put a handkerchief to his mouth. I didn¡¯t know if it was the aftereffects of controlling the monster or the disease, but there was red blood around my mouth. Ruel leaned against the wagon and closed his eyes. ¡°¡­continue.¡± The agent was nearby, and the defense system and items would be fine, so if you unsealed as it is, your purpose would be achieved. ¡°Yes.¡± Aris answered silently, took out the ne he had hidden to unseal it, and moved Mana. The sound of the wheels rolling was unusually loud. Leo must have woken up, but a soft touch lingered in his hand. Ruel opened his eyes with a bite of Breath. ¡ªIt seems that dirty things have increased. What did you do? The ck ones seemed to have increased for a while as the power of recovery was trying to fix something else. Ruel did not respond to Leo¡¯s words. I didn¡¯t want to wrinkle the face of Cassion, who looks at him from time to time, and Aris, who obviously cares about him openly. He just stroked Leo¡¯s fur. ¡®It¡¯s not good for my body to use the power to control monsters.¡¯ It worked very well. Ruel closed his eyes again. Just because I did it a few times, my whole body was as heavy as a stone. ¡°Wake me up when it¡¯s done.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Hearing Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel could no longer resist the force holding him back. His breathing was slow, but uneven. ¡°If Ruel can¡¯t breathe properly, pass the Breath over to him. You know what I mean, right?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Even if you unseal all the seals, don¡¯t wake him, he¡¯ll wake up in a little while.¡± ¡°I know that, too.¡± Aris unwrapped the seal with aplicated face. *** Ruel opened his eyes automatically with an uneasy energy. The carriage stopped. ¡°You can still sleep more.¡± Cassion opened his mouth, slitting someone¡¯s throat. Someone¡¯s death is what I see as soon as I open my eyes. Ruel asked, repressing his bewilderment, ¡°¡­what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. As you expected, there was only Red Ash.¡± Why is that not a big deal? Even though the massacre of adventurers had begun, he was too carefree. ¡®¡­ No, am I the most carefree person who slept in the middle of this chaos?¡¯ Ruel expected that by the time the carriage reached its destination, Red Ash would appear and eliminate the adventurers. I would have called them by offering 10 gold coins with that in mind from the beginning. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Leo jumped in from outside the carriage. ¡ªThis body has gathered it all. Leo¡¯s tail moved gently, hoping for praise. What does that mean? Ruel¡¯s gaze automatically turned to Cassion. ¡°He said he would do anything, so I ordered him to collect shiny things.¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s lips went up. He rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach, who must have been collecting jewels. ¡®Okay, it¡¯s time to give you a sword. There are a lot of artisans in Prios, so I¡¯ll have to ask Ken for it.¡¯ ¡°The agent has been held. I¡¯m sure Hina is keeping him well.¡± ¡°What about the seals?¡± ¡°It has already been solved. He was better than I thought.¡± Bang! There was the sound of something exploding. The carriage shook for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s the magic that Aris tried. There¡¯s a wizard in the enemy, and we¡¯re dealing with him.¡± Ruel walked up to the tent hanging from the carriage. ¡°Did you kill the adventurers, too?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s better not to have a light mouth at all. They all died in the Masu Forest.¡± Ruel frowned slightly but said nothing. He looked at the magic bursting with colors as if embroidered in the sky and inhaled Breath. ¡®It¡¯s going to explode.¡¯ Chapter 50: A Noble Person (3) Chapter 50: A Noble Person (3) *** ¡°If you talk nonsense, you won¡¯t die beautifully.¡± Ruel red furiously at his agent. With the aura that broke through his mask, the agent bowed to the point where his head touched the carriage floor. Aris, who was sitting next to him, quietly drew his sword. ¡°Of course, of course. I, I¡¯m not going to do anything stupid and talk nonsense!¡± Mana¡¯s oath hung in the heart of the trembling agent. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have had to follow me.¡± Cassion red at the agent and opened his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s strange that you have no injuries.¡± A real patient joined the scheduled trade to act as a person injured from the attack. It was amazing. Cassion couldn¡¯t evenugh. As he approached the meeting ce, Ruel finally checked their story matched with his agent. ¡°How did you say you¡¯d introduce us?¡± ¡°Th-This is my escort!¡± ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°While killing the adventurer, I met soldiers on patrol and there was a big fight, and you were the only ones who survived.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°It took a long time because the soldiers were strong and they were forced to leave the corpses in the Masu Forest. They left no traces, so I have to tell them to be rest assured.¡± After everything, the agent looked into Ruel¡¯s eyes. The agent was Liberan¡¯s subordinate, but all he knew was that he had to deliver something to an organization. ¡°What about Liberan?¡± ¡°I have already reported that this is progressing as scheduled.¡± ¡°Yes, you should report regrly.¡± Ruelughed. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because Leo ate a lot of ck things or because the power of recovery grew again, but anyway, I felt healthier than before. Ruel reached out to Cassion. He familiarly handed Ruel a cookie wrapped in his hand. Crunch. ¡®As expected, you need to eat cookies to calm down.¡¯ After having the agent turn his head, Ruel gave one to Leo as well. Crunch. The carriage filled with the sound of cookies being chewed. If you catch them by their tails, find their base and destroy them, everything that gets in our way will disappear. We will now be able to enjoy a rich, peaceful and ordinary life. Ruel painted a happy future. *** ¡°¡­ So what about the thing?¡± The man asked from behind. A few words were spoken. He simply asked questions about things within the range that Ruel had anticipated and told the agent beforehand. The agent replied calmly, feeling Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°I brought it.¡± Ruel¡¯s group entered a restaurant in the neutral zone and waited for them toe. But it wasn¡¯t them who came, it was one guy. Cassion sat next to his agent and showed him the ruby-studded ne. ¡°I checked.¡± It sounded low. Cassion put his hand back and handed the ne. In the midst of hand-to-hand contact, Cassion left a trail for tracking. As soon as the item was handed over, the man stood up. When the man disappearedpletely, Cassion opened his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s gone.¡± Ruel smirked and sliced the meat. And he looked at the agent and checked. ¡°You know what to do, right?¡± ¡°Of, of course. I know.¡± ¡°Keep the evidence together while I go do other things, and don¡¯t get caught.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± ¡°Go.¡± The agent bowed to Ruel and ran away. As long as there was Mana¡¯s oath, the agent was in the palm of his hand anyway. ¡°Can you track where he went?¡± ¡°Yes, he was injured. He smelled like blood.¡± Cassion raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°He was injured?¡± Ruel¡¯s hand stopped. I fiddled with the fork at the unfamiliar fact. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s tracking him.¡± ¡°I feel the same way. I could see several mana as if he was enchanted with.¡± Hearing Cassion and Aris, Ruel lowered his hand and stroked Leo. ¡®There¡¯s someone else who knows Red Ash?¡¯ If so, we had to hurry. Ruel put the meat in his mouth in disappointment and held Leo in his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel rose from his seat. *** Cassion stopped and fiddled with the soil and smelled it. ¡®He rode from here.¡¯ He left the neutral zone and headed for the forest, and fled on a horse waiting for him. ¡®But you won¡¯t get out of my hands.¡¯ Cassion returned to Ruel and reported what he had found. ¡°What¡¯s the distance?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not far. I¡¯ll prepare a horse.¡± Cassion paused and looked at Ruel. ¡°Do you know how to ride it?¡± And then his eyes turned to Aris. ¡°I know how to ride.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°All right.¡± For a moment a sneer was drawn around Cassion¡¯s mouth. A nobleman who can¡¯t ride a horse. Horseback riding is one of the basic knowledge of the aristocracy. Cassion bought two horses and came back. For safety, Cassion and Ruel rode together, and Aris rode with Leo. ¡°I will teach you when the opportunity arises. There shouldn¡¯t be a rumor going around that the house lord can¡¯t even ride a horse.¡± ¡°¡­let¡¯s go.¡± Seeing that he was scolded for not being able to ride a horse, he seemed to have umted quite a lot of lessons. Ruel was broad-minded. But soon Ruel changed his mind. I didn¡¯t know that the horse was such a wobbly creature. Comparing Aris and his horse, he admired Cassion¡¯s riding skills. It was worth showing off his riding skills. Suddenly, Cassion stopped the horse. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°He stopped. It seems that he has been caught by the forces that are pursuing him. And¡­¡± He mumbled and looked to his left. Following him, everyone turned their heads into the woods. Aris pulled out his sword and got off his horse. ¡°There¡¯s someone.¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Cassion stopped Aris. He didn¡¯t sense any life from the other person. ¡°Oh, I was surprised. I can¡¯t believe someone recognizes me.¡± A man who looked like an idiot came walking with a sword in his hand. Cassion carefully dismounted Ruel and walked to the man. ¡°What¡¯s your goal?¡± ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you put down your swords for now? Can you tell when you see this?¡± The man rummaged through his body and pulled out a piece of paper. A pattern with 7 swords pierced towards the heart. When Ruel saw the pattern, he asked, ¡°Are you a prince?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not¡­ He has something to do. Come with me.¡± ¡°Which prince is it?¡± The man grinned and spread out three fingers. The youngest prince of Leponia, Banios Leponia. Why is he here? Banios Leponia in the novel was a prince without foundation or power. He couldn¡¯t think of the reason why he was entangled with the Red Ash, who¡¯s a secret organization. Ruel reached out to Cassion. ¡°Cane.¡± ¡°Here you go.¡± I had to be careful because my opponent was a prince. Banios Leponia, he was a terrible workaholic. *** Entering the forest, dozens of soldiers stood around a man. Banios, who has an elegant image that one can immediately tell that he is a prince at first sight, jumped up from his seat and waved his hand dly. ¡®Since when did we know each other?¡¯ Ruel approached Banios with a cane. He bowed as politely as he could. Cassion and Aris, who were standing behind Ruel at the same time, took the courtesy of greeting the royal family. ¡°I see your Highness. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t be polite because I wasn¡¯t feeling well.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡®You heard it? From whom?¡¯ As Ruel panicked, Banios grinned and said. ¡°Oh, the order is wrong. Sir Ganien Croft praised you so much.¡± ¡°Is Ganien with your highness?¡± No way. Ganien had to visit the second prince, who is now most likely to be the next king, not Banios. ¡°It¡¯s a face of surprise. That¡¯s understandable. I caught Sir Croft trying to visit you and made him my friend.¡± ¡°¡­ Did you lure him into a match?¡± No way, Ruel asked, unsure. ¡°Oh, how did you know? Haha, he was a great guy, he never gets tired after knocking down more than 100 of my soldiers.¡± Baniosughed cheerfully. He waved at the soldiers surrounding him. ¡°Leave until I call you.¡± ¡°We ept your orders!¡± The soldiers, who were closely disciplined, lined up as if they were one person and went deep into the forest. ¡°Now, it is easier to talk to you, Lord Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°How did you know me?¡± Banios opened his mouth, pointing to a t-looking stone. ¡°Sit down for now. You¡¯re not feeling well and I¡¯ve heard from Ganien enough to get a scab in my ear.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be rude, cough, cough!¡± Ruel¡¯s body bent with a cough that popped out while talking. ¡°It¡¯s an order.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± The prince told me to sit down, so I¡¯ll sit down. Ruel sat on a rock. It was worth living. I thought as I inhaled Breath. ¡®There¡¯s no other party between the prince and me.¡¯ If there was close surveince, Cassion would have noticed. I shrugged my shoulders when I nced at him. ¡®The servants in the mansion were brought in after thorough investigation. Oh, there is one person I haven¡¯t been with since I was a Lord.¡¯ Somehow I thought it was bold. Ruel took off his mask. What¡¯s the point of using it when he knows your identity anyway? ¡°You¡¯re sick.¡± The prince looked at Ruel¡¯s face and looked sorry for him. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That makes me hesitate a little.¡± ¡°How did you know?¡± Perhaps a cheeky question, but Banios didn¡¯t care much. As if reminiscing about the past while stroking his chin, the sound of ¡®sighing¡¯ came out of his mouth over and over again. ¡°It was nothing. It was just a casual coincidence. I went to see my brother and found him.¡± Ruel calmly waited for him to speak. ¡°A letter that maneuvered something with Carbena Setiria.¡± ¡°¡­ha.¡± Is it Carbena again? Ruel sighed automatically. There was no end to the waves, so I was annoyed. ¡°It was strange. You are the ruler of Setiria I know.¡± ¡°Ma must have been your agent.¡± ¡°An agent? I¡¯ve never heard of such news.¡± ¡°Someone seems to have covered the eyes of the royal family.¡± Banios was not particrly angry. We continued to talk. ¡°Until I see the letter.¡± Tap. Tap. Banios came closer to Ruel. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that either.¡± Then he nced at Cassion and Aris, who were standing far away, and asked. ¡°Are they trustworthy?¡± Ruel replied without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°All right, then¡­¡± Ruel shook his head from side to side, inhaling Breath. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going to ask me to do, but I¡¯m out of it.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t youe all the way here after chasing the Red Ash?¡± The corners of Banios¡¯ mouth went up. ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have stepped out.¡¯ It was no coincidence. Banios thoroughly waited here for himself and the man with the ruby-studded ne. Where did they find out? Ruel exhaled lightly. ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°What kind of deal did you make with Ganien?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a deal, it¡¯s a cooperation, and I¡¯ve decided to send one of my men to catch the rat hiding in the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± The words were a little strange. Ruel burst outughing. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re talking about me, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Today, for the first time, I met the third prince, Ha-ha.¡± ¡°I am not, um. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you in person, but I¡¯ve heard about you from time to time. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so familiar.¡± Banios talked about bullshit for a long time. ¡°So let¡¯s change the subject. Carbena Setiria¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just Carbena. Don¡¯t put with Setiria.¡± ¡°Excuse me, anyway, when I saw a letter from Carbena pretending to be the housekeeper, It was so weird that I did a separate investigation.¡± ¡°All of a sudden?¡± ¡°Okay, all of a sudden. Until then, I did not covet the throne, because I believed that my brother would lead this country brilliantly.¡± Banios¡¯ mouth drew an arc. It was as bitter as autumn. ¡°You know what Setiria is like. The gates of the country have been opened. You, the lord, were imprisoned.¡± ¡°You were wise. If you had saved me, I would have lost my neck.¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m d you don¡¯t me me.¡± Ruel had a calm look. There was a time when I thought people who barely managed to deal with a drugged Carbena were stupid. But it wasn¡¯t by any means. Five years ago it was really huge enough for them to just let it go. Ruel asked calmly. ¡°When did you start looking for it?¡± ¡°Three years ago. My strength was weak, so I only managed to break through the surveince and get here.¡± ¡°Have you taken care of the Second Prince¡¯s ears?¡± If the powerful second prince had dealt with Carbena, it was clear that he was keeping an eye on Setiria. Of course, that surveince has diminished over time. ¡°I got them.¡± Banios proudly said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep blocking Setiria¡¯s information.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should say thank you, honestly.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything to hear that, but I¡¯d rather ask you to do something.¡± ¡°Please tell me first.¡± Setiria was not yet fully rebuilt. But there was enough power to ovee royal pressure. There was nothing to lose. ¡°I want to be the king, so please support me.¡± Ruel immediately frowned. It was a sound that had to be. The prince met for the first time today, regardless of whether he has power or not. Can you believe in him? ¡°Let¡¯s think slowly about the request just now and solve the Red Ash that hid in the country first.¡± ¡°Setiria is not what it used to be.¡± ¡°But that role hasn¡¯t changed yet.¡± Banios was very aware of the role of Setiria. The gatekeeper of the Kingdom of Leponia. A ce that should never be weak. ¡°Give me the information you know.¡± ¡°Liberan.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°There is a ce in the Cyronian Kingdom that is believed to be their stronghold, so I brought in Sir Croft and cooperated with him.¡± Ruel grinned. As expected, the main character is caught in the middle of a huge incident. ¡°Good information. Please give me more detailster.¡± Hearing Ruel¡¯s brazen demand, Baniosughed. ¡°Oh, I got one, so I¡¯ll give you one. Cassion.¡± Cassion took the paper out of his pocket. It was precisely a copy of the paper taken from the ruby ne. ¡°It¡¯s from the guy you caught. I stole the confidential document he was trying to steal.¡± Ruel waved the paper in front of Banios¡¯eyes. He will be very surprised to see the contents. Chapter 51: Can you use magic? Chapter 51: Can you use magic? ¡°Confidential documents¡­?¡± Banios¡¯ eyes grew sharp. ¡°Yes, Leponia¡¯s vulnerability is written down, to be precise, an attack n. First of all, it¡¯s about me. After killing me, the is n to bring down Setiria and crush the royal family using the secret passageway.¡± ¡°¡­crazy.¡± Banios¡¯ teeth cracked. ¡°Who the hell!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I was going to chase after the man His Royal Highness caught, to find out where he was, and then I was going to beat Liberan. He knows something.¡± Ruelughed bitterly. The goal was him again. The beginning of the Red Ash was him, and the end was Leponia. Why is it that bad things always start with himself? Ruel was displeased with the fact that he seemed to take on unsolved homework. Ruel Setiria, the sick noble. Turns out I could see a spirit. Turns out I am able to control the monsters. Unlike the web novel, In which he was not mentioned at all because Ruel died, but it turns out that the living Ruel was very special. To the point where the enemy is so impatient to end him. In thetest episode he read, the atmosphere of the Kingdom of Leponia, Cyronian, and Kran was sharp as if war was about to break out at any moment. ¡®Maybe because of this confidential document.¡¯ The possibility is quite great. If there is a ce that is presumed to be the stronghold of Cyronian, many people must have colluded with the Red Ash. ¡®Is it the war that Red Ash wants? Or something else.¡¯ Ruel closed his eyes for a moment, inhaling Breath. ¡°Do you think that the ce where the second prince is located is also the base of Red Ash? I think so.¡± ¡°Pu ha ha ha.¡± At Ruel¡¯s sudden attack, Baniosughed as if he had seen something interesting. Ruel casually brought up the fact he had wanted to deny. ¡°Are you originally like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Please don¡¯t be offended by it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, what you think is correct. I covered my eyes, I covered my ears, because I thought the king¡¯s seat was not mine.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel turned his head and covered his mouth with his hands. ¡°At least you shouldn¡¯t have closed your ears.¡± ¡°I know, I regret it.¡± ¡°How much work did you do?¡± ¡°Khun, Prios, Lumina. Three families are on my side.¡± When he heard Prios and Lumina, Ruel smiled softly between his covered hands. The problem was the Kuhn family. A powerful family that has been protecting the royal family since long ago, they are in-charge of escorting the entire royal family. ¡°So you need Setiria.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t the importance of the guards of the kingdom and the guards of the royal family different?¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°What can I give to you, your highness, who has managed to find both ears and eyes?¡± Banios frowned slightly. It was because he felt that it was a statement that crossed the line. ¡°Lord Setiria, although¡­¡± ¡°My lord, my family is Setiria. Whether the wings are broken or both legs are broken, Setiria is Setiria.¡± Ruel, who spoke softly, showed greed like a merchant. ¡°I am also thest remaining Setiria. If you want to protect this country, I have to live. Isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Give me everything I want.¡± ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t covet the throne. I don¡¯t want to make Your Highness into a puppet. You can just feel that I¡¯m not yet an adult, and I¡¯m greedy, so I have to do everything in my power to survive.¡± After saying everything, Ruel smiled broadly. ¡°I think my existence is worth it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion sighed as if he were looking at the child who had an ident, and Aris clenched his fist at his confident appearance. Leo, who wanted to run to Ruel right away, pouted his mouth and tapped Aris¡¯s arm. ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far.¡± Banios managed to suppress his anger. ¡°You can be arrogant. But the difference between having one and having three is huge. What would you do?¡± The side that needed urgent help was Banios. It was for his own good, not for Ruel, that he blocked the information heading to Setiria. It was all for Banios himself that he investigated Setiria and chased the Red Ash. So Ruel was going to get everything he could use for himself. Banios wanted to contort his face, but then heughed out loud. ¡°Indeed, Sir Croft was right. You¡¯re a big shot.¡± ¡°Thank you for having a good impression of me.¡± ¡°So what do you want?¡± ¡°How about an oath that we can trust each other?¡± ¡°Anytime.¡± Ruel took another oath to his heart on the condition that they would not betray each other. ¡°Is this how trust was built?¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a small stepping stone. I don¡¯t know you, so it¡¯s normal to take precautions.¡± However, he trusted Ganien¡¯s eyes and made an oath. The main character¡¯s ability to choose people was amazing. Cassion, Aris, Jirie, etc. How many people are there already? ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Liberan. It¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°I know, I¡¯m too big to move.¡± T/N: He¡¯s saying about his position. ¡°Now, I want you to bite off the ears that you put in Setiria.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just listening. I don¡¯t mean to get bitten or bite you behind your back.¡± The determined voice irritated Ruel, but he stepped back gracefully. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Your Highness cared so much about your ears, so I¡¯d like to ask you a question. Is that okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why is the enemy after me?¡± ¡°Why do you ask if you know?¡± ¡°Let me ask you a question again. Why are they after me, not Setiria? If you¡¯ve been watching, I think you know the answer.¡± The goal of the Red Ash has always been himself. Even at the time of Carbena and during the raid. Always. ¡°You are the lord of Setiria.¡± ¡®Oh, it¡¯s frustrating.¡¯ You didn¡¯t get the gist of the question. Since Banios was in the position of the ruler, his thinking seemed a little different. The answer he wanted to get was Ruel¡¯s hidden use. It seemed he won¡¯t get the answer he wanted. ¡®I¡¯ll have to get myself buried in the library.¡¯ If I wanted to gain knowledge, books were the best. If it¡¯s your house library, you can learn about Setiria¡¯s history, so maybe there¡¯s something there. ¡°That¡¯s all for my questions. Thank you, Your Highness.¡± The conversation ended here. Ruel sighed a long sigh after inhaling Breath. ¡°It¡¯s not an apology, it¡¯s an alliance, so I¡¯ll give you a present.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to refuse?¡± ¡°It won¡¯t hurt even if I receive it. Give me a good one.¡± Banios chuckled andughed. He liked his boldness very much. ¡°I heard from Sir Croft that you¡¯re so weak, I¡¯ll send you a doctor and a pharmacist, and don¡¯t worry, It¡¯s not someone famous, but I guarantee their skills, so please stay healthy.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Take this first.¡± What Banios gave him was a ring. He already had a ring on his finger, so it didn¡¯t feel very good. At this rate, the rings seemed to take over all ten fingers. ¡°It¡¯s a dedicatedmunication device to contact me directly, so don¡¯t lose it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep my hands to myself.¡± Since it was an item given to him by a prince, it would be disrespectful to lose it. I thought I¡¯d ask Tyson to change it so that it could only be connected to his mana. ¡°I¡¯ll take that guy, and I¡¯ll send it to the location that is supposed to be the stronghold of Red Ash, so wait.¡± ¡°Yes, I hope you¡¯ll have good news.¡± As soon as the conversation was over, Banios turned and walked to the ce where his soldier disappeared. Ruel let out a long sigh. ¡®¡­ Ganien.¡¯ The main character definitely left, and I didn¡¯t know the prince would intervene. ¡®I thought I blocked the information well. If Setiria became bigger than it is now, all kinds of forces would be attracted.¡¯ Ruel rose from his seat. ¡°I¡¯m going back.¡± There was nothing more to do here because the prince took the guy with him. He needed to prepare before going to Liberan. ¡®Let¡¯s take a break before that.¡¯ Ruel wore his mask again. *** Before going back to the mansion, I found the head of the Wind Guild. ¡°¡­so, you want me to manipte the information?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not fabrication. It¡¯s true. Oh, just a few requests stuck in the warehouse.¡± A smile quickly bloomed on Flenn¡¯s face. The more hard and difficult requests were resolved, the greater the influence of the guild. In addition, Cassion¡¯s face is wrinkled. ¡°Didn¡¯t we stay in Setiria for a few days?¡± ¡°Yes, I stayed in the vige of Franna because of a request for protection.¡± ¡°Okay, then.¡± Now we¡¯re on the same page. ¡°We carried out the request steadily, and the client liked us very much.¡± ¡°He was very satisfied. If we keep going like this, it¡¯ll be our guild¡¯s starting push!¡± At the sound of saliva, Ruel put a cookie in Leo¡¯s mouth one by one. Han and his party have never been to Prios, nor had they ever shared a request from the merchant of Carpen. Ruel asked with a satisfied smile. ¡°Where is the resting ce here?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a shabby ce for you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± If only he couldy down. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Flenn got up from his seat and ran to the room. Before he came, Ruel saw Cassion and Aris. Cassion, who is already dissatisfied, and Aris, who shows enthusiasm, as if he¡¯s ready for anything. Their different looks made himugh. ¡°Do you know we need to be famous, Cassion?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know.¡± At that moment, Cassion frowned. Lying was not the work of a loyal butler. ¡°You¡¯re watching them from behind today. Aris and Leo will do it themselves.¡± ¡ªThis body, too? Leo pricked up his ears. ¡°Yeah, when I saw the two of you y together, it was a good match for Aris. If you¡¯re good, I¡¯ll go home and ask them to make you some ice cream.¡± ¡ªGood. I¡¯m willing to go. Contrary to speaking in a solemn voice, Leo¡¯s tail fluttered uncontrobly. It was very easy. No one is as easy to seduce as Leo. ¡°What do you think, Aris?¡± ¡°Just leave it to me.¡± ¡°Cassion, you choose the client, and if you think it¡¯s hard,e forward and help.¡± ¡°¡­ I see.¡± Cassion looked displeased, but failed to refuse. ¡°Sure.¡± Seeing Flenn return, Ruel rose from his seat. ¡°Take it.¡± Then he took the medicine and handkerchief that Cassion was giving him, and followed Flenn. ¡°I¡¯ll rest, so don¡¯t let anyonee.¡± Ruel left the words behind and went into the room led by Flenn. As soon as the door closed, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and vomited blood. Bright red blood. Ruel stumbled and just sank into ce. He went up again and covered his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ If he thought he was getting better, his condition would get worse and try to eat himself. It didn¡¯t seem like a disease. Should it be called a disease when symptoms appear and worsen unexpectedly like this? It was as if the disease had even malicious intent to kill him. ¡®What should I say about this¡­?¡¯ Ruel felt his fingertips tremble and closed his eyes. ¡®It¡¯s not magic.¡¯ If it was a series of ck magic, there was no way that Tyson wouldn¡¯t recognize it. Magic and other things. It¡¯s not obvious, but misfortune cane and kill the opponent. ¡®¡­a curse.¡¯ Ruel clenched his handkerchief. It was a concept that did not exist within the ¡®SSS-ss knight¡¯ novel. If there were, he would have thought about it sooner. ¡®Red Ash, you¡¯re the same.¡¯ The corners of his lips went up. That group was also non-existent in the web novel. I don¡¯t know if it was in the author¡¯s settings, but I couldn¡¯t have known myself as a reader. ¡®This is fun.¡¯ Maybe the group called Red Ash was the enemy of Ganien that the author wanted to portray, or it could be the group that came out because Ruel wasn¡¯t dead. Whatever it was, Ruel¡¯s illness urred five years ago. It coincided with the time when the Red Ash was approaching Carbena. ¡°¡­ Hina.¡± Blood flowed down again with the words. Ruel wiped the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief and said to Hina, who appeared at his call. ¡°Give me some water.¡± ¡°Here you are. The chief gave orders before he left.¡± Hina shook her head as Ruel tried to grab the cup. ¡°He even told me to feed you directly because you¡¯ll break the cup after throwing up blood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Hina was neither his butler nor his servant. So he was sorry. ¡°Can I just pat the spirit instead?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then you don¡¯t have to be sorry.¡± Hina helped Ruel, who couldn¡¯t even stand, into the bed. ¡°Chief, stop making me work.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath with his trembling hands. ¡°¡­ I have to say it right. Tell the chief to stop overworking you guys.¡± For a moment Hina¡¯s lips twitched. I knew you¡¯d want to hear that, too. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. He only asked this and thought well. ¡°Are you aware what a curse is?¡± ¡°Is there anyone you want to kill? If you ask, I will do it for you.¡± ¡°Then what do you think of a curse?¡± ¡°I know it¡¯s useless, but it¡¯s something you inflict to someone annoying enough to want to kill them, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes.¡± If the deputy guild leader brought it up like that, then a curse was just a simple word. ¡®It¡¯s no different from the novel.¡¯ With some unknown relief, I felt frustrated. ¡®Then what? This disease¡­ ¡® Ruel did not think much more and fell into a faint sleep. Hina retrieved the cup of water she had handed over. ¡°Put him to sleep.¡± Recalling Cassion¡¯sstmand, Hina stared at Ruel. She understood why he gave such an order in person. If I didn¡¯t put him to sleep, he would have endured the pain and ponder about something constantly. ¡®What makes you so anxious?¡¯ Aren¡¯t you the head of Setiria? It was a position where he could live his whole life without doing anything. It was strange. She didn¡¯t understand. But she liked it. Unlike other aristocrats, he enjoyed working even though he was tired. Hina smiled and quietly retreated into the darkness. Chapter 52: Can you use magic? (2) Chapter 52: Can you use magic? (2) *** Tweet. Tweet. At the sound of birds always heard in the mansion, Ruel opened his eyes. I looked around in a hurry and it was really the mansion. ¡®How long did I¡­ sleep?¡¯ I didn¡¯t have a clue. There was no Leo, and there was no Cassion. ¡®A day must have passed.¡¯ Considering the current strength of recovery, that was just the right amount. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Did you wake up?¡± Cassion emerged from the shadows. Maybe he was cooking, but he took off his usual suit top. ¡°How long did I sleep?¡± ¡°You slept for a day and a half.¡± Ruel was relieved for now. He had been unconscious for four days before, so he didn¡¯t feel sick enough to at least get there. ¡°Aris and Leo?¡± ¡°He¡¯s ying and training. He must have realized something since he went on the quest.¡± It¡¯s a good sign. Ruel drew an arc with the corners of his mouth. ¡°I heard you asked Hina about curses.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about curses? A curse that doesn¡¯t contain a mana is simply a word.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± I answered calmly, but I couldn¡¯t hide my disappointment easily. Cassion asked quietly, ¡°Are you having a hard time with your illness?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the same as usual, it¡¯s just that the Red Ash and the time I got sick ovepped. It made me think for a while.¡± ¡°Did you say it oveps?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? Originally I was healthy, but I had this disease five years ago.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of it before.¡± ¡°I heard it for the first time from my uncle, too.¡± Ruel put down his sped hands on his knees. ¡°Do you want to learn about curses? To be honest, you¡¯re not going to get much.¡± ¡°What do you think my illness is?¡± ¡°I think my personal opinion will only lead to confusion. The medical doctor and pharmacist sent by His Highness will arrive around 5pm today, so why not check it out with them then?¡± ¡°They¡¯reing so fast.¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. It would have taken some time even if Banios went back to the royal family first. ¡®Did you send it in advance because you knew I¡¯d ept your offer?¡¯ Whatever it was, Ruel decided to put aside his thoughts about his disease until they came. ¡°What about the Birds?¡± ¡°It can move now.¡± ¡°Then release the birds and dig behind Banios Leponia to see who the hidden ears are in Setiria.¡± ¡°Do you mind if I touch the royal family?¡± Banios must have expected that, too. It wasn¡¯t a problem to slightly nudge them ¡°And find out in advance who the doctor and pharmacist will being this time.¡± Cassion put a heat patch on Ruel¡¯s forehead as if hitting him since he gave a series of requests. ¡°Can you feel it?¡± ¡°I just put it on because you had a fever.¡± ¡°You¡¯re getting mischievous, Cassion?¡± ¡°The trick is good.¡± Following Ruel, who smiled broadly, Cassion also smiled brightly. ¡°When are you going to visit Liberan?¡± ¡°There¡¯s something you need to do before that.¡± ¡°Do I have to do this?¡± ¡°Yeah, I made a promise to the head of Prios, and I have to give him a present.¡± Like Setiria did, Prios needed a change. Since Ken, the owner of Prios, has been put on a leash, shouldn¡¯t we at least give him a chance to handle Prios as he wants? ¡°And one more thing.¡± He was now familiar that the demand continued to increase, even if he¡¯s saying that it was only one. Cassion waited patiently for the rest of his orders. ¡°I have a letter for Corrence Lumina and Serti Shio.¡± I¡¯d be sad if I didn¡¯t do anything for them. ¡°Paper.¡± ¡°Here you go.¡± Ruel wrote a letter to each of them. There was only one thing I was surprised about after bing Ruel Setiria. Ruel¡¯s handwriting is amazing. It must have been the calligraphy of Setiria. ¡®Woa.¡¯ It was his own handwriting, but it was amazingly beautiful. ¡°When will I have breakfast?¡± Ruel held out the letter and said. ¡°I¡¯m getting it ready.¡± ¡°Then call my uncle on your way.¡± ¡°All right.¡± As soon as Cassion left, Ruel recounted what Banios had said. ¡°I decided to send one of my people to catch the rat hiding in the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± Banios intended to send himself there. The power left by the rest of the heroy dormant there, so he was nning to go to the Kingdom of Cyronian someday. I didn¡¯t know that the opportunity woulde so soon. ¡®Liberan is the first. And¡­¡¯ Ruel stuck out his palm. The swaying thing soon turned into a sky blue mana. With the help of Aris, He learned to manipte Mana little by little, and the power of resistance grew to the point where Mana materialized. The dream of an archmage that had been thought to have flown away forever was returning. As the power of resistance grew, it was no longer a problem to use magic. ¡®Should I endure it and try poison?¡¯ How much will the power of resistance grow if you take poison? As Ruel took out the poison he still had and seriously pondered, a knock was heard on the door. Ruel said toe in, putting the poison in his pocket. ¡°Please have a seat.¡± Tyson stared at Ruel and opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ve be more resistant. ¡° ¡°I didn¡¯t know how strong my resistance had be, so I called my uncle.¡± ¡°Do you want me to find out if your resistance is enough to use magic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The short answer left Tyson speechless. He said he wanted to move, so he strengthened the magic item to move. Feeling like he¡¯s being threatened. But this time he says he wants to use magic. His heart felt like it was breaking. Tyson opened his mouth after a long time. ¡°Ruel, I¡­¡± But soon I saw Ruel again with my mouth shut. Those eyes, which showed no hesitation, were resentful today. ¡°I am afraid. You know how weak your body is. I broke you with this hand. But now, why would you destroy yourself with your own hands?¡± ¡°Uncle, when I walked without a cane, I realized how wide the world is.¡± ¡°I can help you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Therge tasks are for my uncle to help me with. But I don¡¯t want to borrow my uncle¡¯s hand for even the smallest of things.¡± Looking straight at the restless Tyson, Ruel asked again, ¡°Can I use magic?¡± Tyson¡¯s face is distorted. He wanted to break it even though he knew it was an unbreakable stubbornness. Ruel¡¯s potential was, frankly, no less than Aris. The problem is how frustrating it must be since his body is weak. ¡°Uncle.¡± Tyson clenched his fist at Ruel¡¯s urging. ¡°Give as much as you can for Mana. You have to give it until the limit.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Ruel stretched out his palm and made Mana appear. A mana with a sky blue color that resembles the symbol of lord also appeared. The sheep grewrger and is now more than enough to cover the palm of Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± Ruel scattered his Mana with a long breath. It was harder than I thought. ¡°What do you think? Be honest with me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible¡­you can do it.¡± Tyson spoke with great difficulty. It¡¯s so hard to say it¡¯s possible. Ruel smiled, unaware of Tyson¡¯s feelings. ¡°I¡¯d like to learn a few things.¡± There was a long sigh. Tyson hesitated again and again and took a bead out of his sleeve. ¡°Just because you know how to manipte mana and see it doesn¡¯t mean that everyone can use magic. There are attributes that suit you, and the fields you can use are different. Or you may not be chosen by any attribute.¡± ¡°Are you confirming that?¡± ¡°Yeah, by the way, Aris is a wizard who can handle all the attributes of what we call the four elements.¡± As expected, I picked it up well. Ruel smiled contentedly. He raised his hand on the bead, wondering what woulde out. Contrary to the expectation that colors such as red and yellow would pop out, a figure that a kindergarten child might have drawn came out. The box followed and suddenly appeared, and a hand came out of the shadow of the person in the picture, and lifted and lowered the box. That was the end of the video. So what? Ruel saw Tyson right away. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Tyson couldn¡¯t bring it up easily. He moved his lips with a look on his face, not knowing whether to cry or rejoice. ¡°It is dark. It is a very rare attribute.¡± ¡°ck magic?¡± ¡°ck magic has the color of darkness, but it is not darkness. The only thing you can do is cast shadows.¡± ¡°Why is the shadow dark?¡± I was disappointed because I imagined myself enjoying the force of the devil by wrapping around the ck things for a moment. ¡°Shadows are often ssified as another part of a person. And everything, living or dead, has a shadow, hence the name darkness.¡± Tyson smiled vaguely, not genuinely pleased or sorry. The smile made Ruel feel uneasy for no reason. ¡°Is it a useful attribute?¡± ¡°To be honest, we don¡¯t have the proper data yet because of the rarity. You can¡¯t call shadow nature, so it¡¯s usually different from magic.¡± ¡°It sounds like you can¡¯t teach me.¡± ¡°What I know is very shallow. But remember this. ¡®Darkness is not borrowing, but summoning.¡¯ It¡¯s a phrase that definitely goes into any thesis rted to the dark attribute.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Magic is usually borrowed from nature. Its scope does not deviate from nature¡¯s properties.¡± ¡°Well.¡± Ruel could not hide his frowning expression. It was difficult. Concepts and practice were different. No matter how many novels I read about using magic, I didn¡¯t have a clue because I couldn¡¯t really use them. ¡°I¡¯ll help you from the side, so don¡¯t worry.¡± The expression of regret on Tyson¡¯s face disappeared, and academic curiosity and interest were shown through the gap. So wizard-like. Chapter 53: Can you use magic? (3) Chapter 53: Can you use magic? (3) *** Liberan must have heard through his agent that the mission was sessful, so he could have a week at most. He gave Cassion a week, so can take care of his work. Ruel was nning to spend the week to the fullest without wasting any time. ¡°It¡¯s absolutely stable.¡± ¡­ Until he heard the stern word. Ruel, who was stroking Leo, stopped his hand and wrinkled his face. The medical doctor and pharmacist sent by Banios arrived on time. The two were sisters and were geniuses among those who graduated from the medical school and the pharmacy school, which were said to be difficult, and passed the royal medical and pharmacist exams with top marks. They introduced themselves as ¡­ The older sister Fran was a medical doctor and her younger sister Tierra was a pharmacist. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strong. Walking around in this state is like walking around with multiple knives on your body.¡± Perhaps the metaphor was so nice to hear, Cassion smiled and nodded satisfactorily. Ruel gave up his wrist and asked, ¡°What kind of disease is it?¡± ¡°This is not a disease.¡± ¡°If it¡¯s not a disease, what is it?¡± ¡°There is no disease pattern. It¡¯s very random. I¡¯m seeing this for the first time. But it is not a disease.¡± Ruel continued to listen to Fran without asking hastily. ¡°If you look at the shape one by one, you see dozens of different forms of diseases.¡± ¡°So it looks like dozens of diseases are clumped together?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, so it¡¯s not just a disease, but it¡¯s a very strange group of diseases. Tierra.¡± ¡°Yes, sister.¡± ¡°Give me a painkiller.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt now.¡± Fran frowned and red at Ruel. ¡°Don¡¯t lie, I know you¡¯re sick. If you¡¯re worried about the effects, you don¡¯t have to. Fran¡¯s medicine is excellent.¡± Ganien was described in the novel as a knight, but she has great skill as a medical doctor. But Fran was different. He felt that she was really outstanding from the start. Look at those bloody eyes. If he didn¡¯t rest, she had the power to tie him up immediately. Ruel nced at Cassion. He was so proud of her that he wanted to hug Fran at any moment. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine soon.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not okay. The lord¡¯s body condition is not good. I don¡¯t mind telling you this so many times.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cassion finally opened his mouth. Ruel inhaled Breath and asked the point. ¡°Is there a cure?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t give you a definite answer.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In a calm voice, Fran said angrily, ¡°But I will treat you. That¡¯s my role now.¡± ¡°I heard you volunteered.¡± ¡°Yes, I applied. Because my goal is to cure diseases that cannot be treated in this world. You are my first patient with an incurable disease.¡± From the very beginning, Ruel was pitiful for Fran, who met the boss, and received the medicine Tierra gave him. We¡¯ll see each other often from now on, so the rtionship can¡¯t go wrong from the beginning. Ruel, who took the medicine in front of Fran, raised the corner of his mouth. ¡°You¡¯ll be very upset with me. I¡¯m not very obedient.¡± He could hear Cassion sighing. ¡°The examination will be done before breakfast, lunch, and dinner every day. For now, I will only prescribe painkillers.¡± Fran rose from her seat and walked to Cassion. ¡°I heard he has allergies, too. Please give me a list.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring it to you in a minute. First, let me guide you through the room.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Fran took a step back and emphasized again when he looked at Ruel. ¡°Absolutely stable.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± I answered, but I never said I¡¯d follow. Ruel rxedly fiddled with Leo¡¯s stomach. Tierra took the medicine out of her bag. ¡°It¡¯s a drug that relieves anemia. You can eat this when you have a little pain, this is when the pain is strong, andstly, when it hurts to death.¡± The colors of the bottles were red, orange, yellow, and green in turn. ¡°If you have an allergic reaction after taking any of these medicines, please stop taking it and tell me right away.¡± Tierra smiled broadly. ¡°Are you dreaming big like Fran?¡± ¡°No, my dream has alreadye true. My dream was to be a pharmacist.¡± She lowered her head slightly. ¡°I apologize on behalf of my sister if her tone of voice was rude. She had no bad intentions.¡± ¡°I know, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Then rest peacefully, my lord.¡± Tierra bent down and followed them who had gone first. ¡ªRuel, are you okay now? Leo confirmed that they had gone and brought it up. ¡°I don¡¯t know, but it works.¡± The asional pain in my body went away. ¡°What about the ck ones?¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s the same. ¡°As long as it¡¯s bnced, it¡¯s fine.¡± Ruel closed his eyes, stroking Leo. ¡°The most basic of magic is to feel Mana. You can move Mana, make it appear, and at any moment you can get to know your own mana.¡± Recalling what Tyson said, I felt the mana spread evenly all over my body. Mana continued to spin along his bloodstream, just as blood was flowing. He thought about how to move this, and he changed the flow of mana as if drawing a circle in the air. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Ruel soon awoke to the throbbing pain. The ce where he moved mana has been hurting as if It had been cut by a knife. ¡®Let¡¯s not change the flow, let¡¯s just follow it.¡¯ He closed his eyes again and moved faster as Mana flowed. Let¡¯s speed up a bit so that it doesn¡¯t hurt. Like a chick following a mother bird, Mana followed his movements. How many times did he repeat it, until he felt like he saw a sky-blue mana in front of him. Ruel opened his eyes. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Leo made a fuss and pointed below his feet. His shadow dithered and appeared as much as his fingernails. Ha, it¡¯s so tiny that it¡¯s cute. ¡ªThis body is¡­ Huh? Isn¡¯t it Ruel? Ruel is here, and I feel Ruel here, too. ¡°My ma¡­¡± Ruel hurriedly covered his mouth. It was dangerous. He felt the sense of something breaking like that time, so he hurriedly lifted the magic. The hand covering his mouth trembled. He felt like crying and bleeding. He slowly took his hand off, calming down his stomach. ¡°¡­ Ha, ha.¡± Breathing heavily, he bit the Breath in his mouth. ¡®It was terrifying.¡¯ He forgot that his body was like ss and moved too much in excitement. ¡®Is this the end of the power of resistance?¡¯ It was a shame, but it moved the shadow anyway, whether it was a bean. Ruel himself was impressed by his adaptability, it was faster than expected. If his body is not like fragile ss, wouldn¡¯t an Archmage be born really soon? After resting for a while, Ruel repeatedly moved mana and moved the shadow up until the power of resistance could withstand. Tak. Leo suddenly clung to Ruel¡¯s arm. ¡ªThat¡¯s it for today. Ruel was at his limit and could not give an immediate answer. ¡ªDidn¡¯t you decide to y with this body? If the filth increases beyond this, the body must also be in bed all day long. Leo snapped his tail on the bed to express his dissatisfaction. ¡°What about Aris?¡± When he felt relieved, Ruel opened his mouth. Leo looked dimly at the window. ¡ªHe¡¯s got a hunch. I¡¯m so bored that I can¡¯t y with this body for a while. ¡°Hunch?¡± Leo tilted his head and soon saw the wall. ¡ªHe said something about the wall. This body doesn¡¯t know what it means. If the wall is blocked, you can pierce it. Like this! As Leo¡¯s tail stood tight, Ruel hurriedly grabbed his tail. ¡ªHick! ¡°Leo, you shouldn¡¯t break the wall recklessly. Especially if you break the wall in my room.¡± You never know how many people wille rushing in. ¡ªOh, I see! Ruel released Leo¡¯s tail and grabbed his cane. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± There was a slight taste of blood in his mouth. Before he went, he took the drug for anemia that Tierra gave him and left the room with Leo. Tak. The sound of a cane rang. Each of the servants in the hallway spoke with a worried look on their face. ¡°Where are you going? Are you going for a walk with Leo?¡± ¡°Can you move?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a ce for you to sit, so please take a break.¡± ¡°How about a cup of warm tea?¡± At this point, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but think about his appearance. ¡®¡­ Is myplexion so bad?¡¯ Ruel asked Leo quietly, still feeling the gaze that followed. ¡°How do I look today?¡± ¡ªRuel is always pale. But he looks blue today. Simply put, it was not good. For nearly two hours, the power of resistance was moved to its limit. In the meantime, he felt like he was breaking to pieces several times, so his face was not good. But he was fine. Tierra¡¯s medicine also worked well, and the power of recovery was quiet. ¡ªAre we ying hide-and-seek again today? Ruel nodded instead of answering. He had to train his body, not just magic. Only then could the power of resistance assigned to the bracelet from Ganien be transferred to magic. ¡ªGood! This body will catch Ruel as many times as possible. Ruel stopped abruptly. Looking back, the servants pretended to do something urgently. He wasn¡¯t a fool, and he couldn¡¯t let the sound of footsteps sneaking up from him a while ago any longer. ¡°I¡¯m really fine, so get back to work. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry, my lord!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Thank you for your concern. But shhh, you know that, right?¡± Ruel grinned. Some people woulde running scared if they knew what he was doing around. The servants nodded warmly at Ruel. Maybe he¡¯ll slip as he goes. The servants kept their eyes on Ruel until he disappeared from the hallway. No matter what anyone said, he was their precious owner. *** A weekter. ¡°Are you resting properly?¡± Fran checked Ruel¡¯s condition and looked at him suspiciously. ¡°Of course, of course.¡± He rested very well. The butler, Billo, took care of all the work, so he only had to do thest task, whether it was stamped, signed, or rejected after checking the documents. If the story of his marriage did not fit into the meeting, Minart would lead and handle barons well, so he could just watch them like a spectator. In between, I moved my shadow to the point where my resistance reached its limit, and I rested very well except for ying with Leo until I got sick of the soil. Cassion¡¯s deep sigh was heard asionally. I had never thought that I would get out of his sight just because I was covering the mouths of my servants. He must be watching and hearing everything. ¡°But why is your condition the same?¡± Fran¡¯s eyebrows curled inward. Ruel pretended not to know and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± Isn¡¯t it good to hear that the condition hasn¡¯t gotten worse? ¡°Lord.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°From today onwards, treatment will begin ording to the Lord¡¯s body. Originally, we were going to start when things got better, but if it goes on like this, things will get worse, so we¡¯ll start with a different date.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel answered calmly and immediately came up with something to do. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, but I have to go out for a while. Can you postpone it?¡± ¡°Are¡­you going out? Are you saying that you are going out with that body now? How do you think you¡¯ll get around in that state? I can¡¯t do it if it was me!¡± Fran¡¯s voice, which was rising gradually, eventually turned into a swearing. Ruel showed his displeasure. ¡°Fran, keep the line.¡± It was obvious through words and face that Fran was worried about him. Still, he was a lord before he was a patient. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I was too excited. Please forgive my rudeness.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll overlook this disrespect if you act ordingly from now on.¡± ¡°But I hope the Lord will also consider the condition. If the treatment is dyed, it will be difficult to control the disease.¡± With her head down, Fran¡¯s argument did not change. Ruel smoothed Leo¡¯s fur and gave her a light smile. ¡°I understand your concerns, but I can¡¯t yield either, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Fran was trying to argue back, but she shut up at Cassion¡¯s restraints. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of him, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°¡­ All right. So, let¡¯s take a sample first. Tierra.¡± As if he was going to get various samples, such as blood anyway, Tierra¡¯s bag was full of various items of unknown purpose. ¡°It will sting.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fran left the room only after drawing blood into several vials and discussing ¡®absolute stability¡¯ several times. ¡°She stayed up all night yesterday studying Ruel-nim¡¯s disease. Please understand.¡± Cassion kept an eye on her even after investigating Fran. If there is any contact with Banios. So far, no contact has been seen. Rather, as Cassion said, she was just immersed in curing his disease. ¡°I know.¡± Ruel responded with a bittersweet smile, and then smiled full of yfulness. ¡°Cassion, I¡¯ve given you plenty of time, so you should get a good result, right? What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°As instructed, I killed all the Barons of Prios except Liberan. Those who know that they are the next target are hiding in the mansion.¡± Ruelughed cheerfully. Cassion was given a week to terrorize and kill the Barons of Prios. They were attached to Liberan anyway, and if Ken wanted toe to power, they had to disappear. Because of Liberan, the situation in Prios was worse than in Setiria. It was infested with Bandits, and the people who lived there were leaving for othernds. Comints have reached their peak, so it won¡¯t be strange if anything happens. Ruel took advantage of the situation. ¡°So, what¡¯s Ken doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m following your orders. We¡¯re taking the soldiers first and using them to set up temporary Barons to deal with the situation.¡± Even if we fix it, it would be difficult to put theints to rest right away. It was up to Ken. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve decorated the traces well, right?¡± ¡°Of course. Killing the barons is as well decorated as the bandits.¡± It was difficult to move because there were too many rats around to visit Liberan right away. So he beat the rats first. To find the king of rats who have be alone. ¡°Did you call Astell?¡± ¡°She is already waiting at the door.¡± ¡°Bring her.¡± ¡ªDid Astell bring something delicious? Leo wagged his tail as Astell often made delicious snacks. ¡°No, it¡¯s a different business today.¡± Leo¡¯s tail soon stopped at Ruel¡¯s words. While stroking Leo¡¯s face, which showed disappointment, Ruel smiled at Astell, who came in with an innocent face. ¡°I see you, Lord.¡± ¡°I thought you were bold. You were the ear of the prince.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Astell bowed her head in a hurry. He was predicting that she was Banios¡¯ ear and after Cassion¡¯s investigation, it was confirmed. In addition to her, Banios¡¯ ears were spread evenly throughout each vige. ¡°It¡¯s all right, I¡¯m not going to kick you out.¡± Why don¡¯t you report something like that? I didn¡¯t want to give up the snacks and foods Astell made, and the special power she had. ¡°Report as you always do. I won¡¯t stop you.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Astell shut up. A look of guilt appeared on her face. She couldn¡¯t hide her feelings more than she thought. ¡°But I want you to tell me what you¡¯re going to report before you send it.¡± ¡°My lord, I am ashamed of myself.¡± ¡°No, it can be. You are the prince¡¯s ear. You had to get my attention, so you lied to me.¡± ¡°¡­my, my lord.¡± ¡°At that time, was it a lie that you wanted to feed me a delicious meat pie?¡± Astell, who was restless, turned her head from side to side and shouted, ¡°No! I mean it! My family itself inherited being spies from generation to generation, so I had no choice but to be an ear. But what I really like is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Ruel stopped talking. Astell, who was exining hard, bowed her head. Ruel smiled as he pressed Leo¡¯s face slightly, staring at him. ¡°I often heard that you looked very happy making food. Did you have fun?¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, it was a lot of fun.¡± Astell¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you will believe it, but I like this ce better than the Royal Family. If only I could¡­¡± Astell immediately bit her lip. The hem of her skirt was wrinkled. ¡°Then, can you be my person now?¡± It was better to know that Banios¡¯ ears in the mansion was Astell. She didn¡¯t want to go home like she just said. She will surelye over. Astell had to remain ostensibly the ear of Banios. Information should be delivered as it is now, but information that should not be reached by Banios¡¯ ears should be blocked. Astell looked at himself with a slightly dazed expression. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re not going to kick me out?¡± She asked herself and didn¡¯t understand. The ending of the ears are usually the worst. Just like how her own father and her mother did. She was prepared for it, and she set her feet on this mansion thinking that, but she was so scared. But he says he won¡¯t kick her out. Then he reached out his hand. ¡°¡­ Can I be¡­here too?¡± ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t throw away what I picked up.¡± Ruel, with a sour face, uttered casually what he could never say lightly. Astell¡¯s hand, holding the skirt, loosened. She enjoyed this ce a lot. She loved this ce where she could cook as much as she wanted. It was the first time she felt happiness. But she always felt uneasy. Because she was hiding, being an ear watching Ruel, who epted her. ¡°Thank you¡ª¡± Astell couldn¡¯t keep up. For a moment, she choked up with tears. Even though she knew she shouldn¡¯t cry, all the anxiety she had felt until now came crashing down like a wave and dripping from her eyes. ¡°¡­thank you for¡­your kindness.¡± ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to today¡¯s cooking.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll live up to your expectations.¡± Astell bowed several times before leaving the room. ¡°You have a big heart. Don¡¯t you call it stupid in other words?¡± Cassion frowned and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­woa, just leaving. Our loyal butler?¡± ¡°Why do you leave your ears alone?¡± ¡°Leave it out? Are you crazy?¡± Ruel looked at Cassion in bewilderment. Why would I leave them alone? They don¡¯t even have special abilities like Astell. ¡°Did you say that the prince lured the second prince¡¯s ear? What can¡¯t I do? Starting with Astell, I will have everything.¡± I will not change the system that is being maintained. If you change it, Banios will hide it more tightly than he does now. ¡°Tell Dion. Approach the prince¡¯s ears and make them change their mind within half a year.¡± Chapter 54: Invitation Chapter 54: Invitation The hearts of the ears did not turn overnight. It had to be looked at with an open heart. Even if you change your mind in at least half a year, it will be a huge loss. I¡¯ll leave the bird to the bird. Cassion smiled at that moment. ¡°I see. I¡¯ll tell Dion.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± I should have received a reply since I wrote a letter. I had written a letter to Serti Shio asking her to buy time, or to just prevent her father from joining hands with the second prince, and I wrote another letter to Corrence Lumina, warning him that the second prince was not the prince he supported. If I¡¯ve said this much, then the reply I should get in return is the answer I wanted. [I¡¯m going to risk my heart to stop him.] Serti¡¯s answer was clear¡­ [It¡¯ll be hard to get out of the way, but I will try to get out of the way as much as I can.] Corrence¡¯s answer was a bit vague. But he was under the oath of mana, so he¡¯ll act in moderation. Ruel handed the letter back to Cassion. ¡°I¡¯m leaving after eating. Get ready.¡± ¡°Yes, I will prepare.¡± ¡ªWhere are you going? Leo pricked up his ears. As soon as he was about to say he was going to kill a rat, Ruel fixed hisnguage. ¡°I have to meet someone.¡± ¡ªThis body will follow you. This body must protect Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± Leo smiled even at Ruel¡¯s grim answer. *** I said I didn¡¯t need a see-off because I wanted to go out quietly, but Cheynol, Tyson, and Drianna were standing in front of the main entrance of the castle. ¡°Aren¡¯t you all busy? I guess I gave you too little work to do.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether I was busy or free when you¡¯re on your way out. I¡¯m going to see you off as a representative of the Knights. I ask for your understanding.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the same for me. I¡¯m going to see you off as a representative of the Knights of Magic.¡± Drianna grinned, tailing Cheynol¡¯s words. ¡°What about uncle?¡± ¡°As an uncle, I¡¯ll see you off. You¡¯ve been out a lottely.¡± Even though I¡¯ve been quiet for a week. In bewilderment, Ruel looked at Tyson approaching him. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Call me when you¡¯re in danger. Whoever it is, your uncle will kill them.¡± Thest few words were said in a quiet whisper. However, the thorn in the words was so sharp that Ruel swallowed dry saliva without realizing it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this again, but don¡¯t overdo it.¡± Soon after, Tyson smiled kindly. At that smile, Ruel smiled as well. ¡°Yes, I won¡¯t overdo it.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s fine. I look forward to your kind cooperation, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± Aris bowed his head lightly. The boy, who had note out of his room in a while, visited Ruel¡¯s room today and spoke proudly. That he had passed the wall. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because he had passed the wall, but Aris had grown taller. ¡®I eat more than him though.¡¯ Ruel checked the appearance of Aris, who had be strong, and got into the carriage. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± When Aris got into the carriage, Ruel asked him the same question he had asked the day he first took Aris as an escort. ¡°I¡¯m not nervous.¡± The answer was different. The look in his eyes was different, too. There was a sense of strong conviction in his tone. ¡°This time, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m confident that I¡¯ll do better than ever.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel replied indifferently. If you don¡¯t feel anxious, that¡¯s fine. Aris opened his mouth before Ruel closed his eyes while smoothing Leo¡¯s fur. ¡°Ruel-nim, have you moved your Mana recently?¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°The amount of mana in you has increased.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡ªLately, Ruel has been doing something. He¡¯s been moving something resembling Ruel and vomited blood¡ª Ruel grabbed Leo¡¯s mouth because he was babbling. ¡°Leo, your mouth is too light.¡± ¡ªEup-eup! Leo struggled, but Ruel didn¡¯t intend to let go easily. ¡°I already know. Ruel-nim moves mana and casts shadows using magic.¡± Cassion said calmly. It was Aris who was surprised. ¡°Do you use¡­magic? Are you okay though? I was told your body would break doing so.¡± Aris was shocked when he heard that from Tyson. Does it make sense that a person bes broken? But Tyson was more serious than ever. Since there was no word to exactly express it, Aris could not understand even if it was exined using several different words. However, he was quite aware of what he meant when Ruel used more mana than his level of resistance. ¡°That¡¯s right, if you saw the situation yourself, you would only remember that word.¡± Cassion frowned slightly as if he remembered that day. ¡°I¡¯ll be careful, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Since that was the most unreliable phrase, Cassion and Aris hardened their expressions. It was a face that clearly knew what he was going to do. Ruel made a face andughed. ¡°You should take a good look at Ruel-nim, Aris. A newly learned sword is the most ignorant.¡± ¡°What?¡± At Cassion¡¯s obvious sarcastic remarks, Ruel stopped touching Leo. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that Ruel-nim is ignorant.¡± Cassion smiled. ¡°You¡¯re very bold.¡± ¡°How could I be?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best. Don¡¯t worry, Mr. Cassion.¡± Aris clenched his fist solemnly. ¡ªYou don¡¯t have to worry. This body will protect Ruel! He didn¡¯t know what was going on, but Leo said in a proud voice because he felt worried about Ruel. ¡°You guys seem to be having fun.¡± Ruel snorted at them and inhaled Breath. *** Liberan was currently in a state closer to living in seclusion. Therefore, it was very simple to meet. I¡¯ve alreadyid the groundwork. He had no choice but to take the bait. ¡°Tell him I¡¯m here for the debt.¡± Ruel coughed and spoke to the soldier guarding the doors. When I had met Ken, the lord of Prios, I had thrown an excuse. ¡°Remember this. You and I met today because I needed to borrow money from you.¡± Ken would have told Liberan the way they¡¯d discussed. Ruel inhaled Breath. Out of the barons of Prios, only Liberan remained. How anxious he must be. I couldn¡¯t get through those doors with words alone, so I showed the guard the text. ¡°Please wait a minute, my lord.¡± The soldier hurried into the mansion. ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait in the carriage.¡± Cassion pointed to the carriage. ¡°No, I¡¯ll wait here.¡± I came to visit the barons. Ruel did not wait in the carriage despite the cold winter weather. If Liberan hears of this, he may die of pleasure. It would have been announced that it was the bandits who killed the barons of Prios, but Liberan would not believe it. Who is the most suspicious person in this situation? ¡®Ken Prios.¡¯ Currently, Ruel was in a ce where he hade to borrow money from Ken and had been rebuked. Liberan is well aware of the financial situation because he tried to devour Setiria through ne. Liberan knows that ne has given Setiria drugs to make things worse. And Ruel himself came to Liberan. He was sure that this situation would be useful. A person who only knows how to stab others in the back could only think like that. Seeing Leo hanging onto the window, Ruel told Leo to wait. Liberan rushed out with the guard who had entered the mansion earlier. ¡®Wow, it¡¯s the big fish. Big fish.¡¯ He didn¡¯t even think that Liberan woulde out to see him, so the corners of Ruel¡¯s lips went up. ¡°I greet the Lord of Setiria. This humble man is called Liberan.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go inside first. I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time, and it¡¯s a little cold.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll take you. Pleasee this way.¡± *** Although it seemed as if he had not slept recently, judging by the bags under his eyes and his dry skin, Liberan smiling so brightly. So Ruel went along with him and smiled. For Liberan, who is so excited about how to use Ruel without knowing his ce, Ruel opened his mouth as soon as he entered the room. ¡°Hey.¡± Liberan¡¯s expression turned cold at the sudden words. Something was strange. Ruel¡¯s lips went up high looking at the expression that showed he wasn¡¯t sure what was going on. ¡°Have you been having fun? Letting the rats loose on other people¡¯snd and filling your stomach to your heart¡¯s content?¡± Liberan¡¯s eyes grew bigger. ¡°Feed it to him.¡± As soon as the order was given, Liberan was swallowing something before he knew it. He didn¡¯t even know what came and went. ¡°It¡¯s poison.¡± Ruel shook a bottle that appeared to be an antidote in his hand. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to rot in prison than to die? What you have to do is simple. Answer my question.¡± ¡°Please, please, spare me!¡± ¡°Incorrect.¡± Ruel walked leisurely and sat down. Without speaking, Aris pped the man in his face. p. A sharp sound resonated. ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship with the Red Ash?¡± Liberan didn¡¯t even feel pain when Ruel calmly asked. ¡°P, ne¡­¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s a fake report. He¡¯s no longer needed. Today¡¯s report is probably thest one. Come on, answer me. I have a little more time today.¡± Ruel coughed and smiled. The smile couldn¡¯t look any scarier. ¡°Answer.¡± After waiting three seconds, Aris¡¯ hand pped Liberan again. Liberan felt his ears go deaf and his body soon stumbled down. ¡°Argh!¡± Then suddenly a violent pain came. He shuddered and looked where the pain hade from. A sword was lodged in the back of his hand. The boy with an innocent face spoke out clearly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear him asking you to answer?¡± I will die. At the thought, Liberan moved his mouth in a hurry. ¡°They told me that the owner of Prios wasn¡¯t of direct blood line and they told me to have Prios. They supported me with money and people.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Because of the pain he felt for the first time, Liberan made a crying face and began to shed tears. ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted Prios. They appeared as if they were beings simr to god and made such demands of me.¡± ¡°In exchange for what?¡± For a moment, Liberan¡¯s tears stopped. Instead of answering, he looked at Ruel. Ruel inhaled Breath and asked nonchntly. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Th, they said you should die. They said that the great first step begins only when you die. I, I swear I don¡¯t know what that great first step is. I mean it. Trust me.¡± Liberan sobbed as he spoke. ¡°Who¡¯s the person above you?¡± ¡°There is no one. There really isn¡¯t. The only order I¡¯ve been given is to take over Prios. Really. Ta, taking over Setiria with drugs was a bted order!¡± ¡°Was it rted to my father¡¯s ident five years ago?¡± Gulp. Liberan began to tremble as if he had entered the winter sea. Ruel¡¯s impression was crumpled. Dion said the ident happened because the birds betrayed him. As expected, it wasn¡¯t just a matter of betrayal. ¡°Who else is involved?¡± ¡°I, I, I don¡¯t know. I was only in charge of the information leaked to the ears of Setiria. I don¡¯t know who else is involved because we never see each other!¡± ¡°Why did such an ordere?¡± ¡°I, I heard that the lord discovered the identity of the Red Ash. While he was evacuating you¡­¡± Liberan managed to catch his breath and spoke again. ¡°There¡­was an ident, and there were so many people watching that they were unable to deal with you.¡± ¡®That¡¯s when this disease came about.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. Liberan closed his eyes tightly at the same time. ¡°Do you know about the curse?¡± Liberan¡¯s shoulders flinched. ¡°I mean, I was actually very healthy. But five years ago, strangely, I got sick, a very bad disease.¡± Ruelughed lightly. ¡°Isn¡¯t the timing too good? I thought about it, and the only people who could make me like this was the Red Ash.¡± Bang! As Ruel hit the desk, he looked at Liberan coldly. ¡°Tell me what you know, Liberan!¡± ¡°Red Ash! The Red Ash did it!¡± Liberan¡¯s heavy breathing was heard after that sentence. He wept and looked at Ruel despairingly, looking at the sword stuck in his hand. ¡°But I, I didn¡¯t do it! I honestly don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a curse or not. Be, believe me! All I¡¯ve ever heard is¡­that the great first step begins once the lord is dead! Please, please believe me!¡± ¡°Who!¡± ¡°The one who kidnapped the Lord is P, ne! You must have seen them!¡± Ruel wrinkled his face. ne died today. The infection of the wound had grown worse and he died as a result. I came to feel upset. ¡°Would ne have reported to you?¡± ¡°They weren¡¯t my subordinate back then! It¡¯s true!¡± Ruel¡¯s long sigh was heard. What a pity for ne¡¯s death. ¡°Give me all the data on the Red Ash.¡± Even though I received the data through my agent, it wouldn¡¯t matter as much as the data Liberan kept. When Ruel looked at Aris, Aris took out his sword at once. Liberan hurried to his bed without any time to feel pain. After tapping something, a secret passage came out from under the bed. ¡°He-Here it is. All of them, but I¡¯m just at the end of the line. Honestly, I, I don¡¯t know if there is any data you want.¡± ¡°You take the lead first.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Liberan sped his bleeding hand and went down the stairs. He was followed by Cassion, Ruel, and Aris. ¡°Nobleman, nobleman! Yes, noble! I heard one of the nobles was working with the Red Ash! If he had nted a disease in the Lord, it must be him!¡± In order to live, Liberan spoke about things he wasn¡¯t even asked for. ¡®¡­a noble.¡¯ For now, Shio, Lumina, and Prios were excluded. I made them do the oath of heart, so I can ask them directly or make them talk. ¡®Are the remaining ones Kuhn and the Liobenez family?¡¯ Ruel went down the stairs one step at a time and was lost in thought. ¡°The Red Ash works for the great one. Honestly, I¡¯m not interested in that. All I wanted was power and money.¡± ¡°What do you mean by the great one?¡± When Ruel became interested, Liberan smiled broadly, oveing the pain. The more they knew you have a lot of information, the longer they¡¯ll keep you alive. But oh no. The more Liberan struggled, the more his life was close to its end in Ruel¡¯s eyes. ¡°They are who the Red Ash follows. The real name has never been revealed.¡± Something that I don¡¯t know came out again. Ruel slightly wrinkled his face. It was only after going down thest stairs that Ruel inhaled Breath. Liberan rushed deep inside and gathered the data in one ce. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to have much to earn.¡± Cassion opened his mouth and spoke in a low voice. ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no information I want.¡± I wanted to check whether the disease was a curse or not. But the answer I got in return was too vague. ¡°It must be useless data anyway, but it¡¯s like collecting evidence.¡± ¡°And we will take him away.¡± ¡°The leader of the bandits must be Liberan.¡± Liberan, who was collecting data excitedly, turned to the sound of his mention. ¡°I see. I will prepare it well.¡± Cassion smiled brightly once after a long time. Chapter 55: Invitation (2) Chapter 55: Invitation (2) *** Ken made a surprise visit to Liberan¡¯s mansion at the appointed time. Because Cassion formed the evidence, Ken proudly announced that Liberan was the one who killed the barons based on the evidence. ¡°Thank you, Lord. It¡¯s just a pity that I¡¯m so grateful that I can¡¯t express it all in words.¡± Ken bowed his head to Ruel. Tak. Laying down the teacup, Ruel smiled faintly. ¡°I just kept my promise. You can go now, and there¡¯s probably no one to disturb you.¡± Someone who felt that everything was a well-organized script couldin. But it was up to here that Ruel will be involved. The rest was something Ken had to pass over on his own. ¡°The grace I have received is so great. It¡¯s just not enough with words.¡± ¡°Then send some artisans to Setiria. Of course, keep it low and don¡¯t attract attention.¡± If the high-purity ore of Setiria was carved by the artisan¡¯s hands, the price would soar more than double. I could imagine Jirie liking it so much that he would run wild. ¡®I¡¯ll have a lot to lose.¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth to Ken, who still had an I¡¯mcking-expression. ¡°Deal it directly with Beto Merchant. The ore from Setiria is of very good quality, unlike other ces.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of the Beto Merchant. As you said, I heard that the ore is very popr now because the purity of the ore is high and has a good price.¡± ¡°Send the remaining adventurers as well.¡± Regardless of whether it was an adventurer or a merchant, Setiria had to attract more people than it does now. Because of the Carbena,merce lost its power, and the adventurers left. The workers also could not stand it and left for other territories. If there was one thing that Setiria, who had everything,cked, it was people. Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°If there are any remaining workers, send them. I¡¯ll pay you a fortune.¡± ¡°Yes, I will. Actually, there¡¯s nothing special about Prios. The only pride we have are the artisans.¡± Ruel listened to Ken as he put his mouth on the teacup. ¡°It is my personal wish, but I would like Prios to be closer to Setiria.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a nice wish.¡± Since Prios belonged to Ruel anyway, it was also beneficial to himself that Prios became bigger. To this, Ruel pointed to Ken¡¯s heart. ¡°But don¡¯t forget, the oath embedded in your heart.¡± Ken smiled brightly at those resolute words. ¡°Yes, of course. It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ruel-nim, that you brought me here, who was helpless.¡± ¡°All right, don¡¯t forget my kindness. I¡¯ll ask for it every now and then, so be prepared for it.¡± ¡°Pleasee anytime, anytime. I¡¯ll wee you even in barefoot.¡± His eyes full of trust toward him were a little burdensome, but that was enough. ¡°I hear Prios supports the Second Prince, is that true?¡± ¡°We will quit. It wasn¡¯t the will of Prios, but it was Liberan¡¯s will.¡± ¡°No, until I give you an order, please don¡¯t be so squeamish as you are now.¡± ¡°Prios will stand with Setiria.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± As Ruel coughed, Ken asked in a worried voice. ¡°Your health¡­ seems to be not as good as rumors are.¡± ¡°Never mind that. Let me know if anyone approaches you. Let me know everything if you hear the name Red Ash mentioned.¡± Ruel put down the tea cup and got up from his seat. Ken also got up in a hurry. ¡°Are you leaving already?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t hold you busy. Thanks for the tea.¡± Ttak. The sound of the cane resonated. Ruel stood in front of the door and paused for a moment. ¡°If you have a reliable escort, don¡¯t leave his side. Don¡¯t go out for a while even after this incident is over with.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± After Ken saw him off, Ruel went outside. ¡°Cassion, leave a few people behind. I don¡¯t know what kind of trick the Red Ash will do.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m more worried about Ruel-nim.¡± Aris opened his mouth with a stiff face. Ruel ruined the Red Ash¡¯s n again. It was the same for Ruel to have to worry about what would happen to him. ¡°Why me?¡± Ruel stared at Aris as he tried to get on the carriage. Only then did Aris admit that he had made a mistake and bowed his head. Ruel believed in Aris, but it was not appropriate for him to worry about Ruel. ¡°I made a mistake.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as he sat in the carriage, Ruel thought, stroking Leo who weed him. The head of the Red Ash is called the ¡®Great One.¡¯ The reason why they¡¯re aiming for me is for the ¡®Great First Step.¡¯ It is said that even nobles who were not barons joined the Red Ash, and it is said that the Red Ash was involved in the ident that Ruel¡¯s father suffered from, and that he also nted a disease in Ruel. ¡®My illness is¡­¡¯ It was iffy. The disease was artificially caused by the Red Ash. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s a curse or a disease. A long sigh escaped from Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do you feelplicated?¡± Cassion asked as he climbed into the carriage. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ruel finished answering and inhaled Breath. His mind feltplicated. What the great first step is, and who the great one is. These were never mentioned in the novel at all. That¡¯s why his mind feltplicated. ¡°Do you have a lot on your mind? I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll fall ill.¡± Aris looked worried at Ruel¡¯s frown. ¡ªThis body knows how to get rid of worries, so this body will tell you. Listen up, Ruel. Worrying happens because you¡¯re hungry¡­ Ruel grinned at a thought that suddenly came to mind during Leo¡¯s speech. ¡®In short, it means I¡¯m very important.¡¯ The fact that the Red Ash keeps trying to kill him means that his existence is that important. ¡®I¡¯m gonna have to talk to Banios.¡¯ Banios may say something simr to Liberan since he was also captured by the Red Ash. Then, how much will my value go up if I make him talk? ¡°Ruel-nim, what else are you nning?¡± ¡°I was thinking about how to get someone to talk¡­ Cough, cough.¡± I had a runny nose maybe because I was in a cold ce for a long time. Sniff. ¡°Let¡¯s go home.¡± Ruel said while taking the medicine that Cassion gave him. *** ¡°Hello, Lord.¡± As soon as they got home and got off the carriage, a well-groomed old gentleman greeted Ruel with respect. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°I apologize, I¡¯mte to introduce myself. My name is Hoswell, the butler of the third prince. On behalf of the prince, I came here with a royal letter for the Lord.¡± ¡°A letter?¡± ¡°Yes, this is a letter containing the hope that Ruel Setiria will be the representative of the delegation going to the Cyronian Kingdom. Of course, you can refuse. Either way, the choice is yours. First of all, please take this.¡± Cassion received the letter instead and handed it to Ruel. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel paused for a moment. I didn¡¯t think he would really try to make me go. I have said that I was weak and that I¡¯m not feeling well. His head was throbbing, and Ruel grabbed his head and frowned. He could feel the heat through his hands as if the fever had risen. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the prince know how weak I am?¡± Ruel¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t too polite. I didn¡¯t like it when he openly tried to make me work. ¡°With all due respect, rather than my master¡¯s will, this decision was made with the opinions of Ganien Croft, the representative of the delegation who came here for an alliance.¡± ¡®¡­ Ganien, you son of a bitch!¡¯ Ruel staggered for a moment as his blood pressure rose. ¡°Are you okay?¡± They spoke to Ruel almost at the same time. ¡°I just got dizzy for a second, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Sniff. Ruel breathed in through a runny nose and asked Hoswell a question. ¡°When is the date of departure?¡± ¡°You will be leaving from the pce in two weeks. Now then.¡± Hoswell bowed politely. ¡°Why are you so busy? Don¡¯t you have something to give me? I have something to give to His Highness as well.¡± Hoswell smiled softly. ¡°All I¡¯ve been told from His Highness is to tell you to take care of yourself until two weekster.¡± Ruel nodded lightly. ¡°Okay, tell your Highness not to worry.¡± ¡°Then, I shall take my leave.¡± With a simple greeting, Hoswell climbed on his horse he hade on. Ruel looked at him and soon looked at Cassion. He had a thought that Banios didn¡¯t just send his butler to deliver the letter. Cassion nodded instead of answering. Meaning, there was something else besides the letter. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Ttak. The cane rang cheerfully. ¡°When you look at his posture, he seems to have been a knight.¡± Cassion uttered in a low voice. ¡ª¡­Uh! With Leo¡¯s sudden exmation, Ruel hurriedly stopped walking and covered his mouth. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Something hot surged from inside. The stabbing pain began again, starting from his head and spreading to all over his body. Shivers. Ruel shivered. ¡°I¡¯ll support you. In the meantime, please cover yourself with this.¡± Cassion handed his handkerchief to Ruel. ¡ªIt¡¯s suddenly increased! I think it¡¯s because this body wasn¡¯t able to eat it! Leo had eaten some ck stuff in the carriage, if not much. ¡®¡­that¡¯s not enough. If the bnce is not maintained, the symptomse right away.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s paleplexion became whiter. ¡°Rather than supporting, I will cast to move.¡± Aris looked at Cassion without panicking. His condition had worsened, but fortunately, the strength of resistance remained the same. ¡°Move him carefully.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Chapter 56: Invitation (3) Chapter 56: Invitation (3) *** ¡°Lord!¡± Fran rushed in and opened the door. The smell of blood filled the room. ¡°¡­oh my god.¡± Tierra, who also eventually entered the room, covered her mouth. ¡°Close the door quickly, are you going to let everyone know about Ruel-nim¡¯s condition?¡± Cassion said in a grumpy tone. ¡°I apologize.¡± Tierra hastily closed the door. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to make a fuss.¡± Who the hell called Fran? Ruel shot a look at Cassion. ¡°What do you mean by a fuss? I hear you vomited blood. Blood, nothing else.¡± Unlike her bewildered face, Fran sat calmly and checked Ruel¡¯s condition. ¡°As always, they are only symptoms.¡± Thanks to the medicine Tierra gave him, the pain stopped. He was just lying in bed dizzy because he was vomiting blood. Compared to before, the recovery speed has definitely improved. ¡°Will you be careful next time? I don¡¯t want to worry the people here.¡± ¡°There was no rush. I will be careful next time.¡± Fran lowered her hand and opened her mouth. ¡°The condition is¡­ It¡¯s just like before the Lord left.¡± Fran¡¯s stiff expression softened a little. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. In fact, before Fran came, Leo ate ck things until his stomach was full. Perhaps Fran was surprised because of the smell of blood in the room. Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head. Amendable fellow. ¡°Do you have anything to say?¡± After the examination, ¨C when his condition was called ¡®absolutely stable¡¯ ¨C it was time to leave, but Fran sat with aining face. ¡°Did you feel the cold wind?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Fran grasped my hand at my bold answer. ¡°After you left, you came back with another disease.¡± She could not raise her voice and was seen holding back her anger. Ruel also held back hisughter. ¡°You have a cold. It¡¯s showing signs of getting worse, so I¡¯ll prescribe you some medicine.¡± No wonder I had a runny nose. Standing in front of Liberan¡¯s mansion seemed to be the cause of trouble. ¡°I will prepare for treatment starting tomorrow.¡± Fran said firmly. ¡°No, start the day after tomorrow. Get some sleep now. It¡¯s a pity to see you like this.¡± From looking at her face, I couldn¡¯t tell who the patient was or who the doctor was. ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯m more afraid that your condition will get worse any minute. You don¡¯t know how many times my heart dropped when I got here today.¡± ¡°¡­okay.¡± This time, Ruel willingly took back a step. She¡¯s trying so hard to cure him. ¡°You¡¯re not going to leave now?¡± ¡°I have to go out in two weeks.¡± ¡°Two weekster. All right. Take a good rest. You should take a good rest. Please, take a rest.¡± After saying it not once, but three times, I nodded because I felt like I would be in the wrong if I did otherwise. Fran¡¯s stiff face smiled. ¡°You must keep your word.¡± Emphasizing repeatedly, Fran went outside after she bowed. ¡°I¡¯lle backter. I¡¯ll be careful this time.¡± Tierra smiled at Cassion and followed Fran out. It was only after confirming that they went out that Ruel¡¯s long sigh was heard. ¡°Cassion, has it been once or twice I¡¯ve vomited blood?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a medical doctor. If the beast is stable after eating Ruel-nim¡¯s ck food, why are you trying to guess when there¡¯s a doctor?¡± ¡°Look at Fran¡¯s face. She looks like she¡¯s been up all night for a few days, so it¡¯s not a big deal to call her.¡± One corner of Cassion¡¯s mouth went up. And soon he began to speak like a man of spirit. ¡°Before that, how about checking Ruel-nim¡¯splexion first? You look like someone who is going to die soon.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right! Ruel¡¯s face is always white, but he¡¯s even whiter today. It¡¯s like flour. When Leo intervened, Ruel had nothing to say. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare a light dinner, so take a nap until then. I¡¯ll put the heat patch on beforehand.¡± ¡°¡­ Damn it.¡± Ruely in bed in a fit of annoyance. ¡°Do you hate being treated like a patient?¡± ¡°I know my body is like ss, but no, it¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel covered himself with a nket and closed his eyes. ¡®I am sensitive today.¡¯ He could have been annoyed because he missed a clue that was right in front of him to figure out the disease. Cassion quietly went out of the room. They were not even called by anyone, but the servants gathered and asked for the condition with their eyes. ¡°There is no need to make a fuss. Act as usual. Ruel-nim wants that.¡± The servants dispersed quickly after being relieved. ¡®Today¡¯s dish should reduce vegetables and increase meat.¡¯ Hoping at least much food would make him feel better, Cassion moved his feet. *** ¡°My lord, I have told Setiria.¡± At the voice of Hoswell, Banios spoke modestly. ¡°Come in.¡± Hoswell looked at Banios¡¯ desk full of books. Because of hisck of strength and power, he had no post in the royal family. Nevertheless, Banios was a man who made things on his own. Recently, his skin has be dry because he has been very concerned about the alliance with the Cyronian Kingdom. ¡°How was it?¡± Banios asked in anticipation. ¡°As Sir Croft said, he¡¯s not in good condition. I¡¯m worried about going all the way to the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t fool your eyes.¡± Banios himself was ordinary except for his position as a prince. Therefore, he instructed Hoswell to go directly to check his condition because he could¡¯ve been deceived. When it was confirmed that he was really sick, Banios smiled embarrassingly. ¡°I¡¯m kind of sorry.¡± ¡°It was Sir Croft who pointed it out himself, not Your Highness. There¡¯s no reason for your Highness to me yourself because the only person he can trust here is the lord of Setiria.¡± ¡°I could have stopped him, but it is true that I didn¡¯t.¡± The moment Ganien mentioned the name ¡®Ruel Setiria¡¯ in front of the king, a heavy silence fell. Without the word Setiria behind the name, the silence would havested for quite some time. Subsequently, the ministers became engulfed in dissatisfaction and protested. Who doesn¡¯t know that Setiria is copsing and that its owner is ill? Still, Ganien did not budge. ¡°It seems like the lord of Setiria doesn¡¯t like the noise. I¡¯m afraid he¡¯ll get angry.¡± ¡°He was already angry when I handed over the letter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my mistake, so shouldn¡¯t I give him a gift? A way to get rid of the interest in Setiria and to quell dissatisfaction.¡± I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s up to, but Baniosughed very pleasantly. ¡°Your Highness, for now, wouldn¡¯t it be more important to protect the lord of Setiria than that?¡± Through the Red Ash he had caught, he heard that what they were aiming for was Ruel¡¯s life. ¡°That¡¯s important, too.¡± It is said that the great first step begins only when Ruel dies. The moment he learned that Red Ash was targeting Ruel, the fight became very clear. Protect Ruel or not. That was the key to the oue. ¡®The dice has already been cast.¡¯ It is almost certain that Ruel will go to the Cyronian Kingdom. I couldn¡¯t get bitten now. Banios kicked his tongue. *** Ruel endured trying to crumple the letter from the royal family. No matter how many times I read it, it was like a hell gate to my suffering. How long will it take for me to get to the Cyronian Kingdom? ¡®I¡¯ll have to go for more than a week, right? I was thinking of going¡­ Damn it.¡¯ At least not now. Can my body bear it? That was my biggest concern. ¡ªAre you full? This body will eat for you. Leo spoke brightly as Ruel¡¯s hand stopped and didn¡¯t move. ¡°No, I¡¯m going to eat it.¡± Restraining Leo¡¯s short front paws, Ruel put the sliced ??meat into his mouth. As soon as anything went into his mouth, his body seemed to spring up with vitality. The materials Banios sent were not much different from those obtained from Liberan. The data from Liberan¡¯s house was just evidence, nothing more. ¡ªDo you have no appetite? Although he was paying more attention than usual, Ruel was chewing instead of eating. ¡°No, I have a lot on my mind. It¡¯s more delicious than usual.¡± Ruel tried to smile. It felt bad to be stared at without knowing the reason, but that was just my thought. For now, there was no answer. I had to eat so that my body could hold out. It¡¯s not toote to find out then because Red Ash will be after me again anyway. What I have to do is to maintain the bnce of my illness. That was the highest priority. A way to live, number six. Keep your bnce. Unlike other methods, it was a way to keep the disease as it is until it disappeared. Ruel inhaled Breath and then exhaled deeply. He poured all his irritation and anxiety into it. And soon he grabbed a fork and put the chewy meat into his mouth. Leo looked at him with bright eyes, and Ruel opened his mouth in a pleasant way. ¡°It¡¯s so delicious.¡± *** Two weeks was both fast and slow. Ruel moved diligently, considering the time he was in Cyronian. ¡°Uncle, is there any progress on the warp devices?¡± After looking at the starlight that Tyson makes for a long time, Ruel opened his mouth. Only then did Tyson look at Ruel, startled by his question. ¡°Ruel, is it okay if you walk around like this?¡± ¡°Both legs are fine.¡± ¡°I¡¯m always worried. I hope the new doctor will treat you well.¡± ¡°I¡¯m justing back from treatment.¡± The medicine that Fran made all night long was administered today. ¡°You mean this quickly? Are you okay?¡± Tyson¡¯s anxiety was understood. Without the power of recovery, I would have felt so uneasy. Since the medicine was administered earlier than expected, Fran reiterated that he should call her if any abnormal symptoms ur at any time. Her treatment was to kill his disease, which was mixed with several diseases, one by one. Of course, it took a very long time even if the medicine was administered quickly. ¡°Is there any progress?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Tyson soon smiled broadly. ¡°Space transfer magic is a very unstable magic. It took the most time to hold on to it. Look at this.¡± He brought a device that looks like a block as big as a finger and left it at a certain distance. When Tyson started the device, it was as big as a fist, but there was a warp. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°First of all, I seeded in holding it. We¡¯ll have to grow this size.¡± Soon he made a fire out of his hand and aimed it toward the warp. The mes gradually went out as they repeatedly moved from warp to warp. ¡°Congrattions, Uncle. And thank you for listening to my unreasonable request.¡± ¡°It¡¯s crazy. If you wish, you can secretly put warp devices among the royal family.¡± He could feel that it was from the bottom of his heart, so Ruel justughed. ¡®All I have to do is wait for my uncle.¡¯ Ruel left the basement and headed to the training ground. ¡°Are they the ones who passed the test today?¡± Ruel saw the new chicks who were just bing knights standing in front of him. As soon as they made eye contact with them, they immediately showed their tense expression. ¡°Yes, by gathering the reserve knights, these are those who have passed the benchmark through various test formats such as the tournament format and the actual battle format.¡± Cheynol was proud of them. To prevent the same thing as before from happening again, the reference point was raised not to bepared to the past. Nevertheless, quite a few people passed. Aris was among them. Ruel smiled at Aris with a smile of satisfaction. Aris was a wizard, not a swordsman. No matter how much you train your body, there must have been one or two disadvantages. Cheynol pressed his stomach and shouted, ¡°On behalf of the reserve knight, Aris, who passed the exam as the top of the ss, wille forward!¡± Ruel was surprised to hear the name. ¡®Aris? He¡¯s a wizard.¡¯ Because of Cheynol¡¯s nature, Aris is his escort, so he would not have given extra points or treated him specially. ¡ªWow, was Aris the best?? It was worth letting him y with my body. Leo, who was on his shoulder to see what was the fun, waved his tail. Ruel attached the badge of the Knights delivered by Cassion to Aris¡¯ chest. Aris looked at himself with a look of anticipation. ¡°Good job, Aris. It¡¯s amazing that you passed the senior year!¡± Aris smiled proudly. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to Ruel-nim. I¡¯m not just saying this, it¡¯s true. I had a lot of teachers, but the best teacher among them is Ruel.¡± Ruel looked puzzled. ¡°Didn¡¯t you teach me more than any other book? Ruel-nim taught me all about anger, shame, pride in protecting, and trust.¡± It wasn¡¯t just to please himself. Every word was filled with sincerity and it was embarrassing. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you that I was able toe here.¡± With a bright smile, Ruel reached out his hand. Aris was embarrassed, but Ruel still had his hand out. Reluctantly, Aris held hands. ¡°I look forward to your continued support, Sir Aris.¡± ¡°Yes! I¡¯ll protect you from now on!¡± After Aris, Ruel wore a badge on all the reserve knights and shook hands with them one by one. There were some people who shed tears because of the handshake. ¡°¡­ Ha.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and let out a long sigh. After meeting the Knights, I visited the Knights of Magic. They also have reserve magicians who have not yet been tested. After that, he held a meeting to check the situation of each vige and whether they needed anything, and the marriage issue was mentioned again, so he pretended to be sick and came out. ¡®I¡¯m tired.¡¯ When he was lying on the bed to close his eyes for a moment, Cassion opened his mouth. ¡°Jirie is here.¡± ¡°¡­already?¡± I¡¯m sure Jirie promised toe today, but I didn¡¯t expect it to be that time already. Ruel rose from his seat, leading a heavy body. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ruel-nim who has a tight schedule.¡± Holding Ruel¡¯s chest, Cassion opened his mouth at Ruel, who frowned. ¡ªAre you all right? Leo patted Ruel on the head. ¡°I definitely stopped you.¡± When Cassion handed over the medicine, Ruel took it. ¡°¡­ I know.¡± I purposely made a tight schedule. For the rest of his time, I wanted to focus on exercising and moving shadows. In addition, dealing with the big problems earlier made the future easier. Ruel limped off to the sofa. It seemed more tiring to walk around the mansion than to ride in a carriage. ¡®There were a few papers I had to deal with after I met Jirie.¡¯ Even if most of them stop at the Billo line, the important thing is that it went through your own hands. It¡¯s been over a week since ne disappeared, so it¡¯s time to report back. The meeting with the barons also confirmed that the overall crime rate in the vige has risen a little. ne seemed to be in brief chaos that came with the loss of the central point. ¡®I need to see the guy next to ne.¡¯ Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Jirie.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bring the tea.¡± Cassion went outside. ¡°I see you, Lord. Have you been well?¡± ¡°You look very good.¡± Jirie seemed to have gained more weight than before. You¡¯ve gained as much weight as the antenna of an ant. ¡°Thanks to the Lord, I¡¯m flying around these days.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t havee empty-handed.¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll like it, but I prepared a little bit.¡± Chapter 57: When I open my eyes, the royal palace Chapter 57: When I open my eyes, the royal pce What Jirie took out of his pocket was something wrapped in a white cloth, a luxurious box, and a cor. ¡°A good sword came out so I bought one. And this.¡± Jirie opened the box. There were several bottles inside, each containing yellow powder. ¡°I tried to prepare only the best medicines that the Lord can take.¡± He then turned his eyes to Leo, who was lying on the bed. ¡°These days I hear you have a fox. How about putting on a leash?¡± When I saw the shimmer around the jewel, I knew it wasn¡¯t a regr ne. Ruel looked at the presents with satisfaction. ¡°I¡¯ll take the presents.¡± ¡°Yes, of course they¡¯re gifts.¡± ¡°Why did you ask me to see you today?¡± ¡°I havee to borrow the power of the Lord.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°As you can see, the demand for ore is very high. But to keep up with that demand¡­¡± ¡°If you¡¯re talking about workers, they¡¯ll arrive tonight or tomorrow.¡± ¡°¡­ huh?¡± Jirie showed embarrassment. The conclusion was reached before he could bring up anything. In a very good way, too. ¡°I wondered if there would be any dissatisfaction with simply selling ore, so the artisans will arrive around that time, so let¡¯s try selling ore crafted items as well.¡± Jirie¡¯s eyes widened at what followed next. ¡°Let¡¯s try to expand the scope of the deal to Shio and Lumina. Is there anything else you want?¡± ¡°Ru, Ruel-nim?¡± Ruel smiled haughtily. Business needs to be expanded so that there will be more to gain. ¡°Well, there seems to be a lot I can give you, so I¡¯ll make a suggestion.¡± ¡°Please say anything!¡± What more could you want than for workers and artisans to expand in their fields? ¡°I want to put my birds on your peddler, and of course, I want to expand my range of hearing, not just keep an eye on you.¡± ¡°Okay, can we take action from today?¡± I thought Jirie would be a little hesitant. So I threw a lot of things in front. ¡®If I knew this would happen, I¡¯d save my words a little. Though, that doesn¡¯t mean I gave you everything.¡¯ Ruelforted the regret internally. ¡°The sooner, the better. When Cassiones, I¡¯ll call my birds¡¯ heads.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting at any time.¡± From Flenn to Jirie. Once they tasted the money, they had a tendency to wag their tails. They both had a leash, so I left the rest to themselves with confidence. ¡°I heard that you are going to the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± ¡°I see news spread fast.¡± ¡°Is it okay for you to travel such a long distance?¡± ¡°If I refuse, there will be many disadvantages waiting for me whening back.¡± ¡°Yes, there will be a lot of disadvantages. But apart from that, I¡¯m very worried. Whatever decision you make, I will help you unconditionally.¡± Jirie expressed his feelings as a person who was indebted to Ruel. After inhaling Breath, Ruelughed lightly. ¡°Has your ttery skills grown?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not here to make a deal, so I¡¯m not here to talk about my intentions or to win your heart. And I always show you the results.¡± Ruelughed really loudly at Jirie¡¯sst sentence. ¡°If you have any inconveniences or improvements when leaving, please let me know at any time. Whether it be by carriage or horse, I¡¯ll get you as much as I can. Of course, I¡¯m going to give them to you as a gift.¡± When Jirie, ¨C who became a merchant to win Ruel¡¯s heart ¨C basically said he was not doing business by giving them to Ruel as gifts, it was so funny that Ruel hit his knee. Knock. Cassion came inside after a light knock. ¡°Cassion, call Dion.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± After dropping off the tea, Cassion went outside. And soon there was a knock on the door again. It was time to take a couple of mouthfuls while the tea was still hot. Jirie couldn¡¯t ask, but looked at the door with a surprised look. ¡°Did you call, Lord?¡± Dion looked morefortable than before. It was worth training with the Knights. The first mission was sessful, and the second mission, Banios¡¯ ears, was in progress. So Ruel took a little pause before he opened his mouth. ¡°You¡¯re already on a mission, but do you mind if you take on another? This mission is a long-term one, too.¡± ¡°Please give us any order, our birds have already given their lives to the Lord.¡± Dion said without hesitation. It was a very desirable attitude. Ruel said with a smile. ¡°Join the merchant of Beto and collect all the rumors of Red Ash. The merchant owner of Beto here, Jirie, will help you.¡± ¡°I will take measures in advance, so you cane at any time with confidence.¡± Jirie spoke to Dion, and soon rose to his seat and bowed to Ruel. ¡°Then, Ruel-nim, I¡¯ll take my leave now. You don¡¯t look as good as before.¡± My condition did not worsen. I was just tired. ¡°I¡¯ll leave, too. I¡¯ll discuss the details with Jirie-nim.¡± ¡°Good work.¡± Ruel calmly saw the two off, and thenid down on the bed with a heavy body. ¡ªI will drink the tea. ¡°No, it was delicious. Give it to me.¡± Ruel stroked Leo with his eyes closed. There was a refreshing taste of apple in my mouth. Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he sniffed. The sweet and sour scent was smelt. ¡ªThis body wants to try it, too. ¡°It¡¯s hot.¡± ¡ªIt doesn¡¯t matter to this body. Ruel saw Cassion through his half-opened eyes. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for Fran toe. If you want to drink tea, you¡¯d better drink it quickly.¡± As Cassion spoke, Ruel nced at an object wrapped in a white cloth on the table. Take medication three times a day. I took one in the morning, so this would be the second time. ¡°Oh, no. I¡¯ll give you half of mine.¡± ¡ªOkay! Leo smiled with his eyes and wagged his tail. It was cool enough to drink, so Ruel gave Leo half a cup of tea. Meanwhile, Fran came. The new drug was administered only after the condition was checked and there were no seque. After taking the medicine and lying down for about half an hour, Ruel got out of bed and sat down at his desk. Sweeping the snacks into his mouth with one hand, he checked the documents with the other, signing them. I had a simple lunch. After that, I thought I could close my eyes for a while, but before I knew it, I was lying on my desk and drooling. ¡°What time is it?¡± Ruel looked for Cassion in surprise. Leo woke up and stretched. ¡°You slept for about two hours, so it¡¯s 6:24 p.m. I¡¯ll be getting ready for dinner.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since you¡¯ve been out of breath, so I just let you be. Isn¡¯t it okay to put it off forter?¡± All that came to me were big events. They were only the things that needed my permission or that I needed to know. For example, events such as an appeal that a dam copsed and arge-scalebor is needed, announcing that the deployment of soldiers has changed, or a budget problem, have been posted. Ruel inhaled Breath. He frowned at his long signature. ¡°No, there¡¯s no end to it, there are more documentsing in tomorrow.¡± When there were no documents, there were none, and when they were pushed back forter, more rushed in like waves. Billo took care of this when he went out, but now that Ruel was in the mansion, he couldn¡¯t leave it to him. ¡°Is everything alright? Do you feel dizzy or nauseous?¡± Cassion was holding a notebook before he knew it. ¡°What do you think, Leo?¡± What Leo saw was more urate than what he felt. Leo stared at Ruel repeatedly, going left and right. ¡ªThis body¡¯s legs seem to have shrunk. Leo¡¯s legs were short. Cassion felt it was wrong of him to ask. ¡°The heaviness seems to have disappeared. Anyway, there are no aftereffects.¡± ¡°All right, for now. I¡¯ll go prepare dinner. Please take your time before then.¡± Cassion looked at Ruel with observing eyes, bowed his head, and walked to the door. Grasping the handle, Cassion let out a long sigh. He knew why Ruel was trying to get things done quickly, but he tried to pretend he didn¡¯t know. But he also did not know the proper line to cross or not to cross. I can give you some advice. Cassion looked at the door and said, ¡°Since there¡¯s a long way to go, please refrain from moving mana as much as possible, and refrain from sneaking out and running around.¡± ¡°Look.¡± As expected, a sour answer came back. Cassion tried to say it one more time. If you had listened to me, you¡¯d be in bed, and not on the desk. ¡°Cassion, take that before you go.¡± Ruel pointed to the sword wrapped in white cloth. For a moment, the corners of Cassion¡¯s mouth twitched. It was his, too. He changed his gloves and carefully opened the white cloth. A bright smile spread across his face. ¡°Thank you, Ruel-nim.¡± He tries to be strong even with that sick body, so as a butler, shouldn¡¯t Cassion close his eyes once even though he knew everything? Certainly, Ruel is bigger than before. He was getting taller. At this rate, I might have to call the tailor again to refit his clothes. Cassion went outside with a happy face. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo, who couldn¡¯t ovee the boredom, called him when Ruel repeatedly looked at the documents and signed them without a word. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªYou don¡¯t know how to rest? Ruel stopped moving his hand and looked at Leo with a look of absurdity. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡ªWhy don¡¯t you take a rest when people around you nag so much? It¡¯s like you don¡¯t know how to rest. Leo smiled broadly as if he was proud of what he said. ¡°I can¡¯t rest.¡± ¡ªShouldn¡¯t you just go to bed now? This body will teach you! ¡°I can¡¯t rest.¡± Leo tilted his head as he ran to the bed. Ruel started moving his hands again. ¡°I¡¯m like a moving cog in the middle. If I rest, the rest all stops. That¡¯s why I have to work hard.¡± ¡ªThen why is everyone telling Ruel to rest? Is it a big deal for Ruel to stop and take a break? ¡°It¡¯s because they care about me. I know. I also just want to close my eyes and rest.¡± ¡ªDo you want to? Ruel¡¯s hand stopped again. ¡°I¡¯m not ready for that yet, that¡¯s why I¡¯m moving. And resting won¡¯t cure me.¡± If he had rested and gotten better, he would have been in bed instead of being at the desk. It¡¯s tough all around. Resting didn¡¯t mean that I didn¡¯t vomit blood or that I didn¡¯t feel pain. It just took a little fever, and it took a little while before losing consciousness. ¡ªIs Ruel happy? ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡ªIsn¡¯t Ruel moving for everyone? So is Ruel happy? It was a very abstract question. Seeing Leo¡¯s innocent eyes looking for answers, it was an unavoidable question. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and thought. The memory of repeated vomiting and copsing was vividly depicted in my head. ¡®Should I say this is good?¡¯ Leo walked up and looked at him with sparkling eyes. He didn¡¯t know what to expect, but Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± You can think of it as working overtime. There is no monthly tax, and you don¡¯t have to be swayed by rtionships. I eat the food I want to eat, my house is spacious, and there are many people to work for. Well, wouldn¡¯t this be enough to make you happy? ¡ªThis body is happy to meet Ruel, too. I¡¯m always happy because you¡¯re so happy. Leo smiled brighter than any smile he had ever shown. ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± Ruel smiled at Leo and recalled the ne he received from Jirie. ¡°Leo, how about this? It¡¯s a ne.¡± The ne was studded with green jewels resembling the eyes of Ruel and Leo. ¡ªNice! I like this body to shine! Even though it seemed ufortable because it was the first ne he was wearing, Leo stood by Ruel¡¯s feet, looked at the ne andughed again and again. Scratch. Scratch. The sound of a pen marking the paper filled the room. *** ¡ªIs Aris happy? Leo asked after putting food all over his mouth. When asked a sudden question, Aris blinked andughed. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m happy.¡± ¡ªHehe, this body is happy, too. Is Ruel¡¯s uncle happy, too? Leo called Tyson uncle because Ruel called him uncle more than by his name. With affection, Tyson looked at Leo wagging his tail. ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± Soon his eyes turned to Ruel. ¡®What else are you doing?¡¯ Ruel¡¯s hand holding the spoon shook for a moment. Leo¡¯s eyes turned to Cassion, who put down the te. ¡°Is Cassion happy, too?¡± Cassion nced at Leo. Then he looked at Ruel. Ruel shook his head at Cassion¡¯s silent question of why Leo was like that. ¡°What if I¡¯m not happy?¡± Leo staggered at the unexpected answer. ¡ªYou¡¯re not happy even after meeting Ruel. This body will teach you how to be happy. ¡°I¡¯m happy, so you don¡¯t have to teach me.¡± Cassion changed his words because it was obvious that it would get annoying if he didn¡¯t. Only then did Leo¡¯s tail move again. ¡ªRuel made this body happy. Ruel made everyone happy. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel choked on his food at Leo¡¯s ridiculous conclusion. Aris and Tyson nodded their heads as if in agreement, and only Cassion, who was always stressed by Ruel, stuck his tongue out, but after recalling the sword he received, he pulled back the twisted corners of his mouth. Chomp. Chomp. Satisfied, Leo put his face in the bowl again. Chapter 58: When I open my eyes, the royal palace (2) Chapter 58: When I open my eyes, the royal pce (2) *** A day before departure for the royal pce. ¡°I¡¯ll stop now.¡± Aris stopped the mes that wereing out of his hands. The shield that Ruel had made disappeared as soon as he sat down. My stomach felt nauseous. ¡°You¡¯re amazing. Ruel-nim extended the shield for another two seconds.¡± Ruel, who was catching his breath while inhaling Breath, frowned at the word ¡®two seconds.¡¯ ¡°Is that it?¡± ¡°Even considering the risk Ruel-sama took, keeping the shield for 12 seconds is great.¡± ¡°You mean the shield that breaks when you add more Mana?¡± Ruel was still dissatisfied. For the past time, I have focused on developing the power of resistance. He was seriously contemting taking poison, but he was caught by Tyson and reprimanded. Since I nailed that I would never do such a thing again, the only way was to strengthen my resistance while being directly subjected to magic. Ruel called Aris because Tyson had to focus on building a warp device. On the first day of training, Aris broke Ruel¡¯s shield. Who would have thought that it wouldn¡¯t evenst a second. ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Itsts at least three seconds.¡± At the mention of three seconds, Ruel smirked. 1 second or 3 seconds. ¡°Then shall we run simply?¡± Leo, who was curled up at the sound of running, woke up in a hurry. ¡ªAre you finally running? This body will arrive first today. Ruel got up from his seat only after pouring the expensive powder Jirie had given him into his mouth and eating three more medicines. Whether the supplementation effect came properly, the severity of nausea subsided. ¡°Cheer up, my lord!¡± Horen was the first to shout as usual. ¡°My lord can finish the race today, too!¡± ¡°Strive to finish!¡± The Knights, who were training, cheered for him even though Ruel had just risen. ¡°You¡¯re popr today, too.¡± Aris smiled brightly as if he had been cheered. ¡°It must be interesting to see. The lord, who used to be bedridden, runs while exercising his physical strength.¡± ¡°No, all the Knights have respect for you.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel waved his hand at the Knights with a sour face. They didn¡¯t stop cheering unless I sent any response. ¡°Let¡¯s run.¡± Ruel ran with Breath in his mouth. The wind that tickled my face was pleasant. Ruel was out of breath faster than the others, but the feeling of his legs tiring out made the sound of his heart beating louder. Fran¡¯s new drug was fortunately working well without aftereffects. As much as Leo¡¯s two front feetbined, the bnce tilted toward recovery, so there were days when there was no slight fever. Contrary to Cassion¡¯s worries, Ruel did not overdo it and developed resistance and physical strength. Above all, Ruel knew best that he had to save himself in preparation for leaving for the Cyronian Kingdom. Only after running so fast that the taste of blood lingered in his throat, Ruelpleted the race and returned to the room with Aris¡¯s support. After finishing a refreshing bath, I filled my stomach with snacks and trained with Aris to develop resistance again. ¡ªThis body is going to run now! Leo now ran to the floor where the circle was drawn. Ruel sat in ce and took out his shadow. The shadow, which was as small as his fingernails, diligently stretched out to the length of an arm. Ruel took off the bracelet Ganien gave him. The length of the shadow quickly increased to more than a leg as the part that the resistance power had to endure was reduced. ¡°You¡¯ve grown a lot since thest time I saw you.¡± Cassion was a little startled. ¡°Ruel-nim worked really hard.¡± Aris was pretty happy with his job. Before Ruel reached the limit of resistance, Aris had been increasing it by cutting it off like a knife. ¡°Here we go, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body is always ready!¡± The training method was simple. If you catch Leo in the circle until you reach the limit, Ruel wins. If you don¡¯t catch it, Leo wins. Ruel had never beaten Leo before. ¡®Today will be different, Leo.¡¯ At first, I was full of confidence because using shadow was simr to controlling monsters. But Leo was faster than I thought. Ruel moved his shadow, licking his dry lips. It changed into the form of a hand and stretched out towards Leo. As soon as he thought he caught him, Leo was smiling wide away from his grasp. ¡ªThis body is so fast! ¡®It can¡¯t be done by standard methods.¡¯ Leo¡¯ short legs were perfect for changing directions at will. Ruel split a shadow. ¡ªUh¡­! Leo was surprised at the first sight, but his eyes widened at his novelty. Cassion smiled, and Aris glittered at the unusual phenomenon. I realized it a few days ago. I don¡¯t know if I should call it a wall, but it was clear that I broke something. Shadows are not bound by form. It is not even tied up by high numbers. In addition to the shadow that was split into two, one more shadow was called out. ¡ªWow! Leo was busy admiring, avoiding the two-faced shadow hands well. Shadows were also not confined to themselves. From Leo¡¯s shadow slowly rose the shadow he made. Ruel smiled and grabbed Leo¡¯s tail. ¡ªUgh! ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Aris eximed urgently. Ruel¡¯s eyes, covering his mouth, bent. I finally caught Leo. ¡ªYou¡¯re so mean! When the shadow that caught his tail disappeared, Leo rushed to Ruel and jumped at him. However, Cassion blocked it. ¡°Beast, don¡¯t touch Ruel-nim right now.¡± ¡°Are you all right? I don¡¯t know if I spoke toote.¡± Aris was at a loss for Ruel¡¯s mana, which was running out erratically. When Ruel took off his hand, blood came out. It seemed to be a problem that the number of shadows increased. Wi-ing. The power of resistance howled. ¡®Still, I have grown a lot.¡¯ Ruel closed his eyes with a feeling of breaking down to pieces. *** Blinking. Ruel closed his eyes again. For a moment, I felt like I could see Banios. ¡®My body condition is okay.¡¯ ¡°Are you awake?¡± When he heard a voice, Ruel opened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Your Hi¡­?¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m the only one with this face. How are you?¡± ¡°Why am I here?¡± ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been brought here unconscious, you have to keep the appointed time, you¡¯ve passed out. What can I do in this situation? I have no choice but to lend my room. Oh, I slept refreshingly in the other room, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness, but how long have I been unconscious?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but hear the details from your butler. I will be back in a little while.¡± Banios rose from his seat. ¡°I have dyed the departure time, so you can prepare slowly.¡± He smiled and went outside. Cassion and Tyson then came inside. ¡°Why uncle¡­?¡± It was not until the door was closed that Cassion opened his mouth. ¡°You didn¡¯t wake up until that day, so I borrowed the power of Tyson-nim.¡± ¡°¡­ Did Uncle use magic?¡± ¡°Time was running out and I couldn¡¯t help it. Is your body any better? Didn¡¯t I tell you that you should always be careful even if you have the power of resistance?¡± Leaving Tyson looking around, Ruel looked at Cassion. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I made sure to take care of it.¡± Only then did Ruel lie down in relief. ¡°Are you all right, Uncle? Isn¡¯t space movement magic quite daunting?¡± Contrary to what he was worried about, Tyson¡¯splexion was not as bad as he thought. ¡°It¡¯s okay because it¡¯s been a while since I crossed a wall¡­ Ah, this won¡¯t do. I¡¯ll call a doctor instead.¡± Tyson hit himself in the thigh because he had forgotten the most important fact. It would have been more important for him not toe by himself, but for a medical doctor toe and check his condition. ¡°That¡¯s okay. I just used a little too much mana.¡± I fainted, but the power of recovery did not reach its limit. In other words, it is not broken. It was a good result. Ruelforted Tyson and sent him back first. Tyson looked anxiously at Ruel again, leaving the door in front of him as if he were going. ¡°Why don¡¯t I follow you on this journey?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Uncle. You have a priority.¡± ¡°¡­ Okay, don¡¯t push yourself too hard next time. It¡¯s not good to be anxious.¡± ¡°Yes, I will be careful.¡± Now he really seems to be going, Tyson moving closer to Ruel with a voice full of worry. Cassion stepped forward. ¡°Tyson-nim, Ruel-nim needs time to prepare.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the long words. Ruel, when you are in danger, please call me. Find me anytime¡­¡± ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m holding onto your feet, your ugly nephew who always only causes you worry.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. Then he brought up the words that had stopped. ¡°I dragged my heavy body to do better, but the result was putting a knife in my uncle¡¯s chest.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, no, Ruel, that¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with my uncle, because I¡¯m so indebted to him.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Ruel grabbed his chest and smiled bitterly. It was then that Tyson realized that his worries were too much, and he hurriedly spoke his words. ¡°Oh my, do not think deeply about what I am saying. I¡¯m leaving, soe back healthy.¡± How urgent it must have been for Tyson to go out without listening to Ruel¡¯s answer. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression disappeared and his tiredness was revealed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was my fault for not stopping him.¡± ¡°No, I know how much uncle cares about me. What about the others?¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Ganien. I stopped him froming.¡± ¡°Well done, I didn¡¯t expect to use the Prince¡¯s room unintentionally, but now let¡¯s get ready. You brought it, right?¡± His appearance was exactly what he had worn before he fainted. ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t worry. How are you feeling?¡± Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and checked himself. The power of recovery and the power of resistance. Both have grown. ¡°Feeling refreshed.¡± ¡°I will change my clothes and take the medicine Fran gave me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± *** ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ganien scratched his cheek without making eye contact. After changing clothes, Ruel called Ganien, Aris, and Leo. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had a conscience left.¡± Ruel grinned and stroked Leo. It was really good that its fur didn¡¯t fall out because it was a spirit beast. ¡°I won¡¯t make excuses, because I helped you out even though I knew your condition.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to be a debtor like this, and I don¡¯t know how to start repaying.¡± There is a lot of debt, but there is nothing he can do for Ganien right now. Ruel turned his head and looked at Aris. He was restless and kept getting nervous. ¡°Pull yourself together, Aris.¡± ¡°¡­ All right.¡± Aris unraveled his expression, but he was still concerned. ¡°I heard the news the other day¡­ that the Red Ash is after you.¡± Ganien sighed. ¡°Yeah, I looked through the library to see if there was anything special about my family, and there was nothing special.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made such a reckless decision without knowing that it was such a situation.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯m the only one in this country you can trust.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel got down to business. ¡°When you go back to Cyronian, you drag the Blue Knights out and destroy the hideout. You¡¯re the leader.¡± Ruel himself could not go to the Kingdom of Cyronian and make a mess of it. ¡°Did you notice?¡± Ganien was slightly surprised. ¡°What country makes a regr knight do such a big job?¡± ¡°I promise, I¡¯ll destroy the hideout.¡± ¡°Leave some mouths open for information.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯m very curious as to why they¡¯re aiming for you too.¡± Ganien sneakily revealed his desire to live. Then, the door opened wide. The only person who coulde in from here without knocking was the room owner. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since people gathered in this room.¡± ¡°Your Highness, are you here?¡± Everyone but Ruel and Leo bowed to Banios. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s easier to talk because we¡¯re all together.¡± Banios brought a chair and sat pompously in a ce where he could see everyone. ¡°Aren¡¯t you troubled by what Sir Croft did? Because Lord Setiria wanted somewhere quiet.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m going to give you a present topensate for this situation. What do you think?¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Banios grinned and took the bottle out of his pocket. The moment he saw it, Cassion and Ganien frowned. ¡°Your Highness, what are you thinking?¡± Ganien couldn¡¯t help but speak. ¡°It¡¯s safer than it looks, I¡¯m asking Lord Setiria¡¯s thoughts, not yours.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it. It¡¯s true that I¡¯m not feeling well without that childish toy.¡± With the reaction of Cassion and Ganien, Ruel recognized what bottle Banios had. Smiling. Ruel decided to go along with Banios¡¯ scheme. It might have worked better than he thought.Author''s Thoughts Hello everyone, I''m so sorry for the long update. And I want to say that this series will be on semi-hiatus. Currently, I''m looking for editor. (Urgently looking) If you''re interested, you can DM me on Discord. Only apply if you are serious and are not MIA. #CleiZz#5160 Requirement: Please only contact if you can at least do 2-3 chapters per week.Your role is editing grammar, pinpointing errors in the plot, and rewriting some sentences to make the flow better. Chapter 59: When I open my eyes, the royal palace (3) Chapter 59: When I open my eyes, the royal pce (3) *** ¡°Ruel Setiria, the gatekeeper of Leponia Kingdom and as the head of Setiria, enters!¡± With the loud sound of the attendant, Ruel¡¯s cane moved. Ttak. Everyone looked at Ruel as if possessed by the sound. Gray hair was tied up highlighting his young face, with not the slightest tension seen in his luminous green eyes. The presence he had alone attracted attention. One by one, the ministers watched Ruel walk past them, looked at him with pitying eyes.¡± The traces of his illness could not be hidden in his appearance. Who stumbles while walking even when depending on a cane. Ttak. Ruel didn¡¯t care how those around him judged. Setiria¡¯s interest came first. ¡°Greetings to His Royal Majesty. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Subsequently in turn of speaking those words, the exmations of coughing was heard. The force of the coughing was enough to bend his back and the sound reverberated throughout the room. The king waited until his coughing fit stopped. ¡°I apologize for my rudeness, Your Majesty. My mistake is not of my cause as I do not feel the best.¡± ¡°It is pardonable, I heard from my youngest son that you weren¡¯t feeling well. I¡¯m very worried to see it firsthand.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, though I am not in the best of health, I will dly ept this delegation for the sake of the country.¡± ¡°Your heart is warm. Borrowing your will, I will appoint you today as the representative of the delegation representing the Kingdom of Leponia.¡± The king nced at the minister standing next to him. The minister handed over the letter of appointment to Ruel. Previously, in Banios¡¯s room, Ruel had asked if the king was trustworthy. Banios¡¯ response was merely a smile, even though it was terribly rude to ask. ¡°He loves thisnd, Reponia, more than anyone else in the world.¡± Ruel was relieved by the answer. At least the efforts he made never came to nothing. The king signaled with his fingers to Ruel, who received the letter of appointment. In advance, Banios, Ruel, and the king talked about the situation. The king did not hide his shame at the fact that someone blocked Setiria¡¯s information, and that he had onlye across false information so far. Ruel saw Leo sitting next to his feet. It was not yet time for Setiria to wake up. It was necessary to withdraw the gazes that followed because of Ganien¡¯s action of nominating him as delegation of Leponia Kingdom. ¡ªCan I eat it here? This is not in a bed. Ruel quietly smiled reassuringly at Leo. Then Leo licked his lips again and touched Ruel¡¯s foot. ¡ªWell then, I¡¯ll eat well! As soon as the ck thing was ripped off, ck blood poured from Ruel¡¯s mouth. Immediately, Ruel¡¯s face scrunched in pain. When going to ept the letter of appointment he stumbled to one knee and spit blood. Ruel was careful not to get blood on the letter as he took it in his hands. Once he received the letter of appointment, he remained on one knee and bowed to the king. In an instant it was silent. The ministers watched the unbelievable situation with their eyes wide-open. He showed deep respect for the king, his posture undisturbed even though he vomited blood. They watched as the upright man copsed like a sandcastle in the face of the sea. The pressure in Ruel¡¯s increased to an unbearable level and he sank under the waves. Ruel couldn¡¯t be used, they judged. The king rose from his seat and shouted hastily, ¡°Call the doctor now!¡± He was really surprised even after the multiple warnings about Ruel¡¯s health. He hadn¡¯t expected Ruel to be weaker than the rumors, especially after seeing the bloodworks. ¡®Did you mean that you¡¯ve rebuilt Setiria, who has been destroyed in such a state?¡¯ The king was moved. Even though he knew this was a y, he couldn¡¯t let Ruel lie on that cold floor. Ruel made him realize he had forgotten the importance of Setiria during the long period of peace. ¡°No, don¡¯te closer.¡± Ruel grappled with pain. The y had toe to an end when the king came to him. The king clenched his fist with a sullen face. The king turned his head to meet Ganien¡¯s eyes. The king willingly epted the request in his eyes and gestured at Ganien. ¡°Sir Croft, hurry up and take him home.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± With an answer, Ganien rushed out with Ruel in his arms. Only when the majestic doors closed did the long silence break. The ministers all looked at the ck blood stains on the floor and discussed the issue of the delegation. ¡°Your Majesty, with all due respect, the Lord of Setiria cannot represent the delegation. Please reconsider.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I also beg you earnestly.¡± The king sat down and stroked his beard. ¡°It¡¯s toote to appoint another now. I¡¯ve already sent notice of the delegation.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this is an important matter towards a friendly rtionship. Please consider it.¡± After that, the ministers repeatedly mentioned Ruel¡¯s physical condition and asked him to change it, but each time the king was adamant. ¡°My choice will remain.¡± Seeing the response, the ministers¡¯ attention turned to deep disappointment as Ruel hoped. If he appointed another it would make a mockery of the name Setiria. It would cause irreparable damage in the future. The king didn¡¯t like it. No matter what anyone says, Setiria is the gatekeeper of this country. ¡°That¡¯s all right. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s a joke. Setiria still needs to grow.¡± If Ruel hadn¡¯t said anything to him, he would have wanted to ruin the y with his own hands. ¡®It¡¯s a shame. It¡¯s a shame.¡¯ I didn¡¯t know the Lord of Setiria, thest left in his bloodline, was so sick. The king¡¯s brow furrowed. *** ¡°You don¡¯t have to look at me like that. I¡¯m fine.¡± The eyes around him felt burdensome. They already made a fuss knowing that he was vomiting blood. Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°Cassion, when is the departure time?¡± ¡°The time has been dyed, we leave at 2 p.m.¡± We have two hours left. That¡¯s plenty of time. If you start, the rumors will flow moderately. I wondered how the Red Ash woulde out. ¡°Ruel-nim, I don¡¯t think this y is just a turning point towards Setiria. Am I right?¡± Aris asked cautiously. ¡°Right, shouldn¡¯t we consider the risk of Red Ash?¡± If you¡¯re in a hurry, they¡¯lle after you, but if you¡¯re not in a hurry, they¡¯ll know you¡¯re seriously ill and monitor the situation. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time for our little battle to end? We¡¯ve seen enough to taste each other.¡± If he was in a hurry he would end up facing the royal knights. If they waited patiently they would be able to catch them and hear what this disease is and where it came from. ¡®Maybe I can get a better answer.¡¯ Ruel saw the people surrounding him. Cassion, Ganien, Aris, Leo. At least if they were here, he wouldn¡¯t die. He was relieved. ¡°You all know that the Red Ash is after me, and my presence is interfering with their ns.¡± Even though his life was being sought, Ruel continued calmly as if he were talking about someone else. Aris muttered, ¡°I¡¯ll protect you.¡± ¡ªI will protect this body, too. Ruel is a precious source of food and happiness for me. Aris and Leo faced each other before looking at Ruel, strengthening their will to die for this determined man. ¡°Yes, protect me. I want to live long.¡± ¡°Pha ha ha,¡± Ganienughed suddenly. When Ruel¡¯s gaze reached, he started to say with a whimper. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, that statement something just a word that doesn¡¯t suit you, but at the same time suits you very well.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Unlike his words, Ganien giggled to himself to prevent from disturbing Ruel. ¡°There may be Red Ash in the Royal Knights.¡± Ruel nodded at Cassion¡¯s words of concern. ¡°I believe in everyone here. Everyone, stay alert.¡± Ruel grinned at them, his green eyes shining. *** Thanks to the king¡¯s consideration, arge carriage with space to lie down was provided. ¡°What do you think?¡± Ruel was lying in the carriage with the help of Cassion because he had to keep pretending to be sick. ¡ªIt¡¯s as good as Ruel¡¯s bed. Leo jumped on the cushion. ¡°Is it? When we get back, we¡¯ll have to change our carriage to something like this.¡± Cassion didn¡¯t look happy at all about the situation. ¡°It¡¯s funny, though. How can a sick person pretend to be sick? What is this situation?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sick right now.¡± Cassion covered Ruel with a nket energetically. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°Cover me with one more.¡± It wasn¡¯t cold, but it didn¡¯t feel warm. Cassion paused for a moment. The inside of the carriage was warm because of the warmth magic. ¡°I should have brought Fran.¡± ¡°That would have been difficult.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± Ruel snorted. ¡°I¡¯m an exception.¡± Knock. Knock. At the sound of the noise, Cassion opened the carriage door. When he saw Banios, he immediately bowed his head. Barios went into the carriage. As soon as the door closed, he opened his mouth. It was Banios who selected this very carriage, so he knew best how it was soundproof. ¡°How is your body? I havee on behalf of His Majesty.¡± Ruel raised his upper body and answered, ¡°It¡¯s okay, not as much as you¡¯ve been worried.¡± ¡°That¡­ Is it real that you vomited blood?¡± Banios asked, lowering his voice slightly. Ruel smiled lightly, ¡°Can you fake blood?¡± ¡°I was going to give you a present, but I unintentionally used your only bottle. What do you want?¡± ¡°This year I am seventeen and next year I will hold mying-of-age ceremony.¡± ¡°How far ahead are you looking?¡± Banios looked at Ruel with admiration. If he came to Ruel¡¯s Coming-of-Age ceremony, it was suitable to show that he and Setiria were close. ¡°Isn¡¯t it that you¡¯re giving me a gift again?¡± ¡°At that time, I would like to hold the lord inauguration ceremony. There I want you to back me. Isn¡¯t it necessary to do something formal?¡± Banios¡¯ mouth was graced with a smile of satisfaction. If it was the inauguration ceremony of the state, it was meant to show that Setiria supported him, not just a level of friendship. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Please find a way to bring down the second prince. In addition, please hold arge ceremony for next year¡¯s Coming-of-Age and Lord inauguration, and give support funds to Setiria to their original state.¡± He said support funds, but it was a reward due to Setiria being the gatekeeper. Because of Carbena, the subsidy had been reduced by her rattail. ¡°Also, prepare a famous sword and a useful sword.¡± Cassion¡¯s lips curled up when Ruel mentioned the famous sword. ¡°That¡¯s enough for now. If there¡¯s anything else I need, I¡¯ll ask for itter.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already told you what I want.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have the strength to raise a sword, the subsidy is just a return to Setiria to its original condition, and the inauguration ceremony is being held because of me. There¡¯s nothing for you.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t open his mouth as easily as before. ¡°¡­ Well, give me a pen that can¡¯t dry out as a gift.¡± ¡®You¡¯re not greedy. You don¡¯t know how to take care of yourself either.¡¯ Banios looked at Cassion with a bbergasted face before he nodded calmly. ¡°I see, I¡¯ll prepare a suitable gift for you.¡± Banios opened the carriage door and saw Leo wiggling in the nket. ¡°Can I pet you? I¡¯ve never seen a fox that looks like this before.¡± ¡°Yes, it does. Leo won¡¯t scratch you, he¡¯s gentle.¡± Ruel pulled Leo out from the nket and gave it to Banios. ¡ªThis body is not a pet! Unlike his displeased voice, Leo¡¯s tail swung. He kept stroking the tail and it beat back and forth in a rhythm. ¡°After the winds blow over, bring the fox to y. There will be a lot to talk about.¡± Bullshit. Despite Ruel¡¯s thoughts he answered, ¡°As you wish, Your Highness.¡± Banios paused in holding the handle of the carriage and his smile faded. ¡°Don¡¯t trust the Royal Knights. Among them, there are those nted by my brother.¡± Throwing a powerful hint, Banios lightly stepped out of the carriage. ¡°Then, work hard.¡± Ruel¡¯s face was wrinkled in response to Banios¡¯s departure. He was told to work hard, not just a simple goodbye. ¡°¡­that damn thing.¡± Ruel forced himself to swallow his words andy back in bed. Papers were ced on the seat where Banios sat. Ruel reached out his hand. ¡°Give it to me.¡± The material listed the personal information of the Knights. Among them, the circled ones seemed to be the ones nted by the second prince. Ruel handed over to Cassion. ¡°Please refer to this document to distinguish between Red Ashes and those nted by the second prince.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion answered and took out another nket and covered Ruel with it. ¡°Are you warm?¡± Ruel looked away vaguely and nodded reluctantly. ¡®Should I order a nket with thermal instion magic?¡¯ Cassion picked up Leo hanging from the window and ced him next to Ruel. As the season approached winter, Leo¡¯s body temperature was higher, like a moving stove. Feeling the heat only then did Ruel close his eyes contentedly. *** Rattle. Suddenly, the carriage shook violently and Ruel opened his eyes startled. He could see the sun setting over the window. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°You can go back to sleep. It looks like something is stuck.¡± Ruel raised his upper body by inhaling Breath. Knock. Knock. Aris, who was sitting at the front of the carriage, came down and knocked on the door. Cassion opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It rained all night and the road was muddy and we are stuck in a puddle.¡± ¡°A puddle?¡± Ruel asked back, wondering. They may have escaped from the pce, but aren¡¯t they running on the main road? ¡°Yes, there was a deep puddle. We¡¯ll be right out.¡± Ruel did not answer and looked at the surroundingndscape. The location was roughly the way from Shio to Setiria. ¡®The road must have been well paved back then.¡¯ He hated things not going as nned. ¡°Cassion, check it out.¡± ¡°All right.¡±Author''s Thoughts Hello everyone, I''m so sorry for the long update. Most likely, I''ll be busier than now in the future. So as usual, I''ll update when I can. Thanks so much for your patience. I hope everyone had a good day. ?????? Chapter 60: Who cut the waves Chapter 60: Who cut the waves There were no suspicious signs around. Cassion thought it was simply a puddle. ¡°Aris,e here.¡± To give Ruel peace of mind, Cassion got down and investigated the puddle with Aris. For more certainty, he took off his white gloves and touched the soil. ¡®You have a pretty sharp intuition.¡¯ The puddle was artificially created by someone a few hours ago. Cassion wiped his hands and put on his gloves again. Aris asked, ¡°How is it? There is no mana reaction.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an artificially created puddle.¡± Aris bit his lip. ¡°Did they already move?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not early, Ruel-nim received the letter from the royal family two weeks ago. So don¡¯t hesitate to drive the carriage and just avoid it as much as you can because you will see a lot of puddles like this in the future.¡± If there were puddles on every road, you couldn¡¯t help but pay attention. Ruel was more sensitive than he thought. With such psychological warfare, you have to be careful because your subconscious thoughts might cause foolish actions. Weak mind, weak body. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Aris climbed back into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Themander of the Third Royal Knights escorting the carriage from the back got off his horse and walked towards Cassion. ¡°The carriage fell into a puddle, so I was checking.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll push the carriage from the back. Is the Lord okay?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s fine.¡± Cassion nodded and climbed back into the carriage. ¡°It¡¯s a puddle that was artificially dug a few hours ago. No gadgets or magic. Of course, there are no enemies,¡± Cassion reported to Ruel. ¡°What else is there?¡± ¡°I think it might be psychological warfare. A warning that they could kill you at any time.¡± Ruel smirked as he stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡°Who do you think is a sunfish?¡± ¡°Sun¡­fish?¡± Leo also stared at Ruel at Cassion¡¯s question as if he was curious. ¡°There¡¯s something like that, anyway, don¡¯t worry about puddles or weird things in the future. Just be prepared for a raid.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡®You¡¯re in a hurry, aren¡¯t you?¡¯ To the point ofmitting unnecessary acts. There were several minor raids, as well as puddles until the carriage reached the gate. It was insignificant enough that you couldn¡¯t even call it an attack. The attacker just showed up wearing a mask and shot several arrows. ¡°I¡¯ll chase them down and kill them.¡± ¡°No, let¡¯s wait and see what they do.¡± Ruel wondered what he was aiming for through a clumsy y that was neither a raid nor a trap. The carriage stopped for a moment to pass through the gate. Ruel used this pause to briefly step out of the carriage and examine the Knights in the name of getting some air. Unlike his tranquil self, the face of the Knights was emaciated. ¡®Ah¡­ You are aiming for this.¡¯ The ground was muddy, the armor heavy, and the horses were startled by the puddles and it was a struggle to calm them down. In addition, how many close battles had urred that were embarrassing to call an attack? When troublesome things were repetitive it created irritation, people were bound to be sensitive. Especially since annoying things are repeated over and over and over. ¡®The more sensitive you be, the greater the agitation. The Masu Forest is perfect for causing thatmotion.¡¯ The Masu Forest was originally a ce where monsters often appeared. Suddenly. Surprisingly. It was also not a strange ce to put such a word. Ruel climbed back into the carriage and bit the Breath in his mouth. ¡®Is the purpose to make the Knights tired?¡¯ For that, Masu¡¯s forest was the perfect ce. A monster that suddenly pops out. Surprisingly, the number of monsters wasrge. A script was drawn in my head. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± When Ruel showed a suspicious smile, Cassion was nervous. ¡°No, I just remembered a part of a story. A very insignificant thing makes the knights tired. They get even more exhausted from the onught of monsters that randomly popped out of the Masu Forest. Suddenly,the knights who suddenly disappeared from the front yard of the Cyronian Kingdom before the neutral zone¡­ Hey, it¡¯s perfect for a war, isn¡¯t it?¡± It wasn¡¯t just a story. Cassion read the atmosphere of the Knights, so he asked carefully. ¡°¡­ Are you going to use that power?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°For now, why don¡¯t we just watch the situation, as it¡¯s not happening right away?¡± Cassion prefered waiting rather than opposing. ¡°Then we are acting like a breakwater.¡± Ruel waited with a smile. The carriage crossed the gate and reached the Masu Forest. As soon as he saw the monsters preparing toe out, Ruel gave an order. ¡°Everybody-¡° Whiiing. His head got hot. ¡°Until I pass,¡± There was a light in Ruel¡¯s green eyes. ¡°Don¡¯te out.¡± As the nosebleed dripped, Cassion hurriedly staunched it with a handkerchief. ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡± For a moment, Cassion flinched. There was a sound as if the forest was ringing. ¡°Ruel-nim¡­¡± Ruel trembled suddenly. It was because hundreds of voices telling him they would obey the order were transmitted in his head at once. I didn¡¯t mean to call this much. Like being swept away by the waves, Ruel couldn¡¯t hold onto his consciousness any longer. *** ¡°¡­ What?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ It is said they have entered the neutral zone.¡± The man grinned and grabbed the neck of the subordinate who came back to report. ¡°Say it again.¡± ¡°N-Neutral¡­¡± His neck was broken. He threw his bent-necked subordinate onto the floor like dirty trash and looked towards another subordinate. ¡°Report.¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± A woman beckoned her subordinates out of the room. Quang! A desk was smashed by the man¡¯s angry fist. ¡°I heard they passed the neutral zone. What happened? Didn¡¯t you say it with confidence, that you could grab his ankle?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear that the monsters didn¡¯t evene close to the roadside?¡± ¡°So what are you going to do about it!¡± The man shouted. ¡°Damn Setiria! Oh why do you live so long with an existence like a fly?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why they sent us up here. Without disturbance, we¡¯ll take care of it neatly.¡± The woman approached the man and whispered in his ear. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it tonight. If I fail¡­¡± She looked up at the man and raised the corners of her mouth. ¡°Dispose of Setiria immediately.¡± The woman stepped back. ¡°Everything for him.¡± She slowly vanished into the floor. ¡°Ha.¡± The man sat down. The n went awry. Ruel Setiria should have died this year. Because the person who should have died is alive, everything went awry. As of yet, they still had not been able to make their presence known. ¡®Everything is for him.¡¯ The man looked at the sky over the window with his eyes full of mncholy. *** ¡°¡­ Ruel-nim.¡± At Cassion¡¯s voice, Ruel got up, rubbing his puffy eyes. It was night. He didn¡¯t have a clue how long he had fainted. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t speak well because his voice was hoarse. Flop. Cassion threw someone. The sound of someone rolling across the floor made Ruel instantly sober. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± When the candle lit, Ruel saw a woman staring at him with her hands tied behind her. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the Red Ash. Hina caught her because she was aiming at Ruel-nim¡¯s neck without fear.¡± Ruel sighed deeply. Less than a day after he left, they popped out one after another. ¡°Did you get it, Cassion?¡± It was Ganien who opened the door without knocking. Click. He locked the door and sent a murderous look towards her. ¡°I watched because a night customer came, but it wasn¡¯t a guest.¡± Swing. Ganien drew the sword without hesitation. ¡°Ru, Ruel-nim!¡± At the urgent voice of Aris, Ganien opened the door. ¡°Are you okay? I was thest¡­ to notice a suspicious sign.¡± ¡®Is this a meal? More like a feast.¡¯ Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°As you know, this kind of guy usually doesn¡¯t open their mouth.¡± What Cassion brought out was a confession pill. ¡°I caught her, so I¡¯ll do it.¡± Hina walked out of the dark. She ungagged the enemy and slid the confession pill very naturally into her mouth. Once she saw the enemy¡¯s eyes open, did she speak. ¡°Is it Red Ash?¡± The enemy nodded. ¡°Who else is there?¡± ¡°Nin¡­tra.¡± ¡°Is it a colleague¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± ¡°What are your colleagues preparing?¡± ¡°There will be an attack on the way to Cyronian¡­ It¡¯s scheduled.¡± ¡°What is Ruel Setiria¡¯s disease?¡± The enemy¡¯s eyes shook for a moment. Hina fed her another confession pill. The enemy trembled and soon fell down. ¡°What is Ruel Setiria¡¯s disease?¡± ¡°¡­punishment.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­the punishment he gave.¡± There was a sudden loss of vitality in the opened eyes. She smiled horrifically at Ruel, bleeding from her eyes, nose, and mouth. ¡®Is there a Mana Oath at stake?¡¯ Ruel looked at the enemy dryly. ¡°Your disease is his punishment! Hateful Setiria! Your existence is blocking a great step towards Him! Your disease will not heal even if you die! You will suffer until you die¡­¡± ¡°End it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Hina put a sword through her heart. Hina looked at the fallen enemy and bowed to Ruel immediately before entering the darkness again. ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s enough? Don¡¯t you want to hear more?¡± Ganien said, frowning. ¡°You¡¯re crazy, what more do you want to hear?¡± I wasn¡¯t going to get the information I needed in the first ce. ¡®What do you mean by punishment?¡¯ Ruel turned away from the cold body of the enemy. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Aris asked cautiously. ¡°It¡¯s okay because this isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve heard something like that.¡± How much had they resented him every time they died. He didn¡¯t care because he had more resentment to hear in the future. ¡°Cassion, how was your opponent¡¯s strength?¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like they were the weakest of them yet.¡± Ruel tapped him on the arm with his finger. In the middle of the night, she came alone to kill him. ¡°It¡¯s a dummy, a dummy trying to check the power difference.¡± ¡°Sorry, I was hasty.¡± Cassion looked at the dead enemy. He thought digging up information was a priority. ¡°No, quietly bring the knight with you from now on. One of the more reliable royal knights you¡¯ve investigated.¡± If the enemy sent a dummy, you should cover your eyes, and y dumb. ¡°Alright.¡± When Cassion disappeared, Ruel looked at Ganien and Aris. ¡°Raise your hand if you showed yourself to someone on your way here.¡± Neither Ganien nor Aris raised their hands. ¡°Okay then, go back to your room quietly like this. When youe back here, make as much noise as possible.¡± Aris nodded, ¡°All right, I¡¯ll make a fuss.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not good at acting.¡± Ganien scratched his neck awkwardly. There was one more enemy left to kill. Ruel opened his mouth calmly. ¡°Since one enemy is dead, the movement of the rest will change. Don¡¯t let your guard down.¡± ¡°By the way, why didn¡¯t the Knights move?¡± Ganien asked with doubts. ¡°His Highness told me not to trust the Knights.¡± ¡°But some of them should have moved.¡± ¡°We checked if the Red Ash was hidden in the Knights.¡± They still must have known the patrol route as she easily attacked him without being caught by the Knights. ¡°I¡¯m very scared that my country will be like this, too.¡± Ruel said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s highly likely none of us know enough about the Red Ash.¡± ¡°¡­ Right.¡± Looking at the dead enemy, Ganien¡¯s expression stiffened. The situation waspletely changing with the appearance of the Red Ash. ¡°Cough, cough. Now go.¡± Ruel said after coughing. There wasn¡¯t much time to talk leisurely. Aris used magic to hide himself and Ganien. The door opened and closed quietly. Ruel turned over and saw Leo in dreand. ¡®You sleep really well.¡¯ Usually, he was more sensitive to sound than Ruel, but he closed his ears when sleeping. Knock. Knock. A light knock signaled Cassioning. The door opened quietly and the knight walked in with Cassion. ¡°I see the Lord¡­¡± The knight could not finish his sentence. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m ashamed! I didn¡¯t know there was an intruder¡­!¡± ¡°No, I didn¡¯t call you to scold you for your mistake, so don¡¯t make a fuss.¡± ¡°Why did you call me?¡± ¡°Say you got him.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°It may be sudden, but there is someone inside the Knights whomunicated with the intruder.¡± The knight¡¯s face hardened immediately. ¡°Ginger, you¡¯re the only one I can trust here.¡± After Cassion¡¯s investigation, the most reliable knight was the one named Ginger. ¡°Take a look inside the Knights with this incident. Doubt themander and all your colleagues.¡± ¡°Even themander?¡± Ginger hesitated for a moment. As a member of the Third Royal Knights, he has trusted themander and relied on his colleagues more than anyone else. However, the lord in front of him denied all of that. ¡°Are you worried?¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath. Ginger nodded reluctantly. ¡°If your colleagues are the most important thing to you, then you will have to throw away all the rumors you have heard. If you¡¯re truly loyal to this country, believe in me.¡± Ginger¡¯s fist clenched hard. It seemed to turn white* in his mind. T/N: White here means poured one¡¯s heart and soul into something or to have given something one¡¯s best. ¡°Why would I go to Cyronian now? Why me?¡± The representative of the delegation was a ce for those of the upmost trust. A ce of honor more than anyone of any standing could sit. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time.¡± His heart beat faster at the prompting. Colleagues who have been with me had always stood in front of me. Things won¡¯t change much with his choice, but at least his surroundings seemed to change significantly. Ruel Setiria. The sick noble and representative of the delegation. The loyalty sent to the king while vomiting blood was already highly gossiped about. Ginger closed his eyes tightly and soon decided. ¡°I will do it.¡± It was his country that he valued. Ruel¡¯s lips drew an arc. ¡°Let¡¯s start right now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an intruder!¡± Leo opened his eyes wide at Ginger¡¯s loud cry. ¡ªAn, an intruder has appeared! ¡°No, you can sleep more.¡± Ruel closed Leo¡¯s eyes and gently rubbed his stomach. Leo¡¯s dim eyes soon closed and fell asleep again. Thump. Thump. Two footsteps were heard from outside. Quang! Ganien and Aris shouted as the door opened wildly and everyone heard; ¡°Ruel, the intruder is here!¡± ¡°Hurry up and defend yourself!¡± Unlike the urgent voice, the eyes of the two were smiling. ¡®You said you couldn¡¯t act¡­¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel improved his impression with the intense cough. Thump. Thump. An urgent sound of footsteps came and the Knights entered Ruel¡¯s room. ¡°Are you all right?¡± Themander immediately noticed Ruel¡¯s condition. Themander stammered with a painful expression like he had been the one almost stabbed by a knife. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No, I was just so surprised at the sound of an intruder.¡± Since there was Red Ash inside the Knights, Aris couldn¡¯t see them favorably. ¡®¡­ Huh?¡¯ Ruel was amazing. ¡°We¡¯ll protect this ce, somander, please check for intruders.¡± ¡°The Lord seems to be very surprised, so I¡¯ll leave now. Don¡¯t worry, my lord. We will surely kill the intruders.¡± Themander hurried out of the room with the knights, strengthening his strong will. ¡®What?¡¯ Ruel looked at Aris with an absurd expression. I couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of rumor would spread. What is the point of adding heart medicine to the infirmity? Aris even moved away, avoiding his eyes. ¡°I confirmed that Ginger was pretending to kill him properly¡­ What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Cassion, who appeared in the dark, stopped exining the situation and followed Ruel¡¯s gaze. Ganien saw Aris rolling his eyes around as if he had done something wrong. He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Anyway, it went well. You can go to bed now with peace of mind.¡± Cassion himself carried the body and decorated it as if the enemy hade, and Ginger finished his role well like an actor. Now that an attacker appeared, the Knights must be on high alert and it will be harder to make another attempt tonight. Coughing, Ruel nced at Ganien and Aris. ¡°Can you sleep on the floor since there¡¯s no seat?¡± It¡¯s fake, but there was an attack, so the two had to stay in Ruel¡¯s room. ¡°I¡¯ve camped a lot, so don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°I¡¯m used to sleeping on the floor.¡± Ganien was fine, but at Aris¡¯s remarks, Ruel paused. ¡°Cassion, get me a nket.¡± No matter how hard it was, you couldn¡¯t sleep on the cold floor at a time when winter was approaching. Ruel closed his eyes when he saw Cassion go outside. Chapter 61.1 - Who cut the waves (2) Chapter 61.1 - Who cut the waves (2) *** Cyronian was a kingdom located in the north. Therefore, the further we went, the lower the temperature became. The first thing they saw after leaving the neutral zone was the open sea. ¡°It¡¯s pretty.¡± Ruel smiled at the sea that appeared through the window. He felt that winter had arrived by seeing the slight freezing. He tried to open the window to feel the wind, but Cassion stopped him. ¡°It¡¯s colder as we head to Cyronian. You still have a fever, so just look.¡± Whether the carriage is wider or the carriage has a bed, the body was still burdened just by moving, and Ruel¡¯s fever has risen. It was a simple fever, but Cassion paid more attention because he was on the move, not resting in the mansion. The heat patch had already been applied. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! There¡¯s a lot of water. I want to go in and swim. Leo wagged his tail constantly as he hung from the window with his short legs. ¡°If you jump into the water on a day like this, will you catch a cold?¡­Can spirit¡¯s get sick too?¡± ¡ªThis body can¡¯t catch an illness like that. Isn¡¯t it Ruel who is sick every day? Cassion quietly covered his mouth and smirked as Leo poked brightly. Ruel tried to squeeze Leo¡¯s tail, but he was powerless and left it alone. ¡°How much time do we have left?¡± ¡°Probably four more days. There is a bridge between Cyronian and the Neutral Zone, but it sometimes submerges depending on the flow of the waves, so you should consider it an additional three days.¡± A sea existed between the Neutral Zone, the Cyronian Kingdom, and the Kran Kingdom. A bridge was set up to connect the sea and the neutral zone. ¡°The waves appear to be calm.¡± ¡°It looks like that with the naked eye, but shouldn¡¯t we be prepared?¡± Ruel exhaled lightly. Another good ce to y tricks. The carriage stopped before the bridge after running non-stop for a while. Knock. Knock. Cassion answered when someone knocked on the carriage door. It was Ganien. ¡°Ruel, from here on we¡¯re going to cross the bridge.¡± ¡°I heard it¡¯s submerged by the waves. Is everything alright?¡± ¡°I contacted my home country in advance, so the wizards are here. They¡¯re going to freeze the surroundings and start the carriage. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± I would have been relieved if it was Cassion who said that, but unfortunately it was Ganien. The main character who brings incidents just by breathing. ¡®Something¡¯s going to happen.¡¯ After Ganien left, Ruel thought, touching his stomach with his hands. ¡°If you¡¯re swept away by the waves, it¡¯ll be hard for even a knight to survive, right?¡± ¡°What are you worried about?¡± ¡°Bring Aris for a moment.¡± Aris was the only wizard here. Right now the wizards of Cyronian will be freezing the waves, so there was time to talk. ¡°I see.¡± Cassion went out for a while and came back with Aris. ¡°Did you call me, Ruel-nim?¡± Ruel nced at Leo, who was still hanging on the window, and said as he tapped his side, ¡°Come here, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body is busy seeing the sea. ¡°The great purifier has something to do.¡± Tap. Tap. Tap. Leo ran to where Ruel pointed with his hand, his eyes sparkling. ¡ªWhat does this body have to do? This body is a great purifier. ¡°Aris, you and Leo have something to do together, although there is a precondition.¡± ¡°What are the prerequisites? I¡¯ll do anything.¡± Aris uttered a word with a firm will. ¡°I think something is going to happen while crossing the bridge, can you get rid of the waves?¡± ¡ªDo I have to swim? Leo wagged his tail. ¡°I heard that the wizards of Cyronian are freezing the waves briefly. Are you afraid that the Red Ash will bring the waves? If that¡¯s true, I¡¯ll talk to the wizards over there.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t trust the wizards of Cyronian, it¡¯s you two who I believe in.¡± There was a possibility of Red Ash among the wizards of Cyronian. The corners of Aris and Leo¡¯s lips twitched. ¡°Cassion, if the knights are swept away, can you use the shadows to rescue them?¡± ¡°Do I have to?¡± Cassion uttered a wry voice. What does it matter if some of the Knights die or not? ¡°I am on my way as the representative of the delegation. I don¡¯t want any more drawbacks even if my name has already fallen.¡± ¡°¡­ Let¡¯s give themand first. By the way, can we not think about acting as the dummy this time?¡± ¡°That¡¯s okay, I¡¯m going to reveal our power this time. I have a name to promote.¡± Ruel saw Aris and Leo. ¡°Can you do it if you work together?¡± ¡ªThis body can do it. ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try.¡± Aris and Leo were already in a constant state of contact through several training sessions called practice. There was nobination with as much synergy as these two. ¡°Cassion, one more thing.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°If any of the Cyronian wizards do something useless, deal with it. It will only interfere with my future trip.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion raised the corners of his mouth. Ruel frowned at his throbbing head while inhaling Breath. After Aris returned to the driver¡¯s seat, a new drug was administered to Ruel. And the carriage moved. ¡°It¡¯s going to shake a little.¡± As soon as they crossed the bridge from the t ground, the carriage shook violently. I thought of a modern bridge because it was built over the sea, but it didn¡¯t seem like that. ¡°¡­That is not a little bit.¡± Unlike Leo, who was excited, Ruel¡¯s face turned blue due to dizziness. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I feel dizzy and nauseous.¡± ¡°Unfortunately, there is no medicine to calm motion sickness.¡± Ruel got up. It was much better than lying down. When I looked out the window, I saw the frozen waves first. The size of the bridge was bigger than Ruel thought because it was only a sixne road. There was a deep tension in the faces of the Knights surrounding the carriage. No matter how frozen the waves were, they were on the sea. If something happens, it¡¯ll be a big deal. Ruel kept frowning as he inhaled Breath. ¡°How long is the bridge?¡± ¡°You have to go further for at least 30 minutes.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was full of joy. Ruel stopped putting up with it and was about to pour out his stomach¡¯s content, but he realized that this was the carriage that the king had gifted. Knowing that the smile did not fall from Cassion¡¯s face. ¡®Is the Mana Oath working well?¡¯ There was no problem halfway through the bridge. The knights¡¯ faces loosened up a bit, and Ruel didn¡¯t waste that time. With the power of recovery calming his stomach, he felt morefortable distracting himself talking with Billo. -¡­ ¡­ When Cheynol-nim struck with all his might, the defense device created by Tyson-nim was broken after a total of 20 hits, and the Knights broke it after 150 attacks. ¡°It¡¯s more than before.¡± -Yes, we¡¯re moving fast. And the number one in the back alley has been decided. What should I do? ¡°Educate them so that they don¡¯t cross the line. After that, I¡¯ll take care of it when I get back to the mansion.¡± -All right. ¡°What about the warp device?¡± -The Magic Knights are working together to increase the warp. But I think it¡¯s still difficult. Knowing that even modern science could not jump over space, Ruel had no intention of rushing the warp device. -The merchant of Beto sent equipment for the two knights to use as a token of gratitude. Thanks to the workers and artisans sent from Prios, it grew in size. ¡°Of course it has. So, were there any problems with the mansion?¡± Billo remained silent for a moment. ¡°Billo.¡± -Actually, there was an intruder. Don¡¯t worry, the mansion is safe. ¡°Is it Red Ash?¡± -It looks like that. They tried to self-destruct and I couldn¡¯t identify them. I¡¯m sorry. ¡°No, tell each of the barons and ask them to increase the number of soldiers patrols a little more.¡± -All right. Ruel turned off themunication device and handed it over to Cassion. ¡°It seems to be another psychological attack rather than the beginning of a real attack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡± There has never been a raid on the mansion before. But this attack happened for the first time while he was away for a long time. Ruel grinned. ¡°It stopped shaking as much.¡± ¡°Excuse me.¡± Cassion put Leo into Ruel¡¯s arms and opened the carriage door. ¡°¡­?¡± When the carriage door opened, both Ruel inside the carriage and the knights guarding the outside were startled. Cassion held Ruel and exited the carriage calmly. ¡°It wasn¡¯t on either side but from beneath. I don¡¯t know how sturdy the carriage is, so I¡¯ll try to avoid it myself for now.¡± ¡°Ruel!¡± Ganien came running calling out to Ruel. He had already drawn his sword. ¡°Leo,e here.¡± Aris, who got off the carriage, reached out for Leo. Leo alternately looked at Ruel and Aris and rubbed his face against Ruel. ¡ªThis body is better with Ruel. Thank you, but now is not the time to say that. ¡°Leo, go to Aris. Did you forget what I said in the carriage?¡± ¡ªAh! I see! Leo jumped into Aris¡¯ arms. ¡°We will live up to your expectations.¡± Showing the same spirit as a knight, Aris broke through the knights and went out. ¡°All of a sudden, what is this¡­¡± In response to the sudden action, themander of the knights approached Ruel. But he couldn¡¯t continue. ¡°Enemy!¡± Whoo! Arge stream of water popped out from the point where the carriage was. Among them was an enemy dressed in white. Ruel was lifted into the air above Cassion¡¯s shoulder, and as soon as he saw the carriage crash to the ground, he swallowed. It was not crushed or broken for now. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty sturdy carriage.¡± Cassion moved swiftly, uttering a rxed sound. In case Ruel got wet, he escaped from the encircling knights, avoiding sshing water droplets. ¡°Chief.¡± Ruel was surprised by Hina¡¯s voiceing from behind. ¡°I cut their necks. Two.¡± After bringing it up, Hina disappeared again. Ruel frowned. I expected it, but I didn¡¯t expect two of them among Cyronian¡¯s wizards. ¡°Are you cold? I should have brought a nket.¡± Ruel¡¯s condition was conveyed through his shivering hands. He was already feverish, but with the cold his whole body was trembling. ¡°Protect the Lord!¡± Themander of the Knights shouted loudly. At the same time, he looked at Ruel with concern. Chapter 61.2 - Who cut the waves (2) Chapter 61.2 - Who cut the waves (2) The Knights were divided into two groups, and one of them approached Ruel. But Ganien blocked their steps. He couldn¡¯t trust them with the Red Ash potentially mixed among them. ¡°It¡¯s alright! I took the knight¡¯s oath and I uphold it.¡± Boom! He simply struck his sword, but he felt great spirit from Ganien. Gulp. Although he was also a knight, Ganien was the leader of the Blue Knights. He was the main character and carried a different aura. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®It¡¯s good to have a good debt.¡¯ Themander stared at Ganien for a moment. However, he soon lowered his head lightly andbined the two groups hemanded. ¡°Annihte the enemy!¡± They shouted loudly and rushed toward the enemy. Ruel looked around, inhaling Breath. There was a big hole in the bridge where the carriage was, and Aris and Leo were talking to each other. ¡°You can put me down now.¡± Ruel showed him the ne Tyson gave him. ¡°Oh, I forgot.¡± As soon as Cassion put Ruel down, he lifted his leg and kicked something. Whack! Ruel couldn¡¯t see what went flying. ¡°Stay still here, Ganien is here and I¡¯ll go and clean up the area.¡± Cassion looked around and quietly went into the shadows. Even if Cassion wanted to run rampant, it was better for Ganien too. Cassion was externally a butler. ¡°Are you cold?¡± Ganien asked, cutting down on the enemies rushing for Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel bit Breath in his mouth. Every time he took a breath, he smelt blood. Chuang! In an instant, Ganien, who moved behind Ruel, blew the enemy¡¯s head. Cooung! As Ganien stomped his foot, he saw a waving figure staggering near Ruel. ¡°Very.¡± nk. The swords collided, but Ganien¡¯s blue aura destroyed even the sword. ¡°Annoying.¡± Contrary to what he said, Ganien was smiling. The fight seemed to be pleasant. Ruel blew Mana into the ring rather than paying attention to the blood flowing under his feet. ¡®It¡¯s so cold.¡¯ He had asked Tyson to put amunication device function in the ring to contact him whenever he really needed him, like now. ¡°Uncle.¡± -Ha, have you arrived yet? Are you okay? ¡°No, I got into a fight¡­ ¡± -I¡¯ll be there soon. ¡°No, no, the sea breeze is so cold that I want to get some warmth.¡± Instead of words, mes came out through the ring and wrapped around Ruel. ¡°A little loud, isn¡¯t it?¡± It was not a regr me. It was a blue me that seemed to melt just by touching it. I just expected a warm bonfire. -Wouldn¡¯t it be bad if you catch a cold? Don¡¯t worry, the fire will go out automatically when you collect mana in the ring. Is that all for you? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s enough. Till then.¡± Ruel cut off themunication because he was afraid to say something that would worry his uncle. ¡°Your uncle must have surpassed his wall. The quality of his mana is different.¡± After hitting the enemy in the face with his elbow, Ganien expressed his fighting spirit. ¡°Oh, he¡¯s gotten a lot stronger~¡± Ruel looked at the sound of the sword and the bursting magic with calm eyes, and waited for the enemy¡¯s real attack. ¡°¡­!¡± Ganien turned his head to the left. Soon he clenched his sword. ¡°The waves¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s one moreing.¡± Ruel¡¯s breath leaked out of his mouth. The crashing sea was visible through the cracking ice on the left side. The enemy backed away, as if the moment they were waiting for hade. ¡°The waves areing again!¡± One of the knights shouted. There were waves approaching on the right side as well as on the left side and the hole grewrger. ¡°I¡¯ll cut one of them!¡± Ganien bellowed so that everyone could hear him. On Ganien¡¯s sword, the baby blue sword aura became darker and darker. Ruel felt sick at the momentum. ¡°Why don¡¯t you put out the fire for a while?¡± Cassion, who appeared from Ruel¡¯s shadow, looked at the blue me. It was not a fire that couldn¡¯t be extinguished, but he did not want to dirty his gloves. Ruel gathered Mana into the ring. As the cold hit again, Ruel grabbed both arms, shivering. ¡°Ruel, I¡¯m ready,¡± Aris said, with Leo in his arms. ¡°Cassion, bring in Sir Torto.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel bit Breath with his blue lips and with the other hand, he pointed to the wavesing from the right. ¡°Aris, the opportunity is yours to seize.¡± ¡°I see.¡± E/N: I vote we change this to ¡°sea¡° hehe. Pun intended~ Aris put Leo down and took out his sword. He himself was a swordsman in appearance, so he studied with Leo on how to put mana on the sword like an aura. Today, he would cut the waves with that sword. Aris walked with Leo towards the waves. Hah. He exhaled. Looking closely, the size of the waves was so huge that it felt like they were going to be swallowed up at any moment. But he had to cut it. If he ran away, Ruel and everyone else might be swept away. ¡°Did you call me?¡± Themander rushed to Ruel. There was no tension in Ruel, even as the waves approached. ¡°I¡¯ll leave the middle part to you. Can you cut it?¡± ¡°I can cut it. But before that, the Lord should take refuge.¡± Ttak. Ruel grasped the cane in his hand. ¡°Do you think that I, who can¡¯t even run, can escape this wave?¡± Torto bowed his head immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Protect me.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Torto, who raised his head, ced his hand on a token indicating him as a Royal Knight. He swung his red cloak and drew his sword. Seeing the sword imbued with aura, Ruel asked Cassion, ¡°What do you think?¡± Cassion covered Ruel with a nket. ¡°It¡¯s not reliable, but at least it¡¯s not an enemy.¡± That¡¯s enough. It was fortunate that themander of the Knights was not a member of the Red Ash. ¡°If it were me, I would have avoided this farce.¡± ¡°Perhaps. I want to see how much my escort has grown.¡± ¡°You really care about Aris.¡± Cassion smiled faintly. It was a fight that could have been avoided since the waves were expected. Even so, why he didn¡¯t avoid it was for Aris. Everyone was unaware, but right now Aris is standing shoulder to shoulder with the two knightmanders. Swoosh! The blue aura shed the waves with the roar of a beast. Pashushu. Then another aura suppressed the waves. And the me on Aris¡¯ sword gradually turned blue and cried quietly. ¡ªWhoo. When Leo blew on the sword, the me grew to the point where it seemed as if Aris had put gas to a me. Aris opened his closed eyes and swung the sword wide, twisting his whole body. The blue mes wolfed down the waves. Crrrrrrr! The waves evaporated with a violent sound. ¡®That¡¯s cool.¡¯ Ruel watched as everyone looked at Aris. Aris looked at Ruel with a short breath. Only when heughed, did Aris finally lower his sword. His face was pale, but Aris was smiling. ¡°As expected, he¡¯s my student.¡± Ignoring Ganien¡¯s quiet proudment, Ruel looked at the Knights. The silence turned into surprise. It was this moment of surprise that Ruel had aimed for. It was a good opportunity toy the foundation for how great his escort was. Aris staggered while holding Leo and walking towards Ruel. Following Aris¡¯ steps, the eyes of the knights followed. What should I call that? The bluish glow was obviously magic. But he used a sword. Magic was to be borrowed, not to wield. It should have been. But what did I see with my own eyes? ¡°¡­Magic swordsman.¡± One of the knights opened his mouth. ¡°It has a good ring.¡± Ruel grinned. It didn¡¯t matter whether Ganien cut the waves or whether the Knight Commander suppressed the waves. It was Aris who took everyone¡¯s attention, so he will earn a title today. A wave-cutter. Aris the Magic Swordsman. ¡°Good job.¡± Ruel patted Aris on the shoulder with a gentle smile so that everyone could see whose escort he was. Aris felt his trembling hands. His Mana had almost hit the bottom so he felt sick. He wanted to sit down right away. Tired. Very tired. But he was happy. He had borrowed Leo¡¯s help, but he had cut the waves himself. He seeded in putting Mana across the de. The fact was so thrilling that his heart beat joyfully. ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you, Ruel-nim.¡± If I hadn¡¯t met Ruel-nim. If he hadn¡¯t taken him. I could never have gotten this power. Aris bowed to Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s Ruel-nim who gave me this strength. Thank you.¡± ¡°No, you did it, Aris. You¡¯ll be even stronger in the future.¡± At that moment, Aris¡¯ eyes shook. ¡°Have I be strong¡­?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± His voice was as calm as ever. But Aris was choked up. It was not in vain. He wanted to kneel down and cry in front of Ruel right away. ¡°Aris, not here. Look at them proudly and follow my footsteps quietly.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡± After answering, Aris bit his lips tightly. Without Leo rubbing his face with his tail, it would have been hard to hide his feelings. ¡°Will you upright the wagon?¡± Ruel pointed to the carriage that had fallen before the battle. The dazed knights btedly came to their senses at the sound of coughing. ¡°Alright.¡± Themander approached Ruel, nced at Aris, and opened his mouth. ¡°You have a great escort. I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s already in that state at his age. I¡¯m looking forward to his future.¡± It was Aris and Ganien, whose lips twitched, receiving the praise. ¡°Thank you, you were very good, too. As expected of themander of the Royal Knights.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡± Torto looked at Ganien with his head bowed. It was the level of skill Ganien possessed that bothered him. Themander noticed that his skills were better than himself with his clean cut of the waves. The Blue Knights of Cyronian were famous, but he didn¡¯t expect them to be so outstanding. Torto¡¯s heart was boiling long after the fight. He walked over to Ganien and held out his hand. ¡°It was really good work.¡± ¡°I was really surprised, too. If I have a chance, I would like topete with you. What do you think?¡± Ganien did not miss the opportunity to approach him. His hands were itching because he also saw Torto¡¯s skills. ¡°All right. After this, it¡¯s good to cross swords in a friendly bout.¡± ¡°Thank you, Sir Torto.¡± Ganien smiled brightly with a voice filled with sincerity. He was themander of the Royal Knights. How can he miss fighting such amander? Ganien tried to calm down and walked to Ruel. ¡°Ganien.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel opened his mouth. Ganien waited for Ruel¡¯s words with a smile on his face. ¡°The Red Ash were mixed among the wizards. I leave it to you to deal with the aftermath.¡± Ganien¡¯s face quickly darkened because of the whispered words. He went back the way he hade and walked towards the wizards. Ruel followed Ganien then looked away. The rest was Ganien¡¯s job. When the wind blew, Ruel immediately trembled. ¡°Except for a few scratches it looks fine.¡± When the Knights overturned the carriage, Cassion carefully examined the outside and inside of the carriage. After organizing the mess, he pointed to the carriage. ¡°Now get in.¡± ¡°Cassion, you need to drive the carriage for a moment.¡± Ruel gestured to Aris with his eyes. It would be difficult to drive a carriage with such a low level of mana. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll drive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t have to worry¡­¡± ¡°Aris, get in the carriage.¡± At Ruel¡¯s firm words, Aris replied without question, ¡°I understand.¡± The Knights finished reorganizing, and the carriage departed. ¡°Is it¡­ Is it okay if Cassion-nim isn¡¯t here?¡± The appearance showed while cutting the waves was nowhere, and Aris was restless and opened his mouth nervously. While stroking Leo¡¯s stomach lying down, Ruel smiled. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± ¡ªRight, thanks to this body¡¯s hard work. Leo was ttered and tapped his hand with his tail when Ruel stopped petting him. ¡®This one. Who¡¯s raising who?¡¯ ¡°I will¡­¡± ¡°Why do you feel pressured?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do if Ruel-nim¡¯s condition gets worse.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Cassion¡¯s role, so turn off your thoughts and take a rest, your face looks blue.¡± Aris¡¯ mouth opened and closed. Isn¡¯t it Ruel who always walks around with a pale face? It was only for a moment, but he could understand how Cassion felt. ¡®You¡¯re always having a hard time.¡¯ Arisy down grudgingly under Ruel¡¯s gaze. Amazingly, it was morefortable than he thought. ¡°Is it okay if you don¡¯t lie down, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°I get motion sickness when I lie down.¡± Ruel rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach with one hand and inhaled Breath with the other. His hands trembled from the lingering cold. ¡°I want to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°What do you want, Ruel-nim? Besides Setiria.¡± Ruel has always put himself on the back burner. So Aris really wanted to ask since he had the chance. Because a sword is directed by the master¡¯s will. ¡°A life where I don¡¯t have to be the center.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°A rich,fortable, peaceful life.¡± A smile hung around Ruel¡¯s mouth. It was like a person who went out for a walk in a quiet ce. ¡°Okay. All right.¡± Aris alsoughed. As the carriage crossed the bridge and returned to the ins, Ruelid down on his back. ¡®Red Ash, these rotten bastards¡­ ¡® Ruel was resentful when he recalled his goal, which had been distorted thanks to Aris. *** At the end of the night, the carriage stopped in front of a small vige. It was a vige in the outermost part of Cyronian. ¡®Slowly, we areing to the ce where the power left by the hero is.¡¯ In the novel, Ganien gained a power from a cave beyond the vige here. It was discovered on the way back after having to bypass the mountain due to heavy snow. ¡®There¡¯s no way it¡¯s going to snow all of a sudden. What should I say to go there?¡¯ Chapter 62.1 - Purification Chapter 62.1 - Purification The two powers in his body would guide him along the way. ¡®I¡¯ll have to talk to Cassion before I go.¡¯ Ruel got out of the carriage thinking hard and he was shocked in an instant by the cold wind rushing over his face. It was colder than when he crossed the bridge. He hurriedly put on a cape and a hat. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Something white ising down! Leo jumped out next to Ruel and opened his mouth to eat the snow falling from the sky. ¡ªUnsweetened ice cream! ¡®Good timing.¡¯ Ruel looked up at the sky, inhaling Breath. *** Ruel opened his eyes slightly at the soft touch on his face. ¡ªLook, Ruel! It all tastes like ice cream that¡¯s not sweet! This body is going to eat it all! ¡°How many times have I told you it¡¯s snow, not unsweetened ice cream¡­¡± Ruel raised his upper body in a hurry. ¡®The snow¡­ It¡¯s piled up a lot.¡¯ He stopped as soon as he opened the window. The snow was piled up almost to the point where you couldn¡¯t see the ground floor because it was submerged due to heavy snow overnight. ¡°Are you up?¡± Cassion opened the door and came inside. ¡°No matter how curious you are about the snow, your fever hasn¡¯t gone away yet.¡± ¡°Did it snow all night?¡± ¡°Yes, it poured down all night.¡± ¡°Then I can¡¯t move today, can I?¡± A suspicious smile grew on Ruel¡¯s face. Cassion frowned slightly at the smile. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll have to stay another day. But why are you so happy?¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± Cassion replied promptly, but something was disturbing about Ruel¡¯s reaction. ¡°I have business so I need to go out.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Ruel pointed his finger at his chest with strength. ¡°I think I met a friend. It¡¯s humming.¡± ¡°Again, you mean that power? What¡¯s that power?¡± ¡°If I had known its power, I would havee here from the beginning.¡± It was pure coincidence that Ruel became the head of the delegation. ¡°Are you going to waste it?¡± Clearly, that power was helping Ruel. ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind of power it is?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, so I¡¯m going to check it out and secure it.¡± ¡ªThis body is going to go, too! ¡°No. Leo, keep my bed safe and warm this time.¡± Is my tongue so loose? Leo¡¯s ears are drooping. Immediately, he opened his mouth looking at Ruel with sad eyes. ¡ªThe bed does not need to be protected. Are you abandoning this body? ¡°Who gave you your name?¡± ¡°¡­Ruel gave it to me.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t throw away what I picked up.¡± ¡ªReally? Are you really not throwing this body away? ¡°Yes, this time, the great purifier has nothing to do, so I won¡¯t take you with me. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Ruel patted Leo on the head. Leo rubbed his face in his hand again and again, as if not to forget the warmth. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take it with you?¡± Cassion looked at the clock and showed his displeasure. It was quite urgent to prepare breakfast after gaining that power. He was busy preparing the ingredients that did not cause allergic reactions because of how delicate his master¡¯s appetite was and how frail his body. It wasn¡¯t the time to debate. Leo quickly wagged his tail with anticipating eyes. ¡°If you promise to keep this a secret¡­¡± ¡ªThe mouth of this body is heavy! Leo jumped into Ruel¡¯s arms and rubbed his face. Ruel snorted. You have the lightest mouth in the world. ¡°Cassion, get me Aris.¡± Aris was waiting outside. Even though Ruel said he was allowed to stay inside, he refused and stood outside like the rest of the escorts. Cassion opened the door and called Aris. ¡°Did you call me?¡± After a day off, Aris looked much better. ¡°I have a ce to go for a while, so don¡¯t let anyone in. If Ganienes, just make excuses.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a lot of snow outside, where are you going?¡± ¡°To pick up something.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aris answered with a big smile, without asking anything more. The act of Ruel picking up something meant it was very special. Whatever it is, it will benefit him. ¡°Pleasee back safely.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± *** Cassion cared a lot about his outfit to deter Ruel from catching a cold. After putting on one, two, or threeyers of clothes, it was difficult to move his arms. Not to mention, adding on a scarf and a hat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Cassion paused and asked. ¡°Yeah.¡± Leo peeped out his head in Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡°Cassion is fast. Things keep flying by.¡± Cassion was very fast, as if contracting space with his magic. With each leap, the windshed against Ruel but it was not cold because he dressed warmly. ¡°When I go back to Setiria, if we travel like this, we¡¯ll be there in a day, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯ll take more than a day, but if you want it too, let me know.¡± It was a joke, but Cassion took it seriously. ¡°No, thanks.¡± Monster. He certainly understood why he was a guild leader today. His strength yed a part, but the mobility to go anywhere, anytime¡­ It was a scam. His ability exceeded the Cassion described in the novel. ¡°Are you strong enough to take the king¡¯s head?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t do it, but it¡¯s outdated, cumbersome, and doesn¡¯t fit the standard of the quests I ept.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the standard?¡± Cassion grinned at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°First of all, I make sure that there are no problems even if he dies. Then, assuming even if the client doesn¡¯t n to hit me in the back of the head, I only kill the people I think are worth dying. It would be a bit of a hassle.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s a hassle¡­ It¡¯s not about the king, is it?¡± ¡°When I was younger, I tried to do it when I was drunk.¡± Cassion looked at the sky faintly as if he were reminiscing about the past. ¡®Crazy guy¡­¡¯ ¡°That way.¡± Ruel pointed his finger in that direction. He had two powers, so he was able to find them from a farther distance. Five more minutes? Cassion opened his mouth when he saw the new terrain. ¡°There¡¯s a cave ahead.¡± ¡°Stop here.¡± The power was running wild, saying they were here. Found it. Cassion carefully put Ruel on the ground. After cing Leo in Cassion¡¯s arms, he said. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back. Wait.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡ªAlright. Chapter 62.2 - Purification Chapter 62.2 - Purification *** Since the second test was easily passed, he thought the third test could also be taken lightly. But he lost his confidence as soon as he entered and saw the cave. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, Ruel could see himself as soon as he entered the cave. ¡®Are you going to let me pass through right away this time?¡¯ The third test to gain the power was seemingly simple, go to the end of the cave. However, this ce is called the Doppelganger¡¯s Cave, and if you go inside, a person identical to you appears. In the novel, only Ganien could reach the end of the cave and gain the power. ¡°You¡¯re selfish, Ruel.¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be scary to hear your own voice talking to you like this? However, Ruel ignored it and walked forward because he knew that the trial left by the hero was an illusion. It was neither dark nor wet inside the cave, so there was no problem with walking. ¡°How many died for your wish? How selfish is this?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you worried about how many people will be harmed by your presence? The Red Ash already attacked the mansion, what¡¯s next? Apor? Sisel? There could be raids in any of the towns.¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard, isn¡¯t it? Isn¡¯t that body frustrating? Why should you be the only one suffering? It hurts, it hurts again, don¡¯t you want to let it all go?¡± Although it was an illusion, the problem was it knew his situation too well, bringing up every private thought and w he had. Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°You must be anxious. You describe it as a leash, but you don¡¯t trust anyone after all. All you have is a sick body. What do you have, Ruel?¡± ¡®You talk a lot.¡¯ In the novel, the cave was described as short, but it felt longer than I thought. Illusions continued to appear, bringing out all the worries he had hidden in his mind. Little by little, it became unpleasant. ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel¡¯s feet stopped. The illusion had turned into Kim Han, not Ruel. ¡°Can you go back to your original ce? Ruel, no, Kim Han. Why aren¡¯t you scared when you¡¯re stuck in a novel and don¡¯t even know the end of it? Are you doing well? Are you oveing it?¡± Ruel was agitated for the first time. ¡°I know you more than anyone else.¡± But that was it. He was caught off guard by his old self for a moment. ¡°Get lost.¡± Ruel passed by Kim Han with his middle finger raised. It was only then that the end was visible. ¡®It¡¯s nothing.¡¯ It was already in the past, regardless of what he said or not, pretending to be himself. It was much toote for him to have any regrets about the past, it was more important to solve what was happening currently. Cough. Cough. Ruel grabbed some of the pieces of a fractured sculpture in front of him. ¨C You who possess the power of recovery and the power of resistance. You have sessfullypleted my test. Physical pain is not the only pain. Memories can dig within you at any time. No one can be free from the pain of memory. That¡¯s why I chose you. It was a very arrogant statement. ¡°No, I chose you.¡± So, Ruel also corrected what the sculpture said with an arrogant expression. ¨C I will protect you from pain. I will hide you from pain and return your pain to the enemy who gave you pain. The fragments permeated into Ruel¡¯s body. Wi-ing. Wee-ing. The two powers wept as if weing the new power. ¡®The Power of Reflection.¡¯ Ruel smiled mischievously. It was a power that Ganien used instead of a shield, but Ruel nned to use it differently. He built a strong wall on my body that couldn¡¯t stand Mana. Now his body was like a broken pipe. When water is sourced through a broken pipe it can leak here and there, drenching the surroundings and when it rains, the foreign water will enter the pipe and pollute it. It would be easier to change the pipe itself, but he was unable to do so. He could only block the holes here and there. It would fix some of the problems. Using the power of reflection, Mana from the outside can be reflected from the inside to the outside. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and looked back at his Mana. After increasing the power and stretching it quickly, it definitely willst longer. ¡°Ptui.¡± Ruel spat out a little blood and raised the corners of his mouth. All right, then. As the power of reflection and resistance grows more and more, he will be able to use magic stably. In order to live for himself was Ruel¡¯s seventh goal. Must be able to withstand mana. Ruel turned around. Now there was nothing to do here. He stopped and stood tall. ¨C Stop gaining this power now. ¡°¡­?¡± It was written in Mana. Naturally, there was no unique color of mana that it should have. ¡®What is this?¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion replied, popping out of Ruel¡¯s shadow. ¡°Who¡¯s here?¡± Ruel asked, pointing to the handwriting. Cassion couldn¡¯t have known if someone hade. ¡°No one came.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes sharpened. There was only one thing that he had missed before. Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± At Ruel¡¯s call, Leo jumped up and stood in front of Ruel. Leo looked at Cassion with resentment. ¡ªWhy did you suddenly disappear? This body hates being alone. I learned from Ruel that it¡¯s basic manners to talk before you go¡­ Sniff. Leo smelled something and circled around the writing. ¡ªThis smell is close to nature but is human. Leo tilted his head. ¡°Do you mean a spirit?¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s not a spirit. ¡°Do you know where it went?¡± ¡ªThe smell still lingers. He wagged his tail and moved after the smell. Leo got out of the cave and headed for the forest. Soon he stopped and looked at Ruel. His ears are drooping. ¡ªIt¡¯s gone from here. ¡°There¡¯s another writing.¡± Cassion pointed to a mana inscription on a tree. ¨C Always stay with the Great Purifier. ¨C Stop gaining more of that power. Keep this in mind. Ha, Ruelughed. ¡°My head hurts.¡± As Cassion said, my mind becameplicated. Someone knew Leo was a great purifier. He also knew that Ruel had acquired the power left behind by the hero. ¡®¡­ Who the hell?¡¯ If Cassion is an opponent that cannot be caught unaware, how strong are they? There was only one power left. Ruel exhaled quietly as he watched the gradually disappearing writing. *** ¡®¡­ Another one has disappeared.¡¯ The man looked at the two round tattoos on his body. There were only two left. *** Squish. Cassion said as he offered hot water. ¡°I am ashamed of myself.¡± The voice was heavy. Ruel, staring nkly at the window, opened his mouth. ¡°I must know for sure whether it is an enemy or an ally because if you can¡¯t protect me, my life is already wasted.¡± As soon as Drianna saw Leo for the first time, she noticed the existence of the spirit. The man who wrote Mana¡¯s handwriting saw Leo, so he could notice that he was a spirit just like Drianna did. If you look at it so broadly, there is a possibility that he might have noticed that Leo was a great purifier, even if you read it in a book or heard it somewhere. But the power in his body. Cassion, Ganien, and Uncle knew there was something, but they didn¡¯t know what exactly. I went to get the power left by the hero, but the burden increased significantly. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo raised his face buried in a rice bowl and pricked his ears. ¡°You said he¡¯s close to nature, what does that mean?¡± Leo¡¯s eyes rolled. ¡ªHe is human, but he doesn¡¯t seem to be human. It smells like a spirit about to return to nature. To Spirits, returning to nature means death. ¡°So, what is it?¡± Ruel didn¡¯t understand when he heard it. ¡ªI don¡¯t know. But he is not a being outside of nature, so he is not a being that disturbs order. ¡°At least it¡¯s not evil?¡± ¡ªRight. Existences that are out of natural order must be purified by a great purifier. That is the task of this body. Leo proudly uttered this sentence and then proceeded to bury his face in the bowl of rice. Chomp. Chomp. ¨C Always stay with the Great Purifier. Ruel tapped his thigh, recalling the words written in Mana. ¡®If the great purifier¡¯s job is to purify beings out of order, does that mean that someone against nature¡¯s order will appear in the future? So you sent me that message? If not¡­¡¯ The uncertainty was very ufortable. ¡°Leo, what exactly do you mean by out of natural order?¡± Leo tilted his head from side to side and wagged his tail. ¡ªHonestly, I don¡¯t know. I just heard that you will know those who are out of nature¡¯s order when you see it. This body¡­ Soon the wobbly tail stopped. ¡ªThis body, this body is a half-wit so it will be a big deal if a person who deviates from nature¡¯sw appears because it cannot be purified! He seemed to have just figured out the problem by moving left and right as if he were confused. ¡°Never mind. No one treats you like an idiot.¡± ¡ªRight! You don¡¯t treat this body as a fool here. So this body is very happy. Leo¡¯s tail wobbled again. Ruel tapped his thigh again and turned his eyes to see the food in front of him. It was not a problem to be solved by thinking unless the person who engraved the letter materialized. ¡®Let¡¯s eat, with what little of my appetite remains.¡¯ ¡°What did you get there?¡± Cassion, who was listening in on the conversation, asked. Ruel immediately swallowed the meat in his mouth and held out an unused fork. ¡°Throw it gently.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s going to get stuck wherever I throw it.¡± ¡°Then just throw it near me.¡± Cassion had no choice but to hold the fork because his heart would hurt if he refused further orders. ¡°What are you thinking? You know what happens when I attack Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, throw it lightly.¡± Cassion focused on his finger and threw it with force only slightly touching the hem of Ruel¡¯s clothes. Ting. It was a very short moment, but Cassion saw a powder appear and push the fork. It was different from magic. ¡°What¡¯s that power?¡± ¡°The power of reflection.¡± ¡°Can magic also reflect?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°How much force can you reflect?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was filled with concern. The power of reflection. It may sound like anything could be reflected by the tone, but there was no absolute power. Especially when you¡¯ve just gained strength, you¡¯ll be very weak. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t intend to use it like a shield, because I¡¯m going to fill in the parts that my bodycks with that power.¡± ¡°You thought well. This has made it more bearable with mana. Congrattions.¡± Cassion pped his hands lightly. ¡°So, Cassion, let¡¯s do a test. We need to figure out how much power this has. We have plenty of time, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll start after the meal.¡± Ruelughed contentedly, inhaling Breath. Chapter 63.1 - Purification (2) Chapter 63.1 - Purification (2) *** Ting! The powder rose and disappeared as if Cassion were bouncing his fist. Ruel hurriedly covered his mouth. Hisplexion turned pale. Unlike the other two powers, this power did not emit any warning sound. Cassion gave him a handkerchief and made a calm voice. ¡°It¡¯s easy to think of it as a disposable shield. It¡¯ll endure at least once.¡± Ruel wiped the bloodstream and tightened his fingers. ¡®Ganien could reflect everything as soon as he got it.¡¯ The power this time seemed to be influenced by the state of his body. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll call Aris after you take a rest.¡± Ruel nodded instead of answering. As soon as hey on the bed with Cassion¡¯s support, Leo asked, putting his face in Ruel¡¯s. ¡ªIs there anything this body can do to help? ¡°Not today, maybe next time.¡± His ability to delicately control his power was superior to Aris. ¡ªOkay. If you ever need the help of this body, tell me. Leo smiled at Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°Ruel.¡± The door burst open and Ganien walked in. ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to knock?¡± Ruel showed his displeasure. He thought he¡¯d have to tell him someday, but only this time he got it out. ¡°You have Cassion.¡± It was very brazen. Ruel held back his anger and asked. ¡°So what¡¯s your business?¡± ¡°The Blue Knights will be waiting in the next town. As the representative of the delegation, they must treat you with utmost respect.¡± ¡°You brought them?¡± ¡°No, I honestly thought, regardless, the more escorts, the better. In any case, His Majesty gave the order, not me. You are a precious guest, and this time, you and I have swapped roles.¡± He and Ganien yed an important role in determining the alliance between Leponia and Cyronian. Ganien has already met the King of Leponia and proposed an alliance, and Ruel will await the response to the decision of the King of Leponia. The result of the alliance would be seen in the future. In the novel, no alliance was ever established between the two countries. ¡°The Red Ash disappeared on the way, and some of the wizards were mixed with the Red Ash. That¡¯s why I called the Blue Knights.¡± He needed people he could trust in the pce. Ganien frowned slightly. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Ginger, my lord.¡± Ruel raised his upper body. ¡°Come in.¡± Ginger opened the door and tried to lower his head, but was surprised to see Ganien. No matter how close Ruel and Ganien are, aren¡¯t they from different countries? ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel reassured Ginger. ¡°Did you find it?¡± ¡°Yes, I found it. And I secured the note on the bird¡¯s leg.¡± Ginger approached Ruel and politely held out a note. [Persons to be eliminated first: Ganien Croft of the Blue Knights, Torto the Commander of the Third Royal Knights, and Aris escorting Ruel Setiria.] [Thanks to the heavy snow, no one has noticed. Begin.] ¡°Who¡¯s the enemy?¡± Ruel wrinkled the note and smiled. The Nintra that the previous Red Ash agent talked about wasing. ¡°What I found out¡­ There were four of them: Khan, Taylor, Sort, and Kurt.¡± Ginger took a short breath and managed to open his mouth. The traitors really existed. When Ginger found out, he clenched his teeth with a sense of betrayal. If he hadn¡¯t epted Ruel¡¯s offer, he would have been stabbed in the back by their knives as they wore hideous masks as his fellowrades. ¡°Sir Ginger, rx. Sir Torto is not a traitor. Will you let Sir Torto know? The enemy hase.¡± Ginger managed to moisten his dry lips. It was not themander. It was more reassuring than any other words. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it right away.¡± As soon as the door closed, Ruel turned towards Cassion. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we reduce the number of heads?¡± He knows the enemy ising, so he should take the initiative to strike the back of their heads before they hit him. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get Aris.¡± Cassion nced at Ganien. He patted the handle of his sword, as if to reassure. Only then did Cassion disappear. ¡°Hina.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hina walked in from the dark. ¡°Tell the vige chief to evacuate the people. Oh, and if you use Ganien¡¯s name, you¡¯ll have a better chance.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Hina nodded and disappeared. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo wagged his tail as soon as his name was called. ¡ªIs this body needed? ¡°I want you to melt the snow.¡± There was no one here who could handle nature better than Leo the Spirit. ¡ªAll right, leave it to this body. When Ruel opened the window, Leo plunged face first into the snow. Once he saw Leo buried himself in the snow, he closed the window. He was swimming through the snow like a fish in water. ¡°What are you doing? You didn¡¯t give me a task?¡± Ruel urged Ganien to stay still. Leo will clear the road, so there was no problem for the Blue Knights toe this way. Ganien grinned. ¡°Call me soon.¡± After sitting at the table and chatting, Ruel inhaled Breath. The shadows will go for the leader, followed by the Royal Knights, and the Blue Knights, so we can prepare for whatever n they have. He was excited to see how quickly the bastard would put his head under his feet. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Aris.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°Ganien-hyung is also here, too.¡± When did the title change from nim to hyung? Ganien weed Aris whilemunicating. Still, Ganien¡¯s eyes were filled with greed for his talent. ¡°Aris, did you hear from Cassion?¡± ¡°Yes, I have heard.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s to destroy the vige or whatever they n, the enemy¡¯s purpose is, as always, me. The town will be protected by the knights.¡± ¡°I will protect you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Yes, protect Ganien and me. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel smiled leisurely and sped his hands. *** Nintra was nervous. Mary was captured and killed by one of the Royal Knights. Ruel, who should have been swept away by the waves, arrived safely in the vige in the southernmost part of Cyronian. ¡®Damn! Damn it!¡¯ He chewed and chewed his frightenly short nails. Mary was weaker than himself, but she was a very capable assassin. Then she died, at the hands of only one knight. ¡®The information is different! Damn it!¡¯ Nintra was heading towards the southernmost vige. The information should havee by now. Why he wasn¡¯t swept away by the waves and what exactly happened? And is it okay to continue carrying out our n? ¡®Damn it!¡¯ Something is messed up. It felt as if his steps were getting slower and slower forwards. ¡®I should have killed Ruel Setiria for Him.¡¯ Can he execute the n? Nintra thought and pondered over and over again. Nintra took out the ck water from his pocket and put it back in repeatedly, until he finally sped it firmly in his hand. Because of the raid, it was only natural that the security level inside the Knights would rise. Isn¡¯t that what they had in mind when they attacked him? ¡®It¡¯s alright, this is for sure.¡¯ He stared at the ck water in his hand. Even without their information, this item from those above was certain. ¡°What an ominous thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Nintra froze. He didn¡¯t even notice when he approached. The subordinates behind him also tensed like Nintra. ¡°Is your name, Nintra?¡± The assassinughed. Before he knew it, the assassin had the bottle of ck water in his hand. Nintra finally drew his sword. But he couldn¡¯t swing it. He only thought that if he wielded it, he would die. He had never heard of such a strong man. ¡°I think this is the core of some kind of operation you guys are going tounch.¡± Cassion shook the bottle lightly. Gulp. Nintra also did not realize that he was slowly kneeling down, weighed down by the pressure Cassion sent out. The necks of the men behind him soared into the sky. Dek dududu. One of the necks rolled and stopped at Nintra¡¯s feet. It was then that Nintra began to tremble. He was not an opponent he could dare deal with. His instincts cried and screamed. ¡°Is that all of the n?¡± Nintra nodded his head several times. ¡°Is that all of your subordinates?¡± He nodded his head frantically. ¡°Howme.¡± Crack! Nintra copsed helplessly with the sound of a broken nose following him. Cassion shot out his hand and grabbed him by the neck. Chapter 63.2 - Purification (2) Chapter 63.2 - Purification (2) *** Tap. Tap. Ruel tapped his knee. He prepared, but there was no attack. They weren¡¯t weak, but Cassion was too strong. To be honest, even Ruel didn¡¯t expect Nintra to be caught this quickly. Watching the man kneeling under his feet, an arrogant smile hung on his bored face. ¡°Are you Nintra?¡± Nintra looked at Ruel with confused eyes. It was the first time seeing him in person. How can you be so weak? If I break your neck now, you¡¯ll die at once. His hands itched. ¡°Answer.¡± Cassion¡¯s sharp voice brought Nintra to his senses. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Even when you see Ruel-nim, you¡¯re not polite. We should have a close, intimate conversation.¡± Aris looked at Nintra with an unpleasant face. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± It didn¡¯t matter whether he spoke informally to himself or not. ¡°How far can he go before the Mana¡¯s oath takes effect?¡± ¡°Kill me.¡± He had lost his mind and was forced toe here, but he had no intention of begging for his life. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll kill you. But let me ask you a few questions.¡± After speaking his words, Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°I don¡¯t intend to answer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m slowly getting offended because I keep getting targeted and I don¡¯t know why. There¡¯s no one who speaks frankly. First, let¡¯s hear why you guys are after me.¡± ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t intend to answer.¡± Ruelughed at the grandeur. ¡°Your head is called the Great One. My existence is blocking the Great Step.¡± He came down from his perch and lightly tapped Nintra¡¯s cheek. ¡°It¡¯s funny, I can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s Great because he couldn¡¯t beat me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t insult him.¡± Nintra¡¯s eyes became fierce. Undeterred, Ruel kept caressing his cheek lightly. ¡°Insulting? I just said a dog¡¯s bark is just a dog bark. Great? That guy? He¡¯s a coward who can¡¯t evene to me in person. How can you say that? I don¡¯t know what about me scares him so much.¡± ¡°Shut up. He can¡¯te.¡± ¡°Are his legs ufortable? Or is he sick like me?¡± Nintra snorted. ¡°Disease? No, what is nted in your body is his mark.¡± ¡®You said punishmentst time, but now it¡¯s a mark, what do you mean?¡¯ Ruel adjusted his rhythm appropriately. He moved his mouth slightly in surprise. ¡°Was it a mark, not a curse? So, wherever I am, can he figure out where I am?¡± ¡°Yes, you must disappear. Wherever you go, you won¡¯t be able to get out of his eyes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange. If this were just a mark, I wouldn¡¯t have to suffer so much, you know.¡± Nintraughed. He didn¡¯t even know what was nted in his body and was spouting pathetic sounds. ¡°You should have died under His punishment. Your dirty blood is blocking his Great Start. But you will die, for sure.¡± The word punishment was mentioned again. Ruel guessed quickly and started talking. ¡°The punishment is¡­ Is it some kind of curse? A curse that cannot be lifted by anyone except the one who cast it. The curse of slowly dying¡­?¡± Nintra giggled, even showing his teeth. Ruel looked very frightened. There was no one wasn¡¯t afraid of death. Nintra felt exhration at Ruel¡¯s terror. Heughed louder and shouting, ¡°Yes! You will die! You¡¯ll vomit blood with the sensation of being stabbed all over the body, experiencing dozens of diseases a day, and die miserably!¡± ¡®Ah.¡¯ Now Ruel felt relieved. It was not a disease that was instilled in him, but a curse. Fran¡¯s examination, which said dozens of diseases were in a lump, was urate. ¡°Who.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips drew a line. Suddenly, his terrified expression disappeared, and arrogance shrouded his face. Now that we¡¯ve heard the truth of the disease, let¡¯s hear the rest. ¡°Put this curse mark on me?¡± Tap. Tap. Ruel touched Nintra¡¯s cheek again. ¡°¡­?¡± Nintra could not hide his embarrassment when he saw Ruel¡¯s expression that suddenly changed. ¡°You said he couldn¡¯te. So it doesn¡¯t mean he hung this mark, now, who did?¡± Murderous intent came from all directions. Nintra couldn¡¯t handle the murderous aura and trembled. ¡°Say it.¡± Nintra¡¯s mouth moved automatically when he faced the straight green eyes. ¡°T-The head of Leponia¡­ Ugh!¡± Nintra suddenly grabbed his head and suffered after speaking the words. ¡°¡­?¡± It was different from the price of breaking Mana¡¯s oath. ck blood flowed out of his eyes. ¡°Ugh!¡± Ganien pushed Ruel back. He didn¡¯t know the identity of the ck blood, but it was very ominous. ¡°Stay back, Ruel.¡± Nintra stopped scratching his neck and screamed. Kuhuaang! ck energy exploded out from his body and soon smashed through everything. ¡°Hold your breath.¡± Shh! Ganien swung his sword. The ck energy that filled the room disappeared with a single swing. Whew. A cold wind blew through the broken wall. He¡¯s gone. ¡°I will chase him. Aris, protect Ruel.¡± Cassion flew through the broken wall. ¡°Please.¡± Ganien followed after him. Aris soon came to his senses when he saw their backs. ¡°Are you all¡­right? Ruel¡¯s gaze turned to the broken wall. Thump. Thump. Ruel¡¯s heart beat faster when he saw Nintra colored with ck blood. It was different from fear. It felt like his blood was boiling. The mana filling his body became hot. He felt instinctively that he had to get rid of it. The shadow under Ruel¡¯s feet wriggled. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going after him.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± ¡°Aris.¡± When Ruel and his eyes met, suddenly goosebumps sprang up all over Aris¡¯s body. Ruel¡¯s atmosphere was different. It felt simr to when Ruel first controlled a monster. Ruel rose from his seat. There was a light in his eyes. All the shadows around him moved in waves. ¡°It¡¯s an order.¡± It was reckless to take Ruel there now. Knowing that, Aris bowed his head. He couldn¡¯t refuse the order. ¡°¡­I see.¡± A shadow in the corner shifted. Ruel inhaled Breath and said. ¡°Hina, don¡¯t try to stop me.¡± The shadows movement soon subsided. Chapter 64: Purification (3) Chapter 64: Purification (3) *** Papa Papak! When it touched the ck energy, the building copsed as if it were being torn apart by something. ¡°Uh-huh.¡± The ck blood that Nintra had spilled covered his whole body. Every time he walked, the floor turned ck. You could tell it was an ominous creature just by looking at it. ¡°Protect the vige!¡± Torto was bewildered by the strange being that suddenly appeared, but immediately cleared the area and ordered an attack on the enemy. Shh! A thick stream of ck water stretched out from Nintra¡¯s body. The knights quickly pulled out their shields and blocked the attack. Shush. Shush. He thought he blocked it. But as the shield melted down, even the knights standing behind them were engulfed in the ck stream. Crash! The sound of something cracking was vividly heard. Seeing hisrades die before they could even scream, the knights anger ignited. The ck thing wrapped around Nintra grew even bigger. ¡°Get away from it now!¡± Ganien shouted at them. The ck energy was dangerous. Ganien¡¯s aura was baby blue across the sword. He cut off Nintra¡¯s head, just as he had cut the waves. Dek dududu. It was very easy to decapitate. ¡°¡­!¡± But Ganien and the Knights watched in astonishment. Nintra was not dead. The cut throat was filled with ck liquid, but it was still connected to the neck and body. ¡®Someone who never dies?¡¯ Cassion licked his lips. So far, he has killed many people. But there was no one who didn¡¯t die. How should he deal with him? A strong aura burst from Cassion¡¯s dagger. It was wrapped around the dagger as thin and sharp as a de that had been sharpened thousands of times. Jumping out from the shadows, he slit Nintra¡¯s throat at once. Swoosh. As soon as the purple aura left an afterimage, ck blood sshed everywhere. The half-cut head dangled and looked at Cassion. The regenerative speed was slower than before, but he still didn¡¯t die. ¡°What is this¡­¡± Cassion looked at him as if exasperated. Dadadada. Moving his short legs, the red fox charged at Nintra. Chiig! Just touching Leo melted the ck blood. ¡®Is that a being who deviates from nature, like what the beast said?¡¯ Cassion frowned, narrowing his eyes. Unlike his wild dash, Leo looked pretty nervous. ¡°Move.¡± Then, an arrogant voice came from behind. The knights paved the way. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! This body melted the snow, and my feet lead me to this ce. Leo immediately ran to Ruel and chatted. ¡ªThat¡¯s a man who¡¯s out of nature¡¯s order. This, this body cannot purify it. What should I do? ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Ruel smiled at Leo and walked toward Nintra, who had turnedpletely ck. ¡°Ruel-nim, you can¡¯te.¡± ¡°Ruel, it¡¯s dangerous.¡± Despite Cassion and Ganien¡¯s restraint, Ruel did not stop his steps. ¡°I am here.¡± Sniff. Nintra sniffed like a dog and jumped at Ruel in an instant. Ting! A shield appeared in front of Ruel, causing his body to bounce off. Aris red at him and chanted a spell. ¡°Purify everything through your brilliant red light.¡± The mes from Aris¡¯ hands turned into butterflies and engulfed Nintra¡¯s body. But it only slowed down his actions, and he focused back to Ruel. Bam! Aris kept his mouth shut while memorizing the next spell. The flow of mana was sensed again from Ruel. There was a stronger light in those green eyes. ck hands protruded from the shadows of everyone standing around and they wrapped around Nintra at once. Even though they were equally ck, the ck hands that Ruel had created were noble and somewhat frail. ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Amand, not a request. At thatmand, the ck blood was sucked into Ruel¡¯s shadow. The witnesses watching felt goosebumps race across their bodies. They even thought it was sacred. Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡ªIs it purification? Is Ruel a great purifier? Nintra, whose ck blood disappeared, copsed. ¡°Cough!¡± Ruel spilled red blood. Drip. Drip. It was twice as much as usual. It wasn¡¯t until the sight of vivid red blood on the ground that everyone came to their senses. Cassion covered Ruel¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief, but the blood that had already been vomited did not disappear. ¡°Ah.¡± Everyone saw it. Ruel tried to sacrifice his life to get rid of the strange monster. The color of the blood spilled on the floor looked very thick. *** Wi-ing. Ii-ing. The power of recovery made a sound of pain after a long time. Even the power of resistance was about to fail, and it cried out. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t even open his eyes, his body curled up in agony. His fever was high. His whole body was a ball of fire. He was conscious, but it would not be strange if he lost consciousness immediately. ¡°Beast, how is Ruel-nim¡¯s body?¡± ¡ªThis body must be eaten. Cassion looked directly at Ganien. He couldn¡¯t straighten his hardened face throughout the examination. ¡°It¡¯s crazy. It¡¯s crazy.¡± Ganien looked at Cassion with nervousness. He could see the diseases running wild inside Ruel¡¯s body. Cassion bit his lip. The medicine made by Fran had already been administered. He had managed to feed Ruel the most effective painkillers. Nevertheless, the pain did not go away. ¡°Eat it, beast. Hurry up!¡± Leo touched Ruel¡¯s body and ripped off the ck things. His ears twitched at Ruel¡¯s moan, and he was startled by the taste that spread in his mouth, and his ears soared into the sky again. Chomp. Chomp. He knew it was wrong, but Leo¡¯s lips went up. ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious. Huff. Puff. As the breathing became rough, Aris handed over Breath. ¡°Is it okay¡­?¡± ¡°No.¡± Cassion immediately replied. The tremors that urred in Ruel¡¯s body did not stop, and the medicine did not work as quickly as usual. Now all that can be done, has been. Cassion took a sleeping pill out of his pocket and administered it to Ruel. Sleeping would be better than holding onto your consciousness. Beep. Beep. Ganien rose from his seat as his ring shone. After biting his lip for a moment, he said, ¡°The Blue Knights must have arrived. Cassion, please take care of Ruel.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± As he hurried his steps, Ganien went outside. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris clenched the hem of his shirt. No matter how well he learned magic, there was no way to heal Ruel. ¡°Go to Sir Torto and tell him to get the knights under control.¡± There were many eyes watching. He can¡¯t cover up everything, but he can conceal what Ruel did. ¡°I¡­understand.¡± He couldn¡¯t change anything just because he was there. Aris quickly acknowledged that fact and walked to the door. ¡°Ha.¡± Only after exhaling was the door opened then shut. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything to me, chief.¡± Hina peeped out of the corner and spoke carefully. ¡°¡­I won¡¯t scold you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re very angry. Are you all right?¡± Cassion had a nk expression, but Hina could clearly see that he was furious. ¡°Hina, I have something for you to do.¡± ¡°Say anything.¡± Cassion handed Hina two bottles of ck water. ¡°One for investigation and the other, tell Tyson that there¡¯s a man who doesn¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I ept your orders.¡± Hina disappeared. ¡®Nintra suddenly shed ck blood. I don¡¯t know what that is, but it must be relevant.¡¯ Nintra, who fainted, was taken by the Knights for now. As soon as Cassion saw an opportunity, he nned to take him out. ¡ªCassion. Leo quietly called Cassion. He looked at Leo. ¡ªIs Ruel a human being? ¡°I don¡¯t want to y along with you today, so just lie down next to Ruel.¡± ¡ªRuel is not a great purifier, but he purified it. ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡ªRuel is definitely a human being even if he has something dirty in his body. ¡°Purification¡­ Are you sure of that, beast?¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°It¡¯s purification. I know because this body is a great purifier.¡± What the hell is the identity of my master? Controlling monsters and even purifying them. ¡°Ha¡­¡± He was tired. He felt it after a long time. ¡°You should have died at His punishment. Your filthy blood is blocking his Great Start. But you will die, for sure.¡± Cassion recalled what Nintra said. ¡®Is it a bloodline?¡¯ Before entering Setiria as a butler, he did a lot of research on Setiria. There was nothing special about it except that it was going to copse. But just like an onion, as I peel more back, something new would pop out. ¡®What else wille out?¡¯ Cassion sat in his chair and grabbed his throbbing head. *** ¡ªBoo-hoo. A loud roar broke through the soundproof sound of the carriage. But what Ruel heard was a very small cry. Ruel opened his eyes with difficulty and focused his eyes. His mouth was dry. ¡°You can sleep a little longer. We have not yet reached the capital.¡± Ruel shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to sleep any more. His hands were so wet with how much Leo cried. Ruel raised the other hand and stroked Leo¡¯s head. Strangely enough, he stopped crying. He raised his face from his hands and met Ruel¡¯s eyes. His eyes got bigger. ¡ªRuel! Leo climbed over his chest and rubbed his face again and again. ¡ªDo you know how worried this body was? No matter how many times I called you, you didn¡¯t wake up, so I thought you left me alone. Ruel left me¡­ A sobbing sound followed. Ruel pet Leo and closed his eyes for a moment. I felt like I had a dream. I can¡¯t remember exactly, but there was a being with very beautiful scales. His own hands were very small and the other presence was veryrge. He seemed to have had a very long talk with the being. But I couldn¡¯t remember. Except, for just one thing. ¨C Come and find me again. Only those words came to mind. ¡°Today is the second day.¡± Cassion moistened Ruel¡¯s dry lips first. ¡®I had a dog dream for a long time.¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel looked at Cassion rather than answer. ¡°I heard that the mana you have is darkness. Did you know that you could absorb the ck things?¡± Ruel shook his head. He didn¡¯t even know what he was doing. He just did what his instincts told him to do. ¡°Water.¡± Ruel sat up only with Cassion¡¯s help as he tried to raise his upper body. Cassion asked, giving out water. ¡°Are you in pain?¡± Ruel shook his head again and drank water. ¡°The beast called what Ruel-nim did purification.¡± ¡°Pooh!¡± At a sudden sound, Ruel spewed water.Author''s Thoughts Chapter 65: Delegation Representative (1) Chapter 65: Delegation Representative (1) ¡°P-purification?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right. Hick, it¡¯s purification. This body will prove it. When Leo answered with tears in his eyes, Ruel blinked with his mouth open. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± Ruel wiped the dripping water under his chin. He himself became Ruel, but all he knew was that he was a sickly nobleman. Ruel recalled the time when a shadow enveloped Nintra and carefully organized his words. ¡°It wasn¡¯t purely my will to use magic, I followed my instincts.¡± His voice was weak. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and inhaled Breath. Even Breath felt heavy. ¡°My uncle said that the dark attribute is very rare, and there is very little information about it¡­ Is it because of my blood or magic?¡± Ruel, who was marked by a Great One, was able to live for five years thanks to the blood flowing through his body. Cassion killed him in the novel, he did not die because of his illness. ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± Ruel opened his closed eyes. ¡°You know, whether you were descended from a hero, called by God, or something like that.¡± ¡°Cassion, are you serious or joking?¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking you seriously.¡± Ruel sighed. ¡°Yes, I would ask that, too. But there¡¯s only one thing I can tell you.¡± He was out of breath quickly. Ruel continued after inhaling Breath. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± Why can he control the monsters? How he managed to do purification. ¡°I have a great master.¡± Despite Cassion¡¯s sarcastic remarks, Ruel stretched out his hand and asked for a snack. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ruel checked his strength as he ate the meat pie Cassion handed him. Crunch. To my delight, they have all increased. ¡®As expected, when you reach the limit, you grow faster.¡¯ How much more blood should I vomit? Crunch. Ruel asked, chewing the meat pie hard. ¡°Then why is it so noisy around here? This is a soundproof carriage.¡± ¡°You saved the vige.¡± Ruel frowned. He could see that he had saved the vige. But something was wrong. It sounded like people were shouting something together. ¡°Ruel-nim saved the vige from a strange monster engulfed in ck blood, and as a result, the Royal Knights saw Ruel-nim vomit and copse. The title ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ was given to honor Ruel-nim¡¯s sacrificial spirit.¡± Cassion raised one corner of his mouth and pped his hands with a great deal of ridicule. ¡°Wh, wh¡­ what?¡± He got goosebumps. ¡°It¡¯s a ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯¡± ¡°Who gave that nickname?¡± ¡°The leader of the Blue Knights was excited to grant it. No one opposed the title.¡± ¡°Crazy bas¡ª¡± Ruel angrily recalled Ganien as if he were going to tear him to pieces. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°That is impossible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± You have to face reality yourself to know why. Cassion opened the window only a little. The cold wind followed with a strange sound. ¡°We see the lord, the Noble of Darkness!¡± ¡°O Noble of Darkness. We wee you!¡± ¡°The Noble of Darkness¡­¡± ¡°Close it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s order, Cassion closed the window regretfully. ¡°Did you hear that?¡± Ruel buried his face in his hand. ¡°First of all, we couldn¡¯t stop you from using magic and saving the vige. However, the power that turned Nintra into a bizarre monster and the magic Ruel-nim used were hidden to the public. The Noble of Darkness is known as the title that came out because of what Ruel-nim wore, so don¡¯t worry.¡± In the end, the title Noble of Darkness did not disappear. ¡°Is it possible to kill Ganien? Cough, cough.¡± The sound of Ruel¡¯sint was mixed with the sound of coughing, Cassionughed out loud. ¡°Sadly, he¡¯s out of my league. I don¡¯t want to kill him.¡± Cassion stopped hisughter at once and continued, as if he had neverughed, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± He held out a bottle of ck water from his pocket. ¡°Nintra had it. We¡¯re still investigating it.¡± Leo sniffed and looked at the bottle. He tilted his head at once. ¡ªIt is water that smells like the man who had gone out of nature¡¯s order. Ruel asionally frowned at the stabbing pain within his body. ¡°Try a drop on Leo.¡± Leo said he couldn¡¯t purify it, but he still saw purification happen just by touching it. Cassion dropped just one drop on Leo. Shiiiijikjik. It melted away quickly. Ruel inhaled the Breath quietly. ¡°Always move with the Great Purifier.¡± The handwriting he saw when he gained the third power seemed to be useful advice. ¡®Did you already know about the existence of the ck water?¡¯ Tap. Tap. Ruel tapped his thigh. It was a pain in the ass. It was all the more deadly because it was not mentioned in the novel. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you saw it, but aura didn¡¯t work against it.¡± Ruel remembered the scene. The severed head had stuck back together. He was not a zombie, and he was still alive even after his head was cut off. If anything appears like this in the future, how should we respond? ¡°What happened to Nintra?¡± ¡°He¡¯s alive.¡± ¡°He¡¯s alive?¡± Didn¡¯t he get beheaded several times? ¡°Yes, to my surprise, he¡¯s alive. Now that the Knights have him, I¡¯m going to take a look for the opportunity to question him ourselves.¡± ¡°Yeah, whether you¡¯re nning your own y or whatever you do, be sure to bring him here.¡± ¡ªThis body can¡¯t purify¡­ Ruel grabbed Leo¡¯s mouth. This pessimism was not good. Because the opponent was Leo, he didn¡¯t want to hear any more. ¡°It¡¯s fine because I can do it.¡± ¡°You can, but your body can¡¯t hold out. Are you nning to copse again?¡± Cassion, who seemed to have a shadow of Billo, pressed the nagging in his head and brought up only what he had to say. ¡°Will youe forward if this happens again?¡± ¡°Did you dispose of the Red Ash hidden in the royal knights?¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes frowned as Ruel avoided answering. There was only one person influenced by the ck water this time. If there are two next time. No, if it¡¯s more than that. Ruel will do the job, I¡¯m sure. His life depended on it. Cassion did not let it go. ¡°Please answer me straight, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Who can do it?¡± Cassion looked at Leo. He had to do it, not just in the name of the Great Purifier. ¡°I¡¯m not dying.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll die next time.¡± Even though his heart was aching, Cassion stared intently at Ruel. ¡°¡­was it serious?¡± Ruel did not know what had happened to himself because he was in a daze. ¡°It was serious.¡± Ruel shut up. Cassion did not say nonsense. ¡°I will definitely find a way to deal with the ck water. So don¡¯t cross the line, you promised me you wouldn¡¯t risk yourself again.¡± Since the ne incident, Ruel has always stayed behind. This case was unavoidable, but what about next time? Will he be able to stand behind the frontlines next time? Ruel thought it was impossible. He was the only one who could purify it for now. ¡°Cassion, I¡¯m differentpared to then and now.¡± ¡°It is no different.¡± Ruel¡¯s forehead was wrinkled. ¡°Cassion, keep the line.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t do anything stupid.¡± I¡¯ll step up when I have to, and I¡¯ll step down when I have to. Cassion sighed and answered the question Ruel asked. ¡°Torto killed him himself. I haven¡¯t figured anything out.¡± ¡°I caught Nintra, so that¡¯s enough.¡± There was no longer a story to be heard from the pawns. ¡°When will we arrive?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll be there in two hours.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the schedule?¡± ¡°Most of the events have been canceled due to Ruel¡¯s illness. However, you will need to attend the wee ceremony held by the Royal Family, even for a brief moment. Also, discussions rted to alliances, dinners with nobles, and a wee parade for the people¡­ .¡± Although most of them were canceled, the sound of Cassion listing out one event at a time made it feel too long. ¡ªWow, that¡¯s a lot. Ruel is great. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel answered calmly and inhaled Breath. ording to the data provided by Banios, the presumed stronghold of the Red Ash was near the capital. It¡¯s supposed to be dark under themp. Who would have known that the stronghold was one of the most frequented bars in Cyronian? The owner of the bar is Count Bianne Chen. He was one of the noblemen who confronted Ganien in the novel. Ruel smiled suspiciously. With that smile, Cassion sighed again quietly. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Look for Bianne Chen and the bar.¡± Although various events have been canceled, it will take more than three days if the royal family holds the several remaining events, including the weing ceremony. It was a shame to just waste that time. ¡°His Highness must have investigated it.¡± ¡°You know, Cassion? I don¡¯t trust the investigation unless it¡¯s my person.¡± What if the bar run by Bianne Chen is not really the stronghold? If Banios had investigated and the second prince noticed this, but induced him to obtain false information. There were many possibilities. So Ruel wanted to carefully look at everything once more himself. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll look into it.¡± *** As soon as Ruel got out of the carriage, Ganien asked, ¡°What about your body?¡± Ruel red at him as if he were going to kill him. ¡°Why? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t attached that title, my body would have felt a little less painful.¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s a good name, right? I don¡¯t usually have a knack for naming, but it came out really well this time. Even within the Blue Knights, they say it¡¯s okay¡­¡± Ruel grabbed Ganien by the cor. The self control that Ruel had been holding back burst when he saw Ganien¡¯s smiling face. ¡°Erase it, now.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, we have a lot of eyes watching us.¡± Cassion pointed out the surrounding gazes and reminded him quietly. He understood how he felt, but it was not good to make a fuss in front of the pce. ¡°Whew¡­¡± Ruel managed toe to his senses. It¡¯s not a new kind of annoyance, but until he met the royal family, he would have to listen to the familiar sound of ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯ He dreaded it. ¡°Hey, you didn¡¯t like it? But what should I do? It¡¯s all known now. I can¡¯t change it even if I remove it.¡± Ganien scratched the back of his neck. Ruel¡¯s stomach hurt as he thought about his ruined name. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s weird, too, Aris?¡± Ganien looked at Aris for help. ¡°Be honest.¡± Aris gulped at the gaze of the two and loosened his itching mouth. ¡°I personally think it suits Ruel-nim very well. I don¡¯t know what to say because I think about the bravery Ruel-nim showed me at that time.¡± His eyes were so shiny. Like a child facing a treasured object, Ruel turned his head away. ¡®¡­I shouldn¡¯t have asked Aris.¡¯ ¡ªThis body was very surprised, too! It was great! Ruel¡¯s name may be preceded by greatness! Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s body. It was very cozy with its tail wrapped around its neck. ¡°Lord.¡± At Torto¡¯s voice, Ruel turned his head. Chickk. With reverent vignce, Torto opened his mouth. ¡°I would like to pay tribute to the courage and spirit of sacrifice that the Lord has shown. Thank you!¡± While traveling under his protection, the mysterious creature without magic was able to kill all of his men. But he lived. He was saved by Ruel. Chiikk! Following that, the Royal Knights stared at Ruel with firm eyes. ¡°Oh, this was a first.¡± Ganien looked at the scene with satisfaction and gestured towards the Blue Knights. Unlike the royal knights in red capes, the knights in blue capes moved forward in line with Ganien¡¯s instructions. ¡°Lord Setiria, I would like to express my gratitude to you as a knight who protects the Kingdom of Cyronian. Thank you.¡± ¡°Thank you!¡± Ruel smiled lightly at the salutes of the two Knights. ¡®Can I rip something of his out?¡¯ This wasn¡¯t Setiria and there was no obvious action. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Perhaps because of hisck of energy, Ruel stumbled for a moment. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Sighs leaked out from all over the ce. Knowing the amount of blood they saw at that time, the Knights expressed concern at Ruel¡¯s uneasy appearance. He just copsed for two days and now he¡¯s up. He may not make it even if he walks. One of the Blue Knights nudged Ganien on the side and whispered something, and Ganien opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll bring a stretcher. Please wait.¡± Ruel¡¯s face crumpled right away. I was afraid of what other titles would be given to me if I was carried on a stretcher to the royal family, as if the Noble of Darkness was not enough. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± It wasn¡¯t that I couldn¡¯t walk because I didn¡¯t have the strength. Ttak. Eyes followed the sound of the cane. It was like watching a newborn baby learning to walk. ¡®This is driving me crazy.¡¯ He couldn¡¯t reveal the power of recovery he held within his body. ¡ªRuel. Ruel, everyone is worried about Ruel. Leo¡¯s voice was very excited about what was going on. When Ruel inhaled Breath, the Knights flinched. ¡°May I ask what that is?¡± Torto opened his mouth very carefully. Ruel didn¡¯t want to tell him because he didn¡¯t know what else they would react to. ¡°Nothing.¡± At the same time as he said this, he looked at Ganien softly with a threateningly look to keep his mouth shut with his eyes. Ganien nodded his head violently. Ttak. The sound of the cane was heard again. The two knights looked at him anxiously and followed closely behind him. Chapter 66: Delegation Representative (2) Chapter 66: Delegation Representative (2) Before meeting the King of Cyronian, Ruel and his party had time to change clothes and dress up. ¡°Our Majesty is so broad-minded that you can make a cough, so it¡¯s alright if you can¡¯t hold it. He knows you¡¯re sick and he knows that he pushed you to attend.¡± The King of Cyronian was young. He had no children as of yet, so he treated Ganien as if he were an older brother. Anyway that¡¯s how the novel exined the rtionship between the two. This fact did not seem to have changed. As long as he went along with proper etiquette it would be more than sufficient. Ganien spoke repeatedly. ¡°Do you have any pain?¡± ¡°There is a slight fever, but nothing to worry about.¡± Cassion suggested taking painkillers in advance in front of the King and his ministers in case his condition would decline. ¡ªEverything sparkles. There¡¯s something shiny about this body too! Leo was busy looking around holding the ne that Jirie gave him with his short legs. Aris was the only one who was meek and quiet. Studying him, it seemed that he was holding back what he wanted to say, not necessarily being quiet. ¡°Is there anything you want to say?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Aris recognized that his voice was too loud and hurriedly lowered his volume. ¡°You can do it well. Don¡¯t be nervous and rx.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris was more nervous than himself. His face turned pale. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Cassion and Aris stopped before the door. They couldn¡¯t go beyond this. Ruel smiled and went inside with Ganien. ¡°The Blue Knights Commander, Sir Ganien Croft, escorting Lord Ruel Setiria, who hase from Leponia as their delegation¡¯s representative. Wee!¡± Following the powerful words of the servant, various nobles in the hall and the King sitting in the center focused their attention on Ruel. Ttak. The sound of a cane rang first. The nobles who stood ording to their titles looked at Ruel¡¯s attire and spoke in hushed tones of the Noble of Darkness. ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ Ruel usually prefered dark colors. Ruel in the novel also wore dark clothes, so the clothes he brought with him without much meaning were now scrutinized by today¡¯s eyes. Worried the nobles would put the ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ nickname in their mouths, Ruel chose the brightest outfit out of his clothes, but it still turned out like this. ¡®When I go back to Setiria, I will change everything to white so you can¡¯t talk about ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ anymore. Certainly.¡¯ Although his stomach began to burn, Ruel walked confidently with a slight smile. When Ruel was about to bow to the King, the King spoke. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be polite. Sir Croft, you¡¯re fine, as well.¡± ¡°Thank you for your consideration, Your Majesty. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Ruel, who only bowed his head, looked at the King. Ruel was one of only six heads of state in Leponia. There was nothing to lose with slight disrespect. ¡°You¡¯ve had a hard time getting here, Lord Setiria. First of all, I¡¯d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for saving the town.¡± ¡°I¡¯m ttered. I just did what I had to do as a fellow human being.¡± Oh oh. Cheers sprouted across the ce. How can you be so humble, after saving a vige in another country. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t resist coughing. At the same time, he endured the chest pain and concentrated on the King. ¡°Are you okay?¡± asked the King, genuinely concerned. It was a slight cough. It isn¡¯t very deep? ¡°The Lord of Setiria has been unconscious for two days, and has just woken up today, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± The King sighed at Ganien¡¯s words. He opened his mouth to Ruel rather than resent Ganien for not telling him about it. ¡°I¡¯m going to end this for today, let¡¯s discuss this issue after the lord¡¯s body is recovered.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m here on behalf of my country. My countryes before my body¡¯s health to carry out my mission.¡± Ruel turned down the King¡¯s consideration and handed the King a luxurious envelope he had kept in his arms. ¡°This is a personal letter from the King of Leponia.¡± When the King received the envelope, Ruel tensed his shoulders. ¡°I will take this opportunity to clearly state the will of our Leponia.¡± The silence was so stifling that you could clearly hear the sound of the crowd swallowing their saliva. Just because the delegation came, it could not be assured that they would form the alliance unconditionally. Ruel was astonished to see the result of the King of Leponia¡¯s choice. ¡°I ept the alliance.¡± As his rtionship with Ganien changed, the storyline was heading in apletely different direction from the novel. The fact was ufortable, but Ruel was satisfied that the risk of war had been lowered. The King smiled broadly. He looked like he wanted to shout for a banquet right away. ¡°I will take it seriously, thank you for the good news.¡± ¡°Personally, I am also very happy to have a good rtionship with the Kingdom of Cyronian.¡± Ruel looked around the moment he bowed his head. The reaction of the nobles was mixed. More than half were happy, but the rest made a meaningful or hardened expression. The King rose from his seat. Since Leponia has announced the will for an alliance, staying longer would only be a waste of time. ¡°Today, treat Lord Setiria, a distinguished guest who hase a long way, with the utmost respect.¡± When the word VIP was mentioned, the eyes of the nobles quickly turned into greed. The King was the first to leave the hall after giving the order. Ruel inhaled the Breath. It was a relief that it ended much earlier than expected. However, while he was considering whether he could rest now, the nobles approached wearing the mask of polite, conversationalughter. ¡®It¡¯s annoying just to look at it.¡¯ Ruel closed his eyes tightly and stumbled. At times like this, pretending to be sick was the best escape. ¡ªRuel, are you sick again? It¡¯s weird. The dirty stuff is the same. Ganien hurriedly supported Ruel and showed his momentum. ¡°You¡¯d better postpone introductions until next time, Lord Setiria is not feeling well.¡± Despite the silent pressure not to approach, some of the nobles calmly handed out suggestions. ¡°Then when you feel better, please visit our County Tyreno.¡± ¡°In the future, our Marquis of Neien¡­¡± ¡°Later, we¡¯ll¡­¡± Ruel really felt dizzy because of a series of distinguished family names and proud introductions. ¡ªWell, it¡¯s very noisy. This body has short legs and can¡¯t cover its ears. ¡®There are so many aristocrats.¡¯ I already missed Leponia, which has only six noble families. ¡°Stop it. Isn¡¯t this disrespectful?¡± The nobles, who stuck to Ruel with unwieldy voices, turned their eyes to where the voice came from. From the door came a white-haired man. He had a built physique not befitting of someone his age, and when his eyes rested on him Ganien¡¯s face quickly hardened. And suddenly, he straightened, appearing disciplined saluting the man. ¡°Excuse me, Lord Ruel Setiria. My name is Sien Lupiros.¡± ¡®When you say Sien Lupiros, you mean¡­Ganien¡¯s teacher, right?¡¯ As well as being a Duke, he was also a General of Cyronian. Ruel waited to greet him warmly. Because it was his first time seeing him in person. ¡®You look like this.¡¯ One of his favorite characters was Sien. Ruel nced at Ganien. As expected, he was trembling with fear. His fault seemed to be known. ¡°I couldn¡¯t attend this meeting due to an urgent matter, so I briefly came to see the face of a precious guest from afar, but witnessed the Lord suffering such disrespect.¡± Meeting Sien¡¯s eyes, the nobles trembled like rabbits standing in front of a tiger and quickly greeted him before disappearing. ¡°I apologize in their stead.¡± Sien lowered his head lightly. Then he called Ganien. ¡°Ganien.¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± ¡°Lord Setiria looks very tired. What are your two legs for?¡± ¡°I, I was about to go!¡± ¡°Lord Setiria, I heard that you came here despite your illness because of my disciple. I apologize for being a poor teacher.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel made eye contact with Sien after coughing. The corners of Sien¡¯s mouth slightly went up. Due to his fierce impression, few people could make eye contact with him. Ganien had many close friends. However, this is the first time for a friend to be so often talked about, so Sien was always curious. He looked as sick as he had heard. However, he could see rigidity in Ruel¡¯s straight eyes. ¡°No, I was just wondering what kind of country my close friend lives in, and now I have such a good opportunity, so how can I not catch it?¡± ¡°Thank you for saying so. I want to take a long time to talk to you, but it would be rude to continue like this.¡± Sien looked at Ganien and nodded toward the door. ¡°I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Ruel promised Sien to meet him next time, supported by Ganien. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait for that day.¡± When he received a definite answer, Ruel thought about which bridge to build with the Duke. There was nothing bad about being close. *** It¡¯s already been a day since he came to Cyronian. After meeting the king, he took a nap to catch his breath for a while, and slept until morning. Purification seemed to be more of a burden on the body than he thought. ¡°How long does it take from here to the Ice Castle?¡± Ruel was changing his clothes for the parade. Cassion¡¯s hand stopped. He thought carefully because he knew very well that Ruel would not bring it up for no reason. ¡°Do you know where the Ice Castle is?¡± ¡°You know, it¡¯s a very unusual ce.¡± There was a ce called ¡®Ice Castle¡¯ near the Cyronian Kingdom. It was built on the highest mountain and was always snowy and cold, and unlike the neutral zone agreed on by the three major countries, it was formed independently. ¡°It¡¯s not a country, it¡¯s not a vige, it¡¯s a strange ce maintained only by strange rules.¡± The rules were simple. You are free to enter the Ice Castle, but you must fight with the residents of the Ice Castle. If you win a fight with a resident of the Ice Castle, you can own the resident, and if you lose, you must be a resident of Ice Castle and obey the person who won. No one knew why such rules existed or when the Ice Castle formed there. ¡°Are you going to visit there?¡± Cassion moved his hand again, attaching decorations to his clothes. ¡°It¡¯s a very attractive ce, we¡¯vee all the way to Cyronian, shouldn¡¯t we go see it?¡± ¡°Did you forget the rules? Wealth and status have no sway there, there¡¯s no way you don¡¯t know why people avoid it.¡± Ruel knew it very well. There was no stupid King who would go to war for a barrennd with nothing to gain. There was a time when one of the stupider aristocrats challenged the ice castle to grow his prestige. He was defeated. ording to the rules, he had to be a resident of Ice Castle, but he refused to do so and died. His family was angry and headed there with the determination to wipe out the barbarians. However, they were unprepared for the harsh cold and had toe back down, then they requested the royal family to wipe out the barbarians, but was refused. A worthless piece ofnd. A war that is not worth winning. ¡°So you can¡¯t win?¡± Ruel raised his lips provocatively. At least in his own eyes, thend looked different. In short, isn¡¯t it thend of money that only needs to be won? ¡°No way.¡± When Cassion said he was confident, Ruel calmly asked what he had to do for the event. ¡°What should I do during the parade?¡± ¡°The speech was canceled, so you can just smile and wave.¡± ¡°I¡¯m tired just listening to the schedule.¡± Ruel sighed deeply. ¡°But do you have any other colors? A brighter color?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the brightest color you have.¡± ¡°This?¡± Looking at himself through the mirror, he was in an outfit that would remind anyone of the absence of light. Chomp. Chomp. He nced at Leo at the sound of non-stop snacking. He had received a lot of snacks this morning because there were rumors he was raising a fox. ¡®You¡¯ve grown a bit.¡¯ Leo was not a fox but a spirit, so even though his body grew bigger, he was still light. ¡ªDo you want to eat, Ruel? If it¡¯s Ruel, I can give it to you. Leo, who had been eating non-stop, finally raised his head. Cassion¡¯s subtle pressure appeared. He honestly wanted to eat. But he didn¡¯t have the confidence to eat without spilling. The uniform had a long process to put on and he didn¡¯t want to go through it again. ¡°No, enjoy yourself.¡± At Ruel¡¯s answer, Cassion breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°One meat pie, please.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Come to think of it, you don¡¯t have to take off your uniform, do you?¡± Cassion¡¯s sigh was heard very deeply.Author''s Thoughts Chapter 67: Delegation Representative (3) Chapter 67: Delegation Representative (3) *** The main character of the parade was Ruel. The carriage was open upstairs for the parade. Ruel felt tired as soon as he saw the carriage. It looked like it had already be quite a sight though he had yet to embark on it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you cane down and rest for a while.¡± Ganien said brightly. ¡°How long would it be?¡± ¡°About 30 seconds to 1 minute?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a meaningless sham.¡± ¡°Everyone hase to see you so you have to be considerate, Lord Setiria, Noble of Darkness.¡± Ruel crumpled his face. He wanted to strangle Ganien right away. Ganien was wearing the symbolic Blue Knights¡¯ uniform during the parade. Ganien held Aris back to check several things for thest time before getting into the carriage. It was Aris and Ganien who were escorting Ruel in the parade. ¡°Aris, you are no longer an ordinary person, but Ruel¡¯s escort. With the title of knight, do you know how many responsibilitiese with it?¡± ¡°I know what it means to be here.¡± Aris managed to take a deep breath and calm himself down. Last night, he was confronted by Ganien and learned from him that he had be stronger. Aris was happy but not satisfied. Because he wants to be even stronger. Aris was dressed as a Setiria knight, not as usual. A sky blue cape representing Setiria fluttered behind him. Ttak. With the sound of the cane, Aris followed Ruel. The carriage departed under the escort of the Blue Knights. When the gate of the tightly closed castle opened, people shouted. Ruel went upstairs with a pre-prepared smile. The wind blew hard. Leo was wrapped around his neck in advance because he could not wear anything on the outside, like a cloak, due to the nature of the uniform. Ruel closed his eyes and squinted them against the cold winding in. The eyes of people looking at him were weing. ¡ªThere are so many people! Everyone smiles at Ruel! This body is very happy! ¡®It¡¯s cold.¡¯ Ruel was able to wave his hands thanks to a magical item like a hand warmer attached to the uniform. ¡°Wow!¡± When Ruel waved his hand, strong shouts came. They didn¡¯t know his name, but they knew the title that had already spread. ¡°O Noble of Darkness!¡± A noble man who saved their vige even though he was from another country. People who appreciated his noble behavior shouted loudly. ¡°You¡¯re so popr¡± At Ganien¡¯s voice from below, Ruel said with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s noisy.¡± Then Ganien appeared. The shout grew even louder as the blue cape, which announced that he was a Blue Knight, fluttered in the wind. Two people from different countries stood side by side and waved to show, at least indirectly, why the Leponia delegation came here and what they nned. The effect was very good. Standing side by side with a bright smile reminded one of a solid alliance. After the parade, the King of Cyronian officially dered an alliance with the Kingdom of Leponia. *** ¡°Your Majesty, it is clear that the alliance between the two countries intends to exclude our Kran Kingdom!¡± One of the nobles spoke up. After dering the alliance in the Cyronian Kingdom, King Kran gathered the nobles and hurriedly began a meeting. ¡°It seems premature to judge like that yet. You¡¯ll have to decide after checking the movements of Leponia and Cyronian.¡± ¡°What are you talking about! The long-held bnce has been broken! If you stay still like this, your eyes will be open and your nose will still be cut off!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the Kingdom of Kran is the only country that will be an empire, even though it has maintained a bnce so far. It¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re keeping us in check.¡± The king opened his mouth with a bored face. ¡°Who are you kidding without knowing the purpose of the alliance?¡± At the sound of scolding, the nobles looked at the king¡¯s countenance. ¡°Your Majesty, may I dare to speak?¡± The second prince requested to speak. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°It is said that the Tonisk Empire, which had been abolished, is acting suspiciously.¡± The nobles were surprised by the second prince¡¯s remarks and paid apt attention to him. ¡°Is that reliable information?¡± Even the king spoke in a serious voice without concealing his surprise. What kind of ce is the Tonisk Empire? It was an opponent that the three countries could not win against even if they worked together. But a few decades ago, the empire suddenly dered an end to it¡¯s rule and closed its borders. Since then, the three countries have maintained a bnce with each other and continued their current rtionship. ¡°As you know, the Cyronian kingdom is closest to the Tonisk Empire. I¡¯ve confirmed through my ears that such information is circting.¡± ¡°Well.¡± The king agonized. Kran didn¡¯t get along with Cyronian. If Cyronian had heard the news, it was natural to join hands with Leponia first. ¡°Treitol.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You brought up this topic, soe back with certain information. Let¡¯s put this meeting off till then.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Treitol smiled broadly at the obvious envy of the other prince. *** Ruel took off his scarf Leo, who was wrapped around his neck, and inhaled Breath. It was inevitable that it was cold, even with magic items such as hand warmers attached to the body. As Ruel drank the tea that Cassion had brought him, it seemed that his frozen body melted. ¡°At the time of the parade, there were a couple of disturbances. There were no incidents because the Cyronian side prevented any, but we are investigating it further now.¡± ¡°Afterall, not all nobles are in favor of the alliance.¡± It was a small disturbance, a toenailpared to the attack of the Red Ash. Ruel pped a heat patch on his forehead, covered himself with a nket, and ced Leo on hisp. ¡°Anyway, Nintra. I¡¯m having a hard time today, so let¡¯s make this quick. Cough, cough.¡± Perhaps because it was cold, Ruel¡¯s cough was deep. Nintra could not hide his bewilderment at Ruel¡¯s behavior, which seemed to be calm, as if he had no regard for himself. How can this be the appearance of a person who has an enemy right in front of him? Originally, Cassion would have taken Nintra out, but Ganien persuaded Sien to officially hand Nintra over to Ruel on the condition of sharing information. Ruel thought it was good for Ganien to build up his debt. ¡°What¡¯s the ck water?¡± ¡°Like I will tell you¡­¡± Ruel manipted a shadow and covered his mouth. Although he was almost unconscious, his body instinctively remembered this. Nintra, who stood upright as if he would never be bent, gradually felt fear. ¡°Do you remember when you bled ck blood and became a monster?¡± After removing the shadow, he covered Leo¡¯s eyes as he stared at Nintra. ¡°¡­I, ck blood?¡± Nintra seemed embarrassed for a moment, and then frowned and stared at Ruel. Bump! Cassion stepped on Nintra¡¯s head and pressed him against the floor. ¡°All you have to do is answer the question he asks. Don¡¯t do anything useless. Don¡¯t even resist.¡± Cassion put more weight on his feet and crushed Nintra¡¯s nose against the ground. ¡°¡­kugh!¡± Nintra tried to get away from Cassion¡¯s foot, but his hands trembled with the fierce spirit weighing on his body. ¡°Where should I cut off first? People don¡¯t die as fast as you think.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion took a step away from Nintra, expressing regret. Blood flowed from Nintra¡¯s crushed nose, and he barely raised his face. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t remember, so how did we know it was ck blood? You guys have hidden it so far.¡± At that moment, Nintra¡¯s eyes shook. ¡°Even if I cut off your head, you don¡¯t die. You don¡¯t burn to death. I don¡¯t know if I can call you a human, Nintra.¡± When the story he knew came out, Nintra¡¯s chest tightened. ¡°You know, your throat was cut twice. You were burned. But you¡¯re alive and well.¡± ¡°It, it can¡¯t be! I, the one who was loyal to him, the ck water¡­ ¡± Nintra stopped his speech abruptly, and his eyes lit up as if he had recalled something from him. ¡°You drank it, didn¡¯t you?¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up. As expected, Nintra became like that because of the ck water. ¡°You said allegiance and all, and then you were abandoned, how are you feeling now? Very dog-like? That¡¯s exactly how I feel, Nintra. You guys make me look like a dog.¡± Contrary to his words, Ruel slowly inhaled Breath. ¡°What is the ck water for, and how is it made?¡± Nintra¡¯s lips briefly opened and closed. ¡°Are you still going to stay shut up like a fool for the guy who abandoned you? You were used, you idiot. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and sipped the tea in his hand. Who knows if he has really been abandoned or not. If loyalty was reversed by the sense of revenge, there was no better effect than that. Ruel waited leisurely. This is thest of today¡¯s schedule as the king amodated his body¡¯s health as much as possible. ¡ªRuel, this body hates that man. It has been purified, but it still smells out of nature¡¯s order. Soothing Leo¡¯s growling toward Nintra, Ruel justy down. It was desirable to rest, but Cassion burst outughing at Ruel¡¯s peaceful appearance in front of the enemy. ¡°Tell me if you want to say it.¡± It¡¯s been a long time since he had enough time for rxation. Ruel smiled at Nintra¡¯s eyes, looking at him as he tried to keep his eyes open that were closing in tiredness. The deeper the loyalty, the deeper the sense of betrayal. He seemed determined. ¡°I don¡¯t know how ck water is made. But this water is out of nature¡¯s order¡­¡± ¡°Why was it made?¡± He already heard through Leo that the ck water was out of order. Nintra raised one corner of his mouth. ¡°I do not know. But I know why they¡¯re after you, the Great One¡­cough!¡± He spilled blood. It was red blood. The fire in his eyes was extinguished very easily. But Nintra moved his mouth as he clung to thest mes. ¡°¡­ looking for it. Your existence¡­doesn¡¯t allow it¡­ run away. If you die¡­¡± Eventually, he couldn¡¯t speak until the end and the light went out in Nintra¡¯s eyes. Ruel inhaled the Breath. The order is wrong. He should have heard from the head of Leponia, who nted his own disease. Ruel¡¯s eyes frowned. ¡°Your presence seems to be preventing them from seeking something.¡± Cassion noted calmly. ¡°Clean it up.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as Cassion took Nintra out, Ruel closed his eyes. Lick. Leo licked Ruel¡¯s cheek. ¡ªAre you okay? ¡°It¡¯s okay, thanks to you, my head is a little clear.¡± Finally, he found out why the Red Ash was after him. ¡®¡­Woa.¡¯ He was a kind of seal that prevented them from looking for something. They had to break the seal to find something or not, but had no choice but to use their hands because it didn¡¯t break. ¡®¡­Ruel Setiria, Ruel Setiria, what the hell are you?¡¯ Now I understand why the Red Ash didn¡¯t appear in the web novel after Ruel died. The seal that was stopping them was broken when Ruel died. Since the primary goal had been achieved, there is no reason for the Red Ash to appear. They would have beenughing at those who knew nothing, slowly achieving their goals behind the scenes. ¡®You¡¯re going to act crazier in the future, because I knew you failed.¡¯ The Great One turned Nintra into a ck monster. From the beginning, the Red Ash intended to manipte him like this. We needed a quick investigation into what the ck water was. ¡°Aris.¡± The door opened and Aris came in. ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Bring me Ganien.¡± Ganien¡¯s side also had to investigate the ck water. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The chest pain after coughing made Ruel frown and smoothed his hair. It was throbbing. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Can this body eat? The filth is increasing. ¡°Not yet.¡± He was still dressed in his uniform. He was in trouble if he threw up without a handkerchief. Ruel took off his stuffy top and waited for Cassion or Ganien toe. ¡°I took care of it.¡± As soon as Cassion showed up, he looked at Ruel¡¯s jacket, which he had thrown away carelessly, and made an ugly expression. Unlike ordinary clothes, the uniforms are expensive because they are difficult to make. It was good to wear it as in as possible. The door opened as Cassion carefully picked up his clothes. ¡°Oh, my.¡± Ganien knocked on the door, noting in. It was funny to knock after opening the door, but there was still progress. ¡°It smells like blood.¡± He looked around for a moment. ¡°Nintra is dead.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t kill him, but he died?¡± ¡°Oh, he died in exchange for breaking Mana¡¯s oath. Cassion, hand it over.¡± Cassion briefly put his clothes on the table and handed over a bottle of ck water to Ganien. As soon as he saw the ck water, Ganien looked serious. ¡°This is the ck stuff I saw then.¡± ¡°Do an investigation.¡± Ruel had to find a countermeasure. If someone using ck water was encountered again, what if he was not confident in his abilities to deal with it? ¡°Thank you,¡± Ganien spoke from the bottom of his heart. Ganein didn¡¯t know how he secured the ck water. But what was important was that Ruel gave it to him because he trusted him. ¡°Ganien, as you know, the Red Ash has infiltrated more than you think. Don¡¯t trust anyone unless it¡¯s urate.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Originally, he had Cassion and Aris, who were supposed to be by Ganien¡¯s side. Although Ruel had poached two of them, there were still many people who would be Ganien¡¯s colleagues. Ruel told Ganien one more thing since he had already called him here. ¡°At tomorrow¡¯s banquet, the nobles who keep you in check will approach me to lure me in.¡± Ganien waited for the next words because Ruel did not appear to be asking to stop them. ¡°As you know, there is a bar owned by Bianne Chen that is supposed to be a hideout of the Red Ash.¡± ¡°I heard so from the third prince as well.¡± ¡°Listen, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll approach me. When ites to deceiving an enemy, there is nothing like the enemy¡¯s allies.¡± Ganien was slightly surprised by Ruel¡¯s intelligence. Bianne and himself were at odds, but it was not visible on the outside. ¡°What role do you want me to y?¡± He asked with anticipation. ¡°It¡¯s a little different, but I need someone to mess with them, aren¡¯t you interested?¡± Ruel smiled like a scoundrel.Author''s Thoughts Batch /s/b7e516b9bf Chapter 68.1 - Its moving Chapter 68.1 - It''s moving Ruel was forced to stand in front of the door in a ck suit, which reflected his inner thoughts and others¡¯ surrounding opinions in a manner that was more obvious than normal. ¡®I even asked Aris to change my clothes to white¡­¡¯ Ruel sighed and looked at therge door in front of him. ¡°Ruel Setiria, the Lord of Setiria, the Noble of Darkness, and Sir Aris, the knight of Setiria, enter together!¡± Ruel slightly crumpled his face at the extravagant remarks of the attendant. But soon he walked leisurely in with a smile. ¡°You hate it that much?¡± Aris asked in a low voice. ¡°Yeah, every time I hear that, I want to grab Ganien by the cor.¡± Ruel answered quietly with a smile. Cassion entered with Aris because he had no title. He had relinquished his sword, but Aris¡¯ sword was not needed to fully protect Ruel as he was originally a magician in the first ce. Aris kept a reasonable distance from Ruel and followed him. Ttak. Ruel, who grew a little taller with the sound of a cane, caught his eyes. ¡°¡­that¡¯s why I¡¯m a must-kill for the enemy, Aris. Unlike you, there are restrictions because the enemy is always around me and Cassion is a butler. Your presence will be more and more important now.¡± Unlike his still weak-looking face, Ruel is fitter and much healthier than before. Aris breathed in. ¡°Protect me, Aris.¡± Ruel¡¯s words yesterday were imprinted on his heart like a brand. Ttak. With the sound of the cane, his eyes focused. Without panicking, Aris distinguished the hostility that was evident in many of the gazes that followed them. It was necessary to identify who was the enemy and who was taking a neutral stance. This was a battlefield, without a sword. Ruel nced at Aris and looked forward once more. Numerous nobles saw themselves as valuable prey. ¡®Yes, let¡¯s stick together closely. We¡¯ll be coveted.¡¯ ¡ªRuel! Ruel! There¡¯s a lot of food! I¡¯ve never seen so much food. Sighs. Leo took a breath. The alliance between Cyronian and Leponia has now been finalized. Not only did Ruele as a representative of the delegation, he saved the vige of Cyronian, and he was a lord of the Leponia nobility that only had six noble families. Isn¡¯t that someone you would want to make a connection with? Nobles above the rank of a count had already secured a good seat and watched Ruel raptly. At the time when they were trying to get the timing to approach Ruel, Ganien, who was already attending the banquet, moved. ¡°Ah.¡± The nobles grumbled their annoyance. Like thest meeting, they were worried that Ganien might block them. Ganien Croft. Croft¡¯s status as the youngest son of the Marquis alone was difficult, but in addition he was the youngest leader of the Blue Knights, one of the most famous Knights of Cyronian. ¡°Ruel.¡± Ganien weed Ruel with a loud voice. Everyone had seen the good rtionship between the two at the parade. However, they didn¡¯t know they were close enough to call each other casually without hesitation at an official meeting. ¡°Aris, stop following Ruel around and try some of the delicious food here.¡± As Ganien finished making his way over, he mentioned the man known as Ruel¡¯s escort. The eyes of the nobles turned greedily. Wouldn¡¯t that knight be easier to chat with? ¡°Thanks for the offer, but I am unable to fulfill your request, Sir Croft.¡± Aris declined politely. It was called an alliance, but this ce was still another country. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so formal. This is not the first time we¡¯ve seen each other.¡± Ganien put all the food in sight on a te and handed it to Aris. Ruel hadn¡¯t asked for anything from Ganien except for messing up other¡¯s ns. He asked him to act as usual. Ruel himself was a delicious prey, but most of the nobles could be blocked with just the existence of Ganien. He didn¡¯t care enough to attempt to distance himself from them. The real n would begin when those who approached him despite Ganien¡¯s presence. Red Ash would be among them. ¡®What method should I use?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, looking knowingly at those who were still looking for an opportunity. There were many ways. Typical examples were putting poison in food or attacking while there are a lot of people. This ce was a different country and he was an outsider. If he dies, the alliance that was formed, at best, will be destroyed and his death will allow the Red Ash to find whatever they are trying to gain. ¡®It¡¯s totally worth it.¡¯ The people who leaked confidential documents rted to Leponia will never miss this opportunity. Most of them had no worries because they were unaware of Cassion hidden in his shadow, ready to strike. ¡®First of all, I¡¯m sure of one.¡¯ Unlike others, a noble walked forward with a ss in his hand. The man bowed his head and greeted Ruel, despite Ganien¡¯s tant look at him to leave. ¡°My name is Bianne Chen, my lord, Sir Croft.¡± Then Bianne saw Aris. ¡°A pleasure to meet you as well.¡± ¡°My name is Aris. It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± Aris greeted as he was educated. ¡°My name is Ruel Setiria, nice to meet you, Sir Bianne Chen,¡± Ruel smiled lightly. Through Cassion, they had investigated Bianne Chen¡¯s bar. The ce was deserted. ording to Cassion¡¯s personal opinion, it seemed fairly recent that the location was moved. Whether it was moved knowing that Banios had investigated the ce, they nned to move from the beginning, or knew that Banios was investigating and sent in fake information, there were all sorts of possibilities. Now, Ruel was curious of Bianne¡¯s inner thoughts encouraging him to approach him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about the Lord¡¯s performance. I can¡¯t believe you can do such a thing in another country. The lord is a true aristocrat.¡± ¡°Thepliment is too much, I just did what I had to do as a fellow human being.¡± Bianne smiled broadly and gave a respectful look. ¡°The Lord seems to be very humble¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s cough interrupted unintentionally. It was only a short time, but Bianne¡¯s eyebrows gathered inward. ¡°Excuse me. Sir Bianne Chen, I think the lord should rest for a while.¡± Aris didn¡¯t miss the chance. Bianne Chen. It was the name he heard from Ruel. Most aristocrats would know that Ruel is already ill. Aris naturally supported Ruel and headed to the lounge as nned in advance. The nobles, who saw Bianne approaching and only got to peek at the opportunity, looked despondent. It hasn¡¯t been long since he has entered. Ruel stood tall and spoke out so that the nobles around him could hear him. ¡°Ganien, if His Highnesses, please inform me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel left and Ganien didn¡¯t move. ¡°Sir Chen.¡± Ganien, who was left alone, looked fiercely at Bianne Chen, who was still standing next to him. ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risk to life to make such useless remarks. Do it in moderation.¡± Ganien provoked Bianne and moved to deal with other nobles. ¡°Remember those who approach you after I leave. First of all, those people aren¡¯t Red Ash, they¡¯re more like ordinary aristocrats who just want to eat a piece of the cake.¡± Recalling what Ruel had said, Ganien quickly looked at their faces as they headed out towards Ruel. ¡°I remember those who follow me once I leave. The Red Ash are the ones who want to kill me somehow. They¡¯ll somehow aim for the moment when the important escort is gone.¡± ¡®First to approach, there are ten people.¡¯ Cassion and Aris were attached to Ruel. Ganien is getting ready to fight. *** There was only one method of Red Ash such as Carbena, Hale Lumina, ne, and Liberan. He was using the magicmp method that said he could achieve what he wanted. Bianne Chen was one of those viins with a typical sense of inferiority who felt that the Croft¡¯s had deprived him of the glory and power to defend the frontier. He wanted the Blue Knights to disappear. No, to be exact, he was hoping the Croft family would be destroyed. Like Nintra, those who are not loyal but gain something will surely fall in the trap. The current situation was simr to a novel, except that the incident itself and the subject had changed to him. ¡°I¡¯m following you.¡± Aris spoke softly. ¡°As Ruel-nim said, I can feel the signs of multiple people.¡± At the following words, Ruelughed with relief. To be honest, he carried out the n with a fifty-fifty chance as the story and the plot have changed a lot. ¡®Thank god. The development may be different, but the core of the n remains the same.¡¯ Even in the novel, Bianne¡¯s n failed. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll fail again this time.¡¯ Ruel entered the room, holding back hisughter. When he stretched out his legs and looked up at the ceiling, Ruel felt hunger. Even if the food at the banquet looked delicious, it was difficult to get his hands on it because I didn¡¯t know which food could cause an allergic reaction. ¡°Ruel-nim, Cassion made this snack just in case. Can I give it to you?¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± Ruel tried to hold it in, but it was hard to hide. Aris turned over a piece of meat pie. Crunch. What a familiar taste. ¡ªThis body, too. When Leo ran toward the snack with his short legs, Ruel grabbed his mouth and ced t it in his mouth. ¡ªOh! It¡¯s very delicious. ¡®I¡¯m done eating.¡¯ Obviously, he ate a lot of ck things beforeing to the banquet. ¡°I envy Ruel-nim because I can only watch the snacks disappear before my eyes. Did Leo see where they went?¡± ¡°I heard Leo likes my eyes?¡± ¡ªYes, Ruel¡¯s eyes are very clear and clean. Aris raised one eyebrow at the elusive remark. By the time four pieces of the meat pie disappeared in an instant, Aris hurriedly tucked the snack in his pocket. At the same time, Leo¡¯s ears drooped. ¡ªThis body wants to eat more. ¡°Come.¡± Ruel finished a piece of pie and then bit the Breath in his mouth. Knock. Knock. The door opened carefully after the knock. Bianne opened his mouth with a startled face. ¡°Oh, I didn¡¯t know the Lord was here.¡± ¡®You¡¯re making meugh.¡¯ Ruel raised his upper body and frowned at the cough that burst out. He took medicine, but it still hurt. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t get up. I¡¯ve already heard that you¡¯re not feeling well. You can lie downfortably.¡± ¡°Well, excuse me.¡± Ruel lied downfortably again because he didn¡¯t want to get up in the first ce. ¡®It¡¯s perfect if you¡¯re eating pie here and doing your overdue work.¡¯ Bianne sneaked into his ce and began to talk to him carefully. Most of the time, he talked about ¡®Cyronian¡¯s attractions¡¯ alone, so Ruel only nodded his head from time to time. ¡°¡­You seem very close to Sir Croft.¡± When Ruel looked at Bianne, Bianne waved his hands exaggeratedly. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I said this because I was amazed that people of different nationalities became friends. I apologize if I was rude.¡± ¡°Sir Chen, I don¡¯t like to talk in circles.¡± ¡°I want to be close to the Lord.¡± ¡°What can I get out of this?¡± Bianne¡¯s mouth drew an arc. He nced at Aris. He didn¡¯t mean to take interest in Aris. ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know about the Red Ash? I think I can help you.¡± Ruel grinned at the unexpected remarks. It was fun. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re looking for a hideout of the Red Ash. I can let you know what I know.¡± It wasn¡¯t Cassion. As a result, he was convinced that it was Banios who leaked the information. ¡®Okay, it gives me a chance to trace back the information, and confuse the information source.¡¯ Ruel took it easy and inhaled the Breath. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to kill me?¡± ¡°They said they would give me what I wanted, but it was so insignificant that I actually secured it without their assistance.¡± ¡°But can you give me what I want?¡± ¡°There, within Red Ash, I could obtain what the Lord wants.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed, raising his upper body. A nce. Ruel did not miss Bianne¡¯s gaze at the window. ¡®¡­Ah.¡¯ Trust was simply built up and copsed faster than expected. In particr, trust could be built up very quickly when there was a shared enemy. Ruel certainly knew what Bianne was after. Chapter 68.2 - Its moving Chapter 68.2 - It''s moving ¡°Sir Chen.¡± ¡°Yes, go ahead.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a greedy person.¡± ¡°I am also greedy. The Lord and I seem to have a lot inmon.¡± With a smile, Bianne nced at the window again. It became noisy outside. Bianne¡¯s eyes widened. What would he think if an enemy came to the royal pce and the enemy aimed at himself and Bianne? At least, that was what he expected Bianne to say. ¡®You¡¯d say you were betrayed.¡¯ Ruel endured the creeping disgust and called out, ¡°Aris¡±. In an instant, sharp ice floated around Bianne¡¯s neck. Ruelughed at Bianne¡¯s expression of iprehension. ¡°I don¡¯t like being swayed. I was born invaluable.¡± ¡°Do you know what this means?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think you should know what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°I made a proposal that we could coexist with each other.¡± ¡°I know, but why should I listen to you? Even if you make a suggestion, I¡¯ll do it anyway. All you have to do is listen to me calmly.¡± It was about time we needed an insider. Isn¡¯t Bianne the perfect person for this? Ruel looked at Bianne andughed. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange that the people you¡¯ve been waiting for are noting? There should have been peopleing to help us build trust in each other.¡± Sshaa. The air in the room seemed to be getting colder. ¡°Oh, would you understand better if I say it¡¯s Red Ash that ising to attack this ce, not the people who wereing to help?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Bianne¡¯s smile vanished in an instant. ¡°Isn¡¯t it honor that you want?¡± Bianne¡¯s eyebrows wiggled. ¡°Thanks to you, I can see that the honor of your family is going to the bottom. Not only will the name Chen be ruined, but your neck will be caught in the middle of the street and stoned to death.¡± Ruel smiled an arrogant smile at Bianne¡¯s look of disbelief. ¡°Ah, are my words a lie? Cassion.¡± From Ruel¡¯s shadow, Cassion appeared holding a man by the neck. As soon as he saw the man, Bianne¡¯s mouth gradually opened. He was covered in blood, but his face was still recognizable. ¡°We have already secured testimony and evidence that Bianne Chen led the way in all this.¡± At Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel sped his hands and rested them on his stomach. ¡°Isn¡¯t it noisy today? Aren¡¯t you curious why?¡± ¡°What, what do you want?¡± Bianne began to stutter. What Ruel held was his everything. It was a mistake to think that he was above Ruel. That boy was ying him from the start. ¡°No, listen to the reason first. I heard that several knights take turns being in charge of the royal family, but the knights in charge of this hall must be the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°I, I, I went without knowing the subject, forgive my rudeness, My Lord¡­¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t somethinge off? You don¡¯t like the Red Ash and Ganien, so I thought you¡¯d nned something, so I gave you a hint. Now, you know why it¡¯s so loud?¡± The disturbance was caused by the Blue Knights punishing the Red Ash. They must have been caught after all the opponent is the Blue Knights. In the royal family, he also permitted the enemy within the ce where the banquet took ce. What would that mean? All the nobles would turn their backs on him, of course, and his neck was hanging in front of him. Bianne¡¯s mouth is dry. ¡°I¡¯ll do anything, anything! Please, please¡­¡± Ruelughed arrogantly and tapped on the table. ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me. Just answer what I ask.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± When Ruel nced at Aris, he cast a spell. ¡°Did you make an oath of mana with the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes, I did.¡± ¡°What kind of oath did you make?¡± ¡°It is a promise that I will not reveal the existence and the purpose of Red Ash to those who do not know it.¡± As expected, it was not bound by the grand element of loyalty. There was a loophole. ¡°Make Mana¡¯s oath to speak only the truth in front of me.¡± Betrayal was impossible because he had to tell the truth. There was no reason to bind Bianne with loyalty. Ruel beckoned Cassion to return, waiting for him to take Mana¡¯s oath. ¡°It¡¯s settled.¡± When Aris¡¯ words fell, Ruel asked, ¡°Where did the information leak?¡± ¡°One of the servants of Leponia¡¯s Third Prince swapped information as ordered by Red Ash.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°A servant named Rinar.¡± The corners of his lips twitched at the thought of the debt he was going to put on Banios. Ruel controlled his emotions and asked, ¡°Where is the hideout of the Red Ash?¡± Bianne answered, trembling like a puppy soaked in the rain. ¡°I don¡¯t know the location of the real hideout. All I know is a temporary one¡­ It¡¯s just a hideout. The location is under a storage warehouse in a town called ¡®Trien¡¯.¡± It was a ce that was never mentioned in the novel. ¡°Do you know anything about my illness?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°What about the ck water? I don¡¯t know the exact name, but you know it, right?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t tell you.¡± Bianne¡¯s inability to speak meant that ck water was rted to the purpose of the Red Ash. ¡°Now I¡¯ll tell you what you have to do.¡± Bianne bowed his head in silence. ¡°You will be my ears.¡± Arisughed with satisfaction at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°Report to me the information you can get from the Red Ash, themands thate down.¡± Bianne had no choice but to. He couldn¡¯t lose everything he¡¯s umted so far just because of the Red Ash. ¡°¡­ Yes, I understand.¡± A voice thatid everything out came down on Bianne. The Red Ash would not have demanded loyalty because he was from the aristocracy. He was perfect to use. ¡°I¡¯ll hand over my ownmunication device soon.¡± Ruelughed arrogantly and inhaled Breath. Once you¡¯ve achieved your goal, it¡¯s time to leave your seat. Ruel, holding a cane in his hand, looked at Bianne calmly. ¡°Sir Chen, if you move your mouth recklessly, you¡¯ll have to see for yourself how your family gets ruined.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risk to life to make such useless remarks. Do it in moderation.¡± Bianne remembered what Ganien had told him. It was nned from the beginning. From the beginning. Ttak. The sound of the cane faded away. As soon as the door closed, Bianneughed like a madman. ¡°Ha ha ha ha ha¡­ ¡± He didn¡¯t know where, but information about Ruel was blocked. Otherwise, isn¡¯t it too different from the information he heard from the Red Ash? Who called him a powerless lord? Who said he was ill? Who the hell! Everything is wrong, everything is a lie. ¡®Ganien, Ganien! Ganien Croft!¡¯ He clenched his hands hard over and over again, citing a hateful name. *** ¡°Excuse me.¡± Ganien strode out of the hall holding a wooden skewer that the royal servants were going to throw away. ¡®Skewers are not weapons, so it¡¯s just right, it won¡¯t be a problem if the noblesinter.¡¯ Ganien grinned and blew an aura into the ring. ¡°The enemy is here. Kill half of them who make suspicious movements.¡± -Got it! Listening to the answer, Ganien opened the window. And in an instant, he threw out a skewer. Whoops! The servant walking towards him was startled with the feeling that something struck him. ¡°Your acting is amazing.¡± Ganienughed at the attendant as he took out the skewers. Drip. He approached him with a bloody skewer. When he saw a shining sword inside his arms, Ganien rushed in in an instant. ¡°I¡¯ve memorized all the faces of the royal servants.¡± The skewer pierced the man¡¯s neck. He looked at the man with cold eyes and said, ¡°There are two bodies in Hall Area 2-1, so remove them.¡± -I¡¯ll go right away. ¡®It was in the hall. I just have to clean up around the lounge and go.¡¯ Ganien wiped the blood off the skewer and walked down the hallway. Drip. Drip. *** As soon as Ruel came out, he was guided by Aris and entered the other lounge. After confirming that the lounge was empty, he blew Mana into one of the three rings. ¡°That¡¯s all right.¡± He spoke in response to Aris¡¯s words, ¡°Ganien, you can take care of everything now.¡± -It¡¯s already been dealt with. Themotion also subsided. At the sudden sound, Ruel put on an expressionless face. ¡°¡­ That wasn¡¯t in the n?¡± He had in mind the possibility of failure, so he told him to keep some of them alive. -Come to think of it, I¡¯m very angry because I don¡¯t want to deal with the aristocracy at the banquet, but I like the food made by the royal chef and the boisterous atmosphere. That yed a part, but I honestly didn¡¯t think you¡¯d fail. ¡°You¡­¡± -Look, I was right. Then, you can take it easy ande back. Ganien cut off themunication at will. Ruel fiddled with Leo¡¯s tail in a surge of irritation. ¡®He¡¯s so excited.¡¯ Aris smiled lightly and opened his mouth again. ¡°It¡¯s still okay.¡± Ruel immediately blew Mana into the ring he received from Banios. ¡°Your Highness.¡± -Oh, Lord Setiria, didn¡¯t you say you had a banquet today? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± -It¡¯s an honor to find me even though you¡¯re busy. ¡°Well, I have one thing to tell you.¡± -That¡¯s not good news. ¡°Do you know a servant named Rinar?¡± Instead of an answer, Ruel heard a deep sigh. ¡°It is said that the servant exchanged information rted to the hideout.¡± -I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my fault. ¡°You owe me, Your Highness. Then, keep watching the second prince.¡± -I¡¯ll keep watching, but I don¡¯t see any movement. While trying to cut off themunication, Ruel thought of the ck water and opened his mouth. ¡°I will let you know, and I have forgotten one thing.¡± -Go ahead. ¡°If you see someone bleeding ck blood, don¡¯t confront them and avoid them. Keep an eye out for it..¡± -ck water? What¡¯s that? ¡°We¡¯re looking into it now. Anyway, be careful.¡± -Okay, I hope that Lord Setiria wille back in good health. After a proper greeting, Ruel cut off themunication. He inhaled the Breath. Now that he has achieved his primary goal, it¡¯s time to move on to additional goals. He had to take advantage of this two day banquet to pull some strings. Especially, it would be better to get close to aristocrats who own merchants. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m hungry.¡± ¡ªThere was a lot of food over there. Come on, let¡¯s go. Ruel stroked Leo who was looking at him with his sparkling eyes. What¡¯s the point of having too much food? My body is so delicate that I can¡¯t eat carelessly. ¡°Do you want a snack?¡± ¡°No, thanks. Give me the medicine you got from Cassion.¡± ¡°Did the pain¡­ happen?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll be sick.¡± It was a good excuse, but he couldn¡¯t keep showing his pain at the banquet. Ruel took the medicine Aris gave him and moved forward again. And as soon as he opened the door, he smiled at the nobles who weed him as if they had been waiting for him. ¡®Thankfully, they came and organized themselves for me.¡¯ Chapter 69: Its moving (2) Chapter 69: It''s moving (2) *** Yum. Yum. At the feeling of soft material brushing across his face, Ruel frowned and opened his eyes. ¡°¡­what¡¯s wrong, Leo?¡± It was still dark outside. ¡ªCassion and Ganien are fighting! ¡°That¡¯s how it was back in Setiria. Don¡¯t worry and go to sleep.¡± ¡ªI can feel the ground shaking! Look over there! The purple me¡­ ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel immediately opened the window and looked out. It was quite far from here, but the purple and blue lights were clearly visible. ¡®You crazy people!¡¯ It¡¯s not like fireworks in the middle of the night. What is this about? ¡°Aris!¡± ¡°Yes, what¡¯s the matter?¡± Aris hurried inside at the urgent voice of Ruel. Ruel said, pointing to the lights, ¡°Bring them right now!¡± Aris soon swept his chest in relief. ¡°They seem to be having fun fighting, so why don¡¯t you leave it alone?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°After meeting the ck blooded man, both of them seemed to have been deeply troubled. Of course, I am also worried.¡± Aris closed the door he had opened. ¡°The enemy¡­ did not die. I felt like everything I¡¯ve learned was falling apart. I think that¡¯s how those two feel. Please understand.¡± Ruel looked through the window and inhaled Breath. ¡°Go.¡± Aris closed the open window and headed towards the door. ¡°Are you anxious?¡± At Ruel¡¯s low voice, Aris breathed deeply. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m anxious now.¡± The door opened and closed. Ruely down again. Leo curled up close to his face, ncing around. ¡ªThis body is unstable, too. If this body could purify¡­ ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t force you to do what you can¡¯t do.¡± ¡ªCan¡¯t Ruel teach this body? Leo was too desperate to justugh it off. Ruel patted Leo on the head. ¡°At that time, I don¡¯t know if I can say it was my instinct, but it wasn¡¯t my will anyway. I think I¡¯ll get the hang of it if I try it again.¡± ¡ªInstinct? ¡°Yes, instinct. I still don¡¯t know why I can purify it.¡± ¡ªDoesn¡¯t this body have an instinct? Why doesn¡¯t it show up? Leo sounded kind of sad. ¡°Let¡¯s go to bed now.¡± After stroking Leo again, Ruel closed his eyes. ¡ª¡­instinct. Leo stared at the sky, reflecting on what Ruel had said. *** The light filtered through the window. Ruel awoke to the sudden downpour of sunlight. ¡®¡­?¡¯ It was an unfamiliar ceiling. ¡°Are you up?¡± Ganien said with a big smile. ¡°I was so excited yesterday that I forgot something. His Majesty wanted to meet you.¡± Ruel looked half-asleep and just looked at Ganien, trying toprehend what he was saying. ¡°I should have told you at the banquet yesterday, but I forgot because I was excited. So afterpeting with Cassion, I brought you out at dawn.¡± How the hell? Ruel was quite sensitive about his sleeping habits. ¡°Cassi¡­¡± ¡°Cassion is furious now, so you¡¯d better not call him.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°His Majesty is waiting for you. For your information, this is my family¡¯s vi¡­¡± Even before Ganien finished speaking, Ruel grabbed Ganien by the cor. He stared at him fiercely. It wasn¡¯t a topic tough and say ¡®haha¡¯ now. The king came to Ganien¡¯s vi, and he himself made the king wait. ¡°Be honest with me. Are you trying to screw me over? Cough, cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s hand, which he used to grab the cor, because of his cough, quickly loosened. Ruel grabbed the hem of his clothes and looked at Ganien fiercely. Knock. Knock. The king appeared, knocking on the open door. ¡°Don¡¯t be so angry. I told him not to wake you up.¡± Unlike what he saw earlier, the king gave a very different impression as he was dressed simply. Ruel got right out of bed and bowed his head. ¡°Your Majesty, forgive me for my rudeness.¡± ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to be so polite, this is not the royal pce afterall. Make yourself at home.¡± He waved his hand with an unbothered face, like a neighborhood brotherzily dragging his slippers around. He dragged the chair himself and ced it in front of the bed where Ruel was. Ganien remained still even with his superior¡¯s actions. ¡°Come on,e on, sit on the bed.¡± Ruel pretended to hesitate a few times and then satfortably on the bed. The king told me to sit down, so I can sit. ¡°It¡¯s hard to meet unless it¡¯s today, so I asked Ganien for a favor.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me? Your Majesty took a heavy step.¡± Ruel bit Breath and asked the king for permission. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to regret, since we¡¯re in the same boat.¡± Inhaling Breath, Ruel waited for the king to bring up the story. ¡°You know the Red Ash.¡± Ruel nced at Ganien. He grinned and nodded. In the novel, Huswen Cyronian, the king of Cyronian, was a strong shield and helper for Ganien. Having confirmed through Bianne that the setting in the novel was the same, Ruel said with a smile. ¡°Do you also know that they¡¯re after my life?¡± ¡°When you die, the Great First Step begins, right?¡± ¡°There¡¯s news I haven¡¯t told Ganien yet. The Red Ash is looking for something. It is said that my existence acts as a kind of seal that prevents the enemy from finding it.¡± Huswen frowned, eyes half-closed. Ganien, who heard this story for the first time, also had a stiff face. Huswen sighed and asked, ¡°Did you hear that from a guy named Nintra?¡± ¡°Yes, he brought it up while betraying the Mana¡¯s oath.¡± ¡°What happens if he finds it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ruel paused, before speaking, ¡°I heard that Bianne Chen found out where the enemy¡¯s temporary hideout was. Among the nobles¡­¡± ¡°How dare they do such a thing. What a disgrace. I didn¡¯t even know that rats live in my country.¡± Huswen interrupted for a moment and closed his lips. ¡°Your Majesty, please calm down. Maybe it¡¯s not a rat. I think it¡¯s a bigger beast than that.¡± ¡°It may be, I¡¯m very grateful to you. What happened in the vige was also done by the Red Ash. If you hadn¡¯t risked your life to stop it, something big would have happened.¡± Ruel knew this was the perfect chance to be rewarded, but he put up with it, for now, choosing to make a different request. You¡¯ll get a bigger one after this. ¡°Give the Knights a justification to move, Your Majesty.¡± Huswen¡¯s lips curled up slightly. Who would hate doing something for their own country? ¡°Are you going there, too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going. However, I am very curious about the vige called Dotol that resides near to it.¡± ¡°Dotol, it¡¯s a small but nice ce. The beer there is amazing, and there is argeke where you can rx. And I¡¯ll make sure you have afortable trip sightseeing.¡± ¡°Thank you for your generosity.¡± The king himself ordered it, so Ruel was able to move the Royal Knights he brought to Dotol. ¡°Ganien.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Take care of your precious guests, even to Dotol. On the way, you should also subdue the monsters in Trien.¡± The entire Blue Knights were given a justification to move. ¡°I ept your orders.¡± Huswen rose from his seat. ¡°Does the King of Leponia know this?¡± ¡°The royal family¡¯s internal affairs areplicated, so they probably don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Who do you support?¡± ¡°I support the third prince, His Highness, Banios Leponia.¡± ¡°Okay, have a good time ying, take time to recover your health.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Huswen was given his departing greeting by the two of them and went outside. Ganien rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes were left drawn to the seat where the king had just left. ¡°You don¡¯t have a normal rtionship with the king, I¡¯m a little surprised¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Ganien lowered his hand andughed questioning at Ruel¡¯s hoarse voice. ¡°As expected, my eyes are certain,¡± he murmured softly. ¡°Ganien.¡± ¡°¡­ Huh?¡± When his voice calling for him was unusual, Ganien became nervous for no reason. ¡°I heard your family has been swordsmen for generations, right?¡± Ruel¡¯s smile was so suspicious that Ganien reluctantly replied. ¡°That¡¯s right¡­ Why?¡± ¡°I heard Bianne lost something to your family. What does that mean?¡± Ruel wanted to confirm one fact at this time. ¡°Did he say that? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°That bastard! He still thinks he has been deprived of the honor of protecting the frontier by my family, but he¡¯s the one who made a mistake. He can¡¯t thank me enough for sparing his life aftermitting military corruption, but being taken away? Took it from him?¡± Listening to Ganien, Ruel inhaled Breath. Bianne and Ganien¡¯s past has not changed either. In other words, if Ruel himself did not intervene, Ganien¡¯s story would not have changed. Somehow, Ruel felt like an obstructionist. ¡®What will change now that Bianne, who should have been dead, is alive.¡¯ It was a pity that the original work was altered, but he didn¡¯t regret it. Because he had to live. ¡°¡­ Youpping dog. ¡± As soon as Cassion appeared with a murderous voice, he grabbed Ganien¡¯s neck. Ganien smiled awkwardly as if he had allowed him to catch him on purpose. I warned him to stop Huswen¡¯ footsteps by any means, but Ruel-nim faced His Majesty like that. Wouldn¡¯t it be perfectly eptable to kill him right now? ¡°Ganien, you must have a lot of swords left at home¡± Ruel asked, stroking Leo, who was sleeping soundly. At the moment, Cassion flinched. ¡°There¡¯s a lot.¡± At Ganien¡¯s reply, Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°Let him go, Cassion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I should have cut his throat yesterday.¡± ¡°Cut my neck? Don¡¯t make meugh. I¡¯m the one who let you go.¡± Ganien raised his voice in disbelief. ¡°So, who won?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± When asked by Ruel, the two spoke at the same time and frowned at the same time. ¡°Let¡¯s just eat.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t want to see the two men fight for their pride. *** ¡°Here it is.¡± When Ganien opened the door to the arsenal, Cassion¡¯s eyes moved quickly. In addition, Leo¡¯s mouth opened wide. ¡ªWow! There are a lot of shiny things! Ruel opened his mouth as he stopped Leo from running right away. ¡°Ganien, you know you owe me a lot, right?¡± ¡°Of course, look at itfortably and take it as much as you want.¡± As soon as permission was given, Cassion moved. ¡°Cassion, don¡¯t forget Aris¡¯, too.¡± It¡¯s time to change swords. ¡°Of course,¡± Cassion replied with a bright smile. Ruel left it to Cassion and departed after all he did not know how to appraise swords. ¡°Who really won?¡± And knowing that Ganien had put his pride against Cassion for no reason, Ruel opened his mouth after walking for a long time down the hallway. Ganien swallowed his saliva with a face as if the question tasted unpleasant. Chapter 69.1 - Its moving (2) Chapter 69.1 - It''s moving (2) *** ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± Cassion arranged the clothes that Ruel had taken off. ¡°I thought I was going to die of hunger.¡± Ruel was busy cing the food on the table into his mouth. Cassion handed over amunication device while thinking that he would eat and change into uniform no matter what urred tomorrow. ¡°It¡¯s Ken.¡± ¡°Connect it.¡± -How have you been, my lord? I contacted you even though I knew it was rude. I apologize. ¡°What¡¯s happening in the middle of the night?¡± -Someone called the Red Ash approached me. Ruel stopped forking food andughed in interest. The Prios Incident, in which all the barons died, was known externally as something Liberan hadmitted. The name Ruel Setiria was never been mentioned in rtion to the case. ¡®The information was sessfully blocked.¡¯ The post-processing was Cassion¡¯s responsibility. Ruel said, moving his stopped hand, ¡°Keep talking.¡± -There was a request to hand over information about the Lord in exchange for giving me the location of Prios¡¯ direct bloodline. They seemed to have recently noticed the exchange between Prios and Setiria. It didn¡¯t bother Ruel much because it wasn¡¯t something that wouldn¡¯t be revealed just by moving secretly. What really bothered him was that they asked for further information. ¡®You seem to have noticed that there was information hidden away and faked.¡¯ It might be because of the ck water incident. It was also an incident that could not be fully covered because there were too many eyes. ¡®I¡¯m rather happy.¡¯ It was an opportunity to mask the more important secrets within the less important information. ¡°Hand over the information.¡± -¡­I don¡¯t know what you mean. Handing over information to the enemy, I can¡¯t do it because I owe the Lord. ¡°Hand over unimportant information and camouge the more important information. They¡¯ll make you make a Mana Oath. Only allow the conditions toprehensively hand over my information. If they ask for more than that, boldly fold the deal.¡± The urgent side was the Red Ash because they would start to feel like the information was blocked somewhere. -I¡¯m a little worried. If the information I handed over could harm the Lord¡­ ¡°Aren¡¯t you such a tactless person? It¡¯s possible, but just pass on useless information. If you¡¯re really worried, report it to me before handing it over.¡± -Alright. Ken¡¯s voice brightened up. ¡°Just deal with the information I told you. Nothing more than that. You are responsible for the information of your direct family.¡± -Alright, I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Ken asked cautiously, acting as if he was hesitating to hang up immediately. -Are you feeling well? Aren¡¯t you having a hard time living in a foreign country? ¡°Don¡¯t worry,ter then.¡± Ruel cut off themunication first. When talking about his body, each of them had much to say, so it was morefortable to hang up first. Yesterday, Ruel called Tyson, Cheynol, Billo, Drianna, and Horen to check the situation and listen to reports, and he cut off contact with them first because of the endless amount of questions; Such as whether he was eating well, whether he was losing weight, how was his health, etc. ¡ªEveryone likes Ruel. So does this body! Ruel didn¡¯t know if he was jealous of themunication device, but Leo came up and stared at Ruel. ¡°Just finish what you¡¯ve been eating.¡± Ruel pointed to Leo¡¯s own rice bowl. ¡ªAll right! Leo then walked again and hid his face in the bowl. ¡°As you may have heard from Hina, I recruited Bianne.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve already put up a watch.¡± ¡°You must have sent shadows to the vige of Trien, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Where is it located? Do you happen to have a map?¡± Cassion felt uneasy. ¡°You¡¯re not going to go, are you?¡± ¡°After tomorrow¡¯s banquet, there¡¯s nothing more to do, right? His Majesty also allowed me to tour Cyronian.¡± ¡°So you¡¯re going to go ¡­¡± ¡°Map.¡± Cassion sighed and turned over the map. It highlighted the location of the vige of Trien, and a location of the nearby vige, as Ruel requested. ¡°Well¡­¡± Cassion¡¯s face darkened slightly at the sound of Ruel ¡®s worries. He had a hunch that he would travel here and there under the name of tourism. ¡®His physical condition hasn¡¯t recovered since the purification.¡¯ Cassion bit his lip nervously. Ruel, who saw Cassion¡¯s reaction, brought it up. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, Cassion. I¡¯ll just enjoy sightseeing lightly.¡± Ruel smiled lightly at Cassion¡¯s expression of disbelief at his words. There was a vige named Dotol near the vige of Trien. If it was far from Trien, Ruel would have given up, but the location was eptable. ¡®Oh¡­ What should I do?¡¯ Ruel began to worry pleasantly. He never thought about picking it up. However, Ganien wasn¡¯t there yet, the location was good, and it seemed to be urging him to take it from the perspective of various situations. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion had to follow whatever Ruel¡¯s decided because he was a loyal butler. ¡°I¡¯m not going to Trien.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes got bigger. The corners of his mouth twitched. ¡°It will be you and Ganien, the Royal Knights, and the Blue Knights who will attack the hideout.¡± There was still a possibility that there was Red Ash in the Royal Knights, but Ginger and Torto were being ordered to continue their search. Rather, it was a good opportunity to filter out the rats. Leo stared at Ruel as he raised his ears to hear where he was going. ¡°I¡¯m going to take you, so keep eating.¡± ¡°¡­are you sure?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was mixed with Leo¡¯s eating sound. It was the first time he had seen Cassion so surprised, so Ruel was rather embarrassed. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do even if I go, so let¡¯s just go sightseeing at that time.¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be worthwhile to see beautiful scenery while sightseeing and pick up something by ident? ¡°You¡¯re quite right.¡± When Cassion smiled brightly enough to make him feel bad, Ruel frowned. ¡®You like it that much.¡¯ Ruel handed over the map to Cassion and began to eat again. As he finished eating his meal he faced that smile, his stomach felt like it was twisting. ¡®I¡¯ve been going easy on Cassiontely.¡¯ When Billo, who was preparing to die on his behalf by now, came to mind, Ruel thought he shouldfort him tomorrow night. *** Cassion made sure Ruel was asleep beforeing out. He wandered around the back gardens to avoid patrolling soldiers and sat in a suitable seat. Nobody¡¯s going to notice this blind spot. Cassion took out his most cherished sword, Turbulent Day, out of the collection of precious swords in his possession and set it across his legs and began to wipe it. It wasn¡¯t bad to feel the cold wind blowing against his face. ¡®¡­I couldn¡¯t see it.¡¯ He recalled the sensation of cutting the ck blooded human being. He set out to kill him. But there was no feeling of death itself, and he did not die. ¡®I was confident that there was nothing I couldn¡¯t kill with my dagger.¡¯ When he set out into the world, everything was easy. People were as slow as a worm crawling, and everything died just by drawing a de. The most difficult thing so far was this butler job. If he had been alone, he would have never known. Cassion raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®A man who never dies. Interesting.¡¯ As an assassin, a strong desire was boiling over. The enemy had to die before him. He took it for granted. But he will continue to work hard in the future. There¡¯s nothing in this world you can¡¯t cut. ¡°You don¡¯t sleep at night?¡± Cassion looked back, hiding the Turbulent Day. It was Ganien. He spoke with interest. ¡°I came here because I felt a familiar presence during the patrol, and I knew it would be you. What about Ruel? ¡°Went to bed early, I guess he¡¯s tired.¡± ¡°Did Ruel get upset again? You should understand best, Ruel is sick.¡± Ganien giggled. ¡°Do you have some spare time?¡± When Cassion flipped the dagger he had taken out, Ganien stopped and pped him lightly on the shoulder. Now, he felt pain thinking about a stubborn Ruel and pitied Cassion. ¡°Is it because Ruel said he was going to the temporary hideout? Do you want me to convince him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a different issue. So, what¡¯s your answer?¡± ¡°I¡¯d love a match, but can you leave your post?¡± Ganien gently pointed to where Ruel was, questioning. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because there¡¯s Aris.¡± Ganien smiled brightly. ¡°I¡¯m grateful that you think highly of Aris. No matter what anyone says, I¡¯m his first teacher.¡± ¡°There is nothing that cannot be cut with an aura. That¡¯s how I¡¯ve thought so far. How about you?¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes glistened. When Cassion revealed what he was worried about, he erased hisughter. It was the same for him, who was also concerned about the ck blooded man. ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll face you.¡± ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°I¡¯m determined. I¡¯m going to win anyway.¡± Cassion raised one corner of his mouth at Ganien¡¯s words. Chapter 70: Milky Way rising to the sky Chapter 70: Milky Way rising to the sky ¡°Ruel, to be honest¡­¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s Cassion! Ganien lied! At Leo¡¯s sudden words, Ganien bowed his head. Ruel grinned at him. Yeah, Cassion needs to win. ¡°Were you watching?¡± ¡ªNo, this body heard a sound while sleeping. ¡°Sound?¡± ¡ªThe wind whispered the man with ck hair won. Ruel patted Leo on the head. It was strange that Leo, the spirit, had not heard the sound of nature so far. It was a good change. ¡°I didn¡¯t lose. Well, how can I say, I just let my guard down for a while.¡± ¡°The leader of the Blue Knights has his tongue-in-his-cheek.¡± ¡°¡­ Anyway, it was great. It was a short time, but I could see the way.¡± Ganien¡¯s eyes were filled with fighting spirit, as if recalling yesterday¡¯s confrontation. Finding the way is something to celebrate, but Ruel felt impatient with them. It¡¯s been a few days since the ck blooded man appeared. ¡°What I can¡¯t do, you do, and I do what you can¡¯t do. So, work around it moderately.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to say¡­¡± ¡°Ganien, promise me one thing here.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ganien began to look uneasy for no reason. ¡°Don¡¯t covet anything I pick up. Don¡¯t tell me you forgot, right? The sword that you broke.¡± ¡°How can I forget? I promised.¡± Ruel raised the corner of his mouth, biting Breath. That¡¯s it. Ganien didn¡¯t pick it up first, so he should pick it up himself. ¡°Young master!¡± Then, the butler rushed in. Ruel pictured in his head what was urgently happening around this time in the novel. ¡®¡­I don¡¯t think so.¡¯ ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± ¡°Sien Lupiros is here¡­¡± Ganien ran out as the butler announced it, without listening to the rest. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Setiria.¡± The butler bowed his head in shame. ¡°Did Ganien do something wrong?¡± ¡°I think it wasst night.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± You¡¯re going to get in a lot of trouble. Ruel took it easy and inhaled Breath. ¡°Lord Setiria, Mr. Lupiros said he had something to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Me?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll show you the way.¡± The butler walked ahead first. ¡®Is there any reason why Sien wants to see me?¡¯ Ruel walked after the butler, questioning. Anyway, he was d to meet Sien again. Ttak. The sound of a cane rang. *** ¡°Sorry for calling you out of the blue.¡± Sien bowed his head and apologized. Ganien was seen standing behind him in a squat position with only his arms outstretched in front of him. He desperately asked for help using all his facial muscles. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it because it¡¯s the perfect punishment for a child who doesn¡¯t know position or rank and is just excited about fighting.¡± ¡°Teacher, it wasn¡¯t just a match. Cassion is a very strong¡­¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot one thing.¡± Sien took two stones from his pocket and ced them on Ganien¡¯sp. ¡°Keep trying to p that mouth that doesn¡¯t know the shame of distracting the guard of your precious guest.¡± Only then did Ganien shut up. ¡°Now, please sit over here.¡± Thendlord was Ganien, but Sien guided Ruel as if it were his own house. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel sat down in the seat led by Sien, ignoring Ganien¡¯s eyes begging for help. ¡°I came to meet that child, and I heard that you were here, so I called to tell you a story that I had not gotten the chance to before.¡± ¡°Did you have anything to talk to me about?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to be so wary. I heard it all through that child.¡± ¡°Ganien¡¯s mouth seems lighter than I thought.¡± ¡°I think that¡¯s imprudent, too. If there are many people who know a secret, there are many ces for it to leak from.¡± Ruel nodded with satisfaction. Everything Sien said was right. ¡°Anyway, apart from that fact, I called you here because I thought Lord Setiria should know.¡± However, despite Sien being my favorite character, my life depends on his choices. He still had to check something. ¡°Don¡¯t you need to prove to me that Lord Lupiros is not a member of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°I guarantee it!¡± cried Ganien in a fit of anger. Sienughed as if he liked it. ¡°You¡¯re a fighter, contrary to what I see.¡± ¡°There¡¯s just a lot of doubt.¡± ¡°What do you want? I heard that my disciple owes you a lot.¡± ¡°Please make an oath with Mana. What is more certain than this?¡± Ruel smiled and stroked Leo. ¡°There¡¯s certainly nothing more reliable than that. But don¡¯t be too blind. There¡¯s a loophole in everything.¡± Ruel agreed just by looking at Cassion¡¯s example as someone who had also taken the oath and previously nned to assassinate him. It seemed that the standard that he was loyal to was the standard he considered himself to be. Sien smiled slightly and moved his mouth. ¡°I, Sien Lupiros, will not be a part of the Red Ash now and in the future. I swear on the mana I¡¯ve had since I was born.¡± Sien¡¯s cobalt-colored mana appeared and poured into his heart. Sien looked at Ganien. He spoke with discontent, ¡°The oath is made.¡± Ruel was relieved to hear that. He didn¡¯t know how Sien would changeter, whether he came out as Ganien¡¯s helper or whatever. Sien asked leisurely. ¡°Do you mind if we continue the conversation?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°First of all, I would like to thank you for your trust in my disciple. You can¡¯t tell how surprised I was to hear that there was an immortal man called the ck blooded man.¡± ¡®You really told him everything.¡¯ Ruel looked at Ganien with an exasperated face. One corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up as he slightly looked away. ¡°We are now investigating what is called ¡®ck Water,¡¯ given by Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± A useless story was added. Ruel didn¡¯t know where Sien was leading the conversation, but it gave him enough time to take a deep breath. ¡°We saw movement in the Tonisk Empire.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel was too surprised to blink. ¡®The Tonisk Empire is a country that abolished itself, so why is a country that was never mentioned active all of a sudden?¡¯ ¡°Are you alright? You look pale.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. But what does it mean to show movement? Does that mean that the empire came out of the abolitionist country?¡± ¡°Once the door opened and closed. The conclusion I made is that it is not immediate, but it seems to be moving to reestablish the country soon.¡± The empire is moving. Ruel felt dizzy. In the novel, it was written that the empire was so powerful that the three countries could not win even if theybined. Ruel asked, frowning. ¡°¡­that¡¯s why you proposed an alliance?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Please pass this news on to the King of Leponia. Since we do not know who the Red Ash colluded with, for now, only Lord Setiria, who is the representative of the delegation, is the most reliable person.¡± ¡°Alright, I have a reason to hurry back.¡± Sien wiggled his fingers as if he was ashamed. ¡°I heard that you are going to go sightseeing. I don¡¯t know if I made your heart heavy for no reason.¡± ¡°Knowing is better than not knowing. You need to know to prepare.¡± What changed and caused the empire to open it¡¯s doors? Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°Lord Setiria, may I increase your escort?¡± As soon as Sien knew that Ruel was the target of the Red Ash, Ruel has been on his mind. As a representative of the delegation, he had a good escort, but when viewed as a must-protect object, he was far too vulnerable. ¡°Are you sure that an increased number of escorts can save my life, Lord Lupiros?¡± ¡°I made a slip of the tongue. Please pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°No, thank you for your concern.¡± It could not be guaranteed that the Red Ash would not be mixed in the increased escort. In such a situation, it would be better to have people you can trust by your side. Ruel did not bother to mention the shadows that still protect him. Knock. Knock. To the sound of knocking on the door from outside, Sien answered, ¡°Come in.¡± The butler didn¡¯t say anything when he saw Ganien¡¯s appearance. Perhaps this situation was familiar. The butler carefully ced the tea down. bowed and exited the room. ¡ªThis body wants to eat that. It was an apple tea that Leo particrly liked. He reacted quickly. ¡°I¡¯d like to stop talking about difficult things and talk about personal things. Would that be all right?¡± Sien smiled softly. Soon his eyes focused on the fox sticking his tongue out from Ruel¡¯sp toward the tea. Ruel grabbed Leo¡¯s mouth. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a sightseeing tour. I can leave tomorrow.¡± There was nothing bad about getting close to Sien. Rather, he wanted to be close. ¡°Teacher, I¡¯m fully reflecting on myself¡­¡± ¡°Shut up, Ganien.¡± As if a scene from the novel had been recreated, Ruel sipped his tea and watched the two of them like spectators. Sien soon smiled awkwardly and opened his mouth. ¡°He¡¯s that kind of guy, but he¡¯s a pretty good guy. Feel free to use it during your stay in Cyronian.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll work himfortably.¡± I was going to work him to death anyway. Afterall, shouldn¡¯t I give you a chance to pay off the debt? *** Ruel had a pretty good time with Sien and went back to the pce. The sun was already setting. Looking at the sunset, Ruel inhaled Breath. The door to the Empire is opening. ¡®¡­ it¡¯s not because of me, is it?¡¯ When the empire closed its doors, there was no such thing as Ruel Setiria. A sharp sound came from his side. At the repeated noise, Ruel looked at Cassion and asked. ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± While Ruel was lying down after taking the new medication, Cassion repeatedly sharpened the newly obtained sword. ¡°I¡¯m very upset that this sword was stored among the other low-grade swords.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that sword?¡± ¡°Given the de, the drawing line, and the small pattern carved on the edge of the de, it is clearly the work of the cksmith known in the legends as Lione! Lione¡¯s reputation was buried because of her descendants, but the swords she made contained their own souls¡­¡± Cassion¡¯s words continued endlessly to the point where Ruel thought he had asked for no reason. Leo, who had been sulking because he couldn¡¯t drink apple tea at Ganien¡¯s vi, returned here and was drinking apple tea as much as he wanted. ¡®Doesn¡¯t your tail hurt when you shake it like that?¡¯ By the time Ruel reached out and grabbed Leo¡¯s tail, Cassion came back to himself. ¡°Ruel-nim, this is Bianne.¡± Cassion sheathed the sword and took out themunication device. ¡®How long has it been since I gave themunication device? I already got a call?¡¯ Coming from Ganien¡¯s vi to the pce, he met Bianne briefly and handed over themunication device. ¡°Connect.¡± Themunication device lit up. -Lo, Lord, I¡¯m sorry to contact you so suddenly. Bianne¡¯s voice sounded very unsettling. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± -I¡¯m contacting you because I heard that the Red Ash will leave the temporary hideout soon. You¡¯d better hurry. ¡°Where?¡± -¡­I don¡¯t understand. ¡°What¡¯s the order that came to you? How did you obtain that news?¡± -If I left the temporary hideout, I was ordered to destroy it. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. In order topletely destroy it, it was necessary to have a blueprint or rted data. ¡°You must have data rted to the hideout in your hands. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± -Well, that¡¯s right. ¡°Put all the data on your desk quietly.¡± -On the desk? Alright. ¡°I¡¯ll hand you a copy soon.¡± Ruel cut off themunication and nced meaningfully at Cassion. He resumed polishing his sword while Ruel spoke with Bianne. Cassion¡¯s hand paused at Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Hina¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re faster.¡± Cassion¡¯s face was wrinkled for a moment, but he soon sighed and replied. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Cassion quietly hid himself in the shadows. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! Leo, who had been licking the rice bowl several times, came up to the bed with a grin. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªDirty things have risen! This body just ate something sweet and sour right now, so it¡¯s very appetizing! Now, this body can¡¯t wait to eat something dirty! ¡°Eat when Cassiones back.¡± Leo looked shocked and saw that Cassion had left. ¡ªIf you eat something dirty after eating sweet and sour things, your stomach will be happy. So, this body ate something sweet and sour¡­ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel patted Leo on the head, who burst into tears. ¡®What does it taste like?¡¯ Then, while inhaling Breath with the other hand, he secretly raised the corner of his mouth. There¡¯s no Cassion, isn¡¯t there? After purifying, the shadow had never moved. Since the power of resistance has grown, shouldn¡¯t we check how big the shadow was now? ¡°Hina, if you pretend you didn¡¯t see me, I¡¯ll let you pet Leo.¡± In the corner, Hina slightly stuck out her head. Her eyes were shining brightly, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You must not work too hard, not enough to vomit blood.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hina smiled and sank back into the shadows. Ruel sat his upper body up. Then he cycled the Mana through his body. After confirming that it was rolling smoothly, he moved the shadows. One, two, three¡­ Ruel pulled out shadows as much as he could. Despite the increase of five, Ruel was still unaffected. ¡®It¡¯s worth throwing up blood.¡¯ Leo, cried with a ¡®EEEP,¡¯ raised his head when he saw the shadows. Still in tears, he asked. ¡ªAre you ying hide and seek in a circle? ¡°Do you want to do it?¡± ¡ªThis body is sad now. ¡°Let¡¯s use this room as a whole then, not within the circle like we did before.¡± Leo¡¯s tail wagged slowly. ¡ªIt would be more fun, but what should this body do because this body is so sad? Leo¡¯s eyes shook greatly at the sound of fun. Ruel tickled Leo with one of the shadows. ¡ªPuhaha, don¡¯t do it. This body is very ticklish¡­ Hehehe! If you tell me not to, I won¡¯t. Ruel quit suddenly. Leo giggled and looked as if he had lost his country as the shadow disappeared. ¡ª¡­why not? ¡°If you run away from my shadow, I¡¯ll tickle you again.¡± ¡ªReally! Ahem. This body is sad, but I will run away for Ruel. The slowly wobbling tail moved vigorously. ¡°Start.¡± With Ruel¡¯s words, Leo went up to the table with a triumphant face. His short legs moved as Ruel¡¯s hand quietly protruding from Leo¡¯s shadow tried to grab his tail. ¡®He doesn¡¯t get caught by the same trick anymore. Did he get smarter?¡¯ But there are more shadows than before. Just as there are no rules in hand-to-hand battles, Ruel will win again if he used numbers to his advantage. Each time Leo¡¯s legs moved, the shadows secretly waited and spread out quickly as if aiming to enclose their prey. ¡ªClose! Ruel frowned. Swish. Leo escaped from the shadow¡¯s hand narrowly. After repeating it several times, Ruel¡¯s breathing became erratic. It was harder than he thought to inject and maintain a certain amount of mana. He bit Breath into his mouth. ¡®Well, then.¡¯ Chapter 71: Milky Way rising to the sky (2) Chapter 71: Milky Way rising to the sky (2) The shadows, which had been increased to five, were united into one andid like a trap. Leo, who was running away from it, stepped on it and the shadows shot up like a. ¡®I got you!¡¯ ¡ªYou didn¡¯t catch me again! ¡°¡­?¡± Leo¡¯s voice came from next to him. Turning his head, he saw Leo swinging his tail happily. Ruel scattered the shadows. Obviously, there was only faint smoke in the ce where Leo was. As he tried to move the shadows again, Leo rested his face on Ruel¡¯sp. ¡ªStop this. More dirty things have been added. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Fortunately, he felt only a little nauseous, but his condition was not bad. ¡ªThis body has won. Leoy down with his stomach showing. He demanded his reward proudly as a victor. ¡ªNow tickle me. ¡°Okay.¡± Gently tickling his stomach, Leoughed and moved his tail incessantly. ¡°It got faster. Did the wind talk to you again?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right! It was worried about this body and let this body know. As if something suddenly came to mind, Leo got up and jumped into Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Look at this! Leo lifted his short front paws. A sphere wrapped in silver floated up. Just looking at it made Ruel feel it¡¯s sacred power. Tak. Aris rushed in through the door. And immediately stopped without pulling out his sword. ¡°Ruel-nim, I just felt a strange mana¡­¡± ¡°Close the door.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Aris closed the door at Ruel¡¯smand, but couldn¡¯t take his eyes off the sphere Leo created. ¡°What is that? It feels very warm.¡± Ruel looked at Leo instead of answering. ¡ªOn the day Cassion and Ganien fought, this body looked at the sky and thought of that. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªThis body hated that Ruel was sick because this body couldn¡¯t purify. Leo rubbed his head against Ruel, removing the sphere. There was sadness mixed in his voice. ¡ªThis body was very sad and kept thinking about it, then this body was able to make the light just now. ¡®Awakening¡­ should I say¡­¡¯ ¡ªDon¡¯t get sick because of this body. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± A cough came out of nowhere. Ruel gently stroked Leo. ¡°Congrattions, Leo.¡± Aris couldn¡¯t resist curiosity and asked, ¡°Is what I just saw the power of purification?¡± ¡ªMaybe. ¡°It feelspletely different from when Ruel-nim purified it. At that time, it was somewhat sad.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the real thing.¡± ¡ªHehe. Aris smiled at Leo¡¯s eyes begging for praise. ¡°Congrattions, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body has done it! This body is no longer a fool! ¡°I¡¯ll have to check it out.¡± Ruel raised the corner of his mouth towards Cassion, who showed up in a timely manner as he inhaled Breath. ¡°I¡¯m back¡­ Why are you smiling so suspiciously as soon as I came?¡± Seeing Aris was in the room, a small wrinkle appeared between Cassion¡¯s eyebrows. Leo went down and circled around Cassion. ¡ªCassion, look what this body has made! As he lifted his short front paws, a silver sphere floated up. With Leo¡¯s eyes staring at him asking for quick praise, Cassion squatted down and stared at the sphere. ¡°It¡¯s as big as a nail, but something¡¯s different.¡± ¡°It looks like a sphere with the power of purification. Check it out.¡± Cassion immediately took out ck water at Ruel¡¯smand. And he dropped just one drop on the ground. The ck water did not spread out, but shook gently like jelly and stopped. Leo stuck his tail close and put the silver sphere to the ck water. Everyone paid attention to the scene. But surprisingly, nothing happened. ¡®Isn¡¯t that purification?¡¯ Ruel looked at Leo with a cough. Leo was flustered and hardened. ¡°Beast, it¡¯s not that it doesn¡¯t work. It¡¯s very small, but it¡¯s shrunk in size.¡± At Cassion¡¯s words, Leo jumped in ce. ¡ªThis body has purified it! This body is a great purifier! Leo stepped on the ck water while running. Chiiig. Ruel held back hisughter as he saw it purified in an instant. ¡®Can you break the fun?¡¯ ¡°Leo, can you exin to me how you used Purification a little while ago?¡± ¡ªOf course! In a triumphant voice, Leo ran to Aris. Aris sat on the floor and listened to what Leo was talking about. That¡¯s what happens when you be a wizard. Ruel looked away from them and turned towards Cassion. ¡°Give it to me.¡± He looked over the data Bianne received from the Red Ash one by one. The location, structure, and map of the hideout were perfectly written. ¡®Did you find an angle to hit them perfectly in the back of the head?¡¯ The corners of his lips went up as he thought about how to hit them unaware. ¡®You have to double the trap.¡¯ *** ¡°Did you understand, Sir Torto?¡± To Ruel¡¯s question, Torto raised his fist where the royal knights¡¯ patterns were. ¡°Understood.¡± Torto said as he was given a secret mission by His Majesty Huswen, and that this mission was a good opportunity to strengthen the bond between Leponia and Cyronian. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that there is still an insider among the Knights.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°I think the insider has something to do with this mission.¡± Torto¡¯s eyes frowned slightly. Not only did he have an informant in his own Knights, but he reached out to Cyronian. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how far the connection is.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and replied. ¡°Me too, anyway, don¡¯t reveal your secret mission to the knights until you get to Trien. After that, if someone shows suspicious behavior, you take care of it.¡± ¡°Alright, my lord.¡± There was a slight loss of strength in the voice that answered. He knocked out a few insiders, but maybe it was because of his anxiety that there could be another. ¡°Sir Torto.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How far does Sir think of Leponia?¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t intend to work for Leponia, I wouldn¡¯t have been a royal knight in the first ce.¡± Torto showed his heart for Leponia without a single hesitation. Ruel gave a present for him, full of loyalty. ¡°Sir Torto, wouldn¡¯t it be quite high if it was enough to put an insider in the Royal Knights?¡± ¡°¡­!¡± He uttered a tremendous sound casually. No aristocrat could defame the royal family. ¡°It¡¯s almost time to leave, so I¡¯ll depart now.¡± ¡°l¡­I will. I¡¯ll go ahead.¡± Torto¡¯s face with his head up was full of confusion. The Royal Knights were a group that existed for the king and together for Leponia. That¡¯s why they trusted the royal family more than anyone else. Ruel shook the natural belief too easily. Torto looked at Ruel again with the door in front of him. His eyes looked very anxious. ¡°May I ask why you would say such a thing?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you the head of the Royal Knights who should defend the royal family?¡± Protect the royal family. Ruel was saying that. Torto bent down and went outside. ¡°There is nothing hanging on the heart of Sir Torto. I think that was a little hasty.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°I shook it on purpose. The more people know the truth, the better- Cough, Cough.¡± Ruel frowned at the pain in his chest. When Cassion handed him the medicine, Ruel shook his head. ¡°Not yet, let¡¯s get ready anyway. I wonder if theke in Dotol Vige is as pretty as theke in Prina Vige.¡± *** It took a full two days from the royal pce to Dotol. On the way, he stopped by a nearby vige and stayed for a day. -¡­ There is no news. From time to time, we hear only rumors that Ruel-nim has an incurable disease. Mixed with rumors that Ruel-nim was originally ill, even this is rather quiet. Ruel smiled at Dion¡¯s report. The interest in himself has been cut off very well. ¡®That¡¯s great.¡¯ He stroked Leo and opened his mouth, ¡°What about the second prince?¡± -The second prince is also not showing much movement. ¡°Okay, keep up the good work.¡± -Please,e back safely. Themunications device¡¯s light went out. ¡®Why isn¡¯t there any movement? Is it because I¡¯m here?¡¯ He ordered the Birds, Ken, and Bianne to report regrly because he expected the Red Ash to y tricks while he was away. ¡®But there¡¯s no movement, so you must have noticed Banios¡¯ check, right?¡¯ Lumina and Prios were on a leash, so they could be used at any time. Ruel inhaled Breath. I have more and more things to think about. Tap. Tap. When Ruel tapped his thigh, Leo hit Ruel¡¯s hand with his tail. And when Ruel stroked Leo again, Leo closed his eyes as if he were satisfied. Cassion spoke to Ruel. ¡°Ruel-nim, why don¡¯t you get some fresh air?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter? You said I couldn¡¯t because of a slight fever.¡± ¡°You look troubled.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you entrust the work of the second prince to Prince Banios? Birds will ask for information from Leponia, and Bianne wille here for information, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± ¡°I know.¡± But contrary to the response, Ruel¡¯s life depended on their movements, so he was concerned even if he knew. Ruel held a cane. As Cassion said, I thought it would be better to get some air. ¡ªThis body will go, too! Leo¡¯s tail wagged. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. You have to prepare steadily.¡± Cassion took clothes out of his pocket for Ruel¡¯s outing. It was not until he was fully armed that he was able to go outside. ¡°Are you going for a walk?¡± When asked by Aris, Ruel nodded. On the way, the knights said they would escort them, but he didn¡¯t want to take them just for a light walk. As Aris followed Ruel, people recognizing Aris came out one by one. Each of them was mentioned the name ¡®Magic Swordsman¡¯. Ttak. When he stepped on the fine snow outside, he felt a little relieved. ¡°You seem to have a lot of worries,¡± said Aris quietly. ¡°When you have a lot of worries, a match is the best.¡± Ganien followed after him even though he never asked for him to follow. Cassion silently frowned at Ganien. A tactless fellow. Ganien expressed resentment as if he felt Cassion was swearing with his eyes. ¡°Why? I¡¯m not that tactless. I have no choice but to follow my teacher¡¯s orders.¡± Sien issued a strict order not to leave Ruel¡¯s side at any time except for the moment when he removed the temporary hideout of the Red Ash. He was a mysteriously proficient teacher, so he had to follow his orders closely. ¡°Leave it alone.¡± Ruel snorted. What can I do if you are following me? Ruel just walked along the path of an unknown vige. When Leo chattered to himself and Ganien brought up the story of thest match to Cassion, Ruel just walked, listening to the story and Aris¡¯sments. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel exhaled deeply. I felt free after a long time, so my mind was clear. ¡®After all, people should rest.¡¯ We¡¯ll be in Dotol Vige tomorrow. It was disappointing that he couldn¡¯t directly watch how the temporary hideout would be robbed. ¡®If you want to pick it up from the Dotol Vige, you¡¯ll have to fill your pockets in advance.¡¯ Ruel walked and walked looking at the stars that filled the sky. Then, when Ruel stumbled for a moment, questions poured out to ask if he was okay. ¡°I only felt dizzy for a moment.¡± Ruel grabbed his head and said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit over there for a second?¡± Cassion pointed to a t rock. Papapapa. Leo stepped off Ruel¡¯s shoulder and ran into the wide snowfield. Pang! He jumped in head first and only moved his short back legs that were not buried in the snow along with his eyes that peeked out. When Aris ran hurriedly and pulled out Leo buried in the snow, Leo smiled. ¡ªIt¡¯s really fun! Aris, try jumping too! Then Leo jumped into the snow again and buried his upper body in the snow. Aris looked at Ruel with Leo pping his short hind legs in the distance. ¡®You don¡¯t have to ask for permission one by one.¡¯ When Ruel nodded, Aris flew into the snow with open arms like a cross. Pang! Listening to the vivid sound, Ruel sat on the rock and coughed. ¡®You¡¯re having fun.¡¯ ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s alright.¡± I heard Aris and Leo giggling. Before I knew it, Ganien¡¯s voice was mixed in. Swish! Snow flew here and there as if the event had turned into a snowball fight. ¡ªThis body can be made bigger! ¡°That¡¯s a foul, Leo.¡± ¡°You¡¯re using magic in a cheap way, right? Alright, I will use aura.¡± Ruel felt a sense of calm when he saw the three fools. Cassion took out a nket and covered Ruel with it. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it make you feel a little more at ease when watching someone act like an idiot?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. When he wondered why Cassion was so kind, he remembered the sword he got from Ganien¡¯s vi yesterday. Pak! Snow from somewhere spread across Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°Can you see? What more wonderful skills I have, like my marksmanship?¡± Ganien chuckled. ¡°Cassion¡­¡± ¡°Sometimes I thought it would be okay to be stupid. Doesn¡¯t your head get cold right away from having an empty head?¡± Cassion smirked. ¡°¡­I wasn¡¯t doing anything stupid.¡± Cassion sighed as he touched Ruel¡¯s forehead. His hands were hot. The fever went up immediately after getting hit by some snow. There was even a squeaking sound. Maybe he will be very ill tonight. Lately, Ruel has beencent about being ¡®fit.¡¯ He was still walking ss. Cassion reflected on himself and handed over a fever reducer. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Ruel nodded. He could only bear nodding with his head ringing. ¡ªThis body will scold Ganien! ¡°¡­You haven¡¯t helped me much either.¡± Leo¡¯s front foot, which he raised vigorously, slipped down. Leo looked down and quietly curled up next to Ruel. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Aris.¡± The door opened softly with a careful voice. ¡°Are you alright¡­sick?¡± He should have stopped Ganien. Perhaps because he had fun after a long time, he forgot his position as an escort. He was ashamed. ¡°I just have a fever as usual. Never mind.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice was drained. Aris nced at Cassion. He shook his head. Aris closed the door carefully again at the signal not to say anymore. ¡°I¡¯ll be better by tomorrow.¡± Ruel groaned and closed his eyes.Author''s Thoughts Eat. Drink. Be Merry. Have a wonderful Christmas ??! ?????????????? Chapter 72: Milky Way rising to the sky (3) Chapter 72: Milky Way rising to the sky (3) *** The fever remained until morning, perhaps because of the umted fatigue from traveling.Ruel led his heavy body into the carriage feeling dizzy. ¡°Uhmmm.¡± Ganien, who was waiting in the carriage first, coughed dryly and looked at Ruel¡¯s countenance. He must have been quite sorry to hear from Aris that Ruel had caught a fever because of him. ¡°Yesterday¡­¡± ¡°Is it going well?¡± Ruel asked casually, inhaling the Breath. He had requested Bianne topile the information of knights involved with Red Ash and hand over the info to Ganien. The more Red Ash they caught and the more information obtained, the more secure his own safety was. ¡°It¡¯s in progress.¡± ¡°Let me know when you get the results.¡± Ruel nced at Cassion at the door. The wind blew into the carriage causing his body to tremble. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± (Ruel) Ganien stopped at the doorway. ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things, just take care of it properly.¡± Only then did Ganien¡¯s face brighten but with a sour voice. ¡°Do not worry. It¡¯s something I learned very well in Leponia.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The door of the carriage closed with Ruel¡¯s answer. Ganien took a deep breath and moved towards the Knights with a determined face. The Red Ash touched his country and was aiming for his own friend. He stood in front of the pre-assembled group of Blue Knights and shouted loudly. ¡°The honor of this nation depends on our sword. Do not allow any enemy. Do not allow the word ¡®danger.¡¯ Recognize who we are protecting.¡± After taking a breath, Ganien opened his mouth again. ¡°Protect it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect!¡± The entire Knights answered at the same time. The Knights marched in a blue wave, led by Ganien. Joining the Royal Knights, they escorted the moving carriage. ¡°Would you like another fever reducer?¡± Ruel shook his head left and right when he saw the medicine Cassion was holding out. ¡°I ate it earlier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m asking because your fever didn¡¯t go away.¡± Ruel shook his head again. Guiltily, Leo looked at Ruel. He had thrown three snowballs at Ruel. ¡ªThis body feels sorry. Instead of talking, Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head. He found it funny that his body became so hot after being hit by snow, but what¡¯s wrong with the opponent who threw it? With a slightly trembling hand, Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°One more day, we¡¯ll see Dotol Vige. If you change your mind and want to go to Trien¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Contrary to what was said, Cassion was relieved. Ruel recognized his position objectively after the ne incident. He didn¡¯t have to go to this temporary hideout himself. It wasn¡¯t a role he could y in the first ce. He could use magic, but not to the level he could defend himself inbat. But one thing had to be pointed out. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Cassion took out a handkerchief and put it near Ruel¡¯s mouth at the sound of a strong cough. ¡°Cough.¡± When he vomited blood for the first time in a while, the familiar smell of blood came up in his mouth. But his body becamefortable. ¡°Cassion, there¡¯s only one reason I¡¯m visiting Trien.¡± The ck-blooded man. Cassion stayed silent for a long time before answering reluctantly. ¡°¡­ I see.¡± *** Knock. Knock. The carriage door opened. It was morning when they started, but now the red sun was setting. Ganien pointed his thumb behind him. ¡°Ruel, we¡¯re going to separate here.¡± They haven¡¯t seen Dotol Vige yet, but it was right to start moving now to surprise them properly. ¡°Good luck.¡± That was all he could say. Ganien smiled and rejoined the ranks. ¡°What about you?¡± Ruel asked Cassion. ¡°Hina will go instead of me today. Something¡¯s bothering me.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± If Hina goes, that¡¯s fine. The carriage door closed again. *** It was quiet. There were no news of raids until they reached Dotol Vige. The word that he would go sightseeing in Dotol would have already spread among the nobles of Cyronian. Nevertheless, it was still. Ruel didn¡¯t like it. If he had some struggle, he would have been much morefortable. ¡®What is the enemy up to?¡¯ Cassion had sent a shadow to check the Red Ash to confirm if the order Bianne gave was real. It was also confirmed that the temporary hideout actually existed and was leaving soon. Ruel inhaled the Breath. ¡°The enemy is lurking.¡± Cassion frowned slightly before opening the carriage door. ¡®No wonder it was quiet.¡¯ That¡¯s right. The Red Ash can¡¯t let this opportunity go. ¡°Leo, do you smell anything like the ck-blooded man?¡± ¡ªI don¡¯t. ¡°That¡¯s enough, leave it alone.¡± Without a ck blooded man, Cassion should be able to face any attack or any enemy. Ruel smiled and got out of the carriage. Dotol Vige was small enough to count how many houses there were from here. ¡®It wasn¡¯t a lie when Huswen boasted that theke was beautiful.¡¯ Theke behind the vige contained numerous stars. ¡®It¡¯s wonderful.¡¯ Ruel looked briefly at theke, coughing. Theke in the vige of Prina was also beautiful. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Can this body swim? Stars in the water! This body wants to jump in there. Leo, who was in Ruel¡¯s arms, scratched his clothes with his front paws and asked. ¡°Later.¡± Ruel whispered in Leo¡¯s ear and took a cane. Ttak. He moved his cane and headed to the amodation of Dotol, which he had arranged in advance. He was followed by the Royal Knights and Blue Knights, who did not go to Trien. Ttak. Only the sound of the cane and the sound of the heavy footsteps were heard. Cassion took out a nket and covered Ruel with it and said quietly. ¡°The enemy is moving.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel bit Breath. There¡¯s something he has to pick up in Dotol Vige. He was a little worried. ¡®Well, he has the tenacity of a cockroach, so he¡¯ll be just fine.¡¯ Rustle. Aris¡¯ eyes turned to the left and right. There was something wrong in the still atmosphere. A buzzing sensation came from the entirety of the surroundings. Rasp. Aris drew his sword quietly and the knights in coordinated movement took battle position and the two vice-captains shouted. ¡°Enemy!¡± At the same time, all the lights in the vige went dark, sinking the surrondings into heavy darkness. Shha! Aris shouted vigorously with a sound from all sides. ¡°¡­show me your power.¡± The me from Aris¡¯ fingertips flew high and spread across the sky. ¡ªThis body will help! Leo¡¯s tail and ears pricked up. The me grew bigger and bigger and became a bird. It was bright enough to light up the whole vige. The enemy was clearly visible. Some of the Knights took out their shields and surrounded Ruel. Ting! Ting! Hearing the sound of arrows colliding, Ruel choked. When the sound stopped, the battle began with the loud shouts of the two vice-captains. ¡°Eliminate the enemy!¡± He was worried about the safety of the vigers, but first of all, the goal was to annihte the enemy. Some of the Knights remained, holding shields and guarding Ruel, defending him. The vice-captain of the Royal Knights spoke to Ruel, ¡°Evacuate by carriage.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel also thought it was a good move. If it¡¯s the strength of the carriage, hadn¡¯t he already seen it on the bridge? ¡°¡­Aris.¡± Cassion quietly called out Aris. ¡°I know.¡± As soon as Aris turned back, he blew off the enemy¡¯s neck that approached through the royal knights. The head flew and blood poured out. ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. There¡¯s a wizard among the enemies.¡± Aris warned the Knights, then with small transparent ice shards, shoot them towards the approaching enemies. Ding! As soon as the ice hit, the enemies¡¯ magic was broken.The Knights¡¯ attack followed immediately. With the scream of the enemy following him, Ruel headed to the carriage under the protection of the Knights. Shik! Cassion heard the flying arrow and looked down and waited silently. It wasn¡¯t an arrow from the enemy. ¡°Ugh!¡± Screaming came from elsewhere. An enemy who was hiding in the carriage in advance was pierced in the head by an arrow that flew from random. Ruel¡¯s mouth twitched slightly. ¡®I¡¯m d he¡¯s alive and well.¡¯ It worked out as expected. ¡°Cassion, how does it look?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel with a slightly surprised look. ¡°Are you going to pick it up?¡± The words ¡®in the midst of this?¡¯ seemed to be missing. Ruel smiled. ¡°Keep an eye on it.¡± When Ruel was about to get into the carriage, Leo said urgently. ¡ªIt¡¯s here! ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you¡­¡± Cassion grabbed Ruel and dodged backwards. ck objects mmed into the carriage. Bang! The carriage, which had been steady against the waves, was crushed at once. ¡°Are you alright?¡± When asked by Cassion, Ruel looked at the bodies of those Knights who had been protecting him. Thump. His heart raced like the first time he used Purification. There had been no appearances of the ck-blooded man as of recently. But when it decided to make it¡¯s appearance there wasn¡¯t only one. The fact was sharply lodged in his heart. ¡®These crazy guys!¡¯ They must have just drank ck water. ¡®What the enemy is after¡­¡¯ Ruel turned his head quickly. It was time to think coolly. Dotol was a small vige. That meant that no matter what happened, there was a high possibility of the vige being buried. That¡¯s why he asked Huswen to bring the Knights. Ruel hurriedly bit Breath in his mouth with a weak breath. Power came into his hands. If the enemy has enough power to overwhelm the two groups Knights, isn¡¯t Dotol a huge tomb? ¡®What the enemy is after is aplete wipeout¡­!¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim?¡± At Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel took a deep breath and spoke loudly. The Knights were unable to deal with ck blooded man. This was the only way. The enemy was after him. ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡± This order was directed to not only to the Knights but also to Cassion¡¯s shadows. The Knights paused at the order. It was not an enemy easily defeated. ¡°Light over there, Aris!¡± Ruel gestured towards the beating heart. ¡°Yes!¡± It was only then that the Knights understood when the fire that had left Aris¡¯ hand lit up where Ruel pointed. A ck-blooded man. ¡°Disperse now!¡± At Ruel¡¯s voice again, the Knights gave up the engagement and withdrew immediately. They understood how fearsome these creatures were because they had seen them before in the previous battle. ¡°Even so, I cannot abandon Ruel-nim. I will protect you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s right, we¡¯re knights. We¡¯ll do our best to protect you.¡± The vice-captains approached Ruel and pointed their swords at the enemy and the ck blooded man. Other knights also came encircling Ruel. Ruel¡¯s expression hardened. Chivalry. It was a good word. Unless it¡¯s was time to get a grip on the situation. ¡®Crazy guys, I told you to disperse, but you choose to stick to me?¡¯ His heart raced. He felt theming closer. Then, a cold wind blew. The wind was blowing from Aris. ¡ªThis body will help you. Leo jumped off and ran to Aris. Ha. Pure white breath leaked out. The ice was so cold that it seemed to freeze instantly upon sight. The amount of ice increased as Leo clung to Aris. Ting! A knight lifted a shield for Aris. The enemies were not fools. They wouldn¡¯t let anything be prepared. Ruel bit the Breath and moved his shadow. If we stick together like this here, won¡¯t we all die together? ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± Cassion stopped Ruel. Cassion¡¯s eyes were purple. ¡°Do¡­Don¡¯t call.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll kill him first.¡± He doesn¡¯t call his men. There was a limit to the number that Ruel could purify. It would be easier for Ruel deal with if the enemies were gathered together. Weapon tracking. That¡¯s why he had to get rid of the annoying enemies before the ck blooded men came any closer. Cassion quietly and secretly disappeared, as it was the butler¡¯s duty to secure the owner¡¯s safety. ¡°Haaaap!¡± With Aris¡¯ loud shout, the sword was struck into the ground. Kwakwakwa! The area was covered with ice. Trees, grass, approaching enemies, and even the ck-blooded men were frozen. Aris stumbled after exhaling a strong breath. The Knights were relieved little by little. ¡ªNot yet. There are still people who are out of the world¡¯s natural order. Leo ran to Ruel. Ruel walked forward, coughing. The road opened by itself. ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s dangerous.¡± Ruel kept walking despite the cries of knights who stopped him. Ttak. The gaze was noticed because the sound of the cane was heard loudly. ¡°Don¡¯t y into the enemy¡¯s hands. What the enemy wants is the death of all of us.¡± ¡ªThis body can do it. Ruel, stay put. Leo stamped his foot and followed after Ruel. ¡ªUh¡­! In the direction Leo looked, Ruel had already moved his shadow. The ck one was caught. The ck thing permeated the shadow like a powder dissolved in water. Ruel said, barely swallowing something rising up his throat. ¡°I won¡¯t say any more. Spread out, now.¡± Ruel stumbled for a moment because his head was dizzy from the fever. There was a fine line between bravery and recklessness. He set out to let them know that what they had was not courage, but recklessness. ¡®Get out of my way.¡¯ At this rate, the dog¡¯s death was waiting. The two vice-captains stared at Ruel and the ck-blooded man before opening their mouths. ¡°Disperse!¡± Ruel said to them, who just noticed the situation going back. ¡°The target is me. Don¡¯t be sacrificed.¡± He tried to hold it in, but blood flowed down his mouth. ¡°Luck¡­¡± The vice-captain of the Royal Knights clenched his fists feeling furious. They couldn¡¯t move their feet. Rather, they were being protected by the target they were supposed to protect. Now that Aris had frozen the ck-blooded men there was an opportunity. ¡°¡­I wish you.¡± But Ruel said not to choose a dog¡¯s death. Feeling the taste of blood in his mouth, the vice-captain turned around. Ruel opened his mouth as he did, wiping his mouth. ¡°I am here.¡± ck-blooded humans who were not trapped in ice located Ruel at once. For a moment, he felt goosebumps. ¡®I¡¯ve felt it before.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s shadow moved at the same time as a thick ck liquid spewed from ck-blooded humans. ¡®I guess I¡¯m a very delicious prey.¡¯ Kwakwakwa! The sword wrapped with ice swayed. The ck stream froze at once and fell to the ground. Ruel spoke emphatically to Aris, who stood in front of him. ¡°Get back.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that! It¡¯s still moving!¡± Every time Aris exhaled a strong breath, his white breath came from his lips. He was Ruel¡¯s escort before he was a knight. Whatever he said, it was his job to protect Ruel¡¯s life. Crack. The sound of ice cracking came faintly. However, the ice barely caught the ankle, making it of no use. What can I do to get rid of them? He felt like he was holding onto the distant sky. ¡°Cut it down! No matter how many times!¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was heard. The purple aura decapitated the ck blooded human closest to Ruel. But something ck, woven like a thread, put his neck back in ce. Aris bit his lip. Isn¡¯t it the same situation as before? Cassion swung the dagger again. Cut it. He concentrated on that single determination. There was nothing that could not be cut with an aura. Whiik! Cassion¡¯s two daggers moved like crazy. In the ce where it was cut, Aura was left like an afterimage, and Aura was embroidered in that ce. There is nothing perfect in this world. There must be a gap. He raised his momentum. He used all of his power for the first time. Whoo! The ground rang, the floor went out, and a storm blew around Cassion. Nevertheless, the ck blooded man, who had been split into dozens of pieces, regenerated again as if he wereughing at him. sh. At that time, a fleeting but faint trajectory came into Cassion¡¯s eyes. Cassion moved his hand along the trajectory. The light of the aura became stronger. The sensation he had felt countless times came to his hand. The feeling of being cut off from life. Fwiickk. The ck-blooded man melted down. The thick ck water stream was seen cut in half. Cassion caught his breath and found a huge hole in the wall recing what he had been struggling with for so long. ¡®Did you cut it? You cut that?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t believe it even when he saw it in person. He inhaled the Breath with his trembling hand. ¡°He is not a man who never dies.¡± Cassionughed. The ck blooded man was not immortal.. However, the way to kill him¡­it was very difficult. Pak! An arrow from afar hit the ck-blooded man¡¯s head. It wasn¡¯t a regr arrow. There was something attached to the arrowhead. As soon as the powder on the arrowhead spread, the outer part of the ck-blooded man melted and somewhere in the body shone as much as a fingernail. Aris stabbed with his sword without hesitation toward the shining ce. Chapter 73: Milky Way rising to the sky (4) Chapter 73: Milky Way rising to the sky (4) Fwiickk. Then it melted like the ck-blooded man that Cassion had just cut. ¡°¡­!¡± Aris was surprised. As Cassion said, the ck-blooded man was not immortal. This had be something of certainty. When Ruel saw Leo, he shook his head. ¡ªNo purification. If it¡¯s not purification, what should he call it? Never before had such a power been introduced. Ruel coughed and watched the ice splitting apart. ¡°There¡¯s a drop of ck water on his body. It¡¯s in a different in location, but if you cut it, it melts like that.¡± The way Cassion described it proved how dangerous and difficult it was to defeat. It wasn¡¯t the method that just anyone could use. When Ruel nced back, Cassion followed his gaze. And he spoke after seeing his gesture of making a X with his arms from a distance. ¡°There¡¯s no more.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ruel took a step forward. The number of ck-blooded men left is five. ¡ªThis body will do it. Leo hovered around Ruel, anxious. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you take care of all the monitors?¡± Since they sent this many people, they must have attached an observer to clean things up. ¡°We¡¯ve taken care of it.¡± In response, Ruel took another step, inhaling Breath. Ruel¡¯splexion grew bluer and bluer because of the fever, the cold, and the nausea. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion couldn¡¯t wait to call Ruel. He couldn¡¯t help it, but unlikest time, there were many ck-blooded men. ¡°Cassion, take care of what is left. And¡­¡± Ruel nced back and raised the corners of his mouth. The target he had to pick up from Dotol would be indebted to him, so he woulde after him on his own. ¡°What about the Knights?¡± Jjeok. ¡°It is far gone.¡± He was relieved. Unlike before, it was night now. A time when shadows fall all over the world. Ruel¡¯s eyes shone. Aris shook his sword tightly at the sight. ¡ªThis body! This body will do it! Leo was restless and almost clinging to Ruel¡¯s feet. ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself too hard.¡± Ruel smiled briefly at Leo and moved his shadow. Big enough to wrap all five of them. ¡ªRuel! This body¡­ ¡°Go to sleep.¡± Ruel ordered. At first, he had moved the shadow as his instinct led him. But not anymore. ¡°Darkness is not borrowing, but calling.¡± Now he understood more of what Tyson said. He was hoping that his shadow would eat away that ck thing. It was he who grabbed the reins. He held it firmly and ordered it not to miss anything. ¡®Eat it.¡¯ The shadow silently rushed toward the ck-blooded men. Every time he ate the ck substance through his power, there was a sensation of being stabbed. Patter. The power of resistance and reflection grew and endured quite a bit, but blood poured down from his mouth and nose. Ruel held on tightly to his cane. More. He had to eat some more. Wi-ing. He was used to being sick. Wi-ing. He could bear this much. Compared to the usual pain, it was just a little more painful. ¡ª¡­Ruel. Leo¡¯s ears were drooping while looking at Ruel. The blood spreading to the ground increased. Finally, the cane fell from Ruel¡¯s hand. Cassion and Aris grabbed him as he stumbled. A new darker color fell from his lips. Ruel¡¯s breath became rough. He only managed to breathe by inhaling the Breath. ¡ªThis body, this body¡­ Leo¡¯s eyes fluttered. Leo soon turned his head and saw where the shadow was wrapped like a bundle. And he ran. Leo pulled out a silver bead in front of the shadow. ¡ªCome out, this body is a great purifier. The silver bead touched the shadow, but nothing happened. ¡ªIt¡¯s not Ruel, but this body is a great purifier. The silver beads touched the shadow again. There was still no response. Leo knew it, too. This silver bead that he created shows that his power of purification is too weak. But the ck thing was growing too fast in Ruel¡¯s body. ¡ªPlease,e out. Ruel is in big trouble. Ruel is sick because of this body. This body must be a great purifier. After taking a look at Ruel, he pushed the silver bead back into the shadow. ¡ªThis body¡­ ¡°Cough!¡± Leo¡¯s trembled at the sound of Ruel spilling blood again. ¡ªNo, Ruel, Ruel, stop now! Leo shouted so urgently that he betrayed Ruel¡¯s promise not to talk outside. Ruel was at the limit. No more. ¡ªThis body! Leo ran to Ruel. ¡ªThis body will do it! Every time he blinked, tears covered his eyes. ¡°¡­!¡± At that moment, Aris¡¯ eyes turned to the silver beads that Leo had left behind. Crack. With the sound of the beads splitting, the silver light climbed up the shadow. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t want to lose Ruel! Cassion blocked Leo jumping into Ruel, but nothing was in his hand. Leo fell into Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡°Cough¡­¡± When Leo¡¯s feet touched him, his heavy body became lighter. Instead of red blood, he poured out ck blood. Ruel cast a shadow. It¡¯s enough. There was a silver beam soaring into the sky. Unlike his own purification, the purification of the great purifier was so beautiful. It was as if the Milky Way was rising into the sky. ¡®¡­it¡¯s pretty.¡¯ Drip. With Leo¡¯s tears falling on his face, Ruel reached out and closed his eyes helplessly. *** Flinch. Ganien stopped walking with a warm feeling. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡°No, I feel something.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll check again to see if there are any hidden people.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t have to. They¡¯re all dead.¡± Except for some of the Red Ash that have already fled. If this was a temporary hideout, the only ce they could escape to was a real hideout. He let them go on purpose to spear them in the back one more time. Following Ruel¡¯s advice that he should p the back of their head twice, not once. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Contrary to expectations, the number of enemies was small when the hideout was attacked. It bothered Ganien, but he ignored it because Ruel had enough escort to protect him. However, because of the sensation he just felt, the number that had been dealt with caught his eye again. Ganien walked to find Torto. ¡°Sir Torto.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Come here for a second.¡± Since Ruel once said that Torto was a reliable person, he called him separately and quietly brought it up. ¡°Did you feel it?¡± ¡°It was not my delusion.¡± ¡°It bothers me a little. Would you like to go to Ruel first, if you don¡¯t mind? I¡¯ll clean this up and go back.¡± No matter how reliable Torto is, Ruel left the task of the data to himself. Torto thought for a moment and replied. His real mission was to protect Ruel Setiria, although he had other duties. ¡°All right. It was something I was worried about too. Then I will go back first.¡± Torto took his knights out. Ganien finally went around the hideout once more quickly and put the materials he had secured in his pocket. The follow-up will be done by the subordinates. Ganien came out of the hideout. In the meantime, the distance from the Red Ash was quiterge, as if they had fled quickly. Ganien stopped running and suddenly opened his mouth at a familiar sign. ¡°Why are you following me now?¡± It was themselves who were cleaning up the hideout, but the shadows were supposed to break it down. There was no reason to follow him. ¡°This is the message from the chief.¡± ¡°Cassion?¡± Ganien stopped walking. He can¡¯t believe it¡¯s a message. ¡°What happened to Ruel?¡± ¡°We will follow the Red Ash that ran away. Cassion¡¯s message for you is to hurry up and organize the Red Ash hideout and join the vige you stopped by before going to Dotol. I¡¯ve already informed Sir Torto, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± ¡°A ck-blooded man has appeared.¡± Hina frowned after looking for a moment at the ce where the silver rays had risen. There was nothing they could do even if they came forward. A sense of helplessness. It was a feeling she hadn¡¯t felt in a long time. ¡°¡­I see. How¡¯s Ruel doing? Is anyone hurt?¡± ¡°The Knights are fine. Ruel¡¯s condition isn¡¯t as bad as I thought.¡± Hina disappeared after lowering her head slightly. ¡®It¡¯s the worst situation.¡¯ Ganien scratched the back of his head. There was no telling what would have changed if he went, but he frowned automatically as he imagined a situation where he would have leaned on the weakest Ruel. ¡®Because of Ruel¡¯s personality, he must have sent the knights away and handled everything himself.¡¯ He would have acted the same way had he been in that situation himself. But he had a body that could handle it, and Ruel didn¡¯t. ¡®¡­foolish fellow.¡¯ Ganien ran faster back the way he had came. *** ¡°I¡¯m going to disappear for a while.¡± The condition was better than expected. Of course, it meant it was better than expected, but not in good condition. Ruel vomited ck blood as soon as he finished talking. ¡°¡­ what?¡± Ganien asked back in a jubnt way. ¡°They released several ck-blooded men.¡± Ruel rinsed his mouth and inhaled Breath. Still, the breathing sound was uneven. ¡°Cassion killed the monitors, they won¡¯t know how things are going.¡± ¡°Then, see me and tell His Highness in advance?¡± Ruelughed hard. ¡°That¡¯s right, Prince Banios will take care of me, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Do you know how difficult the Cyronian position will be if you disappear now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not disappearing. To be exact, I went to Dotol¡­¡± Ruel inhaled the Breath again. Then he frowned and grabbed his head. ¡°I just stayed at your vi for recuperation and as a close friend because my illness got worse.¡± ¡°Yes, I will have to bear all the debts.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ganien sighed deeply at Ruel¡¯s words, which seemed to be natural. ¡°Did you tell Sir Torto?¡± ¡°Before you came. I told him to stay quiet at your vi. It¡¯s safe there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s safe.¡± Ganien gave a confident smile. ¡°¡­Cough!¡± Cassion quickly put a handkerchief to Ruel¡¯s mouth. Leo¡¯s ears are drooping. How many times has it already been? Ruel patted Leo¡¯s head with his trembling hand. ¡°Looking at you talking, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re going toe to get some rest. Where are you going?¡± Cassion sighed. ¡°I was going to the Ice Castle¡­¡± Leo was startled and covered his mouth. Ruel¡¯s hand, which was patting his head, paused. Leoy t on the bed and looked up at his face with fierce eyes. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Ganien¡¯s voice rose immediately. It was such nonsense that he forgot that Ruel was sick. Cassionughed with satisfaction, and Aris watched nervously. ¡°You¡¯re really¡­ Ha. Yeah, I¡¯m so sorry I made youe to Cyronian that I really have nothing to say, but this isn¡¯t it, do you know what kind of ce it is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression did not change with a short answer. Ganien looked at Cassion with a stiff feeling. Cassion shook his head from side to side. ¡°Whoa.¡± Ganien took a deep breath to calm down and dragged a chair around him and sat down in front of Ruel. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Ruel could be in better shape than he looked. Because that happened a few times. Ruel turned over his hand without hesitation. ¡°¡­ crazy bastard.¡± Ganien, who was examining him, broke his arrogance. What a bummer. He was only conscious, but he was ready to dance as the sicknesses were not running rampant like before. ¡°I came this far, but I have to go see the Ice Castle. I¡¯m not feeling well enough toe again.¡± ¡°You¡­!¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to go if it is not now. Think carefully, Ganien.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth.Author''s Thoughts Dear readers, Thank you for all your support in the past year. Special thanks to honey users and Ko-Fi users. Thank you for being there. Really! ?! So, I hope the two chapters here bring you joy as you begin the new year. Happy New Year, 2023! May your new year be filled with new adventures, aplishments, and learnings. Chapter 74: Money is the best! Chapter 74: Money is the best! Certainly, as Ruel said, now was the time to movefortably. If Ruel did not show up, the enemy¡¯s surveince would naturally spread in all directions, and at the same time, Ruel¡¯s movement could be free. The problem was that there could be a big uproar in Cyronian and Leponia. ¡®No, it¡¯s not just a big deal. It¡¯s enough to make it to the brink of war.¡¯ The representative of the delegation from Leponia has disappeared from Cyronian. It was an even bigger problem because the representative of the delegation did not simply disappear. Ruel was acting as a representative of the delegation in addition to being thest remaining member of one of the six families supporting Leponia. ¡®I should stop him. This isn¡¯t right.¡¯ ¡°Your role is as big as your debt, Ganien. To prevent war¡­¡± Ruel giggled and coughed. Ganien¡¯s lips trembled. Every time Ruel mentioned debt, it reminded him of Turbulent Day now irreparably broken by himself. ¡®¡­Yes, I owe him, so I have to bear it.¡¯ But it was dark ahead. Ruel continued after taking Cassion¡¯s medicine. ¡°I¡¯m going to split up the Royal Knights, so please take action in advance.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°I will return to your vi for now. I need to be considerate enough to the Knights, so they can be relieved of me.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°We¡¯re close friends.¡± Ruel smiled straightforwardly. It was a very unlucky smile. ¡°Give it to me.¡± He was a madman who created a strong Aura across Setiria¡¯s heirloom. ¡®Even if I¡¯m crazy, I¡¯m crazy. Curiosity is nothing.¡¯ Ganien took out the data with a face full of dissatisfaction. Pop. While attempting to grab the data, Ruel lost strength in his hand and missed. ¡°Take a rest.¡± Ganien loosened his expression, relieved, and spoke seriously. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel needed sleep. He tried to hold out forcefully, but now it seemed that his limit had been reached. Knock. Knock. Someone knocked on the door. It seemed that he couldn¡¯t wait anymore and came already. Ruel said, sending out Ganien. ¡°Aris will tell you the rest of the story.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Ganien rose from his seat. When he opened the door, he saw a man who had a naive impression. ¡®Money¡­ It smells.¡¯ How much did you have to tinker with money, to smell so strongly of it. The man nced at Ganien and Aris before entering the room. Ganien asked Aris, lowering his voice, ¡°Who is this?¡± ¡°He was the one who helped us.¡± ¡°That guy?¡± ¡°Yes, he used something unrecognizable. I asked him directly what it was, but he demanded a gold coin for the answer, so I don¡¯t know.¡± Ruel paid him well, but he doesn¡¯t want to waste valuable gold coins on a single question. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s why he smelled like that.¡¯ (Ganien) ¡°¡­ Is he strong?¡± Aris asked uncertainly. He saw in the battle that he was very good at archery. ¡°It¡¯s vague.¡± It was difficult to assess. ¡°But he¡¯s not weak.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Aris nced at the room where Ruel was. Ruel had on his signature smile that he wore before picking something up. ¡®What did Ruel-nim see?¡¯ They had exchanged nces with each other for a brief moment, but it was unpleasant. The man had the look of judging one¡¯s value with a mary perspective. Aris could not help but feel the instinctive difort of being a ve. *** ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel greeted the man with a frown at his trembling cough. The corners of the man¡¯s mouth were already up to his ears because he knew money when he saw it. ¡®You must have thought it was luck, because it was an aristocrat who you helped. Is this why he received the nickname ¡®country bumpkin¡¯? I don¡¯t know what it would be natural to help and get in a small vige called Dotol, but those natural rules didn¡¯t work where he was .¡¯ ¡°Keep your head down.¡± Cassion looked at the man¡¯s stiff expression and moved his lips. ¡°¡­?¡± The man bowed his head as he watched the atmosphere shift. Contrary to expectations, the atmosphere was rather heavy. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Ruel asked his name first for confirmation, but the man was not taking him seriously, looking at him as if he was the prey in the hunt. But it was him who was being hunted unawares. ¡°My name is Noah.¡± ¡®As expected, it was Noah.¡¯ Ruel smiled lightly. Noah was a former hunter and exhibited his excellent tracking and mobility, as well as his high-level archery when battling previously. He wasn¡¯t even that bad of a person. Except for the money obsession part. ¡®I needed to let him know where I stand.¡¯ Ruel knew Noah¡¯s goal was money, but he pretended not to know and asked, ¡°Yes, what do you need?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve assisted the Lord, so I deserve something in return.¡± Noah smiled innocently. ¡°You¡¯re going to get¡­.¡± Inhaling Breath, Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and opened them. He managed to ovee the momentary loss of dizziness. ¡°I understood with a broad mind that you helped me, but overlooking my subordinates, anding to meet me without notice in advance. What more mercy should I show you?¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean, mercy? Since I helped you, isn¡¯t it natural to get payment? I helped drive those weirdos out¡­¡± Ruel¡¯s expression turned cold for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s natural? How dare you bring that up in front of me? Cassion.¡± Ruel was acting different than usual. No matter what, it was the master¡¯s order, so Cassion approached Noah, grabbed him by the shoulders, and forced him to his knees. ¡®¡­what? Isn¡¯t he amon butler?¡¯ Noah tried to escape, but he was pushed to his knees defenselessly by a mere butler. What on earth is that powerful aura? His skin felt cold. He just came to pick up the money, but something has gone very wrong. ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± ¡°¡­ Aren¡¯t you a noble?¡± He couldn¡¯t beat that butler. It was ridiculously strong. ¡°This ¡®noble person¡¯ is the head of the Leponia delegation and head of his household.¡± First of all, he knew the long introduction was awe inspiring and all, but that didn¡¯t mean much to him. ¡®Looks like he has a lot of money, but he¡¯s terribly reserved with it.¡¯ ¡°It means he has the power to cut your head off right here, right now.¡± Noah opened his eyes wide at Cassion¡¯s calm voice. ¡®Good, good.¡¯ Cassion¡¯s moderate response kept the ugly atmosphere in check. Noah grew up in the mountains making him a frog in a well. The world he had seen and experienced in the mountains so far was everything he knew. Ruel was now going to shatter his expectations and reality. ¡®¡­. Damn it, I was unlucky.¡¯ Noha nced away at the doors and windows. ¡®Let¡¯s pretend to provoke them and then run.¡¯ Cassionughed at Noah measuring the distance from the entrances. ¡°Who are you to try and kill me?¡± Pretending to be angry, Noah secretly moved his hand and slid it in his pocket. ¡°You disgusting noble! You don¡¯t understand how precious a person¡¯s life is¡­¡± However, before he could take out the sleeping incense from his pocket, he was overpowered by Cassion and rolled t on the floor. ¡°Fuck¡­ ! Even though I helped you, damn it!¡± Noah screamed so loudly that his veins protruded from his neck. Cassion threw a bag out at Ruel¡¯s nce. Pop. There was a fragrant smell of money. His eyes shone with an expression unrecognizable as the person who had cursed them out a while ago. ¡°Open it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion released Noah. Distracted from any idea of trying to escape, Noah opened the bag as if possessed. A brilliant jewel greeted him with a shine. ¡ªOh, it¡¯s sparkling. This body likes shiny too. ¡°Crazy! Crazy!¡± It was the first jewel he ever saw. Even his legs were shaking. ¡°You were good at shooting arrows.¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m the best archer in this town, no, in Cyronian!¡± Noah¡¯s eyes glistened at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of hiring a hunter.¡± Cassion threw another bag at Ruel¡¯s nce once more. Plop. When he quickly picked up the bag and checked the inside, there was arger amount of jewels than before. ¡°I can catch anything!¡± ¡°Even if the target is not a person?¡± ¡°Of course, but you have to pay for my services.¡± ¡°Give it to him. Who am I?¡± ¡°You¡¯re the representative of the delegation from Leponia and the head of a household!¡± Ruelughed with satisfaction. He then made Cassion throw another bag the size of an elbow-length sack. ¡°¡­gasp!¡± It was definitely a gold coin that had a yellow color. Now, Noah couldn¡¯t even breathe properly. ¡ªHup! That¡¯s what Ruel likes! This body likes it too! Leo was grabbed by the tail because he was about to dive in the coins. ¡ªHick! ¡°Th, this is really¡­¡± Gulp. Noah now saw Ruel like a god. The narrow world he had in his head seemed to copse. ¡°Di, Did you say you needed a hunter?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How dare this humble fellow decline your offer?¡± He knelt down to his knees and bowed to Ruel. ¡°Do you think your sry is enough?¡± ¡°En, enough!¡± All right, then. He hooked him. Ruel felt like he was facing a child who hadn¡¯t learned of the world yet. Cassion managed to hold back his leakingughter and threw an equally hefty bag of gold coins. ¡°Make a vow of loyalty to me.¡± Only money was embedded in Noah¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you swear by Mana, that¡¯s the advance payment.¡± Ruel had a lot of money sitting in his pockets, but it was a very small sum for Noah to swear his life and loyalty. ¡°My name is Ruel Setiria. Remember the name of your master.¡± Still, Noah will. Afterall it is probably thergest amount he¡¯s ever seen since he was born. Noah¡¯s fingertips trembled. Even his face flushed with joy and excitement. His head and mouth felt light, distracted by the glowing jewels and gold coins. ¡°I, Noah vow allegiance to Ruel Setiria.¡± When Cassion nodded, Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Cassion, he is an attendant who will assist you, so make good use of him.¡± When Ruel said he was going to bring in Noah, Cassion did not object. Another person to work for him has walked in, who would oppose it? ¡°Noah.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What was the arrow you shot then?¡± ¡°This is what my mother received from a warlock before, and it guarantees death.¡± ¡®It¡¯s ck magic¡­ ¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth, thinking that he should let Tyson know. ¡°Do you have any luggage to pack?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Cassion, give him a uniform.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion smiled at Noah. Noah expressed a little anxiety as if the money¡¯s effect was slowly fading. ¡°What exactly does a servant do, Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°You are the exclusive attendant of Cassion, the butler. In other words, you have to do whatever Cassion tells you to do.¡± ¡°I look forward to working with you.¡± The simple words sounded strangely ominous. Something¡­something was wrong. However, when Noah saw the gold coins in his possession, the corners of his mouth went up again. There are lovely gold coins, so what could be wrong? ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Noha asked at Ruel¡¯s harsh cough. ¡°Are you going to die soon?¡± ¡®¡­Oh, right.¡¯ There was a big drawback to employing Noah. His words did not go through his brain. Ruel gave orders in advance. ¡°Imand you, Noah. Don¡¯t reveal any information rted to me to the outside world. Also, I forbid you to judge my people by your standards.¡± ¡°Why so¡­ Ugh!¡± Noha gripped his chest tightly. He fell down. Gold coins spilled out of the bags. Knowing that more than familiar pain, Cassion knew what Noah would try to say next. ¡°¡­Oh, I see.¡± ¡°Cassion, go educate him.¡± ¡°I¡¯d be happy toply. Follow me.¡± Noah took off his coat and wrapped the jewels and gold coins in it. Eohhwadungdung. Ruel wondered how long it wouldst for Noah to see those jewels and gold coins as precious treasures. As soon as the door closed, Ruely on the bed as if he were copsing, releasing all of the tension in his body. Leo rushed over andy face down next to Ruel¡¯s face. ¡ªDid you pick him up? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªIs it abandoned like this body? ¡°No.¡± ¡ªThen why did you pick it up? ¡°Because it¡¯s useful.¡± ¡ªCassion was overjoyed. How happy would he be to not have to do all the little things. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ruel still on the bed felt his eyes be heavier before they closed, his ns of meeting the knight corps to encourage them before their next departure were left unfulfilled. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Ruel touched Leo¡¯s tail instead of answering. ¡ªThis body has purified! Purify! Leo shook excitedly even while petting. ¡ªThis body tried again, but it won¡¯te out. It was not a voice of disappointment. ¡ªBut this body is not upset. If you do it once, it will work again. This body is not a fool. This body is a great purifier. He was brave. ¡ªOnly Ruel knows about this. Ruel¡¯s hand, which was stroking his tail, fell weakly. ¡ªThis body was happier that Ruel was no longer sick because of this body than this body being able to purify it. Leo smiled, stroking Ruel¡¯s head, who fell asleep quickly. ¡ªDon¡¯t get sick now.Author''s Thoughts Leo is so cute... >< Batch chapters avable /s/7303ca65fc Chapter 75.1 - Money is the best! (2) Chapter 75.1 - Money is the best! (2) *** ¡°¡­Are you up?¡± At Cassion¡¯s voice, Ruel nodded. ¡°You slept for two days. How are you feeling?¡± At the news of sleeping for two days, Ruel turned his head startled and looked at Leo. Leo was sleeping soundly and his hands weren¡¯t wet with tears either. ¡°He didn¡¯t cry this time.¡± ¡°Where is this?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve gone around to avoid any eyes, so one more day, we¡¯ll arrive at Ganien¡¯s vi.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel looked at the carriage with Breath dangling from his mouth. It was a familiar carriage. ¡°¡­wasn¡¯t it broken?¡± ¡°Aris did the outside and Noah fixed the interior.¡± Aris would have used magic and Noah, ording to the original story, was good with his hands. In the web novel, the amount of content dedicated to Noah was not high. Ruel thought it was because there was a more interesting character, Cassion. So, Ruel brought him in because he wasn¡¯t a colleague who had a lot of importance to Ganien. Cassion was his only butler with no other servants to assist him. It was a waste of power to employ Cassion¡¯s shadows as servants, and it took a long time to choose amongst ordinary servants as they couldn¡¯t work with Cassion. Ruel drank the water Cassion handed over and asked. ¡°What do you think? Is it usable?¡± A gentle smile formed on Cassion¡¯s mouth. ¡°His mouth is very annoying, but it is useful. It¡¯s very good to have.¡± ¡°Was there any friction with Aris?¡± ¡°There was.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. It was expected. He knew they wouldn¡¯t get along. Maybe the first impression wasn¡¯t the best. The memory of being sold as a ve created asting trauma to Aris, so the first impression must have already been at the bottom, once Aris saw his eyes that judged a person¡¯s value from a mary perspective. Still, Aris would have tried to get along, but Noah¡¯s mouth would have ruined everything. Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°The friction sparked into a fight.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you want to ask who won?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Aris would have won. ¡°Aris¡¯ growth rate is very fast,¡± Cassion said, handing over the meat pie. Ruel¡¯s expression was crumpled in the pain but he managed to pick up the pie. Rattle. ¡°Who¡¯s driving the carriage?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Noah.¡± He knew it. When Aris drove the carriage, the ride was as smooth as gliding across ice. ¡°What about Aris?¡± ¡°He¡¯s walking with the Knights. Speaking of which, I have something to tell you. I think you should check on the Knights as soon as you arrive at the vi. The morale has sunk.¡± ¡°¡­I know. It¡¯s a littlete.¡± They must have been under a lot of pressure creating the resolve to face an impossible enemy, just to run away without the object you had to protect. ¡°How many people are escorting my carriage?¡± ¡°The Blue Knights left early and the Royal Knights left in groups, and now only Sir Torto is attached.¡± That was wise. Even though there were many escorts, they only drew attention from the surroundings now. Ruel snorted, his eyes coldly sinking. ¡°Did you chase them?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that they¡¯re heading out of Cyronian and towards the Tonisk Empire.¡± ¡°¡­to the Tonisk Empire?¡± He heard from Sien that the gates of the Tonisk Empire were opened. He wasn¡¯t sure if they were heading to the Tonisk Empire on purpose or if the Red Ash hideout was really there. ¡°Watch until the door opens. Catch them after that.¡± ¡°All right, I¡¯ll order that.¡± Crunch. Ruel shook his empty hand while eating a meat pie. He asked while flipping through the data he had secured from the temporary hideout. ¡°How would you like to eat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just sit down and eat.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes moved quickly and flipped the next page. There a record of his observations were noted. The content was poor, most likely as it was observed from a distance. ¡®Stalking is a basic.¡¯ Ruel twisted the corners of his mouth. Perhaps it was intended to be used as a threat, but there was a record log of contact with aristocrat that Bianne mentioned. It was all about detailed information and research on a specific person that was not necessary even if they knew. ¡®It looks like all the key information was stolen.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t a big harvest. Ruel took out the data with certain individuals recorded and handed it over to Cassion. There was no way the Red Ash would take action for something meaningless. ¡°Look into if there¡¯s any pattern and make sure this log is handed over to Ganien. Of course, make a copy. Keep the rest.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The carriage stopped in a small nameless vige. Ruel hugged Leo, who was still asleep. ¡°¡­Are you all right?¡± As Ruel got out of the carriage, Torto asked with a face deeply apologetic. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard everything from my subordinates, how disastrous. Aris, who was standing next to him, waited patiently. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Please, I¡¯ll take all the punishment¡­¡± ¡°Never mind, Sir Torto. My life is precious, but your mens¡¯ are as precious as my own.¡± ¡°Why¡­ do you spare my life?¡± Ruel blinked silently. Isn¡¯t it time simply to say thank you? ¡°A knight exists to protect. If I thought my life was precious, I shouldn¡¯t have chosen this job in the first ce, but why did the lord give up his life to protect the knight?¡± There were many emotions in Torto¡¯s voice. The face was also intricately distorted. ¡°Then should I have chosen dog death? Should I have killed all your men and survived by myself?¡± ¡°Of course you should have.¡± ¡°Are you sure you want that? Are you sure you can protect me after driving my subordinates to dog death?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure¡­There is¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself, Sir Torto. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel spoke with paining up his throat. ¡°The monster doesn¡¯t die, only I can get rid of it. I think you will understand why I made such a choice.¡± Ruel patted Torto on the shoulder. Ttak. Torto came to his senses at the sound of a cheerfully ringing cane passing by. ¡°I, I made a slip of the tongue¡­¡± ¡°Come on, let¡¯s eat.¡± Ruel smiled and walked to the vige. Torto bowed his head silently. His hands were shaking with a mixture of gratitude and guilt. Looking at Torto, Aris asked. ¡°Are you feeling well?¡± ¡°As you see.¡± Aris¡¯ eyes were slightly frowned. It wasn¡¯t usually good, but it looked worse today. Aris nced at Cassion who shook his head as soon as eye contact was made. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, so you don¡¯t have to look like that.¡± He didn¡¯t know what else to say, but it was hard to trust his words. Leo poked his head out of Ruel¡¯s arms and ran to Aris. He spoke even though he knew he couldn¡¯t be heard. ¡ªAris, did you sleep well? Aris asked, stroking Leo. ¡°Then I¡¯ll float you with a Hold.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel gave his permission without hesitation. It happened to be a heavy tea cup. ¡°¡­So, the Lord is burned with a sense of justice and bruises¡­ Ugh!¡± Noha, who was sliding off the driver¡¯s seat, gripped his chest andined of thepain. Aris didn¡¯t know what he was going to say, but it was clear he wasn¡¯t talking nicely. Aris red directly at him. ¡°Watch your mouth.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a bad word. It¡¯s just a sense of justice. Stupid¡­ Are you crazy? You don¡¯t let me say anything!¡± ¡°I told you to watch your mouth, right? Or do you want to roll on the floor again?¡± Since he had already lost to Aris, Noah muttered and reworded his previous unheard statement. ¡°Pretending to be good.¡± The atmosphere between the two was frigid. Ruel nced at them and inhaled from Breath. It was not his problem to intervene. Noah was also the servant of Cassion. Cassion sighed and approached Noah. ¡°Noah.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Obviously nervous, the fear was immediately present on his face. ¡°Didn¡¯t I repeatedly tell you to watch your mouth? Is the pain still not enough?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± The eyes of Noah, who had no time to look elsewhere, shook. ¡°If you nder Ruel-nim again, I¡¯ll throw your body into the sea.¡± Cassion was a loyal butler. The loyal butler couldn¡¯t let go of any gossip about his master. At Cassion¡¯s look of satisfaction, Ruel left Breath in his hand and walked again. ¡°Work until you get your act together.¡± Cassion bowed slightly when he ordered quietly. Leo jumped up and fell into Ruel¡¯s arms again. ¡ªI came to say hello to Aris. Did you sleep well, Ruel? This body did not cry today or yesterday again. ¡°Well done.¡± Ruel patted Leo on the head. The tail fluttered violently. Aris used the Hold on Ruel, and he arrivedfortably at the restaurant. When Ruel, Aris, and Torto entered the restaurant, Cassion blocked Noah¡¯s entrance. Noah expressing his dissatisfaction, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you? Are you trying to stop me from eating just because I said that earlier?¡± ¡°The first thing to do is to buy ingredients for Ruel-nim¡¯s meal.¡± ¡°I want to eat, too. I mean, my belly is about to stick to my back.¡± ¡°Who holds a higher position, Ruel-nim or you?¡± ¡°People are equal. Eat, poop, sleep. What¡¯s the difference between an aristocrat?¡± Cassionughed. Noah shuddered when he remembered the time when he had been smashed to the floor by him when hest saw the smile. ¡°Work it until you get your act together.¡± It was an order that Ruel-nim gave himself. How hard does he have to work to get rid of the stupid? Noah¡¯s physical ability was better than expected. He had a keen eye and excellent sense, perfect for a tracker. However thergest w was the words that came out never passing through the brain. ¡®Isn¡¯t it a problem that can be solved if you cut the vocal cords so that you can¡¯t talk stupid?¡¯ Cassion held himself back once while fiddling with the dagger hidden in his sleeve. ¡°People are not equal. You are below me, and above me is Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°It¡¯s simr to a phrase the vige chief used to tell me often but that was another word that came to mind after seeing my hunting skills.¡± Noah said with great pride. For him, the existence of a nobleman seemed very simr to a vige chieftain. ¡°Have you ever seen an aristocrat?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my first time.¡± ¡°Then you can experience the difference.¡± ¡°¡­what do you mean?¡± Cassion handed over a silver coin to Noah. ¡°Wait.¡± ¡°All right! I will wait for you until youe. It¡¯s rice, you won¡¯t die from missing one meal.¡± He entered the store and moved towards the room he had reserved in advance. Chapter 75.2 - Money is the best! (2) Chapter 75.2 - Money is the best! (2) ¡°What about Noah?¡± The space behind Cassion was empty. ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡¯ll take Noah with me somewhere else for a moment,¡± asked Cassion, taking out a handkerchief. ¡°Where?¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of stopping by the guillotine for a while.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, go ahead.¡± Ruel grinned. If you don¡¯t know what an aristocrat is, you should experience it for yourself. Cassion left the room, departing politely as he hade. ¡ªRuel, Ruel, what is it? ¡°Whatmoner, to a nobleman, doesn¡¯t know how to be afraid¡­ ¡± Ruel hurriedly covered his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°Cough.¡± At the same time, Hina appeared and caught him as he leaned backwards from the pain that came like a wave. ¡°Are you all right? I¡¯ll call the chief.¡± ¡°¡­No.¡± Ruel¡¯s mouth was stained red with blood. After wiping it off with his handkerchief, he sat back down. It was fortunate that Torto and Aris went to go order. ¡°It happens all the time.¡± He answered, hiding his trembling hands. The aftermath of the cleanup was bigger than he thought. The body was in pain again. ¡ªNo. Something dirty asrge as the three front feet of this body has grown. Doesn¡¯t it hurt? ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Ruel picked up Leo and held him out to Hina. She hesitated and hugged Leo. ¡°It is an apology.¡± Not even the shadows were allowed to step forward. You should apologize for unintentionally scratching their pride. Hina held Leo tightly and opened her mouth. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. We can decide what we can do or can not.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll report this to the chief.¡± ¡°Do as you please.¡± Hina smiled as she felt Leo¡¯s soft touch. *** tter. ¡®How dare you threaten me, asshole?¡¯ Noah gritted his teeth and fiddled with his neck. He went to the guillotine yesterday and was finally released, so his whole body was still trembling. Does it make sense to die just because you insulted an aristocrat? What is the nobility? ¡®¡­ No matter how much I think about it, I think I¡¯ve been tricked.¡¯ ¡°Listen up, Noah. Bying to me, all former traces of you have been erased. Keep in mind that from now on you will have to live as a Leponian, not a Cyronian.¡± Looking down at himself from the guillotine, he remembered the words that Ruel-nim whispered. I was not interested in Cyronian and Leponia anyway. Money was the best thing. Even if he regretted it anyway, he already took Mana¡¯s oath, so there was no way out. ¡®For a few gold coins, no. Not a few pennies, because there were 1,133 in total. And there is nothing wrong with the gold coins. The fault is that sick¡­ ¡¯ Noah grabbed his chest and groaned. ¡®Damn it¡­Huh?¡¯ He put the reins aside for a moment and grabbed the bow right next to him. There was something. Sniff. Sniff. There was a familiar smell of poison. The sound of footsteps in the forest is estimated at five people. ¡®It¡¯s a patrol team.¡¯ Them was not a soldier because he couldn¡¯t hear a heavy sound. ¡®Then it¡¯s okay to kill?¡¯ The bow was pulled tight. ¡°¡­Rush up.¡± Kwajijik! Thin, sharp spikes of ice shot through the chests of enemies. ¡°Sneaky bastard!¡± Noah aimed the tightly drawn bow at Aris. In thest fight, if he knew he was a wizard, he wouldn¡¯t have chosen distantbat. Being a wizard, brazenly wearing a sword and pretending to be a swordsman, crazy. ¡®No, he handles swords very well. What do you call using magic and wielding a sword? Anyway.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s my prey!¡± eximed Noha. ¡°Hunting? Your job is to assist Cassion, and I¡¯m in charge of guarding him. I¡¯ve taught you many times, but you still don¡¯t listen.¡± Aris looked at Noah as if he were a jerk. The carriage door opened for a moment. ¡°Aris, search.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°I¡¯lle with you.¡± (Torto) At Torto¡¯s request, Ruel nodded. The carriage door closed. ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s Red Ash for now.¡± (Ruel) Crunch. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth as he ate the meat pie gracefully. He thought it might have been done by some of the aristocrats who opposed the alliance. ¡°There is no way that Red Ash is so sloppy. I¡¯m sure I got caught by ident. Maybe we were the only ones riding in a carriage.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re the only ones in this neighborhood that move in a carriage. In the next town, we¡¯ll hide this carriage and find another route to the vi.¡± Ruel nodded instead of answering. ¡®The one who leaked the information that I¡¯m going back to Dotol must have been Red Ash.¡¯ Crunch. ¡®The nobles who opposed the alliance must have rushed at the opportunity while salivating.¡¯ Bang! Noah pressed close to the carriage wall and mmed the door. ¡°Open.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion looked at Noah with fierce eyes. ¡°Have you still not recovered from standing on the guillotine?¡± ¡°What should I do?¡± Patting Leo, Ruel made eye contact with Noah. Noah was startled. Ruel looked ready to die if he lightly touched him, but there were times when Ruel¡¯s eyes seemed to see through everything. ¡°You drive a wagon well. That¡¯s what you¡¯re going to do from here now.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± The carriage door closed again. Cassion opened his mouth at the sight of Noah walking grumbling. ¡°Why did you really bring him here?¡± ¡°If you need someone to protect your back, he¡¯s reliable.¡± ¡°You mean that?¡± Ruelughed out loud at Cassion¡¯s tant dislike. ¡°Not you, Aris.¡± The reason why Noah was brought was for Aris, although he gave him as a servant to assist Cassion. If you had someone to protect your back, wouldn¡¯t you be able to walk forward to your heart¡¯s content? Ruel asked while inhaling Breath. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Thebination is not so bad, except that there is friction between them.¡± ¡ªWhat about this body? This body must fight alongside Aris. Leo scratched Ruel¡¯s clothes with his front paws. After one stroke, Cassion restrained Leo. ¡°Stop it, beast.¡± Leo stopped his paws in a sullen mood, then opened his eyes wide begging at Ruel. ¡°Yes, you too.¡± ¡ªI knew it! This great body cannot be left out!¡± Leo¡¯s tail moved vigorously. ¡°So, Cassion, continue to work it well. Until it¡¯s more usable.¡± Ruel smiled at ease. It was a very cheeky smile. ¡°His mind was very clean.¡± He¡¯s lived in the mountains for half his life, so that¡¯s inevitable. ¡°But it¡¯s still worth it.¡± Crunch. When Ruel ate about three meat pies, he heard a knock on the door. ¡°I found traces and notes.¡± On Aris¡¯ respectful palm was a note, a feathered earring, and an arrow. Ruel saw the note first. ¨C We found a target. Near the Selemina Forest. ¡®They left it on purpose, but it¡¯s not rewarding. It¡¯s not written who wrote it.¡¯ ¡°There¡¯s poison on the arrow.¡± Cassion grabbed the arrow and said. ¡ªUncle said that poison kills you. Sniff. Sniff. Leo approached Cassion and smelled the arrow. Cassion tasted the poison on his finger from the arrow. Aris was startled. Leo was also surprised. ¡ªIs Cassion going to die? ¡°Th, the antidote right now¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression after tasting it subsided. ¡°Well, before mark, Ruel-nim ¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s the poison I made. I thought the smell was strangely familiar.¡± Cassion and Aris waved their hands and stared at the approaching Noah. Hmm? Noah stopped on his way and looked at them. ¡®What¡¯s wrong with them again?¡¯ ¡°The poison you made?¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. It was a significantugh. ¡°¡­ Yes, Ibined it, but it works really well for monsters.¡± Well, listen very well. Because I almost died from that poison. ¡°I can¡¯t make it even if I order it as I don¡¯t have any ingredients at the moment.¡± ¡°Who did you sell it to?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not a genius. How can I remember all that?¡± ¡°Can you tell from the poison?¡± ¡°I can tell that for sure. It has its own unique scent.¡± Noah smiled triumphantly and his eyes were drawn to the earrings that Ruel shook in the air. ¡°What kind of bird feather is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Meru, a bird that lives in the west here. It¡¯s too hard to catch it, but you nobles use it as earrings. That¡¯s quite a lot of money. You can get 20 silver for one, I¡¯m jealous.¡± West of the Selemina Forest. ¡®I¡¯ll leave it to Ganien to investigate.¡¯ Ruel coughed and opened his mouth. ¡°We are leaving after the body is disposed of.¡± Chapter 76: Money is the best! (3) Chapter 76: Money is the best! (3) *** After checking several times to see if there were any sentinels around, he snuck into Ganien¡¯s vi. As soon as Ruel entered the vi, he met the knights who had arrived ahead of time. They greeted Ruel with a gloomy atmosphere. ¡®The morale¡­ is enough to pierce the floor.¡¯ ¡ªThis body is ufortable in this atmosphere. Ruel had simr thoughts. It was the first time that he reflected on his pale appearance. The mood was so serious that he wondered if he should have put makeup on to hid his drastic appearance. ¡°No matter who dies¡­¡± When Noah opened his mouth, Cassion immediately hit the back of his head. ¡°Raise your heads!¡± From the back, Torto shouted loudly. ¡°Running away is a shameful act!¡± At his words, Ruel stood still and inhaled Breath. ¡°But surviving is not something to be ashamed of. If you don¡¯t forget who saved your lives, if you don¡¯t forget who you faced, I don¡¯t think you need to be ashamed anymore!¡± Torto made eye contact with his men one by one. ¡°So, raise your heads!¡± The knights raised their heads one by one at Torto¡¯s sincere cry. ¡°Thank you! And I¡¯m sorry!¡± Ginger spat out his words like vomit. He clenched his trembling hands. The knights then bowed their heads, thanking and apologizing to Ruel. That¡¯s enough. As long as they don¡¯t forget the guilty and grateful feelings from Torto¡¯s pep talk, it was enough to count as debt from the Royal Knights. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I didn¡¯t think too deeply about the matter.¡± Ruel spoke calmly and smiled at them. In an instant, their faces contorted and looked like they were about to burst into tears. No matter how the story was spun, it was true that they, the knights, fled in the end. But Ruel buried it. He didn¡¯t ask anything, he covered it up with trivial matters. Ruel followed the butler to the room without looking back. Until the door was closed, the knights kept their eyes on Ruel¡¯s back. Ttak. Ttak. Multiple footsteps sounded in the hallway. When Cassion held out his handkerchief, Ruel stopped and vomited blood. Ruel was relieved to find that it was ck blood. His body, which had deteriorated due to the purification, seemed to be recovering again. When the butler met Ruel¡¯s eyes, he was surprised. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous¡­¡± ¡ªUh¡­? Ruel stumbled in a sudden dizziness. Cassion caught him. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He heard from Hina that Ruel vomited red blood. Red blood was not good, it was not ck blood. He could see he was in bad condition. Cassion said, supporting Ruel. ¡°Aris, Hold.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll use it.¡± Aris chanted a spell, and the butler looked around and suggested carefully. ¡°I¡¯ll call a doctor.¡± Cassion shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s all right. Please be careful not to let any news out.¡± Until yesterday, he was careful about his actions as thest attack was done by people who were not Red Ash. ¡®It would have been nice if Fran and her sister Tierra came along, too.¡¯ But they were ordinary people. It was very disappointing, even though Cassion himself wouldn¡¯t let theme on this trip. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be careful.¡± The butler walked ahead again. ¡ªThis body ate a lot. Ruel didn¡¯t say anything, but Leo spoke first as soon as he met his gaze. ¡ªYesterday, this body said the dirty stuff is the same size as the four paws of this body. Leo exined, waving his front paws. ¡®You said three paws back then. Is it four now?¡¯ ¡ªAre you sick from vomiting blood? When Ruel shook his head slightly, Leo smiled and rubbed his face against Ruel. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you think you¡¯re going to die¡­¡± Pak. As soon as Noah opened his mouth, Cassion hit him with his palm. ¡°No, what can I say¡­¡± Pak. It was impossible to avoid Cassion¡¯s palm. Noah sat on the floor after being hit on the cheek. The butler looked back from the sound. ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Ah, you don¡¯t have to worry about it, he had a bug.¡± Cassion smiled as he hid Noah¡¯s face from view with his body. *** ¡°Then make yourself at home.¡± As the butler bowed and was about to leave, Ruel called him. ¡°Can you call for Ganien?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as the butler left, Noah opened his mouth thinking it was time. ¡°Are you deathly sick? It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen you vomit blood like that. If Ruel-nim dies, the contract with me will be undone, right?¡± ¡°Before that happens, you¡¯d better think about what loyalty means.¡± Cassion smirked. You¡¯ll be very surprised to find out what the answer is after thinking about it yourself. ¡°Noah.¡± Ruel, who sat in bed, opened his mouth. Coughing followed. He wanted to ask if he was dying again, but Cassion¡¯s eyes were threatening, so he just answered. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You have something else to do.¡± ¡°Do you have any other tasks than chores as an attendant?¡± ¡°If you have to be specific, it¡¯s part of the chores that you would do as a servant.¡± ¡°Another errand? Why is the head of the household like that¡­ Ugh!¡± Noah gripped his heart andined of pain. The words itself had strong meaning, so he was in pain to the point where of kneeling. Ruel spoke leisurely, inhaling Breath. ¡°Are you good at running away?¡± ¡°¡­I am.¡± ¡°Can you protect yourself?¡± ¡°I am not so weak that I can¡¯t protect myself. More than me, the lord¡­ Ugh.¡± ¡°The poison you said you made. It will be spreading around in the underworld. Find out who bought it, where it went, and who is in charge of its distribution.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Noah opened his eyes wide. What does this mean? ¡°I sold it because it was said to kill monsters. Why is it in the underworld? It wasn¡¯t designed to kill people.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Aris sighed, sweeping his face with his hand. ¡°You should have limited the use of it by writing a contract or by imposing some sort of limitation. Do you think they¡¯d keep their promise if you said so?¡± ¡°¡­you¡¯ll die if you eat it. I made it, but it¡¯s no joke. They¡¯ll die very painfully.¡± ¡°I¡­ Cough, cough.¡± Ruel put up with the rising heat and let him know. ¡°It¡¯s a poison.¡± Leo¡¯s ears pricked up. ¡ªIf you eat poison, you will die! Ruel pet Leo¡¯s head lightly. ¡°Don¡¯t joke around. You¡¯ll die if you eat that. But the lord is not dead as of yet.¡± Noah¡¯s expression was distorted. Cassion searched his pocket and took out two small bottles. ¡°One is your poison, one is an antidote I made.¡± Noah hurriedly grabbed the bottles and opened the lids to smell them. His eyes widened greatly. His chest moved visibly over and over again as if he was suffocating, and he barely opened his mouth. ¡°This is my¡­poison, but it¡¯s not the antidote I made.¡± ¡°It must have been expensive, right?¡± Noah hurriedly handed over the bottle to Cassion at Ruel¡¯s words, which he threw away as if he were being chased. ¡°You¡¯ve never thought about who or how to use it. Wasn¡¯t it just fun to sell at a high price?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault! If that¡¯s the case, isn¡¯t the cksmith who made the weapon the bad guy?¡± ¡°Who mes you? There¡¯s something else I¡¯ve asked you to do.¡± Gulp. Noah swallowed his saliva. This position was very ufortable now. There was a person in front of him who almost died because of the poison he sold. It was the first time he felt so ufortable. Ting. Ruel flicked the gold coins he had prepared. Noah instinctively grabbed the gold coin. ¡°Can you do it?¡± ¡°I can do it.¡± Noah¡¯s mouth moved at will. Looking at the gold coins, nothing came to mind, not even the poison. He thought it was toote to get rid of the poison from the market, but he didn¡¯t want to return the gold coin. ¡®I put pressure on you and handed over the money, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get it.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth at Aris. Ruel-nim seemed to tell him that this is how to handle Noah. Aris nodded slightly to show he understood. ¡°Then leave me.¡± ¡°Are you doing it right now? I wanted to take a rest today. We¡¯vee a long way.¡± ¡°Yes, it starts tomorrow. If you don¡¯t want to lose the money you received, the results will have to be satisfactory.¡± Ruel tried to inhale Breath, but this time he couldn¡¯t resist and vomited blood again. A handkerchief covered Ruel¡¯s mouth. Aris¡¯ face frowned. ¡°I think Ruel-nim should start movingter than tomorrow.¡± Ruel nodded instead of answering. Cassion put a heat patch on with his other hand. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Aris pointed to the door, responding to Noah¡¯s useless question. ¡°Get out, stop talking nonsense.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Ting. When Aris snatched the bouncing gold coin, Noah replied with a smile. ¡°I was going to go out even if you didn¡¯t say anything. Ruel-nim doesn¡¯t look well, so he needs to rest well. What¡¯s wrong with my curiosity? I can listen to it next time, next time.¡± When Aris pointed at the door again, Noah went out energetically without any furtherints. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± He bowed to Ruel and went to the door. Creak. The door closed and Cassion said. ¡°It started to get worse after you did Purification.¡± ¡ªYes! Since then, the dirty things in Ruel¡¯s body has grown as big as four paws of this body. ¡°Since Ganien has spoken well to His Majesty, why don¡¯t you take a few days off?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay because the power of recovery wille into effect soon.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath with a short breath. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Ganien¡¯s hair was messy because he had came in a hurry. ¡°On the way, I heard that there was an attack on Sir Torto. It can¡¯t be Red Ash again. I definitely crushed their hideout.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Red Ash. I think the aristocracy opposed this alliance.¡± Ganien gripped the handle of his sword tightly. Ruel nced at Cassion, and he handed the earrings over to Ganien. ¡°I don¡¯t know the geography of this ce, so you should investigate. Among the nobles West of Selemina Forest, whether they bought or locally made these earrings, you should find someone rted to them.¡± Ganien, receiving the earrings, showing his mixed feelings. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I got you involved in my country.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, hurry up. The Red Ash can¡¯t miss this good opportunity.¡± If the Red Ash wanted a war between the three countries, it could not have let this opportunity go. Ruel was sure they¡¯ll make a move and eventuallye to take his life. ¡°I¡¯m looking for the Red Ash among the inner nobles one by one with the information you gave me, but is it increasing?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ganien sighed deeply. ¡°It¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you take this chance and cut some of the branches off? There are many aristocrats.¡± ¡°I really want to. I¡¯m good at cutting.¡± ¡°The day wille soon.¡± ¡°I hope this is a big catch, then it follows one after another.¡± He shook the earring slightly. ¡°Anyway, His Majesty has understood and respects your situation. He wants you to take advantage of it. What do you think?¡± Ruel bit Breath. It was a good decision. When he disappears, he will naturally be able to see much further as ck and white are separated. He closed his eyes for a moment and smirked. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s about time to receive the gift.¡± ¡°His Majesty said to listen. He instructed me to hear what you wanted and ordered me to deliver it.¡±Author''s Thoughts See you in February. Thanks for reading at Readhive. Don''t forget to bookmark it if you liked it. Thank you very much ^^ & New! Chapter 77-80 avable at /cleizz/shop Chapter 77: Encounter Chapter 77: Encounter Ruel unraveled his thoughts one by one. ¡°Setiria wants you to cut themission in half, in addition, to gaining monopoly among major products, technical cooperation, and exchanges.¡± Despite the increasing demands, Ganien¡¯s expression did not shift. He thought it was rather natural. ¡°Can you give me something to write this down?¡± Cassion tore out a page of a notebook. Ganien said, writing down Ruel¡¯s demands. ¡°Keep talking.¡± ¡°I want to ce a portal device connecting to Setiria here.¡± Ganien¡¯s hand paused. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to make it a two-way portal device if both sides permit.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°Regardless of the reason, I want you to give me the authority to lead the Blue Knights.¡± ¡°I hope that you won¡¯t use this authority to direct their swords at us.¡± ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t betray my friends.¡± Only then did Ganien¡¯s stiff face smile. ¡°All right, I agree. I still owe you a lot.¡± There were many other demands. Ganien looked at what he had written and nodded. ¡°Perhaps, most of them will be epted.¡± It was natural. Ruel deserved this much. He had the chance to fend off the traitors thanks to him. ¡°Oh, the king heard that you saved Dotol Vige and said he would bestow you an honorary title. It¡¯s a token of gratitude for saving the vige twice. The title was given in the name of honor, but I think he intends to give yound itself.¡± Ruel smiled pleasantly. He got and for free despite being an outsider. ¡°You are the first outsider to receive an honorary title. You can be proud.¡± ¡°Yes. Cough, cough.¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re not going to immediately leave tomorrow, are you?¡± Ganien looked at Cassion and asked carefully. He shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I¡¯m still thinking. More than that, you¡¯ve secured a ce to hide the Royal Knights in advance, right?¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve made a separate space in the mansion. My butler should be guiding them at this moment. We¡¯ve prepared food for the Knights in advance. I¡¯ve been careful not to be tailed, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel finallyid in bed. Ruel had something to check by hiding the Knights and going to the Ice Castle to obtain the power left by thest hero. ¨C Always move with the Great Purifier. ¨C Stop gaining that power, remember. Who wrote those letters? Won¡¯t theye to see me in person because I might take thest remaining power fragment? ¡°Are you still tracking the Red Ash that ran away?¡± At Ganien¡¯s question, Cassion raised his brows. ¡°We are still tracking them. Just waiting for an urate report. I don¡¯t know how long it would take if you did it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re picking a fight on purpose because your hands are itching, aren¡¯t you? One more time. It will be different from before.¡± ¡°The leader of the Blue Knights is clingier than he looks.¡± ¡°Go out and fight. My head is ringing.¡± At Ruel¡¯s frown, Leo patted Ruel on the head. Cassion spoke in a lower voice than before. ¡°I have one more thing to mention.¡± ¡°You have something else to tell me?¡± It felt like he was dealing with the aftermath of a typhoon. ck-blooded men and the Red Ash appeared inrge numbers and attempted to kill Ruel, followed by the aristocrats. All this happened in just two days. But there is another fact that needed to be noted. Ganien truly felt sorry for Ruel. ¡°ck-blooded men are not impossible to kill.¡± Ganien asked back in surprise at Cassion¡¯s words. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go out and discuss.¡± Ruel said, irritated. It wasn¡¯t something they had to say in his room. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave you now. I¡¯ll call for Aris.¡± Cassion politely declined Ruel¡¯s orders and went to call Aris. Ganien called the butler requesting a chair, and soon three chairs were ced in the room. Aris began a heated discussion between the three of them after creating a screen to block sound with magic. It wasn¡¯t loud, but Ruel was strangely bothered. Then Leo came up to his belly and pushed his face close to Ruel¡¯s. ¡ªAre you sleepy? ¡°Well.¡± ¡ªThis body wants to go there too, but if this body goes there, Ruel will be alone. This body doesn¡¯t want to make Ruel lonely. ¡°You can go.¡± Leo turned his head around and agonized. He finally sat on Ruel¡¯s belly. ¡ªThis body will just be with Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± He fiddled Leo¡¯s tail ignoring his eyes begging forpliments and inhaled Breath. Ruel couldn¡¯t sleep, but he closed his eyes. ¡®¡­I think I forgot something. What did I forget?¡¯ *** ¡°¡­Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel opened his eyes at Cassion¡¯s low voice. Immediately, he inhaled Breath and asked, ¡°¡­what¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Prince Banios has contacted you.¡± ¡°Ah!¡± Ruel grabbed his head. He forgot the most important contact. ¡®I should have asked Cassion to speak for me.¡¯ ¡°Before Ruel-nim loses his mind, I¡¯ve contacted him in advance, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel took a breath and blew Mana into the ring. ¡°I just woke up, so I apologize for presenting such a sorry state¡­¡± -How are you feeling? I thought it would be alright, but I woke you up. ¡°Thanks for your concern, I¡¯m fine.¡± Ruel looked around btedly. Contrary to what he expected to be dawn, the sun was sinking down. ¡®I guess I slept deeply after a while.¡¯ His body felt better than yesterday. -Every time I hear the news, my heart is so heavy, I never imagined something like this would happen. I¡¯m sorry. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t expect that either.¡± -When will you be back? I¡¯ll try my best to get you home early. ¡°It¡¯s all right. Cough, cough¡­ I¡¯m sorry. Anyway, I¡¯m fine, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± ¡®I couldn¡¯t leave yet.¡¯ Hedidn¡¯t have everything he needed to take from the Cyronian. -My brother has moved. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and opened them. As soon as one fuse went off, the rest exploded in session. -It¡¯s not a big move yet. It¡¯s to the point of pacifying the forces around you. ¡°The first target will be Your Highness. I think we have enough time until winter.¡± It was not until this winter that Ruel became an adult and would be able to support Banios externally under the pretext of theing-of-age ceremony and the inauguration as the head of household. -You seem to have expected that. For now, it¡¯s not a big move, so don¡¯t worry about me. Finish your job and return safely. ¡°I look forward to a big present.¡± -You can look forward to it. That was the end of the conversation. ¡°I got busy.¡± ¡°You must be busy as you are trying to kill me by sacrificing yourself.¡± Unless the second prince is an idiot, he couldn¡¯t be unaware of Setiria¡¯s importance. Mindful of the surrounding gazes, the trap will not be ced in Setiria. ¡®What would I do if I were the second prince?¡¯ Tap. Tap. Ruel tapped his thigh. ¡®¡­I¡¯d send my men to kill me themselves. If you did it in Cyronian, you could incite the Cyronian aristocracy.¡¯ For him, the meaning of Ruel dying in Leponia and dying in Cyronian were very different. If the second prince is aiming for the throne, he must silence Ruel to trigger a war. There was no better opportunity to distract attention than war. ¡®Because war also creates an opportunity to ascend the throne very easily.¡¯ In the end, one way or another, the target was himself. Ruel grinned. It was a great opportunity for each other. ¡®I have to disappear far away so that no one can find me.¡¯ ¡°You look excited.¡± ¡°I feel like I¡¯m ying hide-and-seek.¡± ¡°There is only one hiding, but there are many seeking. Can you hide well?¡± ¡°I have to go to the Ice Castle, no one would think I went there unless I went crazy.¡± Cassion smiled. ¡°That¡¯s right. There¡¯s no way we¡¯re going to a cold, cold ce unless the person who vomits blood is crazy. Thinking like that, Ruel-nim has a very good idea.¡± It must have been an AI with less Mana Oath. I can¡¯t figure out what it¡¯s like to turn out like that. Ruel snorted and said. ¡°Get ready.¡± ¡°¡­ Yes, I understand,¡± replied Cassion, with clenched teeth. ¡°Who¡¯s going on this journey?¡± Leo looked at himself in anticipation. ¡°I, you, Aris, Leo, and the shadows.¡± ¡ªThis body knew you would bring it too! ¡°We¡¯re going very simply.¡± There was a deep sigh of Cassion. *** ¡°¡­really warm.¡± Ganien came to see Ruel off. His lips twitched at the sight of his clothes. He was so thickly dressed that he believed that a snowman hade and gone. Cassion was taking out anotheryer of clothes as if it was still not enough. Ganien looked at the clothes and looked up with surprise. ¡°Do you really have to go this far? I know the situation is not good, but it¡¯s not urgent enough to not be able to rest for a few days.¡± ¡°When will I ever see the Ice Castle again?¡± Ice Castle was famous for its coldness. Since Ruel has to go to gain a power, he had no choice but to go there. ¡®Would I go twice just because I was crazy?¡¯ Ganien¡¯s expression suddenly softened. The meaning of Ruel¡¯s light words seemed to resonate differently with Ganien. He looked as if he was looking at someone else¡¯s funeral. Ruel asked because Ganien¡¯s expression was so unpleasant. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Nothing. Do you need anything else?¡± ¡°No. Cassion took care of everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s done for now.¡± Finally, with Leo in Ruel¡¯s arms, Cassion took two steps back and examined Ruel. He looked like he was stillcking, but any more than this was only a burden to Ruel. ¡°Call me if anything happens.¡± When Ruel grabbed his cane, Ganien hurried and said, ¡°Are you going toe?¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re underestimating the ice castle too much.¡± Cassion said with a slight sneer. Ganien returned with the same derision. ¡°You look down on me too much, it¡¯s not that I couldn¡¯t go there, it¡¯s that I didn¡¯t go there. If it wasn¡¯t for this situation, I honestly want to go there.¡± He saw the light after sparring with Cassion. The path was so brilliant that it seemed like it was sprinkled with the sun. Ganien asked with a grin. ¡°One more time?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t your tail too long* for a loser with it only waiting to get pulled?¡± T/N: Something secret is bound to be revealed if it continues for a long time. (Ganien, for example, requested another duel with Cassion in order to witness the enlightenment again.) Ruel inhales Breath and walked first. Leo, cradled in Ruel¡¯s arms, tug his clothes with his paws. ¡ªWhy are you going? This body wants to see the two of them talk. ¡°It¡¯s not fun to watch because it¡¯s a childish verbal fight.¡± ¡°Wait, I haven¡¯t said bye yet. Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to visit in a while, but what a grandiose farwell.¡± Ruel snorted. ¡°Take this.¡± What Ganien offered was a bottle of red reagents. ¡°Potion. It¡¯s the best product, so you don¡¯t have to worry about addiction. Take it with you just in case.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± You have to get a present. Cassion took the potion with a very unpleasant face. ¡°I don¡¯t doubt your skills. Something you don¡¯t know mighte out like a ck-blooded man.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Contrary to what he said, Cassion¡¯s gaze at Ganien was fierce. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of the Knights.¡± Ruel left the room with a light smile. Ganien has already arranged a way for him to sneak out. Aris, who was standing outside in advance, followed Ruel. Chapter 78: Encounter (2) Chapter 78: Encounter (2) *** Mixed in with the merchants, they arrived at the entrance of the Ice Castle by wagon. ¡°¡­it¡¯s cold.¡± As soon as he got out of the carriage, the cold hit Ruel¡¯s cheek. It was already no joke even though he had yet to climb the mountain. ¡ªThis body will keep you warm. Leo said, peeping his head out of Ruel¡¯s clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll cast a warm spell on you.¡± Leo raised his body temperature, while Aris controlled his mana and cast as much magic as Ruel could endure. ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Bearable, almost.¡± It wasn¡¯t warm enough to chase out the cold. ¡°I can lift you.¡± Aris then tried using Hold. Ruel, who felt his body moving, bit Breath with afortable face. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead.¡± Cassion said, covering Ruel with a warm nket he pulled from his pouch. ¡°Do you know the way?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡®Did you do your research in advance?¡¯ When Ganien gained this power in the novel, Cassion was not there. He was reluctant to go to the Ice Castle, and Ganien alone headed to the Ice Castle to get stronger. In other words, the notoriety meant that there were many strong people. Ruel sniffed and looked at the mountain. The peak was hidden from view by the clouds. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the guy who wrote about thest remaining power through mana letters, I wouldn¡¯t even be looking at it.¡¯ ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Cassion heard Ruel¡¯s response, he stepped on the snow like a man on his front yard. Crunch. Leo¡¯s eyes twinkled at the clear sound. ¡ªThis, this body wants to jump into the snow! It feels great to swim in there! ¡°Then go y for a while.¡± ¡ªNo, this body has an important duty to keep Ruel warm. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± It was good to have Leo in his arms, but it was okay not to restrict him. ¡ªDon¡¯t you need this body? Contrary to what he said, Leo stared earnestly at him with sparkly eyes. ¡ªRight, Ruel? (Leo) He patted Leo soothingly, his eyes asking forpliments because he was holding in the urge to y. (Ruel) ¡ªHehe. (Leo) He felt a moving tail swing in his arms. (Ruel) ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel was puzzled by Cassion¡¯s sudden behavior of searching for something, while suffering from a strong cough. ¡®Are you looking for a easy way up the mountain?¡¯ In the novel, Ganien just went up ignorantly. He almost died, but he endured it and reached the top. ¡°It took me a while because I couldn¡¯t remember since it¡¯s been a while.¡± ¡®Been a while?¡¯ Ruel was puzzled by the strange words. Cassion walked by a tree covered with snow. ¡°Come out.¡± The hidden shadows appeared at his words. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ As well as Cassion, they took a piece of ss out of their sleeves and lifted it, Aris and Ruel were surprised. The ce where they were standing suddenly shook. ¡°It is a veryplex barrier.¡± When the aura was blown into the pieces of ss, each piece was colored in its own individual color. Thud. Thud. Thud. There was a sound of something opening, and the entrance to a cave appeared. ¡ªWhoa! ¡°¡­ Exin, Cassion.¡± Ruel asked calmly. Suddenly the entrance to the cave appeared. Even without entering, it was obvious where the entrance was connected. Cassion passed the shadows and ced a piece of ss in his pocket smiling. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell you because you didn¡¯t ask.¡± ¡°Tell me what?¡± ¡°I¡¯m the owner of the Ice Castle.¡± ¡°Ca, Cassion-nim¡­¡± Aris was speechless with astonishment. ¡®I kept thinking about how to win against the people of Ice Castle, but I never thought that the owner of the ce would be Cassion.¡¯ (Ruel) With relief came a sense of despondency. ¡®It¡¯s amazing.¡¯ Ruel slowly raised the corners of his mouth. It wasn¡¯t just a gem. It was the most precious jewel in the world. Now Ruel understood why Cassion was strong. ¡®Yay.¡¯ He was struck with admiration. It was more than a godsend to be able to put a leash on Cassion. ¡°Then are your shadows also residents of the Ice Castle?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They are all under my feet.¡± The party followed Cassion into the cave. Torches were lit along the corridor, and the entrance was closed. ¡°I thought you¡¯d be surprised, but you¡¯re calmer than I thought.¡± ¡°I waspletely surprised.¡± ¡°For that, you looked calm.¡± ¡°At the same time as you said you were the owner of the Ice Castle, the n I had in mind copsed. Maybe that¡¯s why.¡± ¡°How about you think of it as me saving you time?¡± Seeing Cassion¡¯s refreshing smile on his face, he seemed to have aimed for a chance to give Ruel a shock on purpose. These days, he was finding loopholes in Mana¡¯s oath. Ruel was a little concerned about the strength of the leash attached. ¡°Then what are the rules of the Ice Castle?¡± Cassion was the owner of the Ice Castle. But the rules remained unchanged. Wouldn¡¯t he know something? Cassion had no choice but to move his mouth when he was stared at by Ruel. ¡°No one can break the rules of the Ice Castle. That¡¯s the one pir that maintains the Ice Castle.¡± At the end of the corridor was a wide, thin stone. Aris suddenly ran away and took out the recording device and began to record it. ¡°This stone is not just a normal rock! Wow¡­!¡± ¡ªThis body is curious too! Leo quickly jumped out of Ruel¡¯s arms, tapped the stone, and licked it, showing his curiosity. His eyes endured snow, but it seemed that his curiosity about the new object could not. Cassion smiled leisurely, keeping pace with Ruel. ¡°But there¡¯s one more rule that outsiders don¡¯t know.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and waited for the next words. ¡°I¡¯m above the rules.¡± ¡°In other words, you can do whatever you want?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That¡¯s why I¡¯m an assassin and butler away from the Ice Castle.¡± When both of them stepped onto the stone, the stone traveled upwards. There was no partition, but it was clearly an elevator built by magic. ¡°As expected, the form is very tightly built. A total of three mana circles are condensed and interwoven. I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before¡­¡± As if talking to someone, Aris muttered and documented the rock with a recording. Leo was taken aback when he came to his senses. ¡ª¡­Huh! This body has forgotten its important mission and escaped from Ruel¡¯s side. He went back into Ruel¡¯s arms. When the stone stopped, the torches were lit and a bright hallway was revealed. ¡°Is this why youughed at Ganien?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. Who¡¯s stupid enough to climb up here? Isn¡¯t it the perfect weather to freeze to death? Oh, a stupid nobleman made it this far a few years ago. He was exceptionally stupid.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t bother to ask because he already knew the inside story. ¡°Sigh.¡± The air quality was different. His lungs were cold enough to freeze every time he breathed. ¡®It¡¯s kind of hard to breathe.¡¯ ¡°So, what happened to him?¡± Leo also focused on Cassion when asked by Aris. Then Cassion¡¯s voice could be heard exining, but it did not reach Ruel¡¯s ears. ¡®The rest of the power is here,¡¯ the powers within Ruel whispered softly. Following the wind, pure white snow came into the cave. Ruel walked all the way down a long hallway, and at the end of it, countless people made a path and stood. The dignity was equivalent to a knight, and the way they looked at outsiders was like an experienced hunter who found prey. Cassion opened his mouth as usual without surprise or wee at their actions. ¡°This is my master.¡± Just the words changed their eyes. They were suddenly full of respect and trust like seeing someone they¡¯ve known for decades. Then they knelt down toward Ruel almost in sync. ¡®It¡¯s creepy.¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t see an inch of doubt in their eyes. Blind trust was even more frightening in another sense. Leo tilted his head. ¡ªThey were initially hostile to Ruel, but they were neutral towards him again. It¡¯s a strange ce. ¡°Ruel-nim the cold here hurts your body. Please follow me.¡± Cassion walked in the lead without paying attention to them. ¡°Don¡¯t you have to let them up?¡± Cassion nodded to Aris¡¯ question. ¡°This is a ce where you die if you are weak. There is no one here who dies of this cold.¡± Ruel urged Aris with his eyes. As the wind, which had stopped for a moment, came back, it was difficult for Ruel to bear it. It wasn¡¯t the usual wind. It hurt as if someone was punching on both sides. He gripped Breath with difficulty and just barely managed to put it in his mouth. Ruel¡¯s ears were ringing, his heart was pounding, and most of all, it was difficult to breathe. ¡ª¡­Uh? Ruel thought it was altitude sickness, but suddenly his eyes went dark. Feeling his body copsing, Ruel closed his eyes. *** ¡®¡­!¡¯ She opened her closed eyes. ¡®¡­the powers gathered. I think the idiot ignored my warning.¡¯ She let out a deep breath as she ruffled her hair. ¡®Who is that idiot who keeps collecting that power without knowing what it is? You can¡¯t bring them together, even if you collect all of them together.¡¯ For a moment her body flickered transparently and then changed back to normal. ¡®Not yet. Please, hang in there.¡¯ She clenched her arms and crumpled her face. *** Wheeze¡­hughh, cough. Ruel opened his eyes because he was suffocating while exhaling. He looked into Cassion¡¯s eyes, who was about to hand over Breath. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ruel just looked at it, inhaling the Breath Cassion had passed over. ¡°I think I was a little excited toe to my hometown after a long time. I should have been prepared for altitude sickness earlier on. Is it still hard to breathe?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± It was harder than when he was on the ground, but his head was less dizzy. ¡°I injected medicine while you were sleeping, so the symptoms will be lessened.¡± When Ruel reached out his hand, Cassion took out the basket and handed over the meat pie. Crunch. It was worth living for these delicious things that went into his mouth. Noting that Leo was not in his arms, Ruel nced around and looked for Leo. Cassion took out Leo who was hiding under the bed and held him out. ¡°Ruel-nim copsed and he kept hiding under the bed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ruel looked at Leo while eating a meat pie. Leo hesitated before answering. ¡ªThis, this body left Ruel and Ruel copsed. It happened because this body forgot it¡¯s important tasks and was only paying attention to stones. Soon he pouted and burst into tears. ¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡± Sniff. Leo stopped crying and opened his eyes wide. ¡°You didn¡¯t exin it?¡± ¡°I did. What can I do if he mes himself for everything?¡± Cassion shrugged his shoulders. Ruel inhaled Breath and asked. ¡°What about Aris? Aris can¡¯t leave Leo alone¡­ ¡± ¡ªAris did nothing wrong. He took care of this body, and it was all because of this body¡­ Hick! Ruel grabbed Leo¡¯s tail with an unpleasant expression. ¡°Let¡¯s ban snacks for the day.¡± ¡ªThi, this body is at fault! ¡°One more day.¡± ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t do anything wrong! This body has done nothing wrong! Finally, Ruel rxed his firm expression. ¡°Let¡¯s ban it just for one day. Reflect on what you did wrong.¡± ¡ªThis body has made Ruel¡­ No, this body will reflect! Let this body think again! Leo hurriedly changed his words at Ruel¡¯s gaze. When he let go of his tail, he ran quickly and crouched next to Ruel¡¯s face. Cassion sat next to Ruel, administering a new drug. Now that he hase to his senses, he checked Ruel¡¯s condition one by one before trying to move again. After only a few minutes of exposure to the cold wind, the fever began to boil from yesterday. Still, the fever went down a bit from dawn. ¡®One fever reducer.¡¯ Ruel bit his lips at the asional pain. ¡®One painkiller, no, two would be good.¡¯ He knew he was originally pale, but hisplexion never returned. ¡®A cure for anemia, too.¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± The coughing sound was not good. ¡®When I get back to Setiria, I¡¯ll tell Tierra that the cough medicine is ineffective, I¡¯ll change it to another one.¡¯ Even if he was given medicine to calm the symptoms of altitude sickness, his breath shortened. ¡®It would be impossible to walk as usual.¡¯ As Cassion checked over his condition one by one, he sighed automatically. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be faster to learn medicine myself than to bring a medical doctor?¡¯ Has there ever been a time when your life wasn¡¯t at stake? Crunch. Whether Ruel knew his deep distress or not, four meat pies have already gone into his stomach. What about the fox next to him? It¡¯s not his food, but he still eats it well. Cassion opened his mouth, which had closed heavily. ¡°You¡¯re not here for sightseeing, are you here to gain another power?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m bothered by the warning then. Will you be okay?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came. To see who gave the warning, why, and for what purpose.¡± Chapter 79: Encounter (3) Chapter 79: Encounter (3) Crunch. ¡°The power I¡¯ve already obtained resides in my body, and I don¡¯t know how to remove it. Shouldn¡¯t I risk it rather than feeling ufortable?¡± ¡°What would you do if that power causes any problems?¡± ¡°I would stop using it¡¯s power.¡± If it¡¯s dangerous, he should stop. ¡®To be honest, thest power was not very helpful to me.¡¯ The first thing to do was to find out who and their purpose for leaving those words. ¡°Is the power near here?¡± ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s very close.¡± Ruel looked around the room and pointed to a small statue decoration on the firece. ¡°¡­do you mean it¡¯s there?¡± Cassion asked in amazement. This room was his own. That statue was one of the heirlooms of the descendants of the ice castle from generation to generation. He was going to throw it away, but had held the urge. ¡°Can I break it?¡± ¡°No, that bastard has toe. Until then, that statue is yours¡­¡± Leo gazed at the window, his ears twitching. ¡ªTh-that smell! Cassion¡¯s brow wrinkled. He didn¡¯t feel any signs. ¡®You came early.¡¯ Ruel grinned. Through the slightly open window, Ruel could hear the snow breeze and the voice of an angry woman. ¡°Hey, you idiot! I even took the risk and kindly wrote to instruct you, but you came all the way here to still gain power? Shit! Why can¡¯t I open it?¡± The window was hard to open as it was frozen. ¡°Pft.¡± Ruel managed to hold back hisughter. ¡°Open it, Cassion.¡± Cassion smiled despondently and opened the window tactfully. ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± She paused before skillfully passing through the window frame. ¡°What?¡± She ran quickly towards Ruel staring. Cassion blocked her in front of her. ¡°Just til here. Please step back.¡± ¡°Thank you for opening the window, but move out of the way for a second.¡± Despite Cassion¡¯s spirit, she pushed Cassion casually aside and approached Ruel. ¡°What is this¡­?¡± She looked at Ruel and cried as if she was about to shed tears. ¡°Why do you have that mark on your body?¡± ¡°Can you see that?¡± ¡°Where is the rest? Why did they leave you until you were like this!¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Those who protect you.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. He needed to think for a moment what she could be talking about. ¡®There were people who protected Ruel? But not now.¡¯ Where did he die? Ruel answered first. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Who are the people who protect me in the first ce?¡± ¡°¡­ No way. Wait, wait. I will ask you questions one by one.¡± The most confusing thing here was Ruel, but she was also very embarrassed. ¡°Ask as many as you want.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a Setiria, aren¡¯t you?¡± How does she know me? Ruel answered first. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Since when has this mark been nted?¡± ¡°Since five years ago.¡± ¡°Five years ago, five years ago¡­ I went to Setiria seven years ago, so what about Trino Setiria?¡± Probably referring to Ruel¡¯s father. ¡°He passed away.¡± The calm sound staggered her mentality for a moment. ¡°¡­what? They¡¯re all dead?¡± From her reaction, it seemed that five years ago, Ruel¡¯s father and those who protected him died in the case of his kidnapping. He had no impression of the situation; he had never seen their faces in the first ce. Before thinking too much about that, he finally heard clues on the woman¡¯s identity who acted like she knew him. ¡°Since it¡¯s our first time meeting, why don¡¯t you introduce yourself first?¡± ¡°Well. You were a little kid at the time, so you don¡¯t remember me, I¡­¡± She stopped talking and saw Cassion. A statue popped out of his pocket. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± She grabbed Ruel¡¯s hand urgently. Cassion reacted almost simultaneously. Squeez! Something repelled Cassion and forced him back. Bang! A chill came through the broken wall. Cassion rose right from the floor, but Ruel had disappeared. ¡°What are you talking about¡­ Where did Ruel-nim go?¡± Aris¡¯ voice did not reach Cassion. He lost him right in front of his eyes. In response, Cassion raised daggers in both hands and unleashed his killing intent. Aris shuddered at the aura. ¡ªIt¡¯s okay, Cassion, Ruel is over there. ¡°¡­what?¡± Every word was full of fire. ¡ªIt¡¯s there, but it¡¯s not there, so I can¡¯t see it. This body still smells Ruel and his presence. ¡°Do I just have to wait?¡± As Leo nodded, Cassion calmed down and stared at the bed. Leo was always the first one to make a fuss when Ruel disappeared. Such a calm Leo was rare. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s wait a minute.¡± As his heated head gradually subsided, Cassion remembered thest words she said. ¡°It¡¯s him¡­!¡± ¡®Him? Did you run away from him? Who the hell is he? And this statue¡­?¡¯ Cassion fumbled through his pockets and hesitated. There was nothing inside the broken statue. *** ¡®I found it! I finally found it!¡¯ The man got up from his seat. He felt like he was about to burst intoughter. A fool fell into a trap created by one of his powers, created while he was waiting for the day to gather his power. He wants to crush the heads of the bastards who made him look like this. The man rolled up his sleeves and looked at his arms. One of the two circle tattoos faded, bing lighter before darkening. It continuously shifted between disappearing and appearing interchangeably with no pattern. The man raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t let anyone in from now on.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The answer came from outside the door. *** ¡°Cough!¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t bear the sudden force and vomited blood. Ruel stumbled in concurrent dizziness. He fell to the ground. ¡°A-Are you okay?¡± She was startled and supported Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I couldn¡¯t help it because he showed up.¡± Her eyes twitched. ¡°¡­what do you mean¡­ Cough!¡± Ruel was speechless due to the soaring heat again. ¡°He set a trap for one of his powers. I almost put you in danger without knowing.¡± She wiped the corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth with her own clothes. ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at her with difficulty. Her body faded for a moment, then she was back to normal. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think I have time to introduce myself.¡± The voice had lost its vitality, as if it would disappear at any moment. ¡°Listen, that power is His power. It¡¯s the power owned by a man known as the Great One.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± A terrible sound resounded. The power of the Great One. The power of that bastard. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Ruel crossed his arms and held tightly to the pain in his body that started again. ¡°Give it to me. My mission is to seal his power.¡± If she seals the power, what will happen to him? ¡®Can I live without the power of recovery?¡¯ Ruel hesitated at the sudden question. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take the mark on your body. You can live.¡± She smiled brightly. At the same time, Ruel¡¯s eyes shook greatly. ¡®I can be freed from this damn curse¡­?¡¯ ¡°You shouldn¡¯t let him have that power. Trust me, Setiria, he¡¯ll find this ce soon. So quickly.¡± She held out her hand. When Ruel reached out his hand, the fragment appeared. Ruel¡¯s eyes grew bigger. ¡®I didn¡¯t even touch the fragment¡­?¡¯ ¨C He who knows the pain. You deserve me. The fragment permeated Ruel with words that rang in his head. ¡°Oh, no! No. No way!¡± She screamed and sped Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Come to me! Come to me!¡± She was about to burst into tears. ¡°I found it.¡± The voice alone gave him goosebumps. An entity entered their spacepressing the distance and walked in. He was a ck-blooded man from head to toe. Thump. Thump. Thump. Ruel¡¯s heart beat like crazy. It was different from when Nintra became a ck-blooded man. He was massive and the surrounding Mana desperately fluctuated. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, you dog that enjoys hide-and-seek.¡± He looked at her gloatingly. ¡°But I won.¡± Then he saw Ruel. His eyes were smiling. Ruel¡¯s body stiffened with fear rising in an instant. ¡°Setiria.¡± She stood in front of Ruel. ¡°You hateful bastard.¡± But his eyes never left Ruel as if he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Here you are.¡± ¡°Get lost! You won¡¯t ever be able to touch this child!¡± ¡°It was your mistake to bring Setiria here. This ce is a gap in the world, where the world¡¯s order cannot interfere.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel looked at him with a rising cough. ¡°Are you, the Great One?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t debate words with him! His mark will get stronger.¡± The manughed. Ruel directed his middle finger at theugh. The shadow whispered to Ruel, tempting him. It whispered he needed to consume the ck one. Yeah, since we¡¯ve seen each other, we should at least say hello. ¡°No! That¡¯s no good.¡± As she shouted urgently, Ruel¡¯s shadow quickly subsided. ¡°¡­?¡± The shadow stopped even though Ruel¡¯s orders were not given. ¡°Yes, you who are less-than-a-bug, are you also called Setiria? If you are, then show me your power!¡± When he raised his hand, a mass of muddy blood came over them like a wave. It was very sinister. Kwang! The bright light from her hand blocked the blood. ¡°Listen, Setiria. Unlike us, he can¡¯t set foot in this world because of restrictions. So he can¡¯t move.¡± She slowly began to blur. ¡°Find the King.¡± ¡°King¡­?¡± ¡°Wake up the king and you¡¯ll be able to hear everything. Sorry, there¡¯s so little I can exin.¡± ¡°No way!¡± The murky blood became as heavy as an awl. Her presence dimmed every time he struck the light she had created. ¡°I¡¯lle! I will surelye back and tear you to pieces!¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She reached out to Ruel. Ruel took the hand. There was no warmth. He didn¡¯t feel anything. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± She smiled brightly. Like when he first came to this world, something pulled him. She moved away. ¡°¡­it¡¯s alright.¡± Chapter 80: Encounter (4) Chapter 80: Encounter (4) The sound got quieter. ¡°Setiria! You! You bastard!¡± The red blood, which had a pointed shape with the feeling of evil, became stronger, stabbing through her to approach Ruel. Power scattered in front of Ruel. The power of reflection worked. ¡°Have you only grown my strength that far?¡± Heughed at Ruel. His red blood was beyond Ruel¡¯s control. Crash. An unfamiliar sense spread with the sound of the power of reflection being broken. Crack. A groaning sound followed, apanied by a terrifying pain in his stomach. ¡°Die! Die! Die for me, Setiria!¡± But the sound was silenced as if cut off by a knife. The moment the cold wind tickled his cheek, blood spurted out of his mouth. His stomach was hot. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Everyone waiting for Ruel ran forward astonishment. He¡¯d say it¡¯s okay, but he couldn¡¯t speak. ¡°Blood, bloodes out.¡± Cassion took out the potion he received from Ganien and poured it generously. ¡°¡­it won¡¯t heal.¡± The wound refused to heal. Ruel opened his mouth with difficulty. Don¡¯t waste your potions. ¡°Ca¡­ cough!¡± What came out was blood, not words. Cassion tore his clothes open and saw the wound. There was blood and something else muddy red covering it. Leo reached out and grabbed it. Sizzle. It melted. Leo was surprised even though he was the one who grabbed it. ¡ªIt, it wasn¡¯t of nature¡¯s order. This body doesn¡¯t know what this is. ¡°That might be interfering with the potion. Keep getting rid of it, beast.¡± Cassion opened his mouth with some difficulty. His heart tightened. Every time Ruel¡¯s breathing weakend, it became painful. ¡ªAlright! If it was for Ruel¡¯s sake, Leo could move his forepaws as many times as he could. ¡°Hina.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± ¡°Bring in a doctor.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Betrayal did not exist here, as it might have elsewhere. No matter who was called, there was no reason for concern that information would leak out. ¡°I will stop the bleeding so that there is no more blood loss.¡± Aris bit his lips tightly and pressed the wound with a cloth given by Cassion. He was very upset that this was the only thing he could do. *** Ruel opened his eyes softly. ¡®My stomach ached but I was able to endure, proving the painkillers were working well. How many days have passed?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ve checked the surroundings twice and released all my men, so you can sleep with confidence.¡± Leo was within arms reach. On the right, Aris was fast asleep. ¡°This wound is¡­¡± His lips are dry. Cassion gave him water to moisten his throat and passed over Breath. ¡°Leo purified it, but the potion didn¡¯t work in the end. I¡¯ve never seen such a case.¡± ¡°The Great One¡­ It¡¯s a scar he left behind.¡± Cassion¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°What does it look like?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was just ck.¡± ¡°Is she dead?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ruel closed his eyes and opened them. Even though he saw her for the first time and didn¡¯t know her name, her voice still lingered in his ears. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡®I wanted to ask what was okay, but I couldn¡¯t. I wanted to ask you what you are, how you know me, and what the hell is Setiria, but I couldn¡¯t ask anything.¡¯ ¡°How are you feeling? Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°It¡¯s bearable.¡± ¡°Today, no matter how stressed my heart was, I nearly died.¡± Ruel looked at Cassion and said nothing. I¡¯ve seen a lot from Aris, but I didn¡¯t expect to see anger from Cassion. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ruel opened his mouth at the heavy words. ¡°Do you know what power I gained?¡± Cassion shook his head. ¡°The power of the Great One.¡± ¡°Are you kidding¡­?¡± ¡°It¡¯s his power that made me sick.¡± As his breathing became rough, Cassion passed over the Breath again. Ruel took a breath and said, ¡°¡­ It was his power that saved me.¡± Very dog-like. It¡¯s not a disease or medicine. What a crappy fact this is. It was better not to know whose power was. The power left by a hero? He didn¡¯t know where the information came from, but it was wrong. He was tricked twice by his own enemies. He felt like he was falling through an endless hole. ¡°¡­I look ¡­ ridiculous.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips were twisted. ¡®I want to scream and break everything I see, but I don¡¯t have any strength in my body. At that time, I should have taken the chance to attack him even if she stopped me.¡¯ It wouldn¡¯t have been this miserable. ¡°If you didn¡¯t gain that power, you or I wouldn¡¯t be here now.¡± ¡°¡­I know.¡± ¡°Lifees first. Rather than dying, it¡¯s better to crawl away with the tail between your legs.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim¡¯s life is not simply Ruel-nim¡¯s. You have to live. You have to put your life first.¡± Ruel bit his lips hard and exhaled deeply. He had so many things that would fall apart when he died. ¡°I know.¡± ¡°The world was wide, and I was arrogant. Now I¡¯m going to aim to be stronger.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes grew bigger. What happens if you get stronger? ¡°There should be no one alive baring their teeth at me. That way, Ruel-nim and I can live.¡± Ruel closed his eyes. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Now he had to admit it. There is no such thing as a peaceful life unless the Great One was erased from his life. He had decided to live when he first became Ruel and now nothing has changed. Living was the first priority. Even if what he had was the power of the Great Man, it was a necessary power to continue surviving. Ruel opened his eyes and raised the corners of his mouth. It was a very arrogant smile. *** ¡®¡­oh, it stopped.¡¯ Noah released the hand that held his chest. He had never spoken ill of Ruel, but his heart was tightening. ¡®I thought I was going to die because it hurt so much.¡¯ Noah breathed out a long breath while wiping his cold sweat. ¡®By the way, wasn¡¯t this mission deliberately done to prank me?¡¯ Noah grumbled. Regardless of where you were in the underworld, the people were the same. Money was the answer to everything. Money even when he was asked for something. Money for looking at things. Money, money, money. They were very hical. Noah sat down on the stairs and stared at his pocket. Obviously, when he first started, he was a rogue who simply had a desire for¡­ ¡®Oh, my life.¡¯ He shouldn¡¯t have made a Mana Oath because of the money ced in front of him. ¡®No, the money is innocent. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s stupid, right?¡¯ He took out a lunch box that he had packed in advance, ate it, and stood up before suddenly stepping back. ¡°You punk!¡± Crash! The window broke and a man flew through the ss. Then another man crossed through the broken window swinging his sword. ¡®What a bloody fight!¡¯ Mumble. Revealing the money was also a problem, but why are people so angry all the time? Whatever you do, just fight and kill. You can¡¯t live like that. Noah put a piece of bread in his mouth and paused at the smell emanating from the window. ¡®It smells like my poison.¡¯ He drank water in a hurry, swiftly went down the stairs, and snooped around the window. ¡°What kind of guy are you?¡± There was blood on the sword as if he had killed the person he was chasing a while ago. ¡°¡­uh, the kind that needs to ask you something.¡± ¡°You need something to ask.¡± The man shaped a coin with his fingers. This guy was like him. ng. Noah put a crossbow to the man¡¯s head and ordered, ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± ¡°¡­Well, ask away.¡± Seeing that he quickly became polite, he gained a great realization. ¡®I should¡¯ve done this sooner.¡¯ *** ¡°Tyson-nim.¡± -Oh, Aris, what¡¯s going on at this hour? ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Aris hesitated. He had contacted Tyson, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. He couldn¡¯t tell him that Ruel was injured. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I am taking up your time?¡± -Aren¡¯t you cold? I can see a lot of snow. Tyson smiled kindly. ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it feel like this if I had a father?¡¯ Aris wanted to swim for a moment in the kindness. ¡°It¡¯s not cold¡­ It¡¯s harder than that.¡± -Tell me. ¡°Is it true that I have be stronger? When I cut the waves, I thought I became stronger. But since the ck-blooded man appeared, I don¡¯t know. I have to protect Ruel-nim but Ruel-nim took care of me. That is so¡­pathetic.¡± It felt like he went back to the time when he didn¡¯t know anything and could only ask for help. -Aris. Tyson gently called Aris. At the call, Aris suddenly felt like tears were about to pour out. -Magic is the greatest blessing that nature has ever given to humans. ¡°¡­¡± -And nature has the power to ovee anything. Tyson made eye contact with Aris. -We, who borrow power from nature, also have the power to ovee anything. For a brief moment, Aris felt a light appearing in his head. ¡®Nature¡­ Nature?¡¯ -Mana can¡¯t lie. Mana originated from nature¡­ ¡°Tyson-nim.¡± -Yeah, tell me. ¡°Those who are out of the ordinary are those who are out of the natural order, right?¡± -Right. Isn¡¯t that nature? Nature¡­? Aris and Tyson realized something at the same time. The mana of the person who was out of natural order was different from the mana of nature. He realized this simple fact. The two smiled at each other. -Thank you. ¡°I really appreciate it.¡± The ck-blooded man was not immortal. He could have killed him. ¡®How to deal¡­ I might have found the answer. The way forward.¡¯ Aris cut off themunication and saw the sky with numerous twinkling stars. His eyes reflected their bright light. Chapter 81: Play Chess Chapter 81: y Chess ¡°What?¡± Ruel asked in response. ¡ªTen front paws of this body, no¡­ Even with all the forepaws, there were more than 10 of them. Leo sat down and tried to count his back feet, but gave up neatly. ¡°Anyway, the dirty stuff has decreased.¡± There was no way that the markings would suddenly shrink. ¡®Why¡­¡¯ Suddenly, the mysterious woman came to mind. ¡°Because I will take the mark off your body, you can live.¡± Ruel gazed at the hand she had held. ¡®Did you take some of the marks? Therefore¡­¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He understood herst words btedly. He felt nauseous for some reason. ¨C¡­do-does it hurt? (Leo) ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s time to change the bandage¡­¡± Cassion paused as he entered the room. He blinked to see Ruel again, wondering if his eyes were wrong. ¡°Does it hurt that bad?¡± (Cassion) Ruel was surprised to feel the sensation of tears falling on his palm. ¡°Enduring the pain won¡¯t make you heal faster. I will give you more painkillers.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Wiping away tears, Ruel shook his head. ¡°Is that guy here?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯te.¡± ¡®He didn¡¯te? It¡¯s the third day.¡¯ Ruel hid in the Ice Castle to avoid the ¡®taggers,¡¯ but because of the mark left by the Great One, he should be aware of Ruel¡¯s location. It was strange that though the woman took some of his marks, he still couldn¡¯t locate them after all this time. To this point, he has easily grasped the location. ¡®Are there any conditions for the method of finding my location?¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, Chief, I have something to tell you.¡± Hina appeared. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I confirmed that they were trying to enter the Tonisk Empire and trapped them. They are currently under interrogation.¡± Ruel calmed Leo, who was startled by Hina¡¯s sudden appearance, while listening to the report. ¡®You mean they headed for the real Tonisk Empire, not an imaginary one?¡¯ What does the Red Ash have to do with the closure of the Tonisk Empire? Ruel instinctively put his hand to his stomach and hurriedly pulled his hand from the pain. ¡ªBe careful. It¡¯s not better yet! Eximed Leo, freaked out. Hina looked lovingly at Leo¡¯s panicked appearance. ¡°How long will it take them to throw up the rest of the information?¡± Hina answered Ruel¡¯s question with her eyes averted. ¡°You¡¯ll get the remaining info by the end of the day.¡± ¡°What about Ganien?¡± ¡°He is collecting evidence to exterminate any nobles entangled with Red Ash. We are also helping by securing evidence.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Noah doing?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s getting well limated to the underworld.¡± Cassion frowned at Hina¡¯s answer. ¡°He¡¯ll only learned bad things by the time hees back.¡± ¡°No, sir. Looking closely, I believed he learned flexibility to solutions other than money.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the atmosphere like in Cyronian?¡± ¡°There is a rumor among the nobles that Ruel-nim has disappeared. Sooner orter, I think they¡¯ll visit His Majesty Huswen and request the rumors to be investigated.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Ruel had a meaningful smile. Even though the power of recovery was circting, the wound healed slowly. Thanks to Leo¡¯s diligent cleaning of the wound with his forepaw, the potion worked, but its effectiveness was so insignificant that it was better to not waste it. There seemed to be some special effect in the power of the Great One. ¡°You can¡¯t move yet.¡± Cassion warned. How the hell does he perceive himself? ¡®Who cares about my body as much as I do?¡¯ Ruel replied sourly, ¡°I know.¡± Thinking of his weak body, Ruel nned to rest for a while longer, about a week, or if need be a shorter period of about 3 days before moving on. While the Red Ash couldn¡¯t find him, Ganien and Noah would grab them by the nape, only after he was safe enough to make their moves. ¡®How will that guy meet us next?¡¯ Considering the conversation between the woman and the Great One, the ce she took him to was no ordinary ce. ¡°Listen, Setiria. Unlike us, he can¡¯t set foot in this world because of restrictions. That¡¯s why he can¡¯t make his move.¡± ¡®If the Great One can¡¯te here, how can he control the Red Ash?¡¯ ¡°Find the king.¡± ¡®Who is the king?¡¯ The king she was talking about didn¡¯t seem to mean the actual king. Cassion turned over themunication device to Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s Bianne.¡± ¡°Connect.¡± -My, my lord! Bianne called him desperately. ¡°What?¡± -Are you alive? ¡°Did you wish for me to die?¡± -No, that¡¯s not it. Now that the Lord has not returned, there is an uproar in the castle. It¡¯s already been a week since Ruel reportedly left for Dotol. -The Blue Knights said my lord¡¯s wellbeing was unknown as they parted ways to subdue monsters at His Majesty¡¯smand. I was worried about the safety of the lord, so I rushed to contact Ruel-nim. That¡¯s bullshit. He came to check if he was really dead or not. ¡°That¡¯s enough. What¡¯s Red Ash doing now?¡± -With the news that the lord was injured, an order was issued to find and kill him. ¡°Anything else?¡± -During the shift of nobles aligning with Red Ash in opposition of the alliance, the Lord disappeared and now we are in a situation where we cannot make a choice. ¡®Oh,e to think of it, there was a good idea, but I hadn¡¯t used it.¡¯ Ruel smiled. ¡°Sir Chen.¡± -Yes, what? Bianne was embarrassed when he called his name ever so gently. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you join the opposition with the Red Ash that are against the alliance? It¡¯s not toote, and I¡¯ll be very d to see the power of your family in action.¡± -My, my lord, that¡¯s¡­ Bianne was on the verge of tears. Isn¡¯t this just jumping into the mes on your own initiative? ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about thest royal banquet incident.¡± When the issue of the royal banquet was brought up, Bianne¡¯s distressed voice was heard. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± His chest and stomach throbbed with pain at the same time when he coughed. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ Ruel frowned and opened his mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll tell His Majesty well, so focus on infiltrating and extracting information.¡± -Is that true! Are you really going to talk to His Majesty? ¡°I promise.¡± -Thank you, thank you! Bianne thanked him over and over again before cutting off themunication. One of the best things a high-ranking aristocrat can do is to line up behind the winning team. Red Ash had already worked with him, but he didn¡¯t obtain what he wanted. Then he must have thought hard about who to line up behind in order to continue living. As a result, Bianne chose to support him. His surveince reflected this fact. ¡°Ruel-nim, will you spare Bianne?¡± Ruel smirked at Cassion¡¯s words. ¡°Yes, Bianne wants to live like this, so I have to give him a chance to live like that. It¡¯s perfect to use.¡± Ruel lost a lot this time. He didn¡¯t even know the enemy¡¯s face when the people who protected him silently died. ¡®She died, unknowingly to me.¡¯ He had a pit in his stomach, to add to learning of his possession of the Great One¡¯s power. ¡®I have to return more than what I lost.¡¯ Ruel didn¡¯t know exactly what it means to say that the Great One can¡¯te to this world, but through trial and error he learned there¡¯s no more effective way than to cut off the limbs of the tree. ¡®I¡¯ve thrown out the bait one by one, so now I¡¯ll have to wait patiently for them totch on.¡¯ Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s back and smiled silently. *** Chak. Banios lowered his cup and smiled at the man sitting in front of him. ¡°Long time no see, brother.¡± The man tried hard to return the smile with a tired face. ¡°Yes, long time no see, Banios. It¡¯s been a while since I saw you. Are you eating well?¡± ¡°You should take more care of your health than worry about me. At this rate, I think you¡¯ll be the first to be killed by your own work.¡± Banios nced around and whispered softly. ¡°So how about a drink tonight?¡± ¡°Gosh, is alcohol a medicine? Why don¡¯t you just take this position instead?¡± Banios shut up. His older brother¡¯s suggestion was not just a suggestion. He was telling him how to avoid his second brother. How to give up the throne and hold a major position so that his second brother can¡¯t easily touch him. ¡°Brother, why did you take the throne¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. I don¡¯t want to be uncontent at this rare chance to chat, something we haven¡¯t had in a while.¡± ¡°Yes, I said silly things.¡± ¡°It¡¯ste, but you did a good job. Why don¡¯t you take this opportunity to take charge of diplomacy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­ Step. Step. Banios stopped talking at the familiar sound of heels. ¡°The youngest has an appreciable idea, so why don¡¯t you hold off a little longer, brother?¡± With a gentle smile, the second prince walked in. Banios hid his feelings behind a smile ¡°Looks like your work waspleted early. When I suggested drinking with my brothers after a long time, you rejected it so coldly.¡± The second prince smiled lightly at Banios¡¯ whining. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, little brother. I didn¡¯t know it would bepleted so soon either. Don¡¯t be angry.¡± The servant rushed to pull out the chair and the second prince sat down and shoo¡¯ed away the servant. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, but I¡¯m on the youngest¡¯s side. Our youngest looks like he¡¯s up to nothing, but he¡¯s definitely preparing for a huge leap forward.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not ying. I¡¯m just enjoying my freedom.¡± The Second Prince giggled at Banios¡¯ confidence. ¡°Your conversation ability has improved a lot. Adoris, don¡¯t you think so too?¡± ¡°Was it today or yesterday that the youngest speech improved?¡± ¡°Oh, well, it just happened. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve met like this, so what do you think about this?¡± Banios posed as if pouring alcohol with his hands. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Banios expressed his disappointment at the words of the First Prince. ¡°You said no earlier.¡± ¡°Us brothers have gathered together, and there is nothing happier than today.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, I¡¯m excited to listen to what the youngest is going to do after a huge leap.¡± ¡°I like to y.¡± ¡°Do you like it that much?¡± ¡°But, we can¡¯t hang out forever.¡± At Banios¡¯ words, Adoris looked at him with a smile in his eyes. The moment he saw Adoris¡¯s eyes, the corners of Banios¡¯ mouth trembled slightly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, youngest. I¡¯ll take care of everything. You don¡¯t have to do anything like now.¡± He wasughing, but it was a warning. ¡°Adoris, Banius is now an adult. Shouldn¡¯t you take care of yourself?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll protect the youngest. Don¡¯t worry, brother.¡± Adoris rose from his seat. ¡°Let¡¯s get up on a happy day like today, and we need alcohol, not tea.¡± Adoris looked down at the two andughed. *** ¡°¡­ Don¡¯t you know how to rest?¡± Cassion swallowed several words, suppressed his anger, and asked. ¡°I¡¯m taking a break.¡± Ruel was quietly buried under a thick nket, holding a meat pie in one hand and examining the data in the other. Leo, who was wriggling under the nket, poked out his head. ¡ªCassion is angry. Did Ruel do something wrong? ¡°No, I was lying in bed quietly today.¡± ¡°¡­where did you get that data from?¡± Cassion himself didn¡¯t give it to him. He took a breath and looked at the shadowed spot. It was only for a moment, but the shadow trembled. ¡°Hina, I told you to keep an eye on Ruel-nim, but I don¡¯t remember telling you to turn over the data to him.¡± ¡°I ordered it.¡± Cassion let out a choking sound at the shameless sound. ¡°What¡¯s the point of staying still? All I can do is sleep.¡± ¡°That sleep is very necessary for Ruel-nim.¡± Didn¡¯t the wound burst while coughing yesterday? ¡°You take it too seriously. I fell sorry to Billo for staying longer than nned in Cyronian.¡± What about me? Cassion was dumbfounded. Goong. Leo put his front paws on Ruel¡¯s head. ¡ªIn the eyes of this body, Ruel is at fault for this. ¡°¡­?¡± ¡ªEveryone wants Ruel to get better soon. Ruel should not see the white thing, but sleep with this body first. Cassion made a subtle expression. He didn¡¯t expect to get help from the beast. ¡ªThis body will sleep with Ruel, so lie down quickly. Leo hurriedly hid his face under the nket. His prickly ears moved from side to side and urged Ruel. ¡®I slept all day long. I slept yesterday and today.¡¯ Ruel despised the all-white-world, he hated being in bed motionless. Sometimes Ruel wondered what magic Aris used to make that popping sound, and Ruel wanted to see what the Ice Castle looked like. All he saw during the visit to the Ice Castle was the tiresome bed and the snow that can be seen all over Cyronian. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± When Hina appeared, Ruel weed her. ¡°Did they open their mouths?¡± ¡°Yes, the real hideout of Red Ash is said to be located within the Tonisk Empire.¡± Tap. Tap. Ruel tapped his thigh with his finger.Author''s Thoughts Hello to everyone. In March, updates will be infrequent. I''m not sure; I''m currently working on my thesis. So I''ll simply update when I have time. The same can be said for other series, such as "This Bastard is Too Competent." Thank you very much for your patience and support. If anything happens, I''ll simply notify you via Discord.???? Chapter 82.1 - Playing Chess (2) Chapter 82.1 - ying Chess (2) It was too obvious. It bothered him. ¡°Furthermore, I obtained Leponia¡¯s attack n from them.¡± ¡°¡­what?¡± As Ruel reached out, Hina turned over the data. Parts of it were different, but it was the same information he had obtained before meeting Banios. This almost fell into the Tonisk Empire¡¯s hands. Ruel bit Breath after inhaling. ¡°Who tried giving this to them?¡± ¡°They didn¡¯t know each other¡¯s names in case they were caught. All he said was that he secured it from one of the Cyronian nobles.¡± ¡°It means we need to find the one who¡¯s connected to the Leponia nobles among the Cyronian nobles.¡± ¡°The Red Ash¡¯s primary goal is Ruel-nim, but the secondary goal is the Kingdom of Leponia. It seems that they intend to start a war.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes shook. Only when he died could war break out. However, if there is a situation where you can¡¯t find him like now, what would you target next? The answer was obvious. Ruel injected mana into the ring. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel moved his mouth, enduring the pain that racked his body. ¡°Ganien, the Red Ash¡¯s goal is His Majesty Huswen.¡± If there was a way to start a war other than killing himself, it would be to directly attack Cyronian¡¯s King, Huswen. It was a good opportunity for the enemy because the timing of his disappearance could be used as a cover for their sins. What¡¯s the hardest thing about pacifying nobles? If you don¡¯t have proof, then the truth is whatever they make it to be. Ruel is a person from another country who disappeared suspiciously while traveling, so even if he returns, there wouldn¡¯t be an alibi. After that, he would dance on the boardid out by the nobles, solving everything for the enemy, without getting a drop of water on their hands. If, of course, the enemy¡¯s n works. -Oh, Ruel. Ganien¡¯s voice was bright. Did he really listen to his own words? Ruel reiterated. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding, Ganien. The Red Ash is after His Majesty Huswen¡­¡± -I¡¯m already next to His Majesty. My teacher is with me too, so don¡¯t worry. Only then did a long sigh flow out of Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°When did you notice?¡± -After hearing that the person who attacked you was a noble, His Majesty secretly called Teacher. Although, I only came to report and got caught. Oh wait. Huswen¡¯s voice was heard after a rustle. -Lord Setiria. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, I¡¯m d you¡¯re alright.¡± -I¡¯m sorry I surprised you, but please understand why I didn¡¯t inform you beforehand. ¡°It¡¯s okay. It needed topleted silently, so it¡¯s only natural that you couldn¡¯t bring it up.¡± -Thank you for understanding. Anyway, I expected the enemy¡¯s target to switch to me after Lord Setiria was hidden, so I would be able to cut them off sooner orter. A joyfulugh followed. Using yourself as bait. He was not an ordinary king. -This is a personal request, so you don¡¯t have to listen to it but can you stay hidden until the enemyes for my neck? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I was going to do.¡± -Thank you. Ruel mentioned Bianne and asked him not to kill him before cutting off themunication. After hearing Huswen¡¯s answer, Ruel looked at Hina. ¡°Are the captured Red Ash dead?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°It would be nice to be able to directly confirm that there is a hideout of the Red Ash in the Tonisk Empire. Is it possible?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The question was answered by Cassion. ¡°What is certain is that the Tonisk Empire put a barrier on the border just before the kingdom was destroyed, so outsiders cannot enter.¡± In other words, the Red Ash that tried to enter the Tonisk Empire was a Tonisk native. ¡°Is brainwashing possible?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible. Normal brainwashing takes a very long time. If they were brainwashed through magic, we would definitely catch it.¡± A deep sigh flowed from Ruel¡¯s mouth. There¡¯s no way to get confirmation that their hideout is in the Tonisk Empire. ¡°Don¡¯t kill them for now. They¡¯ll be an important witness.¡± ¡°Of course, I kept them alive on purpose for that fact. I will also remember to keep an eye on the Tonisk Empire.¡± Hina, who grasped Ruel¡¯s speech pattern, snatched away the papers before he asked for them again. ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ruel answered sternly, then pulled down his nket and gestured to Leo. Hina immediately rushed to Leo and held him in her arms. ¡°Spirit-nim, I brought something delicious for you.¡± ¡ªReally! Leo looked at Hina with anticipating eyes. The tail wobbled violently. ¡®I need to educate him not to blindly follow someone who promises him something to eat.¡¯ Silence quickly fell as Hina and Leo left the room. Cassion¡¯s gaze at himself was burdensome. He sat down in the chair, cing the data in his magic pocket one by one. ¡°I¡¯ll review the data, so I hope Ruel-nim will focus only on resting.¡± He handed over the painkiller to Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you not to do anything. It¡¯s a concern that the wound doesn¡¯t heal.¡± ¡®I can¡¯t say that I reviewed the data because I was bored.¡¯ Ruel silently swallowed the medicine and looked out the window. The sun was still up. Now, as Cassion said, all he has to do is wait. Knowing that, staying in bed was as hard as being sick. ¡°I¡¯ll be quiet, so stop watching.¡± Ruel reached out his hand as soon as he finished speaking. Cassion shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t eat the snacks yet.¡± ¡°Not that. There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been reviewing in the data. That¡¯s all.¡± Cassion sighed as he recalled the data mixed in with the rest. He must have been looking at the data on purpose when he was cleaning it up. *** ¡°Ganien.¡± ¡°I know, Teacher.¡± Sgung. Ganien drew his sword. The sword under the moonlight shone for a moment. How many years ago has it been since he had fought with Sien? His heartbeat raced with excitement already. ¡°You must leave them intact enough to speak.¡± ¡°I know that.¡± Sien may have said something else, but he couldn¡¯t hear it. ¡°Don¡¯t kill the enemy just because he provokes a blue knight or anything else infuriating.¡± ¡°You worry too much. Trust me, teacher.¡± Ganien grinned and opened the window. ¡°I¡¯ll take the right side.¡± Ting! Ganien split the flying arrow in half. Shhhh. Sien released a throwing dagger, inserting itself into the enemy¡¯s head. ¡°This is why I¡¯m worried, Ganien. Don¡¯t forget that your sword doesn¡¯t reach infinitely. Calcte your distance from your enemies and always keep in mind the means to kill them from a distance.¡± Contrary to his calm voice, Sien¡¯s sword blew off the enemy¡¯s head. He looked to the left and raised his spirits. ¡°Come, intruders.¡± Chapter 82.2 - Playing Chess (2) Chapter 82.2 - ying Chess (2) *** Chop. Chop. When a soft thing touched his face, Ruel opened only one eye and opened his mouth. ¡°¡­what¡¯s wrong, Leo?¡± It was still nighttime. ¡ªThe ring shines. Ruel blew mana in a drowsy state. ¡°Why¡­?¡± -I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s the middle of the night. -Apologize more politely. He heard Sien¡¯s voice whispering quietly from the side. -I¡¯m sorry I woke you up in the middle of the night. But I thought I should inform you right away. ¡°¡­What is it? Has there already been an attack?¡± -Oh! As expected, you have good instincts. Yeah, they¡¯re here. Ganien¡¯s voice was as excited as if he got the right answer on the quiz. Ruel woke uppletely. He had just contacted them about the attack during the day yesterday. It seems that the fact that he hid himself was a bigger blow to the Red Ash than he thought. ¨C This afternoon¡­ well, actually you called yesterday. This is certainly something that my teacher and I didn¡¯t expect toe this quickly. ¡°So?¡± -Of course, we got them. You¡¯ll soon find out which noble attacked you. I contacted you wondering if you would be alright to return as soon as possible Ruel fiddled with a thick bandage. ¡®Can I move?¡¯ ¡ªNo, if you touch it, it will bleed! Leo purred, pulling Ruel¡¯s hand. -¡­blood? What does that mean? ¡ªRuel is hurt¡­ Ruel caught Leo¡¯s mouth a littlete because of his stomach. There was a moment of silence. ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ll be leaving soon.¡± -Now, hold on a second! Leo just said you¡¯re hurt. Pop. Ruel turned off themunication device. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªTh-This body is busy sleeping right now. Leo went straight into the nket and wriggled. ¡°Come here.¡± He asked, sticking his ears out of the nket. ¡ªAre you angry? ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Anyway, Ganien is a dog like Cassion, if he gets near, he will notice the problem and nag. Leo, who was slowly sticking out his face, smiled and rubbed his face into Ruel¡¯s hands. ¡°But your mouth is too light.¡± ¡ª¡­! Leo looked at Ruel, still stiff. ¡ªThis¡­this body¡¯s mouth is loose. Wh-what just happened, it¡¯s just, it-it was a mistake! Please don¡¯t stop this body from eating snacks. How sad this body was at that time, Ruel doesn¡¯t know! Leo urgently hung on Ruel¡¯s arm and cried. Ruel justughed and called Cassion. Cassion appeared with a candle. ¡°I¡¯ll cut off Ganien¡¯s head.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it weird to leave him alone when he keeps getting on my nerves?¡± ¡°We¡¯ll slowly get ready to leave.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, the wound hasn¡¯t healed yet, so you have to avoid moving now.¡± ¡°It looks like Noah will find something soon, and the Ganien side has been sorted out sooner than expected, so now we have to get ready to go back to Setiria.¡± While time was running out, Ruel thought about who was working with Cyronian¡¯s nobility in Leponia. It was, in his opinion, the second prince. Since the Kuhn family was a noble family charged with protecting the royal family, making it difficult to touch them without any evidence, but no one else came to mind. ¡®For now, let¡¯s listen and think about what the guy Ganien caught will say.¡¯ ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Cassion spoke emphatically. ¡°I think you should stay another week.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take a good rest when I get back to Setiria.¡± Ruel was lying so much that it made Cassion sigh. ¡®You¡¯re going to rest when you go back to Setiria?¡¯ Isn¡¯t it strange to believe his word as it is? Sadly, due to the Mana¡¯s oath, it was impossible for him to beat sense into Ruel. ¡°Did you hear what Ganien said?¡± ¡°I heard. I know why Ruel-nim wants to move.¡± As long as Huswen¡¯s side has the evidence, the nobles will be immediately searched and transported. At that time, what card would the nobles put forward? It was the whereabouts of the missing Ruel. When Ruel is there, Huswen will gain more strength and they won¡¯t have a scapegoat to me. ¡°I know, but it¡¯s still strange to prevent their scheming.¡± ¡ªCassion is saying this out of concern for Ruel. (Leo) Ruel snorted at Leo¡¯s words. He must be worried about himself, not Ruel. If he dies, Cassion dies. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I know, but what worries me is the next thing.¡± (Cassion) Ruel yed with Breath, a little surprised at the sight of real concern. ¡®It¡¯s been a while since I gave you a new sword.¡¯ ¡°If they expand their search range, they wille close to here. Even if you manage to get out of the siege after that, you will have no choice but to run into them at least once. I don¡¯t know what will happen at that time, so I¡¯m insisting you go after the wound heals.¡± A ck-blooded man could appear again. Ruel was wounded and Cassion could not predict what the consequences would be if he attempted another purification. ¡°My judgment was good.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± At the sudden sound, Cassion waited for the next word. ¡°What they expect is an unhealthy, very sick man who can¡¯t even walk without a cane.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°Who would think that such a lord would be an adventurer? It¡¯s the same reason why they can¡¯t find this ce.¡± Cassion closed his mouth tight. The method was good. However, it meant that he would push himself to the end. ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of time. We¡¯ll start when the sun rises.¡± It was fortunate that he would see what the ice castle looked like before leaving. ¡°Oh, can I put a warp device here?¡± ¡°Do as you please¡­¡± The sound of gnashing of teeth followed. *** ¡°It¡¯s a race against time. Leave before they know the assassination failed.¡± ¡°Ganien, with the oath of the blue knight, you must bring them down before me.¡± Ganien stopped talking as he recalled Huswen¡¯s words. The group that attacked Huswen was second-rate at best. The confession was also quick. But that alonecked evidence. At best, all he knew was the names of some of the nobles. It was just the beginning. ¡°Whoa, whoa.¡± Among allied opponents, only ten families were spected to have orchestrated the assassination. They lost two. It was too hasty. Also, he was unaware of the history of the royal knights. This was also why he asked the threemanders not to leak any mentions of power outside when Huswen ascended the throne. Ganien looked at the snow-covered mansion. Ganien was catching the traitorous aristocrats in the West. Sien was in charge of catching the nobles in charge of the East and some that were scattered farther away. Ruel put Hina next to Huswen, worried that there was only one Knight left to guard the royal family. ¡°Sigh.¡± When Ganien exhaled, white steam leaked out. Winters in Cyronian were always harsh. But never as fierce as now. As soon as he stepped down, Ganien expressed his frustration. ¡°We came to catch the traitor under His Majesty¡¯smand. If he disobeys, kill him.¡± ¡°Alright!¡± Among the nobles in charge of the West, the presumed nobleman who ordered the attack on Ruel was Count Iria Promien, the center of the noblemen of the West. The men were divided into five groups and scattered to catch the rest of the Western nobles, and Ganien came himself to catch Iria. As Ganien and the blue knight approached the main gate, the guard panicked and stopped them. Ganien showed the king¡¯s seal and said, ¡°Get out of the way.¡± ¡°Wh, what¡¯s going on¡­¡± As soon as Ganien pulled out his sword of the sheath, their neck fell. ¡°Open it.¡± The rest of the guard shuddered before opening the door. Whisper. When the Blue Knights, who were supposed to be guarding the royal family came, the servants watched their faces carefully, terrified. Chak. As soon as Ganien stopped, the following knights stopped at the same time. Ganien looked at the attendant with infinitely cold eyes. ¡°Show me where your master is.¡± ¡°Fo, follow me.¡± At the irresistible order, the servant wept and walked forward. As the Blue Knights walked down the hallway, Iria, the owner of this ce, was seening down the stairs. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Iria angrily pointed a finger at Ganien with no real anger in his voice. When the king passed away, it was customary for the royal knights toe and announce the news. Therefore, it was rather difficult to hide his joy. ¡°No matter how much the Blue Knight protects His Majesty, this is my house! At least ¡­¡± Iria shut up in an instant. It was because he was overwhelmed by Ganien¡¯s momentum. ¡°Your Majesty ordered me to arrest the traitor, Iria Promien!¡± Along with Ganien¡¯s loud words, an order was shown bearing the king¡¯s seal. The attendants immediately lowered their heads, and only then did Iriae to his senses. Tremble. He fell down with shaking legs, perhaps because it had been him who had just shook his finger at Ganien not long ago. This wasn¡¯t the news he was waiting for. He failed. It¡¯s a failure. All the dreams he had until yesterday were disappearing into fantasy. ¡°Take him.¡± There was no cry for help against Ganien¡¯s momentum. It was too scary. Ganien quietly pulled out his feathered earrings, walking towards Iria. ¡°Do you know this?¡± Iria¡¯s face turned white. He couldn¡¯t even ask how he got it. ¡°It is the feather of the Meru bird.¡± Chk. At the sound of teeth shing, Ganien looked at Iria and paused. ¡°I asked you if you recognized this.¡± ¡°I, I, I know.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be telling me everything about who instigated it.¡± Living a life that ordinary people can¡¯t stand, Iria finally bit the bitter fruit. ¡°You stay and guard this ce. From now on, anyone who crosses the gates of this mansion will be killed.¡± Sssaa. The bloody momentum swept through the entire mansion. ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Some of the blue knights remained behind to guard the door of the mansion. ¡°Giddy Up!¡± The horses they charged forward. Chapter 83: Playing Chess (3) Chapter 83: ying Chess (3) *** ¡°¡­aww¡± Ruel swallowed a groan. As soon as he woke up, his stomach ached as if it had been cut out by a knife. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Aris shook his head as he tried toy Ruel down again. ¡°No, it¡¯s just a little sore.¡± He had woke up suddenly with his stomach painfully throbbing. Leo brought the cane. Ruel stroked Leo and held his cane. Cassion reluctantly opened his mouth. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve forgotten the promise you made with me?¡± He finally got a promise from Ruel that he would stay for a week if the wound burst before leaving the ice castle. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel stood up proudly in front of Cassion. He walked at first with a cane and then without his cane. Every step he took was fine except for the throbbing pain. Ruel approached Cassion and smiled, handing him the cane. ¡°Aren¡¯t you hurt?¡± It was much slower than usual, but the wound was healing thanks to the power of recovery. Cassion opened his mouth with a strong grip on his cane. ¡°Yes, but it didn¡¯t burst.¡± ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? It seems to hurt every time you walk.¡± Aris knew the expression of enduring pain. Every time Ruel moved, that expression was made. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to being sick.¡± Ruel smiled as if to assure them, but somehow it sounded sad. Ruel spread his arms in advance. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be heavily armed leaving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s impossible to bundle up like before because of the wound. Instead¡­¡± What Cassion took out of his magic pouch was a white cloak. It was not a normal cloak, but enchanted. ¡°This is a thermal cape made by Aris.¡± Magic items were not made with a ¡®boong¡¯ just by infusing magic into the object. Ruel heard that in order to keep magic in an object, various magics are used, such as a magic form that allows the owner to use a certain amount of mana and allows the object to withstand mana. It was only possible for Aris to make it so quickly as he is a genius. ¡°I heard from Tyson-nim how much magic resistance Ruel-nim can withstand, and I made it considering your growth so far.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your first work, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruel smiled pleasantly. If it¡¯s a gift, you should always take it. ¡°Yes, this is my first piece. After Ruel-nim acquired that title, you seemed to hate the color ck, so I dyed the cape white.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good choice.¡± Ruel wanted to raise his thumb right away. ¡ªThis body too, do you have one for this body? Leo ran to Aris right away and rubbed his face against his leg. Aris took out a white cloth and tied it to Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°It¡¯s the same material as Ruel-nim¡¯s.¡± ¡ªWith Ruel? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Leo jumped from ce to ce. Aris looked at Leo cutely and turned to look at Ruel at the pping sound. Gulp. Since it was his first work, it would be a big problem if he calcted the resistance level wrong. The cloak covered Ruel¡¯s body. ¡°I like it because it¡¯s warm.¡± Aris smiled broadly at Ruel¡¯s smile. ¡°Do you feel nauseous or dizzy?¡± Still, he asked about his condition just in case. ¡°There isn¡¯t.¡± Ruel answered briefly and reached out to Cassion. Cassion handed over the fox mask to Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Aris, change your appearance with magic with Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes, I will change it back to how it was before.¡± Three adventurers, Han, Cassion and Aris, have already contacted Ganien and asked him to make a record of entering Cyronian a month ago. When asked if Cassion and Aris would be caught because they had the same name, Ruel weed them. The three adventurers¡¯ origins and track record were perfect. When Ruel thought of the time the Red Ash would be wasting, he naturallyughed. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel grabbed his stomach and came out. ¡°¡­Wow.¡± As soon as he came out, Ruel naturally admired the view. The white scenery seen from the window and the white scenery seen directly with the eyes was different. It was a magnificent view. It was like a world full of innocence and purity. ¡°It¡¯s a boring ce,¡± Cassion spoke out inly. ¡°But it¡¯s also a beautiful ce. It¡¯s charm changes with every time I see it. As it¡¯s the closest ce to the sky, it¡¯s a ce where you can see stars so close at night.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel smiled. He wanted to count those many stars there were in the night, but he had to depart now. He moved his feet, leaving his regrets behind. *** As he stepped out of the Ice Castle and entered a small nearby vige, Cassion sensed a sharp atmosphere. As expected, they expanded their search to near the Ice Castle. Not knowing if he was aware, Ruel was slyly talking to the merchants. Ruel soon smiled brightly, looking at Cassion and Aris, and pointed his finger at the carriage. ¡°Get in.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim is very sociable.¡± Aris whispered softly to Cassion. ¡°He must be good at acting.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Aris followed Cassion, who moved first. ¡°It¡¯s a carriage that goes to the capital, but he¡¯s in trouble because there¡¯s no adventurer. I decided to go to the capital, too, and escort him while sleeping and getting something to eat, brother.¡± Ruel opened his mouth innocently. For a moment, Cassion felt goosebumps all over his body. ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden? Leo tilted his head. ¡ªRuel doesn¡¯t call Cassion that nice. Ruel kept opening his mouth, enduring the urge to hold Leo¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I made my own decisions.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Cassion and Aris flinched for a moment. ¡°But our horses froze to death, so there was no way to go to the capital.¡± ¡°Well, yes.¡± Cassion managed to answer. He almost forgot that he had to adjust to the acting. ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± When Ruel smiled broadly, Cassion struggled to hide his crumpled face. ¡ªRuel, Ruel, what¡¯s wrong with you? Cassion didn¡¯t do nothing. Or does it hurt a lot? Oh! You have a little fever! Ruel then turned to Aris. Ruel immediately asked because he could see that he was at a loss. ¡°You¡¯re okay, too, brother?¡± Aris was the same age as Ruel, but Aris looked older because of his size and height. ¡°Ye, yeah, it¡¯s alright.¡± When Aris forced a smile, Ruel hinted at him. ¡®Shouldn¡¯t you like it if I call you brother? What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯ ¡ªRuel, what¡¯s wrong with you? Cassion and Aris are all weird! Leo managed to grab his head with his short front paws. ¡°Haha, colleagues are on good terms with each other.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Oh, thank you again.¡± When Ruel bowed his head lightly, the man waved his hands. ¡°Thank you very much! We were worried about theck of personnel to escort us. We¡¯ll leave in 30 minutes, so I¡¯m here to tell you that if you have something urgent to do now, you¡¯d better hurry up.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your consideration.¡± Ruel had already finished introducing himself as an adventurer from Leponia to that merchant, considering that it would be a problemter. Seeing the merchants go away, Ruel pretended to go to the market and whispered to them. ¡°Cassion is first, Aris, you are second.¡± ¡ªWhat about this body? ¡°You¡¯re Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body is originally Leo. Seeing Leo puzzled, Ruel went on again. ¡°I introduced myself as an adventurer from Leponia, and I received the request because I showed them the adventurer¡¯s certificate. Do you know what the situation is?¡± ¡°Yes, it would have been better if you had told me in advance. Do you see the goose bumps?¡± Cassion rolled up his sleeves to show his skin with goosebumps. ¡®When I was looking for the Knights, you used to say ¡®brother¡¯ a long time ago.¡¯ Ruel saw Aris. ¡°Aris, what about you?¡± ¡°I understand. Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°No, give me some medicine.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, I¡­¡± ¡°The wound hasn¡¯t burst yet.¡± Cassion sighed and handed over the painkiller to Ruel. Even if he supported Ruel, it would not be easy as long as he traveled as an adventurer. ¡®It¡¯s important to prevent anything from happening in advance.¡¯ Aftering to Cyronian, the assassination missions had stopped for a while, and the number of missions to be investigated in Cryonian has decreasedpared to Setiria. Most of all, after returning to the Ice Castle, my hometown, it was clear my subordinates had be indolent. Cassion thought it was okay. *** It took about two days to get to the capital. The merchant selected by Ruel chose a good path, even if it was small in size, to travel. In case of a possible danger, Cassion ordered his men to clean up the way for the merchants in advance. Thanks to that, there was no great danger, and there were no monsters roaming around or bandits blocking the way. The capital was visible in the distance. One of the merchant members who left on reconnaissance returned to the merchant owner and reported. ¡°There are soldiers blocking the road with wooden barricades in front of us.¡± ¡°The soldiers?¡± The merchant owner asked back with a puzzled look. It¡¯s been decades since he¡¯s taken this road. He didn¡¯t see soldiers blocking the way except for special things. Cassion already noticed through his men that they were enemies disguised as soldiers and reported to Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s a merchant in name, but isn¡¯t it strange that the thief doesn¡¯t appear at all?¡± It was right to confront once because it could have been suspected that nothing happened and to reach the merchant on the road smoothly. They were just scapegoats for it. Ruel inhaled Breath calmly, unlike the uneasy atmosphere at the merchant. The merchant carriage stopped in front of a wooden barricade. The merchant owner got out of the carriage and opened his mouth to the soldiers. ¡°Why did you block the road? There was no announcement from the country in advance.¡± ¡°There was news that a vicious killer was passing by this road, so I just blocked the road for a while. I¡¯ll just check your ID and send it to you right away.¡± A murderer. It was news he hadn¡¯t heard. But the opponents were soldiers. It was a wise choice to pass by smoothly rather than causing trouble. ¡°Alright.¡± The merchant owner exined the situation to the members of the merchant and gave the same exnation to Ruel¡¯s party. Everyone got off the carriage for confirmation and collected each identification card and handed it over to the soldier. ¡°The number is the same as the number of identification cards.¡± The soldier opened his eyes red to look for Ruel, who was hidden in it, one by one. The soldier wrinkled his eyes only after confirming them as adventurers. ¡®It¡¯s all real ID cards.¡¯ Usually, a specific mana is nted in the ID, so the soldier had an item that identifies that mana in his arms. Nothing ever sounded like a fake. Thinking that it was a waste again, a man wearing a mask alone stepped on his eyes. ¡°Hey, I need you to take off your mask.¡± Following the soldier¡¯s raised mouth corners, Ruel also raised mouth corners. ¡°Isn¡¯t checking the evidence first? Aren¡¯t you a soldier?¡± Because monsters and misceneous things exist in every country, the same tokens were distributed to adventurers in every country. Adventurers were rtively free to go back and forth regardless of their status or country. Therefore, the token was absolute for the adventurer. Unlike normal IDs, the adventurer¡¯s certificate could be checked if it was one¡¯s own or not by infusing mana on the spot without any magic items. Due to the nature of the soldier¡¯s job, where he has to deal with many adventurers, he should already know that fact. He should have checked if the token was real, not the mask. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel¡¯s words spread like waves and turned the mood around. The merchant members were also one of the jobs that often encountered adventurers. One by one, the merchant people also looked at the soldiers with suspicious eyes. The men disguised as soldiers showed their true colors. ¡°This is why quick-witted things are annoying.¡± Their numbers are 20 including hidden colleagues. There are only eight escorts at the merchant, including adventurers. It was worth a try. ¡°Kill him.¡± When a soldier who appeared to be the head of the enemy gave orders to the other soldiers, Ruelughed at them and inhaled Breath. ¡°These days, bandits do all sorts of things.¡± The rabbit jumped at the tiger. *** ¡°Your Majesty, you can¡¯t do this!¡± The Marquis looked at Huswen and raised his voice. The nobles who followed also spoke in one voice. When the aristocrats in the east and west were caught one after another under the charge of treason, the remaining aristocrats stood up. The crime of treason was not the name of anyone¡¯s dog, and even the nobles who were caught had already passed 10 people. This is not a cornerstone for strengthening royal power, but what is it? ¡°What do you mean?¡± Huswen looked at the Marquis with displeasure. ¡°Even if the crime of harming Your Majesty is decapitated right away, the conviction will wee it with open arms. But what is the crime of harming the representative of the missing delegation?¡± Treason was a matter that should not be touched, no matter what one¡¯s status. So, the Marquis slightly looked around and mentioned Ruel Setiria. ¡°What do you mean by the Lord of Setiria disappearing? Lord of Setiria was attacked on the way back from Dotol, and the person who instigated this was Count Iria Promien and the captured nobles.¡± Another wrinkle was carved between Huswen¡¯s brows. The Marquis rolled his eyes for a moment. Why do you keep mentioning that the missing Ruel Setiria has not disappeared? ¡°Don¡¯t you ask what that means?¡± The Marquis raised the corners of his mouth slightly at Huswen¡¯s shout. He must have wanted to buy time. Time to find Ruel Setiria, time to find the sins of the nobles. Can you give me that chance? ¡°With all due respect, it has already been a week since Lord Setiria disappeared from Dotol. This news has spread throughout the capital, but how is Your Majesty referring to the missing Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°Then I am oppressing them by making a crime that doesn¡¯t exist when the representative of the delegation has disappeared!¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that¡­¡± ¡°In the first ce, you probably don¡¯t know what it means to say that Lord Setiria disappeared.¡± The representative of the delegation who came to ept the alliance disappeared. This was a major problem that could lead to war. ¡°This is an act of insulting the entire delegation in Leponia, which is like insulting Leponia. Can you handle it, Marquis?¡± Something was out of the ordinary. I heard that he put pressure on Cyronian to find Ruel Setiria, who also disappeared in Leponia. But what exactly is Huswen¡¯s confidence? ¡°Aren¡¯t you asking me if I¡¯m bringing out something I can¡¯t handle right now?¡± It was also a crime to spread false rumors. The Marquis thought carefully and opened his mouth. ¡°Your Majesty, this lowly subject is worried about the safety of the country with one heart. I request for you to call for Setiria¡¯s lord.¡± What if Huswen¡¯s confidence is a lie? No matter how things turned out, now was a golden opportunity to destroy Huswen¡¯s power and seize power. He couldn¡¯t miss it. ¡°Lord Setiria is not feeling well right now so I can¡¯t call for him.¡± Also. The Marquis¡¯ face lit up. The bravado was a bluff. ¡°But.¡± An unpleasant word popped out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go see it yourself?¡± Huswen smiled. The Marquis¡¯ brow wriggled. ¡°Before that, I will tell you clearly, no matter how noble you are, the honor of the delegation has been tarnished, so you who are standing now will have to pay for all your sins.¡± ¡°Of course, Your Majesty, if the news heard by this lowly subject is wrong.¡± The Marquis was sure. Huswen is buying time now. I can¡¯t give you more time. ¡°Your Majesty, I want you to tell me where the lord of Setiria is.¡± ¡°Sir Croft.¡± Huswen suddenly called Ganien. Standing quietly next to him, he strode out and bowed to Huswen. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°You will guide him.¡± ¡°Alright, Your Majesty.¡± Why Ganien? The marquis turned his head quickly. ¡°Your Majesty, Lord Croft has a heavy duty to protect you. I¡¯ll go with others.¡± Huswenughed. ¡°The lord of Setiria is staying in Lord Croft¡¯s vi. Isn¡¯t it right for Lord Croft, the owner, to go with you?¡± It was augh. It was Ganien¡¯s vi that was the first ce to check after Ruel Setiria disappeared. Not even Ruel Setiria could be found there, not even the royal knights he had brought. The Marquis replied, pressing the corners of his mouth, which seemed to fly high at any moment. ¡°I understand.¡± Author''s ThoughtsHooray ?? new cover is here & I''m back but slowly.?? Thank you for waiting so patiently! Love u all???? ~uwu, Leo is so cutteeeee ?? Chapter 84.1 - Ruel the piper (1) Chapter 84.1 - Ruel the piper (1) It was strange. He must be dreaming. Beforeing to the pce today, he had Ganien¡¯s vi checked. But who are these knights that get along so well with the Blue Knights and trained so intensively that you would be dumbfounded just by looking at them? Why are those knights wearing the insignia of the Leponia Royal Knights? Why are you greeting Ganien so warmly? Why? ¡°It¡¯splicated because the number of family members has increased. We ask for your understanding.¡± Ganien smiled lightly. The Marquis and the nobles following him could not hide their bitter expressions. The missing Royal Knights of Leponia had reappeared. It can¡¯t be. ¡®I don¡¯t think so. It shouldn¡¯t be!¡¯ The Marquis shook his fists. ¡°Come this way, please.¡± Following Ganien¡¯s guidance, the Marquis and his followers arrived in front of the room where Ruel Setiria was. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Before they could open the door, a cough greeted them. It sounded like an indicator they were heading to hell. ¡°As I said before, Lord Setiria is not feeling well, so please keep the conversation as short as possible.¡± With a warning, Ganien opened the door. Thump. Thump. The Marquis¡¯ heart beat wildly. His legs were so wobbly that even the feeling in his hands and feet was disappearing. ¡°Sorry, Ruel. The guests are here.¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s alright.¡± He heard a faint sound. The soft voice was Ruel¡¯s. The moment the curtains over the bed were opened, the Marquis and the nobles grew cold in an instant. It was evidently Ruel Setiria who was lying in the bed. How could I mistake him? ¡°¡­Ru,ru,ru¡­ ¡± The Marquis fell to the floor clutching his chest as if he had a heart attack. How the hell is Ruel Setiria here? Isn¡¯t it magic? He wanted to shout at once. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have a visitor, but I couldn¡¯t even greet you properly.¡± Ruel stroked Leo lying next to him and expressed his embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s magic! It¡¯s definitely magic!¡± One of the nobles shouted with great surprise, but soon shut his mouth. Ruel¡¯s eyes were directed to Ganien. He pretended to exin the situation quietly to Ruel. ¡°The guests¡­ You weren¡¯t.¡± Ruel¡¯s corners of mouth rose as he saw them devastated. ¡°You¡¯vee all the way here, whether you¡¯re a guest or not, so I¡¯ll just think of it as if you¡¯re here to visit. But before that, let me stress one thing.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and pointed to his ear. ¡°I was just lying here in bed, but the rumors were so strong that I heard very clearly how I had disappeared. Perhaps we should listen to that nonsense directly from the source.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes looking at them sank coldly. *** ¡°Sigh.¡± Ruel sighed. Seeing them shaking, the pressure they felt seemed to be relieved, but simply looking at them made him tired. Ganien¡¯s giggling and snickering didn¡¯t stop next to him. ¡°¡­I¡¯m d.¡± Aris arrivedte, heard the exnation from Ruel, and finally took a breather. Most of the shadows took care of the situation ahead of time, but they were dyed by unexpected events such as an enemy disguised as guards or andslide blocking the way. In the end, Cassion was able toe before the nobles arrived at the vi by a slim margin carrying Ruel in his arms. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Cassion-nim, something really big would have happened.¡± Aris praised Cassion, but Cassion looked calm. Cassion had already received the opportunity to take a sword from the Cryonian royal treasury. He didn¡¯t even get carried away with the barely-passingpliment. ¡ªThis body also warmed Ruel. Leo stared at Aris intently. ¡°Well done, Leo. If it wasn¡¯t for Leo, Ruel-nim would have caught a cold.¡± ¡ªHehehe. Leo¡¯s tail swung wildly. ¡°Yourplexion is not good. How about taking a break now?¡± Cassion said kindly to Ruel¡¯s tired-looking face. For a moment, Ruel frowned. ¡°Act as usual. It¡¯s creepy.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion changed his way of speaking and suggested it again. ¡°You¡¯ve been exposed to a lot of cold air. Because you came here in a carriage¡­¡± ¡°Bring Bianne before me.¡± ¡°Now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Cyronian knight in front of you. You¡¯re being too confident.¡± It was ufortable for Ganien to turn a blind eye to the fact that they were openly nning on infiltrating an underground prison. ¡°I exined everything in advance, and His Majesty must have allowed it.¡± ¡°I know. It¡¯s just a little ufortable.¡± Ruel turned to look at Cassion. ¡°You must have attached the shadows one by one, right?¡± ¡°I attached them all.¡± First, the Marquis and nobles were sent back nicely. Let them mistakenly believe that there is not enough conclusive evidence to capture them. So we can turn around and expose the evidence. The shadows will wait and seize the moment the evidence they hidees out. ¡°So, what happened to the wound?¡± Ganien asked Ruel. When Cassion brought Ruel in, he smelt a familiar strong iron scent. It wasn¡¯t any normal wound. ¡°There must be something you can tell me before that.¡± At Ruel¡¯s rxed smile, Ganien folded his arms and made a discontented look. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s right for me, a debtor, to bow my head.¡± ¡°Yes, you should bow down.¡± Ganien sighed deeply and opened his mouth. ¡°It was Count Iria Promien who gave the order to attack you, and that order came down from the Red Ash.¡± ¡°Red Ash. Who?¡± ¡°The order came in a letter and he said he didn¡¯t know who it was. The letter was burned immediately. But the evidence of your attack is clear, so His Majesty will punish him.¡± ¡®You cut off the tail cleanly.¡¯ If we searched his house now, there won¡¯t be any evidence. It was too bad. ¡°It¡¯s one thing about your attack, but I got my hands on additional interesting news.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°He said he had received an attack n from Corrence Lumina, a lord from Leponia.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel recalled the attack n that one of the Red Ash had left out when he robbed their temporary hideout. Originally, it should have been transferred to the Tonisk Empire, but he had secured it himself. ¡®Corrence handed over the attack n to Iria, and Iria handed it back to Red Ash again?¡¯ There¡¯s no way that Corrence could have moved himself. ¡°Who¡¯s the middle man?¡± ¡°Originally, it was Matyros who used poison on you, but it changed midway through.¡± When the name Matyros was mentioned, Ruel looked at Aris. From his angry expression, he noticed that Aris hadn¡¯t shaken off Matyros yet. It was not an easy memory to forget. Ganien also stopped talking for a moment and followed Ruel¡¯s gaze. And soon he looked apologetic. He mentioned his name in the presence of Aris without any sense. ¡°I¡¯m fine. You can continue.¡± Aris replied, embarrassed by the two men¡¯s gaze. ¡®So, does that mean that the ves stolen by Matyros went to Cyronian?¡¯ Tap. Tap. Ruel tapped his thigh. ¡°He said he didn¡¯t know the name of the new individual. Anyway, I said it with confidence because it had the Lumina family¡¯s crest on it.¡± Ganien handed over the magic item. ¡°I left a record with magic, so check it out.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll contact you as soon as I find out more during the rest of the interrogation.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ganien rose from his seat. ¡°His Majesty asked me to let him know when you intend to leave.¡± ¡°Two dayster.¡± ¡°So soon? What about the wound?¡± ¡°It would be better for His Majesty and Cyronian if I leave quickly.¡± It is impossible to punish the aristocracy in the presence of delegations from other countries. Knowing that, Huswen must have asked Ganien about his intentions. He had to leave Cyronian anyway. He stayed in Cyronian longer than expected, and while the incident was roughly outlined, he will obtain all the information he needed with the news brought by Bianne. As soon as Huswen handed over the final reward given to him, they would be finished. ¡°Ganien, ask when the royal treasury will open. I have to go pick out something.¡± ¡°More than that, where did you get hurt? There¡¯s no way Cassion wasn¡¯t watching. I was sure Cassion was unbeatable.¡± ¡°I met the Great One.¡± Ruel smiled and briefly exined the situation where he met the Great One. Ganien was speechless. And after looking at Aris and Cassion once, he stood up quietly from his seat. ¡°¡­then, rest.¡± After confirming that Ganien was out, Ruel said. ¡°Take a shadow and report every story thates out during the interrogation of the nobles.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± If the opponent was Ganien, he wouldn¡¯t have to add a shadow, but Huswen was different. Because he is a king, he will act in the interests of his country in the end. There will surely be information that is cut off in the middle. Ruel had to know everything though. ¡®¡­Corence Lumina.¡¯ An unexpected person was named. For now, ¡®I won¡¯t touch Setiria. There is no retaliation,¡¯ the Mana¡¯s oath is at stake, but it was different before. If he had interacted with the Red Ash before, it could have been enough for him to be the one who nted the disease in Ruel. Ruel closed his eyes and opened them. He was tired. ¡°Ruel-nim, isn¡¯t it too early to leave in two days?¡± Aris asked insinuatingly while ying with Leo in the corner. Leo tapped Aris¡¯ hand. It was a sign to y. ¡°That¡¯s what I think.¡± Cassion also helped. Riding in the wagon itself was hard on the body, and the cold wind was blowing strongly while carrying out the mission as an adventurer. In the end, while rushing on the way to the vi, didn¡¯t the wound burst? ¡°How much longer do you think I can stay?¡± Contrary to their expectations, Ruel¡¯s response was cooperative. ¡°A week¡­ No, why don¡¯t you stay for another four days then leave?¡± Cassion personally knew that he had to leave as soon as possible. But the wound needed time to heal again. In fact, four days were not enough because of the slow recovery. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Get some more rest¡­?¡± Cassion stopped talking and doubted his ears. ¡ªIs Ruel sick? Leo jumped up and put his front paw on Ruel¡¯s head. ¡ªRuel always does the opposite of Cassion¡¯s words. Ruel, who answers easily, is strange. They heard a shortugh from Aris, but it disappeared in an instant as Ruel¡¯s gaze turned to Aris. ¡°Then, I will pass it on to Ganien, assuming that we are leaving in four days. I will also report to His Highness Banios, so please restfortably.¡± What¡¯s the point of waiting one more day? Cassion¡¯s face smirked. ¡°Follow me for a moment, beast.¡± Cassion had previously helped Leo and was thinking of taking Leo for a while so that Ruel could sleep morefortably. ¡ªAlright, Ruel, I¡¯ll go ande back after a while. Sleep well. Leo rubbed his face against Ruel and then followed Cassion, who was retreating. ¡°Then I¡¯ll wait outside.¡± Aris also went out in relief. ¡®Why do you all like it so much?¡¯ Two days was the minimum amount of time he had set. However, considering his physical condition, he thought it was impossible and allowed Cassion¡¯s suggestion. Ruel closed his eyes while looking at the room where he was the only one left. ¡®It¡¯s been quiet for the first time in a while.¡¯ Ruel forced himself to sleep, wrapping his stomach that was throbbing even if he took painkillers. ¡®I just have to get better.¡¯ Chapter 84.2 - Ruel the piper (1) Chapter 84.2 - Ruel the piper (1) *** -You¡¯re leaving in four days? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the n.¡± Cassion answered Banios. Next to him, Leo was licking the ice cream excitedly. -I heard you couldn¡¯t even tour properly because of the Red Ash. After all, an investigation into treason or whatever isn¡¯t something that can be done overnight, so why don¡¯t you wait to go back home a little more leisurely? ¡°That¡¯s what Ruel intends. I just deliver.¡± -You¡¯re so boring. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± -So, listen to me. Aren¡¯t you good at listening? ¡°Your Highness¡¯s butler will be morefortable than I am.¡± -Oh, I asked the butler to run some errands. There¡¯s tea I must have for lunch. Anyway, a few days ago, I drank with my brothers after a long time without seeing each other. Cassion frowned and had to listen to what Banios had to say. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It must have been intentional from the start. Why him? Cassion made up his mind and took out his sword and polished it carefully. -¡­ So there was a lot of conversation going on, it would have been really fun in the past, but this drinking party was the worst. The second older brother tries to dig pits for me, and the older brother kept supporting me. There was a sound of the door opening over themunications device. Cassion thought it was over, but Banios¡¯ words didn¡¯t stop. -Suddenly, I felt bad, since when did my eldest brother give up the throne? Cassion heard the sound of drinking tea. -Thinking about it, it was five years ago, towards the end of the year when a big incident happened to Lord Setiria. ¡°¡­I hear you well.¡± Cassion stopped. He wondered why Banios was talking for a long time, but in the end, it was to let him know. There was something between the first prince and second prince. -I¡¯ll dig it up, so please tell Lord Setiria toe back safely. My second brother seems to have done something, so be careful. ¡°Alright.¡± That¡¯s the end of themunication. The second prince had started to move. The information will be uncertain as Banios¡¯ power within the royal family is weak. Nevertheless, the warning was due to the high possibility. Whatever the consequences were obvious. ¡®He hired an assassin. The moment Ruel leaves the capital, the target is the carriage.¡¯ Because he was an assassin, he was as clear as a palm of his hand. ¡®I won¡¯t let Ruel know so he doesn¡¯t mind¡­¡¯ Cassion saw Leo. When Leo was caught in the eye, he was wary, hugging the bowl of ice cream. ¡ªI have nothing for Cassion. ¡°You heard it all, right?¡± ¡ªWhat, what are you talking about? Leo averted his gaze. ¡°If you don¡¯t say anything to Ruel, I¡¯ll make you one more.¡± ¡ªReally! Don¡¯t worry. The mouth of this body is heavy! There was no credibility. ¡°If you break this promise, I won¡¯t make your snack for a month. Keep that in mind.¡± ¡ª¡­how much is a month? Once surprised, Leo asked, unsure. ¡°About 30 of your forepaws?¡± Then Leo was in shock. Then he looked at his front paws in a hurry. ¡ªThis, this, this body will never talk. This body¡¯s mouth is closed tight! ¡°Are you going to ept this deal?¡± ¡ªYes! This body wants more ice cream. Leo smiled broadly and wagged his tail. He couldn¡¯t trust it even if he promised him again, but what could he do? That light-mouthed fox has already heard it all. As Cassion rose from his seat, Leo followed him and said. ¡ªThis body likes Cassion. ¡°It¡¯s only because I feed you.¡± ¡ªThe food of this body is Ruel. Cassion paused for a moment and then opened his mouth again. ¡°Then it¡¯s only when I give you snacks.¡± ¡ªNo! It¡¯s also good when Cassion doesn¡¯t give this body snacks. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Cassion answered dryly and prepared to make ice cream while watching the fox rubbing his head against his legs. *** ¡°¡­so I¡¯m going back in two days.¡± Despite Ruel¡¯s report, Tyson was busy examining Ruel¡¯splexion with an uneasy look. -You don¡¯t look good. Are you hurt? ¡°There is a hole in the stomach.¡± ¡®Even if I waited to go back to Setiria, it was not a wound that would heal by then.¡¯ Wouldn¡¯t it be better to break the news first since there is some time before they nned to depart, so his mind will calm down in the meantime? -I¡¯m going to go now. But it was an illusion. It seemed that Tyson¡¯s murderous spirit could be felt through themunication device. ¡°Uncle, I think it¡¯s best to hear who hurt me first.¡± Ruel stroked Leo, who had been holding his mouth since yesterday. Ruel passed the day in a daze and he didn¡¯t know what had happened in the meantime to Leo. -Tell me. ¡°He¡¯s a strong man.¡± Tyson looked at Ruel with a nk face. Tysonughed together as he smiled. -You¡¯ve improved your jokes while I haven¡¯t seen you. ¡°I¡¯m not kidding.¡± -¡­ ¡°I¡¯m telling you in advance not to be surprised.¡± -Are you alright? ¡°I want to ask you something.¡± -Tell me. ¡°Is Setiria special?¡± Tyson¡¯s expression subsided. He hesitated a little and opened his mouth. ¨C If it is my big brother¡­ He might have known. I¡¯m sorry. ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± It was as if he had touched the wrong switch. It seemed that Tyson¡¯s guilt, which had finally settled, would pierce the floor. Ruel immediately turned his words around. ¡°How¡¯s the analysis of the ck water going?¡± -I think I¡¯ll know for sure when youe back. ¡°Are you saying you need to see the purification in person?¡± Tyson nodded. -Check how Leo¡¯s purification differs from yours¡­ In particr, your mana is needed. ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel replied with a puzzled look. It was difficult to understand why he needed his mana. -I¡¯m sorry, Ruel, but I couldn¡¯t find the warlock. ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll find it.¡± The ck magician in the web novel ¡®SSS ss Knight¡¯ was not well-recognized. They felt more like sorcerers than wizards. However, Tyson said they are fake, and a real warlock is given a special mission unlike other wizards as guides of death. He added that he was only named a wizard to use Mana, but it isfortable to think of him as a separate being. -I said so confidently that I could find it. ¡°I¡¯ll see you when I get back.¡± Ruel cut off themunication right before Tyson said anything else. And he inhaled Breath and insinuatingly looked at Cassion. There was a sigh at once. ¡°It¡¯s hard for us to find it, too.¡± ¡°Look for it anyway.¡± ¡®It¡¯s my master¡¯s order, so I shall do it even if he tells me to look for diamonds in the sand.¡¯ ¡°I see, but the results may not be good.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel closed his eyes again. Soon the sound of breathing deepened. However, it was quite irregr, so Cassion thought he had to watch him carefully today. ¡ªIs Ruel sleeping again? He slept all day yesterday. Leo asked, lowering his front paw that covered his mouth. ¡°He has to sleep so that he can recover quickly.¡± He doesn¡¯t show it, but it must be very difficult because of the many ovepping diseases, from the illness caused by the mark, the poison he has umted over the years, and the wounds he suffered from the Great One. Leo patted Ruel. ¡ªThis body is a little lonely. This body will go to Aris for a moment. Cassion nced at Leo and took out his sword and wiped it. Sak-sak. ¡ªOpen the door, please. As Leo scratched the door with his front paw, Cassion got up with a sigh. He was startled for a moment. From a certain moment, a sigh began to fly to his mouth even the slightest things. Cassion opened the door slightly with an ufortable face. ¡ªThank you. Leaving the fox behind, Cassion sat down again. Sak-sak. Only the sound of wiping the sword resounded in the quiet room. Chapter 85: Ruel the piper (2) Chapter 85: Ruel the piper (2) *** ¡°I¡¯m back! I¡¯m back!¡± Noah shouted sorrowfully next to Ruel. While waiting for him to wake up, he thought he would die waiting patiently. ¡°Quiet. My head is ringing.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel took the medicine Cassion handed him. He was so hungry because slept through the meal times. Before Ruel could reach out, Cassion handed over the meat pie. Crunch. ¡°¡­so what?¡± Ruel asked, with his heavy lids half open. ¡°Are you sending me away to have a pic in that underworld when there¡¯s nothing to eat?¡± ¡°What is there to fall for?¡± Crunch. ¡°I¡¯m not in the right mind to talk long, so keep it short.¡± He was unsure if it wasck of sleep or if Cassion snuck him sleeping pills, but drowsiness came over him again. Taktak. Leo patted his tail dissatisfied as he looked at Noah. ¡ªThis is the body that waited for Ruel to open his eyes! He¡¯s supposed to talk to this body right now, but that human took it away! As Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head, Leo rubbed his face against his hand several times as if he missed that touch. ¡ªThis body prefers Ruel to be awake. ¡°Ruel-nim is not in a state to listen to your whining, so simply tell me the information you obtained.¡± Enraged by Cassion¡¯s words, Noah intended to roll up his sleeves and showed his scars proudly. ¡°It¡¯s not whining! Don¡¯t talk about my first adventure that way. See this! This was a small tussle in the underworld¡­¡± ¡°Cough!¡± Cassion hurriedly covered Ruel¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief. Luckily it was ck blood. ¡°¡­!¡± Noah¡¯s eyes widened. Ruel vomited blood again. ¡°Just keep it short.¡± At Cassion¡¯s fierce eyes, Noah gently lowered his hand and took out the data with a dissatisfied face. ¡°Someone in the underworld was using my poison, so I asked with a crossbow to his head, and ¡­ I went somewhere, anyway, they introduced me to the ce, and I repeated the crossbow trick, and he mentioned another store. I have no idea how many times I had to hold the crossbow to their heads, but anyway, I got out of the underworld.¡± When there was no response, Noah¡¯s expression crumpled. He was even more annoyed because he couldn¡¯t even tell how much he had been running in circles and suffered because of it. ¡°After that, I hesitated because I didn¡¯t know if the crossbow trick would be effective, as it wasn¡¯t the underworld¡­so I just killed them all and did it to the remaining survivor. Then he began begging for mercy. What did he say, Lu¡­ Mino?¡± ¡°Lumina.¡± Ruel spoke briefly. ¡°You¡¯re right. He gave me the name and said that the Lumina family was their main customer. I¡¯m ignorant, so I don¡¯t know what that means.¡± Cassion politely took the data Noah handed over to Ruel. Ruel shuffled through the data handed over by Cassion and raised the corners of his mouth. He got them. Among the merchants run by the Lumina family, the merchant named Kelpe was directly rted to the Red Ash. Perhaps the merchant of Lumina, who handed over the attack n to Count Iria, was also Kelpe. ¡°How about the clean up afterwards?¡± ¡°Well, you wouldn¡¯t know I did it. Do you think a hunter should be the one hunted? I disposed of all the people who were escaping, and cleaned all traces.¡± The shadows would have done it if Noah hadn¡¯t cleaned up the traces properly. ¡°Cassion.¡± Thud. A money bag fell before Noah. ¡°Thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°Th-thank you!¡± It¡¯s best to let them think that they¡¯d get paid if they did a good job. ¡°You will follow me to the royal treasury tomorrow.¡± Noah¡¯s eyes opened wide as if to pop out. ¡°I¡¯m taking you because you asked for something good.¡± ¡°Of course! I¡¯ll work harder! I¡¯ll be prepared to bury my bones!¡± The dissatisfaction that was deeply engraved on his face was cleanly washed away. A royal treasure trove! He was excited just by hearing the words. *** ¡°It¡¯s a nice day.¡± Ruel got out of the carriage, supported by Cassion, wearing a white cloak made by Aris. After three days of sleeping, the sun felt warm. ¡ªGo see the treasure, treasure! This body has been excited since yesterday! Leo raised the corners of his mouth, staring at the ne around his neck. The royal butler, who had been waiting for them in advance, bowed and introduced himself. In front of the treasure, the only ones who openly showed their liking were Noah and Leo. Cassion and Aris didn¡¯t show it, but they were still excited. The same was true of himself. The head butler cleared his throat before opening the treasure house and opened his mouth. ¡°His Majesty said that he allowed Lord Setiria to take any number of items in the treasure house because of the great gift he received from the lord.¡± Then he nced at Cassion and Noah and continued speaking. ¡°Originally, only one person could enter this treasure house, but His Majesty generously allowed everyone here¡­ ¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± He talked too much. He was the one who got permission from Huswen to see how many people could enter. It was understandable how much he cared about his king, but Ruel didn¡¯t like the idea of being spoken to by someone who didn¡¯t know the subject. The butler looked at himself with slight bewilderment. ¡°You,¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes sank coldly. ¡°I don¡¯t know how you got to the position of head butler, but am I in such a position to be instructed by you?¡± ¡°I apologize, my lord. I have made a mistake.¡± Not liking the fact that the royal treasure house is open to outsiders, he forgot the fact that the boy in front of him was not only a boy, but a nobleman. The butler immediately bowed his head. His neck could be blown away easily. ¡°Be d that I¡¯m generous.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep your continued generosity in mind!¡± The butler replied with a bow. Contrary to how sickly the lord looked, he couldn¡¯t bear to raise his head at the tremendous momentum emanating from him. ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a minute, so wait patiently.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel went into the treasure house without looking at the butler. Squeak. The door of the warehouse closed, and Leo screamed. ¡ªWow! They¡¯re all shining! Ruel immediately grabbed Leo by the tail. It was necessary to be careful. ¡ªHick! ¡°Cough, cough.¡± With a cough, Ruel looked at the carefully organized treasure trove. It felt like a museum. ¡®It¡¯s true that everything sparkles.¡¯ Instead of a ss case, a thin film was ced on each item. It seemed to be a barrier. The tools needed to take out the items have already been obtained from Huswen. Ruel looked around, inhaling Breath. ¡°Each one is different, and it is aplex barrier. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen a magic form like this.¡± Aris carefully looked around the warehouse and took a notebook out of his arms and wrote something down. Noah had fainted from shock still, standing upright, while Cassion was nowhere to be seen. Looking, Ruel found a ce where the swords were gathered along with carefullybeled name tags. As expected. Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Cassion was spotted there, looking closely as if he were appreciating a work of art. ¡ªRuel, everyone is looking at the glittery things, but this body doesn¡¯t see. This body wants to see it too. This body likes to see shiny things. Leo beeped and cried and looked eagerly at Ruel. Ruel moved away from Noah and whispered quietly to Leo. ¡°All right, but don¡¯t touch it recklessly before my permission is given.¡± ¡ªThis body promises! This body keeps its promise! The tail waved up and down. Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head and moved on slowly. Ttak. The sound of a cane rang out loudly. ¡®What should I bring?¡¯ ¡ªWoa Don¡¯t take too many. It was neat and nice to bring only a few of the most practical things. ¡ªOoooh! Because of the barrier, the shimmering res seemed to ovep, making it difficult to ascertain what was good. ¡ªHow wonderful! Everything is great! Everything sparkles! Leo¡¯s head turned incessantly. At the same time, his mouth was not still. He left Leo alone because it wasn¡¯t bad for him toment on the objects. Looking around, he saw Aris standing in front of earrings. He wasn¡¯t writing anything in the notebook he was holding, Aris was just staring nkly at the object in front of his eyes, so Ruel used a tool to break the barrier. ¡°¡­!¡± Aris looked at Ruel in surprise. ¡°Take it, it¡¯s yours.¡± When Ruel released the barrier, it made an intense shimmering sound. He pointed with his finger as if he would vomit blood at any moment if he caught it. ¡°T-That¡¯s all right! I¡¯m already getting too much!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you want it?¡± ¡°It bothers me¡­ but I did. Well, how to say, only this one had a very beautiful color.¡± Aris looked at the earring with a calm smile, as if he had never been flustered. Originally, there was only one piece, seemingly without a matching pair. Ruel didn¡¯t know what it¡¯s function was, but it would definitely help Aris. ¡°Take it.¡± Ruel grinned and walked toward Cassion. ¡°Thank¡­you.¡± A mixture of gratitude and apology was heard quietly. ¡ªAris is always cautious. He did it even when ying with this body. ¡°What do you want to have? Decide.¡± ¡ªAre you giving this body too? Really? ¡°Yes.¡± Leo rubbed his face at Ruel in a warm voice. ¡ªHehehe. This body is so happy! Perhaps the happiest spirit in the world! Everyone seemed happy with the gift, regardless of whether it was a person or a spirit. ¡°Did you pick one?¡± Ruel approached Cassion and asked. ¡°Not yet. I was in great trouble because there were many good swords. I didn¡¯t know the ¡®ck Star¡¯ I was trying to locate was here.¡± ¡°Then you can choose that.¡± ¡°But the ¡®Root of Sapling¡¯ next to it is also one of the swords I wanted to have.¡± The conversation seemed to be prolonged. Ruel coughed and held on to his bitter stomach. Although the part that burst was stitched again, he was nervous. After taking a reeling step, his vision suddenly spun. At the same time, the sound of a staff rolling on the ground was heard. ¡°Are you okay?¡± He felt Cassion¡¯s hand supporting his back. ¡°Oh, I just felt dizzy for a moment.¡± Since she, who¡¯s name was unknown, took the mark from him, his physical condition became much better, but little by little, the ck things filled up again. Recently, the frequency of dizziness seemed to go back to the normal amount. Cassion seated Ruel in a chair ced in the warehouse. ¡°You can rest for a while. I¡¯m still choosing. You too, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body wants to choose with Ruel. Cassion looked at Ruel with an ufortable face and walked back to the sword disy. ¡ªWhat does Ruel want to have? ¡°I can¡¯t use anymore.¡± Since the body was like ss, it was only a burden to have anything more. It was better to split and focus the power to protect himself than to have several that he couldn¡¯t use. ¡ªThis body will pick for you. Just trust this body! ¡°Pick your own.¡± p. He heard a ferocious sound from somewhere. When he turned his head he was relieved to see Aris, who hit Noah, had relieved the congestion in his brain. Noah appeared to be happy to be woken up by the p. ¡°R-Ruel-nim!¡± Noah ran right away and knelt in front of Ruel. ¡°I just confirmed that it¡¯s not a dream. Can I really, really pick one?¡± ¡°The condition is that it will not be sold.¡± ¡°No matter how big my courage is, I don¡¯t sell royal treasures!¡± ¡°Like you sold the poison?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not worth a royal treasure, is it?¡± ¡°Choose, tell me after you have chosen.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± With a loud scream of excitement, Noah ran toward the disyed treasures. Ruel inhaled Breath and propped his cane back up. ¡ªThis body decided it as soon as this body saw it! When Ruel¡¯s gaze met Leo¡¯s, he moved his tail and smiled. ¡ªIt is calling for this body. There¡¯s someone who wants to be friends with this body. ¡®A spirit stone, something like that?¡¯ He walked to where Leo was pointing. There was an ore that repeatedly lit up and extinguished its light. It was the size of two fingersbined. ¡®¡­?¡¯ Ruel rubbed his eyes for a moment. There was something about the size of a thumb hanging from the ore. Chapter 86: Ruel the piper (3) Chapter 86: Ruel the piper (3) ¡®What is it?¡¯ Ruel shuddered as he tentatively touched the smooth lump. ¡®It¡¯s¡­moved.¡¯ Ruel looked at Leo with a stern face. ¡ªHe said he couldn¡¯t get out because he was stuck in the stone. This body wants to save that body. Ruel slightly frowned and used the tool to break the barrier. Crack! As soon as the barrier disappeared, Leo bit the ore. Ruel hurriedly picked up Leo. ¡°Wait! Then¡­¡± Bup. It split in half and something popped out of it. ¡°¡­!¡± It jumped out of the ore and flew over to Leo hiding in his fur. Ruel quietly stepped back and asked, ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± ¡ªLike this body, it¡¯s a spirit. But not like this Great Purifier. Ahem. Ruel¡¯s stiff shoulders were loosened by Leo¡¯s answer. Ruel coughed and studied the broken ore. ¡°Can this be used?¡± Perhaps because the spirit disappeared, the light disappeared. But the mysterious feeling remained the same. Leo came down to the ground and gave him the ore. Jingle. Ruel could hear a bell sound unlike anything he had heard before. ¡®That¡¯s unique.¡¯ ¡ªPlease add one more jewel to this body¡¯s ne. This body likes everything that sparkles. The jewel on Leo¡¯s ne was enchanted to allow the owner to find him. The owner being himself. ¡ªThe sound is good. Jingle. Jingle. It sounds pretty now, but with how much Leo usually runs around¡­ ¡®Wouldn¡¯t it be too noisy if I hang it around his neck?¡¯ Ruel put it in his pocket, thinking that he should just use it as a decoration. *** A dayter. Knock. Knock. ¡°Ruel Setiria-nim is here.¡± ¡°Let him enter.¡± Huswen immediately stopped what he was doing and stood up. ¡°I meet the greatest of Cyronian.¡± ¡°How are you feeling?¡± ¡°Thanks to your concern, I¡¯ve gotten a lot better.¡± ¡°Your health doesn¡¯t look very¡­ improved.¡± Huswen frowned slightly and patiently led him to a table on one side of the office. Ttak. The sound of a cane was heard softly. Ruel bit his lips as soon as he sat down from the sharp pain in his stomach. ¡°Honestly, I feel ufortable not being able to give you a farewell banquet. If you change your mind even now, let me know. Everything has been prepared.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Right now, the issues of the country take precedence over my farewell banquet.¡± ¡°No, you did such an honor for my country, isn¡¯t it only natural? Don¡¯t feel too burdened.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I already receive something else in exchange?¡± Instead of holding a farewell banquet while the treason case was being finalized, Ruel asked Leponia to formally inform them of what he had done for Leponia¡¯s ally, Cyronian. The new year is about two months away. It was expected that it would take that long to finish investigating and punishing those who ran away one after the other, along with the aristocrats who were already used. ¡°I¡¯m not a narrow-minded person, apart from the banquet, there¡¯s always hosting a smaller farewell party if you want. Oh, and while I¡¯m at it, I was going to ask the question, why did you only take that from the warehouse?¡± ¡°I have chosen carefully and I am satisfied with my choice. Thank you, I will receive it gratefully.¡± Cassion eventually chose the ¡®ck Star,¡¯ and what Noah chose, contrary to expectations, was not a gem but a weapon. He seemed to think that putting arrows into enemies¡¯ heads would bring in more money than reselling jewels. ¡®Although the ore I brought has disappeared.¡¯ Sniff. Sniff. Leo was busy smelling Ruel today. He said he smelled a lot better than usual. The fuzzy spirit that was hiding in Leo¡¯s fur was clinging tightly to him now, just like Leo. Ruel let it be because it was harmless. ¡°Your hands are smaller than I thought.¡± Ruel responded calmly to the tone that seemed to be measuring him in return. ¡°The royal treasury was magnificent. But what I wanted wasn¡¯t there.¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°I hope Your Majesty will remember me and not forget that I am a worthy tool.¡± Huswen smiled lightly. There was also sadness in theughter. ¡°Aren¡¯t you from another country?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I am a man who wants the alliance to remain very firm for a long time. If Your Majesty does not change my mind, I am on your side and only hoping for a strong alliance.¡± ¡°It sounds like a threat.¡± ¡°I am stating my position. As Your Majesty knows, Setiria is the gatekeeper of Leponia. I think I have that much of a say.¡± ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a pity, it¡¯s a pity.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel grabbed his stomach and coughed. Huswen spoke again after Ruel¡¯s coughing stopped. ¡°It would be better if you were born in Cyronian.¡± He liked everything about Ruel¡¯s cunning, strength, and determination. Seriously, he was willing to wee Ruel with open arms if he abandoned everything and came to Cyronian. ¡°I hope you don¡¯t change your mind. There will be times when we need to borrow Your Majesty¡¯s hand.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to borrow my hand, you¡¯ll have to have a benefit for Cyronian.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯m not a greedy person, my hands are quite small.¡± Pfft. Heughed at his oratory skills, which returned his own words to his mouth intact. ¡°Well, I will depart. I hope to see you another time.¡± ¡°I have prepared the way for your return so that it is not inconvenient, soe again anytime. If it¡¯s you, I¡¯ll wee you even if youe to stop for a pic or two.¡± Ruel arched his lips at that statement. It was Huswen himself who said that he could drop by the royal house of Cyronian at any time as if it were his home. It was a distance that could be reached within a day if he was carried by Cassion from Setiria. Ruel bowed and exited the room. Huswen erased hisughter. ¡°Gloin.¡± Behind him, like smoke, a woman slowly appeared. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Treat all the surveince attached to Ruel as an additional escort, and even if you have to abandon your lives, until he leaves Cyronian, you must protect him.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± She disappeared into smoke, as she did when she appeared. ¡®What a waste. What a waste.¡¯ Is there no way to attach Ruel to Cyronian? *** ¡°¡­surveince is gone.¡± Cassion, who was waiting outside, opened his mouth as soon as he saw Ruel. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel had already noticed that Huswen was watching him. He gave out some information while hiding the rest, which helped to dispel any suspicion. ¡®There were more doubts than it seemed.¡¯ The day he let go was the day Ruel left. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cassion nced at Ruel¡¯s stomach and asked softly. ¡°No, it¡¯s a bit off.¡± Aris immediately cast Hold and sent Ruel afloat. Only then did he inhale Breath with a morefortable face. ¡°That, Ruel-nim?¡± Ruel looked at Aris instead of answering. Aris and Ruel¡¯s eyes met. Then Aris found something on Ruel¡¯s shoulder and asked Ruel. ¡°Something seems to be on your shoulder, Ruel-nim.¡± Aris has been able to see the distinctive natural mana to a faint extent, though not in Leo¡¯s form, since he wore the earrings he got from the royal treasure trove. Aris could see twopletely different natural manas sitting side by side, besides Leo, on Ruel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­?¡± When Ruel looked at his shoulder wondering at Aris¡¯s words, there was another fuzzy object on his shoulder. Ruel flinched and looked at Leo. ¡ªHe just got here. He said he came because you smelled good. Ruel felt a bit ufortable. There had been a spirit stuck in the ringing ore and now there were two stuck to him. ¡°Ask why he got stuck in that ore.¡± ¡ªIf that¡¯s the case, this body already knows. They said that it smelled good and identally got stuck in it. Ruel closed his lips tightly. The ringing ore that he had put in his pocket yesterday disappeared today. Since then, hasn¡¯t Leo been sniffing around all of a sudden saying that he smells good. There were already two spirits clinging to his shoulder and rubbing against him. ¡°Do I smell like something?¡± ¡°There is no smell other than the smell of blood.¡± In response to Cassion¡¯s answer, Ruel immediately looked at Aris. ¡°There seems to be a faint scent that you can smell in a forest.¡± The dog-nosed Cassion doesn¡¯t know, but Aris, who is sensitive to mana, noticed something else. Ruel then nced at Noah, who was stroking the horse. He shook his head. ¡®In short, did the ore create a situation where the spirits were attracted to me no matter what I did?¡¯ Compared to the situation where Red Ash came to take one¡¯s life, it was either heaven or a strange, but eptable circumstance. If it¡¯s not a boy ying the pipe, something else is going on. As soon as he got into the carriage, Ruel called Hina. ¡°Hina,e out for a second.¡± She naturally sat in the carriage and looked for Leo with her eyes. ¡°Did you call me?¡± ¡°Did you see the ringing ore I left in my pocket yesterday, like a bell?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know about the sound of bells, but I¡¯ve seen you put the ore in your pocket.¡± Leo appeared and jumped at Hina. ¡ªHina! This body wants to eat the sweet thing it ate back then! ¡®You didn¡¯t hear the sound? It doesn¡¯t sound normal, does it?¡¯ Hina took out the jam-packed snack she had prepared in advance and Leo ate them one by one. ¡ªThis tastes good. This body is the happiest right now! ¡°Then, has anything happened to my pocket fromst night to this morning?¡± ¡°None.¡± It was clear that nothing had happened if Hina said so. ¡°Yes, thank you for letting me know.¡± Maybe something happened from the time he touched the ore. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Cassion asked insinuatingly. ¡°It seems that the spirits are gathering because of that ore. There are still two more.¡± ¡°Do you mean there are two more insects?¡± The deep sigh of Cassion followed. Leo seemed to eat a lot, even though he didn¡¯t talk. ¡°I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t take them in.¡± Leo¡¯s ears pricked at the statement. Instead of eating, he looked at Ruel with expectant eyes. ¡°Leo is enough.¡± Leo smiled as if it was the answer he wanted. ¡°And I can¡¯tmunicate with the rest of the spirits.¡± Ruel touched one of the fuzz balls that slid down his shoulder. Kuroo kuru. It got angry, but Ruel couldn¡¯t understand what they were saying. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Cassion knocked on the wall of the carriage, and the carriage moved. *** The Royal Knights joined, followed by the Blue Knights. As soon as the gate was opened, the two knight orders lined up and drew their swords toward the sky. ¡®Oh, I said I don¡¯t need a farewell party.¡¯ Ruel sat down for a moment to take the medicine and witnessed the scene. ¡°I think Ruel-nim should have enjoyed more than this.¡± ¡°I only know my ce. You should distinguish between what you can enjoy and what you can¡¯t enjoy.¡± Setiria only had to cut the fee in half to obtain a small monopoly among Cyronian¡¯s mainmodities: technical cooperation and exchange, the instation of a portal device leading from Setiria to Ganien¡¯s vi, and the right tomand the Blue Knights for whatever reason. And he received titles andnds from Huswen, despite not undergoing an inauguration ceremony. Unusually, the title bestowed was not an earl or a marquis, but ¡®lord.¡¯ It meant that his position would be recognizedparable to a marquis and below a duke. First of all, Ruel was satisfied with this much. The opponent will feel less pressure if you break it apart slowly rather than all at once. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°It means that I stopped here first because I know my ce, not that I won¡¯t get it in the end. I deserve more as you stated.¡± A faint smile spread across Cassion¡¯s face. Cassion was quite satisfied and asked. ¡°What will you do with thend you received from His Majesty?¡± ¡°Corrence Lumina should be considered before thend. The inquiry into his merchants should be a top concern.¡± There was evidence that the merchant controlled by Lumina had interacted with the Red Ash. But that was not enough. In a way, Ruel thought he was stabbed in the back by Corrence. ¡®I¡¯ll give you back more than what you got.¡¯ ¡°I will instruct Dion to release the birds towards Lumina.¡± ¡°Count Iria confessed that he had received the Leponia attack n from Lumina. But remember when you asked the man who ordered him to attack me, you said he was just ordered by the Red Ash?¡± ¡°I remember, I heard that the Red Ash gave instructions by letter.¡± Ruel closed his eyes briefly, inhaling Breath. ¡°We have to catch him. It is highly likely that he is the arm of the Red Ash in Leponia.¡± ¡°How far do you think it¡¯s rted?¡± ¡°A prince.¡± ¡°My expectations are the same. Either the first or the second will be connected to one or the other.¡± He heard from Cassion about the case of the eldest giving up the throne five years ago. It coincided with the time when he was kidnapped. ¡®Is it really a coincidence?¡¯ Taktak. Leo hit the bed with his tail. ¡ªNow lie down. The spirits are grieving that the yground is gone. Huh. Ruel let out an absurdugh and looked at the two fuzzy lights next to Leo. Tears, the size of millet, were dripping down. Ruel looked out the window with a cough. The two knight orders lowered their swords, which had stretched out into the sky, in front of their chests in ordance with the chants of Sien and the unnamedmander. It wasn¡¯t grand, but it was a quaint farewell party. *** After leaving the capital, the knights¡¯ vignce increased. Their nerves were sharper than ever from the residing impact of meeting the ck-blooded man. ¡°If you¡¯re sleepy, go to sleep, don¡¯t force yourself to fend it off.¡± ¡°I slept a lot.¡± Ruel said, stroking Leo¡¯s stomach. ¡°Do you worry about a ck-blooded man appearing?¡± ¡ªAhem, this body will purify it. Leo smiled triumphantly. ¡°Honestly, the possibility of a ck-blooded man appearing in the current situation is low, but it¡¯s not impossible, so it bothers me.¡± The Red Ash avoided being noticeable. The procession with the two knight orders escorting was quite noisy. In order to wipe out the two knights, who are not together but still unified, they will have to bring in more ck-blooded people thanst time. It was expected that they would not do anything, as the rats in the Cyronian aristocracy had already suffered quite a blow. ¡°But they aren¡¯t ones to miss a good opportunity either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cassion suddenly chuckled along with his words. Then he took a white cloth out of his pocket and wrapped it around Ruel¡¯s head. ¡°¡­?¡± Ch-nk. Then there was the sound of something being cut, and the hot sttered blood turned the white cloth red. ¡°The enemy was already in the carriage.¡± Chapter 87: Entrance! Chapter 87: Entrance! Ruel felt something falling behind him. Whoosh! Cassion¡¯s dagger was lodged into the wall in the corner of the carriage. Blood dripped down. ¡°¡­Cassion.¡± Ruel frowned, taking off the cloth that covered his face. Then he covered Leo¡¯s eyes before straightening his tousled hair. ¡°The carriage is dirty.¡± ¡°Aris will clean it up in a minute.¡± ¡°What about the body?¡± Instead of answering, Cassion covered himself once more with a cloth and stabbed a dagger behind him. The pure white cloth was stained red. Cassion said naturally. ¡°Ah, did I tell you that there wasn¡¯t only one person in the carriage?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, my men will take care of the bodies.¡± ¡°¡­you knew?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why you kept encouraging me to sleep?¡± Cassion smiled undisturbed. ¡°There¡¯s that, but it¡¯s also what Ruel-nim needs, isn¡¯t it? I will call Aris for a moment.¡± Knock. Knock. The carriage stopped when Cassion knocked on the carriage wall. Immediately, Ganien clung to the carriage door and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Cassion went down the carriage and exined the present situation to Ganien, and soon Aris came into the carriage. ¡ªAris¡­ Leo looked at Aris with a tearful face. It didn¡¯t get on Ruel¡¯s clothes, but the carriage walls were covered with blood. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll clean it up in a minute.¡± Aris quickly recited a spell. Cassion spoke to Aris, who chanted the spell. ¡°Listen as you do, Aris. The enemy sent an assassin. I cannot leave Ruel¡¯s side, so watch out for any more possible assassins.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. A smooth journey seemed to be a word that didn¡¯t fit him. ¡°Can you catch them?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion shook his head. ¡°They¡¯re not half-hearted. A forced confession won¡¯t work and their tongue is firm. I¡¯d rather just kill them. Even if their arms are cut off, they will bite Ruel¡¯s neck with their teeth.¡± ¡°¡­okay.¡± Ruel calmed Leo while watching Aris use magic. *** ¡°Ah, how irritating!¡± Noah stopped peeling the vegetables and threw them aside. All the knights are eating, but why is it that only he can¡¯t eat? Rustle. Feeling murderous intent, Noah instinctively looked back. It was Aris. ¡°Shit, I thought it was a Cassion.¡± ¡°Pick it up.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°These are the ingredients Ruel-nim will eat.¡± ¡°That¡¯s nice after being well-fed you¡¯re bored and want toe and pick a fight with me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s what Cassion told me to do.¡± Noah¡¯s eyes flickered anxiously for a moment. Eventually, Noah picked up the thrown ingredients again, washed them clean in the flowing stream, and ced them in the basket. ¡°That¡¯s enough¡­.¡± Aris drew his sword and swung it at Noah. Swing. As soon as he hit something, a drop of blood fell next to Noah. Aris rolled his eyes in a hurry. ¡°It¡¯s the enemy.¡± ¡°Y, you¡¯re crazy!¡± He had swung without hesitation. That guy must be crazy. ¡°One gold coin per enemy head.¡± As soon as he came to his senses at the words that were music to his ears, Noah put aura in his bracelet. ¡®Crazy, one gold coin per neck!¡¯ Unlike his days as a hunter, when he always prepared thoroughly, there was not much he could prepare for as Ruel¡¯s servant. In order to keep up with the unpredicatable flow, they needed weapons and magical devices that allowed them to fight at any time even when they were not ready for battle. Noah brought a bracelet that can store weapons from the royal treasury and a bow that turns Aura into arrows. ¡®As expected, I was good in resisting the other temptations and bringing this.¡¯ He was confident in removing traces as good as any assassin. Noah entered the forest, in his wake not a single grass de moved with not a rustle to be heard. *** ¡°¡­hah.¡± Aris caught his breath and gripped his sword tightly. It was Cassion¡¯s order toe get Noah, but because Ruel¡¯s only official escort was himself, he expected that if he left, separating from everyone else, he would surely be a target for the enemy. ¡°Aris, you¡¯re in charge of Noah. I already told Noah, so don¡¯t worry and look forward.¡± He had said when Aris was departing from the carriage where Ruel was. Only then did he fully understand why Ruel decided to pick up Noah. Aris took a deep breath in calmly. Thanks to the earrings, the natural mana was faintly visible. He could distinguish between the hidden enemies. ¡°Your descent is a mace, and what you embrace is¡­.¡± The enemy would not allow Aris to cast a spell uninterrupted and promptly swung a sword at Aris¡¯ neck. Ting! However, Aris had already had his shield spell up. Aris continued his spell, staring at them through the shield. ¡°¡­what bloodless blood.¡± Spark. ¡°Show me fear and dignity on my way.¡± The sword was struck with lightning. The lightning struck here and there, enough to give goosebumps looking at it¡¯s destructive power leaving the enemy to hide themselves again. Boom. Boom! Unlike natural mana, which naturally drifted, this mana flowed artificially. Aris unshielded, and charged forward. A dagger flew in front of his face. Shh! He heard the wind whip behind him. Aris did not stop running as it was a negligible attack. Kangkang! The arrows knocked down all the daggers. The back suddenly became chilly, but Aris believed Ruel¡¯s words and only looked forward. ¡®I don¡¯t have to worry about my back.¡¯ He injected more mana into the sword and hit the ground where the enemy was hiding. Quaang! A lightning explosion urred. Aris immediately raised his sword above his head and shot it down at the enemy who appeared. And he immediately threw off the unpleasant sensation that rattled his hands, and breathed mana back to his side and swung it. Quaang! Two people appeared in the lightning explosion that exploded again. Shh! As he hit the other guy¡¯s neck right after he saw an arrow lodged in their head. Aris memorized the spell, feeling the sense of his life being cut off. ¡°Let everything be purified through your splendid red light.¡± Then he turned around and released a flying me butterfly made in his palm. The enemy immediately caught fire. Hwarreuk. No screams were heard. The enemy wielded a dagger to kill Aris even as the mes wrapped around him. Kkang! As soon as each other¡¯s swords collided, the lightning surrounding Aris¡¯ sword struck him. Spark! The enemy trembled all over and fell to his knees. But nevertheless, he wriggled his fingers and showed strong hostility toward Aris. It¡¯s an enemy, but it was still unnerving. Swoosh! The arrow pierced the enemy¡¯s head. Looking at the enemy falling to the ground, Aris shook off the blood from the sword. ¡®¡­there¡¯s no more.¡¯ After a while, Noah appeared. Aris sheathed his sword looking at Noah, stepping over the body on the ground. He didn¡¯t want to admit it, but it¡¯s definitely easier to have his help. ¡°Let¡¯s see.¡± Plop. Noah threw two additional bodies with arrows inserted neatly into their heads onto the pile, smiled broadly, and spread out all his fingers. ¡°Five gold coins. You killed that one first, so I didn¡¯t count it out of conscience.¡± Aris frowned for a moment. He didn¡¯t look at himself with greed as he did when he first saw him, but he still didn¡¯t look good acting only for money. ¡°Here.¡± Aris took out five gold coins and held them out in his hand. Noah ran right away and opened his palm. When exactly five gold coins fell on the palm of his hand, the corners of his mouth spread to his ears. It was simr to the price of hunting all day equaling a weeks worth of hard work . ¡®I¡¯m d I helped Ruel-nim. I¡¯m d I followed him. Noah, you¡¯re a lucky man!¡¯ ¡°Cleaning up the mess¡­¡± ¡°What I do is well done. Anyway, I got the money, so clean up will be a bonus.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget to prepare the ingredients because Cassion will be waiting for you.¡± ¡°Yes, yes. I¡¯m a great peeler.¡± Aris was tempted to ask why he had only done it half-heartedly so far if that was the case. It seemed to take time to adjust to the difference of before and after Noah was bribed. *** When there was an attack in the carriage, the fuzzy mongrels hid without leaving a single hair behind, and when Ruel ate peacefully, they appeared like ghosts, and the number always seemed to increase. ¡®Two turned into four¡­ .¡¯ Fortunately, unlike Leo, who eats well while chewing pies next to him, all they did was stick to his body. ¡°Have you no appetite?¡± When Ruel fiddled with the fork, Cassion, who couldn¡¯t help but ask, asked. ¡°No, it¡¯s delicious, but it¡¯s a little funny that the rice is well prepared even in the middle of this mess.¡± Ruel¡¯s meal was naturally dyed as much as Noah¡¯s preparation of the ingredients was dyed. Just as he was about to take a bite, an enemy assassin fearlessly aimed at Ganien¡¯s neck. The Knights were immediately on alert, immediately spreading out in search of other hidden enemies, under the direction of Ganien and Torto. ¡°It¡¯s not an enemy the knights can¡¯t handle, so feel free to eat, and if you feel stuffy in the carriage, I¡¯ll have my men clear the enemy.¡± ¡°No, thanks.¡± Even he didn¡¯t want to eat while watching the enemy die. ¡°The enemy¡¯s skills are not bad, but their method iscking. If they had failed after attacking Aris, they should have taken a step back, but it appears they don¡¯t know how to retreat.¡± ¡°They worked hard to raise their skill, but today is their first practice run?¡± ¡°You can see it that way. I don¡¯t know who released it, but it¡¯s a strange thing. Raising an assassin is pretty daunting. With this level of skill, it would have taken 7 years, but to release it randomly and without a n like this seems like unting.¡± ¡®It¡¯s a show¡­¡¯ Was it really necessary? Ruel put the meat with vegetables in his mouth with Cassion staring at him. *** ¡°That¡¯s as far as I can go to see you off.¡± Ganien pointed to the bridge towering over the waves. It was the end of Cyronian. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel said calmly. ¡°You can rest assured that the wizards brought this time were chosen by His Majesty. They¡¯ll freeze the waves like before, and you¡¯ll be able to crossfortably.¡± Ruel was relieved that Huswen had chosen to bring them. There were several raids on the way here, but no ck-blooded men had made an appearance. That fact didn¡¯t bother him. ¡°Thank you for escorting and seeing me off so far, and I hope you get back safely.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Because I heard the weakness of the ck-blooded man from Cassion.¡± In response to Ganien¡¯s answer, Cassion smirked and said. ¡°It won¡¯t be that easy if you do it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s strange that I can¡¯t do it even though you did it.¡± ¡°Yes, do your best.¡± Ganien tried to swallow his anger at Cassion¡¯s sarcastic remarks. As it was a farewell ceremony for Ruel, we had to maintain ourposure. Ganien spoke as brightly as he could. ¡°I¡¯ll contact you as soon as informationes out, whether it¡¯s the information the nobles have revealed or the ck water.¡± ¡°I will contact you if I have any information on the Red Ash.¡± ¡°Well, see you next time.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The door closed after a calm goodbye. Ruelid himself down again. It will take time for the waves to freeze. He closed his eyes only to open them and see Leo. ¡ªAre we going back to our home now? ¡°Yes, I must go back.¡± ¡ªYay! Go back. This body is best at home! Leo jumped in ce. Instead of biting Breath, Ruel looked at the little mongrels attached to his body with a chilling expression. ¡°When did theye again?¡± ¡ªThey said they came because the smell was good. ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± While the carriage door was open for a while, the fuzz balls decided to make a visit. He didn¡¯t know when the smell that attracted the spirits would disappear, he didn¡¯t know how many would show up in the future. ¡°I¡¯m d I can¡¯t see them.¡± Cassionughed with relief. ¡°You¡¯d freak out if you saw it. I already have six of them attached to me.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression hardened as he listened to Ruel. ¡°So when are those spirits going back?¡± Ruel asked Leo. ¡ªI don¡¯t know. They said they wanted to stay for a while. You don¡¯t have to worry because this body has firmly stated that this side of Ruel is taken by this body. ¡°¡­okay.¡± It doesn¡¯t matter if you can¡¯t get rid of it, it doesn¡¯t harm you and you don¡¯t have to y with it like Leo. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel grabbed his stomach from the pain that urred after coughing. The fuzzballs rushed in and sat huddled on Ruel¡¯s belly. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ Leo perked his ears when Ruel frowned, questioning the mongrels¡¯ behavior. Soon they smiled walking near Ruel¡¯s face. ¡ªIn return for allowing the spirits to stay without evicting them, they have offered to erase what should not exist in this world. ¡°¡­what?¡± ¡ªThey¡¯ve said there is something in your wound that should not exist in this world. This body doesn¡¯t know what it is, but this body knows removing it will heal Ruel! Leo¡¯s tail wagged pleasantly. ¡®Somehow it didn¡¯t get better.¡¯ When the Great One stabbed himself, he was sure to imbue him with some power or curse. ¡°Ruel-nim attracts so many different things. Fortunately, there are good directions as a result.¡± ¡°Hand me the medicine.¡± By the time Cassion handed over the medicine to Ruel, the carriage set out. ¡°Are you okay with getting seasick?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just going to lie down.¡± ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± ¡°The wee ceremony will be held on the day I arrive at the pce?¡± Judging from the way Ruel avoided the question, it looked like he was in pain again. Cassion answered Ruel¡¯s question, pretending not to know. ¡°Yes, it will be held simply in consideration of your condition.¡± ¡°Damn it, does it mean that it will be done whether I¡¯m sick or not?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that the nobility of the royal family?¡± ¡°¡­ damn it.¡± Ruel bit Breath irritably. ¡°The second prince earnestly requested His Highness to shorten the weing ceremony, which was supposed tost for three days, into one day.¡± He knew but couldn¡¯t help the irritation that arose. ¡®I want to go home and rest.¡¯ The stopped carriage moved again. The waves look frozen. Leo suddenly clung close to the window and saw the frozen sea. ¡ªRuel, this body wants to swim in the sea someday. ¡°Later. Maybe we can swim in theke next time.¡± Leo immediately ran to Ruel and wagged his tail. ¡ªReally? Going to theke? Before that, it was beautiful with stars! This body wants to swim in ake of stars! ¡°Yes, Lake Prina is very beautiful.¡± ¡ªVery well, this body will swim there. Ruel also closed his eyes for a moment, drawing time to spend in Lake Prina. ¡®I¡¯ll go one day. I¡¯m not lying.¡¯ Chapter 88: Entrance! (2) Chapter 88: Entrance! (2) *** ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± Ruel frowned at Cassion¡¯s firm words. The carriage was facing the Beast Forest beyond the neutral zone. As soon as they crossed the border of Cyronian territory, the sudden attacks disappeared like a ghost. However, it was not time to let their guard down. ¡°It¡¯s the Beast¡¯s Forest, right?¡± Ruel said in a rebuttal. ¡°There are knights. We can solve it without Ruel-nim. Have you forgotten that you have a hole in your stomach?¡± Boo. Leo settled his paws on Ruel¡¯s head. Fifteen small furballs gathered around Ruel¡¯s head and leapt eagerly, having been drawn to the wound by Leo. There didn¡¯t feel like anything was running on his head, but he still felt strange. ¡ªRuel must remain calm. If Ruel moves, the spirits may be angry. ¡°You¡¯re a spirit, too, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡ªThis body is not just a spirit, but a great purifier. Ahem. Leo raised his nose, stretched out his legs proudly, and stood gracefully. Of course, he was still short. Ruel patted Leo on the head and nced at Cassion. ¡°The Beast Forest is just right for doing something. You know that, right?¡± ¡°If Ruel-nim doesn¡¯t wake up by the time we arrive at the castle, the Royal Knights will have to take full responsibility.¡± Ruel¡¯s brows wriggled. There was never a time when Ruel didn¡¯t pass out after controlling the monsters. ¡°You can say that I fell ill. The wee ceremony was canceled, so I took a break and thought about it, so I think it¡¯s okay?¡± ¡°Yes, if the fact that Ruel-nim has an incurable disease is revealed to all nobles, barons, and ministers, wouldn¡¯t it be perfect for everyone to rush to take a piece of Setiria?¡± ¡°¡­I was just joking. You¡¯re being too serious.¡± Cassion smirked. He has sessfully ovee Ruel¡¯s stubbornness. ¡°Anyway, because of what happened in Cyronian, wouldn¡¯t Setiria be in the public eye again? Will you be okay?¡± Cassion¡¯s words made Ruel¡¯s bones ache. It wasn¡¯t okay. ¡°Originally, I was going to go quietly and bring only what I would gain quietly, but it was an inevitable choice. Afterall, the existence of a ck-blooded man was unexpected.¡± ¡°Are you nning on spilling blood at the banquet again?¡± When Leo¡¯s ears were perked at Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel soothingly stroked his stomach. ¡°No, you can¡¯t cover it up with that. I won¡¯t be able to hide it either way. For the time being, you should think that troublesome flies are permanently attached.¡± He wanted to avoid bringing attention to Setiria the most. Then, the carriage stopped suddenly. ¡®There aren¡¯t any monsters around here?¡¯ ¡°I¡¯ll be back after checking.¡± As Cassion opened the door of the carriage, familiar voices were heard. ¡°My lord! We¡¯re here!¡± ¡®Drianna?¡¯ Ruel was surprised as he bit Breath. Why is she here? As Ruel raised his upper body while holding his stomach, he finally saw a sky blue g with a shield pattern flying. The Knights of Setiria had arrived. ¡°Was this you, Cassion?¡± ¡°It was not.¡± Cassion grinned at the knights. ¡°Horen-hyung?¡± Aris weed Horen. Aris hesitated for a moment fighting the urge to run to him right away, but this wasn¡¯t a private asion. Aris greeted him with a salute instead. ¡°Oh, you got stronger since Ist saw you? Oops, greetings first. Hello. My name is Horen, the vice-captain of the Setiria Knights.¡± ¡°My name is Drianna, the vice-captain of the magic knights. As dangerous as the Beast¡¯s Forest is, we¡¯vee all the way here to protect the Lord. We apologize for not contacting you in advance.¡± Horen and Drianna saluted Torto. ¡°No, aren¡¯t more escorts for the better? The Knights of Setiria havee, and the Lord will be very pleased.¡± ¡°Thank you. We¡¯veid the road safely and beautifully on our way here, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Drianna smiled with a relieved face. It was hard to get out of the basement and get some sun after a long time, but she couldn¡¯t be happier to use new magic. ¡°Then, how about meeting with the Lord for a while before we depart?¡± Drianna¡¯s corners of her mouth went up right away at Torto¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Thank you!¡± She was most happy to see Ruel. She was worried about his health and whether his face retained its slowly earned fat. Driana put the Knights on standby and immediately headed with Horen to the carriage where Ruel was. Envy-filled gazes followed. ¡°Lord¡­¡± ¡°Who ordered it?¡± As soon as the carriage opened, Ruel¡¯s displeased voice immediately sprang out. ¡ªRuel, what¡¯s wrong with you? This body is very happy to see them. Leo came out to the entrance of the carriage and waved his tail at the two. Drianna and Horen¡¯s faces hardened. They turned their attention to Leo. This wasn¡¯t what Ruel ordered. Hearing the news of Ruel¡¯s return from Tyson, he almost forced himself out. ¡°Don¡¯t vacate the mansion no matter what.¡± The order Ruel left before leaving suddenly came to mind. ¡°The mansion?¡± ¡°We are guarding it hard, I only brought half of the forces.¡± Drianna said, avoiding his gaze. But soon she grabbed the hem of her clothes and looked at Ruel. His face was gaunt. Almost all the hard-earned weight has been lost. How upset she was that she couldn¡¯t follow along. ¡°You must have had a hard time.¡± Horen nced at Ruel¡¯s stomach. It was subtle, but it smelled of blood. Anger rose immediately. Who dares. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it.¡± Ruel¡¯s firm words made Horen nod his head vigorously. ¡°¡­?¡± Drianna looked around Ruel and felt that he was different from before. Isn¡¯t the mana flowing around Ruel very simr to natural mana? ¡°I know it¡¯s strange to say this now, my lord, but for some reason, I feel like you have a pure aura. Have you eaten something weird?¡± ¡ªDid you pick it up and eat it¡­ This body doesn¡¯t know. Ruel closed his mouth, and Cassion quietly covered his mouth. A giggling sound was faintly audible. It wasn¡¯t something to talk about here. Ruel red at Cassion for a moment and brought it up. ¡°Go to the mansion immediately after passing through the Beast Forest.¡± ¡°I cannot follow thatmand.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡± Horen and Drianna spoke at the same time. ¡°No?¡± Ruel asked in a spirited manner. ¡°Who escorts the Lord when he returns from the Royal Family? That¡¯s why we¡¯re here.¡± ¡°The mansion?¡± ¡°We have Mr. Cheynol and Mr. Tyson. We¡¯ve already got their permission.¡± ¡°¡­ What about my permission?¡± Drianna, who was confident, paused and wiggled her fingers. The most important thing, Ruel¡¯s permission, did not fall. ¡°¡­ha, follow me.¡± Eventually Ruel sighed and allowed them to apany him. He didn¡¯t want to dy his time with a squabble, and as she said, he needed an escort when returning from the royal family. ¡°Alright!¡± ¡°We ept your orders!¡± The two shouted with joy. The door of the carriage closed. Ruelid down inhaling Breath. The spirits drifted back on his stomach and chattered amongst themselves. ¡°I believe you won¡¯t be stubborn anymore.¡± Cassion said calmly. When the two Knight¡¯ Orders came, they said they cleaned up the Beast Forest, so why bother. Ruel looked at the sky through the window without saying a word. *** People lined up all along one side of the road leading to the capital. In front of them, soldiers lined up to control them, and on the other side, they blocked the road so that they could not stand at all. ¡°¡­ew¡± Ruel frowned at the ck waves seen from afar. He hadn¡¯te to a funeral, so why did everyonee here wearing dark clothes? Ruel originally believed that those people liked dark colors. ¡°Did the royal family deliberately call these people because of my return?¡± ¡°No. As I said before, it is ridiculous to organize a parade in the yard where even a banquet is held. I think it¡¯s probably because of the news that an alliance has been signed.¡± ¡°The news is very fast.¡± ¡°They are gathered to wee Ruel-nim, so you should smile brightly and raise your hands.¡± Cassion said, checking the bandage for thest time. ¡°I know. I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll hear more of that.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the term ¡®Noble of Darkness?¡¯¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention it.¡± Ruel shot Cassion a stern look straight away. ¡ªWhy are you angry? This body thinks it suits Ruel very well. Leo¡¯s eyes twinkled. There was also an envious look inside. Ruel wanted to hand over this nickname to Leo if he could. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Cassion arranged Ruel¡¯s clothes and put the white cloak that Aris gave him on his shoulders. ¡°The wind is cold.¡± Ruel got close to the window and prepared to smile brightly because he only needed to show his face anyway. Leo sat on Ruel¡¯sp and warmed him up. ¡ªThis body is ready to warm Ruel. At Leo¡¯s words, Cassion took a look at Ruel. He nodded and opened the window. ¡°Wow!¡± As Ruel appeared in the window, there was a strong cheer. It was mixed with pride, as if weing a hero in one¡¯s own country, not a stranger as in the case of Cyronian. ¡°For Ruel Setiria!¡± ¡°For the Noble of Darkness!¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Terrible words were mingled with the cheers that people shouted. For a moment, Ruel almost looked grim, but he held on to the corners of his trembling lips and continued to raise it. ¡°The rumors are really fast.¡± Cassion said, trying to swallow hisughter. Along with the news of the alliance, Ruel¡¯s title from Cyronian seemed to have been delivered here intact. ¡°You should smile more brightly. Smile.¡± ¡®¡­damn it.¡¯ Ruel managed to grasp the string of reason, fiddling with Leo¡¯s stomach with his other hand. ¡®Damn it, damn it.¡¯ *** Upon arriving at the castle, Banios greeted Ruel. After Ruel got off the carriage, he bowed his head towards Banios. It was followed by the Royal Knights. ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s been a long time since I saw you.¡± ¡°¡­You must have had a hard time.¡± There was a feeling of apology in Banios¡¯ voice. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°There is still time until the banquet, so why don¡¯t you see His Majesty first and then stay in my room and prepare?¡± ¡°I will do so.¡± His Knights did not cross the gates. They were his personal forces, and the act of crossing the gate with an unauthorized knight was tantamount to treason. ¡°Sir Torto.¡± Banios called Torto. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°No, I have only carried out your orders as a royal knight.¡± ¡°As I crossed the castle gate, the duties of the knight were over, so Your Highness meant that you could restfortably.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Torto raised his bowed head and looked at Ruel. ¡°Lord, I¡­¡± ¡°Thanks to sir, I was able to get here safely, and if I have a chance next time, I hope sir will protect me again.¡± ¡°Of course. You are always wee, my lord.¡± ¡°I hope these aren¡¯t empty words.¡± Ruel smiled lightly at Torto and turned to look at the Royal Knights. They were nervous making eye contact with Ruel. Previously, they had run away without being able to protect Ruel, so this time they stayed up all night with their eyes open. ¡°Thank you.¡± It was a simple greeting, but there was a lot of sincerity. They guarded it safely. They didn¡¯t run away like before. That satisfied him about the Knights well enough. Ruel followed Banios into the pce. He was closely followed by Cassion and Aris. ¡°Have you prepared a big gift?¡± Banios smiled vaguely at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should call this a gift, it¡¯s somethingpletely different from my expectations.¡± (Banios) ¡°I¡¯ll listen.¡± ¡°So I prepared another one, I¡¯ll give it to you as well.¡± This time, Banios¡¯ face brightened. Ttak. Other footsteps were heard in the hallway, mixed with the sound of a cane. When a man came out of the intersected hallway, Banios¡¯ face froze for a moment. ¡°I see Second Brother.¡± ¡°What a coincidence.¡± The second prince smiled. The second prince, Adoris Leponia. He was the next powerful prince to ascend the throne and belonged to the Red Ash. Ruel didn¡¯t know they¡¯d meet like this under the guise of coincidence. Ruel smiled and lowered his head slightly. ¡°Nice to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± For a moment Adoris¡¯s eyes shook. But soon he opened his mouth with a rxed smile. ¡°You are the Lord of Setiria. I thought I could see you at the banquet, but I am lucky to encounter you like this.¡± ¡°I am also honored to be able to see my prince.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, especially after hearing about your active role in Cyronian, I¡¯ve really wanted to meet you.¡± ¡°I just did what I had to do as a fellow human.¡± Adoris smiled pleasantly. ¡°What humility. Thanks to your contribution, I can picture a bright future for our country. By the way, how is your health? Apparently, there are too many rumors that it¡¯s not good.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not as good as it¡¯s rumored.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± Adoris put on a look of sincere pity. ¡°Don¡¯t overdo it. Then, I¡¯ll see you at the banquet.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your concern.¡± Adoris, who greeted Ruel lightly, stepped back on his way. Stomp. Stomp. There was a sound of footsteps in the hallway. Later, the two footsteps joined together, and soon no sound was heard. Just a moment ago, when Adoris¡¯s eyes shook for a moment, an unpleasant feeling was seen from that gaze. A feeling of guilt. ¡®Why is he making that face?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and nced at Banios, who looked stiff. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Banios opened his mouth heavily. ¡°That¡¯s okay.¡± It wasn¡¯t something he was sorry for. Adoris knew that Ruel hade, and it was clear that he came to see him on purpose. A sense of destion settled between the two again, and only the sound of their footsteps echoing in the hallway could be heard. *** ¡®¡­ is that what Setiria is now.¡¯ Adoris paused and looked back. He could no longer see the child from years ago. ¡®I can read your expression.¡¯ Your mind breaks when your body hurts, but Ruel was different. In that brief moment, he read his expression and was surprised to see that he was preparing for the next move right away. ¡®The count is fast. He¡¯s also very wary.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know if he would get bitten if he approached unprepared. -Ruel Setiria has entered Leponia, so I¡¯ll leave Setiria to you as requested. Please, don¡¯t forget our deal. Adoris clenched his fist. ¡®¡­ Red Ash.¡¯ His feet moved forward once more. Eyes wrapped in rage looked straight ahead as if they were about to chew on something. ¡®At the banquet, then¡­¡¯ Chapter 89: Entrance! (3) Chapter 89: Entrance! (3) *** Ruel had a brief conversation with the king and was granted permission to admit his knights into the pce. As a bonus, even Noah was allowed to enter the pce, and uneasy, he ordered him to never leave the room where they were staying before stopping by Banios¡¯ room. ¡ªThis body will just walk around. As soon as he entered the room, Leo ran off excitedly. ¡°Sit down.¡± Banios pointed to the chair. Ruel sat down in his chair, ncing at Leo, who was wandering around with nothing to do. ¡°Do you have a favorite tea?¡± ¡°Whatever is alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be blunt because it¡¯s a situation that needs to be discussed before the banquet.¡± (Banios) Banios pulled the materials out of the drawer and handed them over. ¡°You and your brothers are intertwined with the events that happened five years ago, and I dug further into it. Is that okay?¡± (Ruel) ¡°It will be alright.¡± Ruel could tell Banios was speaking carelessly most likely as it wasn¡¯t his business anyway. ¡°Five years ago, Trino Setiria, the former head of Setiria, departed with your younger self in a rush. Incidentally, there was an ident and the former family head died, and the Royal Family concluded that the ident was caused by an attack by an unknown person.¡± (Banios) Up to this point, Ruel had already known. ¡°In additon, they say you were found wounded in a vige far away from the scene of the incident.¡± ¡°What does that mean?¡± Ruel was twelve years old at the time. ¡®How far can I go even if I run?¡¯ In response to Ruel¡¯s question, Banios opened the data one by one and pointed to one of them. ¡°If you look here, it is written in detail about who first found you and what kind of vige it was.¡± It was written that a man named Widen, who lived in Hian, a vige next to the capital, found Ruel. ¡°As you know, the royal family intervenes when there is a problem with the aristocracy, so it is hard to fake this while being investigated under the king¡¯s watch.¡± ¡°So the incident was aimed at my disappearance?¡± ¡°Under the circumstances, that seems to be the case.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath to clear his head. The former head of the family was in a hurry to run away with the young Ruel, then he got into an ident. ¡°I heard that the former patriarch recognized the identity of the Red Ash. While evacuating you¡­¡± To borrow Liberan¡¯s words, the former patriarch knew who the Red Ash was. ¡°Their ears were broken, themunicationwork fell apart, the former head of household passed away, and you¡­¡± In Dion¡¯s words, those birds had betrayed the patriarch. Liberan was the one who coaxed the birds. In other words, the information the patriarch had known was false. It meant that the fact that the patriarch had been rushed to leave with false information was a trap set to kill him from the beginning. But the enemy failed. He failed to kill Ruel. ¡°The ones who protect you.¡± Because of the unnamed guards of Ruel she had mentioned. Otherwise, the case wouldn¡¯t be connected. After Ruel disappeared from the scene of the incident, the mark was nted at that time and with the current flow of events, he could only think that all those who guarded Ruel had died. Ha. Ruel exhaled lightly. ¡°So five years ago, what happened to the Second Prince?¡± ¡°On the day of your ident, both brothers left the pce, ¡°Banios finished, bitting his lower lip. ¡°Where did they go?¡± ¡°First of all, my Eldest Brother left first, and then my Second Brother moved, but only that fact they left is recorded, it¡¯s unknown where they went.¡± Ruel waited for his words silently with his back to him. ¡°That day, my Second Brother had an ident. He almost lost his life from the chandelier in the royal hallway.¡± ¡°¡­An ident, you say?¡± ¡°And that year, my Eldest Brother suddenly gave up his session to the throne. What do you think, isn¡¯t this sequence of events too strange?¡± It was weird. The Second Prince was almost killed by a chandelier in the royal family¡¯s very presence, and the First Prince suddenly gave up the throne. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is simply an ident.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened the day the two brothers left, but it¡¯s clear that they were in the same ce.¡± ¡°Then who was the more likely candidate for the throne five years ago?¡± ¡°My Eldest Brother.¡± ¡°Then, after the Second Brother had an ident, the Red Ash approached him.¡± ¡°I agree with you.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth for a moment. The only organization that could give Adoris enough strength was the Red Ash. Wasn¡¯t the Lumina family that supported him also entangled with the Red Ash? What was very suspicious here was the First Prince¡¯s move. Why did he leave that day? ¡°Cough, cough. Anyway, I think that¡¯s all the information you can give me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s not a big gift, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve made this moreplicated.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay because you¡¯ve got another individual to watch. Please monitor both of them.¡± ¡°Have you forgotten that I am a prince?¡± Banios stated, smiling slightly. ¡°I¡¯m asking you this favor because you¡¯re a prince. This is not a ce where I can intervene recklessly.¡± ¡°It was a light joke, as you said, I can easily dig into my two brothers.¡± Banios soon rose from his seat with a bitter smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another giftter, so I hope that will make you content, after all I¡¯ve received so much from you already.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you know. I was afraid that you mighte to me empty-handed.¡± Baniosughed loudly. ¡°Yeah, I was a bit arrogant when I first met you. As is often the case with nobles, there¡¯s a tendency to hold oneself in high regard.¡± You¡¯re a prince, tho? Ruel looked at Banios with an absurd face. ¡°I¡¯m a little shy to say it myself, but I¡¯m still more modest than you admit. Well, anyway, you may stay and rx and prepare for the banquet in my room.¡± Banios¡¯ expression didn¡¯t change a bit, even though he said something quite shameless. Ruel replied calmly. ¡°I see.¡± ¡°I tried to cancel the banquet so as not to burden your wound, but I am sorry that my power doesn¡¯t reach that far. Please get some rest once you get back to Setiria.¡± ¡°H¡­did you know?¡± Banios pointed proudly at himself. ¡°No matter how powerless I am, I am a prince.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say you were humble?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a boast, it¡¯s a fact. What can I do? I hope you¡¯ll be born as a prince next time.¡± Ruel saw the back of Banios hiding a brief grin. ¡°Then when are you going to tell His Majesty?¡± Banios stopped moving forward and brushed his bangs back. ¡°His Majesty cares so much about us, it¡¯s a little difficult to let him know that we¡¯re aiming our swords at each other in other matters outside the battle for the throne.¡± Banios¡¯s sigh followed. ¡°I¡¯ll take the opportunity to tell him. He can¡¯t stay in the dark.¡± Banios sighed again and went out. As soon as the door was closed, Ruel asked Cassion. ¡°How did he know about my wound?¡± ¡°You can hide your wounds, but you can¡¯t hide the smell of blood. He probably caught you by the scent.¡± ¡°¡­ah.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at the spirits stuck to his body. The spirits tilted their heads when they received Ruel¡¯s gaze. Kuroo kuru. Twenty, no thirty, no, there were enough spirits that he didn¡¯t want to count. He had a hard time hiding his expression every time one more clung to him, probably because the pce grounds were pleasant Cassion packed the papers holding the data. ¡°I¡¯ll find a witness and find out exactly what happened.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t expect much.¡± ¡°I know. Wasn¡¯t it five years ago?¡± Ruel rose from his seat and headed for bed. He felt it before, that whatever the bed material was it was very good. He should have asked what kind of material it was. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Are you sad? ¡°No.¡± ¡ªYou look sad. ¡°It¡¯s just your imagination.¡± It was the Ruel in the novel who had an ident or was swept away by an incident hidden by someone, not himself. Ruel was just wondering what happened then. ¡°Take a break. I¡¯ll be back after getting ready.¡± Leave the room and go somewhere to prepare. It¡¯s useless nonsense. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Do as usual.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°By the way, I asked Aris to wear white clothes. Don¡¯t forget to change your clothes to white.¡± Cassion smirked. ¡°Even if you change the color to something lighter, the title ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ is unlikely to be forgotten. Why don¡¯t you attend in the original color?¡± Ruel also knew. Once the name¡¯s been made, it was going to stick. Once a reputation is built, it¡¯s built. Damn it, Ganien. Ruel chewed him to pieces inwardly and spoke forcefully. ¡°Make it white, no questions asked.¡± Cassion suppressed hisughter and answered, ¡°Alright. We will try to match it as much as possible.¡± As Ruel waved his hand, Cassion bowed and went outside to meet Aris. ¡ªThis body will be ying with the spirits, so you can sleep in peace. Leo¡¯s front paws patted Ruel on the head. The spirits, who were residing on his stomach, also rushed to his face. ¡ªNo, you must not imitate this body, but heal Ruel¡¯s wounds! When Leo growled and barked, the spirits roared and responded. Eventually, some remained around his head and some returned to the wound. ¡®If you care, you lose.¡¯ Ruel closed his eyes for a moment. *** ¡°They say that all the heads of the five families and their family members and vassals are attending the banquet today.¡± Ruel stopped yawning and doubted his ears at Cassion¡¯s words. ¡°I heard it was a small event.¡± He thought it was hrious to describe the gathering of all the family heads as modest. ¡°Yes, wouldn¡¯t it be simple with only those with strong influence gathered?¡± Cassion smiled faintly. Ruel choked before he could speak. ¡°They say it¡¯s the first time in five years that all six families were seen together.¡± ¡ªWill this body go? Leo, who was circling around Ruel, stopped and asked. Ruel answered while the spirits were sliding down his shoulders¡­again. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to eat even if there were delicious food like at the Cyronian Banquet?¡± ¡ªNo, this body has learned to eat secretly. Look at this. Leo suddenly climbed the table and ate up the meat pie Ruel had ced down. He chuckled brightly after chewing. ¡®¡­my pie.¡¯ ¡ªDid you see! This body ate it all at once! If you eat anything at once, no one knows! Leo waggled his tail to ask for praise, but Ruel found it difficult to respond to the request this time. ¡°Let¡¯s not touch anything at the banquet.¡± For a moment Leo¡¯s body stumbled, but he soon smiled again at Cassion¡¯s words. ¡ªIt¡¯s not a bad strategy. If this body eats food without making it obvious, quickly, and without touching people it will be fine. What¡¯s the difference between saying that and ¡®that¡¯s impossible¡¯? ¡ªSee? This body¡¯s n is perfect. This body is going to eat everything! Ruel inhaled Breath and briefly pitied Leo, who reveled in his n alone. ¡®¡­let¡¯s see.¡¯ Lumina, Shio, Prios, Kuhn, Liobenez. Among them, Lumina was the family that was confirmed to be rted to the Red Ash. ¡°Give me your report.¡± Cassion would have looked into it. ¡°Why don¡¯t you prepare for the banquet first?¡± Cassion¡¯s hand stopped touching Ruel¡¯s hair. ¡°Unlike you, sitting still is all I have to do.¡± Even if he was getting ready, Ruel only had to maintain either a standing or sitting position, like a mannequin. He was doing his hair right now, so Cassion shouldn¡¯t care what he did in the meantime with his hands. When Ruel showed his empty hands, Cassion handed over the data with a disapproving face. ¡°Please understand that the contents are poor due tock of time to investigate.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel answered calmly and opened the data focusing on the family heads of the three families, Kuhn, Shio, and Liobenez, whom he had not met. Then something came to mind, and Ruel spoke in thought. ¡°You were the one who rejected thedy-in-waiting that His Highness offered, Cassion.¡± ¡°Their mouth is supposed to open eventually. What should I do to inform you of the current situation? I did all this from the beginning, and now it¡¯s no problem.¡± ¡°Are you going to teach Noah?¡± ¡°That¡¯s all right. I¡¯ll do it myself.¡± Ruel chuckled at Cassion¡¯s urgent reply. Cassion frowned and continued working on Ruel¡¯s hair again. What¡¯s the point of having an exclusive attendant? It was better to just do it himself than to have Noah burden him. He quickly learned aboutbat, but the attitude that he had towards learning as an attendant remained the same no matter how many times Cassion instructed him. Maybe when we go back, he can be passed over to Billo. That would be much better. Ruel looked at the data again, still smiling. ¡®The head of the Shio family is Diagos Shio¡­¡¯ In the past, the Shio family supported the Eldest Prince, but they already knew that they were being worked against behind the scenes under the influence of the Second Prince. It was also noted that the head of the family sincerely cared for their second daughter, Serti Shio. The Liobenez family was quiet; it was a family that produced many judges and built close friendships with ministers. The patriarch¡¯s name was Ben Liobenez, who had a cousin, but had no children. The Kuhn family was a family that was considered the guardian of the Royal Family and, like Setiria, was allowed many private soldiers. The number allowed was less than that of Setiria, but it is said to beparable to that of Setiria in strength. ¡®The patriarch takes the position through a duel among the direct line¡­ ¡¯ The head of the Kuhn family was Rie Kuhn, who became the patriarch of the Kuhn family three years ago through a duel. Unfortunately, there was only superficial information to see but there was really no time to dig further. Although it was better than nothing. Ruel lowered the spirit that fell on the data onto hisp. Kuroo kuru. He seemed angry, but what does it matter? Ruel slightly hit the mongrel on the head and handed the data back to Cassion. ¡°Oh, did you change the color of your clothes?¡± ¡°Aris just briefed me on some of the rules within the Royal Family. It seems that Sir Torto has given you only the minimal information you needed to know.¡± The word ¡®rule¡¯ was not a good sign. ¡°First of all, even minor magic is prohibited. Originally, possession of magic items should be prohibited, but the patriarchs of the six families stated there can be exceptions.¡± ¡°My uncle did it with me before¡± ¡°Tyson-nim is better than the royal wizards here. He hid the mana and it went undetected. But Arispared to a royal wizard¡­¡± ¡°Okay. Stop it.¡± He exined it in a roundabout manner, but in short, he meant that Ruel had to wear the clothes in the original dark colors. Ruel inhaled Breath with a frown. ¡®Nothing goes my way.¡¯ *** ¡°The bandages are tighter. But you shouldn¡¯t bump into anything.¡± Behind Cassion¡¯s words, the sound of a cane echoed. ¡°You¡¯re going to watch.¡± Ruel paused and gestured to his own shadow. ¡ªThis body will watch. Don¡¯t worry about Cassion. Leo fluttered around Cassion, knowing he couldn¡¯t be seen. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye on you. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Aris smiled slightly. He was dressed as a knight, so every time he moved there was a heavy sound. ¡°Please, he who doesn¡¯t know what his condition is like now.¡± Huh. Ruel made a ridiculousugh at the open conversation. ¡®They¡¯re having fun.¡¯ ¡°Then.¡± Cassion quietly seeped into Ruel¡¯s shadow. Mana¡¯s oath seems to be working properly, seeing that Noah gets caught every time he speaks, but looking at Cassion, he feels a little torn. Ruel walked forward again, inhaling Breath. The sound of the cane rang in the hallway. ¡ªThis body has thought of food to eat at the banquet in advance. This body will eat everything sweet. Leo then chatted about his small ns, gesturing with his front feet and tail. ¡°Are you nervous?¡± Aris asked in front of the entrance to the hall. ¡°No, what about you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m nervous. Being in the spotlight is awkward and strange, no matter how many times I¡¯ve been through it.¡± ¡°You have to get used to it. That position will continue to attract attention in the future.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris replied with a firm will. Unlike in Cyronian, this was not an enemy state. However, the Red Ash also existed in their home country of Leponia. Aris exhaled heavily, and watched the back of Ruel, dressed in ck. There were some things that Cassion reminded him several times to pay attention to, so he stayed alert. When he arrived at the door of the banquet hall, Ruel nodded to the servant, who bowed and opened the tightly closed door and shouting loudly, ¡°Aris, the knight and magic swordsman of Setiria, and Ruel Setiria, the head of Setiria and Noble of Darkness, enters!¡± Chapter 90: Banquet Chapter 90: Banquet The main character of today¡¯s banquet was going to be Ruel. Everyone in the hall paid rapt attention to Ruel¡¯s entrance to the banquet. Ruel walked slowly as if enjoying their gaze. Ttak. He walked firmly with the cane, in a leisurely gait that slightly revealed his arrogant eyes. He looked at them serenely, his mood calm. Ttak. Corrence Lumina turned his head pretending to ignore him as soon as his eyes met Ruel, while Ken Prios lightly nodded his head, trying to hide his delight. Diagos Shio looked at Ruel with a slight nce. Then Ruel¡¯s eyes met his second daughter, Serti Shio. It had been a long time since he hadst seen her, so when Ruel smiled it was a bit more weing. Serti hurriedly covered her face with her fan and lowered her head. ¡®The rest¡­¡¯ He thought all the lords were gathered as of the number of people present, but the other two individuals did not look like what he saw in the files provided to him. There was no Rie Kuhn or Ben Liobenez to be seen. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel paused lightly in his steps with a cough. He wasn¡¯t feeling very well today either. ¡°Hello.¡± Ruel moved his feet in surprise at the sudden voice of a womaning up close. At that moment, he reeled from sudden dizziness. Aris caught both the cane and Ruel that almost fell to the floor. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel nodded to Aris¡¯ question. ¡ªThis body is not surprised and was ready. Hehe. After ncing at Leo, who was shaking his tail, Ruel stood back in ce. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m sorry. You¡¯re very surprised. Are you okay?¡± Thedy was at a loss with an apologetic look. Seeing Ruel¡¯s eyes of inquiry, she said while fiddling with her fingers. ¡°Greetings, my name is Rie Kuhn, head of the Kuhn family.¡± ¡®It¡¯s Rie Kuhn.¡¯ Her cheerful personality was shown on her face. Ruel immediately smiled and held out his hand. ¡°My name is Ruel Setiria, the head of Setiria. It¡¯s because I¡¯m in delicate health, so you don¡¯t have to be too apologetic.¡± ¡°But you almost got hurt because of me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a little awkward with this being my very first official banquet. How could Iin after meeting such a beautiful individual willing to grace me with her presence.¡± ¡°You tter me.¡± Rie was happy and acting as if she had met a fellowrade, lowered her voice. ¡°In fact, this is the fourth or fifth one for me as well. Anyway, it¡¯s been a while since I have attended one, so it¡¯s a bit awkward. But, I¡¯m a senior at attending banquets, so if there¡¯s anything you don¡¯t know, feel free to ask.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she smiled broadly. Sniff. Sniff. Leo wandered around Rie, sniffing her and recalled something familiar. ¡ªIt smells like Ganien! But Ganien¡¯ scent is stronger. Leo said Ganien smelled of iron and sweat. Rie seemed to be as much a training fanatic as Ganien. She immediately looked at Aris and held out her hand. There was a slight sh of fighting spirit in her. ¡®Does everyone act like this when they hold a sword?¡¯ ¡°Hello. This is Rie Kuhn. I thought this lord had learned the sword, but the aura I felt must have flowed from you.¡± ¡°This one is Aris, a Knight of Setiria. It is an honor to meet my lord.¡± ¡°Before I am head of a household, I am a knight. You understand my meaning, correct?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°If someday the opportunity does arise would you ept it?¡± ¡°I¡¯d be honored.¡± Rie smiled brightly at Aris¡¯ response and covered her mouth daintly with the fan. ¡°Oh, I must apologize, I have kept the main character of this banquet long enough.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really personally interested in Setiria¡¯s heirloom, so I hope you¡¯ll invite me to Setiriater on.¡± ¡®¡­ Are you interested in Turbulent Days?¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. It was very good news. ¡°Of course.¡± When permission was readily granted, Rie sped her hands tightly and finally suppressed her joy. ¡°Well, I¡¯lle backter.¡± Ruel turned his head following Rie¡¯s back after she smiled and walked away. ¡®Is it just a favor? Or is there a purpose?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t tell the two apart now. Ruel inhaled Breath and moved to find Ben Liobenez. Diagos Shio seemed to want to approach him, but he was quickly distracted when he saw someone. ¡ªSomeone came behind you. At Leo¡¯s words, Ruel looked back. There was an older man with white hair that was quite tall. ¡°Well, you still hate me.¡± The man uttered the words as if meant to be heard by Diagos. And soon he smiled and reached out his hand to Ruel, revealing a missing tooth. ¡°Nice to meet you. I¡¯m Ben Liobenez, and I approached first thinking that I might be the one you¡¯re looking for. If it was the wrong assumption due to my excitement, I greatly apologize.¡± ¡°No, it is just as you expected. My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± Ruel took his hand and smiled innocently. Since he was the only one among the family heads who hadn¡¯t reached adulthood, innocence could be a weapon. ¡°It¡¯s my first time attending this banquet, and since it¡¯s a ce where I can meet all the family heads, I think I was in a hurry because I felt I had to meet them all face to face.¡± Benughed loudly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to think so highly just because it¡¯s between family heads. It¡¯s okay because I¡¯m ufortable with that, too.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should say this, but I¡¯m being very careful not to speak carelessly, as it feels like I¡¯m meeting my grandfather for the first time.¡± Ben Liobenez had no children. If he had children, and then grandchildren, they would be exactly his age. Above all, who wasn¡¯t aware that Ruel lost his parents. Ben paused for a moment and immediately pointed to the door. ¡°I would like to speak with you again after greeting His Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, that sounds good.¡± All the nobles and ministers quickly recognized who would appear following the appearance of the royal servant. The door opened once more. ¡°Prince Huan Leponia, Prince Adoris Leponia, and Prince Banios Leponia, the small suns of Leponia, enter!¡± First, second, and third princes entered in the corresponding order of the announcement. It was the first time he had seen Prince Huan¡¯s face, so Ruel did not forget to look carefully before bowing his head. After the three princes entered alone, the servant shouted louder than ever. ¡°His Majesty Brans Leponia, the sun and the highest in Leponia, enters!¡± When the king made his appearance, the crowd became quiet. Even with the same movements as others, the sound of footsteps, walking, and clothes brushing against each other sounded special. The king took his ce. After seeing everyone bowing their heads toward him, he opened his mouth in a slightly dull tone. ¡°Everyone, raise your heads.¡± Only then did the silenced sound return. ¡°Today is a banquet to wee Lord Ruel Setiria, who has traveled to a faraway country and conveyed my will.¡± When the king looked at Ruel, a more burdensome feeling came upon him, heavier than the attention when he first entered. There was a variety of greed present in the eyes of those watching in the crowd. They had tried clinging, using him, and others were purely jealous. ¡®¡­I¡¯m already tired.¡¯ But Ruel shed all those eyes. He felt heavy. The hand holding the cane was losing its strength. ¡°I would like to take this opportunity to give credit to the Lord of Setiria.¡± The king looked at Ruel gently. He inhaled Breath and moved forward. Why is the short distance to the king so far away? He felt a cold sweat from his forehead and back. His stomach tightened, and his hands trembled. He didn¡¯t get sick thanks to the medicine, but it seemed that the symptoms had returned. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ Ruel persisted, recalling the reward the king would give him. ¡®¡­ I¡¯d like a lot of money.¡¯ In Cyronian, he received other things besides money, but in Leponia, the only thing they could present himself with was money. There was a lot to do when he went back to Setiria. He had to rebuild the walls and dams of the entire vige, and he needed a lot of money to repair the gates and rece the soldiers¡¯ supplies with new ones. Ttak. The sound of a cane rang out in front of the king. Ruel tried to kneel, but the king stopped him when he saw his condition. ¡°Just because you don¡¯t kneel to me doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t know your loyalty, so no need.¡± ¡°I am very d that Your Majesty recognizes my loyalty.¡± The king smiled lightly and looked at the minister standing next to him. He handed Ruel a money pouch. It was finely woven with silver thread and showed a pattern with seven swords embedded in the heart, a symbol of the Royal Family. ¡ªIt smells like Ruel¡¯s favorite! At Leo¡¯s words, Ruel seemed to feel light in his tired body for a moment. Gold coins. Money. ¡°I give you five million gold coins with a humble heart.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel¡¯s heart beat hard at the sound of 5 million. Setiria¡¯s one-year budget was about 50 million gold coins, so it was more than empty money. Ruel calmly held out his hand, holding down the corner of his mouth that was surging uncontrobly. ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± If this was a reward, he was willing to go to the Kingdom of Kran as the representative of the delegation. If he stayed for more than two weeks and earned 5 million gold coins, it was good business. Of course, Ruel knew that the meaning of an apology was also mixed in that 5 million gold coins. When he went to greet the king before the banquet, the king apologized again for not knowing about Setiria¡¯s circumstances. He did not ask who covered his ears, if the king himself ignored it, or why it happened. Perhaps the king was pretending not to know even though he knew it all, and Ruel thought that this amount was a reward rted to the silence. He didn¡¯t mean to me. The position of king was a burdensome duty that could not bepared to a position of a mere head of household. He felt a cold touch on his palm. The pouch was lighter than I thought. ¡®I can¡¯t use it.¡¯ No matter how much the power of resistance grew, it was still impossible to take things out of the magic pocket. ¡®I can¡¯t even give it to anyone.¡¯ It was the thing that the king had given him. He would have to put the five million gold coins in his safe and leave them to Cassion. After that, the king spoke of Ruel¡¯s good deeds, and the sound of music spread through the quiet hall as everyone congratted. As soon as Ruel stepped down from the king, he walked to a resting ce on the outskirts. He wasn¡¯t in good enough physical condition to meet someone. If he didn¡¯t rest immediately, he would copse. Aris helped Ruel on the sofa. ¡°Are you tired?¡± ¡°More than I thought.¡± Aris wiped Ruel¡¯s cold sweat. It felt like all his stamina was being sucked out just by wearing formal clothes that didn¡¯tfortably fit, with all the eyes watching closely, and trying not to reveal his wound. Even if the spirits made the wound recover faster, it is still a long way off. ¡°Would you like some medicine?¡± When Aris asked carefully, Ruel hesitated and nodded. He had already taken one before entering the hall, but given the current state, it was unlikely that one painkiller would be enough. Ruel took the medicine that Aris handed over and saw Leo approaching the food in the hall. It wasn¡¯t his fault even if he was caught. Ruel took a short deep breath and closed his eyes. It was a pity that he couldn¡¯t lie down. ¡°Are you okay?¡± At the voice of Banios, Ruel opened his closed eyes. Aris bowed his head and stepped back for a moment. ¡°I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell His Majesty, so why don¡¯t you rest for the remaining evening?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I can¡¯t ruin my first banquet because of illness.¡± Ruel finished his sentence and coughed as he bit Breath. Aris, who had withdrawn, hurried over and covered his mouth with a handkerchief. ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel vomited ck blood. No matter how much he covered Ruel¡¯s mouth with a handkerchief, he couldn¡¯t stop the sound. ¡°I¡¯m going to bring some water.¡± Banios said with a stiff face. Despite him offering, he couldn¡¯t ask a prince to run an errand. ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡± Aris left, handing his handkerchief to Ruel. ¡°That¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. As I said before, it¡¯s just a symptom of the disease. Now step aside. It¡¯s not good to stay long.¡± Since Ganien visited Banios, he temporarily acted as a diplomat and took care of Ruel, who became the representative of the delegation, but it was not a good choice toe any nearer. Banios¡¯ deration of support had to be made during theing-of-age ceremony to be effective. Banios hesitantly opened his mouth ¡°I¡¯ll only be here until Sir Arises back, and not everyone knows you¡¯re sick, so this will be okay.¡± ¡°Please allow me to close my eyes for a moment until Arises.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± Who would say anything when the prince allowed it. Ruel snorted and closed his eyes. His body was already exhausted, but the fact that the banquet had just begun felt scarier than he thought. A few minutester, Ruel heard footsteps. It wasn¡¯t the sound of Aris, but someone with a hint of arrogance heard in their steps. Banios opened his mouth in astonishment at the sound of his footsteps. ¡°Brother.¡± Ruel struggled to open his eyes and saw a spirit running around on hisp. ¡®I¡¯m sure you¡¯d have investigated everything before you came.¡¯ Ruel took a breath and looked up. It was the First Prince. Ruel stopped attempting to stand and only managed to hold on to his cane due to the dizzy spell that hit him. ¡°Your Highness, Ruel Setiria¡­¡± ¡°I know your name already, so it¡¯s okay not to get up, so sitfortably.¡± Huan looked at Ruel with an apologetic face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry toe here during the break, but I came here because I was curious about you, who was called the name Noble of Darkness. But, I didn¡¯t know there would be a guest already present.¡± He nced sideways at Banios. ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve been in charge. This was also coincidental, so we were only talking lightly.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look well, is it okay to leave it as it is?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright if I take a break.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°The youngest must be morefortable to be with than me who you¡¯ve met for the first time. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Lord Setiria. I want to speak with you again once you are in better health. Would that be okay? ¡°I would be honored.¡± Huan looked at Ruel worriedly and then turned around. Ruel slid down on his seat. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ It was a good opportunity to meet the First Prince alone. He blew the chance because of his failing body. ¡°Are you okay, Ruel-nim?¡± Aris had returned and Ruel drank the water he handed over, clearing his mind a little. Ruel closed his eyes and forced the power of recovery to work quickly. There was one more opportunity for the princes and the family heads to gather together like this three days before the New Year, but they could not drag the wait any longer until then. Before that, he had to find out who had joined the Red Ash, so he was nning on making full use of the meeting today. ¡®Let¡¯s hang in there.¡¯ Wiing. There was a sound from the power of recovery a couple of times before it stopped. Ruel opened his eyes and covered his mouth with a handkerchief. Chapter 91: Banquet (2) Chapter 91: Banquet (2) ¡°Ptui.¡± He wiped the blood flowing from his mouth. This ce was different from the outside. It was a ce where he had to deal with it alone. ¡®I have to endure.¡¯ The splendid music sounded like the music of a bloody war movie, his aching body was a burden he had to carry alone, and he was holding the enticing treasure called Setiria in his hand. In order for Ruel to obtained what he wanted he had to break through the traps of those venomous snakes and Red Ash. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Ruel looked at Banios. ¡°Please tell me all the information you know about those people.¡± Except, that didn¡¯t nesarily mean that he wascking a weapon to help ovee the situation. Information was a weapon. Isn¡¯t there a living informant, Banios, right next to him? How much information he heard as a prince and how many nobles he must have met. He must have the key information he was looking for. ¡°You really have no end.¡± When the person who had been groaning in pain until now had the audacity to say that he would move forward without stopping, Banios could notprehend how much willpower he had. ¡°How can you have the mind to look back when you¡¯re so busy looking forward?¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°The situation has changed since the First Prince visited. You can stay a little longer.¡± ¡°Do you mean to do a short y?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± If it were just Banios and Ruel, one could think that their friendship is deeper than expected. However, since Huan came and went, if Ruel simply exined what happened inside, they could easily move past suspicions. ¡°Since you are the only one with whom I have a friendship here, it¡¯s an opportunity for you to umte virtues while taking care of me, and for me to listen to information.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Banios hesitated and finally answered. ¡°I will stand in front.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In response to Ruel¡¯s reply, Aris stood before them, apart from them. It was to let Ruel know if anyone else approached. Ruel noticed what he was thinking with the asional worried look while Banios was giving information. ¡®I guess my illness is bothering him.¡¯ Being sick is a weakness, but Ruel intended to make it a weapon. How painful would it be to the extent that it is rumored to be terminally ill. ¡®You¡¯d think it wouldn¡¯t be long in life.¡¯ In other words, not living for a long time means that hard won results would be lost quickly. You have to pick the persimmons before they burst on the ground to pick the most perfect fruit. He made it the goal of this banquet as it was obvious that he would rush to reserve an appointment without having to leave his own territory. The question was whether his body could withstand the process or not. After memorizing the information Banios gave in his mind, Ruel stood up with his cane. He inhaled the Breath. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look good for me to leave first, so please go ahead. I will follow you soon.¡± ¡°You need help¡­¡± ¡°The situation of Your Highness is not good either.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Banios was not displeased, but rather gave a yful smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t I say I would gift you a present?¡± Standing up, he continued, taking a step forward. ¡°It¡¯s worth looking forward to.¡± ¡®Was the present to be gifted at the banquet?¡¯ Ruel thought quietly. ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel quickly predicted what Banios nned to do. A very powerful move that would make him the star, the main attraction, of this banquet in an instant. Smirk. The corners of his mouth rose automatically. ¡®I should be grateful that you¡¯re a shield.¡¯ Ruel waited for Banios to leave before departing the room. Aris looked at him worriedly. ¡°You look pale. Why don¡¯t you rest a little longer?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± First, Ruel had to meet the princes again. Rather than the definite Second Prince, it was a priority to find out the intentions of the ambiguous First Prince. ¡°Ha ha, Lord Setiria.¡± Then, Diagos Shio approached with a smile with Serti following not far behind. ¡®¡­I see what you¡¯re up to.¡¯ Most certainly, the rightful way to take control of Setiria was by means of marriage. It seemed that Shio, the weakest of the six families, was in a hurry to make this connection. ¡°I was frowning earlier due to a problem going on within my territory, so I hope you don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Diagos bowed slightly. ¡°No, I should have greeted you first, so before it¡¯s toote, I¡¯m Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°This is Diagos Shio. This is my daughter¡­ Oh,e to think of it, you know each other¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt, but it¡¯s my first time seeing her today. As you know, I don¡¯t often leave the territory because I¡¯m not feeling well.¡± Ruel cut it off resolutely. How can you like Serti, who swallowed Setiria and created huge debts. What shamelessness allowed herself to be brought before Ruel by her father without stopping him. After a moment¡¯s eye contact with Serti, she hurriedly pulled Diagos¡¯ sleeve. ¡°¡­Father.¡± ¡°Haha, I guess I was too hasty. My daughter seemed interested in Lord Setiria, so I mistakenly thought she was an acquaintance. I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, she must have been staring at the awful pallor of my face from my sickness. That¡¯s perfectly alright.¡± Ruel nailed them once again, implying she was just staring out of misguided curiosity. ¡°No, who said anything about staring at Lord Setiria in such a manner? Since you have such an outstanding appearance, isn¡¯t it natural to look at a handsome young man at least once?¡± He didn¡¯t put butter on his tongue, but he thought it was rolling rather smoothly. ¡®It¡¯s the first time you¡¯ve seen me and I have an outstanding appearance.¡¯ It was ridiculous, but Ruel smiled. It didn¡¯t feel so bad either. ¡°Oh, I got caught between young people without any sense. I¡¯m going to leave, so I hope you will take this opportunity to create friendships and speak with each other.¡± Diagos stopped smiling broadly and reacted as if he had seen something quite unpleasant. ¡°Behind us, Ben Liobenez is waving.¡± Aris whispered quietly. Ruel nced back. In the distance Ben was waving his hand at Diagos. ¡°Lord Setiria. This father will leave his daughter in your care and step aside for a while. Then, I hope you have a pleasant time.¡± ¡°Fa, Father! I want to¡­¡± Serti stopped trying to follow in Diagos¡¯s footsteps and looked at Ruel with anxiety. ¡°Cough, why are you looking at me like that?¡± ¡°My, my lord, this is not my intention, to tell you the truth.¡± ¡°What are you talking about? Have you seen me before?¡± Serti understood Ruel¡¯s warning and squeezed the fan in her hand. ¡± I¡¯d like to apologize because I¡¯m worried that you might have been surprised by my father¡¯s sudden appearance.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. He soon lowered his voice. ¡°Serti Shio.¡± Aris moved to the side where there were a lot of eyes and blocked their view of Ruel with his cloak. ¡°Tell your father that you have an appointment with me. I will let you know when we will meet next.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten what you owe me, have you?¡± Serti had once disrespected his status as Lord and called him by name without any regard, separate from the incident that caused her to be in debt. It was a felony that could not be ignored. ¡°Forget¡­ I didn¡¯t.¡± Serti¡¯s voice and the fan she was holding trembled slightly. ¡°I have not forgotten my promise with you, so don¡¯t worry.¡± A promise to make Serti the next head of the Shio family. He did not forget. Serti made a subtle expression. It was an expression of joy and anxiety. Ruel smiled slightly down at her before leaving towards Ben. Anyway, he had seemed to be in trouble, so Ben helped him. Ben said, handing over the drink that the servant brought, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ve done anything wrong.¡± ¡°No, I was just embarrassed by the sudden offer. And I appreciate the drink, but I can¡¯t drink it.¡± ¡°There is no poison.¡± Ben¡¯s voice grew slightly thicker, though his expression remained unchanged. ¡°It¡¯s not that, but it¡¯s because I get sick if I eat recklessly. I apologize.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t know that. I wondered why you didn¡¯t touch the food, but there was a reason. The banquet is long, so can you endure to the end?¡± Ruel could feel Ben¡¯s pity. It would be nice if that was a real emotion, but Ruel just looked awkward because the opponent was a noble. ¡°That¡¯s alright. Isn¡¯t it natural not to know as today is our first meeting?¡± ¡°Then, will you give me a chance to meet again? I know as many great restaurants as the years I¡¯ve lived. If you contact my territory, I would be more than ttered to treat you to delicious food.¡± Ruel did not immediately answer. Making another appointment was what he wanted, but it was this easy? Ruel made an excuse to go, but Ben had nothing. Ben spoke, embarrassed by the ensuing silence.. ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough that we met for the first time, even a sudden proposal¡­ Sorry, I was too hasty.¡± ¡°No, it was not. I am very grateful for the suggestion as I have stayed only within my territory. But before that, may I hear the reason?¡± Only then did Ben realize that his words were out of order. He was cautious for his age. It was difficult to predict what purpose this proposal was for. ¡®The opponent is a sly fellow.¡¯ Ruel caught his cloudy intentions. ¡°I have no children under my care. If there was, I wonder if my grandson would be around your age.¡± The words that he had been expecting presented themselved. His embarrassed expression was also perfect. ¡°My age is a withering flower, won¡¯t you just feel sorry for this old man and be mypanion?¡± Ben¡¯s face turned red when he said everything. Sympathy was deeply embedded in the voice and the eyes looking at him. It wasn¡¯t annoying. Rather, it was nice to see him being honest. He simply felt sorry for himself. He feels sorry for himself to the extent that he throws away his pride, which has been hardened by years of social pressure, and folds in the name of a favor. ¡®It¡¯s just as I heard from Banios.¡¯ Ben was weak in his old age. He secretly helped those who had no choice but to leave the orphanage because of their age. ¡®If you want to y with your grandchildren, there¡¯s nothing I can¡¯t do.¡¯ As Red Ash tried to kill himself using different methods, it was not time for Ruel to choose a method. Even if Ben isn¡¯t associated with the Red Ash, he won¡¯t know it¡¯s a grandchild game anyway. It was a game that started by covering each other¡¯s eyes. He decided to y the game. Ruel clenched his cane and bowed slightly. ¡°¡­It may not suit this atmosphere, but I don¡¯t have a grandfather.¡± The music from the banquet skimmed by the cor was as bright as a child on a pic. ¡°The only time I have seen his face is through a portrait. To be honest, my father¡­ I don¡¯t remember him well either.¡± With an iron te nailed on one¡¯s face he actively searched for sympathy. ¡°It¡¯s a gracious offer. I don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll meet next, but I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Ruel slowly raised his head and looked at Ben. And he showed a smile fit for his age. Only then did Ben giggle so loud that he could see the missing tooth. ¡ªWhy are you smiling when you¡¯re not happy? This body is so happy right now! They¡¯re all delicious! He really almostughed at Leo sitting under the tablecloth, smacking his lips. He must have eaten dessert without being caught. ¡°Thank you. It would be nice if you could contact me regarding a convenient date.¡± With a slight nod, Ben stepped back. ¡®Shio and the Liobenez family are done.¡¯ Prios and Lumina had to be put off because they could make an appointmentter. ¡®Lumina¡­¡¯ It wasn¡¯t time to touch it yet. Ruel inhaled Breath and looked for the First Prince. ¡°The one you are looking for is over there.¡± Aris lowered his voice and pointed with his hand. He followed the tip of his finger and saw Huan. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth and praised Aris. Aris also felt relieved when he found out that looking for Huan was the first thing they were doing in this situation. ¡®But I¡¯m still fully considering it.¡¯ When one¡¯s physical strength is low, one¡¯s mental strength is weak. Then the judgment was bound to be blurred. As Ruel approached Huan, Huan, who was talking to other ministers, felt it became a little noisy and turned his head. ¡°Ah, Lord Setiria.¡± Huan weed Ruel with pleasure. Ruel was slightly annoyed by the wee. It was as if Ruel had taken the bait. ¡®What is it?¡¯ ¡°Is it okay not to be resting?¡± ¡°Yes, thanks to your concern, I am better.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down for a while?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a nice offer, but I can¡¯t bother Your Highness.¡± ¡°There is something else I want to tell you, so maybe our conversation will be longer. Shouldn¡¯t I hear how you earned the title of Noble of Darkness?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Highness, I hear it¡¯s a title given after saving a vige of Cyronian. Isn¡¯t Lord Setiria a perfect example of the aristocracy?¡± The ministers next to him chattered after him. Ruel just shuddered in humility, enduring the annoyance at the title, Noble of Darkness, that was mentioned one after another. ¡°No. The Royal Knights worked harder than me. I was given that title simply because I was the representative of the delegation.¡± Huan smiled pleasantly. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too modest? It¡¯s a ce where you can campaign to some extent.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Aren¡¯t you a patriarch?¡± He felt pity for the appearance of ministers who were not parrots but still busy repeating Huan¡¯s words and praising them. Ruel looked the other way, turning his head for a moment because of his cough. At a distance there was a ce where people were particrly crowded. ¡®The Second Prince must be there.¡¯ Typically, people will stick to the side where there was most to gain. ¡°Are you alright? Why don¡¯t you drink some water?¡± Huan summoned the servant who was passing by and handed him the water on the tray. ¡°Thank you.¡± As soon as he received the water with his head down, Cassion¡¯s shadow shook for a very short time. Cassion sent Ruel a warning. ¡®¡­Don¡¯t tell me, it¡¯s poison?¡¯ He couldn¡¯t believe the water was poisoned in such a situation. If he drank it without knowing it, it was very likely that the First Prince would be involved in the incident. Whether it was handed over intentionally or without knowing it, that servant will surely die. Is it better to drink and make a fuss or not? Ruel closed his eyes tightly and leaned over. Ch-INK. Aris rushed to support Ruel in response to the sound of the shattering ss. Buzz. Buzz. The sound of the banquet quieted and music halted. The surrounding individuals were attracted to themotion The Royal Knights approached. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright, I¡¯m just dizzy.¡± All he did was break the cup and ssh the water. The disturbance soon calmed down. Ruel stood up and saw Huan. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Unlike his worried voice, there was no emotion to be seen in his eyes. As if he knew this would happen. Ruel grinned. It smelled. But he wasn¡¯t sure. It was necessary to be caught in an enemy trap to know for sure. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I think I¡¯d better sit down for a while, as you said.¡± Only then did Huan¡¯s eyes smile. ¡°Would you please step aside for a moment?¡± Huan asked softly to his ministers. They were far away from Huan and looked around to see if it would be an obstacle. Huan, who was staring at the crowded ce for a moment, seemed relieved. ¡®Why are you checking the location of the Second Prince?¡¯ Ruel was confused by Huan¡¯s behavior and followed Huan who took the lead. ¡°Follow me, Leo.¡± Leo stopped licking his front paws and poked his ears up. Ruel was calling for him. Leo stared at the strawberry-filled cake, then jumped up and spun around at Ruel¡¯s feet. ¡ªNo one knew this body was so good! Ruel, Ruel. Listen to what this body has eaten. The first thing this body ate was very ck like dirt! This body was the first to choose because it was a Great purifier! Leo smiled broadly and talked excitedly about what he had eaten. Ruel breathedfortably, using the chatter as background noise. The sound of music that was ringing in the hall gradually faded away. The ce Huan guided him seemed to be the furthest ce from the hall, a resting ce reserved only for the royal family. Ruel nced at Aris. It was not the ce for Aris to enter. A little uneasy, but trusting Cassion, Aris bowed his head and stopped walking. ¡°How is it? Isn¡¯t it quiet?¡± Huan closed the curtains as Ruel entered the room. He could see the gloomy sky through the ss pane.Author''s Thoughts Iron te nailed on one''s face : It''s a state when a person is doing an unpleasant or embarrassing activity, but act like nothing special is done. (Thick skin) Chapter 92: Banquet (3) Chapter 92: Banquet (3) ¡ªWow, this body likes to be able to see the sky so close. It reminds this body of the Ice Castle. It was very pretty. Leo jumped right in front of the ss, clinging to the window. ¡°I didn¡¯t know a ce like this existed.¡± ¡°Only the Royal Family can enter, so it¡¯s natural that you wouldn¡¯t know. Ah, if you¡¯re with me, there¡¯s no need to feel ufortable.¡± Huan gestured to the sofa. ¡°Please sit down.¡± Huan asked kindly as Ruel sat down. ¡°Is there anything you want to drink?¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Then let me know if you do.¡± When Huan jingled the bell, the servant ran quickly. He asked the servant for various foods and drinks, and sat down. ¡°The reason why I asked to see you is simply because I was curious about you.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also something else I want to tell you.¡± Huan crossed his legs and leaned deep into the sofa and looked down at Ruel. ¡®It¡¯s a perfect example of a cheeky attitude.¡¯ Ruelughed inwardly. ¡°Before that, I want to solve my curiosity first, is that okay?¡± ¡°Speak at ease.¡± ¡°How did you obtain the title Noble of Darkness?¡± ¡°My answer is no different than it was a while ago.¡± ¡°It¡¯s different from what I heard.¡± His mouth was already set. He didn¡¯t know what the Royal Knights told Huan, but in the end, the final confirmation was made by Ganien, who gave the title, and Huswen, who confirmed the title, so it was no different. Therefore, Ruel smiled leisurely. ¡°I wonder what Your Highness heard.¡± ¡°I heard that you personally killed the strange monster that attacked the vige.¡± Ruel smiled briefly. He slowly opened his mouth, pretending to control his emotions. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was such an absurd rumor that Iughed. I wonder what you think of me?¡± Huan just looked at himself with his mouth drawn into a thin line. ¡°Do you really think I can defeat that monster?¡± Huan¡¯s feet shifted slightly. ¡°I don¡¯t know where you heard that rumor, but someone dared to spread false rumors and disturb Your Highness¡¯ mind. He should pay for this sin immediately with a cut tongue.¡± Ruel erased his smile from his words and looked straight at Huan. There was a moment of silence. Huan shook a foot and touched the back of his hand. ¡°I thought so.¡± It was a slightly childish tone ofughter in Huan¡¯s words, but there was no reason to waver. ¡°Doesn¡¯t it have to be true as the words of the lord himself who has received that title? I will make sure to have their tongues cut ording to your opinion.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°However.¡± A word questioning his intentions presented itself. ¡°What should I do with you if you were to be lying to me now?¡± It was half questioning, half threatening. But what does it matter? ¡°My neck is no different from theirs.¡± Huan¡¯s expression subsided slightly. ¡°I am Setiria.¡± Ruel just raised the corners of his mouth. Setiria. It didn¡¯t make sense that the prince wouldn¡¯t know the importance of the location that even the king couldn¡¯t touch lightly. No matter how much he lied or what he did, it was different because it was Setiria at his back. Ruel could speak with confidence because he was Setiria. ¡°I don¡¯t know if your curiosity has been resolved now?¡± Ruel swallowed hisughter inside at the sight of Huan, who had slightly lost hisposure. ¡°I am very d that it has been resolved sufficiently.¡± Ruel was happy because the prince understood his warning well. It was not easy for even a prince to touch Setiria. Ruel looked at Leo, inhaling Breath. Leo was still hanging from the window and looking at the sky. ¡°What is that?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a medical tool.¡± There was no reason to borate. When Huan was about to speak, the servant came inside with various foods and drinks. Leo hurriedly ran to the empty table filled with food. ¡ªWhat a soft, sweet thing full of strawberries! This body came because Ruel called this body not to eat food! Because Ruel is more important to this body! He was d to hear that, but it was funny beingpared to strawberry cake. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you like, so I ordered them to bring everything, so why don¡¯t we eat and talk?¡± ¡°I¡¯m very happy with your suggestion, but I can¡¯t eat recklessly because of my health. My sincere apologies.¡± ¡°¡­Oh, I didn¡¯t know that, I was being nosy for no reason.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m very grateful for your generosity.¡± ¡°How about drinking, is it like that too?¡± ¡°Yes, there¡¯s a lot to watch out for except water.¡± Ruel deliberately mentioned water. Even if drinks and alcohol were poisoned, it was rtively difficult to distinguish them because of the smell and color. Water was also rtively safer for him, and he took it out of his mouth to let him know that it was the one thing he was less wary of eating outside. If Huan joined the Red Ash, it would certainly be information that would be leaked. Gurgle. He poured his ss of wine and drank it coolly. The sound of the gulp made Ruel¡¯s salivary nds fret. ¡®¡­I¡¯m so jealous of that.¡¯ Certain people couldn¡¯t even drink because drinking itself is directly rted to health risks. Ruel squeezed his knees. Tak. Huan put down his ss and spoke. ¡°I needed a drink because I couldn¡¯t bring up this next story soberly, I apologize in advance.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Huan stopped talking, hesitated, and blurred the end of his speech. Soon he drank again. ¡®What are you going to talk about?¡¯ Ruel looked at the dwindling alcohol with disapproval. ¡°¡­I know you¡¯re being attacked by a strange group called the Red Ash, even the youngest is running around to prevent it.¡± ¡®Ha.¡¯ Ruel sighed deeply inside. What is this? ¡®Huan knew about Banios?¡¯ ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Immediately, with a stressed look on his face Ruel coughed out. As his stomach lurched, his back naturally bent forward. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°It¡¯s¡­okay.¡± Even after taking two painkillers, it still hurt. ¡ªDoes it hurt a lot? Leo came running and sat next to Ruel. Ruel inhaled Breath and shook his head slightly. ¡®Let¡¯s focus.¡¯ Ruel got a chance to dy answering because of a cough. It wasn¡¯t that there was no possibility that Banios, who had no power, would be caught by Huan. However, theck of power was the same for Huan. Huan was the firstborn, but he was a prince who had already given up the throne. He was the lowest of the princes in terms of strength. Ruel tapped his thigh and stopped. It was a trap. No matter how hard he thought about it, it was a given conclusion. ¡®Yes, you are a part of the Red Ash, too.¡¯ Because Huan was also under Red Ash, he knew the truth behind earning the title of Noble of Darkness. The fact that Banios was chasing the Red Ash was only a natural guess after seeing him with Ruel a moment ago. ¡®Do you want to see if Banios is really chasing the Red Ash or if I think you¡¯re a Red Ash?¡¯ If Ruel answered yes to his question, it will be revealed that Banios is after the Red Ash. In return, Ruel might get a chance to get close to Huan. On the contrary, if he answered otherwise, Huan could not get the answer he wanted, and at the same time, he also lost the opportunity to approach Huan. ¡®What else is there to worry about here?¡¯ You lose the opportunity to approach right now, but it was not a big opportunity to give him false information. Ruel asked, with a look on his face as if he really knew nothing. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so wary, I¡­¡± Soon Ruel frowned and showed his displeasure. ¡°Are you making fun of me? No matter how noble Your Highness may be, I can¡¯t listen to you any more.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you need help?¡± Huan asked urgently. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of help you are talking about.¡± ¡°Since you are being attacked by the Red Ash, I will protect you¡­ ¡± ¡°Who are you saying I¡¯m being attacked by in the first ce?¡± The displeasure on his face soon turned into coldness. ¡°My name is Setiria. Attacking me is like attacking this country, Leponia. Do you know what Your Highness is saying to me now?¡± ¡°No wonder you don¡¯t trust me, it¡¯s your first time seeing me. But I want to protect this country¡­¡± ¡°Stop it, brother.¡± The curtain was opened and Adoris came in. The clicking of his shoe heels echoed loudly. ¡®Why is the Second Prince here¡­¡¯ Ruel was slightly embarrassed. It must have been hard to get rid of the crowd surrounding him. Gulp. Ruel heard Huan swallowing saliva in embarrassment. ¡°Your recent statement was extremely dangerous, brother. Setiria is the gatekeeper of this country. Saying that someone attacked the gatekeeper is essentially saying that they are dering war against our nation, Leponia. Can you please tell us who and for what reason someone would attack Setiria?¡± As soon as he received Adoris¡¯ gaze, Huan closed his mouth. Then Adoris looked at Ruel and bowed his head lightly. ¡°I will apologize on his behalf. He seems to have misunderstood something because his love for this country is so deep, isn¡¯t it, brother?¡± Only then did Huan bring it up. ¡°I¡¯m not good at drinking. I made a mistake. I¡¯m sorry if I surprised you, Lord Setiria.¡± The difference in power between the first and second prince was clearly visible. Seeing Huan so flustered when Adoris came in, it seemed Huan was trying to use himself to attack Adoris. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Mistakes cane out when alcohol goes in. But I don¡¯t think it¡¯s something that can be forgiven with a light apology.¡± Huan¡¯s face hardened in an instant. He was still a prince. An aristocrat demands an apology from the prince. ¡®If you really want to use me, you will apologize.¡¯ Adoris apologized to him, so it was okay for Ruel to lift his neck high now. Huan alternately looked at Adoris and Ruel, clenching his fists. There was no change in their expressions. Huan soon released his fist and looked at Ruel. However, no matter how hard he tried to hide it, he could see the rage burning in his eyes. ¡°I made a mistake that I shouldn¡¯t have because of my drunkenness, and I sincerely apologize for insulting Setiria.¡± ¡°Thank you very much for defending the honor of Setiria.¡± Ruel responded with a winning smile. This convinced Ruel that Huan wanted to use him to win the tug-of-war with Adoris. ¡®Looks like Red Ash promised the position of king, how stupid.¡¯ Huan rose from his seat first, looking at Ruel with an apologetic expression. ¡°It¡¯s because of my mistake that this happened, so let¡¯s forget and move on, Lord Setiria. Next time¡­¡± Huan hesitated as he spoke. It seemed that he was about to push ahead with it rather than reverse it anyway. ¡°Will you give me a chance to restore your honor next time?¡± The prince came bowing like that, but as a noble himself, he couldn¡¯t help but ept it. ¡°I have already forgotten the mistake of my Lord. It is a great honor to be given the opportunity to be with Your Highness.¡± Ruel bowed slightly and epted Huan¡¯s offer. ¡°I want you to set the day when it will be convenient.¡± Huan left it to Ruel to choose the date and smiled slightly at Adoris. ¡°Thank you.¡± He was unaware of the meaning behind the prince¡¯s words, but Huan took the chance and left. ¡°Your Highness, I beg for your forgiveness that I couldn¡¯t greet you properly.¡± Ruel btedly greeted Adoris. ¡°No, why don¡¯t you sit down? You don¡¯t look very well with a cold sweat.¡± Adoris offered Ruel a seat and naturally attached his butt to the seat where Huan sat. ¡®You came to me on purpose.¡¯ It was true that he wondered why he hade to visit him after being postponed by so many people. Ruel sat down and patted Leo indistinctly. ¡°Did Your Highnesse to see me?¡± The Red Ash has arrived. A huge beast came to visit. A well-crafted innocent smile was painted on Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you in advance that I would see you at the banquet? I didn¡¯t know we¡¯d meet in this situation. Anyway, it¡¯s nice to see you again.¡± ¡°It seems that you were very pleased. You¡¯vee to me after greeting all those people from before.¡± Adoris smiled slightly. ¡°There was a lot of people, but I believe Lord Setiria is mistaken. I left from the hall for a while and when I came back, I saw Lord Kuhn surrounded by the crowd.¡± Adoris put away the alcohol, chose a drink, and poured it into the ss. Gurgle. ¡°What did they say? Ah, it was reported that Lord Kuhn was getting married, and it turned out to be fake. Rather than being disappointed, it was funny to see so many people happy.¡± Adorisughed at the thought of the situation. Ruel alsoughed along. ¡°Kuhn, Prios, Lumina. Three families are on my brother¡¯ side.¡± ording to Banios, Kuhn was one of the forces supporting Adoris. In other words, the rumor meant that whether it was leaked by the Kuhn family under Adoris¡¯ orders or leaked from Adoris¡¯ side, it was intentionally leaked information. Adoris set a trap because he knew Huan would approach him from the beginning. Apparently, Huan was caught, and eventually, Adoris took a gamble and even lost a ce to talk to him alone. ¡®¡­It¡¯s a bit creepy.¡¯ Setting traps was not a skill where you could depend on luck, he must have some experience. ¡°You must have aimed to build friendships with the heads of the five families through this banquet. We will speak further, until our next meeting.¡± That was enough to be expected, and it was even more obvious if he had watched himself, so Ruel inhaled Breath and waited for the next word. Adoris, who put down his ss, spoke with caution like a dealer handing over a card. ¡°Now, since I¡¯m having a private meeting with you, I¡¯m concerned about what to discuss first.¡± ¡°Please feel free to ask me anything.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have much time to speak with you like this, and I have a lot to discuss.¡± There was no point of contact between Adoris and himself. It was also awkward for him to meet him separately and spread rumors that Setiria supported the Second Prince, so it was best to solve it here. ¡°Please set the stage and reveal your role in this performance, so that I can talkfortably.¡± Adoris let out augh at the remark, ¡®If you reveal your identity, I will also talkfortably.¡¯ ¡°That¡¯s very bold.¡± ¡°Do not be offended, for there is no evil intent.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯lly the ground for you because I don¡¯t have time. You know I¡¯m a part of the Red Ash.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips went up automatically surprised that he would outright reveal himself. ¡°Very well. It¡¯s a veryfortable approach to the topic. Did they offer you the throne if you killed me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very bold. The throne doesn¡¯t have just anyone¡¯s dog¡¯s name on it.¡± Adoris¡¯ughter followed. ¡°Can you say that you revealed your identity because you were confident enough to kill me?¡± ¡°If we know each other¡¯s identity anyway, why would we hide it? I revealed it because I only get tired hiding it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s convenient for me, too.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡± ¡°So what do you want to say? Didn¡¯t youe here because you wanted something from me?¡± Chapter 93: Banquet (4) Chapter 93: Banquet (4) Adoris wiped a smile from his face and revealed his true feelings. His face, which showed sincerity, looked very uneasy. ¡°Convince my brother, Banios, to stay out of this.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± What does that mean? Words did note out of Ruel¡¯s throat at the absurd request. ¡°What you want to know is the one who nted the mark on you, the truth of what happened five years ago. I know, so¡­ ¡± ¡°Wait a minute.¡± At that moment, Ruel realized that Adoris was serious. ¡®Are you crazy?¡¯ Adoris, who had joined hands with Carbena, who had turned Setiria into a mess, was now brazenly demanding a favor of himself. ¡°Are you saying this in your right mind?¡± The words couldn¡¯te out politely. They gave him poison disguised as medicine, only to leave. He was one of the culprits who tried to take his life, but that person was proudly asking for a deal, citing things from the past. ¡®How can a piece of shit like you underestimate me like this?¡¯ ¡°I am well aware that my request is not easy, and I promise to protect you from the Red Ash if you do me a favor.¡± ¡°You?¡± Ruel snorted. He saw the Red Ash swaying the Cyronian nobles. He was also aware of the attack on the King of Cyronian. Not only had he faced a ck-blooded man but also met the Great Man in person. Can a prince with nothing but power protect himself from such lunatics? ¡°You?¡± His stomach was so hot. He could feel blood surging to his eyes. He seemed to beughing at all the struggles he¡¯d made so far. ¡°Can you protect me?¡± Quaang! Ruel hit the table hard. Bang! Along with it, a te shattered into broken pieces, embedding ss shards into Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡ªUgh. Ruel, what¡¯s wrong with you? Doesn¡¯t it hurt? Leo¡¯s words did not reach his ears. Ruel had an urge to tear Adoris apart at any moment. ¡°How are you going to protect me from the Red Ash? I don¡¯t think you can protect your younger brother properly, so why are you asking me? Are you saying that you can protect me?¡± ¡°The situation between you and my brother is different, and unlike you, my brother has too many enemies to protect against.¡± Enemy? ¡°Aren¡¯t you my enemy right now? It¡¯s not the Third Prince that has many enemies, it¡¯s me. It is me, not the Third Prince, the enemy is after!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you attract them in the first ce! I¡¯m telling you to take responsibility for it!¡± ¡°It is you who brought in the Third Prince!¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Adoris was so surprised that he forgot to even get angry at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°I told you that it was Your Highness that attracted the Third Prince¡­ cough!¡± A cough followed with the taste of blood lingering in his throat. It was because he shouted so forcefully. Ruel tried to calm himself down by inhaling Breath. It¡¯s only one more day being chased by the enemy. That difort and restlessness should have subsided, but seeing him still getting worked up, it seemed that he hadn¡¯t fully calmed down yet. ¡°It¡¯s not a deal in the first ce to offer what you can¡¯t do. It¡¯s called intimidation in other words.¡± One corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°But since you revealed your weakness first, shouldn¡¯t I be the one to threaten you instead, Your Highness?¡± Adoris sighed deeply. ¡°Are you going to refuse my hand? I¡¯ll admit you have a lot of enemies, that was my mistake. But don¡¯t you need protection even if you¡¯re disgusted?¡± ¡°Let me ask you one question. Have you ever attacked me?¡± Adoris frowned. ¡°I thought you would be different from the broken toys scattered over there, but you don¡¯t unconditionally hold hands with the enemy. That¡¯s a very outdated idea.¡± Adoris stood up right from his seat and nced at Ruel. There was a lot of disappointment. The look was revolting. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it out.¡± Ruel caught Adoris trying to go out in a calm voice. ¡°I don¡¯t trust it if I don¡¯t hold the leash. Give me the leash of Your Highness, and I¡¯ll consider it.¡± ¡°Consideration? I have ignored your rudeness to this point, and I bowed my head, and above all, you have already grasped my weakness.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t doubt the deep brotherhood, but since you don¡¯t know why the Third Prince got involved to begin with, it feels like a very weak leash. Give me a real leash.¡± The once noisy hall became silent for a moment. And Ruel couldn¡¯t helpughing at the quiet voice. Indeed, Banios did what he told him. At the sight of Adoris¡¯s difort, Ruel leaned deeply against the sofa and opened his mouth. ¡°Very well. If you don¡¯t want to give up your leash, give up the throne for your good brother.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The Third Prince decided to give me a present. Themotion just now seems to be a gift for me.¡± Adoris stormed out of his seat, startled. ¡®It¡¯s very tearful. It¡¯s not even a third-rate drama.¡¯ He didn¡¯t know why, but looking at the rough flow of events, the first and second prince were fighting for power, and the second prince was protecting the third prince from the first prince and Red Ash. Whether it¡¯s a brotherly fight or whatever, he, the target of the Red Ash, became their shared target. ¡®¡­It¡¯s annoying.¡¯ His hands began to throb. He couldn¡¯t hear the sound of recovery reaching its limit, but the dripping blood didn¡¯t stop. ¡®Is it because of the stab wound by the Great Man?¡¯ A hand popped out of Ruel¡¯s shadow and handed him a cloth. ¡°You can¡¯t kill. I¡¯ll listen to the nagging when I get back.¡± After Cassion paused, Ruel stood up. Drip. Blood dripped through the cloth wrapped around his hands. Seeing the blood made him feel even more sick. ¡ªYou are still bleeding. Doesn¡¯t it hurt? ¡°Sorry.¡± Ruel looked at Leo with an apologetic face. Leo must have been surprised. ¡ªYou have nothing to apologize for. If this body gets angry, this body will break everything as well. Still, he couldn¡¯t go out like this. Ruel sat down again. It¡¯s his first party and he didn¡¯t want to ruin it. ¡°Could you call Aris for me?¡± Thanks to the earrings from the Cyronian royal treasure trove, Aris seemed to sense where Leo was. ¡ªThis body will see. Stay still until this bodyes. Aris will notice even if he can¡¯t hear. Kuroo kuru. The mongrels hung on Ruel¡¯s arm and gathered at the ss-infused hands. ¡®I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re saying.¡¯ It looked as if they was worried about himself. Ruel tapped them and inhaled Breath. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± He sighed automatically. Both princes were Red Ash. It was the worst. It saved time to find out whether the first prince was Red Ash or not, but at the same time it was tiring. ¡®I rejected Adoris¡¯s offer, and provoked him, but if he really wanted to protect Banios, he will have no choice but to cling to me again.¡¯ Because he has survived the Red Ash so far. Ruel turned his head at the sound of heavy footsteps. Aris¡¯ puzzled eyes soon turned fierce. ¡°Did that prince do that?¡± He was in the mood to go kill Adoris right away. ¡°No, I did it because I was angry. Is it possible to erase my blood so that it doesn¡¯t show?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll try.¡± Magic was forbidden in the banquet of the royal family. No one was free from the use. Aris said yes at once even though he asked for a difficult favor. ¡°It¡¯s a string of events. It seems rather urgent.¡± After checking the surroundings, Cassion appeared. Leo clung to Ruel in surprise and soon smiled brightly. ¡ªIt¡¯s Cassion! As Ruel reached out his hand, Cassion sighed. ¡°No matter how angry you were, you should have distinguished the ce to hit. It wasn¡¯t a good choice to hit the te.¡± When the cloth used to stop the bleeding was removed, blood was still flowing. Cassion paused for a moment and then stared at Ruel. ¡°I think there¡¯s something you haven¡¯t told me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, I think it¡¯s because of the wound left by him.¡± The mysterious woman took some of his mark, but it quickly filled up again. Perhaps it was because most of the power of recovery was allocated to the wounds suffered by the Great Man. It was judged that this wound was more dangerous. Cassion¡¯s brows wrinkled. ¡°That¡¯s worse news than I thought.¡± There was calm music ying outside that didn¡¯t fit the current atmosphere. As a matter of fact, Ruel felt more like shit. ¡°Yes.¡± But Ruel answered calmly as usual. *** As soon as Adoris returned, people¡¯s eyes were drawn at once. ¡®¡­Banios.¡¯ Every step he took, people gave way as if the waves were spreading sideways. ¡®That¡¯s not enough.¡¯ Adoris hid his trembling hand uneasily. At the end of the road where people parted, he saw Banios. He had the same yful face as usual. Adoris took a deep breath. ¡®Setiria, you bastard.¡¯ It was clearly a trap to y with his mind. ¡°Banios.¡± ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I was on my way back from meeting Lord Setiria for a while. Why is it so noisy?¡± ¡°Then you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± Adoris looked at Rie for a moment and asked, looking again at Banios. ¡°You mean Lord Kuhn? If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll¡­¡± ¡°No, brother.¡± His heart dropped with a thud. ¡°Otherwise, what news hase?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you always ask me? What do you want to be?¡± Adoris seemed suffocated by the pouring gaze like a pointed spear. ¡°I want to be a king, too.¡± Banios looked at Adoris with a confident nce. ¡°¡­!¡± Adoris couldn¡¯t speak easily at the shocking sound. ¡°I deserve it.¡± ¡°¡­Banios, that position is¡­¡± There were too many eyes. Adoris swallowed what he was about to pour out. Ttak. He heard the sound of a cane in the back. It was an unpleasant sound, like tearing his own heart. ¡°Congrattions, Your Highness Banios.¡± Ruel smiled at Adoris and immediately bowed his head to Banios. ¡°I¡¯m so happy because it¡¯s my first time receiving such a greeting.¡± Banios smiled broadly. Ruelughed happily, too. It was a very definite gift. This banquet was for Ruel, but since Banios had dered that he would challenge the throne, it turned into a banquet for him. As the object of attention changes, Setiria will quietly disappear from the gaze of others. Later, ministers and nobles congratted Banios. ¡°¡­You.¡± Adoris bit his lips hard and vented his anger. ¡°Your Highness, we are in public.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. His figure was arrogant. ¡°Don¡¯t you need me yet?¡± Adoris¡¯s lips trembled at Ruel¡¯s quiet voice. The look filled with anger disappeared the instant Adoris blinked his eyes. Just like when he first saw Adoris, he showed a slightly arrogant yet confident look. Ruel hated to admit it, but it was a perfect poker face. ¡°Since what we talked about a while ago is not over, why don¡¯t we continue to share more next time?¡± Ruelughed when Adoris said that he would leave his proposal. Indeed, Adoris meant to protect Banios. ¡°The Royal Family¡¯s waiting room will be inconvenient, so let¡¯s find a ce that is morefortable for you.¡± There were many eyes now because of Banios¡¯s presence. Nevertheless, there was only one reason why Adoris had to bring up the word royal. It was a warning to be careful of the individuals associated with Red Ash present in the royal family. Since he received several concessions, he decided to give one. ¡°It¡¯s my honor, Your Highness.¡± Just like Adoris had the opportunity to kill himself in the presence of the Red Ash, Ruel really wants to be close to Adoris. Ruel only looked at Adoris with a broad smile. Chapter 94: To Setiria Chapter 94: To Setiria ¡°Open it.¡± As soon as Ruely on the bed, he handed Cassion the pouch he had received from the king. The banquet was finally over. After Banios announced his challenge for the throne, all attention was drawn to him. Ruel had aplished his goal, so he retreated into a corner and people watched until the banquet ended. Afterwards, the king proposed that Ruel, who was due for a long trip back to Setiria, stay at the royal residence for a day, citing the long distance. He was worried that Huan and Adoris would visit him, but luckily neither of them did. ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion, who opened the pouch and looked inside, smiled lightly. ¡°There are so many of those gold coins that you are fond of.¡± ¡ªThis body, this body wants to see. As Leo tried to put his head in the pouch, Cassion stared down Leo. ¡°Beast, if you don¡¯t behave¡­¡± Cassion suddenly stopped talking and dug his hand deeper into the pouch. When he pulled his hand out, he held a piece of paper. Leo studied the paper and tilted his head. ¡ªIsn¡¯t this the white thing that Ruel watches every day? That¡¯s not the money Ruel likes. Cassion doesn¡¯t know money? Cassion held out the paper without even responding. ¡°There is a note.¡± ¡°Give it to me.¡± Paper in the pouch. ¡®Did the king intentionally ce it in?¡¯ Where is the brave soul who would dare to touch the object handed over personally by the king? Ruel continued reading the paper. [I entrusted my old friend Ben Liobenez with the letter I received from your father, Trino Setiria. Tell him you brought out my ¡®buried conscience,¡¯ he will understand. I¡¯m sorry.] ¡®¡­A letter?¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes shook slightly. ¡®The former patriarch was taking Ruel to meet the king. In the meantime, he was attacked by Red Ash?¡¯ Ruel handed the paper over to Cassion with a hardened face. ¡°No wonder he gave me a lot.¡± As he expected, he added more money to go along with his apology. Cassion read the paper and ced it in his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s a note speaking of regret. It seems that the king could have prevented it, but didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Royal Family, it¡¯s more like a hideout of the Red Ash.¡± Ruel patted Leo, who was clinging to him, on the head. The First and Second Prince are hostile, while the Second Prince is trying to protect the Third Prince, and the Third Prince is trying to protect the country from both of them. ¡®And the king¡­ is sitting on the sidelines.¡¯ What a mess. ¡°Cough!¡± Ruel frowned at the rising cough. Leo glistened his eyes and licked his lips. ¡ªThis body will eat it.¡± ¡°Has it grown a lot?¡± ¡ªIt has grown as much as the two front legs of this body. As expected, it increased. Ruel inhaled Breath and nced at Cassion. He nodded his head. ¡°Eat a little, beast.¡± The pain that ured when the ck thing was eaten did not subside with painkillers, so naturally, his stomach tensed. The wound had worsened and could easily burst again. ¡ªTrust this body. When Leo lightly smacked Ruel¡¯s arm with his paw, the ck things flowed out. Kuroo kuru! The spirits gathered on Ruel¡¯ stomach were frightened and ran away in an instant. Ruel immediately bit his lips and clenched his fist tightly. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Ruel groaned at the pain that remained for a long time. He tried not to strain his stomach, but his whole body curled up in a cold sweat. ¡°Argh!¡± He very quickly began vomiting ck blood. Chomp. Chomp. Leo smiled as his eyes shook at the sweet and sour taste in his mouth, contrasting to Ruel, who was riddled in pain. ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious. As expected, this is the best. ¡°Don¡¯t use any more force.¡± When he smelled blood, Cassion warned. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ If Ruel was able to, he wouldn¡¯t have tensed his stomach in the first ce. ¡°Cough!¡± ck blood spurted out again and ran down the handkerchief. Chomp. Chomp. The pain that spread to his fingertips slowly subsided. Ruel finally inhaled the breath and calmed his breathing. Chomp. Chomp. Ruel looked at Leo¡¯s wildly shaking tail and tried to inject mana into the ring. ¡°Ruel-nim, there is something I have to tell you.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the poison?¡± ¡°Yes, it is a poison that causes mild dizziness. The servant who served it died suddenly today.¡± It was obviously Huan who poisoned the water. He must have done it to draw Ruel to that private resting ce. ¡°I¡¯ve definitely cut off the tail, so there¡¯s no need to do anything now. Bury it.¡± Ruel smirked and injected mana into the ring. ¡°Your Highness.¡± There was no response. ¡®¡­I wondered where the two princes had gone, and it seems that they¡¯ve gone to visit Banios.¡¯ After a while, the ring sparkled. When Ruel re-injected Mana, he heard Banios¡¯ voice. -I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t receive your first notification on time because of my brother¡¯s visit. ¡°Your Highness, are the people around you trustworthy?¡± -Yes, why? There was not the slightest pause when Ruel asked again. ¡°Did you at least put a leash on them?¡± -¡­I didn¡¯t. ¡°Then, how about starting today?¡± -Why are you doing this all of a sudden? ¡°Who are you with now?¡± -I¡¯m with my butler. He remembered that his butler was a former knight. ¡°Let¡¯s assume that you listened to my advice, and made him take a Mana Oath of loyalty.¡± -If that¡¯s the case, Hoswell already gave me an oath before bing my butler. Only then was Ruel relieved. ¡°Listen, Your Highness, as I verified at the banquet, Prince Huan is also Red Ash.¡± -¡­ ¡°I then met His Highness Adoris and was asked to persuade you to leave this matter.¡± All Ruel could hear was a slow exhaling breath. It was clear he was not sure what to say. He must have been as surprised as himself. ¡°You know, he¡¯s had very few direct encounters with me, but I already knew he was involved in Red Ash.¡± -¡­This is why you want me to leash on the people around me. ¡°It doesn¡¯t sound good, but it¡¯s only an assurance. Your Highness, covering the enemy¡¯s ears and eyes is the most important thing. Don¡¯t you know that it won¡¯t work if I¡¯m the only one covering them?¡± -I¡¯m sorry, we¡¯ve been together since we were young, so I thought we didn¡¯t need a leash, I was stupid. Banios¡¯ voice was not good because it was a game with clear rules that only ended when Ruel died. How can a person be perfect? Thanks to Adoris, Ruel knew someone was leaking information, and he had found the leak. -I just met my brother Adoris, and when the banquet was over, I met brother Huan. ¡°His Highness Huan offered to support Your Highness who challenged the throne, and His Highness Adoris would have conciliated by asking you to think again.¡± -You¡¯re right. He could feel the urgency of the two princes who visited Banios even without seeing them. ¡®Is there a strong pressure from the Red Ash?¡¯ Ruel smirked. ¡®Well, there¡¯s a hole in the stomach, and we¡¯ve blocked the treatment from being done properly. All they have to do is kill me, but they can¡¯t seem to do it. How frustrating it must be. If it were me, I would have cut off ¡®my¡¯ head by now.¡¯ -But, brother Adoris is trying to protect me¡­ Is that true? ¡°Yes, Your Highness, this is the deal that Your Highness Adoris offered me directly.¡± -Why¡­ Banios could not speak clearly. Ruel understood the perplexing situation, but it was not a time to indulge in contemtion. ¡°Wake up, my lord. Don¡¯t be misled by incidental goals and face reality.¡± Even if it was true that Adoris had a purpose to protect Banios, he was ultimately a Red Ash. ¡°The Red Ash wants war. Being among them means that they already have the intention to attack the country.¡± -¡­I know. ¡°Where the two of them went five years ago, the details of the rtionship between Prince Huan and Prince Adoris, and who else is part of the Red Ash spread throughout the Royal Family? You have to pay attention to everything and find out.¡± -I see. Banios¡¯ answer came a momentter. -I know it¡¯s hard for you to investigate this, too. I¡¯ll take one more look at the people around me, and I¡¯ll ensure the leashes you asked for are ced. Other than the prince, there were still other noble households to catch. The investigation had to be performed by himself. ¡°Be careful, Your Highness Adoris makes such a suggestion.¡± -Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m just saying it at best, but aren¡¯t you different. When you die, their real ns begin. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m always careful. Then, have a good night.¡± -Okay, you should rest well too. As soon as he finished contacting Banios, Ruel inhaled Breath. Ruel was so tired that he could sleep as soon as his eyes closed. ¡°Will you sleep after eating?¡± ¡°I will.¡± Ruel lost weight again and his physical strength was weakened. ¡®I haven¡¯t been eating well.¡¯ The reason was that he was tired but forced to endure. ¡ªAre you sick? Leo smacks his lips and licked his bandaged hands. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt.¡± ¡°It still smells like blood.¡± When Cassion looked at him, Ruel spoke up. He needed to tell Cassionl what he found out. ¡°It¡¯s not functioning properly because the power is all focused towards my stomach wound. The reason is that the mark keeps getting bigger and the wound on my hand doesn¡¯t have enough power to heal.¡± ¡°¡­You mean the wound that the Great Man deliberately created.¡± ¡°Yeah, if it weren¡¯t for the spirits, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to lift a finger and would¡¯ve died.¡± Kuroo kuru. When Ruel looked at the spirits, they also looked at Ruel. Their eyes sparkled like Leo¡¯s before he ate. ¡°Thank you.¡± Whether Ruel¡¯s acknowledgement was everything they had ever wished for, the spirits ran around in their ce, excited as a group. Ruel had given up counting them now. It was fortunate that so many spirits gathered, the power that the Great Man had nted in his wounds would wear off faster. ¡°Now I¡¯m scared to leave your side,¡± said Cassion as he rose from the seat. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could be scared.¡± ¡°I used to have no fears, but thanks to Ruel-nim, I am gradually discovering them one by one. I may have regrets, but I do not regret obtaining that sword.¡± Cassion didn¡¯t mention the Turbulent Day by name because Leo was loose-lipped. Ruel confirmed one thing before Cassion went out. ¡°How was the reaction after the party?¡± After the banquet, all the nobles and ministers had no choice but to pass through the gate naturally. It was a perfect ce to position the shadows to learn what they were saying. ¡°There are more derations about Prince Banios than Ruel-nim. Perhaps news rted to Ruel-nim will be buried as time goes on.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It would not be possible to turn all of the attention to Banios, but thanks to that, Ruel was satisfied with the decreasing attention that was focused on Setiria. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be back.¡± ¡°Call Drianna and Horen while you¡¯re on your way.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and rested his eyes for a moment until they came. ¡®Which of the household heads should I touch first?¡¯ He felt Leo¡¯s soft fur between his fingers. ¡®When I go back to Setiria, I have to see the progress of the research into the ck water, I have to check the status of the territory by going around Sisel Vige, I have to check the financial situation, the warp device and the defense device that surrounds the entire vige¡­ Damn it.¡¯ There was no end to what Ruel had to do. There was no time to rest. ¡®Cassion will sigh, and Billo will nag again. No, Fran. Will she ever let me go?¡¯ The phrase ¡®absolute stability,¡¯ which was always on the tip of her tongue, came to mind. ¡ªWhy? Are you sick? When Ruel frowned, Leo rubbed his head and asked. ¡°No, I have a lot of work to do, so I¡¯m a little annoyed.¡± ¡ªThis body will take over. Ruel stroked Leo¡¯s head. The heart alone was admirable. Knock. Knock. Ruel heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± ¡°I see the Lord.¡± Drianna and Horen saluted Ruel. ¡°Sit down first.¡± They quickly brought their chairs over and sat down. They looked excited. ¡°I called because I have a favor to ask. I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s a bad time.¡± ¡°Say anything, and I wille wherever you call!¡± Drianna said emphatically. ¡°Are you my people?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The two shouted at the same time. It was no different from the trust-filled eyes shown by the residents of Ice Castle. Ruel was satisfied. ¡°Tomorrow, I will return to Setiria. Didn¡¯t you guyse to escort me like this?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I moved voluntarily to protect Ruel-nim.¡± Horen answered without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m d about your feelings.¡± Ruelughed. The two looked at Ruel curiously surprised at the rare sight of Ruel¡¯s mannerism more appropriate for his age. ¡°Then, shouldn¡¯t you know what to protect me from?¡± Already Tyson and Cheynol knew about the Red Ash. Now it was time to tell the two vice-captains. Ruel informed them about the Red Ash in a slightly weakened voice, revealing their purpose and why they were targeting him. ¡°Cough.¡± As Ruel finished his speech with a cough, Drianna¡¯s eyes twitched with unbearable anger, and Horen quietly clenched his thigh furiously. ¡°Tomorrow.¡± They flinched at the same time. ¡°As soon as we leave the capital, there could be an attack from them.¡± ¡°Then, did they inflict those injuries as well?¡± Horen asked, trying to swallow his anger. Drianna trembled at the words. ¡°W, wounded¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Why¡­ Ruel-nim always says it¡¯s okay,¡± Drianna¡¯s voice sounded hoarse. ¡°In the previous carriage, in the Beast Forest, and in the mansion. Continuously, continuously, why do you keep saying it¡¯s okay?¡± Her eyes reddened. She clenched her trembling hand and spat out her words with difficulty. ¡°I¡¯m not okay. It¡¯s so frustrating to realize that I didn¡¯t know anything. To me, Ruel¡­ Ruel¡­¡± Ruel knew the specialness in their rtionship because it was Ruel who saved Drianna. ¡®But I didn¡¯t think it would bring tears.¡¯ Ruel opened his mouth to appease Drianna. ¡°Drianna, I really¡­¡± ¡°I knew that it wasn¡¯t okay. But I didn¡¯t know that such terrible people would aim for Ruel-nim¡¯s life.¡± Drianna slowly erased the tears and opened her mouth with cold eyes. ¡°Tomorrow, no one willy a hand on Ruel-nim. My magic exists for Ruel-sama.¡± Chak. Horen stood up and saluted Ruel as a knight. ¡°A knight protects his master. We have never forgotten His Grace that made us knights once more. My master¡¯s enemies are my enemies. I will definitely annihte them.¡± Contrary to expectations, the response was too strong. He told them about the enemy to protect himself more, but he felt like he poured too much oil into a small me. Ruel quietly inhaled Breath as he saw it be a big fire that was zing out of control. ¡®¡­It¡¯s scary.¡¯ Anyway, no matter what happens tomorrow, Ruel felt confident. Chapter 95: To Setiria (2) Chapter 95: To Setiria (2) *** ¡®Crazy¡­¡¯ Seeing the sight of the three princes gathering side by side to see him off, Ruel was full of nervous energy, but heughed for now. What could he do? They were royalty. ¡°It is an honor beyond anything else to have all of you, the princes, see me off.¡± The First Prince who made eye contact with himself, the Second Prince who came to keep the First Prince in check and protect the Third Prince, and finally, the Third Prince who was supposed to see him off. Among them, there were two Red Ashes. Faced with those who aimed a knife at his throat, it seemed like something he ate in the morning woulde up. It was Banios who approached first. He said with a hint of displeasure. ¡°Brothers, what business do you have with Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°At the banquet, I was rude to Lord Setiria. You forgave my mistake with an open heart, but I came here because I am notfortable allowing you to leave with such a rude impression.¡± Huan made up a reason by referring to hisst mistake. ¡°You won¡¯t make any excuses, will you Lord Setiria? I thought it wouldn¡¯t be bad to be closer,¡± said Adoris with the shamelessness of an iron te. Rather, Huan looked refreshed. ¡®What an asshole.¡¯ He didn¡¯t want to look him in the face anymore. ¡°Cough, cough, cough!¡± Ruel did not hold back as usual due to a cough that came out just in time, and just spat it out. What if your stomach and chest just hurts too much? You don¡¯t want to see a face that you don¡¯t want to see. ¡°Are you okay? Looks like we¡¯ve been upying you too long.¡± Banios made a fuss and pretended to support Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s cold, soe and enter the carriage.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Cough!¡± It was the first time he felt the cough was a good thing. Ruel went to the carriage door as if being pushed by Banios¡¯s will. He gave the three princes a strong impression of being forced into a carriage. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. You came to see me purposefully, but I am unable to greet you properly.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been holding on to people who aren¡¯t feeling well for longer than intended.¡± Adoris said with a kind smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t say I was going to see you off beforehand, so the second uninvited guest would be me.¡± Huan admitted, letting it slide. It was difficult to keep a smile on his face as he looked like he was trembling, so Ruel decided to get inside the carriage as soon as possible. ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s going to be cold, so go in quickly. Then I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± After bowing to them, he entered the carriage with the help of Cassion. ¡°Ha.¡± The air felt refreshing. Since the carriage Ruel had been riding was exclusively for the Royal Family, they changed back to the original carriage. After riding in a wide carriage with a ce to lie down, he felt that his carriage was too small. ¡®It¡¯s too narrow to the point of bursting.¡¯ As soon as Ruel got into the carriage, the spirits, who were all stuck together, scattered around. Leo also paused and tilted his head. ¡ªThe carriage has be smaller. This body should have a soft bed. ¡°When I get to Setiria, I¡¯ll ask my uncle to change the carriage again.¡± ¡°A carriage with a ce to lie down?¡± ¡°Do you remember when you first met my uncle? He changed the space with magic. A carriage should be possible. We should make it wider and morefortable.¡± He learned that Banios knows where to find the beds used in the royal pce. He must have received a lot of money, so it wouldn¡¯t hurt to invest in a good bed that they could use frequently. ¡°While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s change the bed.¡± Suddenly, when Cassionughed, Ruel frowned. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that funny? You only buy a bed and a carriage with the money His Highness gave you. Should I say it¡¯s like Ruel-nim is a child who got his allowance for the first time. It¡¯s very ambiguous.¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand as you have neverid on that bed. If you hadid down, you¡¯d want it!¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right! It was so soft! This body felt like it was in the clouds! Leo said, wagging his tail. ¡°You see that?!¡± ¡°Do you intend to spend your money somewhere else?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have any.¡± That¡¯s right. Cassion smoothed his chin. He realized that he had made a mistake due to Ruel¡¯s behavior that was more mature than his age. Ruel has not yet be an adult and has lived as if trapped in that mansion for five years. ¡®It¡¯s almost like he has no sense of spending money¡­ No, that¡¯s not it.¡¯ How much money did it cost to match the equipment of the two knight orders of Setiria? There was a time when the short budget was covered by private expenses. You¡¯re giving so much to others, but what about yourself? ¡®Do I have to teach you this?¡¯ ¡°Are you not going? Are we going to stay here all night?¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Cassion knocked on the wagon wall. Only then did the carriage move. ¡°Don¡¯t think about useless things and pay attention to your surroundings as soon as you leave the capital.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± ¡°Though, the assassin isn¡¯t in the carriage this time, is he?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± Ruel looked at himself with a disapproving face. ¡°Did you forget that I have a sworn oath?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been acting in a way that makes me doubt if it¡¯s functioning properly.¡± ¡°Loyalty is something that varies from person to person, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cassion chuckled softly. ¡°But Ruel-nim, I thought about it and couldn¡¯t find an answer, so I¡¯ll ask. Do you have any reason not to be extravagant?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ruel frowned instead of answering Cassion¡¯s question. As such, it meant that the topic Cassion brought up was dog-talk to Ruel. ¡°Even if you know Setiria¡¯s financial situation, you still ask that? We¡¯re barely recovering, but you expect me to spend on luxury?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what a typical noble person would do. The kind of people who strangle their fief residents¡¯ stomachs and think only of their own safety.¡± ¡°They¡¯re crazy. It¡¯s a very stupid thing they do because they do not understand that what they enjoy is only possible because of their fief residents.¡± Cassion almost asked, ¡®Aren¡¯t you a noble, too?,¡¯ but as Ruel acted so differently from those other kinds of aristocrats, the words died in his mouth. ¡°Yes, it is.¡± He answered lightly, casually handing the snack into the hands of Ruel, who took it in silence. Crunch. As usual, he could hear the sound of eating meat pie. Crunch. With the sound of the fox next to him munching. *** ¡°Horen.¡± At Drianna¡¯s words, Horen took the reins firmly and replied. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so pissed off. Isn¡¯t that natural?¡± Drianna¡¯s eyes were swollen as if she had cried all night. ¡°I¡¯m angry, how dare they touch my master.¡± ¡°I mean Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± ¡°He¡¯s trying to carry everything. I find it so upsetting. I came all this way because I wanted to be of help, to be of strength.¡± ¡°That¡¯s how it should be¡­ but it¡¯s probably because of how he grew up. But honestly, I was happy yesterday because I was acknowledged by Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Easy-going bastard.¡± Horen justughed. Drianna red at him. ¡°If you betray Ruel-nim, I will burn you without leaving behind any ashes.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I was going to say.¡± ¡°You too, Aris! You especially will be torn to shreds!¡± Drianna shouted to Aris, who was on the other side, to be heard. ¡°Put aside the harsh words and get ready.¡± Horen drew out his sword. The enemy hade. How dare they. ¡°Listen, I said I would never let my guard down against Ruel-nim¡¯s enemies. Of course, I meant it sincerely.¡± Drianna, the Mage of Fury. Her hands were already covered in mes and with her legs braced, bnced on her horse, she brought her hands together. ¡°There will be not a single leaf unturned.¡± From her fingers came arge me sword, the size of three adult menbined. It was a signal that the enemy hade and the first attack had begun. ¡°Cut down everything with your swords!¡± Following Drianna¡¯s gesture, the me sword swung wide to the right. Sweeef! The trees and the hidden enemy¡¯s neck were neatly cut off with the sound of whistling wind. Crackle! In the aftermath of where it was swung, fierce mes soared toward the sky. It was the magic from another spell she had cast. The carriage stopped and all the knights disembarked from their horses. ¡°One more time!¡± Drianna paused, lowered the position of the me sword and swung it back to the other side. Shaaaak! ¡°That¡¯s terrible.¡± Horen stuck out his tongue at the sight of her attacking again and again. When he looked at the other side of her, everything was frozen. It was slippery enough, just enough to slide on a sled. Boom! Horan grinned when he saw a thunderbolt falling on the ice. ¡®Oh, that¡¯s right. They had the same teacher, didn¡¯t they? Or maybe not. Tyson-nim is really gentle, isn¡¯t he?¡¯ Horen eased off his horse and threw his sword into the air at the same time. Pang! ¡°Sorry, it smells a bit.¡± Among the enemies, there were also those who used auras. It was not smart to let your guard down only because you can cut through magic with aura. ¡°Protect the Lord andplete the formation!¡± The firepower of the magic knights was strong, but the reaction time was slow and it took time to cast the spell. At Horen¡¯smand, knights and magic knights were mixed and formed a square formation around the carriage. How can a body forget a lesson learnt? It was a formation made by working with the magicians hundreds and thousands of times. ¡°The training seems to be working pretty well.¡± Cassion looked out and smiled slightly. When the magic of the Magic Knights waspleted and ready to be fired, the knights moved backwards, and vice versa. Quickly, the knights moved forward when they were casting spells, so they were able to deal with the situation smoothly. ¡°Because they are my knights.¡± Ruel replied as if it were natural. ¡°I also see personal resentments. Did you inform the two vice captains of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve fueled the silent me.¡± ¡°I have a slight regret. I didn¡¯t know it would burn this much.¡± ¡ªIf you get burned, you¡¯ll be in big trouble. This body will turn it off. Ruel looked at Leo, who was speaking seriously, followed by the spirits, who were saying something, and stroked Leo¡¯s head. Leo soonid down, showing his stomach. ¡ªPat on this body¡¯s stomach, not this body¡¯s head. Ruel was stunned by Leo¡¯s attitude, which he had taken for granted now. When Ruel stopped and looked at him for a moment, Leo gently shook his tail and his eyes shone brightly. ¡®¡­I picked it up, so I¡¯ll take responsibility.¡¯ Ruel inhaled the Breath with one hand and rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach with the other. ¡°How long will it take?¡± ¡°The level of the enemy has risen, but the Knights are far superior, so it will end quickly.¡± Ruel paused for a moment. ¡®It can¡¯t end so soon.¡¯ Why would he show the enemy the real strength of the Knights? They had to hide it. ¡°Connect themunication device to Drianna.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion pulled out hermunication device and infused it with aura, and Drianna¡¯s face was immediately visible. Tyson and Drianna always do the same thing, why do wizards prefer to disy their faces on theirmunication devices. Drianna turned off the light in her hand and hurriedly touched something, and the screen turned off and only her voice was heard like any othermunication device. -Ruel-nim, this is Drianna. Did you contact me because you wanted it to be finished sooner? I¡¯ll take care of it as soon as I can. ¡°No, it¡¯s the other way around. Act as if everything you just did was your greatest strength, that it¡¯s the limit of your abilities. The same for Horen as well.¡± -¡­Um, I see. A bitter voice was heard. But she soon replied again, as if she had noticed what he wanted. -Is the reason why you¡¯re ordering us to hide our power to limit our enemies¡¯ power? ¡°Yes.¡± -I see. I will deliver Ruel-nim¡¯s order and control the power. Ruel cut off themunication first. Cassion smiled faintly. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you expect the enemy to measure the power of the Knights under the guise of a raid?¡± ¡°Yes, I guess it¡¯s to find out how much the knights have grown byparing it with the previous incident at the gateway and now.¡± Contrary to expectations, if the Knights are stronger, they will send more enemies. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but the enemy couldn¡¯t move forward confidently. The reason he judged this was covert actions of responding indirectly with the help of nobles and barons. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel coughed and spoke. ¡°Last time with the Royal Knights, because of the waves, I had no choice but to show off my skills. Did you forget what came of it?¡± ¡°How could I forget? An absurd notion like a ck-blooded man emerged.¡± ¡°Unless the reasons why they can¡¯te forward and can¡¯t be revealed are not resolved, the current policy of maximizing efficiency with minimal effort will continue. We have to respond by lowering the level ordingly.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips went up. It had to be themselves who controlled whether the ck-blooded man popped out. Looking at the window, he saw his knights acting more sluggishly than before as if they were tired. The order seemed to have been delivered well. ¡°¡­Now we need to find the king.¡± (Cassion) He didn¡¯t know if he had met the unknown existence the nameless woman had said was the king. Issue being there was no clue. There¡¯s no more power remaining from the hero. ¡°I met the king at the banquet. I already found it.¡± (Ruel) When Ruel gently scratched his stomach, Leo waved his tail again with anguid expression. ¡°Is that the king you were talking about then? There¡¯s no clue, is there?¡± (Cassion) ¡°That¡¯s a headache. At least I have no choice but to wait for someone like the nameless woman toe to me.¡± Ruel closed his eyes for a moment from the sudden spike of pain. ¡°I¡¯ll give you medicine.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s mild.¡± It was bearable. ¡°Anyway, for now, we have to go back to Setiria first.¡± Ruel opened his eyes again. ¡°After that, I have to meet the family heads and catch them one by one.¡± ¡°Who are you going to meet first?¡± ¡°Rie Kuhn.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t Corrence Lumina first?¡± ¡°I was going to do that, but before I make an appointment next time, she wants to see Turbulent day. She wants to see it, so I have to show her.¡± Cassion let out a deep sigh. He might have to make another replica of the lovely Turbulent Day. ¡°Isn¡¯t it possible that Rie Kuhn is also a Red Ash? I think it¡¯s a hasty decision.¡± ¡°It is true that she supports the Second Prince, but in my opinion, she is not the Red Ash. She only supported him because of their mutual understanding.¡± Ruel smiled mischievously. ¡°When I return, I¡¯ll have to prepare to greet the guests.¡± It¡¯s time for Turbulent Day to do great things once more. Chapter 96: To Setiria (3) Chapter 96: To Setiria (3) *** ¡°So?¡± Ruel yawned and asked. After one raid, he fell asleep as if he passed out. He barely came to his senses and stopped by Prios for a certain period of time to have a meal. ¡°As expected from Ruel-nim, it seems that they purposely attacked us to check our abilities. There have been no raids since.¡± Cassion put down the te. The appetizing smell of food tickled his nostrils. ¡ªIt must be delicious! This body is excited now! Leo wagged his tail as he grabbed the table from Ruel¡¯sp. ¡°I have one thing to tell you.¡± Cassion approached Ruel and took Leo and put him down on the floor. ¡ªThis body wants to eat, too. This body has a mouth, too. When Leo hung on to Cassion¡¯s legs, he put down a bowl of various sweet things such as cakes, pies, and cookies that Cassion had prepared in advance. Leo¡¯s eyes twinkled in an instant. ¡ªThis body likes Cassion! Munch. Munch. Cassion snorted for a moment and went on. ¡°Most of the people involved in the raid were adventurers.¡± He took the adventurer¡¯s token from his pocket and handed it to Ruel. Ruel looked at the adventurer¡¯s token. The back of the certificate was marked with the emblem of the adventurers¡¯ guilds that issued it. The Prostone Guild. It was a guild he¡¯d never heard of. ¡°Themission office says they don¡¯t know who the client is, right? He must have offered a huge amount on the condition that his identity remained secret.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. As you expected, the client requested to remain anonymous when making the request.¡± ¡°Maybe we¡¯ll use the samemission office next time, so we¡¯ll hide our identity and coax it in moderation. The first time is the hardest, and the second time is the easiest.¡± ¡°I see.¡± ¡°Also.¡± Ruel spoke again, cutting the meat elegantly. ¡°If you have to silence the mouth of themission office and secretly rescue adventurers, there is a high possibility that arge sum of money has been drained. Investigate the bank.¡± There were only a few banks at this time. It wouldn¡¯t be difficult to investigate, as there were one to three banks in each territory. ¡°We¡¯re already looking into it.¡± Ruel smiled at Cassion¡¯s reply. As expected, it was good to see you do everything on your own initiative. ¡°I think that¡¯s enough rest for your shadows, right? There are many things to investigate.¡± For a moment the shadow in the corner shook. ¡°Perhaps, they have had enough rest. They are prepared for anything.¡± Cassion smiled very brightly. The shadow shook again. ¡°Ken must have heard that I was here, but he hasn¡¯t contacted me.¡± Part of the reason why Prios was chosen as the ce to eat was to connect with Ken. ¡°Already waiting.¡± Ruel grinned at Cassion¡¯s reply. It was good timing. ¡°Bring him.¡± ¡°I see.¡± As Cassion went outside, the sound of munching filled the room. ¡ªThis is the taste. Cassion¡¯s cooking is even more delicious than what this body had in the castle. During the banquet, Ruel saw countless desserts going into his small belly. Now, Ruel could somewhat understand why Cassion sighed at the mention of more spirits being attached. It felt like a coboration between three mukbang broadcasters. Ruel made eye contact with the spirits, who were attached to him like decorations. Ruel was in a good mood today, so he smiled. ¡ªWhen Ruel eats, a good smelles out. This body feels happy to smell this and eat something sweet. At this, the fork that Ruel was holding stopped. It is said that a spirit was needed now because of the wound, but what should be done to feed themter. Ruel looked behind him for a moment. The spirits were already crowding around. They filled both sides of the carriage. ¡®More than before¡­ It seems like it.¡¯ Ruel hoped it was just his imagination. ¡ªThe smell is stronger than before. nk. Ruel dropped his fork. It was as scary as the fact that the power left by the hero was the power of the Great Man. Knock. Knock. ¡°¡­Come in.¡± Ruel¡¯s face hardened. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw you¡­ Are you sick?¡± Ken was d to see Ruel but slightly surprised by his firm face. ¡°No, sit down. Have you eaten yet?¡± ¡°Yes, I did before I came.¡± ¡°Does Red Ash know that you areing to me?¡± ¡°Yes, they know. I informed them that I was approaching you on purpose.¡± ¡°Good job.¡± Ken smiled at Ruel¡¯s praise. ¡°Thank you foring.¡± ¡°Are you experiencing any troubles? If it¡¯s hard tomunicate with the Red Ash, tell me anytime.¡± ¡°No. I am happy to be able to repay the favor, so you don¡¯t have to worry about it at all.¡± Ken finally sat down. He didn¡¯t juste to fool the eyes of the Red Ash. ¡°I know we¡¯re not very close in private, so you might as well keep it short.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°So what did they ask of you?¡± ¡°There is pressureing to iste Setiria. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re tired, but I came here myself.¡± ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. ¡®Istion.¡¯ Setiria¡¯s weaknesses. It seemed to have changed its course there. You¡¯re going to destroy your base so that it doesn¡¯t happen again, but it¡¯s way toote. The time has passed for Setiria to copse to an extent of istion. ¡°Did you see who it was?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t see it. But I was told that some aristocrats had already agreed.¡± ¡®Thankfully, they make it easy to find.¡¯ Ruel put the meat in his mouth. ¡°This is information about the Red Ash I heard and found.¡± Ken pulled out the data. It was quite thick. ¡°Mostly it had to do with the underworld. The enemy knew where to upy quickly and effectively. Traces of the Red Ash have also been found within¡­Setiria.¡± Ruel was about to re-examine the underworld of Setiria, or the back alley. Shouldn¡¯t we pull out the weeds that sprouted where the rats were cut. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯ll use it well.¡± Cassion put the data in his magic pocket. ¡°The title that the Lord has gained, Noble of¡ª¡± ¡°Stop there.¡± Ruel hurriedly halted the following words. It was a title that he had heard one to many times at the banquet to the point where his eardrums melted. Ruel didn¡¯t want to hear it privately in his eating vincinity. ¡°Ah¡­ I see.¡± Ken was taken aback. Ruel¡¯s eyes seemed like fire would re out at any moment. The process of obtaining the title was an act worthy of respect as a nobleman and individual, so he, Ken, was very proud whenever he heard it. But such a violent reaction. ¡®¡­Is it because you¡¯re embarrassed? I see. You¡¯ve already heard a lot ofpliments at the banquet. Hearing a lot of nicepliments can get annoying.¡¯ It was his fault to bring it up in private Thinking that, he just looked at Ruel with respect. ¡°Anyway, what does the Lord want Prios to do?¡± ¡°What do you want to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to get involved with Red Ash anymore, but I do to act it¡¯s in the interests of my Lord.¡± ¡°I just informed you that I was attacked by an unknown person, and subtly pressured by you mentioning the geographical proximity of Setiria and Prios.¡± Ruel wiped his mouth and inhaled Breath. ¡°And don¡¯t forget to express your personal appreciation that this attack has left my Knights mentally exhausted and physically wounded.¡± Ttak. Ruel hit the table lightly. Ken, who was facing him, was slightly surprised, and Leo¡¯s ears twitched. ¡°And leave it at this. If you insist more than this, I will make this deal a thing that never happened.¡± ¡°¡­Are you sure you don¡¯t mind?¡± Ken didn¡¯t know if there was another strung on a leash within his house. He didn¡¯t have to be involved in this. There¡¯s someone else who had been strung along. ¡°Think of Prios as a priority before me.¡± The more Ken became involved with the Red Ash, the more likely he was to turn into a dependent that had no choice but to lean on the Red Ash. ¡®That¡¯s no good. Prios needs to grow up independently to best help Setiria.¡¯ It took Red Ash to know that Ken was not a direct descendant. Ken bit his lip slightly. Respect for Ruel deepened. ¡°There is no direct line anymore. You won¡¯t have to worry about such a thing.¡± It seems that they were killed after hearing the location of his immediate family from Red Ash. ¡°That doesn¡¯t change your birthce.¡± In the end, however, Ken did not be a member of the direct line, whether the rest of his family was killed or not. ¡°Only the Lord and the Red Ash know about the origin of my birth. The one who reveals my birth is the Red Ash. The one who has stakes in my birth is Red Ash.¡± Ken was as solemn as a dying knight for his master. ¡°It was Ruel-nim who allowed me to move again, whose hands and feet were cut off. Dogs don¡¯t bite their master. Moreover, even if I die as a human being, shouldn¡¯t I be of help to the Lord, the master?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not gonna happen.¡± The trick to Red Ash to reveal his identity was different from that of Ken. Prios needed him. Prios had to exist for Setiria. ¡°I¡¯m already prepared, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ken smiled aloofly, erasing his solemn expression. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way.¡± How to be a family head as a member of a coteral line. There must be a way. ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry. Well, I¡¯ll get up now. I will proceed with everything as the Lord has said.¡± Ken expressed regret because he couldn¡¯t stay long. Standing up from his seat, he bowed politely and went outside. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel looked at the ce where Ken had left for a while and continued the meal that had stopped. ¡°I think it¡¯s a waste to just kill him.¡± Cassion spoke softly. Prios was recovering quickly thanks to Ken. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask His Highness Banios?¡± At Cassion¡¯s suggestion, Ruel nodded his head. As expected, the only person who immediately came to mind was Banios. He injected mana into the ring. ¡°Your Highness.¡± -Isn¡¯t it still a long way to reach Setiria? It probably hasn¡¯t arrived yet¡­ Could it be that there¡¯s an attack? ¡°I contacted you because I had a question for you. Are you okay?¡± There is no need to inform him of the attack, so Ruel did not answer. -That¡¯s fine, what are you trying to ask? ¡°Is there an exceptional case where a member of the coteral line bes the family head?¡± For a moment Banios shut his mouth. He seemed perplexed by the sudden question. -There is, but why are you asking such a thing all of a sudden? You¡¯re a direct descendant, aren¡¯t you? Are you in a situation where it turns out you were coteral? In that case, I¡¯ll dly lend you a hand. ¡°I am a direct descendant, so there is no need to worry. Suddenly, I got curious, and I asked the question while talking to my subordinate.¡± -I didn¡¯t know it was possible for ttery to fly from your tongue, do it the way it was. It was to the point where Ruel could feel the disgust through themunication device. He also replied, rinsing his mouth with water because his mouth became dry. ¡°Yes.¡± -You must know that the distinction between direct and coteral lineage is determined by looking at the family crest that appears on the back of the hand. ¡°I know.¡± -Then, do you know that the distinction between direct and coteral was because of an oath? ¡°¡­?¡± It was the first time Ruel had heard of it. -On the day of theing-of-age ceremony, the Royal Family will tell you an interesting story about the rtionship between the king and a patriarch. I am enjoying my favorite tea right now. Since Cassion had been caught over tea by Banios, his expression naturally frowned. Of all things, that time. -A long time ago, the king and the heads of households swore an oath to each other. I believe that the lineage of the patriarch who made the oath at that time is the current direct lineage. ¡°You said oath, is it an oath of allegiance?¡± Baniosughed lightly. -No, it was an oath of friendship, an oath never to betray each other. Isn¡¯t it funny? The subtle power struggle between the Royal Family and the patriarchs was still ongoing. -Well, there is only one way to acknowledge the coteral line, as you asked. As the family head, with all the fanfare. Ruel waited for thetter words. -Dedicate themselves to this country, Leponia. If you can show some proof, then His Majesty will give you a chance to swear the oath as a reward. ¡°Then, are you saying that you are not recognizing a coteral as the head of the family, but as a direct descendant?¡± -Indeed, this is in the case if there are no more direct descendants, it has happened a few times in the past. For example, in the case of the Kuhn family, they defended the capital from an attack by the Tonisk Empire in the past, and they became the direct descendants by winning the recognition. ¡°In short, they look at whether the individual devoted themselves to the country in a crisis?¡± -Isn¡¯t that a moment of sure proof? ¡°Thank you.¡± -I didn¡¯t expect to receive words of gratitude, but anyway, when you return to Setiria, please use themunication device to let me know of your safety. Well then. As soon asmunication was cut off, Ruel ce a slice of meat in his mouth, chewing it as if it were an enemy ¡®¡­So, you have to smash the Red Ash in Leponia.¡¯ Damn it. Nothing is easy. *** Ruel stepped out of the carriage, inhaling Breath. ¡°Setiria!¡± All the knights who came to meet him and the knights who escorted him shouted Setiria. Thump. Thump. Ruel¡¯s heart thumped at the sound of them striking the scabbard. They looked the same as before they left the mansion, but their eyes were full of endless joy. Ttak. At the sound of Ruel¡¯s cane, all the knights stopped and looked at him. ¡°Thank you for your hard work guarding the fief.¡± At the words that brought with a faint smile, the knights roared again. ¡°Setiria!¡± The family head of Setiria has returned. Ruel Setiria is back. As if to express that joy, the shouting did not stop until Ruel walked to the front door. ¡°Ruel.¡± Tyson smiled kindly in front of the main gate. As always, no, it was a little darker under the eyes. ¡°I¡¯m back. It took a little longer than I expected¡­¡± Tyson came running and hugged Ruel. ¡°¡­!¡± ¡°You did a great job. You did a great job.¡± Ruel paused with the unfamiliar warmth. It seemed to give off an oldfort that had once been lost. ¡°Did you eat well? I wonder if you slept well.¡± ¡®I hesitated if I could hear the voice full of worries that I had always pushed out. I hesitated whether I could enjoy this warmth, which I always turned away.¡¯ The Ruel Setiria that Tyson knew was no more. ¡®I know this warmth isn¡¯t directed at me.¡¯ But Ruel soon patted Tyson carefully on the back. The trembling felt on his back, the roughness of his hands, the tightly held hands as if he was afraid to leave again, were really like his father, so he couldn¡¯t bear to push them away any longer. So Ruel brought it up again. ¡°I¡¯m back, uncle.¡± Sincerely. For the first time, he smiled brightly at Tyson.Author''s Thoughts I got teary at the end of the chapter. So heartwarming ?? Chapter 97.1 - Black water Chapter 97.1 - ck water ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Fran couldn¡¯t stop the sigh from examining Ruel. He appeared to have rolled his body¡¯s health backwards once more. She obviously felt sympathy for the weight he lost again until she opened the door and saw Ruel. ¡®Let¡¯s calm down, the Lord has juste back, hasn¡¯t he? He must be fatigued.¡¯ Fran barely held on to the string of reason and slowly cut the bandage wrapped around Ruel¡¯s stomach. However, as soon as she saw a wound about the size of three fingers, Fran got up from her seat. Wandering around in that state, going to the banquet. For a moment, it seemed as if her eyes went dark. ¡°Absolutely stable! It¡¯s definitely stable! I¡¯ll go to Mr. Billo myself and tell him that I resign! Clearly, I am not needed!¡± ¡°Sister, deep breath, deep breath!¡± Tierra was busy calming Fran by the side. ¡°I bet Billo is busy right now?¡± Ruel smirked. Billo was very busy in his absence, no joke on his part. He hadn¡¯t even heard of the injury yet, but it was obvious that he would nag him to take a break from work. Fran took a deep breath with great difficulty as her face turned red with anger. Cassion looked at her pitifully. ¡°How in the world, how, no, why did the patriarch get hurt like this?¡± ¡°It just happened.¡± It was a very light remarkpared to the wound he suffered. Fran sighed deeply and sat down again. ¡°I know that the escort of the Lord is Sir Aris. As a doctor, I think there is a clear justification for scolding his failure to protect you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my fault, so tell me.¡± Huh. Fran was at a loss for words. Covering for the escort rather than scolding him. He was too soft. What if something like this is repeated. Fran cut off all unnecessary words and curses, intending to speak only to the extent that she could without insulting a Lord. ¡°Sister, calm down.¡± Tierra rubbed Fran¡¯s shoulder, which looked like it was about to explode. ¡°Covering for them doesn¡¯t mean the wound will go away. I say this because this could happen again.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t covering it up, I was telling the truth.¡± Fran closed her mouth tightly. She was more angry at his calm attitude. Ruel was the head of the household. There were always numerous escorts around him. But the enemy broke through the escorts and wounded Ruel. There must have been something she couldn¡¯t imagine that urred. Fran did not ask for any more reasons for the injury. ¡°Who did the suture?¡± ¡°Originally the surgeon did it.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll sew it up again. The wound itself is aplex wound, so the suture was not properly performed. As a result, there are signs that the wound has burst again.¡± ¡°¡­Woa.¡± Ruel admired purely. It was to the point where his trust skyrocketed as she knew only by looking at the scars. ¡°Tierra, give me the painkiller first.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Tierra took out a tool that resembled a syringe, put the medicine in it, and handed it to Fran. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth when he saw the tool. ¡°You must have made it.¡± ¡°Yes, I couldn¡¯t make it exactly as Ruel-nim said, but I put my brain together with the magic knights and made this.¡± Fran fiddled with the syringe and carefully examined Ruel¡¯s countenance. Ruel, who noticed the gaze, said as if he was satisfied. ¡°No, this is enough. What do you think? Is it useful?¡± ¡®How would I know how to make medical tools? I thought it would be okay to just mention some technology for my own use anyway, so I asked for a few medical tools to be made by following my memory from a few medical dramas.¡¯ ¡°My lord.¡± Fran was smiling broadly as if she had never frowned. ¡°Thank you very much for allowing me to use these valuable tools.¡± It sounded much more pleasant because it was a pleasantry said with only sincerity and without her usual harsh tongue. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°But apart from this, your condition at this moment is quite stable.¡± Fran¡¯s brows wrinkled again. ¡°The painkiller will go in.¡± He only told her how to use the syringe, but Fran was handling it skillfully. There was a glimpse of the needle-pointed mark in Tierra¡¯s long sleeves that indicated she had practiced several times while he was away from the mansion. ¡°Tell me if it hurts.¡± Ruel nodded, covering Leo¡¯s eyes. *** ¡°¡­The cough medicine was useless. That¡¯s what you mean, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At Cassion¡¯s words, Fran fiddled with her chin. Ruel¡¯s cough was even causing chest pain and had to be stopped. Tierra hesitated andmented. ¡°Thebination was done properly, Sister.¡± ¡°How many more are there by any chance?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve made several just in case. I¡¯ll go and give it to youter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s done. Mr. Cassion.¡± ¡°Speak, please.¡± ¡°It can be said that the patriarch has improved, but his health is not as good as before. He has decreased stamina. He didn¡¯t eat properly, and he went on a long trip with a wound that didn¡¯t heal properly. You really need to let him rest for a while.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Cassion¡¯s brows slightly frowned upon her words. He had wondered what to do to make Ruel rest. ¡°Since the Lord is back, let¡¯s finish off his previous medication and in the next three days we will work on creating a stronger dosage of medication that we can administer under careful observation.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll deliver it like that then.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± As soon as Fran and Tierra left for their rooms, Cassion sighed. ¡®Let Ruel-nim rest.¡¯ It was difficult. He turned and headed to Noah¡¯s room, which he had just assigned to Noah. Knock. Knock. He was clearly inside, but there was no response. Cassion simply opened the door and entered. At that moment, Noah, who was about to jump out of the window, met his eyes. He gently lowered his legs and gently sped his hands together. ¡°I, I opened it for venttion.¡± ¡°Noah.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Follow me.¡± Cassion took Noah to the office where Billo usually stays. Knock. Knock. ¡°It¡¯s Cassion.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as the door was opened, Noah swallowed his dread. The pile of papers on the desk was considerable. ¡°¡­Huh.¡± ¡°This is Noah, brought by Ruel as my immediate attendant.¡± ¡°Oh, I heard it from Ruel in advance, it¡¯s nice to meet you, I¡¯m Billo, the butler.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Noah.¡± Noah bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯m ashamed, but I¡¯m not good at teaching regarding these matters, so I¡¯m here to ask for assistance with him. I¡¯ll take care of some of the papers instead.¡± ¡°Oh, will you do that for me? It¡¯s timely since my eyesight has been getting worsetely.¡± Billo had a very d smile. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s see.¡± Standing up from his seat, he put on his sses and approached Noah. He circled around him and smiled lightly. ¡°I know what your condition is, as an attendant, I will make you do the basics.¡± ¡°Thank you. Which ones should I take?¡± ¡°Take as many as you want, except for the umted ones on the left.¡± Cassion said, putting just half the papers in his magic pocket, ¡°Butler, Ruel-nim is calling.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Not knowing why he was called, Billo was excited as if he were going to see his grandson. Cassion nced at him and put the papers in his pocket. ¡°Youe here for a moment.¡± Billo called Noah to stand against the wall. Noah obeyed for the time being, but his face was full of dissatisfaction. ¡°An attendant shouldn¡¯t show his emotions easily.¡± ¡°Emotions are meant to be expressed, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Emotions are meant to be expressed. I¡¯m saying that being someone¡¯s servant entails supporting and following the master, and your feelings belong to the master.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°You have chosen this job and have been paid fairly, so that mouth should now be used for the sake of the owner, notining.¡± Noah¡¯s eyes moved hurriedly, but the words made sense, so it was difficult for him to refute. ¡°You stand still there until Ie back. You¡¯re going to stand there longer if you move.¡± ¡°How do you know if I moved or not?¡± ¡°How do you chase your prey in the mountains?¡± ¡°That¡¯s it. There¡¯s a trace of the prey running away¡­ Have I told you I¡¯m a hunter?¡± ¡°You are the prey now, I am the hunter. Please listen to me clearly so you don¡¯t get caught.¡± Billo smiled softly and left the office. ¡®¡­What is it? Are you a mind reader?¡¯ It was not until the door was closed that he swallowed his saliva. Chapter 97.2 - Black water Chapter 97.2 - ck water *** ¡°I apologize I couldn¡¯t see your arrival.¡± Billo bowed as soon as he saw Ruel. ¡°I told you not toe, so no need to apologize.¡± Ruel rubbed Leo¡¯s stomach with afortable face. After Fran sutured the wound again, the pain in his stomach was less. ¡ª¡­It¡¯s a shock. There¡¯s something in the stomach. He covered his eyes to prevent him from seeing it, but Leo seemed to have seen the wound. He muttered the same thing a moment ago, in shock. Sniff. Sniff. Suddenly his nose red, then he got up and ran to Billo. ¡ªIt smells sweet! Billo brought something delicious. ¡®¡­ That¡¯s great.¡¯ Leo circled around Billo. ¡°Give me one if you brought it.¡± ¡°As expected, the nose doesn¡¯t seem to deceive. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Unlike his words, Billo smiled and put down the cookies he had kept hidden in his arms. ¡ªOh! Oh! Oh! ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s okay for a fox to eat this, but it¡¯s adorable to see it want it.¡± ¡ªYes, please love this body a lot. Billo bent his knee and stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡°That¡¯s very kind.¡± ¡°Stop talking about it now. Since Cassion said that the room was full of the smell of blood, you must have already noticed it, right?¡± ¡°This old man is getting angry after a long time. Who is it? I will cut his throat even if it costs me my life.¡± ¡°Billo.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice was heavy. Billo bowed his head slightly as if he had guessed that it hade. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Why did my father take me back then and for what reason did he leave?¡± Previously, the ident didn¡¯t matter and he didn¡¯t ask. He didn¡¯t ask before because he thought he had to cover the fact he had no memory of ¡®his¡¯ father¡¯s death and ident. But now he had to know. Billo, the butler, would know. He calmly closed his eyes and opened them. ¡°The former head of the family chased after the Red Ash. It was for Ruel-nim.¡± As expected, Billo knew. Ruel looked at him with sunken eyes. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. This old man swore an oath to keep his mouth shut for the sake of the former lord, and for Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°This is the oath the former head of household wanted. It is a secret of Setiria¡¯s that must never leak out.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t even you believe me?¡± ¡°Because you trusted me, you were considerate of me not to be targeted by Red Ash and others. As if I didn¡¯t see what I saw, as if I didn¡¯t hear what I heard. That¡¯s how I was left.¡± Billo smiled calmly. It was all inefficient to touch and kill someone who couldn¡¯t say anything. Knowing that, it seemed that the former head had made Billo swear a mana oath. ¡°Can¡¯t you tell me why we went out that day?¡± ¡°The former head of the family knew that the ears of Setiria, no, the birds betrayed them. And yet he went out.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath, waiting for the next word Billo would bring up without urging. ¡°Before he left, he was delighted to say that he could cut off this relentless evil. After that¡­¡± Billo didn¡¯t finish his sentence and shut up. He became a sinner again and stood before Ruel. ¡®Tough bad luck¡­?¡¯ This was not the first time a Great Man had targeted Setiria. Since when? Tch. ¡®¡­In any case, the former head found out the weakness of the Great Man. Knowing the birds¡¯ betrayal, he went out on purpose pretending to be trapped. But one thing, only one thing is wrong.¡¯ One thing may have to do with Ruel falling from the scene of the ident. ¡°Since the past is so hidden, there¡¯s no need to hold onto those emotions now.¡± ¡°Was it helpful enough¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s been helpful enough, so don¡¯t me yourself. You said it was for me that you were left behind.¡± ¡°¡­Yes, it is.¡± He could hear his whisper in the quiet silence. ¡°And so,¡± As if to express his uneasiness, Ruel smiled mischievously while speaking. ¡°Act like you haven¡¯t ced me in your eyes even if you work for my sake.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°As you know, there are still many times when Setiria needs to be repaired. It was also time to check the vige once.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to nag, that¡¯s enough.¡± Ruel waved his hand. ¡°This old man¡¯s eyes are dim these days, and now my heart is fluttering.¡± ¡°I told you already, so please be calm.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know where you came from with a hole in your stomach, but please remember, Ruel-nim¡¯s life is not just Ruel-nim¡¯s.¡± He had already heard it from Cassion before. Ruel listened with a face full of discontent. ¡°But our lives belong to Ruel-nim. You can use it anytime and throw it away. Don¡¯t hesitate, and don¡¯t regret it.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like that.¡± Ruel said tly. ¡°I have no intention of throwing myself or others away. I picked you up too, so don¡¯t think nonsense and go to work.¡± ¡°That¡¯s very sweet of you but regardless this old man is very worried.¡± ¡°Billo.¡± ¡°Before you leave, I just want to say this. It¡¯s good to care for people, but you have to keep the boundaries. Just as you can¡¯t catch water flowing from your hands, the same is said for a person¡¯s life. No regrets, no reason to regret.¡± Billo showed a friendly smile. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about anything, Ruel-nim, and just think about your body for now, then, I¡¯ll step down.¡± ¡°Call my uncle while you¡¯re on your way.¡± The slightly warm atmosphere copsed, and Billo¡¯s smile waspletely erased. ¡°I know that Tyson-nim met you at the front door.¡± Calling Tyson again, who we met once, was like saying that he would do something. ¡°We met, but it¡¯s been a while, so I forgot what I had to say.¡± He should have asked how the research into the ck water progressed earlier. He said he needed to know the identity of the ck water, so he didn¡¯t want to dy any longer. ¡°It seems that Ruel-nim needs a rest now.¡± ¡°I slept a lot in the carriage, and I took a rest.¡± ¡°I heard the results of the examination from Cassion. You must remain patient.¡± ¡°I¡¯m being patient right now.¡± Fran said that he was stable, and Ruel had been lying quietly in bed until now. ¡°The wound¡­¡± ¡°Billo, you go out and get my uncle. Will I have to tell you again to understand?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡®What should I do with a grandson-like child who doesn¡¯t listen.¡¯ Billo rubbed his slightly bitter heart as he saw Ruel, who had a lot on his back and tried to keep carrying it even if it was too much to bear. ¡°I¡¯ll call in Mr. Tyson. Rest well, then.¡± ¡ªHe is saying this out of concern for Ruel, so Ruel shouldn¡¯t be angry. Leo banged Ruel on the forehead. ¡°I know, just a little.¡± Ruel fiddled with Leo¡¯s ears. ¡°I¡¯m a little impatient.¡± He was in the Cyronian longer than he nned. The thought of doing something to get out of bed kept running around in his head. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Ruel let out a sigh and looked at the spirits ying on his shoulders, treating him like a slide. He thought the castle grounds were good, butpared to Setiria, he was a nobleman. This was just a world of spirits. Whileing to his room he saw countless spirits. The size was also bigger than the spirits clinging to the body. Fortunately, the number of clinging spirits was limited. Kuro Kuruu. There was a sound of excitement. ¡®It¡¯s lively.¡¯ ¡ªEveryone came to smell Ruel. ¡°Are they going to stay like this?¡± ¡ªNo. There are also spirits that have left. ¡°¡­What?¡± Leo grabbed the one in front of him with his short front paws. If the existing spirit is the size of a thumb, the spirit that Leo caught is the size of the palm. As expected, it wasn¡¯t just his imagination that the spirits got bigger. ¡ªWhen it grows this big, it will leave for other spirits. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡ªIt is said that if the spirits smell Ruel¡¯s scent, they will grow. The reason why this body has grown may be because this body is next to Ruel! This body wants to grow big enough to carry Ruel! Leo smiled and wagged his tail. Ruel was so confused that he couldn¡¯t even speak. It said that the bell-sounding ore did not simply give off a smell that the spirits liked. ¡®¡­ Then, did I be a hot ce for spirits?¡¯ ¡°Still, you don¡¯t have to worry because they¡¯ll make sure to erase the things that aren¡¯t from this world from the wound and leave.¡± No matter how harmless, there were too many spirits. Ruel bites his lip. Knock. Knock. ¡°May I enter, my lord?¡± ¡°Come in.¡± As soon as Tyson opened the door, he looked around with a curious face. ¡°As expected, this natural mana wasing from you, Ruel.¡± ¡°Can you feel it?¡± ¡°Every time I feel it, it¡¯s a blessing. Thanks to you, the knights feelfortable.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°The fact that there is a lot of natural mana floating around means that the knights can increase their mana and aura more, so who wouldn¡¯t be happy?¡± Ruel asked, rxed his stern expression, ¡°Then does that apply to me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a wizard, so of course.¡± ¡®Pretty things.¡¯ The sound, which had been a little annoying, suddenly sounded beautiful like the singing of birds in the mountains. ¡°Can I hear what happened?¡± ¡°At the Cyronian Royal Warehouse¡­¡± ¡ªThis body discovered it. The spirit was on a stone, so this body rescued it! Leo hovered around Tyson with a face of pride. ¡°Does it mean that the Spirit-nim discovered the Spirit Stone?¡± ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t know that. This body only loved the ringing sound. ¡°A stone that makes a sound?¡± ¡°Do you know something?¡± Seeing Tyson¡¯s thoughtful look, Ruel asked urgently. He wanted to hear exactly what the stone was. Tyson shook his head apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s mentioned in any book I¡¯ve seen.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± The Spirits were like an unknown world. In the first ce, being able to see the spirit was special. ¡®If you follow the spirit that¡¯s leaving once grown up, won¡¯t you know where it goes?¡¯ Chapter 98: Black Water (2) Chapter 98: ck Water (2) Ruel saw Leo. As soon as their eyes met, Leo smiled. ¡®Maybe I¡¯ll meet the rest of the Great Purifiers.¡¯ Leo came running and jumped into bed. Ruel tried to talk to Tyson, but waited as he wrote in his notebook. It was no longer unfamiliar to see Tyson writing in a notebook with an apologetic expression on his face. ¡°Otherwise, I was thinking of visiting you because of the ck water situation¡­¡± Tyson looked at Ruel with his notebook folded. ¡°But rest today.¡± ¡°Uncle, didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s a problem that can only be confirmed when I came back? I¡¯m home, now I just need to check.¡± ¡°You look very tired.¡± Tyson gave a calm smile. ¡°You can take a day off. Rather, I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll fall while running in a tizzy.¡± ¡°¡­Uncle, if I sleep now, I think I¡¯ll sleep rather long. So I¡¯m worried. Don¡¯t I have to keep moving?¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right. I¡¯m fine today. It¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t move today. Even if anythinges, your uncle will prevent it all.¡± Ruel felt his eyes getting heavier, even though no one was forcing him to sleep. Maybe it was because he came back home. Maybe it was because he felt relieved from Tyson¡¯s words. ¡°When I fall asleep, no, I still have a lot of work to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Put everything down today and take a rest. The Setiria you rebuilt won¡¯t be shaken just like that anymore. Don¡¯t you trust in Setiria?¡± It was funny that he didn¡¯t seem to trust in Setiria¡¯s ability despite Ruel himself deciding to make a Setiria that would work without him. No matter what anyone says, he¡¯d believe in it. Setiria. Everyone. ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯ll rest.¡± Only then did Ruel close his eyes. The sound of breath soon deepened. ¡®He looks tired¡­ He really looks like my older brother.¡¯ Tyson looked at him with a smile. His sleeping appearance hasn¡¯t changed since his younger days. He is still stubborn about going to bed. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t like Ruel sleeping. Leo looked at Tyson with a sullen face. He patted Leo on the head. ¡°Ruel must rest, Spirit. Please, understand.¡± ¡ª¡­This body knows. It¡¯s kind of tense when this body looks at Ruel these days. This body felt so much emotion. This body is overwhelmed by just feeling it, so this body doesn¡¯t understand what feeling it is. Leo¡¯s ears are drooping. ¡°It¡¯s because he has a lot on his back. Chased, threatened, sick. My heart hurts like this just watching, how much will my heartburn?¡± Tyson¡¯s eyes twitched for a moment. He wanted to take everything if he could. ¡°So he needs to rest. I¡¯m so d you¡¯re here.¡± ¡ªThis body is a great purifier! Ahem! Tyson smiled as Leo wiggled his tail again. Knock. Knock. Leo ran and stood at the door. ¡ªCassion quiet¡­ ¡°Shh!¡± As soon as the door opened, Leo rushed to Cassion. ¡°Ruel is sleeping.¡± Cassion smiled lightly. He was thinking about how to let Ruel rest all the way here. ¡°Did he just go to bed?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll probably sleep for a while.¡± ¡°Yes, thank you for your hard work.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot. You¡¯ve worked hard.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d that there¡¯s someone who recognizes my hard work.¡± Cassion sighed deeply. *** ¡ªDid you open your eyes? Are you up? As soon as Ruel opened his eyes, he saw Leo¡¯s face. He felt like he slept for a long time. ¡°How long did I sleep?¡± ¡ªYou¡¯ve slept three feet of this body! ¡®Did I sleep for three days? I slept for a long time.¡¯ Leo licked Ruel¡¯s face and soon rubbed his face. ¡ªIf Ruel hadn¡¯t gotten up now, this body would have cried today. Leo¡¯s eyes were already preparing to shed tears. Ruel stroked Leo. ¡°Yeah, you did well.¡± ¡ªAre you sick? ¡°No.¡± ¡ªWhat a relief! Can you speak to this body now? ¡°¡­Yes.¡± His body felt lighter as he had slept for a long time. When he raised left hand as he felt ufortable, there was an IV. ¡®No wonder it hurt less.¡¯ ¡ªThey put it on when Ruel was sleeping. You seemed to be in pain because there was blood. Ruel stroked Leo again. ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion came out of the shadows. He was holding a cup of water. ¡°Are you awake? How is your body? Even after you fell asleep your body was in pain, so I told Fran and she added an IV.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°The meal is almost ready.¡± ¡°Nothing happened?¡± ¡°Yes, nothing happened.¡± Cassion handed the water. He couldn¡¯t tell a lie. The feeling of cool water entering through his throat made the remaining drowsiness disappear. ¡°Call my uncle.¡± ¡°How about seeing Fran first?¡± Ruel paused for a moment. ¡°How¡¯s the wound?¡± ¡°It¡¯s healing. But you still have to lie down more.¡± ¡°I know, don¡¯t worry, I have no intention of leaving the mansion until the wound heals.¡± Tyson previously said he should see his purification and Leo¡¯s purification. Purification itself hurts the body, so it was better to listen to Fran¡¯s nagging anyway. ¡°Starting from my uncle.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ruel waved at Cassion, who was about to turn around. ¡°Snacking on an empty stomach is not good. I think it would be good to have it after you have eaten.¡± ¡®I¡¯ve been eating well so far.¡¯ Fran seemed to have brought up a story about snacks to Cassion. Ruel waved his hand with a sad face. Shortly after Cassion left, he came in with Tyson. ¡°Did you sleep well?¡± Tyson smiled at Ruel. ¡°Yes, I slept well.¡± ¡°How about eating and moving?¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve kept you waiting three more days, so we can¡¯t slow down any further. My uncle knows that. And I¡¯m not overdoing it.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Ruel¡¯s face looked morefortable today. ¡°Cassion, ck water.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion took the ck water out of his arms and dropped only one drop on the floor. The spirits stood at a distance from the ck water. Even if it was the same kind of spirit, purification could not be done unless it was a Great Purifier. ¡°Clean it up, Leo.¡± Ruel said, pointing to the ck water. ¡ªOkay! This body practiced a lot when Ruel was sleeping! Leo wagged his tail down the bed. ¡ªLook carefully! He raised his front foot to make a silver orb. Along with therger size than before, the warm feeling deepened. Tyson was fascinated by the beautiful color and immediately took out his notebook. ¡°This, this is an impossible light! It¡¯s natural mana, but it¡¯s more noble and clean! This is impossible!¡± His hands moved incessantly withughter. ¡ªLook carefully, uncle. Leo said triumphantly. Just as the color of the silver orb faded into ck water, the ck water turned white and shiny powder flew into the sky. It wasn¡¯t as beautiful as the Milky Way up to the sky as he saw it then, but it was beautiful. ¡°¡­ Unbelievable.¡± Tyson smiled brightly like a child who had just picked up a toy. In the ce where the ck water had been, only transparent water droplets remained. ¡°Leaving the essence alone and taking out only the things that are out of natural order. This, this is purification. Purification was such a beautiful thing!¡± ¡ªThis body is a Great Purifier! Leo ran to Ruel, not Tyson, and wagged his tail. Leo rubbed his head when a familiar touch touched his face. ¡°Well done, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body couldn¡¯t do it as big as this body did back then. Still, this body did it! ¡°Does Ruel-nim have to do it, too?¡± Cassion stopped to drop the ck water and saw Tyson. ¡°I also want to stop, but it¡¯s essential to know what the ck water is.¡± With a distressed look, Tyson clenched his notebook. ¡°My purification is different from Leo, uncle.¡± At Ruel¡¯s nod, Cassion dropped ck water on the floor. Ruel moved his shadow, inhaling Breath. The shadow waited calmly for Ruel¡¯s orders, like a dog about to feed. ¡®Eat it.¡¯ As soon as the order was given, the shadow rushed toward the ck water. It was only a single drop, but the brow furrowed slightly at the simultaneous pain. ¡ªAre you sick? Leo looked at Ruel with an uneasy look. ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Where the shadow disappeared, only water droplets remained, as in Leo¡¯s time. Tyson looked at Ruel with a grave face. ¡°¡­Can I check one more thing?¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Cassion, I want you to drop another drop.¡± At Tyson¡¯s request, Cassion dropped the ck water again. Tyson licked his dry lips pausing. ¡°Can you use only mana to move the ck water this time? So, blow your mana into the ck water and give it the samemands as when you use magic.¡± ¡°Is that okay?¡± Cassion asked with a sour look. ¡°Infusing mana has been done by other magic knights, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°Is this why you said you needed my mana?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Tyson revealed his uneasiness in response to Ruel¡¯s question. Despite his efforts to hide it, he appeared full of anxiety. It would be better not to hide it. With the help of Cassion, Ruel managed to sit up. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Holding his stomach, Ruel coughed. After the cough had stopped, Ruel slowly breathed mana into the ck water. Ruel was so focused that he couldn¡¯t feel the nervous gaze. As his mana touched the ck water, a sharp touch felt like a paper cut. A little surprised, but not strong enough to intimidate himself, so he again brought Mana into contact with the ck water. ¡®¡­What is it?¡¯ There was a whisper, as if to move the shadow. It was a sound full of hatred and resentment. The sound sounded sad to Ruel. He gave directions to the sound, which was confused and filled with anger, as if it had lost its way, and was wandering. ¡®It¡¯s this way.¡¯ The sound calmed down. He felt like had the rein in his hand as he controlled the shadow. Ruel took the reins. He opened his eyes at the same time. ¡°¡­!¡± The ck water was nowhere to be found, and the shadows of the darkened water droplets wriggled. It didn¡¯t hurt this time. ¡°What¡­did you do?¡± Cassion couldn¡¯t believe it even when he saw it himself. The ck water melted into a shadow. It was different from the purification that Ruel just showed. It didn¡¯t disappear, it just looked like it was back to it¡¯s ce. ¡°¡­I just took the reins and gave orders.¡± Ruel asked Tyson for an answer. Gulp. Behind the sound of swallowing, Tyson put on a bewildered expression. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this is real¡­¡± ¡°Uncle, tell me. Why did the ck water turn into a shadow?¡± ¡°Do you remember what I said about the dark attribute?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± He said that darkness is not borrowed, but bequeathed. ¡°In the process of investigating the ck water, I forgot the most important thing. I noticed it while talking to Aris. ck water is out of natural order. In other words, it is out of touch with nature.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Then, I studied what it would look like if it could be reversed.¡± ¡°The figure was simr to the darkness.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I needed you. You¡¯re the only wizard I know who can use the darkness. I can be sure as a result of just now.¡± Tyson expressed his regret. ¡°ck water is uncontrolled¡­darkness. In other words, it means a shadow that has lost control.¡± ¡°Is that possible?¡± The shadow did not move or speak unless it was summoned. ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Tyson opened his mouth heavily. ¡°Ordinary magic is borrowed from nature, so it disappears when I stop using it. But your magic, the shadow stops only when you disappear.¡± Ruel frowned. Tyson was right. ¡°Are you saying that after using dark magic, you made that person faint or even killed them?¡± ¡°There, it is said to be a substance created by corrupting. A very, very terrible and disgusting substance.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t evenugh. As Tyson said, it was a terrible thing to do. And it was the Red Ash that did it. Tyson soon looked at Ruel, showing his fear. If ck water was created using a person with the dark attribute, Ruel was no exception. Ruel¡¯s attribute was also darkness. ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± Even with Ruel¡¯s words, Tyson¡¯s fear did not disappear. ¡°In the end, it was possible that I was able to purify it because I had the same dark attribute.¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Tyson hesitated for a moment after answering and then brought it up again. ¡°Ruel, I think it¡¯s better not to purify.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If the Spirit¡¯s purification is to take out only the corrupted and change the essence itself to nature, then your purification is to eat away the corruption with the same darkness. In the end, that burden is bound to go to you. I hope you never do it again.¡± ¡®As expected, there was a reason for the burden on the body.¡¯ Ruel nodded, feeling Cassion¡¯s gaze staring at him. Is that why the unknown woman stopped him from using magic? ¡°Rather than that, uncle, what do you think this is used for?¡± ck water has already been made. Understanding its use was of paramount importance. ¡°Corruption easily stains other things. All that is said to be bad can be corrupted.¡± It seemed that there were so many possibilities that it was impossible to determine a specific one. ¡°Tyson-nim, is it really possible to be corrupted in the first ce?¡± asked Cassion, with a more serious look than ever. ¡°Did you know that warlocks can curse opponents?¡± ¡°I know that the conditions are tricky, and that the same curse is applied to the opponent who used the magic.¡± Tyson nodded to Cassion¡¯s reply. ¡°Unlike curses that are generally poured out with words, curses that are used with magic are not allowed by nature, so the person who uses magic suffers the same. That¡¯s what we call a price.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not supposed to be used in the first ce.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath. He had no reason to use it if he suffered the same. ¡°In contrast, corruption is simr yet different. It reces the cost with something other than oneself. The blood, the life of another being. That¡¯s why it¡¯s more severe. That¡¯s why it¡¯s very dangerous.¡± ¡°So does that mean that the one who used magic has no price?¡± Tyson shook his head at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°If using magic in exchange for oneself who used magic is 1, tens of thousands of lives and blood of other beings are counted as 1. The price is the heart and mind worn out by giving many lives.¡± ¡°¡­Did you say tens of thousands?¡± Ruel was surprised. It was a ridiculous number. ¡°I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s an urate number, but in the book that contains anecdotes of witnessing the corruption in the past, it is said that the number of people who died was to numerous to guess.¡± ¡®Is that why you¡¯re trying to start a war?¡¯ War was the easiest way to take a person¡¯s life. Then, how was the ck water made now? ¡°Ruel, I said before that warlocks are given special missions, do you remember?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°One of its missions is to prevent corruption.¡± ¡°Now I have more reasons to find the Warlock.¡± Ruel reached out to Cassion after answering. ¡°The data from the investigation of the specific people who came out of the temporary hideout in the Red Ash, you probably found out who they were?¡± There was no way Red Ash would investigate people without reason. If he made ck water using a person with a dark attribute, that particr person had to be a person with a dark attribute. ¡°Yes, but we are still investigating whereabouts.¡± Cassion turned over the data. Ruel coughed and looked at the data. Cassion opened his mouth as he nced at Ruel. ¡°Even if it¡¯s true, it won¡¯t be easy to find a solution. Only those with dark attributes can control the darkness.¡± ¡°Even if they can¡¯t do it like Ruel, Ruel¡¯s mana alone can calm the darkness.¡± ¡°Then it means that we must find and secure someone with dark attributes.¡± Cassion excluded Ruel as if it were natural. Ruel¡¯s mana was as much as Tyson¡¯s, and even if the lost mana was quickly restored, Ruel¡¯s body had its limits. Ruel covered the data and stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡®¡­Damn it.¡¯ As he predicted, the Red Ash was investigating those with dark attributes. To make ck water. ¡°Cassion, find their whereabouts and bring as many as you can.¡± Some of these were likely to have already been obtained by Red Ash. ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion replied, receiving the data from Ruel. ¡°Uncle, can you find a way to deal with ck water?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want something perfect enough to be called Purification. We need to find a way to at least kill the ck-blooded man. Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t do it, try using my mana first.¡± Ruel reached out his hand. He knew this would happen. As expected, Tyson was heartbroken when he saw Ruel¡¯s hand. Unlike other people, Ruel became poisoned just by moving mana. Isn¡¯t he barely blocking the poison with his resistance? But in order to find a way, Ruel¡¯s mana was needed. ¡°Before I went to bed, my uncle told me that I could increase the mana quickly because there were more natural mana floating in the mansion. I¡¯ll give it a try. So you don¡¯t have to make that face.¡± Ruel smiled as if to reassure him. ¡°Let¡¯s start by eating first.¡± Chapter 99: Black Water (3) Chapter 99: ck Water (3) *** Ruel realized btedly that the person who was calmly and gently putting the dishes on the table was Noah. He put the fork down for a moment. ¡®What happened in thest three days?¡¯ Noah was silently doing his job with a stiff face like a robot. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Aris called Ruel quietly. Noah was seen at the end of Aris¡¯ gaze. ¡°Is it Noah? Am I seeing it correctly?¡± ¡°It seems so. Why don¡¯t you flip a coin?¡± Aris thought seriously for a moment and tossed a coin on the floor. Ting. As soon as the sound rung out, Noah instinctively rushed toward the coin. ¡°It¡¯s Noah. You¡¯re making a fuss because you¡¯ve changed a little. I guess you¡¯re stillcking in training.¡± Aris soon continued to eat casually. ¡°My my.¡± Tysonughed with a good-natured face. ¡°Are you the new one?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. My name is Noah. Ex-excuse me!¡± Noah got up in a hurry and lowered his head because he felt someone approaching from behind. It was Billo, not Cassion, that he was afraid of. ¡°There is still ack of education. I¡¯m very sorry for the inconvenience.¡± Billo, like a model of a butler, bowed neatly and brought Noah out. Noah looked at Ruel with a look of asking for help, but Ruel turned away. Billo was definitely reliable. Sooner orter, Noah was expected to show a neat attitude as a servant. After the meal, Tyson took out a magic item. He looked at Ruel with a face that wanted to put the item back in at once. ¡°Is this a magic item that can store mana?¡± Listening as he ate, Ruel noticed what Tyson had taken out. ¡°Ruel-nim, I personally want to object to this method,¡± Aris said with a firm face. His expression worsened when he heard what ck water was and what Ruel was going to do during the meal. ¡°I personally disagree, too.¡± Tyson hinted at Ruel. Ruel¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change a bit. Since he was the one who always got hurt, he couldn¡¯t get his words out hastily. ¡°Uncle, did you say that I can add my mana with my hands up?¡± Leo smiled and said as Tyson saved his words. ¡ªThis body heard! This body heard clearly! Ruel smiled lightly at Leo. Ruel raised his hand as he nced at the two people who were stiff. Mana slipped out in an instant. Kuroo kuru. Ruel felt something cut off at the end of the spirit¡¯s words. *** ¡°¡­?¡± As soon as Ruel opened his eyes, he looked at Cassion with a puzzled face. Cassion sighed. ¡°Get some more rest. The mana has escaped all at once, so you¡¯ll be dizzy just by moving.¡± Ruel stroked Leo, who was crying beside him. ¡®I didn¡¯t expect to pass out.¡¯ These days, the power of resistance and reflection have grown a lot, so he thought it would be easy to draw mana. ¡®¡­I must have miscalcted the amount of mana I needed to draw. I have to pull out less than now.¡¯ The spirits rushed in and jumped in anger from his chest. It was only after he roughly stroked the group of spirits that they calmed down. ¡ªThis body, this body was so surprised. If this body knew Ruel was going to fall, this body shouldn¡¯t have let you! This body is at fault! Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s palm. Tears moistened his palms. ¡°I was wrong. I miscalcted the amount of mana.¡± Leo looked at Ruel with tears in his eyes. He wiped away the tears. ¡°How long did I pass out?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been about three hours.¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Are you used to fainting now?¡± ¡°What nonsense,¡± Ruel frowned as if to say. ¡°I¡¯ll call Fran first.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine after a little rest, so there¡¯s no need to call.¡± Ruel held out his hand. ¡°Give me something from the Kelpe Merchant, instead of snacks.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only been three minutes since you woke up.¡± ¡°I said we would eat first before watching. Except for feeling a little dizzy, I¡¯m fine, so give it to me.¡± Cassion took a deep breath. That made sense. ¡°The Kelpe Merchant is directly managed by the Lumina family.¡± The data was handed over as Cassion spoke. When Ruel reached out again, Cassion ced a freshly baked cookie in Ruel¡¯s hand. Crunch. ¡ªGive this body too. Leo¡¯s eyes twinkled as he looked at Cassion as if he had never cried. As multiple cookies were ced in Leo¡¯s exclusive food bowl, Leo immediately jumped up. Ruel, who was reading the data quickly, saw Cassion for a moment. ¡°No more human trafficking?¡± ¡°Yes, not since Matyros.¡± The current manager of the Kelpe Merchant was a baron named Breeze. He was also the sessor to Matyros. Looking at the financial situation of the Kelpe Merchant, Ruel had doubts. Matyros was in gambling debt. Didn¡¯t he visit him because he knew that? ¡°It is said that Matyros has gambling debts, but even at the time he was running the Kelpe Merchants, he was in good financial circumstances? Where did all that money go?¡± As if he had given it to someone. ¡°The dead do not speak. After Matyros was hanged, his records were wiped away.¡± ¡°Give me some data from the previous research on Lumina.¡± Cassion rummaged through his pockets and handed over the data. After looking at the data for a long time, Ruel inhaled Breath. Compared to the time when Matyros took those who were ves and moved to Cyronian, there was no significant change in funding. ¡®Not on the Lumina side.¡¯ Crunch. ¡®The fact that there is no change in funds on the Lumina side means that they did not know about Matyros¡¯ work. Are you saying Matyros isn¡¯t from Lumina¡¯s side?¡¯ Ruel smiled suspiciously. ¡®It¡¯s fun.¡¯ ¡°You can¡¯t.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Are you trying to leave?¡± ¡°¡­It¡¯s the opposite. I was going to call them.¡± Only then did Cassion pat his chest with relief. Even at the banquet, everyone knew he was sick, so it was more natural to call them than to move. It was the princes and Ben Liobenez, he said, who he himself had to go to. ¡°Give me three letters, or two.¡± He tried to call Serti Shio, but after calling Rie Kuhn, he saw the reaction of the Shio Family and thought it was not a bad idea to call her. ¡®How will ite out?¡¯ Cassion prepared a letter paper and a small statue in advance. ¡°The bed I ordered was brought directly by Jirie. When would be a good time for you to use it?¡± ¡°The day after tomorrow¡­¡± ¡ªIs the beding? This body can keep running, keep running in bed! When he saw Leo running in ce with a smile, Ruel changed his words. ¡°Tell him toe tomorrow.¡± ¡°Tomorrow? All right. I have instructed Flenn to renew the adventurer¡¯s certificate.¡± The status of an adventurer had to be thoroughly prepared for use at any time. Ruel grinned and raised his upper body. He fell back for a moment because of dizziness. Leo, who was eating cookies again, looked at Ruel with his ears perked up. ¡°It¡¯s because I got up suddenly, don¡¯t worry and eat Leo.¡± ¡°You can write it after lying down a bit more, it¡¯s not toote.¡± Cassion helped Ruel. ¡°Doesn¡¯t the family head need preparation time toe this far? We will have to adjust the date as well.¡± Ruel grabbed a pen and went out to write. Although he wrote a decent message, he seemed to write very eloquently thanks to his penmanship. ¡®Wow.¡¯ It¡¯s always written so well. He could make a living by ghostwriting. *** Two dayster. Rie Kuhn sent a reply very quickly, and whether it was because she really wanted to see a Turbulent Day or because she wanted to make a chance to kill himself as soon as possible, this led to the date of the meeting being advanced. ¡°Where did you hurt your hand?¡± Rie asked, looking at the bandage wrapped around Ruel¡¯s hand. He couldn¡¯t stop the smell of blood, but it was fortunate that he could deceive the gaze toward his stomach with his hands. ¡°I got dizzy while drinking water and idently got cut by the shards of the ss.¡± ¡°Oh, my.¡± Rie felt sorry for him. It was even more regrettable that at the previous banquet, Ruel confirmed that he had a body that was less than average or ordinary. ¡°It¡¯s okay as the wound is not deep. Thank you for your concern.¡± Knock. Knock. Rie took a deep breath at the knock on the door. The sword that shed the heroes of the past stained with evil. A sword that descends as an heirloom in Setiria. Those who saw its beauty and dignity were so amazed that they all decided the best sword was the Turbulent Day. She couldn¡¯t gauge how badly she wanted to see that sword since she was a child. However, due to seeing Kuhn and Setiria as rivals, they could only maintain an awkward rtionship for a long time. ¡°I guess it¡¯s ready,e.¡± Ruel smiled lightly. He was really nervous. Same with Ganien and Rie. The Turbulent Day might have been worth more than he thought. ¡°Come in.¡± Noah opened the door, and Cassion came with a cloth woven of gold wrapped around a Turbulent Day. Rie held her breath and was at a loss for joy. ¡°How about taking a moment to breathe?¡± ¡°I, I¡¯m sorry. It was a sword that I really, really wanted to see.¡± In the eyes of Cassion, Noah closed the door with his gaze on a Turbulent Day. Only after checking the closed door did Cassion walk with a Turbulent Day and carefully put it down. As soon as Cassion put it down and touched the cloth, Rie said urgently. ¡°Now, wait a moment.¡± Rie nodded after finishing the tea in front of her. Soon, the Turbulent Day hidden in the cloth appeared, and she sped her hands tightly. It was so beautiful, as it was rumored, or more than it was. Not only the tightly embedded decorations and patterns, but also the mysterious energy. She was so happy that she almost cried. She wanted to touch it. She wanted to draw the sword. She wanted to know what it would look like without the sheath. ¡°You can touch it.¡± Rie was happy with Ruel¡¯s suggestion, but she was immediately worried. ¡°Oh, oh, no.¡± ¡°Cassion, give her the gloves.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion handed the white gloves to Rie. Unexpectedly, she received the gloves and still hesitated greatly. ¡°Is it okay to touch it?¡± ¡°Yes, it is stronger than you think. It¡¯s okay as long as you don¡¯t just step on it or throw it.¡± When Ruel smiled, Rie put on her gloves with confidence. ¡°Thank you very much for the opportunity to touch the heirloom.¡± ¡°Lord Kuhn, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m going to take some medicine for a while. I have to lie down for about 5 minutes because I feel dizzy after eating, would that be alright?¡± Rie smiled broadly and answered, as Ruel seemed to bring up the sword to look at itfortably. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s alright.¡± Ruel headed to bed with Cassion¡¯s help. Leo went to Aris for a moment, so the bed was full of spirits. ¡®Something is missing.¡¯ Cassion went out for a moment to get water, and in the meantime Rie slowly drew the sword. ¡®It looks new, it¡¯s really well maintained.¡¯ When she reflected the sword¡¯s de in the light, and saw its glossy brilliance flowing enticingly. She couldn¡¯t put into words how beautiful the pattern on the sword¡¯s body was and touched the de carefully. ¡®It¡¯s so pretty¡­¡¯ At a moment, Rie felt something approaching her neck. Instinctively, she got up from her seat and looked behind her. She must have been mistaken, there was nothing and the feeling was gone. Dduk. At that moment, an ominous sound came from the direction of her hand holding the sword. Chapter 100.1 - Who is my enemy? Chapter 100.1 - Who is my enemy? Rie slowly turned her head and looked down at her hand. She raised her gaze from the hilt of the sword, down the de, and then to the shattered edge of the de. She was emitting an aura without even realizing it. Rattle. Her hands were shaking. It¡¯s broken. The de of the sword had broken. ¡°I heard something¡­¡± Ruel struggled to raise his upper body and then froze. The orange aura was wrapped in a Turbulent de, and the de was broken. Rie looked at Ruel with a horrified face. ¡®This is why I can¡¯t stop utilizing Turbulent Day.¡¯ Ruel struggled to hold back theugh that wanted to leak out. *** Rie managed to calm her mind. When the sword broke, the butler went out, and Ruel could not threaten herself. If there was someone else in this room, there¡¯s no way she wouldn¡¯t know. It was as if she had been possessed. Rie first chose apology over excuses. She repeatedly bowed her head to Ruel. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± A long sigh came from Ruel¡¯s mouth. She could sense a really heavy and deep worry in that sigh. ¡°As the head of the Kuhn family, I will take full responsibility for this matter. Please tell me anything that can remedy this situation.¡± ¡°As you know, Turbulent Day is the heirloom of Setiria. It¡¯s also very famous.¡± ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s pretend that the Turbulent Day is not broken for now. Can you keep it a secret?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a counterfeit, I think we¡¯ll have to make it again.¡± ¡°I will cover all the expenses.¡± Ruel sighed again and swept up his bangs, setting the mood so that Rie would increase her guilty conscience. ¡°Cassion, organize it carefully.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel looked back at Rie. ¡°I invited Lord Kuhn not because of the Turbulent Day, you know.¡± She bowed her head slightly with a face of dread. She had nothing to defend about destroying an heirloom, and was unsure what price would need to be paid. ¡°Do you love this country, Leponia?¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rie¡¯s expression of embarrassment was revealed along with the tension that was being released. ¡°Did you be a knight for Leponia, your country?¡± In response to a different but simr question, Rie raised her head and made eye contact with Ruel. He was serious and wanted an answer. ¡°Of course.¡± Rie answered as a knight should. ¡°I have three requests for Lord Kuhn. Don¡¯t lie in this room. Do not leave this room without my permission. Lastly, the final request will be told at ater time.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Is that it?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. The second condition is to prevent escape because you may run out of the room.¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re asking¡­ No, it¡¯s not a worry.¡± Rie was reticent. Ruel was a lord. A man of honor. ¡°I, Rie Kuhn, have taken the knight¡¯s oath and will surely keep it.¡± Rie rose from her seat and made a salute. This oath is not aspulsory as Mana¡¯s Oath, but its honor as a knight depended on the presence of Cassion. Only knights could be the head of the Kuhn family. If Rie broke this oath, there was a high possibility that her title as head of the family would be revoked. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel respected her will. Rie, seated again, sipped the tea lightly. ¡°Do you know a group called Red Ash?¡± Rie seemed to think for a moment and soon opened her mouth. ¡°I know. Three years ago, they approached me saying they would help me be the head of the family.¡± ¡®As expected.¡¯ It was so difficult to find a ce where Red Ash hadn¡¯t touched. ¡°Then, is Lord Kuhn a part of Red Ash?¡± ¡°No, sir. I killed the guy who defiled my reputation as a knight on the spot. I¡¯m a knight. I didn¡¯t want to be the head of the family under someone else¡¯s power.¡± Ruel took a peek at Cassion, inhaling Breath. He nodded his head. Cassion seemed to believe that Rie was telling her truth, as did he. ¡°Do you know what they¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. There have been some strange things since, but they haven¡¯t approached me.¡± ¡°Can you believe me if I tell you that the Red Ash is after this country?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Rie paused for a moment. The story suddenly got deeper. ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion took out two documents and ced them in front of Ruel. ¡°Let¡¯s look.¡± First, he handed one over to Rie. It was a collection of the things the Red Ash had done, excluding anything about himself and other key information. She scrutinized the data with a dubious face. As she read, her face hardened, and her hand gradually slowed down to the next page. ¡°¡­This, this is ridiculous. So many people in Leponia have been linked to the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes. Some are still active, some are gone.¡± Ruel then handed over another one. ¡°This is the Leponia attack n that I obtained from their hands.¡± As soon as Rie read the material, her hands trembled. It was information that the Royal Family and themselves hid that should never leak out. ¡°Can you believe me now?¡± ¡°I should inform the Royal Family immediately. This is not something I can handle¡­¡± When Rie got up from her seat, Ruel calmly brought up the topic he had been withholding. ¡°I told you that you must not leave this room unless you have my permission.¡± Rie sat down again, clenching her fists. Ruel, sipping tea, spoke once more. ¡°Do you remember what I asked Lord Kuhn before I started talking about this?¡± ¡°Remember. Didn¡¯t you ask me if I loved my country or if I became a knight for Leponia?¡± ¡°Listen to me, the Second Prince followed by yourself, Lord Kuhn is a Red Ash. His Highness Adoris Leponia himself.¡± Rie looked at Ruel aghast. ¡°Do not take action, you can deliver to me what you have spoken about with His Highness. This is my third request.¡± The Knight¡¯s Oath has already been made. To protect her honor, she had to follow the conditions that Ruel requested. ¡°The proof is¡­¡± Ruel smiled at Rie¡¯s words. ¡°What difference does showing evidence make? I definitely told you not to do anything. The Kuhn family can support the Second Prince as it is now.¡± ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense. This is a serious matter. This is not a child¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you this because it¡¯s not child¡¯s y. Who will be the first to suspect when the Kuhn family makes a move?¡± ¡°I am also the head of the family.¡± ¡°So have you ever investigated this entity called Red Ash? Did you know that the Second Prince supported by the Kuhn family is also Red Ash?¡± Rie bit her lips tightly and frowned. ¡°This is not something to be dealt with carelessly. If the Royal Family was involved with them, that would be a terrible thing to be found out.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t trust other family heads.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Rie¡¯s eyes shook greatly at Ruel¡¯s words. It was so disgusting to hear that other territories were dealing with Red Ash. ¡°Don¡¯t even dig further, you¡¯ll die. You can disappear like a mouse.¡± ¡°Are you saying that you, as Lord Setiria, are alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already a target. You¡¯re not.¡± Rie felt Ruel¡¯s smile held a weight, a burden. Despite him not being a knight, she felt the spirit of someone who had ovee countless battles. ¡°Doing nothing is not a statement made out of disregard for the Kuhn family. If I disappear, I need someone to take over this job. I want it to be the head of the Kuhn family.¡± Cassion turned his head for a moment and covered his mouth. ¡°I know you¡¯re frustrated. Cough, cough!¡± Ruel¡¯s face twisted with the cough. It looked painful just by looking at it. ¡°But someone has to do this. People in the world think of Setiria and Kuhn as rivals, but I think differently. Because we are gatekeepers, we can understand each other better. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Why is Lord Setiria doing this?¡± It was a task that many others could undertake. However, she didn¡¯t understand why Ruel, who was not well, was doing it. ¡°I want to protect this country. The mind is firm, unlike this weak body.¡± Ruelughed bitterly. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. There was no malice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°¡­Then may I ask why it is me?¡± ¡°You are the gatekeeper protecting the Royal Family. The gatekeeper must not copse and since you¡¯re a gatekeeper, you have a duty to hold the defense. That¡¯s why I chose Lord Kuhn.¡± Rie squeezed her thigh and slowly loosened her grip. ¡°I believe in the Setiria family.¡± Her eyes sparkled with trust and firmness towards Ruel. ¡°The reason I supported the Second Prince was because of his mindset for the country. Contrary to that, I have noticed that his behavior has been strange recently.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and listened calmly. ¡°During the banquet, His Highness used me to meet Lord Setiria. To be honest, I was disappointed at that time. If he had told me the truth, I would have been more efficient.¡± Disappointment appeared briefly in Rie¡¯s eyes and disappeared. ¡°I trust Lord Setiria. Coming here, the residents and servants really like the patriarch. It¡¯s not something you can fake.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Rie smiled very broadly when Ruel was embarrassed. ¡°I envy you. You¡¯re loved by many.¡± ¡®Is it because I lowered taxes? Because of the supplies?¡¯ ¡°I trust the lord¡¯s family, so I will ept your request. But keep in mind, my sword is aimed at the enemies of Leponia.¡± ¡°Thank you very much.¡± In any case, Rie epted his request at her own will. ¡°Can I move on to the hard part now?¡± Rie sipped the tea andughed. ¡°I¡¯m personally interested in Setiria.¡± Chapter 100.2 - Who is my enemy? Chapter 100.2 - Who is my enemy? *** ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Ruel let out a long sigh from his new bed. They chatted for three hours. Rie was really interested in Setiria. ¡®How could she talk about the pure white walls surrounding the capital of Setiria for more than an hour?¡¯ It made him wonder how she had been able to hold back her curiosity for so long. ¡°Your acting has improved a lot.¡± Cassion sarcastically handed over the meat pie. Crunch. ¡°If Ruel-nim dies, won¡¯t everything end? Who¡¯s next? If I had heard it without knowing, I would have been deceived.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying, if I die, what Red Ash wants to do will only begin, not end, right? At that time, I will need someone to carry on my will.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, so Ruel-nim won¡¯t die either.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, make copies of the materials and tell Noah to keep them. Spread the word.¡± Cassion frowned for a moment. ¡°Why Noah?¡± ¡°It seems like he will survive strangely well even if disaster strikes. It¡¯s a feeling. A hunch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s as if I¡¯m making an imitation of a Turbulent Day.¡± ¡°Should we make counterfeit products?¡± ¡°I know we should.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was filled with discontent. ¡°But how much is a Turbulent Day worth? I think the more you break it, the more it exceeds the value I know.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t you see that I came to serve you, who¡¯s busy and tired already in addition pretending to be a butler?¡± ¡°Well.¡± Why would the rich owner of an ice castle regret bing a butler? Scratch-tch. Cassion¡¯s eyes grew fierce at the sound of scratching at the door. He remembered hearing that the door had been repainted three days ago. ¡°Maybe I should make a Leo-only door.¡± When Cassion opened the door, Leo jumped and ran at Ruel. ¡ªThis body yed with Aris! Ruel was petting Leo and then flinched at the sight of him wagging his tail so happily. Leo¡¯s footprints were clearly visible from his y outside, and his clothes and bed were covered in mud. Ruel inquired, observing Cassion¡¯s countenance. ¡°¡­When did Corrence say he wasing?¡± ¡°Tonight.¡± ¡°Should I push it back?¡± ¡°No, you can¡¯t put it off just because of something like this.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes looking at Leo were so fierce that Ruel slightly covered Leo¡¯s eyes with his hands. ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong with you? Leo tilted his head to see as if he was dull or pretending to be dull. *** ¡®It¡¯s a good thing I ate dinner moderately tonight.¡¯ As soon as he met Corrence¡¯s face, his stomach felt nauseous, and Ruel soothed his mouth with a refreshing apple tea. ¡ªGive this body a bite too. As Leo rushed toward the apple tea with his eyes shining, Ruel quietly grabbed his tail. ¡ªHik! ¡°Why did you decide to meet me?¡± Even though Ruel called him, Corrence opened his mouth as he was silent for a while. ¡°Did youmit any crime?¡± ¡°I¡¯m keeping my vow well. I swear that there is no harm that Lumina has inflicted on Setiria.¡± ¡°You came quietly, right?¡± ¡°I came out with the excuse of seeing my business partner, and I met her, so don¡¯t worry. Hurry up and tell me what you want to say. You¡¯re not close enough to see her face to face.¡± Ting. Ruel flicked the cup with his finger. Corrence¡¯s face, which had been hardened, was more crumpled. ¡°Why do you think we can¡¯t see each other face to face? Didn¡¯t you ask me to be friends with her? I haven¡¯t seen her facetely, so I just called her out for the sake of mixing things up. I think you¡¯re being too cautious.¡± ¡°What you have done to me¡­¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it fortunate that your neck didn¡¯t run away? Or does that mean that the neck is not yours?¡± Corrence clenched his fist when he talked about the debt case. ¡°The merchant of the Kelpe.¡± A random word popped out of Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°Why are you talking about my merchant?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve handed over something very interesting to Cyronian.¡± ¡°Did you do a background check on the merchant?¡± Corrence immediately crumpled his face. ¡°The thing you handed over to Count Iria Promien of Cyronian came into my hands by ident. Anyone would have acted like me when they saw the item.¡± ¡°What the hell are you talking about? It¡¯s an ordinary thing.¡± Corrence, in a curt response, was looking at Ruel with absurd eyes. That wasn¡¯t the reaction he expected. Something was wrong. ¡°Do you know what you¡¯ve handed over?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s a trade item.¡± ¡°In detail.¡± ¡°The Count of Promien liked to collect animal skins and feathers, so he turned over the skins and feathers of the animals in Leponia. Is that alright?¡± Corrence was a snake. But now this reaction was irritating. Annoyance at oneself for annoyingly calling people and talking nonsense. He needed to check it out. ¡°Cassion, y it back.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± He yed the magic recording device he obtained from Ganien. It looked like Iria was the one shedding tears and snot. The moment he saw him, Corrence took his butt off. -I really, really don¡¯t know. Well, I just did what I was told¡­ Oh! Lumina! Lumina gave me a n with weaknesses so I could easily target Leponia! Corrence looked at the video as if he had been pped while sleeping. Click. Cassion stopped the magic recorder. ¡°There¡¯s another charge of treason. I¡¯ll show you the data, do you want to see?¡± Corrence leaned back on the sofa with an aghast expression on his face andughed like a person who had lost his mind. ¡°Wait and see. There¡¯s one more. Do you remember Matyros?¡± Corrence stoppedughing and stared coldly at Ruel. ¡°How can I forget it? It¡¯s a gift you gave me, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you didn¡¯t forget, your sins will increase soon.¡± Ruel smiled. ¡°That¡¯s not my business!¡± Corrence put his hand on the table. Ruel looked at the hands ced and began tough at Corrence. ¡°Did you know that Matyros took the people of Leponia and sold them as ves to Cyronian?¡± ¡°¡­How dare he, madman, a dirty thing that doesn¡¯t even know honor!¡± ¡°Listen to the end. At that time, Matyros ran the merchant of the Kelpe on your behalf. The merchant of Kelpe is the merchant you manage directly.¡± Corrence noticed what Ruel was trying to say. The merchant that sent its citizens to another country as ves is the merchant that he manages. Not as guilty as treason, but a felony. He couldn¡¯t bear to think of those who would point their fingers at Lumina. It would have been better if Lumina was caught up in treason and copsed. ¡°I am, I am not!¡± Corrence¡¯s hand, which had been raised on the table, was urgently lowered, and an expression of injustice was made. ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to believe because of what I¡¯ve done, but I really don¡¯t do such a thing! At least I know honor!¡± Ruelughed involuntarily at the bullshit. ¡®Honor.¡¯ ¡°Very well, the honorable Corrence Lumina, who made you deliver the goods to the Count of Promien?¡± Corrence shut up. Looking at Ruel¡¯s eyes, only his lips speaking of innocence could shake. ¡°Congrattions. Thanks to you, Lumina¡¯s name has fallen to the ground.¡± Ruel grabbed the cane. Corrence crumpled his hem hard, expressing that he had no more reason to talk. Thud. Thud. Ruel was seen getting up while Corrence¡¯s heart pounded. Is it Lumina¡¯s name or a broken rtionship? There¡¯s nothing to worry about. ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Ruel standing looked down at Corrence. ¡°His Highness, the Second Prince! He made me deliver the goods to Count Iria Promien!¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°Are you Red Ash?¡± ¡°No! They approached me, but I didn¡¯t ept them! I am¡­ A nobleman. I didn¡¯t want my ambition to fall into the hands of such dirty people.¡± ¡°Prove with an oath that you are not Red Ash.¡± ¡°¡­I understand.¡± With his previous oath, Corrence could not touch Setiria. Having been put on a leash here once more, he is now the perfect dog of his own. Knowing that, he couldn¡¯t stop his head from drooping weakly. Corrence signed an oath on the condition that he would not have any connection with the Red Ash, now and forever. ¡°It¡¯s been signed.¡± With Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel sat down again. Corrence wasn¡¯t really a Red Ash. If the Matyros incident was not rted to the fact that he ordered Count Iria to attack him, there was only one answer. ¡®Huan, it¡¯s you.¡¯ Ruel smiled pleasantly. ¡®And the Shio family.¡¯ The Shio family was originally a family that supported Prince Huan. What if you fooled everyone else and are still supporting them? Tap. Tap. Ruel hit his thigh and felt soft fur. ¡ªTouch this body¡¯s belly. ¡®Woa.¡¯ Leo fell down on hisp and revealed his belly. Ruel looked at Corrence, touching Leo¡¯s belly. ¡°There¡¯s something I want you to do for me. I promise you, by no means, will it cause harm to Lumina.¡± ¡°¡­Tell me.¡± ¡°Support His Highness Adoris as you are now. Also, do what Adoris tells you to do. I just want you to let me know what¡¯s going on before it urs. Isn¡¯t it very easy?¡± ¡°Now¡­ Is there more?¡± Corrence looked at Ruel with doubtful eyes because it was not as big of a request as he thought. ¡°Not yet. I¡¯m saying this out of resentment, but you¡¯d better not aim for my back.¡± ¡°What should I do if his Highness interrogates me?¡± ¡°Sell me out or whatever you need to do, so you can survive on your own. Aren¡¯t you good at that kind of thing? But think about where you want to belong. Thinking about what would be the best for Lumina.¡± It was a heart-throbbing warning. Corrence already realized that he was weighed down by Ruel¡¯s spirit. He has struggled so far to survive among the rest of the four families except for Setiria and Kuhn. He didn¡¯t know anything else, but the sixth sense told him where he could get an advantage. Corrence rose from his seat. He stood in front of Ruel without any hesitation and bent down. A greeting he only gave to someone of higher standing than himself. The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth went up. ¡°I, Corrence Lumina,¡± Honor wasn¡¯t something you could maintain by yourself. It was maintained only when everyone supported it and everyone thought it was truly noble. Corrence chose to be pointed at by only one person, even if he bowed his head, rather than being pointed at by everyone. ¡°I will stand by your side.¡± Ruel quietly inhaled Breath. Chapter 101: Whos my enemy? (2) Chapter 101: Who''s my enemy? (2) *** ¡ªIt¡¯s pretty. Leo was busy looking at the sky covered with numerous stars from Ruel¡¯sp. He told Cassion that he was going to bed, then secretly went to the kitchen and asked Astell for two cups of cocoa. After staying in bed all day, his chest felt heavy and he couldn¡¯t stand it. He had a hard time rejecting her offer to bring him cocoa all the way outside. Even so, he had the strength to hold two cups. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel took a cup of cocoa and exhaled. At that moment, fog blew from his lips. Late at night in the training grounds, it was quiet and absent from use. Kuroo Kuru. Looking at the spirits rolling around in the training ground, Ruel tried to ignore them by turning his eyes away. ¡®Well, it¡¯s quiet enough.¡¯ Leo on hisp was like a stove, and the cloak made by Aris was warm. Only the fingers holding the cup and the back of his hand were cold. Leo, looking at the sky nkly, put his head down and diligently licked up the cocoa. ¡ªThis is the taste! It tastes simr to a ck cake. ¡°Don¡¯t say anything to Uncle and Aris, Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body has closed lips! I kept the promise I made with Cassion¡­ Oops! Leo hurriedly covered his mouth with surprise. Even if it¡¯s a promise, it¡¯s one of the things that¡¯s already passed. ¡°Do you want a drink, Hina?¡± Hina appeared at Ruel¡¯s question. She sat next to Leo and gently stroked him. ¡°It¡¯s okay, but did youe out thinking you wouldn¡¯t be caught by the chief?¡± ¡°No way.¡± Cassion must already know. ¡°At least Fran won¡¯t find out. As long as I don¡¯t get caught by Fran.¡± At Ruel¡¯s smile, Hina took out her scarf from her pocket and wrapped it around him. ¡°It¡¯s cold. It¡¯s a big deal if you catch a cold.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess Fran will find out.¡± ¡°There are so many stars today.¡± ¡°I was sad that I couldn¡¯t see the stars in the Ice Castle.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see it again next time.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and nodded slightly. Hina rose from her seat and went back into the shadows. ¡°Have a good night.¡± ¡°You too.¡± Again, only Leo and himself are left. ¡®No, there are spirits.¡¯ It was probably thanks to the spirits that it wasn¡¯t cold. Leo asked as he reheated his cooled cocoa. ¡ªIs it cold? ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± ¡ªThis body is worried like Hina. If you catch a cold, wouldn¡¯t you keep sleeping? This body hates Ruel sleeping. ¡°I¡¯m stronger than it looks.¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s a lie. Ruel is the most, the most, the most hu¡­ ¡°The stars are falling.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Leo looked up urgently. ¡ªWow! This is so unbelievable!¡± They were lucky. A meteor shower was falling from the sky. A long tail is connected by biting its own tail. T/N : This expression is used to describe a situation where a problem or a series of events continues to perpetuate itself, creating a never-ending cycle. ¡®I wasn¡¯t able to see it because I was busy at work, but I¡¯m seeing this now.¡¯ He blew before drinking the cocoa that was just warm enough to drink. ¡®It would have been better if it was alcohol, not cocoa.¡¯ Ruel regained his appetite and looked at the sky. ¡®Still, it¡¯s pretty.¡¯ Whenever the cold wind brushed his cheeks, it seemed as if the umted emotions melted away. Red Ash. Two princes. And Ruel¡¯s past. Even the marks on his body. How he wish everything would sink in the heat of the cocoa. *** ¡®The Kuhn and Lumina families are done.¡¯ An event to honor this year and wee the next year was held at the Royal Pce two monthster. Until then, most of the work had to bepleted. He had yet to hear from Ganien yet. Cyronian and the Tonisk Empire are close, so he also asked them to keep an eye on them. ¡°¡­Are you listening to me?¡± Fran now looked like she wanted to cry. He woke up in three days, greeted guests not long after, and went out at night with his weakened body to see the stars. His stomach didn¡¯t feel right. ¡°Why do you refuse to listen to me?¡± ¡°Cough! After watching it for a while, I tried to go back in, but the meteor shower fell just then, so I kept watching it¡­without realizing it.¡± At the sound of Ruel¡¯s Breath, Fran held back her anger several times in her mind. Ruel himself did not intend to stay that long. However, he didn¡¯t know if he was lost in thoughts or fell asleep while watching, but when he came to my senses, dawn was already dawning. ¡ªEven this body should have taken Ruel. This body forgot because the stars were so pretty. Leo buried his face in the nket and sniffled. Ruel¡¯s stroking wasfortable. ¡ª¡­The rising morning sun was beautiful. He seemed to have seen everything there was to see, whether he was unconscious or asleep. ¡°I¡­ It¡¯s my responsibility.¡± Cassion didn¡¯t know how many times he sighed already. It was natural to catch a cold because he was exposed to the cold wind with his already weak body. He also knew that Ruel was going outside. However, no matter how much he regarded his body as a stone, Ruel knew the extent, so he thought he woulde back in time and focused on paperwork. ¡°I¡¯lle backter. If your fever rises again, please call me.¡± Fran bowed his head and went out. Cassion called Ruel, sitting in the seat where Fran had sat. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°¡­I made a mistake. So that¡¯s enough nagging.¡± His body¡¯s heat was overwhelmingly hot. It was just a cold, but it wasn¡¯t usual. Since the power of recovery was allocated to most of the wounds suffered by the Great Man, he was suffering from a cold as it was. Wi-ing. He had heard the scream of recovery power when it had reached its limit earlier. He once again realized that without the power of recovery, it would be difficult for him to enjoy even ordinary things. Ruel said, wetting his dry lips. ¡°I want you to borrow a mana storage from my uncle and see what¡¯s going on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just begun. I know it¡¯s urgent, but it doesn¡¯t make any difference to hurry. Also, Tyson-nim said he didn¡¯t need anyone for today.¡± He wonders how much mana he drew. It was clear that he heard Fran running, and that he had caught a cold. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel pretended not to know. ¡°¡­Is itplicated?¡± Cassion asked cautiously. When he brought Ruel into his room, the parts of him not covered by his cloak were extremely cold. He was worried about Ruel, who already caught colds on a regr basis. ¡°I let it all go, it¡¯s enough now.¡± ¡°Alright. Now, then, go to bed.¡± ¡°Discover the back of the Shio family. Money, cough, cough, tread on the whereabouts of funds, and you may find something.¡± Cassion waited quietly for the next words. ¡°Billo must have trained the number one person in the back alleys of Setiria.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not enough. Quietly, bring him here so no one knows, and don¡¯t say or do anything until I wake up.¡± Cassion¡¯s lips twitched slightly. What was scarier than violence was the disy of overwhelming force. Don¡¯t even dare to think about attacking me. Ruel was hoping tomunicate that message. ¡°The birds¡­¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. Due to the high heat, his eyes closed, bearing the fever, before opening again. ¡°You probably asked for information about the Red Ash that exists in Setiria, right?¡± ¡°Yes, it is already ready.¡± ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Where is the ce where birds roam the most with Jirie? It was Setiria. The true enemy was the Red Ash, and in order to uproot them, they had to be pulled out all at once. They¡¯ll be hiding more secretly, more quietly than the rats. The promise between Ben Liobenez and the two princes seemed to be to move once the wound waspletely healed. The wound on the stomach had to be healed before the reduced mark becamerger. ¡°Leo.¡± At Ruel¡¯s call, Leo raised his ears. ¡°Sleep with me. You couldn¡¯t sleep either.¡± ¡ªThis body is not sleepy. I don¡¯t have to sleep. ¡°I won¡¯t sleep long this time.¡± ¡ªReally? ¡°Yes.¡± Only then did Leo smile brightly. He dug into Ruel¡¯s arms and waved his tail vigorously. ¡ªThis body will sleep with Ruel. Ruel touched Leo gently. He looked at Cassion, resisting the hand pulling him to the far side. ¡°Go to sleep with peace of mind. I¡¯ll make sure to take care of things while you¡¯re asleep, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Only then did Ruel close his eyes. Zzzz. The high fever made even the sound of breathing rough. Cassion took out one of his swords from his collection and cleaned it carefully. ¡°You can¡¯t say anything to me.¡± Hina made a sneak appearance. ¡°I¡¯m not saying anything.¡± ¡°I left him alone because he looked refreshed for the first time in a while.¡± ¡°I said I wouldn¡¯t say anything.¡± ¡°Still, isn¡¯t it admirable that our patriarch is holding on so well?¡± Ha. Cassion gave a smirk. ¡®When did it change from the damn Lord to our patriarch?¡¯ ¡°You know, Chief.¡± Hina brought a chair next to Cassion and sat down. ¡°It¡¯s not the chief or the spirit that have watched Ruel-nim the most, but I.¡± Her eyes towards Ruel were like looking at her immature youngest brother. ¡°Honestly, he made us work hard, but he took care of us most of all.¡± ¡°Is that so? Why am I the only one who doesn¡¯t know?¡± Cassion snorted. All he received from Ruel was a sword, so he couldn¡¯t think of anything else. Of course that was enough. Especially as Turbulent Day was more than fantastic every time he saw it. ¡°The chief is, uh¡­¡± Hina equivocated her words. ¡®Yes, I¡¯m already a fish that he¡¯s caught.¡¯ Cassion said nothing and wiped his sword again. ¡°Anyway, as I keep watching, I see something in him that makes him feel like my younger brother. I hope he lives a long and healthy life. I mean it.¡± ¡°He¡¯ll live long.¡± ¡°Yes, I know.¡± Hina smiled. The sound of wiping the sword and humming mixed together to fill the room. *** ¡°¡­the throat is still a little swollen, and you have a slight fever, but it¡¯s alright.¡± Fran smiled brightly after a long time. She was in a good mood for the first time in a while because Ruel had really stabilized for two days. ¡°Ah, the wound is healing well. I¡¯ll disinfect it at once.¡± When she removed the bandage, she could see the meticulously stitched wound. She could see it was definitely healing. Since there were many spirits, the speed of healing was different. Fran still smiled and asked. ¡°How about a new drug that¡¯s been raised to the next level? Do you feel dizzy, nauseous, or have any allergic reactions?¡± ¡°I feel drowsy.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the feeling of your body floating?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Alright. Is there anything else?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Alright. Other than being weak, the disease is getting better little by little.¡± Feeling that the drug is definitely effective, Leo said this morning that the mark was reduced to two of his front feet. It¡¯s not yet possible to be certain, but so far Fran¡¯s strategy seems to be working well. ¡°I ask you again, my lord, you need to rest. You should never ignore fatigue.¡± ¡°You know it. Except for two days ago, I took a good rest in bed.¡± ¡°I know you visited Tyson yesterday.¡± Ruel saw Cassion standing behind her. He shrugged his shoulders. If not him, Tyson was the culprit. ¡°Lord, the body is valuable and an asset.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Fran¡¯s hand, which was disinfecting, stopped at a sudden remark. She smiled proudly because she felt his sincerity. But she soon collected her expression. It was too early for her to feel ttered that he was feeling a little better. She had to research more and treat it further. It wasn¡¯t a normal disease. Fran wrapped the bandage again and stood up from her seat. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Fran went out with Cassion. ¡°Butler, how about the cough medicine you changed? Now my sister is making something else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely better than the previous one. But there¡¯s no sense of a significant reduction.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll take it for a few more days and if it still doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll change it to another medicine.¡± Fran took out her notebook from her arms and yed with her hands. ¡°As you know, it¡¯s impossible for the cough to stoppletely before the disease goes away.¡± Soon she folded her notebook and continued her words with an indignant look on her face. ¡°The butler constantly asked about his breathing steadily, but ording to the results of the examination until today, it appears that part of his lungs is damaged. This is not something I can do.¡± ¡°Is it damaged briefly because of the illness or separately?¡± ¡°It seems to be aplex result. There are scars on his body probably because he had an ident when he was a child.¡± ¡°Yes, I heard there was a carriage ident.¡± ¡°At that time, the damage to the lungs came from a strong shock, and it seems to have been damaged by further damage due to the disease.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Are you saying that even if the disease gets better, there will be no recovery?¡± ¡°Yes, in my opinion.¡± ¡°¡­Alright. I would like you to keep this a secret from Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather tell him the truth¡­ No. Alright. But if the Lord asks, I have no choice but to answer.¡± ¡°I know. Please keep it a secret until then.¡± Cassion bowed his head to Fran and stopped for a moment on his way to Ruel¡¯s room. ¡®¡­ha.¡¯ He turned his steps again and headed for the kitchen. He was craving something sweet. Chapter 102: Whos my enemy? (3) Chapter 102: Who''s my enemy? (3) *** ¡°Bring the best guy in the back alley in front of me.¡± After eating, Ruel said after inhaling Breath. ¡°Why¡­?¡± Instead of answering, Cassion stared at Breath, and Ruel asked back. ¡°No, I¡¯ll bring him in.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯ve heard from Fran, but now just focus on what¡¯s in front of you.¡± He forgot that his owner was quick-witted. Cassion chuckled for a moment and soon bowed his head. ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± ¡°Before you go, let me ask you one thing. Have you checked who hired the guys who attacked me in the capital after the banquet?¡± ¡°We found traces of money being taken from several merchants on the same day. After researching this, it led to the Lumina family.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Adoris.¡± Crunch. Ruel chewed the pie and snorted. Corrence was under oath. No retaliation could be made against himself. I guess he did it because he didn¡¯t know it. It wasmon for the merchant to withdraw money from the bank, and Adoris was very neat in handling the after-sales as he just gave them the money they withdrew in the name of investing in the merchant. ¡°It is either Adoris¡¯ butler or servant who has ordered the request to themission office, as I expected. Tell His Highness Banios.¡± ¡°Alright. And I have one more thing to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°At the time of the raid, the Prostone Guild, which employed adventurers, was a guild administered by the Shio family.¡± Crunch. ¡®A guild managed by the Shio family?¡¯ Ruel touched one of the spirits that were huddled on his stomach. Kuroo Kuru. I kept rolling my head as I looked at that angry look. ¡®It¡¯s not that the Lumina family doesn¡¯t have an adventurer¡¯s guild, so why is it an adventurer¡¯s guild affiliated with the Shio family?¡¯ Ruel was annoyed by the triviality. It was clearly the Lumina Adventurer¡¯ guild that supported Adoris himself that made it easy to hide his identity after the attack and find it easy to question the incident itself. There was no way Adoris didn¡¯t know that fact. Separately, the connection between the Shio family and Huan became increasingly clear. ¡°Investigate the Prostone Guild again. Everything from the past.¡± ¡°A few men may die if we investigate the past. Are you alright?¡± ¡°If it helps me to get information. It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t clean up.¡± Cassion¡¯s brow frowned slightly, but he was a loyal butler. ¡°Oh, bring Aris on the way. You can¡¯t be loud.¡± ¡°Alright. Let me call Aris first.¡± Cassion bent down and went out. After a while, Aris arrived and Cassion disappeared into the shadows to pick up the leader of the back alley. ¡°Are you feeling well, Ruel-nim?¡± Aris stroked Leo, who was spinning around him, and asked. ¡°It¡¯s alright, how¡¯s your research going?¡± ¡°¡­Did you know that?¡± Aris sat down a little embarrassed. How could he not notice when Tyson openly brags about Aris? ¡°I heard you¡¯re studying the essence of magic?¡± ¡°Yes, magic is borrowed from nature, but after all it is an artificial force. I was wondering why more than one attribute could not be mixed at once.¡± ¡ªThis body can do it! Come out when I say yar! It was a very unwieldy remark. Ruel looked at Leo and opened his mouth. ¡°It seems like a question that was dealt with a lot by magicians.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m not bragging, but I¡¯ve heard from Mr. Tyson that few people can handle the four attributes like me. So instead of taking out properties separately like now, creating new properties and saving them in advance, from the beginning¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m proud of you.¡± Ruel snorted. ¡°N- no. Isn¡¯t Ruel-nim a rare attribute that¡¯s not even in the data! A shadow is a being that is not limited by its form andpletely changes thews of magic!¡± Aris showed a pure enthusiasm for learning and looked like he wanted to open his notebook right away. I don¡¯t know the details, but the current magic was originally unavable except for its natural attributes. So, when you want to use other attributes, you have a very troublesome way of making it like a natural phenomenon by colliding various attributes, blowing in mana, tying it up into a spell, and storing it. Aris finds a way to ur simultaneously like a natural attribute. ¡°Leo must have the hint.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. So¡­¡± When Cassion reappeared, Aris rose from his seat, saving his words. He brought a stranger. At first nce, he was terrified. ¡°Keep the sound from leaking.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± At Ruel¡¯smand, Aris approached the door and cast a spell. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Ruel smiled at the number one in the back alley. Before he knew it, he was patting Leo, who had jumped onto hisp. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Even though his hands and feet were not tied, the man did not resist, but just shook t on his stomach. When Ruel looked at Cassion, he shrugged his shoulders. ¡°I just killed a few of his men in front of him. It¡¯s just this much of a bowl.¡± T/N : This phrase is often used to express dissatisfaction with something that falls short of expectations or is not up to the desired standard. Ruel kicked his tongue openly. Even ne, who was a rat, was not this servile. Cassion touched the man with his foot. ¡°My master asked me what your name was.¡± Hearing that he was the owner, the man gasped and opened his mouth. ¡°My name is Ga, please give me an order! I will follow anything!¡± Even though Billo had taken care of him before, he was begging for his life to be spared, throwing away all his pride and name. This servility was a man who would betray his master at any time. At least a minimum of backbone was needed. ¡°Have you seen the next second inmand?¡± ¡°Yes, I saw it.¡± ¡°How was it?¡± ¡°He was a man of loyalty, not like a rat. When I brought this guy, I brought him with me just in case.¡± Ruel finally let go of his stiff expression. I was fortunate that he was a more proper person than that guy. ¡°Get rid of him, bring that guy.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°S, save me¡­¡± The man couldn¡¯t say any more because he was stabbed in the back. He was quietly sucked into the shadows with Cassion. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel asked Leo¡¯s gaze, looking at him uneasily. ¡ªRuel¡­ threw it away. Leo shuddered as if he was in a great shock. Ruel stroked Leo with an absurd expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t even pick it up in the first ce.¡± ¡ªWill you throw this body away if you don¡¯t need it? Soon Ruel kicked his tongue and pressed Leo¡¯s head slightly. The fact that he had been abandoned in the past and that he was left alone in the Forest of Beasts did not disappear and seemed to remain. ¡°I won¡¯t throw it away. Ever.¡± ¡ªOther than this body? ¡°Yes.¡± Only then did Leo smile and show his stomach as if he was relieved. ¡ªGive this body a pat. Ruel couldn¡¯t help but smile and pat his stomach. Looking at his expression, Leo looked like a well-satisfied master. ¡°Aris.¡± Ruel called Aris, who was looking pleased. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There may be blood flowing to the Setiria like thest rat.¡± Bybining the data handed over by Ken, the information brought by Dion, and the information from the second person in the back alley, a weapon that can cut down the red ash hidden in Setiria ispleted. Now that he couldn¡¯t move, that was the first thing he had to do. ¡°Maybe you should go there.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright if it¡¯s for you, Ruel-nim, and Setiria.¡± ¡°Cough, yes.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, are you okay?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°No, sir.¡± Aris just smiled. Ruel took a nce at him and inhaled Breath. ¡°You¡¯re not going to go out for a while. Since you are probably exhausted, go out, eat something delicious, and have fun. Take a rest like that for a while.¡± ¡°Yes, I am resting properly.¡± Only then did Aris smile properly. As Leo¡¯s ears fluttered, Ruel smirked. ¡°If you have to go to the vige, take Leo with you.¡± ¡ªThis body better go with Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s because I can¡¯t go out for a while.¡± Leo looked aside as he was about to speak. Cassion appeared with the captured man. ¡°I brought him.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. His eyes were different from the man just moments ago. His face was swollen from being squeezed, but he was so angry that he wanted to tear his enemy to pieces. ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°Eup-eup!¡± There was a gag in his mouth. Cassion hesitated and spoke as Ruel looked at him telling him to take it off immediately. ¡°He had a bad mouth, so he gagged for a while.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Cassion hesitated once more and pulled out the gag. ¡°This fucke¡­¡± Cassion did not allow a retort. He pressed him quietly with his eyes. ¡°Ugh..¡± The man groaned in agony. He was suffocated, his head, his knees found the ground by themselves. His instinct to live quickly opened his mouth. ¡°Save me¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, the pressure that dominated the body quickly disappeared. The man breathed heavily. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The man¡¯s eyes moved hastily. He froze, as if he couldn¡¯t believe that the owner of this strongest person was that boy. ¡°Name.¡± Ruel asked again. Only then did he open his mouth. ¡°Gors¡­It is.¡± He reluctantly respected Ruel. ¡°You are now number one in the back alley. What you will do next is simple.¡± ¡°Wait a minute. Shen, what happened to Shen?¡± ¡°Rather than that, why don¡¯t you start by asking who I am? No matter how you look at it, I think thates first.¡± Gors looked around at Ruel¡¯s arrogant smile. It was full of things that ordinary people could never enjoy. ¡°N, noble one.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Gors¡¯ eyes shook. What would you say if you weren¡¯t an aristocrat? Gulp. He swallowed his saliva btedly. He was a fool himself. He felt so pathetic for not even noticing the boy in front of him. ¡°I, I, I see the Lord!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not dull.¡± ¡°Why us¡­¡± ¡°Even you, who wander through the back alleys of Setiria, are one permanent resident of my territory for now.¡± Gors could not hide his surprise. What do you mean permanent resident? I didn¡¯t know that such a word woulde from the mouth of the owner. He thought they would see them as pests devouring the territory. ¡°I¡¯ll acknowledge the existence of a back alley. Exactly, as far as I¡¯m allowed.¡± ¡°R-really?¡± He couldn¡¯t believe it. The head of the family really intended to receive them as permanent residents. Whether they were kicked out of the territory or fled aftermitting a crime, isn¡¯t it the ce where those with red lines gathered and started. He was one of them after all, but he was one of those who wished he could start a new life again. ¡°First of all, aside from that, have you heard of Red Ash?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± Gorse quickly became a gentle sheep and answered hurriedly to the point of urgency. ¡°He was making nonsense about giving Setiria to Shen.¡± ¡°Is it absurd?¡± ¡°I¡¯m a man who knows the subject. What I want is not a Setiria that I can¡¯t even get my hands on, but for me and my men to live like humans again.¡± ¡°Living in the back alley?¡± At Ruel¡¯s sneer, Gors clenched his knees. ¡°Whether it¡¯s voluntarily or were forced to live in the back alleys, it is true. But I swear to you, Shen and I were trying to calm down the chaos in the back alley, and all the ugly things that had been going on¡­¡± ¡°Cough, cough. Do you know how to write?¡± ¡°I do not know. Shen was the one who knew how to read and write.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too bad. I have to see it for myself. Cassion, tell him briefly.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while Cassion told Shen of his sins. When Ruel peeked at Aris, there were spirits attached to his body. In case Iughed, I turned my head and pretended not to see it. ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Gors¡¯ face turned white. ¡°Shen can¡¯t do that! I¡¯m with Shen¡­¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Ruelughed. ¡°I¡¯m the lord.¡± Gors shut up when he was told it wasn¡¯t even worth lying to himself. Chapter 103: Strange but not unfamiliar Chapter 103: Strange but not unfamiliar ¡°Or should I slit your throats right now to make you believe me?¡± When he saw Ruel¡¯s arrogant smile, he could tell that he wasn¡¯t lying. Gors¡¯ head bowed to the apparent warning. ¡°Now that you have proven you¡¯re not the Red Ash, it¡¯s settled. You will eradicate the Red Ash that has spread in the back alleys, alongside my people.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you force obedience?¡± ¡°What are you saying?¡± Ruel snorted. It was funny how he kept treating himself like he was an important person. ¡°It would be very easy to cut off your head.¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze turned to Cassion, standing behind Gors. Gors also followed Ruel¡¯s gaze and immediately bowed his head in surprise. ¡°I need a leader to control the back alleys, and don¡¯t you need hope?¡± The support was given, but it was up to Gors to achieve it in the end. Take it or not. Gors had one of two choices. ¡°Thank you¡­ Thank you, Lord.¡± Gors was crying. He was offered a proposal by Ruel. ¡°I¡¯ve misunderstood a lot. I thought that the head of the family was a noble person after all, so he would not help us, who were stigmatized. But there is hope. There was someone willing to help us.¡± He seemed to have forgotten Shen, and all Gors could feel was deep admiration. ¡°Do you know ne?¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Just don¡¯t cross the line I set like that guy.¡± ¡°Mind, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Ruel said as he looked at Gors, who was lying face down. ¡°Maybe you can find out who is connected to the Red Ash. I¡¯ll put my birds on it, so get in touch.¡± ¡°This humble servant will do anything for the Lord.¡± ¡°Go now.¡± When Ruel shook his hand, Cassion disappeared into the shadows as he hade with Gors. Ruel breathed in Breath. Feeling a slight difort in his stomach, hey down on the bed. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried.¡± Aris looked at the seat where Gors had sat and said. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the ne incident will happen again.¡± Ruel was reorganizing the back alley. It will have a huge ripple effect on its own. ¡°Anything that will happen is bound to happen no matter how much you block it. Also, back alleys are created no matter how hard you try to block them. If it¡¯s going to happen anyway, it¡¯s better to put it under my watch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not Gors I¡¯m worried about, it¡¯s that someone else will go for the job.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. My butler is a good judge of a person¡¯s abilities.¡± Pfft. Arisughed unintentionally. ¡°Yes, my concern was too much. It may have been influenced by Mr. Tyson.¡± ¡°Go now. You¡¯re busy.¡± Ruel was really free because Billo and Cassion had taken away most of his work. ¡ªNo. Aris is not busy. Leo jumped up and clung to Aris¡¯ arm. Aris stroked Leo¡¯s head at the sight of him asking him to y. ¡°Then I¡¯ll go after ying with Leo and being his free-timepanion.¡± ¡ªOkay. When Aris took out a notebook, Ruel quickly changed his mind. It seemed that the idea of being a merepanion in words was not what he had in mind. ¡®You have be a worthy wizard.¡¯ Even though he was his Uncle, it was undoubtedly Aris who surpassed Tyson. *** For four days, the routine of sleeping, eating, gathering mana, and summoning continued repeatedly. Ruel looked at his monotonous life, feeling like he might meld with the bed at any moment. ¡®What day is it today?¡¯ Ruel counted the days on his fingers and hurriedly poured mana into the ring. Even though Leponia¡¯s business in Cyronian was over, Ruel still had to pay attention to the situation. Since the novel itself flows around Cyronian, there was something to be told to Ganien. ¡°Ganien, are you free now?¡± -I¡¯m on duty right now. It¡¯s okay if it¡¯s only for a minute. Ruel heard the door sound as if he was entering a room. ¡°Is Lord Sien doing well?¡± -If you mean Master, he is currently with His Majesty¡­ Why do you ask? ¡°The Red Ash on the Cyronian side seems to be quiet.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t know the exact date, but on the day when winter officially arrived, Sien had an ident. It was poison. Although he didn¡¯t die, he was seriously injured affecting his ability to use Aura, to the point where he had to quit being a knight, so this had to be prevented. The culprit was not revealed. -Well, I did find it suspiciously quiet too. It¡¯s like a blow to the back of the head, and I can¡¯t just sit still. ¡°Based on my experience, they¡¯ll target the surroundings, especially those close to you. So, it would be Lord Sien in your case.¡± In fact, the Red Ash attack wasn¡¯t just focused on him. Ruel happened to see the Red Ash that was smashed while attacking Cassion. Although they didn¡¯t say anything, it seemed like the enemy wasing after Cassion and Aris as well. Gnash. The sound of Ganien grinding his teeth was clearly heard. ¡°Pay special attention to food items. Who would attack Lord Sien with a sword? Also, recheck the guards.¡± -¡­You¡¯re not poisoned again, are you? ¡°No, it¡¯s quiet these days.¡± Since Ruel was back at the mansion, Cheynol was taking care of preventing any minor attacks or external attacks. Since there hadn¡¯t been any direct attacks on him, it was true that it had been quiet. -What about the injuries? ¡°It¡¯s getting better. Nothing came out?¡± -It¡¯s just some nobles getting involved here, and some nobles getting entangled there. It¡¯s like they¡¯re all parroting the same thing. Ah! Ganien suddenly became silent. ¡°What is it?¡± -The barrier in the Tonisk Empire was shaken very slightly. It¡¯s not like anyone came out. ¡°Shaken, you say?¡± -I am investigating, but there does seem to be something strange. I¡¯ll let you know once I have a definite answer. I don¡¯t want to cause unnecessary confusion. Ruel inhaled Breath while waiting for Ganien¡¯s next words. -And this really isn¡¯t a big deal. ¡°Tell me.¡± -The Kingdom of Kran has started to make moves. It¡¯s a natural response, but I can¡¯t quite grasp what they¡¯re thinking. As you know, our country doesn¡¯t have a good rtionship with them. ¡°They might even send an envoy to Leponia.¡± -Well, for now, that seems to be the case. Anyway, that¡¯s all for now. Take care of yourself. ¡°Sure, keep an eye on Lord Sien.¡± With Ganien¡¯s reply, ¡®Yes,¡¯ themunication was cut off. Now Sien¡¯s life as a knight was up to Ganien. ¡®I hope you¡¯re safe.¡¯ Ruel sighed immediately. ¡ªWhat happened? Leo, who was ying with the spirits, checked on Ruel. ¡°No, by the way, where are the spirits going after they grow up?¡± ¡ªThey said they were going to the ce where they were supposed to be¡­ They have decreased again! Leo soon broke into tears. ¡ªThis body has less food. As the wound progressed, the power of recovery shifted again toward the mark. Ruel didn¡¯t know if it¡¯s because of Fran¡¯s medicine or whether it was the spirits, but the marks growth has slowed significantly. ¡®Does Fran get surprised every time she examines me? I¡¯m sure it¡¯s noticeably better.¡¯ Ruel patted Leo and closed his eyes quietly. What¡¯s the point of ying? He diligently increased his mana pool by increasing the power of resistance and reflection. *** A weekter. ¡°You can walk around now. The wound has healed well. Thank you very, very much for being careful.¡± Fran was deeply moved as she looked at the newly healed, white scars on his skin. ¡°You gained more weight than before, and your condition has improved a lot.¡± ¡°He¡¯s been coughing less these days.¡± Cassion spoke with satisfaction. ¡®The amount of medicine I take has increased.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and turned his head slightly to avoid the two burdensome pair of eyes. ¡°That¡¯s really wonderful. If you continue like this, there might be hope for a full recovery¡­¡± As Fran spoke, she nced to the side finally noticing Tierra¡¯s eyes were filled with tears. Fran chuckled softly. ¡°Why are you crying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m so happy. Now I can see the improvement, and I know how hard the Lord and sister have worked to get to this point. I¡¯m crying without realizing it.¡± ¡°D-don¡¯t cry in front of the patient.¡± Giving Tierra a handkerchief, Fran rose from her seat. ¡°Today¡¯s examination is over. Well then, see you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Oh, didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Fran paused at Ruel¡¯s words. Something was ominous. ¡°What do you mean¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going out tomorrow. Thanks to you, I¡¯ll make sure to move lightly.¡± ¡°Now, wait a minute. It¡¯s true that you¡¯re feeling better, but it¡¯s too soon to go out.¡± ¡°Is my condition so terrible that I can¡¯t even go out?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s not true. However, I am worried because the Lord is weak.¡± Unlike the usual Fran, her voice and eyes were weak. She didn¡¯t even mention stability, so he was sure to be in good shape. ¡°I¡¯ll see you the day after tomorrow.¡± Ruel showed a faint smile. ¡°Okay¡­ Alright. I¡¯ll see you the day after tomorrow.¡± Although Fran was angry, she held it in and left the room with Tierra. ¡ªThere¡¯s less dirty stuff again. Leo crouched weakly around Ruel, showing his regret. ¡ªI¡¯m d that Ruel doesn¡¯t get sick more than before, but I¡¯m sad that there¡¯s less food. This body is troubled between the two emotions now. Leo¡¯s prey was himself. How anxious would you be if the food that seemed tost forever decreases. ¡®What should Leo eat if my mark disappears?¡¯ In the first ce, wasn¡¯t Leo drawn to his mark and ended up breaking one of his arms? ¡°Is it the influence of spirits? Or is it thanks to Fran¡¯s new drug? I¡¯ve never seen Ruel-nim so healthy.¡± Cassion¡¯s sighs have also decreased these days. ¡°I¡¯m not in a good enough state to hear that often.¡± Ruel bit the pie ced beside him. He gave one to Leo, and he immediately became happy and started wagging his tail. ¡°So, are you ready?¡± ¡°Yes, they are all ready.¡± A week ago, Ruel sent Ben a letter saying he was going to see him. The Red Ash must be eagerly awaiting him, who had been crouching in his mansion for so long. ¡®There will definitely be an attack.¡¯ But tonight, Ruel would depart for the Liobenez Territory, while the Shadows would assist Gors in eliminating the Red Ash who had infiltrated the back alleys. This time, Ruel couldn¡¯t mobilize the knights. They had to act discreetly, so it was decided to keep the numbers minimal for the confrontation. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll listen to you in the carriage.¡± Ruel rose from his seat. It was the first time in a long time that he was away from his bedside, and he was deeply moved. ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± As soon as he moved, the spirits moved en masse to cling to his body. He couldn¡¯t take them all. ¡°Only the kids who are less grown up should follow me.¡± Kuroo kuru. The mongrels were talking to each other as if they were having a meeting, and about 20 of them clung to his body. ¡ªRuel¡¯s shoulder is the seat of this body! Leo jumped up to Ruel¡¯s shoulder. He seemed delighted at the mention of going out, forgetting about the fact that the ck things had diminished. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªTell me. ¡°Do the treats you eat not satisfy your hunger?¡± ¡ªNot only do they fail to satisfy this body¡¯s hunger, but they also can¡¯t sustain this body. Cassion looked at Leo with an expression asking why he had been eating like that all this time then. As if to pretend Ruel didn¡¯t hear him, Ruel quickly walked over to the door and opened it. ¡®Can¡¯t you fill his stomach with anything but ck things?¡¯ He never thought about what would happen after removing the mark. What happens to Leo if the mark disappears. ¡®If you don¡¯t eat it, it¡¯ll disappear.¡¯ Ruel was worried. At first, Ruel brought Leo along because he thought it would be useful, but now Ruel couldn¡¯t imagine not having him by his side. ¡ªWhy do you ask that? You suddenly look sad. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Ruel stroked Leo and held his cane. Ttak. The ringing sound was quite heavy after a long time. *** -Start. With Ruel¡¯smand, the shadows next to Gors quickly dispersed. ¡°¡­ha.¡± A long breath came from Gors. It was serious. After ne died, those in the back alley fell into the group called Red Ash like a gue. Even those he regarded asrades, as brothers, were no exception. But it has to be done. By doing so, they would receive the promised hope. They would fulfill the owner¡¯s desire. Swoosh. He drew his sword and took a deep breath. ¡°We¡¯re going too.¡± Hearing Gors¡¯ words, the subordinates standing behind him also pulled out their swords with tense expressions. Those who obtained trust by swearing an Oath of Mana. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate.¡± Gors opened the door. ¡°Those gathered in front of us are enemies.¡± They had once shared a drink from the same ss. But now, they had to be sent away all at once, in one final act. ¡°Captain, what¡¯s happening now? Why are you acting like this? And why are those behind you behaving the same way? Where is the designated area for rendezvous¡­ Ugh!¡± ¡°Bera!¡± Gors stabbed his fellow men in the heart and shouted in spite. ¡°You, you crazy! What are you doing?¡± The room became chaotic at the sudden movement. But no one could get out. All the doors were locked. They had no weapons. ¡°Cut it down!¡± Once the massacre urred, it did not stop until thest enemy was killed. ¡°Keugh¡­ ugh, Captain, ugh¡­ Why¡­¡± Gors¡¯s eyes filled with tears as he stabbed his sword into the abdomen of his now-enemy exrade. Whenever he saw the sword soaked in blood, it seemed as if his chest had been cut out. ¡°Why!¡± Gors shouted resentfully. Stabbed in the shoulder by his sword, the man slumped back into the corner. ¡°Damn it!¡± ¡°Why! You joined that group!¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± The fellow manughed. It was a detached smile prepared for death. ¡°Because they gave me hope.¡± Gors clenched his teeth at the man¡¯s words. ¡°He said if I destroy Setiria, if I kill Ruel Setiria, he will grant me anything I want. You know why I¡¯m like this.¡± ¡°You fool.¡± The tip of Gors¡¯ sword trembled, ¡°You fool! Ruel Setiria will acknowledge us. He will ept us as permanent residents!¡± As much as Gors knew the man, the man knew Gors. Gors was a man who didn¡¯t deal in lies. ¡°¡­Damn it. Damn it all.¡± Only then did the man shed tears. ¡°Save me, Captain. You know, you know how much I yearned for that. Captain, I¡¯ll let go of that now. So, please¡­¡± The conversation couldn¡¯t continue. Gors cut off the man¡¯s head. ¡°The price of betrayal is death.¡± That was the first rule Gors and Shen decided in the underworld. How many more people¡¯s blood will be spilt by the sword before morning? Although his hands were already dirty, Gors closed the man¡¯s eyes. Chapter 104: Strange but not unfamiliar (2) Chapter 104: Strange but not unfamiliar (2) *** ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting.¡± Cheynol stood in front of the main gate, bowing his head towards Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m not even going that far away, but you¡¯re seeing me off. It looks like you¡¯re free these days.¡± Ruel chuckled lightly in response. Even without being told, the knights lined up behind Cheynol, without a word ormand. ¡°Tyson-nim requested to tell you that he is sorry for not being able to see you off and toe back in good health. I too would like to reiterate the same thing to you. Pleasee back safe and healthy.¡± ¡°Pleasee back healthy!¡± The knights shouted loudly. ¡®They all seem to be worried,¡¯ Ruel thought to himself. After resting and recovering from the exhaustion and reducing the marks, his body felt better than ever. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be back.¡± As it was not feasible for both vice captains to apany Ruel on his peaceful visit to another territory, they decided to draw lots to determine who would go. Drianna emerged as the winner, and she was able to follow behind Ruel. ¡°I¡¯ll bring back a gift, so take care of the house,¡± she said, shing a bright smile towards Horen. It was a very wicked smile. ¡°Are you here?¡± In front of the carriage, Noah was bowing his head towards Ruel in a polite manner. If you look at the greeting itself, it was like seeing a second Billo. ¡°The butler is very good.¡± Cassion was satisfied and pointed to the door with a nod to Noah. Noah¡¯s eyes were slightly shaken, but without anyint, he opened the carriage door and bowed. ¡°Your demeanor has really changed.¡± Aris looked at Noah curiously. His attitude has be perfected since thest appearance he showed during the meal. ¡°Most of all, you be a decent person. Isn¡¯t that right, Noah?¡± Before getting into the carriage, Ruel flicked a gold coin that he had prepared in advance. Ting. At the sound, Noah¡¯s hand reflexively grabbed the gold coin. ¡°¡­ crazy.¡± Even though Noah had caught the gold coin, he was startled and quickly looked around to see if Billo was there. Fortunately, Billo was not there. ¡®That¡¯s right, because human nature doesn¡¯t change easily.¡¯ Despite Ruel¡¯s ridicule, Noah bowed again. The posture Billo had taught him came out first. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for being rude.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel lightly tapped Noah on the shoulder. It was an unsolicited apology, but at this rate, it was worth taking Noah with him. Ruel got on the carriage with Cassion¡¯s support. ¡ªOoooh! Ruel was just as surprised as Leo¡¯s shout. It felt as if an entire small room had been transported instead of a carriage. ¡®Uncle really went all out with his power.¡¯ The space inside felt slightlyrger than a royal carriage, allowing him to breathe more freely. As Leo immediately jumped onto the bed, the Spirits followed suit, taking over the beds with enthusiasm. ¡ªIt¡¯s spacious! It¡¯s soft! This body likes it here! ¡®It¡¯s a mess.¡¯ Ruel sat down after looking at the spirits and Leo. ¡°Tyson-nim put a lot of effort into this carriage,¡± Cassion said as he climbed aboard and tapped on the wall. The carriage started moving, and he pointed to the back wall. There was nothing there, but it seemed to ripple and shimmer. Cassion lightly blew Aura on it, and suddenly a door appeared. ¡°It¡¯s not only sturdy, but Tyson-nim also made a kitchen so you canfortably enjoy your meals,¡± Cassion exined. Ironically, Cassion was the one who liked it the most. ¡°What is this?¡± A conspicuous red button that seemed out of ce caught Ruel¡¯s attention. ¡°If you press that, Tyson said it¡¯s an emergency device that allows him toe anytime,¡± Cassion exined. ¡ªReally? This body wants to touch and see¡­ Heek!¡± Ruel quickly grabbed Leo¡¯s tail. ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± ¡ª¡­ I understand. This body is good and listens to Ruel. Leo pouted and crouched on Ruel¡¯sp. He kept looking at the red button with regrets. As Ruel gently stroked Leo¡¯s stomach, his ears immediately perked up. ¡°You said you had something to give. Give it to me.¡± Ruel extended his hand to Cassion. ¡°This is the information you requested about the Prostone Guild and the Shio Family. I haven¡¯t had a chance to thoroughly review it yet.¡± Cassion took out the data and handed it over to Ruel. ¡°It must have been difficult to find?¡± ¡°Hiding it is pointless. Among the aristocrats, if someone breaks into their house or bribes their servants, they would still try to hide the information even if rumors start spreading. Whether it¡¯s in a secret study or a magically protected vault, it ultimately bes useless, doesn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ruel concurred. ¡°It¡¯s truly foolish, or perhaps it¡¯s just a habit of those who bear the name of aristocrats, to always hide the key somewhere on their own bodies. I don¡¯t know which one to call it¡ªeither remarkably stupid or a characteristic of those who call themselves nobles.¡± There was a hint of disdain towards the nobles in Cassion¡¯s words. Ruel silently inhaled Breath. ¡°Anyway, the Prostone Guild seems to have left information for trading with the Shio family, and the Shio family seems to have left information for trading with someone else.¡± ¡°It¡¯s so funny seeing the same guys together.¡± ¡°Well, if they¡¯re the same kind of people, wouldn¡¯t they be capable of the same kind of deeds? Cassion let out a brief smirk before continuing, ¡°The search for the warlock and the person who discovered you five years ago is still ongoing. We did find traces of the warlock, but they had already left Leponia.¡± ¡°What about those with dark attributes?¡± Ruel asked while examining the data. ¡°The whereabouts of most of them are unknown, so we will let you know as soon as we can secure them.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After answering Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel kept silent and focused on the data. Rustle. Only the sounds of paper being turned, knives being cleaned, and small spirits running around filled the carriage. It had been some time since they departed, and when Leo¡¯s voice broke the silence, Ruel looked down. ¡ªThis body has now run around until it is satisfied. Go ahead and pet this body. Leoid down on his knees, showing his stomach, and looked at himself with a drowsy look on his face. ¡®Indeed.¡¯ Ruel put down the material and touched Leo¡¯s stomach. He started touching it habitually because of the soft feel in his palm.¡¯ ¡°Did you find any leads?¡± Cassion sheathed the sword he was cleaning and asked. ¡°It¡¯s ambiguous.¡± Ruel¡¯s brow furrowed. There was no information about what happened five years ago that he wanted. It was either missing or no data was created at all. ¡°However, it¡¯s clear that both sides are ready to tear each other apart,¡± Ruel mused. The two sets of documents, undoubtedly created by different individuals, held the same vulnerabilities. It was amusing how they both held each other¡¯s weaknesses. ¡°What is certain is that the Shio family and Huan are still doing business. And the fact that their rtionship became secretive dates back to five years ago.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. Five years ago, there was definitely something between the Huan and Shio families. The scattered puzzle pieces were slowly falling into ce. For now, securing Trino Setiria¡¯s letter, which was the most certain lead, was the top priority. * * * Ruel and his party arrived at Liobenez territory. Sunlight poured in through the open carriage doors. It was the farthest from Setiria, so even though they left at night, they didn¡¯t not arrive till around the afternoon of the next day. It was quiet. Whileing here, Ruel enjoyed a leisurely journey for the first time in a long time . Ruel wasn¡¯t nervous or anxious about the silence. It was obvious that they would attack in some way, so it was just a hassle to have to guess what that method would be. ¡°I was wondering where the attack woulde from, and it seems it was here.¡± Cassion grinned while helping Ruel get off the carriage. ¡°They¡¯ve surrounded the mansion. They are all assassins, not adventurers. I think they are the right guys this time.¡± ¡°They¡¯ve changed the course. Are they trying to lead me into a trap?¡± Ruel replied with a sly smile. The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth rose. If there was an attack in the Liobenez Territory on the day he came, who would be the first suspect? Furthermore, what if the head of the family dies? Since Cassion mentioned that they were real professionals who could handle the situation without leaving any evidence, it was likely that they were skilled enough to do so. ¡®You dug a trap for me. It¡¯s full of sincerity.¡¯ He wasn¡¯t worried, but there was just one thing that bothered him. Most of the shadows were sent to clean up the back alley. Cassion looked at Ruel¡¯s expression and opened his mouth. ¡°There¡¯s no need to worry. You can choose the time and method you prefer¡­ Oh, wait, I¡¯m not even on a mission, but I can¡¯t easily shake off the habit of being vignt. Anyway, I assure you it¡¯s effortless.¡± ¡°No, just leave it alone.¡± He wants to stab themselves in the back this bad then shouldn¡¯t he let them know what it feels like to really be stabbed in the back? ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel¡¯s suspicious smile, Cassion realized that he was nning something. * * * ¡°Nice to meet you, Head of Setiria.¡± Ben Liobenez personally came out to the front gate and greeted Ruel. Since it was impossible to set an exact time, he didn¡¯t know how long Ben had waited. It was a bit burdensome. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you woulde out to meet us like this. It is cold. Please go inside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I waited, so there¡¯s no need to feel pressured.¡± Ruel followed Ben¡¯s guidance and entered the mansion. He felt sorry for not knowing how much he must have cleaned up to wee him, but the mansion was not safe. ¡°Do you like flowers?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t hate it.¡± ¡°How about we take a quick look around? My hobby is growing flowers.¡± ¡®Do you have a greenhouse?¡¯ Ben is rmending something like that, so shouldn¡¯t he look around? ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good.¡± Ruel willingly gave permission and followed Ben. The ce he guided them to was not a greenhouse, but a garden in the backyard. A chilly wind blew, and Ruel flinched. He regretted it a bit, but those thoughts soon went away when he saw the blue flowers blooming in the backyard. The petals that sparkled with the shallow snow were like jewels. ¡ªOooooh! It¡¯s pretty! Leo ran over and smelled the scent of the flower. ¡ªIt smells delicious. ¡°There was someone I really wanted to give this flower to. But I couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it, and it¡¯s been bothering me ever since. Fortunately, I can show it to you today, even if it¡¯s like this.¡± ¡°Is that me?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Ben plucked the flower and handed it to Ruel. As Ruel took a closer look, he noticed that the petals were shimmering even more beautifully. ¡°Thenguage of this flower is conscience.¡± His gaze filled with a faint longing. He could see glimpses of guilt that he had often witnessed in Tyson¡¯s and Billo¡¯s eyes. ¡®Why?¡¯ ¡°Achoo!¡± Ben panicked when Ruel sneezed and hurriedly guided him to the room. * * * Ruel and Ben, apanied by Leo, sneaked into Ben¡¯s room. ¡°I apologize,¡± Ben said. ¡°No need to apologize. But before that, there¡¯s something I want to say,¡± Ruel said, sitting down on the sofa and smiling at Ben. ¡°Please feel free to speak your mind.¡± Leo took the blue flower that Ben gave him. As he put it on Leo¡¯ head, the smile on Leo¡¯ face did not disappear. Ruel nced at Leo for a moment. A group of spirits moved behind Leo as he walked around the room. ¡®Leo is the leader.¡¯ Ruel looked at Ben again and spoke. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been out since the banquet. Didn¡¯t you agree to rmend a good restaurant to me before?¡± If the enemies have surrounded the mansion, wouldn¡¯t it be enough to avoid giving them an opportunity to attack the mansion? Ruel was already excited at the thought of moving around in crowded ces. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be ufortable?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not allowed to go on an outing, but I¡¯d like to go with you. Why not?¡± Ruel asked like a child throwing a tantrum at his grandfather. Ben grunted loudly enough to show his teeth. ¡ªThis body came from an outing with Aris not long ago. Don¡¯t worry, this body will tell you everything when you go outside. Standing next to Ben, Leo cocked his nose high. Ruel snorted slightly as he inhaled Breath. ¡®If you go on two outings, you be an experienced teacher.¡¯ Ben soon looked at Ruel with concern. ¡°I¡¯m worried about the health of the head of Setiria. Are you okay?¡± ¡°Yes, there is nothing to worry about.¡± ¡°How about a cup of tea to warm you up first?¡± ¡°I like apple tea.¡± ¡ªThis body also likes apple tea. ¡°Apple tea, understood,¡± Ben rang the bell, and a butler entered the room. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. Bring a cup of apple tea.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The butler bowed and went out. Ben took a deep breath and opened his mouth as if he had decided to do something. ¡°Do you happen to dislike being questioned about your past?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°I understand. The reason I approached you at the banquet was to reveal one truth,¡± Ben confessed, even though Ruel had expressed his dislike for being questioned about his past. Ruel was taken aback by the sudden turn of the conversation, but he was genuinely interested, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to ask, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Five years ago, on my way to meet His Majesty, I saw a carriage with the Setiria emblem on it. Because it stopped at the corner of the road, I thought something had happened so I approached it.¡± The news that followed was overwhelming. It was something beyond his imagination. Ruel felt his mouth go dry. ¡°Who was there?¡± ¡°Is it okay for me to tell you¡­?¡± It wasn¡¯t Ben who needed to ask if it was really okay; it was Ruel. ¡°I won¡¯t ask why you¡¯re telling me that only now. There must have been a reason.¡± ¡°Exactly. After seeing you at the banquet, I couldn¡¯t bear to ask, so I wanted to make an appointment with you.¡± Ruel had no intention of ming Ben. What he needed to know now was who else was there besides Trino Setiria. ¡°Please tell me.¡± Ruel urged. Ben didn¡¯t hesitate. ¡°It¡¯s the head of Diagos Shio and Prince Huan.¡± The pieces of the puzzle started to fit together. Ruel barely suppressed the corners of his mouth from rising. ¡°It may be far away, but how could you not know the appearance of the Shio family head and His Highness Huan? It seemed like they were the ones who halted the Setiria carriage, judging from the atmosphere.¡± ¡°What happened after that?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Since it wasn¡¯t a weing atmosphere, I went on my way. Afterward, when I heard that Lord Setiria had been involved in an ident and died, I immediately rushed to His Majesty,¡± Ben exined, expressing his anger as if he had been betrayed. ¡°¡­An order was given to keep quiet,¡± Ben continued. ¡°His Majesty knew about it¡­ He knew even though he pretended not to.¡± Prince Huan was the one who stopped the Setiria carriage, and the king was aware of this fact. Yet, he chose to feign ignorance. How much evidence had been lost during the investigation of the Setiria incident? ¡°I know I don¡¯t deserve to see your face, but I invited you because I have something to tell you,¡± Ben confessed. ¡°Is it really a letter you want to deliver?¡± Ben looked surprised. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°His Majesty gave me a note that said, ¡®Bring out the buried conscience.¡¯¡± ¡°Finally¡­¡± Ben¡¯s voice began to waver. ¡°Finally, it seems that His Majesty has made up his mind.¡± Ben took off his bracelet, which was thicker than his finger and seemed out of ce with something he would wear. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I will help you with anything. Whether you consider it a retribution for the past five years spent in silence or a retribution for not being able to prevent the ident that could have been prevented.¡± Following Ben¡¯s touch, the bracelet came apart. Inside, a neatly rolled white letter was revealed. ¡°I stake my honor on it. I have never seen its contents. The owner of this letter is you.¡± Ruel grasped the letter that Ben handed to him. It felt familiar, even though he had never held it before. The scent wasforting, as if it had been preserved with a preservation spell. His heart raced. The feeling of unfamiliarity was strangely familiar.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 105: Strange but not unfamiliar (3) Chapter 105: Strange but not unfamiliar (3) Knock. Knock. There was a loud sound as the butler approached and set down a teacup. ¡ªUgh¡­ I can¡¯t eat anything right now, Leo¡¯s voice didn¡¯t reach Ruel¡¯s ears. After the butler left, Ruel carefully opened the letter. ¡ª¡­Ah, are you in pain? Leo hurriedly approached Ruel. Tears welled up in Ruel¡¯s eyes, flowing involuntarily. It wasn¡¯t himself, but Ruel Setiria, who remembered the handwriting. Ruel Setiria remembered that this letter was written by his own father. ¡®¡­ What a mess.¡¯ Ruel wiped away his tears and made eye contact with Ben. He quickly averted his eyes, feeling flustered. Clutching the letter in his hands, Ruel spoke up. ¡°I showed an embarrassing side of myself.¡± ¡°If you wish for me to step aside, I will,¡± Ben offered. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I just hope you can give me some time to read the letter,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°I can wait as long as you need. Take your time and read itfortably,¡± Ben assured him. Ruel heard through Cassion that there was no one else in the room. Feeling relieved, he began reading the short letter addressed to the king. [Your Majesty, the Great Man wears a false disguise and treads upon the samend as us. I will provide you with the detailed story in person.] Ruel hastily folded the letter. He knew he should put it in his pocket, but his hand wouldn¡¯t follow. ¡®What is this¡­ What does this mean?¡¯ ¡°Listen carefully, Setiria. He cannot set foot in this world due to constraints, unlike us. That¡¯s why he cannot move.¡± ¡®The Great Man said he cannote to this world.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, are you alright? ¡®Is he saying that someone¡­ someone took over someone else¡¯s body to exist in this world?¡¯ It was crazy. Ruel felt the hairs all over his body stand up. The Great Man existing in this world. And that person treading upon the samend as himself. ¡®Who is it? Whose body did you upy?¡¯ ¡ªRuel! Take a breath! Leo clung to Ruel¡¯s leg. Only then did Ruel exhale. Huff. Huff. Ruel heard his own ragged breathing and then saw Ben approaching right beside him. ¡°Ar-are you alright? Your breathing sounds too rough,¡± Ben asked. Ruel inhaled Breath with his trembling hands. After catching his breath, he managed to speak. ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine. I was just startled, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°As long as you¡¯re okay, it¡¯s alright to take a rest,¡± Ben reassured him. Lost in his thoughts, Ruel didn¡¯t realize how breathless he had be. His hands were still shaking. It was fear. The memory of the gaze of the Great Man, consumed by darkness, who had intended to kill him, shed in his mind. Ruel closed his eyes briefly and then opened them. ¡°I¡¯m fine. But there¡¯s one thing I want to confirm with Lord Liobenez.¡± Ruel continued speaking after inhaling Breath again. ¡°Did you say you would pay for your sins?¡± ¡°¡­ exactly.¡± Though guilt weighed heavily on him, Ben¡¯s eyes remained clear. ¡°Then shouldn¡¯t Lord Liobenez first prove to me that you are not part of the Red Ash? That would be the opening of our conversation.¡± ¡°Many often prove themselves through a Mana Oath. But what I have to offer is this.¡± What Ben took out was a piece of paper with nothing written on it. But it wasn¡¯t a regr paper. The mana emanating around the paper was strong. ¡°It¡¯s a magic contract. Unlike Mana¡¯s oath, there is no gap.¡± Ben came with strong wording. ¡°I will write that I will not have anything to do with Red Ash in the past, present, or future.¡± If the Kuhn family, the Lumina family, the Prios family, and even the Liobenez family were wiped out, only the Shio family would remain. ¡®What Ben saw of the incident was true.¡¯ ¡°I will also write that I have not read the letter left by your father and that I will spare no effort to resolve this matter. If there is anything you wish for, please tell me.¡± Although Ben¡¯s clear delineation of this particr incident slightly bothered Ruel, objectively speaking, Ben didn¡¯t do anything to be criticized. He told the king what he had seen, and he did not ept it, so what could he do? However, aside from that, Ruel didn¡¯t want to end the grandfather-grandson ytime. With Ben¡¯s vast connections, he could utilize them anywhere. ¡°Regardless of the means you employ, I hope you will examine the noble families in Liobenez and the underworld to eradicate the Red Ash. That is my request.¡± ¡°I understand. I already expected that request. I will definitely resolve it.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, Ben immediately started writing on the paper. ¡°And what you said about knowing a good restaurant still holds true?¡± Ben grabbed his pen and quietly put it down. ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± ¡°I was sincere, but it seems Lord Liobenez regarded it as a passing remark.¡± ¡°At that time, I remained silent. You have the right to scold me.¡± Ruel smiled innocently. ¡°But in the end, didn¡¯t you tell me everything? You also protected the letters from being taken away by the enemy.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Now that the words have been spoken and received, let¡¯s just finalize the magical contract and go eat something delicious together.¡± Ben knew about the Red Ash. Therefore, there was no reason to hide the fact that enemies were surrounding this mansion. ¡°The enemy is targeting Lord Liobenez and me.¡± Ruel lowered his posture and whispered to Ben. It was a statement that didn¡¯t match his innocent smile. Soon, Ruel¡¯s eyes grew serious. ¡°When we leave, I hope you leave as if nothing is happening.¡± ¡°¡­ I understand.¡± Ben felt goosebumps running up his arms. He had been so preupied with the letter and the events of the past that he had forgotten about the boy in front of him. The fact that he was also the head of the family. * * * ¡°¡­ Can the fox eat it?¡± Ben stared at the fox eating ice cream so desperately that he even licked the bowl. Of course, the spirit resembled a fox, but it had shorter legs, a tail, and bigger eyes. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay. Because it¡¯s a bit of a special fox. I know this well because my servant was a former hunter. Right, Noah?¡± Ruel turned his gaze towards Noah, who was standing next to Cassion. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Noah was slightly surprised, as the words seemed to havee out before he could react. Ruel chuckled and took another bite of the cake. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Cassion bowed his head to Ben, then approached Ruel and spoke quietly. ¡°Everything has been taken care of.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel answered calmly as usual. The enemy followed them out of the mansion without realizing that they had turned from predators to prey. Cassion was away for only 3 minutes. No one thought anything was done with those three minutes. ¡®It¡¯s neat.¡¯ Ruel raised the corners of his mouth as if savoring the taste. ¡°It tastes very good.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing.¡± When Ben smiled widely, his missing teeth were visible. Ruel hesitated for a moment before speaking. ¡°The dessert we¡¯re having now is great, but I also had a fantastic grilled pork neck at a previous restaurant.¡± Just the thought of it made his mouth water. The juicy meat and the tantalizing barbecue aroma with each chew were no joke. Now that it was confirmed that Ben truly knew good restaurants, Ruel was already looking forward to discovering another ce. ¡®A map of delicious restaurants. I¡¯d like to make one in Setiria as well.¡¯ ¡°Honestly, I was surprised. There¡¯s room for so much in that body.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this the age when you are growing up?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s really nice to see you enjoying your food. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s appropriate to say this, but I was a little concerned about your slim figure.¡± Behind Ben and Ruel¡¯sughter, Cassion saw the tes stacked on top of each other. What he ate must have been dessert. ¡®If a child at the age of growing eats this much, all the food supplies would be depleted.¡¯ * * * ¡°Give me just one macaron that you bought from the store.¡± ¡ªGive this body too. As soon as he got into the carriage, a short paw was added to Ruel¡¯s hand and he held it out to Cassion. Cassion looked at Ruel and Leo alternately with a shocked look on his face. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already eaten a lot at the store? And even though I bought it, what are you going to do if it causes an allergy?¡± ¡°You won¡¯t know until you try. That¡¯s why I¡¯m eating it.¡± In order to expand the range of food ingredients, Cassion only asionally fed Ruel in small amounts. Didn¡¯t Ruel re at him with resentment every time? Seeing that Cassion still showed no reaction, Ruel felt disappointed. ¡°Alright, when we return to the mansion, you can have it.¡± The moments of ordinary life were short and then he had to be Ruel Setiria again. Macaroons were a snack that he used to eat often even when he was Kim Han. Although they didn¡¯t look exactly the same as back then, he wanted to taste that vor, even if only for a moment. ¡°Yes, I will give it to you then.¡± Cassion handed the macaroon to Leo only with his answer. Tap. Tap. Ruel yed with his hair a few times and then tapped his thigh. ¡®What should I do? What should I do?¡¯ He hesitated between turning in the direction of the Prostone Guild to find Diagos Shio and shake him up or quietly return to Setiria. ¡°Ruel-nim, I have something to tell you.¡± ¡°I was going to ask you anyway. What happened in the back alley?¡± ¡°After confirmation, no one connected to the Red Ash survived.¡± This time Ruel did notugh. A lot of blood was spilled. ¡°Just in case, check again.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel looked outside as he listened to Cassion¡¯s response. He saw the bare, twisted branches with fallen leaves. ¡°Even if it is only vacantnd in Setiria, wouldn¡¯t it be better than the dark and damp back alley? It may be harsher than othernds, but¡­¡± ¡°Are you nning on moving them all to the surface?¡± ¡°No, I have to take care of both. Make sure there are no more guys like ne in the back alleys. And to ensure that the Red Ash cannot approach.¡± ¡°I understand. I will examine thend and discuss it with Billo. Then I will inform you of the required funds.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t inform the nobles just yet. I will address it in the next meeting.¡± Ruel handed over the letter he had kept to Cassion. ¡ªAh! The one you saw and cried over¡­ Oops! Ruel was a littlete and caught Leo¡¯s tail. He should have stopped that light mouth from the beginning. Cassion smirked as if he had found something to tease, but his smile vanished as he read the contents of the letter. ¡°¡­ didn¡¯t you say that the Great Man couldn¡¯te to this world?¡± ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I heard.¡± ¡°I know that the phrase ¡®false disguise¡¯ written in the letter is really nonsense, but doesn¡¯t it mean that it can take over someone¡¯s body?¡± Cassion¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°I don¡¯t feel good about going back to square one.¡± ¡°But my father knew. He was on his way to tell the king who it was.¡± ¡°You mean the king knew about the Red Ash and kept his mouth shut?¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and raised one corner of his mouth. ¡°Yes, because it was Diagos and Huan who stopped my father¡¯s carriage. The king knew about this and pretended not to know. Because he is a person who cares very much for his sons.¡± ¡°The marking was done by one of them. ording to Nintra, who became the first ck-blooded man, the one who nted the mark was the head of a family, so it is highly likely that it was Diagos.¡± Cassion nced at Leo as he spoke. Leo had somehow ended up lying on Ruel¡¯sp, wagging his tail. He didn¡¯t mean to talk about it in front of a light-mouthed animal, but what should he do with what he already brought up. ¡°I don¡¯t believe what Nintra says, because the information given to him may be false.¡± ¡°I will turn the carriage towards Shio. With the evidence we have, if you start poking around the Prostone Guild, Shio will react. Both sides are armed against each other, after all.¡± ¡°No, the person I need to meet first now is Adoris.¡± Cassion waited for Ruel¡¯s words with a questioning look on his face. ¡°I was curious why Adoris specifically requested assistance from the Prostone Guild, but now I understand. He deliberately made it known. Because he was present at that scene too.¡± ¡°By that, are you referring to the carriage ident five years ago?¡± ¡°Yes, he wanted me to realize who caused the ident. That¡¯s why he deliberately chose the Prostone Guild.¡± Ruel recalled what Banios had said. ¡°First of all, the eldest brother left first, and then the second brother moved. That fact is clearly known, but I don¡¯t know where they went.¡± Huan moved first and Adoris moved next. That day, Adoris saw what Huan had done. He really knew the truth of the ident when he offered to tell Ruel. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. Adoris is Red Ash.¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°We werepletely fooled. Both you and I, even Banios.¡± Soon he erased his smile. ¡°Adoris is not our enemy. It¡¯s a somewhat ambiguous rtionship.¡± Ruel kept thinking about what Banios had said. ¡°That day, my Second Brother had an ident. He almost lost his life after being crushed by a chandelier in a hallway of the Royal pce.¡± ¡°Adoris almost died because he witnessed the whole truth of the carriage ident, which involved Huan. But he survived.¡± ¡°Could it be¡­ that he received help from the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes, even before the carriage ident, Huan was already a member of the Red Ash. Adoris must have been approached by them after the ident.¡± Ruel pointed to the letter Cassion was holding. ¡°It all started with that letter.¡± Whether the king showed Huan the letter without knowing he was Red Ash, or Huan secretly saw it, he eventually saw the letter. ¡°Huan saw that letter. And then he learned that my father had obtained an important clue to destroy Red Ash. Which choice would he make? The result is obvious.¡± That letter caused the carriage ident. ¡°And that year, my Eldest Brother suddenly gave up on seeding the throne.¡± ¡°Huan gave up his session to the throne. It was Adoris who made it that way.¡± That fact led to one very simple result. ¡°In other words, the Red Ash granted Adoris¡¯s request. Being pushed aside by the Second Prince, how devastated must First Prince Huan have been?¡± ¡°Unless I¡¯m mistaken, did the Second Prince intentionally join the Red Ash? Otherwise, some of his actions don¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡°Perhaps he did. Maybe he had no choice but to join the Red Ash, shedding a few tears as a pretense. His desire to protect Banios was genuine.¡± Cassion let out a hollowugh. ¡°I feel like I¡¯m watching a third-rate y.¡± ¡°So am I.¡± ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean the coboration with Carbena disappears.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I said it was a slightly ambiguous rtionship.¡± What Adoris did did not go away. After all, didn¡¯t he do what Red Ash asked him to do? ¡°While it¡¯s true that I survived because of my bloodline, I could never understand why Carbena didn¡¯t kill me for five years.¡± Ruel frowned. He felt uneasy. ¡°Adoris stopped it. I received help unintentionally.¡± Perhaps Adoris hade to him, urgently requesting to end Banios¡¯s involvement, because the situation had be dire? Or was it all part of this theatrical performance to make him aware of the circumstances? Whatever it was, things had changed. His guess could have been wrong all along. But what was certain was that Adoris knew about the ident five years ago. He had to meet Adoris. He needed to hear theplete story from five years ago, to clear his mind. ¡°Contact Rie Kuhn.¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 106: 5 years ago, that accident Chapter 106: 5 years ago, that ident Ch 106 5 years ago, that ident ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion infused an aura into themunication device. -Hello. Immediately, Rie¡¯s voice came through. It sounded warm enough that one could sense that it was a weed call. ¡°Lord Kuhn, is now a good time?¡± -Yes, it¡¯s fine. I was simply working on some paperwork. ¡°Can you ry a message to Prince Adoris right away?¡± -What happened? Prince Adoris has never left the castle before. ¡°We¡¯re having a bit of a problem.¡± Ruel had told Rie that Adoris was Red Ash, so he had to exin itter. It was such a hassle. ¡°For that matter, I would like to meet with Prince Adoris. An exnation will be provided after this issue is resolved. Can you arrange it?¡± -Yes, I can. What should I tell him? ¡°Just let him know that I would like to meet with him at the Lumina Family today.¡± -That¡¯s easy enough. Is there anything else I can assist you with? ¡°That¡¯s sufficient. Thank you, I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Ruel ended themunication and called the next person. ¡°Contact Corrence Lumina.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± As soon as themunication device light came on, Ruel opened his mouth. ¡°Corrence.¡± -L-lord Setiria, what happened¡­? Corrence¡¯ voice trembled, perhaps because he was nervous. ¡°His Highness Adoris wille to your house, so prepare yourself.¡± -¡­ Pardon? With a gesture from Ruel, Cassion ended themunication. ¡°Who should we contact next?¡± ¡°Ken.¡± Ruel inhaled breath and stroked Leo¡¯s stomach, who had just fallen asleep. * * * On a dark night with the full moon rising, a carriage adorned with the crest of the Prios family came to a stop in front of the Lumina Family mansion. The rain drizzled down, and the head of the Prios family, Ken, holding an umbre, was followed by two attendants donning flipped cloaks. ¡°Wee. I came out because I was worried about the rain,¡± Corrence greeted them at the front gate. ¡°Thank you for the escort. Has His Highness Adoris arrived?¡± Ken asked. ncing behind him, Corrence quickly replied, ¡°He has already arrived.¡± ¡°We should hurry, then.¡± The group swiftly moved forward. * * * Corrence and Ken stopped in front of a room, their gaze fixed on a young boy. ¡°I¡¯ve never been here, you¡¯ll have to keep that in mind.¡± Ruel said, removing his cloak, his gaze lingering on Corrence. Ken answered with a smile, and Corrence, slightly taken aback by Ruel¡¯s scrutinizing gaze, replied hesitantly, ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel handed over the cloak to Cassion, received his cane, and entered the room. Adoris watched Ruel approach with a sidelong nce. ¡°Your Highness, please forgive my impoliteness.¡± Contrary to his words of apology, a smile spread across Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°Are you now unwilling to even feign expressions?¡± Adoris chuckled as if finding it absurd. ¡ªAmazing! Every room is different! As soon as they entered the room, Leo darted off, while Ruel strolled leisurely. Through Cassion, Ruel was informed that no suspicious individuals were following them. ¡°Since Your Highness set the stagest time, allow me to make it today,¡± Ruel said, even without Adoris¡¯s permission, as he took a seat and inhaled Breath. After taking a look at Leo, who was moving around, he smiled at Adoris, who had a disgruntled face. ¡°Is Your Highness¡¯s request from before still the same?¡± Adoris¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°You know that things have changed since Banios dered his ascension to the throne. Did you call me here to make fun of me?¡± ¡°I will protect His Highness Banios.¡± Ruel¡¯s smile showed arrogance. ¡°As a bonus, I will also help you deal with the Red Ash hidden in the royal family.¡± ¡°What are you up to now?¡± Adoris red at Ruel, unable to believe his ears. Could his reaction be any different from that at the banquet? ¡°I received the hint you furnished me well with,¡± Ruel said, causing Adoris¡¯s eyes to widen. ¡°I am also very grateful for your protection,¡± Ruel reached out his hand to Adoris. Though it was an audacious gesture, Adoris couldn¡¯t me him for it. ¡°I¡¯ve only given you a single clue. How did you know?¡± ¡°I will skip theplicated exnation. After all, Your Highness isn¡¯t interested in that,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°So, are you trying to give me what you presented earlier?¡± Adoris asked. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. But, of course, it won¡¯t be given freely. First, tell me what you would like in return,¡± Ruel said. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adoris held out his hand and clenched his fist. ¡°I believe the reason you entered the Red Ash was rted to my past.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°And the reason you helped me was not due to personal conscience or any other reason, correct?¡± ¡°That, too, is correct.¡± ¡°Regardless of the reason, you¡¯ve helped me, so I will add one more thing. At least this way, I can repay the favor.¡± Ruel waved his outstretched hand. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it for long. My arm hurts.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten to mention what you wanted,¡± Adoris said. ¡°It¡¯s a clich¨¦, but since you insist on hearing it, I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°Please tell me everything you saw five years ago. I¡¯m a little free today.¡± The carriage Ruel was riding in was first sent back to Setiria along with Aris, Noah, and the knights. Officially, Ruel has returned to Setiria. ¡°Ah, have you ever shared a Mana Oath with an enemy before?¡± ¡°There is.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression was slightly crumpled. ¡°It¡¯s not something you need to worry about. The oath I made was to give away one of the royal treasures demanded by the Red Ash when I be king.¡± ¡°Red Ash doesn¡¯t do anything meaningless. Why is there a prerequisite of ¡®if you be king¡¯?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is like in other countries, but only the king is qualified to enter the royal treasure trove.¡± It was a nice thing to hear. ¡®So you¡¯re obsessed with the throne?¡¯ Adoris held Ruel¡¯s hand. A non-binding contract was concluded. ¡°We won¡¯t make oaths that benefit each other. You and I must continue to be enemies, even if it means deceiving the eyes of the Red Ash. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re truly a fearsome person.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ruel looked at Adoris with an innocent face that watched Adoris¡¯ expression crumpled even more. ¡°Seeing how far you¡¯vee with just one hint I gave you, you truly are a frightening individual.¡± ¡ªNo, Ruel is not scary! Ruel is a kind person that humans don¡¯t know about! Leo, who had been circling around, suddenly jumped and yfully growled at Adoris¡¯s feet. Ruel chuckled at the sight. It seemed he was unintentionally mocking Adoris as his brow furrowed even deeper. Ruel had no intention of clearing up that misunderstanding. ¡°It¡¯s a hint you gave me to understand, so shouldn¡¯t I notice it?¡± ¡°First, let me state my position: I have no interest in the throne.¡± ¡°Yes, those are kind words. Then, how about we have a conversation while enjoying some snacks? My mouth feels a bit empty,¡± Ruel suggested, dismissing the topic of the throne as if it were a trivial matter. ¡®He has no interest in the throne?¡¯ Adoris continued to scrutinize Ruel with a subtle expression. Knock. Knock. ¡°This is Cassion.¡± Ruel found Cassion¡¯s voice to be incredibly weing. It was perfect timing. Seeing Adoris¡¯ wary eyes, Ruel leaned back on the sofa and said. ¡°You don¡¯t need to be on guard, he¡¯s my butler. By any chance, does Your Highness enjoy macarons?¡± ¡°I eat them, but not to the extent of seeking it out.¡± Adoris answered with a stern face. Naturally, Ruel was taking the lead in the conversation. It was easy to forget that they were inside the Lumina mansion. The owner of the estate, Corrence, couldn¡¯t even enter. Ruel Setiria had already taken full control of him. At first, Adoris casually mentioned that Ruel was scary, but now that he saw him like this, he truly was a terrifying person. ¡®¡­Could it be that Lord Kuhn has also been won over by Ruel Setiria?¡¯ ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. I keep my promises. I have even exchanged an oath with His Highness Banios not to betray each other.¡± Only then did Adoris rx a little and take a deep breath. ¡°Do you perhaps have your sights set on the throne?¡± Adoris asked. ¡°Why would I have my sights set on the throne?¡± Ruel countered, leaving Adoris speechless. ¡°I am satisfied with Setiria. Anything more than that would honestly be too much.¡± It was aughable remark. Based on what he had seen of Ruel so far, he was someone who could aim for more. When he said that he had made an oath with Banios, Adoris decided to believe him and did not mention anything more. ¡°Your Highness, may I bring my servant inside for now?¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Adoris granted permission. Only after receiving Adoris¡¯s approval did Ruel bring Cassion inside. The tray was filled not only with macarons but also with savory meat pies, cookies, and apple tea. ¡ªThis body likes apple tea! This body likes sweet things too! Leo immediately ran to Cassion and circled around him. ¡ªThis body¡­ Hup! This body can¡¯t eat right now. This body cannot eat¡­ Ruel. Leo¡¯s tail, which had been gently moving, stopped. Leo stood in ce and looked up at Ruel. This was not something Ruel himself could do anything about. Initially, he told Cassion to be quiet, but it was Leo who insisted on following him. ¡ªNo. This body can endure. Cassion bowed and went outside. Surprisingly, he closed the door slowly. ¡®He¡¯s taking care of Leo more than I thought.¡¯ However, to his disappointment, Leo didn¡¯t go outside. He stayed there, looking at Ruel while drooling. ¡°Please have some,¡± Ruel rmended the snacks to Adoris. Adoris picked up a fork but hesitated. Seeing this, Ruel grabbed a piece of the meat pie with a hand and took a bite. Crunch. As expected, it felt good to have something to know on. It was only then that Adoris¡¯s hand started moving. ¡°I¡¯m ready to listen. Please tell me now.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯ll let you know,¡± Adoris slowly spoke, his expression cautious, as if opening a tightly sealed box.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 107: 5 years ago, that accident (2) Chapter 107: 5 years ago, that ident (2) *** ¡®Where did you go, brother?¡¯ Adoris got off his horse and wandered around the forest for some time. The trees were thick, making it difficult to sense the direction he was walking. Adoris couldn¡¯t help but be suspicious of Brother Huan¡¯s behavior these days and had followed him as he watched him sneak out of the castle. ¡°Dad¡­!¡± Suddenly there was a mournful scream from a child. Adoris followed the sound in rm. Coming across the scene he held his breath. Two carriages were stopped on the road with armed soldiers surrounded about five people. ¡®¡­!¡¯ Adoris¡¯ eyes, watching the scene, grewrger in shock. The man was stabbed in the stomach by the soldier¡¯s sword. It happened to be Huan who stood unmoving looking at the man on the ground with the sword inserted into his abdomen. Thump. Thump. His heart beat hard. The person stabbed by the sword was someone he recognized. ¡°¡­ Cough! Run away, Ruel! Irian! Hurry, quickly!¡± When he heard the man¡¯s voice, it became more clear who he was. He was the patriarch of Setiria. Adoris couldn¡¯t think of anything anymore. The soldiers were aiming for the child who was closely following the Lord. ¡®That kid is Ruel Setiria¡­¡¯ He had to save a child at least. Adoris ran back to the direction he came from and whistled loudly. Whistle! Soon, the sound of hooves could be heard. He pressed his hood down, attached to his cloak, further over his face and mounted his horse. ¡°Giddy up!¡± His heart was racing. He had to hurry. ¡°Someone¡¯sing!¡± One of the soldiers shouted, but Adoris had no intention of stopping. When he was close to grabbing Ruel a man jumped on the back of his horse slinging Ruel into his own arms. The smell of blood quickly enveloped him. How badly injured was the man? Adoris slightly turned his head back, only to see the man holding the child tightly in his arms. ¡°Keep running!¡± the man shouted. ¡°How dare you! Chase them immediately! Chase and kill them!¡± Huan screamed, pointing his finger. Whoosh! Perhaps there was a mage among the soldiers, as a massive fireball formed above one of the soldiers¡¯ hands. ¡°I¡¯ll stop them. Benefactor, please look ahead.¡± The man held Ruel tightly and moved his finger as if he had written something in the air creating a shield. Kwaang! The fireball and shield collided, making his eardrums ring. Adoris almost lost the reins for a moment, but managed to catch it and turn toward the vige. ¡°This person, Cough! This is Ruel Setiria.¡± The sound of blood vomiting was heard from behind. When he saw the man a little while ago, he could see at a nce that his injuries were serious. ¡°Do you need any treatment?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m fine.¡± The man seemed to know he had no chance. ¡°¡­ Thank you for your help.¡± Adoris heard the child¡¯s voice soaked in tears. Adoris bit his lips. He could not bear to say that the person who killed the child¡¯s father was his older brother. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think it¡¯s better for the benefactor to get off here and hide himself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take him with me.¡± It was uncertain whether the man could make it to the vige on foot. Adoris spoke again, ¡°It will be safe to go to the vige. There, we can seek assistance from the soldiers.¡± Even if he was his elder brother, he wouldn¡¯t be able to bring the soldiers into the vige and openly kill the man. Adoris wanted to ask the man what had happened in the vige before. Thud. Thud. The sound of the horse¡¯s hooves that followed were bing louder and louder. His heart beat hard again. ¡°Giddy up!¡± Adoris sped up more. How long did he run from their pursuit? The horse¡¯s breathing became rough and the speed was gradually slowing down. ¡°I can see the vige.¡± It was Hian Vige. ¡°Benefactor.¡± He heard the voice of the man sounding weaker than before. ¡°Truly, cough. I apologize for this request, but if I were to die, I entrust you with him. Please take him to Setiria, just until there.¡± ¡°Irian, no, no. Dad¡¯s dead, Kin¡¯s dead, everyone¡¯s dead.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Adoris, hearing Ruel¡¯s sorrowful voice, spoke without realizing it and quickly shut his mouth. ¡°Get down!¡± Irian pressed Adoris¡¯ head. Boom! A huge thing flew over his head. Looking out of the corner of his eyes, it was a purple lightning bolt. Puk! ¡°Hiyyiiing!¡± There was a sound of something being pierced through, and the horse reared back. They fell to the ground off of horseback, and the horse was hit by numerous arrows. ¡®¡­shit.¡¯ As soon as Adoris got up, he located the child. He caught Ruel, who staggered to his feet, when a stonerger than a fist struck his chest. ¡°¡­keug!¡± Adoris threw himself and caught Ruel, who was falling. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Irian shouted at Ruel. Blood trickled down from Ruel¡¯s mouth. It wasn¡¯t good. p. p. p. The sound of someone pping echoed from somewhere. ¡°Thank you, Prince Adoris.¡± A figure wrapped in a red cloak walked towards them from where the magic had flown. More soldiers followed behind him than before. ¡°You¡¯re holding thest Setiria.¡± Irian looked at Adoris with astonishment. An intense anger shed across his face, as if he thought Adoris had betrayed him. ¡°¡­Red Ash.¡± Adoris bit his lips. He was a suspicious person who had approached him by saying that he was giving him the throne. ¡®Did you hold hands with them?¡¯ ¡°Now that you have captured thest Setiria, I will give you the throne as I promised before.¡± The old man in the red cloak smiled satisfactorily and spoke out. Irian immediately drew a dagger and aimed it at Adoris. A small whisper followed. ¡°Did you join hands with them?¡± Adoris shook his head quietly. ¡°Listen to me carefully. Absolutely, cough¡­ You must never hand over Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°If he dies, this country, and even this world, will be in danger.¡± Adoris couldn¡¯t understand what the man was saying. Adoris put all his attention on the cold metal that touched his neck. Irian moved back slowly. Additionally, Adoris followed him. ¡°Betray me to the enemy. Then, perhaps, you can have your freedom.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± ¡°I am a guardian of Setiria. The enemy will agree to the deal, so please¡­ please.¡± Irian had no intention of killing himself. He really wanted to protect Ruel. ¡°Your Highness, please¡­ Please save Ruel-nim.¡± His earnestness was felt through the sword pointed at his neck. Adoris looked around. Nearly hundreds of people were pointing their arrows at Irian. There was no way for both Irian and Ruel to survive. And the unfortunate reality was that Adoris himself was in no different of a situation. Huan, too, was a member of the Red Ash, just like the others. He must have seen through Adoris¡¯s intentions. Could a greedy person like Huan really leave him alone? Adoris knew he had to consider his own survival as well. There was little time for deliberation. Adoris grabbed Ruel by the neck and shouted to Irian, who was pointing his sword at him. ¡°Let me go now! Before I break this child¡¯s neck!¡± Then, he yelled at Red Ash, who was observing the scene, ¡°If you truly want to make me a king, protect me!¡± Adoris shouted louder. ¡°This is the guardian of Setiria!¡± Adoris hugged the child in his arms. It was so miserable that he had to rely on the child and maintain his life by selling others¡¯ lives. ¡°¡­Thank you.¡± With those words, Irian finally withdrew the dagger he had aimed at Adoris¡¯s neck and stepped back obediently. ¡°Please save him.¡± His words were not meant to be shown to Red Ash, but to be sincere. ¡°Shoot it.¡± The old man¡¯s words could be heard through the sound of flying arrows that descended. Plop. Adoris felt his heart sink. He heard the sound of a body copsing behind him. ¡®Endure it, hold on,¡¯ Adoris told himself silently, never taking his eyes off Red Ash. The sword and arrows were aimed at the ground, not at him. It meant they had no intention to attack. Adoris calmly spoke up, ¡°I appreciate your rescue, but I cannot give you this child.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± ¡°Setiria is the guardian of this kingdom. Didn¡¯t you promise to make me a king?¡± His hands trembled, but he held the child even tighter. The warmth of the child¡¯s body reminded him that this was the reality. ¡°I will be the one to kill this child. I will kill him on the day I be king. I will bring Setiria down with my own hands. Isn¡¯t that what you desire?¡± There must be a reason why he approached himself even though they had Huan who would seed to the next throne. Adoris believed in his assumption and acted proudly. ¡°I gave you permission to kill the guardian. That would have met my qualifications.¡± The corner of the old man¡¯s mouth went high. ¡°Yes, thanks to that, my men could easily kill the guardian without getting hurt. They¡¯re very persistent. It was disgusting every time I saw their tenacity.¡± The old man walked over and stepped on Irian¡¯s head. ¡°Why?¡± Soon there was a kick. ¡°Why!¡± Crack. With the sound of something breaking, the blood Irian shed gradually spread. ¡°Why! How dare they sniff around and interfere with everything we do like dogs! Haa¡­¡± The old man caught his breath and looked at Adoris. ¡°I was so annoyed that I couldn¡¯t stand it. Thank you, Your Highness.¡± He wiped the blood on his feet roughly on the floor, as if it were dirty, and smiled. He got goosebumps, but Adoris took it calmly without being exposed. ¡°Well, one thing. Please allow only one device to be used on the child.¡± ¡°I give you permission.¡± He doesn¡¯t know what the Red Ash will do to Ruel, he knows what he¡¯s doing, but he handed Ruel over to the Red Ash. To protect himself. To protect this kingdom from Huan.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 108: 5 years ago, that accident (3) Chapter 108: 5 years ago, that ident (3) *** ¡°¡­ After I found out that my brother was Red Ash, I realized that the Royal Family had fallen into their hands.¡± Adoris opened his closed eyes. ¡°I make no excuses, there was nothing I could have done there as a prince, I had to turn into Red Ash to protect myself.¡± ¡°Did that executive mark me at that time?¡± ¡°I saw he put something in your body. It was very ominous, very scary.¡± After speaking, Adoris slowly squeezed a ss and sipped the tea. He faced Ruel¡¯s eyes without the slightest wavering. The child who was small enough to be held in his arms was already this big. Adoris smiled lightly. ¡°I regret it. I didn¡¯t prepare at all, as if I went on a pic. I should of suspected my brother more. I regret everything.¡± Crunch. There was a sound of biting down on the meat pie. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you heard from Banios, but I almost died that day by my brother. It was Red Ash that saved me.¡± ¡®It wasn¡¯t Huan or Diagos who ced the mark.¡¯ ¡°I needed strength, the strength to protect me. My brother, and the strength to protect this country.¡± The ss held by Adoris shook wildly. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Yes, that strength is all false. It¡¯s not your strength, but the strength of the Red Ash.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Adoris replied with a bitter smile. Then, with a shadowy and dark expression, he continued. ¡°It seems like my situation, or rather the situation within the Red Ash, has changed. They are breaking their silence and starting to move.¡± ¡°Is it because of my injury?¡± ¡°No, it seems they have found another way to break the seal without killing you.¡± ¡°¡­Is it ck water?¡± Ruel mentioned what immediately came to mind. Instead of answering, Adoris simply smiled. It was a gesture of affirmation. ¡®Damn you guys¡­¡¯ It was indeed the ck water. The ck water. Suppressing his rising anger, Ruel asked, ¡°Is breaking the seal what they¡¯re talking about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know that, I¡¯ve been in Red Ash for quite some time, but they¡¯re drawing a clear line. I have to catch those who were Red Ash from the beginning.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you know them?¡± ¡°I only know some of them.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s fine. Please let me know.¡± Ruel had the shadows to utilize. Adoris carefully opened his mouth as he fiddled with the tea. ¡°Perhaps you¡­ did you know that there was a guardian?¡± ¡®Are you talking about the people who protected me?¡¯ Ruel shook his head. ¡°I have no memories of my childhood.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Adoris¡¯s head bowed a little. As it wasn¡¯t an experience he went through, Ruel felt a little awkward. ¡°It¡¯s Irian.¡± ¡®Irian?¡¯ It was the first time he heard the name, but it wasn¡¯t unfamiliar. His heart trembled uncontrobly, just like when he had seen Trino Setiria¡¯s handwriting. ¡°The name of the guardian who protected you until the end is Irian.¡± ¡°Do you happen to know where they might be now?¡± Adoris shook his head. ¡°Even if I don¡¯t, please at least remember the name Irian.¡± ¡°Yes, I will remember.¡± The tea had cooled down to the perfect temperature. Ruel wet his lips with a sip. ¡°I will continue to attack you as I¡¯ve been.¡± ¡°Yes, as you should. I will do my best to survive as always.¡± Crunch. ¡°Can you control the ck-blooded man?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have the authority to do it.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been affiliated with them for five years, yet they treat you so poorly. How is your rtionship sustained?¡± Adoris smiled. ¡°The Great One is a god to them.¡± ¡°Do you mean that bastard?¡± Ruel frowned as if he was disgusted. ¡°Which side would be more convenient for you to receive information from, Kuhn or Lumina?¡± ¡°Please send it to Prios.¡± ¡°¡­You¡¯ve reached that point, huh?¡± Adoris¡¯ughter disappeared for a moment. Three families had already fallen into Ruel¡¯s hands. ¡°I have my own reason, don¡¯t I?¡± Crunch. ¡°Speaking of which, let me ask you a question. ¡°When, how much, and how can I help you?¡± Adoris was suddenly called, but he was here in response to his call. It was also evidence that Adoris¡¯ situation was urgent. Perhaps Huan¡¯s strength has grown from the Red Ash. Adorisughed at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°Two months is too long. Is there no better way to gather the ministers? If not, then create one for me. After all, you possess that level of power, don¡¯t you?¡± Ruel finished his speech and inhaled Breath. He noticed Leo sitting quietly, staring at macarons the whole time. Ruel continued his words, pretending not to notice. ¡°I will contact Prince Huan. In any case, since Your Highness has been with him for a long time, I think Your Highness knows very well what His Highness Huan likes and what his personality is like.¡± A way to contact Diagos Shio had already been secured. Serti Shio. He was going to make contact through her. ¡°Your Highness, please set the stage. I n to be the main character.¡± The enemy will move to kill Ruel as usual. He was a bait. Bait to chase himself so that the enemy could naturally go on stage without any doubt. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth and cing his hands together. Since he has be the star of the stage, shouldn¡¯t he have fun ying? *** ¡°Ken.¡± As soon as Ruel got into the carriage, he saw Ken. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°From today you will concentrate on identifying the Red Ash hidden in the Prios.¡± The same has already been said to Corrence. The Red Ash hidden in the remaining five families had to be disposed of along with the Red Ash hidden in the Royal Family. ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°It must have been sudden, but thank you for helping me.¡± Ruel showed a faint smile. ¡°No, it was not. I couldn¡¯t thank you enough. Did you get what you wanted?¡± ¡°I got it because of you.¡± Having inhaled Breath, Ruel looked at Ken, full of loyalty. ¡°If there was a way for you to be a direct descendant, would you listen?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°I found a way to be a direct descendant.¡± Ken didn¡¯t say anything. It must have been too shocking. Ruel told Ken how to be a direct descendant, that he had learned from Banios. Ken said nothing after hearing everything with only his tears wet his thighs. Ruel turned to the carriage window as if he had seen nothing. *** ¡ªThis body today. Bzzzz. ¡ªIt was very sad. Bzzzz. Leo must have been very sad about not having a snack, so as soon as he got home, he hung on Cassion¡¯s leg and cried out for a snack. Even now, while he was still talking, he ate a snack, cried again, and then ate another snack. ¡°Just do one thing.¡± Leo tilted his head as if he was contemting what to do with Ruel¡¯s words, and then stuck his face into his food bowl. Ruel opened his mouth after inhaling Breath. ¡°Cassion, cough, let go of what happened five years ago.¡± The whole story was told by Adoris. There was no need to investigate now. ¡°Your ears are sharp, so you must have heard everything, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I heard it all. The one who marked you is a high-ranking member of the Red Ash. It¡¯s a pity that we can¡¯t do anything about it right now.¡± ¡°Anyway, a person called an executive will reveal themselves if we kill several people below him.¡± Ruel was relieved as soon as he found out that the man who marked him was an executive. It will take some time to find an executive in the ranks. In truth, Ruel had been caught by Leo all along. When the mark disappears, Leo¡¯s food disappears. No matter how hard he thought about what to do after that, he couldn¡¯t find an answer. ¡°¡­Have you forgiven Prince Adoris?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was discreet. Ruel smiled. ¡°Forgiveness isn¡¯t really important. I held his hand because I had a reason to hold it, that¡¯s all.¡± Feeling like his words werecking, Ruel crossed his legs and gently swung one of them before continuing. ¡°And I¡¯m not as lenient as one might think. When something is done to me, I must repay it even more.¡± It was the Huan and Shio family who killed Trino Setiria. But this was not revenge. Whatever the reason, by taking Ruel Setiria¡¯s body, he was merely repaying his debt to him. He has a reason to be sad. There¡¯s also a reason to be angry. But he felt nothing. Cassion observed Ruel¡¯s expression and bowed his head. ¡°Take a rest for now.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°There won¡¯t be any shooting stars tonight, so please refrain from going outside.¡± ¡°I saw earlier that the sky was covered by clouds. There¡¯s no point in going out if there¡¯s nothing to see.¡± ¡°Well, then.¡± Cassion went outside today without turning off the lights. ¡ªCassion forgot to put out the lights. This body will turn it off. Leo approached the lights while eating. ¡°No, turn it off when I fall asleep.¡± ¡ªI understand. Then this body will eat and leave. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel closed his eyes. ¡®Irian.¡¯ And he repeated the name of his guardian. *** ¡°Irian!¡± A young voice came out of his mouth. ¡®¡­What is it?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t something he said himself. It just came out of his mouth randomly. He was holding hands with someone. His hands were so small that he looked like five or six years old. ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim.¡± Irian¡¯s face was not properly visible, as if covered by fog, but he seemed to smile warmly at himself. ¡®Ruel? ¡®Is this Ruel¡¯s memory?¡¯ It felt really weird like a lucid dream. ¡°Are you going to see the king?¡± ¡®King?¡¯ Is he referring to the king that the unidentified woman mentioned? ¡°Yes, he called for you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°The king. Is he this big?¡± He drew a circle with his small hand. ¡°Yes, he is extremelyrge and beautiful.¡± ¡°Hehehe. The king. He¡¯s this big.¡± The child¡¯s brightughter continued to flow through his mouth. To meet the king, the two of them passed through the beautiful forest they had seen in a fairy tale, and went through another forest. Finally, they stopped walking. ¡°Wow! It¡¯s so big!¡± A big hand reached out to the child. The hands were very beautiful in scales, as if they had all sorts of jewels in them. ¡®¡­What is this?¡¯ The scales were all too familiar. ¡®The first time I purified a ck-blooded man, I saw him in my dream.¡¯ ¡°Come see me again.¡± Those words were still vivid in Ruel¡¯s mind. Like Irian, the being called the king was not seen except for his hands. ¡®¡­?¡¯ When the king¡¯s hand touched his head, the surroundingndscape turned white. It was likeing to a different ce. Ruel looked at his hand. ¡®¡­It¡¯s not young Ruel, it¡¯s back to my current body.¡¯ -You are not the same child I saw before. The king¡¯s voice was so sad. -Also¡­ Ruel couldn¡¯t hear the rest of his words. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ Arge hand stroked him very carefully. -I have been waiting for you. Don¡¯t give up. Don¡¯t easily let go of that fragile life of yours. ¡®What are you talking about?¡¯ No voice, no words, came out. Huh? At that moment, Ruel turned his head to the strong sense of death behind him. Crack. He heard something cracking. The once bright world was stained ck, and the Great Man was looking at him through a small crack. ¡®¡­ The Great Man.¡¯ -Did you survive again, Ruel Setiria? A creepy smile yed on his lips. -Wait. Bloody eyes stared at him. -Now my time hase. Before the gap closed, he pointed his finger at himself. He could see the chest he was pointing at gradually turning ck. It was very ominous and very scary. ¡®This¡­ mark?¡¯ At that moment, the world turned white again, and he felt something pulling him once more.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 109: To firmly brace Chapter 109: To firmly brace ¡°¡­ Ruel-nim! Are you okay!¡± ¡°Huh¡­ !¡± Ruel panting and opened his eyes. ¡°Breathe slowly.¡± While listening to Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel inhaled Breath. As Ruel¡¯ breathing gradually returned, he saw Fran and Tierra who were greatly relieved. ¡®¡­ Why is she here?¡¯ She checked Ruel¡¯s eyes by shining a light on him, checked his pulse, and went through various checks. ¡°Everything is fine. But just in case, I¡¯ll give you a tranquilizer.¡± Fran held out her hand and Tierra quickly filled the syringe with medicine. ¡°¡­ what¡¯s the matter?¡± Ruel btedly opened his mouth. His body felt strangely heavy. He asked as Cassion frowned at him. ¡°You had a pretty bad seizure.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± Is it because of a dream? Or maybe it was because he met the Great Man. ¡°You must be sleepy. Don¡¯t resist it and sleep.¡± Fran smiled and told him not to worry. As soon as the tranquilizer was injected, his arm became hot. Soon, the drowsiness came in like a wave, and his eyes closed on their own. *** Ruel opened his eyes again. Swish. With the sound of the curtain being lifted, sunlight poured onto his face. ¡ªAh! This body is awake! Along with Leo¡¯s voice, Ruel felt the soft fur on his face. Then, the spirits started to stick to his face. ¡ªCassion kicked me out of bed all of a sudden. This body is angry! It seemed like Cassion had kicked Leo out because of his seizures. ¡ªBut this body is the Great Purifier. This body waited for Cassion to open the door and sneaked in! Ahem! Leo extended his short legs gracefully and raised his snout in a haughty manner. On top of him, the spirits hopped around energetically. It was a strangely fittingbination. Leo received Ruel¡¯s touch and soon curled up into Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡ªYawn, this body feels a bit sleepy from waiting for Cassion to open the door, Leo murmured. ¡°Okay, get some sleep.¡± After stroking Leo¡¯s head a few times, he immediately heard a snoring sound. Ruel inhaled Breath and then called Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± As Cassion revealed himself, he immediately spoke up. ¡°Are you alright? I was a bit startled this time. Fran too¡­¡± ¡°I met the Great Man.¡± A long sigh was heard from Cassion. Ruel found it difficult to exin to him how he met the Great Man. ¡®In my dream, I suddenly changed to a different ce. Or is it all a dream¡­ ¡¯ Ruel bit his lip slightly. ¡°Fran mentioned that the seizure you experienced this time doesn¡¯t seem to be due to an illness. Did he do something to you?¡± ¡°I think he probably touched the mark.¡± ¡°Fran briefly visited during dawn, but there was no mention of anything significant. We¡¯ll see.¡± Ruel frowned and grabbed his head. ¡®Is it really all a dream?¡¯ -Wait. Now my time hase. ¡®No, it can¡¯t be a dream. The voice is still so vivid.¡¯ Ruel grabbed his hair tightly. ¡°My situation, no, things have changed in the Red Ash, they are trying to break the silence and move.¡± The change in the situation of the Red Ash that Adoris had mentioned and the words of the Great Man were usible. We need to know whose shell the Great Man was wearing. Ruel inhaled Breath and told Cassion of what he saw in his dream. ¡°I also met the King.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The being with beautiful scales was the king. ¡°I think we met when I was young, but honestly, I don¡¯t remember.¡± -You are not the same child I saw before. The king recognized that he was not Ruel Setiria. Is that possible? -Also. ¡®What were you going to say after that?¡¯ His head was throbbing and he frowned. ¡°Are you in pain?¡± Cassion asked, concerned. Ruel shook his head in response to Cassion¡¯s question. Ruel felt more annoyance than pain. He met the king, but he could not remember where it was. ¡°Ruel, you¡¯re like an¡­ onion. Is there nothing left? For example, if you were to say that you¡¯re not a being of this world, I think I could believe it now.¡± Cassion¡¯s sudden words made Ruel calm his pounding heart for a moment. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, but have you heard from Ken?¡± Adoris decided to pass on information about ministers connected to the Red Ash through Ken. ¡°Not yet. Instead, a letter came from the Shio family.¡± It seemed like news of Rie Kuhn meeting Ruel had reached them. ¡°Hand it to me.¡± Cassion took a letter out of his pocket, and ced it in Ruel¡¯s palm. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruel burst outughing. It was a letter filled with all kinds of rhetoric, but in summary, it was a scolding asking, ¡®Why would you leave his daughter behind to meet someone else?¡¯ ¡®What an amusing person.¡¯ Cassion was already taking out a small desk. ¡°No, never mind. I¡¯ll send a leisurely reply.¡± If he¡¯s that anxious, he should meet him. Of course, when you¡¯re anxious. A suspicious smile appeared on Ruel¡¯s face. Cassion flinched as he put the desk back. ¡°Where are you going again?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ve been thinking about how to separate the two who are on good terms.¡± ¡°You mean Huan and Diagos?¡± ¡°Yes, they are the ones who did the same thing anyway, so they have each other¡¯s weaknesses in their hands, like Diagos and his guild Prostone.¡± Ruel smiled pleasantly. ¡°If I just throw a spark, wouldn¡¯t it burn on its own?¡± Of course, the hard part was obtaining that spark. The first thing he had to do was meet Huan, but he had work to do before that. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s eat first.¡± Ruel doesn¡¯t know what time it was, but it was just around the time he was feeling peckish. *** ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m here.¡± Tyson stopped what he was doing and immediately weed Ruel. ¡°I thought you were here because the surroundings were noisy.¡± ¡°I tried toe in quietly, but I was caught by Drianna.¡± As soon as Ruel came down to the basement where the magic knights resided, he ran into Drianna. Soon, magic knights came rushing out at the sound of her voice, and Ruel was quickly surrounded by them. They chased him to Tyson¡¯s room causing him some trouble. Tyson chuckled. ¡°Everyone likes you, so don¡¯t be too cold.¡± ¡°Yes, I understand.¡± Ruel answered calmly. They would be pleased to know that the research funding support has increased. ¡°Ru, Ruel-nim! Sorry! I greet you, Ruel-nim!¡± A person sitting in the corner suddenly eximed, and it turned out to be Aris. He hastily bowed to Ruel, his face filled with surprise. ¡°Are you doing research together?¡± Ruel asked, pointing to Aris. Aris shook his head. ¡°No. I just came to ask a quick question.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, do you have a moment? Is uncle free too?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine. Is there anything I can help you with?¡± Aris asked with a confused look on his face. Ruel shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± ¡°Dear nephew, even if I don¡¯t have time, I would make some.¡± Tyson smiled brightly. ¡°After today¡¯s meeting, I would like you to lend me an entire day. Aris, you too.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Aris answered nervously. What did he even call Tyson? ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then uncle, please exin each step of the process.¡± The first thing that had to be built was a defense mechanism. As Setiria was the gatekeeper, he was the first to face the enemy. The Tonisk Empire is quiet now, but he didn¡¯t know when or what would happen. Ruel¡¯s face brightened as Tyson¡¯s expression became enthusiastic. ¡°The defense mechanism can now be attached to each vige after a final confirmation.¡± ¡°Will Cassion do the final verification?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡®It would be worth seeing.¡¯ He might have to grab a bunch of pies and have a look. ¡°I think the warp device, in its current state, will be able to give us good news in two months. and¡­¡± Tyson was silent for a moment. He expressed everything unsaid with his facial expressions instead of words. ¡°ck water has nothing to do with it yet. I confirmed that the decay of ck water briefly subsided with your mana, but the research was dyed for a while because I couldn¡¯t confirm whether ck water only works on humans.¡± Tyson must be anxious because he heard from Ruel that ck-blooded men do not die. It was not clear whether ck water would respond simrly to animals like humans, so it seemed that they could not even experiment hastily. Ruel soon realized his mistake. ¡°Today is difficult, and I will help you tomorrow. I¡¯m going to bring Leo too. Please check then.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No. I should have checked that fact first.¡± Ruel should have expected that Tyson wouldn¡¯t even be able to speak up for himself. It was a waste of time. Ruel inhaled Breath and checked the clock in Tyson¡¯s room. The meeting time hase to an end. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ll see youter. Aris, you too.¡± *** During the meeting held a week ago, Ruel couldn¡¯t attend due to an injury. However, they had given orders to each nobles to build a new wall, and distribute the already provided weapons and armor to the soldiers. Additionally, they didn¡¯t forget to issue various minormands, such as maintenance of dams in each vige and particrly emphasizing repairs to the gates in the Sisel Vige. ¡°Report each situation.¡± He had already heard the reports on the situation in each vige from Dion. However, the information given from the nobles could differ from what was presented. Therefore, Ruel listened attentively, eager to catch any discrepancies. ¡®¡­ Nothing much has changed.¡¯ There were some minor adjustments due to the cleaning of back alleys, but it was as Dion had informed them. Ruel looked at each noble one by one and asked, ¡°Double-check if the preparations for winter are properly done.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry. I will check again.¡± Minart was thest to answer. He cautiously opened his mouth, looked at Ruel. ¡°In a few months, won¡¯t it be time for youring-of-age ceremony, Lord Ruel?¡± Ruel immediately noticed the way he spoke while paying close attention. He was nning to bring up the topic of marriage again. ¡°I¡¯ll dismiss it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s firm words, the other nobles, excluding Minart, looked at Ruel as if the world had copsed. ¡°From now on, you are prohibited from mentioning matters rted to me in future meetings, do you understand?¡± ¡°Th-then when should we inquire about your well-being?¡± ¡°Contact me directly. I will ept it any time.¡± Well. The nobles had a regretful look on their faces and quietly lowered their heads. ¡°I have one more thing to tell you.¡± Ruel mentioned Gors and the back alleys. This was something the nobles needed to know. ¡°¡­So we¡¯re going to create a new vige on the vacantnd, and I hope you all help as much as possible.¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯ll definitely help, without a doubt.¡± ¡°It¡¯s your task, Lord Ruel, so we¡¯ll assist.¡± One after another, they expressed their willingness to help, leaving Ruel slightly surprised. He had expected some opposition. After all, back alleys were generally avoided and considered dirty by the general public. ¡®What¡¯s this? Shouldn¡¯t there be opposition or someone trying to maintain neutrality?¡¯ While marriage was a significant matter, it seemed much less confrontational than when the topic hade up before. ¡®The other day, they exined how important marriage was to the point where his blood ran cold in his veins at the topic.¡¯ Ruel looked at the nobles with a puzzled expression.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 110: To firmly brace (2) Chapter 110: To firmly brace (2) *** Setiria was Ruel¡¯s own territory. This time he wanted to take a closer look around. He wanted to know what delicacies each vige had, what beauty it possessed, and the expressions on people¡¯s faces. He also wanted to identify any shorings or geographical features that could be weaknesses, contrary to the reports. However, it was winter now, and with the things that needed to be done immediately in addition to the opposition of Cassion and Billo, he had no choice but to postpone the schedule. ¡°Aren¡¯t you feeling cold?¡± Ruel looked at the blue mes floating around his body as Tyson continued to question him. There was no time to be cold. ¡°Yes, I feel warm thanks to my uncle.¡± ¡ªAke full of stars! Can this body really swim? Leo couldn¡¯t contain his excitement as he gazed at thergeke. Ruel nodded his head. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll have to break the ice a bit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do it!¡± Aris created a me right out of his hand. ¡ªThis body wants to do this too! Nevertheless, Ruel wanted to take some time to go out, even if only for a little while. He wanted to cool his head and try fishing for the first time. In the middle of the night, Lake Prina was more beautiful than theke in the town of Dotol in Cyronian. The Milky Way waspletely embedded in the water, and the quiet breeze was pleasant. ¡°Aren¡¯t your hands cold? I¡¯ll give you gloves.¡± Cassion took out a pair of pure white gloves from his pocket. ¡°It¡¯s okay, fishing is just fun.¡± ¡°I put the bait on the hook.¡± Cassion spoke pointedly. ¡®How condescending.¡¯ Ruel frowned slightly. What else can he do if the bait is disgusting? ¡°I¡¯ll be the one catching. Don¡¯t just stand there uncle, sit down. Cough.¡± The fishing rod Tyson was holding shook violently at the sound of coughing. ¡°Don¡¯t overreact. I¡¯ve changed my medication recently, so my cough has decreased a lot, and I¡¯m feeling better.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t! You had a fever earlier¡­¡± ¡°Look, there¡¯s a fish swimming over there.¡± Ruel naturally pointed towards theke as they spoke. ¡ªOh! It¡¯s true! Leo wagged his tail and leaped towards the water. Tyson¡¯s face, which had brightened up slightly, stiffened again. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already heard about my condition from Fran?¡± Ruel immediately gestured to the blue mes around them. ¡°It¡¯s really warm.¡± It wasn¡¯t an empty statement; he truly meant it. It was different when he was just stargazing. With this level of warmth, there was no chance of catching a cold. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s a relief.¡± Finally, Tyson shifted his gaze towards theke. ¡°This ce has always been a wonderful ce, whether in the past or now. I don¡¯t know if you remember, but you, me, and my brother used toe here often.¡± Stars glimmered in Tyson¡¯s eyes, filled with nostalgia. Ruel could not sympathize with that faint feeling. Instead he brought up another story. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Now I know when it¡¯s time to rest.¡± A warm smile appeared on Tyson¡¯s face. ¡°Like my uncle said, Setiria was stronger than I thought.¡± ¡°You¡¯re the one who rebuilt it.¡± ¡°So I¡¯m strong.¡± ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m so d.¡± ¡°Sometimes.¡± Ruel smiled and looked at Tyson. ¡°I wish we coulde out together like this more often.¡± Tyson¡¯s fishing rod shook once more. His eyes, which shone like stars, twinkled slightly. It was Ruel¡¯s genuine smile, a smile that he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°My wish is for you to be happy. I hope you have more days when you truly smile like you do now.¡± ¡°Do not worry. I am still happy enough. So, I hope your uncle will forgive himself now.¡± ¡°Thank¡­ you.¡± Ruel stared out at theke while listening to Tyson¡¯s somber voice. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! This body is happy too! ¡®Your ears are sharp.¡¯ After swimming happily in theke, Leo waved his short paw and Ruel also waved his hand. He suddenly felt a vibration in his hand. ¡®Oh!¡¯ His own fishing rod was vibrating with the tremors. It looked different because it was a top quality bait. ¡ªThis body will help you. Theke trembled, and then waves came crashing down. ¡°Wa, wait a minute!¡± The waves stopped in front of Ruel, and Leo, who had caught a fish with the fishing line in its mouth, gently let the fish go. Ruel smiled and patted Leo¡¯s head as his bright eyes begged for praise. ¡ªRuel caught it first thanks to this body. Ahem! ¡°¡­ It¡¯s a foul, isn¡¯t it?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel with a puzzled expression. What kind of fishing is that? ¡°It¡¯s true that I caught it first.¡± Ruel smiled proudly. Don¡¯t you just need to catch anything? *** ¡°Uhm.¡± Ruel opened his eyes with a yawn, and attempted to remove the heat patch on his forehead. He thinks he still has a slight fever. He still hasn¡¯t forgotten the feeling he felt when he caught the fish yesterday. ¡®It was really fun.¡¯ Ruel looked at Leo sleeping next to him and the spirits that had clung to his body. The wounds on the stomach werepletely healed, but there were still a lot of spirits gathered there. ¡®I need to follow the spirits and see where they go when they grow up.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and carefully raised his upper body. He closed his eyes and slowly absorbed natural mana. He encouraged natural mana to move around his body and colored it several times so that it could be his own mana. When the colorless mana turned sky blue, Ruel opened his eyes and hurriedly covered his mouth. ¡®Damn it!¡¯ ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel was startled by Cassion¡¯s voice. He didn¡¯t even hear the door open. ¡°You were in too much of a hurry. Ruel-nim, you need to be especially careful and increase your mana more slowly.¡± Ruel spit blood into the handkerchief that Cassion held out. His mouth was full of the taste of blood. ¡°I was almost done.¡± ¡°There is a limit to the amount of mana you can increase per day. There is no need to be in a hurry.¡± ¡°¡­ know.¡± But contrary to his words, Ruel felt impatient. He has yet to find those with dark attributes and warlocks. The only one he could rely on was himself. ¡°I received the information through Jirie this morning.¡± Ruel wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Cassion handed him the handkerchief again and data. It was data delivered by Adoris to Ken. Ruel spoke first before epting the information. ¡°I¡¯ll exercise a bit before having breakfast. After eating, I¡¯ll go see Uncle. Besides, is there anything else for me to do besides trivial matters?¡± The meeting ended yesterday, and Billo was in charge of the little things. He decided to do it step by step from the situation, but there was no document that appeared today. ¡°For now, there is nothing.¡± ¡°Then tell Fran toe first.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Cassion, what kind of letter is this?¡± Ruel was looking through the documents and waved a letter at the top of the pile. ¡°A letter from Prince Huan has arrived.¡± ¡°It seems quite urgent.¡± If it¡¯s a letter, it should have been sent two days ago. ¡°I received a call while Ruel-nim was sleeping.¡± ¡°Who?¡± ¡°It¡¯s from Prince Banios and the matriarch Rie Kuhn.¡± Ruel rolled his eyes and then started fiddling with his hair. ¡°¡­ I forgot to tell you.¡± Cassion chuckled sarcastically. It was a clear mockery. ¡°You must have forgotten because you were too busy enjoying the fishingst night.¡± ¡°That¡¯s because there¡¯s a lot to do.¡± There was so much work going on that it was quite daunting to tackle it one by one. ¡°I should also carry a notebook with me¡­ No, wait.¡± One corner of Ruel¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°You are very negligent, Cassion. If I forgot, you, as the butler, should have told me. I think Noah is not the only one who will receive education from Billo.¡± When he was pulled down the same standard as Noah, Cassion showed a very deep displeasure. ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you now.¡± Ruel grinned and waved his hand. ¡°Enough of that. Go and call Fran immediately.¡± ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Rustle. The documents in Ruel¡¯s hand swiftly flipped over. Gradually, his smile disappeared. ¡®This is why the Royal Family is covered in Red Ash.¡¯ Half of the so-called high-ranking officials were Red Ash. It was a structure in which a small number of high-ranking ministers controlled the ordinary ministers below them. ¡®The real power lies with the judge, Luruan.¡¯ It seemed like Ben needed help. Isn¡¯t his family the ce that produced the most judges? ¡®Not to mention Luruan¡¯sckey is Cron, another judge.¡¯ Ruel rubbed his fingers and tapped his thigh. ¡®First, we need to investigate, but the one we should target is Cron.¡¯ Knock. Knock. ¡°Pleasee in.¡± Ruel said, covering his papers. As soon as the door opened, Fran rushed in and anxiously examined Ruel¡¯splexion. The slight rosy color that was there before had disappearedpletely. ¡°How is your condition?¡± Tierra was startled and walked up to Fran and poked her waist. ¡°Sister, you should greet first.¡± She seemed to be whispering softly, but it was all heard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I greet my Lord.¡± ¡°Sit.¡± Ruel pointed to the seat. Fran sat down immediately and began her examination. Her face was more tense than usual. Soon she looked at Ruel in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s a bit strange.¡± That didn¡¯t sound good. Fran opened her mouth thoughtfully, moistening her parched lips. ¡°The progress is still slow, but the structure of the disease has changed significantly. I think we might need to change the medicine.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression hardened. ¡®Is it because I met a Great Man?¡¯ ¡°You may experience new symptoms or stronger existing symptoms.¡± Fran looked at Ruel with unwavering eyes. ¡°However, as I told you a little while ago, the progress of the disease is still slow and is improving. There is absolutely no need to be afraid.¡± ¡°I understand, I just trust you.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry.¡± Fran¡¯s voice had power. She couldn¡¯t hide her expression as much as Tyson. ¡°You¡¯ll stay up all night.¡± ¡°I¡¯m pretty strong, so don¡¯t worry. Right now, the one who should be concerned is you, Lord.¡± Fran drew an arc at the corner of her mouth and took out her notebook. As she was examining him and recording it in her notebook, she btedly saw Leo lying back on his bed. ¡°Lord, may I pet him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, once he falls asleep, he sleeps deeply.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Fran, who carefully touched Leo¡¯s fur, was soon struck by his strange charm. ¡°It¡¯s better than I thought, hmmm, Lord. Please do not hide any new symptoms that appear and tell us everything.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Ruel nced at Fran¡¯s hand diligently stroking Leo as he answered. As soon as she caught Ruel¡¯s gaze, she hurriedly got up from her seat and bowed her waist. ¡°Well, as I always say, take care of yourself. Don¡¯t overexert yourself, and always stay warm now that it¡¯s winter.¡± ¡°I know.¡± ¡°Please keep it. By all means.¡± Fran repeated her request and went out. ¡°Did I not keep my promise?¡± Ruel asked Cassion while holding Breath. Instead of answering his question, Cassion looked at him with a stern look on his face. It was as if he was going to kill those who turned out to be Red Ash at any moment. ¡°When I die, the seal that Red Ash wants will be released. This is natural. No, it¡¯s expectation noneless.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t shown any symptoms, and my condition isn¡¯t as severe as it used to be.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim, the Great Man did something to the mark without even touching you¡­ ¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± He knew what Cassion was worried about. ¡°My body has been dying for the past five years. It¡¯s not surprising at all.¡± Ruel stood up from his seat. ¡°The Great Man failed to kill me as a mark in the first ce. I told you this before, right,¡± he said, looking at Cassion with a rxed smile. ¡°I¡¯m not dying.¡± Ruel lightly tapped Cassion on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going for an exercise. I¡¯m looking forward to breakfast today. Oh, and don¡¯t forget to investigate that guy named Luruan. Especially, dig deeper into the second-inmand.¡± Ruel pointed to the documents on the bed, then hugged the yawning fox and went outside. Cassion¡¯s sigh was heard along with the sound of the door closing. ¡®Should I call him a child or an adult? What should I say? You can at least express yourself?¡¯ Cassion opened the window. ¡®¡­ Again.¡¯ Cassion flung himself out before the wind blew his hair. He stepped on the intruder silently as leaves falling to the ground. Cassion¡¯s eyes looking down at them were infinitely cold and sharp. ¡°Tell me which guild you are from.¡± Cassion got to his feet and casually threatened the bastard for his life. The tremor he caused like a seizure was felt through his toes. Assassins have been steadilying to Ruel for a few days now. { Kill Ruel Setiria. } It was a request distributed to all assassin guilds in Leponia. The client was unknown, but the amount proposed is 10 million gold coins. The money was more than enough to inspire a pack of dogs to attack. Cassion had no intention of letting him or the assassin¡¯s guild he belonged to remain alive. It wasn¡¯t Adoris who unleashed the assassin. If we kill them one by one, we will find out whose work it was at some point. It was his job to step forward for the owner who had a lot to do, as he had more to do than the owner. *** Shudder. Chills ran down Aris¡¯s body, causing him to abruptly stop running. ¡®Is it Cassion¡¯s presence?¡¯ It seemed like the enemy hade in again. The defensive barrier installed by Tyson had temporarily stopped functioning at Cassion¡¯s request. ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Have you caught a cold?¡± Ruel asked, panting heavily. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. I just suddenly got chills.¡± ¡°I have had a really bad cold these days. Be careful not to catch it.¡± Ruel frowned because he had already caught a cold. ¡ªCome quickly! This body has alreadye this far! Leo was already half ap ahead and was wagging his tail. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t something been off with the mansion¡¯s barriertely? It seems fainter than before.¡± ¡°Yes, pardon? I don¡¯t know.¡± Aris turned his head and hurriedly moved his feet. Knowing that Aris couldn¡¯t lie in front of him, Ruel inhaled Breath while looking at the sky. The mana was definitely fainter. ¡®It seems like something is happening without my knowledge.¡¯ ¡°My Lord! Just two moreps!¡± Horen screamed at the top of his lungs. After wiping his sweat, Ruel gave Horen his hand and ran again. ¡®The structure of the disease has changed¡­¡¯ Whatever happened, there was no need to worry in advance, because his thoughts were already overflowing with concerns.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 111: To firmly brace (3) Chapter 111: To firmly brace (3) *** After Ruel finished writing the letter to Huan, he admired his handwriting with satisfaction. First of all, the appointment time was set a weekter. ¡°Send it to Huan.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Cassion went out with the letter. ¡°No, Leo.¡± Leo, who was trying to touch his ring, noticed and put down his front paw. ¡ªI was just watching. There is something sparkling on this body too. Leo grabbed the jewelry on his cor, and spoke out as if he were expressing his injustice. ¡°Yeah, just go y with the spirits over there.¡± ¡ªDid you see something white? T/N : Leo means paper. ¡°No, I have someone I need to contact.¡± ¡ªI understand. Leo took a seat next to Ruel and curled up with his body. While Ruel had briefly mentioned it to Rie, he had told Banios to back out of the case concerning five years ago. Banios had been busy since dering his intention to seed the throne. Ruel ate the meat pie and infused mana into his ring. ¡°Your Highness, is it time for us to talk? It may take a bit longer.¡± -Today is fine. I¡¯ve been curious to hear why you told me to stay away from the incident five years ago. The sound of paper being flipped could be heard. -Before that, I have something to tell you first. ¡°Please speak.¡± -The frequency with which the First Brother meets the ministers has increased, and his behavior is unusual. ¡°Yes, I will exin the reason as well.¡± Ruel brought up the incident from five years ago to Banios, and he listened calmly. ¡°¡­So, Your Highness, I hope you continue to maintain a rtionship with both Princes as you have been.¡± -Lord Setiria¡­ Banios called him with a heavy tone. It was a voice he had often heard from Tyson. ¡°You don¡¯t need to finish that sentence. It¡¯s not His Highness¡¯s fault, nor is it something you caused.¡± Banios was silent for a while and then finally opened his mouth. -Did you say that His Majesty had moved? ¡°Yes, I heard it through the head of the Liobenez family. I hope to see His Majesty soon.¡± -I, I thought you were kicked out by Carbena¡­ ¡°Your Highness.¡± -¡­ I will approach my eldest brother, and in such a way carefully so as not to raise suspicion. Huan was trying to attract Banios to take advantage of Adoris¡¯ weakness. -Also, I will check the approaching ministers and bring them to my side. I can¡¯t burden you any more than this. If Banios begins to build up his power, it will be seen externally as a three-way war. The more the sides are divided, the more difficult it will be for the ministers to unite. The more divided and scattered the more disadvantaged were the people on Huan¡¯s side. In fact, it¡¯s not 1:1:1, but 2:1. ¡°Yes, I will assign the Liobenez family to assist you.¡± It was Setiria, Shio, and Liobenez that remained neutral. Since Shio was already a person of Huan, Liobenez had to stick with Banios. ¡®That way, Huan will cling to Setiria even more.¡¯ -I too will pretend to approach you. ¡°Yes, you should. There are many listening ears in the pce, so I will ry His Highness Adoris¡¯ words.¡± -I understand. When youe to the pce¡­ I want you to see it in person. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll see you then.¡± As the story neared its end, Ruel waited for Banios to cut offmunication. -I feel reassured because you are there. The light on the ring disappeared. Ruel inhaled breath and looked at Leo. Leo clung to his arm as soon asmunication was cut off, like a puppy begging to go for a walk. ¡ªAre you going to your uncle now? Is that right? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªThis body also likes uncle. This body is also like magic knights. Leo¡¯s target was not Tyson but the magic knights. How nice it would be to have something delicious given to you every time you visit. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± When Ruel got up, Leo immediately got down on the bed and rubbed his head. Kuro kuru. He looked at himself at the same time as if the spirits spread out in the room were about to move inrge numbers. ¡°Follow me just a little bit.¡± Ruel opened the door and went out. Ttak. As the sound of the cane echoed through the hallway, the servants stopped what they were. They were silent like ghosts and only looked at him. ¡®Woa.¡¯ The spirits were enough to catch up. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, just do what you¡¯re doing.¡± Ruel waved his hand and walked towards where Tyson was. While experimenting with ck water, Ruel rented an entire training room to prepare for any possible danger. Crunch. While eating meat pie, Ruel watched the scene where Tyson created a barrier and Arisplemented it. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°The mansion barrier¡­¡± Before Ruel could finish his words, Tyson¡¯s eyes shook greatly. When Ruel turned his gaze and saw Aris, Aris pretended not to know anything and was only staring at the barrier. He was so bad at hiding it. Ruel lost the will to ask. ¡°I asked Tyson for a favor.¡± Cassion said as he poured the tea. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°This is to ease Ruel-nim¡¯s worries.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not something I need to hear right now, is it?¡± ¡°Yes, I will tell you when it bes more certain.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel also didn¡¯t want to increase the expense of the things he had to worry about anymore. He blew his tea and looked at Tyson and Aris. He could see how relieved they were. ¡®It¡¯s the same, it¡¯s the same.¡¯ Ruel turned his gaze to the center of the training ground. There was a ss box in the center that held a rat inside it. ¡°Why is the rat there?¡± Leo followed Ruel¡¯s gaze and widened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m going to feed the rats ck water to find a way to deal with it.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes looked lost. Ruel didn¡¯t want to bring him in, but Leo was a great purifier. ¡ªIs, is this action absolutely necessary? If you feed it to rats, they get sick. ¡°Yes, it is absolutely necessary. There¡¯s something I need to check.¡± Only then did Leo see Ruel. ¡ªI understand. This body believes in Ruel. Ruel patted Leo and looked ahead. ¡°We¡¯ll start now, so don¡¯t be too nervous.¡± Tyson, who said that, seemed the most nervous of them all. He checked the shield and barrier around the ss box for thest time before dropping the ck water. Kuroo kuru! The spirits were startled and immediately clung to Ruel¡¯s back. Ruel nced at them and then turned his head back towards the rat. The water had been added with an attractive scent, so it quickly responded. The rat¡¯s little bright red tonguepped the ck water and swallowed it. Soon, the rat seemed to be possessed by something and aggressively drank the remaining ck water. There was even a hint of madness in its actions. Squeak? After making a cute sound, ck things spewed out from its mouth. It instantly attached itself to the rat¡¯s body like armor. The rat, which was struggling as if in pain, immediately rushed towards the ss box. Quang! It was definitely not a sound a rat could make. The ss shards that broke at once flew out inside the barrier. ¡°Not only does it use a target as a host like a parasite, but it also significantly increases its aggression. It seems like there is no way to identify a friend.¡± Tyson was surprised and opened his notebook and wrote something down. Hiss! The rat threw thick ck liquid like a ck-blooded man. Bang! The sound was loud, but it was blocked by a barrier. Tyson¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°It¡¯s a different power from magic. It looks like the ck liquid is moving freely, like a finger.¡± ¡°I think strength varies depending on body size. The attacks from the ck-blooded men I encountered were not of that level.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while listening to Aris¡¯s contradictory answer. Ruel had felt it before, but it seemed that the person who became a ck-blooded man instinctively recognized him as having dark attributes. Even now, the mouse only looked at Ruel and rushed at him. Bang! Bang! The barrier shook slightly as the attacks continued over and over again. Pop. Suddenly the rat¡¯s body expanded and immediately burst. Ruel covered Leo¡¯s eyes and made an unpleasant expression. ¡°It can¡¯t stand the ck water.¡± ¡°It seems that way.¡± Ruel sipped his tea while listening to Tyson¡¯s answer. There was a reason why Red Ash used the water on people. Saying that it was still too early to make conclusions. Tyson slowly approached where the rat was. The ck water retained its original appearance next to the torn rat corpse. ¡°It seems like it goes back to normal once the host disappears.¡± Only then did Tyson lift all the barriers and shields. ¡°It turns out that ck water doesn¡¯t just work for people. Now we have to find out whether it is only humans who be fully ck-blooded men.¡± Ruel rose from his seat with his words. ¡°I hope there is no worst oue.¡± The worst oue that Tyson is talking about would be a situation where not only people, but also animals and monsters be dark beings. ¡°Was it helpful?¡± ¡°It definitely helped. Thank you, Ruel.¡± Contrary to what he said, Tyson didn¡¯t look like he had figured it out yet. But it would be better than not seeing this process of turning ck water into a ck being. ¡°I¡¯ll help you next time too.¡± Ruel left the training ground together, promising their next meeting. He had set aside the entire day to prepare for an unexpected incident, but it ended smoother than expected. ¡®I still have time, so I guess I should go back and take care of some work. I¡¯m also thinking about what to do next.¡¯ ¡°Ruel.¡± Tyson paused Ruel as he was about to go to his room. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How about a short walk?¡± ¡ªThis body will go too! Leo looked at Tyson, wagging his tail. Although he didn¡¯t know what he was trying to say, Tyson looked apologetic at the sight of Leo, who seemed to be following along right away. ¡°I want to talk to Ruel alone. Could the spirit lend him to me just for today?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll ask, how long is it?¡± Ruel ryed his words on behalf of Leo. Tyson thought for a moment and spread out all his fingers. ¡°It only takes about 10 minutes.¡± Leo was shocked for a moment, but then reluctantly nodded his head with a sullen expression on his face. ¡ªI understand. This body will allow it with a big heart. Ruel sent Leo back with Cassion first. ¡°Then I¡¯ll be at the training ground, so please stop byter.¡± Aris quickly retreated. Tyson and Ruel¡¯s feet moved slowly. ¡°What are you sending Leo away to talk about?¡± Tyson blocked the sound by cing a barrier around him before bringing up the subject. ¡°Didn¡¯t you sayst time that it seemed like the Red Ash was trying to remove the seal with ck water? And I asked if that was possible.¡± ¡°It was possible.¡± There was a reason why Leo was sent. His words were too serious for the light-mouthed spirit to hear. ¡°Today, as I saw the process of creating a ck-blooded man using ck water, I remembered what you asked.¡± Tyson fiddled with his hem. ¡°Do you remember how I said that the Corruption made it possible to do all kinds of bad things?¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°Corruption can break the seal. However, since it is not a normal method but rather a forced opening of a closed door, a veryrge amount of corruption is required.¡± Tyson made eye contact with Ruel. ¡°Ruel, to be honest, I couldn¡¯t find any seals on your body.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°This means it is not magic. It means that wizards have gone beyond what humans can do.¡± Something that humans cannot do. ¡°¡­ Or maybe the seal isn¡¯t on your body.¡± Ruel made a subtle expression at his ambiguous words and then calmly asked. He decided to put off what he couldn¡¯t figure out right away. ¡°When I was young, I heard that I had a guardian named Irian. Does uncle know him?¡± ¡°I know. He was one of those who called themselves guardians and came to protect you. My brother took them for granted.¡± ¡°Uncle, please tell me what you know. I¡¯m ready to hear whatever it is.¡± Tyson shook his head with an apologetic look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t tell you what you¡¯re curious about. I don¡¯t know what a guardian is, and this is the first time I¡¯ve heard there¡¯s a seal in your body.¡± Tyson pointed to the back of his hand. He was not a direct rtive. ¡°Maybe I couldn¡¯t hear it because I wasn¡¯t in the direct line, but I know this one thing.¡± Tyson stopped for a moment and held Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Ever since the day you were born, my brother has always said that we should break off this bitter rtionship. He always did his best not to hand any of the burden over to you, Ruel.¡± He carefully patted the back of Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°He didn¡¯t tell me anything. As if you shouldn¡¯t know that.¡± Like Billo, he seemed to want to protect Tyson. ¡°Now I think I know why my brother hid that fact.¡± Tyson looked at the sky. A slightly muffled voice was heard. ¡°¡­ He was trying to protect me from the Red Ash.¡± Tyson turned his head and was smiling. He seemed strong-willed. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to say I can¡¯t. I¡¯m going to find a way to deal with ck water.¡± Instead of acting guilty like his previous behavior, he was determined to act like a real uncle. *** 4 dayster. The carriage embossed with Setiria¡¯s emblem moved. In response to Huan¡¯s reply, ¡®I want to meet you as soon as possible,¡¯ the date was pushed forward earlier than nned. The ce they decided to meet him was ¡®Hian¡¯ vige, which ironically was the ce where Ruel was found after suffering a carriage ident. It is said that the decision was made to go there considering Ruel¡¯s physical condition, but in reality, the distance between Hian Vige and the castle was not very far. When Ruel first confirmed the location in the letter, he burst outughing. Isn¡¯t his intention to embarrass himself too tant? ¡°Are you okay?¡± The closer they got to Hian Vige, the more Cassion expression hardened. ¡°It¡¯s okay, so stop asking.¡± Ruel looked through his window and stroked Leo¡¯s fur. It¡¯s not a lie, it really didn¡¯t matter. Ruel was about to bite his Breath when he suddenly noticed that the carriage had halted. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°It looks like there was a carriage ident.¡± ¡®¡­ Carriage ident? Why now?¡¯ ¡°I think we can just ignore it and pass by.¡± Cassion hit the carriage wall. At the signal, the carriage started moving again. Knock. Aris knocked on the window. When Ruel opened the window slightly, Aris was next to him and told him the situation. ¡°It looks like there was a minor carriage ident. It¡¯s not serious enough to help.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel saw the carriage that had been in an ident. In the new carriage, there were no traces that could have been the cause of the fall. He immediately closed the window and raised the corners of his mouth. ¡®You¡¯re leaving that damn thing. Why don¡¯t you just tell me?¡¯ Perhaps because he was trying to relive the trauma that Ruel Setiria had. He couldn¡¯t help staring at the entire scene of the carriage ident. Instead of words, Cassion was asking if he was okay with his eyes. He was fine. Now that he knows what his enemy wants, he must return the favor. Ruel smiled suspiciously and patted Leo. *** Huan must have rented the entire store and the entire area, so there wasn¡¯t a single person in sight other than the employees. ¡°There are no enemies.¡± Cassion supported Ruel and spoke softly. ¡°Okay.¡± Red Ash, like himself came, but I guess he didn¡¯t bring them with him just to make himself look good. Ttak. The sound of a cane broke the silence. Haa. White steam rose along with Ruel¡¯s exhaled breath. In this town. Here. Ruel Setiria lost everything and survived. And he survived only toe back. Ruel thought of nothing more. It was too early for him to be sentimental. He himself had to be a sharp sword before his enemies. He had to be a performer to deceive his enemies. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Ruel walked into the store with a smile on his face. *** The first thing that weed Ruel was foodid out on a long table. Then, Huan smiled and weed Ruel. ¡ª¡­ Huh! This body is in shock! This body dreamed a while ago simr to an ocean of food! Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at the food. Even if Ruel tried to stop him, he was ready to eat it. ¡°Wasn¡¯t it difficult to get here?¡± Huan asked softly. ¡°No. Thanks to your consideration, I came herefortably.¡± ¡°I should have asked you in advance what you liked, but I was so anxious to meet you that I forgot to ask, so I prepared the best things in this town.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Oh, no, please sit down first. Don¡¯t worry, I have prepared separate seats for the butlers and knights you brought.¡± Huan took care of Ruel to the extent that anyone would think he was a butler rather than a prince. Ruel handed over his cloak to Cassion and walked to the location Huan guided him to. ¡°Sit down first.¡± As Cassion followed Ruel, Huan looked at Cassion with a sideways nce. ¡°I have something to tell you, so why don¡¯t you just send the butler away?¡± Despite Huan¡¯s roundabout discussion, he didn¡¯t hide his unpleased expression. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness, but I need a butler, so please allow him to stay by my side.¡± ¡°Tell me why.¡± For a moment, Huan¡¯s brow twitched, but he naturally hid his anger. ¡°At the banquet before.¡± Ruel choked out his words. Huan¡¯s eyes became slightly harsh. Since the words were deliberately brought up to recall the shame from thest banquet, Ruel continued his next words in a good mood. ¡°I once told Your Highness that I cannot eat food recklessly.¡± ¡°I remember.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you that my butler is the only one who knows what food I can eat, so he needs to be around.¡± Huan calmed his stomach by drinking water before his eyes. ¡°I understand. Let the butler choose what food you can eat.¡± ¡°Thank you for your generous generosity.¡± Huan rang the bell and made the servante back. When Ruel saw Cassion, he bent down and picked out the food one by one. ¡®Ah, that¡¯s fun.¡¯ Ruel looked at Huan¡¯s expression, who was suppressing his anger while inhaling Breath. It was so funny that the prepared foods disappeared one by one, the time took, and most of all, he couldn¡¯t take back the words he had said. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Ruel broke the silence midway and opened his mouth. He would be bored waiting, so he wanted to start with an interesting topic. ¡°I witnessed a carriage ident on my way.¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 112.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria Chapter 112.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria In an instant, Huan¡¯s smile vanished. His eyes quickly became busy, not missing a single expression, look, or gesture from Ruel. He gazed at Ruel with eyes stronger than before, as if he was determined not to miss a single thing. ¡°Have you been hurt?¡± Huan asked. ¡°No, I just happened to see it passing by,¡± Ruel replied gratefully, acknowledging Huan¡¯s concern. ¡°But it was a little strange.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It felt odd for it to be called a carriage ident. Well, ultimately, the person wasn¡¯t hurt either. Your Highness, please always take care. It would be a big problem if you were injured.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± ¡°¡­Ah.¡± Ruel suddenly reacted as if something hade to mind. Huan pursed his dry lips, urging Ruel to speak with a look of impatience. Ruel paused for a moment, as if responding to the urgent gaze, before speaking, ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing. It¡¯s difficult for me to talk about this, as it¡¯s a personal matter.¡± ¡°Is that so? How could I ask about personal matters?¡± Despite pretending to be a broad-minded prince, Huan seemed full of impatience in Ruel¡¯s eyes. Once again, silence fell between them, and it was Huan who felt frustrated for not being able to speak his mind. ¡ªThis body has figured out where the food is going. This body will be back after a bit. Ruel found no time to be bored just by watching Leo and the bustling spirits wandering around the room. ¡°Everything is ready,¡± Cassion said. After a sorting process that took more than 30 minutes, more than half of the food that filled the long table disappeared. Huan swallowed a breath as he looked at the empty table. He seemed quite irritated. Cassion checked the drinks onest time before bowing and leaving. ¡°I will take my leave now.¡± As the servant and Cassion left, Huan regained hisposure. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about this. I will make sure to prepare better next time.¡± ¡°No, I apologize as what you prepared was ruined because of me,¡± Ruel stated asking for forgiveness. ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to the rudeness I showed to you.¡± Huan poured a drink into Ruel¡¯s ss with a friendly face. ¡°I was really sorry back then. I lose my senses when I¡¯m drunk. I¡¯m trying to be more careful.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already forgotten.¡± This time, Huan drank from his own ss, which contained a non-alcoholic beverage. ¡°Lord Setiria, I heard that you had an ident when you were young.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard that too.¡± ¡°Do you have no memory?¡± Huan asked with a slightly surprised face. Ruel was secretly amazed at how Huan could make such realistic facial expressions despite knowing everything. ¡®Yes, you have to be able to do at least that much to act as a prince.¡¯ Ruel didn¡¯t answer right away but fiddled with the cup. ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Immediately, he lowered his head slightly and sighed deeply. ¡°They said I was there too. But I can¡¯t remember, it¡¯s very¡­ I feel resentful.¡± Ruel clenched his fists and bit his lip. Anyone could see that he was a person steeped in anger and sadness. Therefore, Huan stood up and approached Ruel. With a kind face, he lightly tapped Ruel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You don¡¯t have to force yourself to remember.¡± ¡°If I could remember correctly, I would know who killed my father.¡± ¡°I will definitely find the culprit. So don¡¯t worry too much.¡± At that moment, Ruel almost burst outughing. Ruel can¡¯t believe the culprit said something like that. It was so absurd. ¡°Thank you.¡± But Ruel looked at Huan as if he was truly grateful. Huanforted Ruel again and sat down. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I unintentionally said something that hurt you.¡± ¡°No. I was the one who brought up the carriage ident first. Thank you for yourfort.¡± Ruel smiled and sipped his drink. ¡°This town is my personal favorite hence why I called you.¡± It was as if Huan wanted to check Ruel¡¯s memory one more time, and mentioned the Hian Vige again. Ruel asked, slightly surprised. ¡°Is there something special about this town? This is my first timeing to this vige due to illness, so if there is anything good, please let me know.¡± ¡°Ah, it may seem unremarkable to you. It¡¯s quiet and close to the capital, so it¡¯s nice to be able toe here often.¡± ¡°I have a ce like that too.¡± Ruel smiled and picked up a fork following Huan¡¯s actions. While eating, the two people engaged in trivial conversation. ¡°How does it taste?¡± Huan put down his fork for a moment and asked. It wasn¡¯t as good as what Cassion and Astel cooked, but honestly, it was edible. ¡°It¡¯s the most delicious food I¡¯ve ever had.¡± Huanughed out loud. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you could tter so well.¡± ¡°There are many uses of the tongue, aren¡¯t there? I only used one of them.¡± ¡°I like you.¡± ¡°It is an honor.¡± Huan immediately cleared his throat and ced his sped hands on the table. Ruel also readied himself, as Huan looked like he was preparing something. ¡°I was drunk at the time, but what I said to you earlier was sincere.¡± After a long introduction, Huan finally pushed in. ¡°I want to help you.¡± Ruel put down his fork and knife. ¡°I want to hear the reason in detail, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Because you are Setiria.¡± Ruel listened quietly. ¡°I don¡¯t know where to start, but I¡¯ve found someone in this country, who is selling your information to the enemy. Weren¡¯t you attacked outside the capital some time ago?¡± ¡®Should I react or not?¡¯ Ruel was curious to see how shameless Huan could be, so he decided to react. ¡°How did you know this?¡± ¡°I was worried about you, so I hired someone.¡± Huan did not attach anyone. Cassion would have known if Huan really had an investigator. ¡°Your Highness, do you know who attacked me?¡± ¡°The Second Prince, Adoris.¡± ¡°H-His Highness Adoris, why would he do that to me?¡± Ruel blinked quickly with a face as if he didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the Red Ash is targeting you?¡± ¡°Are you saying that His Highness Adoris is part of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that¡¯s why I want to protect you.¡± The ss Ruel was holding shook. Ruel managed to inhale Breath and looked at Huan, trying to pretend to calm down. ¡°How did you know this?¡± ¡°Because I am part of the Red Ash too.¡± Ruel was dumbfounded by his imposing remarks. Huan hurriedly continued his speech. ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I joined the Red Ash for this country. It was an inevitable choice to protect the country from my second brother.¡± ¡°¡­So, did you know that I was being targeted by the Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes. At that time, I couldn¡¯t speak properly because I was conscious of my second brother.¡± Huan let out a long breath as Ruel kept his silence. ¡°I understand. You must be very suspicious of my words. But when you see this, you might think a little differently.¡± What Huan presented was data. Ruel reluctantly took the material and looked at it in front of him. It was material containing evidence that Adoris approached the Prostone Guild and hired adventurers. Afterwards, the assassin who attacked Ruel on his way back from Cyronian to Leponia even had evidence in his hand that he had been hired by Adoris. ¡®So the assassin was sloppy at that time.¡¯ Ruel barely suppressed hisughter and forced a frown as much as he could. ¡®Huan gathered data to stab Adoris? I can collect a debt from Adoris.¡¯ The data that Huan collected was an element that would interfere with the stage he and Adoris had prepared. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡± Ruel said as he put down the materials. ¡°Is there a reason the Second Prince is targeting me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I just can¡¯t understand it as well.¡± (Huan) Since the story might be different from Adoris, Ruel continued acting and asked. ¡°Unfortunately, it seems like you won¡¯t be able to get the exnation you want, but I can look into it for you.¡± He spoke as if he were generously offering help, but Huan had just thrown a bait. ¡®Does he know something else?¡¯ Whether Huan knew it or not, Ruel had to tell him what he wanted to hear anyway. ¡°I hope I can meet Your Highness again next time.¡± Only then did Huan smile satisfactorily. This meeting was just a stepping stone for the next one. It was a typical method to lure someone with information, make them think they had be close, and then betray them unexpectedly. It was quite an effective method. ¡°Of course, honestly, I didn¡¯t expect to hear your answer right away. I hope to hear it at our next meeting.¡± ¡°Yes, I will think about it carefully.¡± Ruel wasn¡¯t sure how much longer he would have to deal with Huan, but he needed to handle this valuable actor on the stage carefully.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 112.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria Chapter 112.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria *** ¡°It was quite disgusting.¡± Ruel spoke as soon as the carriage started moving. He calmed himself by petting Leo¡¯s fur. ¡°I agree.¡± Huan¡¯s approach had been to criticize Adoris¡¯s actions, justifying that he had no choice but to be a Red Ash. At any rate, it was now certain. Huan didn¡¯t know he knew the truth about the past. ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel furrowed his brow. The coughing had decreased, but the pain hadn¡¯t subsided. ¡°Is the enemy watching us?¡± ¡°Yes, they are.¡± ¡°Fine, let them watch as much as they want,¡± Ruel smiled slyly. To pretend to trust Huan, there was one thing he needed to do. For that, Ruel directed the carriage towards the pce, not Setiria. Knock. Knock. Aris knocked on the window. Cassion opened the window and spoke immediately. ¡°Ignore it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Aris¡¯s sixth sense has improved?¡± Ruel opened his mouth as soon as the window closed. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s the result of training to build sense by enlisting Noah.¡± ¡°Surely you¡¯re not asking him to dodge arrows blindfolded, are you?¡± ¡°That makes some sense. To develop your senses, practical experience is important.¡± ¡°Sounds like advice you got from someone?¡± ¡°Aris asked for advice on a method, and I just gave an answer.¡± With a calm tone, Ruel looked at Cassion with a chilling gaze and inhaled Breath. ¡ªThis body helped Aris avoid getting hit. ¡°Unlike others, you are kind.¡± As Ruel¡¯s hand touched him, Leo smiled and wagged his tail. Cassion remained still, then frowned as if he had been pped, and took out a handkerchief. Cough! Without any warning signs, Ruel coughed up blood. He looked at the red blood on the handkerchief with a bewildered expression. He didn¡¯t feel any pain, just a hint of blood in his mouth. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure, but you did cough up blood.¡± Cassion¡¯s face stiffened as he spoke. Fresh blood. Soon, Ruel¡¯s heart pounded and he gasped for breath. ¡ªC-Cassion, something¡¯s wrong with Ruel. Gasp. Ruel grabbed his chest and staggered. It was different from the usual difficulty in breathing. Didn¡¯t he just inhale Breath? Deep wrinkles appeared in Ruel¡¯s clothes as he fought against his forcefully blocked airway, causing him to feel suffocated. Cassion calmly administered Breath to Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°Slowly, use Breath. You need to breathe.¡± After inhaling Breath several times, Ruel barely managed to exhale. ¡°Crazy.¡± There was no way the words woulde out nicely. Just when he felt relieved that he could breathe, a piercing pain engulfed his entire body. It felt like the symptoms wereing all at once, like a dam breaking. Ruely down on the bed and curled up. ¡°Fuck. Damn it!¡± Ruel could feel both hands holding his arms shaking. Brrr. His teeth clenched. ¡ªRuel, are you okay! The amount of dirty things remains the same! Ruel felt like cursing at the mention of the filth remaining unchanged. It was only now that he realized what the Great Man had touched. He had disturbed the timing of his symptoms, synchronizing them and making the disease more painful for him. He was forced to endure the onught without a break, the paining at him relentlessly. ¡®You son of a b****! You f*ing son of a b**!¡¯ ¡°I will administer the painkiller. Hina.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hold him down.¡± Hina emerged from the shadows and grabbed Ruel tightly. Ruel¡¯s face and neck were visibly strained, with veins bulging out, indicating how much pain he was in. Cassion took Ruel¡¯s arm and used the syringe. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Ruel¡¯s entire body trembled. ¡°Ugh!¡± Another wave of excruciating pain swept over Ruel. Wiing! The power of recovery briefly screamed in response to the sudden onset of multiple symptoms of the disease. ¡°I¡¯ll give you another dose.¡± Cassion said anxiously as he administered a stronger painkiller to Ruel. ¡ªWhat should I do? Ruel looks very sick. Leo walked back and forth around Ruel and stroked his forehead. ¡°Cough¡­!¡± The pain gradually subsided after vomiting out ck blood. Ruel slumped weakly, gazing silently at the carriage ceiling. ¡®I feel like I¡¯m going to die.¡¯ His entire body was drenched in cold sweat. It still hurts. ¡ªAre you okay? Leo looked at Ruel with teary eyes. Ruel stroked Leo with difficulty. He could feel Ruel¡¯ hands trembling wildly. In the end, Leo burst into tears. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cassion asked, taking out another syringe. ¡°Damn it.¡± He seemed to have the presence of mind to curse, which was somewhat reassuring. Finally, Cassion let out a sigh of relief and said, ¡°I will prepare a bath.¡± ¡°But this is a carriage?¡± Ruel blinked dully, trying to calm Leo down. Finally, the pain subsided as the painkillers took effect. ¡°Tyson didn¡¯t just make a kitchen.¡± ¡®It¡¯s not even a fortress. I want to keep this forever.¡¯ It seemed like Tyson had built a mobile home, not a carriage. Ruel felt a bit awkward. He needed to destroy the carriage for his future ns. ¡®¡­Will my uncle scold me if I do that?¡¯ ¡°Ruel-nim, what are you thinking about?¡± Cassion, who had risen from his seat, noticed Ruel¡¯s subtle expression and asked cautiously. ¡°We¡¯ll have to blow up the carriage. But, do I really have to blow it up?¡± ¡®Are you asking that?¡¯ Cassion pursed his lips tightly. ¡°¡­then get me a decoy. The same decorations on the outside.¡± When Ruel gave the order in a weak voice, Cassion spoke to Ruel politely. ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s not easy to get a carriage.¡± ¡°I know. Oh, ask Aris if he knows a spell to change the appearance of a carriage quickly. It won¡¯t take long.¡± ¡°Please tell me why we had to blow up the carriage in the first ce. I don¡¯t remember there was any mention of blowing up the carriage in the n we shared with Adoris.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a plot I added.¡± Cassion took a deep breath. ¡°It makes it look more real. It gives us a reason for Huan to visit Setiria, and a reason for me to believe in Huan.¡± Ruel finished speaking and waved his hand as if to say, ¡°That¡¯s enough questions.¡± His face looked pale. Cassion, trying to calm his rising emotions, asked, ¡°Are you not in pain?¡± ¡°Not at the moment.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll prepare the bath right away.¡± Before Cassion entered the door behind him, he tapped the wall. It was a signal to slow down. Knock. Knock. When Ruel nced at the window, Aris appeared. Since Ruel didn¡¯t have the strength to open the window, he waved his hand. ¡°¡­Are you done crying now?¡± Ruel asked when he didn¡¯t hear Leo¡¯s crying. ¡ªI¡¯m sorry. ¡°For what?¡± ¡ªThis body thought he ate the dirty food well, but it seems this body didn¡¯t eat it properly. That¡¯s why you¡¯re in pain. ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that.¡± Ruel looked at Leo, still feeling apologetic, and decided to keep his thoughts to himself. His head felt heavy, along with his body. He looked at the spirits on his head and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t faint, so it¡¯s okay.¡± ¡ªRight¡­! Leo¡¯s ears perked up. ¡ªRuel didn¡¯t copse! His tear-filled eyes sparkled. ¡®Thank goodness Leo is simple-minded.¡¯ Ruel looked at the brightened Leo and closed his eyes. ¡ªAre you going to sleep again? ¡°No, I¡¯m just closing my eyes.¡± ¡ªAre you really not sleeping? ¡°Yes.¡± Leo immediately went to the ce where Ruel¡¯s hand was and flipped over on his stomach. Then he tapped Ruel¡¯s hand with his front paw as if asking to be touched. ¡®What a mess.¡¯ *** ¡°Contrary to the news that you are healthy, yourplexion does not look that good.¡± Banios weed Ruel and hesitated at his paleplexion. ¡°Even though myplexion looks like this, my physical condition is really good.¡± ¡°Um, okay, it¡¯s cold outside, soe inside.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and followed behind Banios. As soon as they entered the castle, Ruel touched his cold hands in the rush of warm air. ¡®On days like this, I should just get under the nket and eat some tangerines.¡¯ Unfortunately, there were oranges, but no tangerines. ¡°How have you been so far? I was curious because I hadn¡¯t heard anything since the banquet.¡± Banios naturally began to ask how he was doing, as if it had been a long time since theyst met. Ruel also responded as if he was a little ufortable with the act that started as he entered the castle. ¡°I had a good time. I took care of my estate, which I had not been able to take care of before, and also took care of my own body. How have you been?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t I the most popr person recently? Let¡¯s see, you and Shio are the only ones who don¡¯t support any of the families.¡± Banios smiled cheerfully while applying subtle pressure. ¡®Is acting a prerequisite to bing a prince? They all act well.¡¯ The setting was nned in advance to fool the eyes of the Red Ash hiding within the royal family. Banios spoke in a roundabout way, fitting the situation in which he was trying to appease him and he was rejecting it. ¡°Is that so? Since it is a matter of deciding who will lead this country in the future, I will carefully decide on my support.¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t feel too pressured. I didn¡¯t bring it up to pressure you.¡± Thomp. Thomp. The sound of Adoris¡¯ footsteps echoed in the corridor. Banios bit his lip for a moment and then lowered his head towards Adoris. ¡°Greetings to brother.¡± ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± As Ruel bowed his head, Adoris approached them with a satisfied face. ¡°What happened to Lord Setiria?¡± ¡°I came in response to Your Majesty¡¯s summons.¡± ¡°Are you feeling okay? Yourplexion doesn¡¯t look good.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Adoris seemed slightly annoyed by Ruel¡¯s curt response, but soon regained his smile. ¡°When will we schedule our next meeting? I¡¯m looking forward to seeing you again.¡± ¡°I made Your Highness wait while recovering from my illness. I apologize.¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t be too harsh on Lord Setiria.¡± Banios stepped in to rece Ruel, who looked troubled. ¡°What are you talking about? Your words sound unpleasant, Banios.¡± ¡°Adoris.¡± ¡®Here hees.¡¯ Ruel pressed down the corners of his mouth as he heard Huan¡¯s voice. ¡°It sounds like that to my ears, so it seems like you¡¯re being too sharp.¡± Huan looked at Adoris with a triumphant expression. It was so different from what he saw at the banquet. ¡°Lord Setiria, I apologize on behalf of my brother. He¡¯s feeling uneasy because something tiring happened today.¡± Huan did exactly what Adoris did to him during the banquet. There was only one reason why Huan coulde out like that. ¡°Well, thest meeting was very enjoyable.¡± Huan looked at Ruel and smiled very brightly. It was because he thought that his rtionship with Ruel Setiria was several steps ahead of Adoris. Ruel looked at Adoris and Banios and then smiled at Huan. ¡°I had fun too.¡± Ruel did not deny that he had met Huan in front of the two princes. The corner of Huan¡¯s mouth twitched. And soon he smiled proudly at Adoris. ¡®It¡¯s good.¡¯ Ruel almost clicked his tongue. As soon as Huan made eye contact, Ruel smiled brightly. Huan asked softly. ¡°Have youe to see His Majesty?¡± ¡°Yes, I came to see His Majesty.¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a shame. Since you and I are both busy, let¡¯s meet up next time. Be careful on your way back to Setiria.¡± Huan lightly tapped Ruel on the shoulder and hurried on his way. After confirming that he had gone, Ruel nced at his shoulder. He felt like he wanted to shake off the feeling as if a bug was crawling on him. However, he calmed his expression and bowed his head to Adoris. ¡°Your Highness Adoris, I am also busy, so I will leave now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m waiting for your contact.¡± ¡°Yes, I will arrange a date soon. I hope we can finish our conversation then.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Adoris responded and then looked at Banios. As he avoided eye contact, Adoris clenched his fist and turned away. Thomp. Thomp. The sound of footsteps, now further away, echoed heavilypared to when he had first arrived. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Banios urged, stopping in his tracks. Ruel took a deep breath and nced at the corridor where Adoris had left. He didn¡¯t have anything to do with it, but he was concerned because he was involved in Adoris¡¯ affairs. ¡®Not now,ter.¡¯Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 113.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria Chapter 113.1 - The Royal Family and Setiria *** ¡°Ruel Setiria sees the Great Sun of the country.¡± ¡°Indeed, I am pleased as well.¡± The King of Leponia, Brans, kindly smiled at Ruel. ¡°I will take my leave, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Very well.¡± Upon Brans¡¯ words, Banios left the room. As soon as the door closed, Brans spoke in a low voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ruel, who had not yet sat down, looked down at Brans and asked sarcastically. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It took too long to bring out my ¡®buried conscience.¡¯¡± ¡°The conscience of the Greatest Sun of this country must have been deeply buried, right?¡± If it had been anyone other than Ruel, the king would have immediately scolded them, offended by his rudeness. Brans remained silent. Ruel was thest remaining Setiria. That little boy lost his father because of his own son. Even after knowing that fact, didn¡¯t he ask for the truth and turn his head away? ¡°My father passed away on his way to meet Your Majesty.¡± Ruel¡¯s words pierced Brans like a spear. ¡°Your Majesty knows who killed my father.¡± Brans did not have the courage to look into the eyes of the young man who had lost his father, so he turned his head slightly. ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± The cane that Ruel was holding tightly trembled. The veins on his neck bulged. This was not anger for himself. It was anger for Ruel Setiria. This was the only thing he could do for him. Therefore, Ruel believed in the conscience expressed by Brans, believed in the power in the name Setiria, and refused to back down. ¡°Please look at me, Your Majesty.¡± Brans still couldn¡¯t face Ruel directly. ¡°Stop avoiding my gaze and look at me.¡± Suppressing his anger, Ruel spoke calmly. ¡°Your Majesty, I am the justice you abandoned, and the people you abandoned. We represent theck of conscience that Your Majesty has expressed over a long period of time.¡± Brans¡¯ eyes wavered. ¡°Please look at me. Didn¡¯t you call me to meet you? Are you going to bury it again now? Are you going to abandon me again?¡± Only then did Brans look at Ruel with difficulty. His face twisted with the weight of the guilt he carried. Before and after bing king, his hands were never free of blood. The throne was a ce where countless sins had to umte before one could sit on it. What he had abandoned in that pursuit was Trino Setiria, his right-hand man who had worked and sacrificed himself for this country. How could it not hurt? How could he not be sad? ¡°Please sit.¡± Brans spoke weakly, and Ruel finally took a seat and faced him. ¡°Trino Setiria, your father, was my right-hand man. I abandoned him and buried him.¡± ¡°For whom did Your Majesty abandon your right-hand man?¡± ¡°For my son, Huan Leponia.¡± ¡°Did Your Majesty know Huan was part of the Red Ash?¡± Brans held his breath in shock at the guess. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. I really didn¡¯t know at the time that I had ignorantly helped the Red Ash that your father and I were chasing. I showed the letter to Huan, in case I died and he had to continue after me.¡± As expected, that letter caused the carriage ident. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and opened them again. Brans needed to understand what had happened to the Royal Family due to his abandonment and negligence. ¡°Does Your Majesty know what happened to the Royal Family while you turned a blind eye?¡± Brans quietly waited for Ruel¡¯s next words. ¡°His Highness Huan attacked His Highness Adoris, and His Highness Adoris had no choice but to join the Red Ash. The ministers, royal knights, and servants all became part of the Red Ash. It is difficult to find a ce where the Red Ash has not infiltrated the Royal Family?¡± Brans¡¯ fingertips trembled. When Ruel saw his unfocused eyes, he realized the king had been ignorant of the facts. That¡¯s why Ruel spoke more strongly. ¡°This is the result of Your Majesty¡¯s abandoned conscience.¡± ¡°You¡­ have taken over Trino Setiria¡¯s work. You did not betray this country.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, I am also a Setiria.¡± ¡°I am ashamed. I was not the king I should have been.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not toote. If Your Majesty looks after this country from here on, you can make it right. Just like I was able to reinstate Setiria.¡± Brans took a deep breath and looked into the distance. ¡°I should have been a king before I was a father.¡± A tear quietly slid from his dry eyes. After a long sigh, Brans faced Ruel again. Now, Brans¡¯ eyes did not waver. Inside them, a strong and resolute will was slowly filling up. He looked at Ruel not as a sinner, but as a king. ¡°So, you and Trino Setiria have been protecting Leponia all this time.¡± ¡°No, not just me, but also Prince Adoris and Prince Banios have been protecting this country.¡± Brans showed a faint smile with a hint of shame. ¡°This position is a lonely one. One only I hold.¡± ¡°I also know the feeling of not being able to do anything for a long time. The helplessness is indescribable.¡± ¡°I am truly sorry and grateful to you.¡± ¡°If my father were here, he would have done the same.¡± Ruel slowly drew a line. ¡°Afterall, I am the gatekeeper of Leponia.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Brans cautiously held out his hand. Thinking about how Ruel got to this point made him feel distressed. Perhaps Ruel wanted to tear himself to pieces. However, Ruel wanted to protect Leponia. That glimmer of thought made him feel ashamed. It made him bow his head, which he had never lowered anywhere, out of gratitude and apology. Brans reached out his hand to Ruel. Ruel silently ced his hand in Brans¡¯ palm. It felt so fragile. ¡°You can me me as much as you want, in front of you, I will be a sinner, not a king.¡± It was also warm. Only then did Brans realize what he had done. He wanted to apologize and cry out many times, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it anymore. ¡°I promise you. I will punish every sinner involved with your father¡¯s death, even if it¡¯s my own son.¡± Brans looked at Ruel with tears in his eyes. ¡°Even if it¡¯s my son.¡± Blood had to be repaid with blood. That was the atonement he had to make to Ruel. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Ruel was genuinely surprised. Anyway, Huan was a prince. And he was Brans¡¯ son. ¡°It¡¯s something I should have done five years ago. It¡¯s not toote, as you said.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking. Can Your Majesty really turn a blind eye to Huan shedding tears and put him on the scaffold?¡± Brans hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°It¡¯s something I have to do.¡± Ruel suppressed augh inwardly. Who would kill Huan for him, just to let him off lightly? Rather, he must spend a long time in a dirty and disgusting prison facing the sins he hadmitted. ¡°Keep him alive.¡± And Brans was no exception. He had to pay the price together while watching his precious son rot in prison. ¡°I want His Highness Huan to be haunted by thoughts of my father for the rest of his life, until his dying breath.¡± Brans will ept his offer. What parent could kill their child with their own hands? Butter, he would regret how cruel thatpassion, that love, could be. ¡°Are you certain?¡± ¡®See.¡¯ Ruel answered calmly. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what I want.¡± ¡°Thank you, thank you very much.¡± Branth¡¯s hands tightened. The victim, himself, wants Huan to be punished like that, but how happy must he be that he now has an excuse to stop the death penalty even if the nobles and ministers rise upter? Ruel drew a light curve with his mouth making him look merciful. ¡°But it¡¯s still too early to talk about punishment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, everythinges after eradicating the Red Ash that lurked like a parasite in this country.¡± Now Brans finally looked like a king. ¡°I asked His Highness Adoris, but I ask His Majesty to help me bring all the aristocrats and ministers together as soon as possible.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help you as much as I can.¡± With the addition of Adoris and the king, it was clear that the stage would be created. ¡°Also, please investigate the Red Ash that has stuck to the Royal Knights. The head of the family, Rie Kuhn, decided to help with this.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all my fault.¡± Brans pursed his lips tightly, as if at a loss for words. As he said, it happened because the king turned his face away from the truth. But in the end, Brans had to do all the cleaning up and cutting down the Red Ash that was spreading within the Royal Family. ¡°Leave the affairs of the Royal Knights to Sir Torto.¡± Ruel only mentioned certain people so that Brans would not do anything foolish. ¡°Now that we are still not sure who the Red Ash is within the Royal Family, it would be best for you to trust only Prince Adoris and Prince Banios.¡± ¡°Is the condition that serious?¡± There are so many people in the Royal Family, but the only people he can trust are the two princes. ¡°Yes, if you personally verify it, you might be shocked by the severity of the situation.¡± ¡°I will handle the verification properly, so don¡¯t worry, I will move cautiously. How are the nobles reacting?¡± ¡°Except for the Shio family, everyone is working to eliminate the Red Ash.¡± ¡°What about the Liobenez family?¡± Brans hesitated, then sighed and spoke again. ¡°Did my friend resent me?¡± ¡°Upon hearing the news that Your Majesty is no longer denying the situation, he was pleased. He said he would help with everything, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I see. He has forgiven me.¡± A faint smile appeared on Brans¡¯ lips. ¡°So, the Shio family is the only one supporting Huan, is that right?¡± ¡°For now, yes.¡± Brans rolled his eyes as if he was thinking for a moment. ¡°I understand to some extent what kind of stage you want.¡± ¡°I will take care of Prince Huan and the Shio family.¡± ¡°I know you probably don¡¯t want to hear it again, but thank you, really, thank you.¡± ¡°I was just fulfilling my duty as a noble.¡± Brans finally let go of Ruel¡¯s hand and looked at him proudly. Brans and Adoris were about to start nning the stage, but he asked the most pressing question first. ¡°Your Majesty, may I ask you something?¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°If Your Majesty pursued the Red Ash with my father, do you know why they are doing this?¡± Brans was very pleased with Ruel¡¯s question. It seemed that it brought him joy to have something that could help him. ¡°Yes, you are qualified to hear this story.¡± ¡°Do I need qualifications for that?¡± Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 113.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria (2) Chapter 113.2 - The Royal Family and Setiria (2) ¡°Do you know about the stone barrier surrounding Leponia?¡± ¡°Yes, I have seen it. I heard it¡¯s a stone that blocks everything.¡± ¡®Why is the talk about the stone barrier suddenlying up?¡¯ ¡°Fundamentally, the barrier covered by that stone prevents the Great Man froming to this country.¡± ¡°Pardon?¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but feel absurd when the stone and the Great Man appeared. The purpose of that barrier is to prevent the Great Man froming to this country. ¡°For a long time, the only people who knew about this were the king and the head of Setiria.¡± Ruel urgently inhaled Breath and then asked with a surprised look on his face. ¡°Was the seal I knew about a barrier stuck in arge stone?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, that barrier was set up by the head of the Setiria family a long time ago, and it is only passed down through blood, that is, pure direct lineage, so if you die, the barrier will disappear. That¡¯s why the enemy is targeting you.¡± Ruel was speechless at Brans¡¯s next words. It wasn¡¯t just a seal that prevented him from getting something. It was a seal that blocked the Great Man himself. Ruel was the medium. It gave him chills to think that so many lives depended on this body. ¡°The Royal Family protected Setiria, and Setiria protected this country, that is¡­ It has been a tradition and obligation that has continued since my time.¡± ¡°What is the reason? Why is it that only Leponia has a seal like this?¡± ¡°It¡¯s because there is an item in the Royal Family¡¯s treasure trove that cannot be taken away by the Great Man, but I don¡¯t even know what it is. It¡¯s probably to prepare for an unexpected situation.¡± Now Ruel knows why the Red Ash was so obsessed with the throne and approached the princes. ¡°Thank you for letting me know, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I thought it was a story you should know. Are you okay? Yourplexion has worsened.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. Do not worry.¡± It wasn¡¯t okay. But Ruel smiled faintly as he listened to his pounding heart. ¡®I understand why the former head of the family silenced Billo.¡¯ Although it was a secret known only to the king and the head of Setiria, the Great Man and the Red Ash also knew it. They knew, but they didn¡¯t use it. Except for the head of the family, no one knew about Setiria¡¯s coteral or servants, so it could not be used. How could an individual handle such a tremendous barrier? It was obvious, but if he weren¡¯t Ruel Setiria, he wouldn¡¯t have believed it. He would haveughed at the person who said it and dismissed it as a lie. ¡®¡­ha.¡¯ Ruel took a deep breath, holding his trembling hands together. His chest felt tight, the pressure was greater than he had anticipated. ¡°If it¡¯s too much, it¡¯s okay to take a break.¡± Brans looked at Ruel with concern. ¡°I¡¯m fine. If I stay too long, it will only arouse the enemy¡¯s suspicion.¡± ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to tell you.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you inform me earlier that the Tonisk Empire was making a move?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°They might send an embassy to the Kran Kingdom soon. We don¡¯t know if an alliance between the three countries will be formed, but you should be aware of it for now.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel finished speaking and took a deep breath. Logically, the three countries had to form an alliance to prepare for the Tonisk Empire. But he felt a little uneasy because he didn¡¯t know much about the Kran Kingdom. ¡®Let¡¯s focus on solving the current problems first.¡¯ Since he had nothing to do with the arrival of the Kran Kingdom delegation, Ruel brought up a story rted to the uing stage. *** ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± After finishing the story briefly, Brans caught Ruel as he was about to leave. Ruel stood up and looked at Brans. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°I know that it is very unpleasant to say something like this now, but will you give me a chance to protect you just once?¡± Ruel did not answer right away. He was shocked to hear that the king was only now protecting himself. After turning a blind eye to him for five years. Although there was no reason to refuse. The more people there were to protect him, the better. ¡°Yes, please protect me more than you have been able to protect me until now.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°But not now. After this incident is over, please protect me then.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± After hearing the answer, Ruel went outside. Due to the sudden dizziness, Ruel leaned against the wall and closed his eyes for a moment. He could feel even the spirits falling off. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡ªRuel! Cassion, Aris, and Leo approached Ruel. Ruel said nothing. ¡®Suppress your emotions.¡¯ He was confident in enduring. He already knew that his life wasn¡¯t just his own. His life had just be a little, a lot more entwined. After clearing his mind and taking a breath, Ruel opened his eyes. In the end, he just had to not die. It was simpler than he thought. ¡°It¡¯s okay, I just felt a bit dizzy. Lead the way, Cassion.¡± Cassion looked at Ruel¡¯s expression. He immediately bowed down and walked ahead. ¡®It looks like he heard some very bad news.¡¯ As he was the closest to Ruel, Cassion could somewhat gauge Ruel¡¯s expression. It wasn¡¯t the right time to touch the topic. He quietly led the way to Banios¡¯ room without saying a word. Banios¡¯ butler, Hoswell, bowed his head to Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but His Highness Banios is away for a moment. He asked you to wait inside.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± After giving a brief answer, Ruel went inside with Cassion. ¡°Would you like to have something to eat?¡± Cassion first handed a meat pie from his magic pocket to Ruel. Normally, Ruel would have eaten it right away, but this time he just stared at it. ¡°Stop acting out of character and just ask.¡± Contrary to his harsh words, Ruel ended up receiving a meat pie. He wasn¡¯tpletely annoyed. Cassion caught Leo wandering around the room and brought him to Ruel. Leo looked at Cassion with a dissatisfied expression. ¡°Just ask.¡± Contrary to his displeased voice, Ruel petted Leo. Leo¡¯s ears perked up and his tail automatically moved left and right. ¡®Now we can have a conversation.¡¯ Only then did Cassion see that Ruel¡¯s mood had calmed down a bit and asked. ¡°What did you hear?¡± Ruel continued to stroke Leo¡¯s fur and pressed his ears. It was to prepare for the sensitive fox¡¯s light-mouthed fox. ¡°I heard what my existence is meant to protect.¡± ¡°Are you talking about the seal?¡± ¡°It was a stone covered by a barrier surrounding Leponia.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°What exactly does that stone hold?¡± ¡°It serves as a barrier to prevent the emergence of the Great Man in Leponia.¡± Cassion fell silent. He understood why Ruel was so shaken. It wasn¡¯t just about breaking a simple seal. Ruel opened his mouth without looking at Cassion. ¡°The real purpose of the Red Ash is the Royal Family¡¯s treasury. I am just a shield that blocks it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a very fragile shield.¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, it¡¯s my ancestor who did that, so I can¡¯t me anyone.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t hear why?¡± ¡°Yeah, they just said it¡¯s something they¡¯ve been doing for a long time.¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Cassion hesitated and asked. It wasn¡¯t a typical question that was usually asked. Worry was deeply buried. ¡°No, it¡¯s not okay, it¡¯s really not okay.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips trembled slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to endure it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t argue with anyone. What are you going to do if I don¡¯t stand it? It¡¯s because I¡¯m a Setiria¡­ damn it!¡± Ruel immediately took a deep breath and inhaled Breath. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡¯s just sudden, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°Yes, I may not be good at givingforting words, but I¡¯m good at listening. When you want to talk, feel free to tell me.¡± Cassion sat down and took out his sword. Ruelughed as if relieved by his action, finding it better than uselessfort. Sak Sak. The sound of a sword being polished was heard. ¡ªIs it over now? Leo looked up and saw Ruel. Ruel let go of the hand that was holding Leo¡¯s ears and let him down to the ground to roam. But Leo climbed back onto Ruel¡¯sp and looked at his face. ¡ªGive this body some too. Ruel had unknowingly given Leo a piece of the meat pie that was on the table. Leo made a crunching sound as he ate, and Ruel also ate the meat pie with the same sound. Crunch. Enduring was familiar to him, even when he was Setiria. Even when he was Kim Han. ¡°Han, don¡¯t try to follow me, just live. Live and do what you want to do.¡± Ruel closed his eyes for a moment, recalling his father¡¯s voice that had been buried deep in his heart.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 114: Deceive and be deceived Chapter 114: Deceive and be deceived There was the sound of the door opening before Banios¡¯ voice was heard. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, did you wait long?¡± Looking at his apologetic appearance, Ruel shook his head. ¡°No, thanks to you, I was able to take a short break, so no need to apologize.¡± ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re directing a thorn in my side.¡± Banios smiled lightly and sat down. Soon he began fidgeting his fingers before cautiously opening his mouth. ¡°Did you have a good conversation with His Majesty?¡± ¡°Do you really want to be king?¡± Banios¡¯ eyes widened at Ruel¡¯s sudden question. ¡°Your Highness began by saying that you would be king to protect this country from Prince Adoris. Wasn¡¯t it simply handing me a gift when you said you would challenge the throne at the banquet?¡± Ruel was serious. After hearing about the rtionship between the Royal Family and Setiria from Brans, this was something he really wanted to ask Banios. From anyone¡¯s perspective, the only person Brans could let inherit the throne was Banios. Banios took a calming breath and looked at Ruel. ¡°I have never once taken this matter lightly.¡± Banios¡¯ voice was heavy, and his eyes were unwavering. ¡°I will definitely be king.¡± ¡°Good, that outlook is enough.¡± Ruel smiled slightly. ¡°May I exin what it was like to have a conversation with His Majesty?¡± ¡°Give it a try.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Banios paused at the stronger-than-expected remark, and Cassion quietly covered his mouth. ¡°Are you that angry?¡± ¡°I would like to tell you what I discussed with His Majesty, but I cannot.¡± ¡°I understand, I won¡¯t ask any more questions.¡± Ruel patted Leo with a cool expression. ¡°I am the main character on this stage, but in fact, I am not the real protagonist.¡± What was the best way to summon all the nobles and ministers? The simplest and most certain method. It was the matter of deciding the next sessor. Originally, Adoris naturally had to take the throne, but Banios¡¯ participation changed the flow. There was sufficient reason to select a sessor to prevent wars that would be waged by their children and checkpetitors that would arise among the nobles. ¡°Perhaps the stage will be set to decide on a sessor. That¡¯s why the real protagonist is me.¡± (Ruel) ¡°So why did you ask?¡± (Banios) ¡°Isn¡¯t this the person I will support? I¡¯m just asking to make sure I know before I dip my toe in for thest time, so I hope you¡¯ll be lenient.¡± (Ruel) Banios smiled happily. ¡°What could be happier than your support?¡± It¡¯s obvious. Ruel reacted calmly and asked about the actual matter. ¡°What do you have to say to me?¡± ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll be able to make an appointment with Cron, Luluan¡¯s henchman you told me to recruit, soon. When is a good time?¡± It was Banios who threw the bait, and it was Ruel¡¯s role to grab the lure to the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but please postpone your appointment.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say to hurry? Or did something happen?¡± ¡°I have some work to do with Prince Adoris.¡± Banios rubbed his arm with a puzzled expression. ¡°I heard what you were doing something with my brother, but I didn¡¯t hear any specific details.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll probably see it today. You might be a little, just a little surprised, so don¡¯t panic.¡± At Ruel¡¯s suspicious smile, Banios frowned slightly between his eyebrows. He couldn¡¯t even guess what he was thinking. ¡°It¡¯s your job, so you¡¯ll do it right, but is it dangerous?¡± ¡°Well, you might be a little surprised.¡± Ruel hesitated. ¡°Anyway, postpone your appointment with Cron, and in the meantime, capture his heart with your brilliant speech.¡± ¡°Is my eloquence as good as yours?¡± ¡°How can I do as well as Your Highness?¡± Baniosughed out loud. ¡°You don¡¯t look very good.¡± ¡°Can you tell?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t noticeable, but your tongue was slicker than usual, so I wanted to bring this.¡± Tak. Banios took out something and ced it on the table. It was a piece of paper. ¡°Just in time, I have a gift here to brighten your mood.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°See for yourself.¡± Ruel immediately grabbed the paper and lifted it up. Soon a smile appeared on Ruel¡¯s lips. The paper contained a statement that granted the right to trade some of the items the Royal Family needed. ¡°I thought this would be an appropriate gift, even though it¡¯s not worth as much as what you¡¯ve done for the Royal Family and the country.¡± Jirie¡¯s pleased expression was already apparent. At the same time, the birds¡¯ territory could naturally reach the Royal Family. ¡®It will make the investigation easier.¡¯ Ruel doesn¡¯t know if Banios gave it to him because he knew about the birds of Setiria, or if it was purepensation, but since he gave it to him, Ruel won¡¯t give it back. ¡°I will ept it gratefully.¡± Ruel entrusted the deed to Cassion. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to do. If you¡¯re free, we can talk more. If you¡¯re busy, I can leave now.¡± Ruel held his cane and rose for a moment before sitting down once more. Ruel wanted to resolve everything that bothered him, so he asked Banios. ¡°Are you still awkward with Prince Adoris?¡± Banios, who had been waiting to hear what he was going to say, froze for a moment. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Banios rubbed under his chin. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my ce to interfere, but Prince Adoris cares for you a lot.¡± Soon there will be two brothers instead of three, so shouldn¡¯t they get along well with each other? ¡°Have you forgiven what he has done to you¡­?¡± ¡°The rtionship between you two has nothing to do with my forgiveness.¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. ¡°How great it would be if forgiveness could end with words.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. That doesn¡¯t end with words.¡± ¡°If you really feel sorry for me, you can give me gold coins to buy snacks, surprise gifts, and a lot of those items anyway.¡± Banios looked at Ruel in surprise. ¡°Prince Huan will be watching, so I¡¯ll head out so that no one gets suspicious.¡± ¡°L-Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, please speak.¡± ¡°That is¡­ Is that really true?¡± ¡°Why would I tell you a lie? Please give my regards to Prince Adoris as well.¡± Ruel bowed his head and went out. Banios looked at the ce he left for a long time and then btedlyughed. ¡®I¡¯m going crazy.¡¯ He¡¯s not even a child, but snacks and gifts. How funny this sounds. Not once, but how many times have I already received his help? What he received this time was too great. Thanks to Ruel¡¯s words, Banios was relieved of the heavy burden that had been weighing on his chest after hearing what Huan had done. ¡®What¡­should I give to you?¡¯ He had no idea what to give Ruel. Maybe he should keep this gratitude for the rest of his life. *** ¡°Is the carriage ready?¡± Cassion sighed in response to Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ready. Even if Ruel-nim tells me to find diamonds in the desert, shouldn¡¯t I search?¡± ¡°Do it in moderation before you really do it.¡± Aris looked puzzled by the two peoples¡¯ conversation. Cassion sighs as he prepared the carriage. Aris didn¡¯t hear anything from Ruel and Cassion. As soon as Aris left the castle and saw the carriage, he noticed something was strange. It looked simr to the carriage made by Tyson, but it was not the original carriage. Noah, who was already riding in the coach seat, also looked strangely anxious. When Aris looked Noah in the eye, he pointed to Ruel. ¡®Did Ruel-nim change it on purpose?¡¯ Aris thought a few times before carefully speaking. ¡°Ruel-nim, I have something to tell you¡­¡± ¡°Aris, this time you get in.¡± When Ruel saw Aris in confusion, he noticed that Cassion had not spoken about the matter to Aris. ¡°Pardon? But I have to protect Ruel-nim outside.¡± ¡°Get in.¡± Ruel gave a simplemand and entered the carriage. Aris hesitated and nced at Noah. ¡°Ha¡­ let¡¯s survive. Then I¡¯m running away.¡± Noah tightened the reins and muttered something. Aris had no choice but to enter the carriage under Ruel¡¯s gaze. It wasn¡¯t until Cassion got on the carriage that the door closed. ¡ªThis carriage is narrow. Where did the original carriage go? ¡°I changed it for a moment.¡± Ruel answered Leo¡¯s words and inhaled Breath. The person that felt most ufortable right now was himself. Ruel felt suffocated caught between all the cramped spirits. He already missed Tyson¡¯s carriage. Knock. Knock. Cassion knocked on the carriage wall and the carriage started. Ruel calmly opened his mouth. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°There will be an attack.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Aris was startled for a moment, and soon revealed a fierce look. ¡°I¡¯ll be prepared.¡± ¡°No. There¡¯s no need for that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s a coordinated attack, so I have to take the hit this time.¡± ¡°So, did you change this carriage for this attack?¡± Ruel grinned. ¡°That¡¯s right. Since the attack will happen regardless, it would be nice if the carriage exploded.¡± ¡°Ha¡­¡± Cassion sighed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who pops it, Aris.¡± Ruel¡¯s finger pointed at Aris. Aris hesitated and then became embarrassed. ¡°H-how could I do something like that¡­¡± Aris soon clenched his fists in pain. ¡°I¡¯m unable to. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m attacking Ruel-nim. I will not do this even if it is Ruel-nim¡¯s order.¡± Ruel bit Breath and let out augh. ¡°Why am I asking you to attack me? What you need to attack is the carriage. Cassion will evacuate me, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Only then did Aris rx his hardened face. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Sure, then I will try to explode it properly.¡± After several discussions with Prince Adoris, it was agreed that the attack would beunched when they reached Setiria. For that purpose, they didn¡¯t bring the two vice-captains and only a few knights. Ruel looked at Cassion and signaled to Aris with a nod. ¡°Give him the device.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± What Cassion handed over to Aris was a device the size of a thumb. A red button appeared in the center. Ruel pointed to the center button. ¡°If you press that button, the carriage will explode.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not exploded with magic?¡± ¡°If you use magic, it leaves a trace.¡± ¡°Even if you use a bomb, it still leaves a trace¡­ Ah, I understand.¡± There are shadows that erase traces well, so why worry? Aris immediately smiled. ¡°You should be able to recognize the signal Cassion emits.¡± ¡°Then what are you doing in the meantime, Ruel-nim?¡± Aris was happy to be recognized, but there were many people who could have pushed the button. It wasn¡¯t something he had to do himself. He tried to ask that, but turned it into something else. ¡°Are you dissatisfied with me asking you to do something I can do?¡± Ruel looked at Aris carefully. ¡°No. I will do it.¡± Aris¡¯ smile deepened. Ruel inhaled the Breath and answered Aris¡¯ question. ¡°I have to act from here on.¡± It would be strange that the carriage exploded but he remained unharmed. Even if you¡¯re really lucky and get moderately injured, wouldn¡¯t it only be real if you bleed a little, have messy hair, and have torn clothes? Aris nced outside. ¡°Are you not nning on telling the knights?¡± ¡°Yes, because they really have to fight.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not the real enemy, are they? They might get hurt.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask who¡¯s the real enemy?¡± Ruel¡¯s words paused for a moment and then looked at Cassion. ¡°Are the enemies shadows?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I need to be a daily adventurer and run aroundpleting jobs.¡± Behind Ruel¡¯s happyughter, Cassion¡¯s sigh was heard again. *** ¡°It¡¯s the enemy!¡± At Aris¡¯s words, the knights simultaneously drew their swords and took an alert stance. ¡°They¡¯ve grown so much.¡± Ruel watched the scene from afar and spoke leisurely. ¡ªIt¡¯s like hide and seek. Leo giggled and was happy. It was Cassion¡¯s responsibility to be busy. He caught a deer running in the forest and sprinkled blood on Ruel¡¯s body. Ruel frowned. The bloody smell came up in an instant and made him feel sick. Leo dissipated his smile and looked at Ruel restlessly. ¡°It¡¯s not painful, so you don¡¯t have to look at me like that.¡± ¡ªI understand. Leo ran around with his ears perked up again. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Do you have to do this?¡± ¡°Yes. I have to get to this point for Prince Huan to move. He and his people are difficult to move into action.¡± As Huan gained strength in the Red Ash, how anxious would he be to hear that Adoris almost seeded in killing him? ¡®You¡¯ll definitelye running to Setiria, right?¡¯ Ruel smirked. ¡°I was injured in an attack, and when Huan finds out that the assant was Adoris, he wille to me and tell me who the culprit is. It¡¯s a good opportunity for me to pretend that I believe in Huan, and a good opportunity for Huan to think that I really believe in him.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s what Ruel-nim is aiming for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± It was also an opportunity to unite the Shio family at once. ¡°Okay, now let¡¯s move.¡± Ruel grinned as he grabbed Breath. Quaang! The carriage Ruel was in exploded spectacrly. It exploded from the inside. At this incredible sight, all the knights looked towards the burning carriage. They were filled with a deep sense of despair. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Aris shouted desperately. Afterwards, the knights called out to Ruel in unison. ¡°Patriarch!¡± Everyone approached the carriage, leaving the enemies in front of them. ¡°Stop!¡± Aris gritted his teeth and calmed the knights. ¡°There are still enemies! I¡¯m saving Ruel-nim!¡± Aris immediately used water to put out the fire. ¡°Cough!¡± A coughing sound was heard from the smoke-filled area. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± Aris immediately shouted and informed the knights of Ruel¡¯s dilemma. As Aris hurriedly removed the remains of the carriage, he saw a slightly smoky Cassion wrapping his arms around Ruel. ¡°Ruel-nim was injured.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice trembled slightly. His voice was shaking as he desperately tried to hold backughter. He stood up while holding Ruel and located Noah. Ruel ordered that one horse be secured before the carriage exploded. ¡°There¡¯s a horse over there! It looks like Noah kept the horse!¡± Aris looked around and pointed to Noah leading the horse. His face had turnedpletely white. His legs were shaking every time he walked. Aris thought that Noah had at least left a means to protect himself, but there was nothing like that. The carriage really exploded. He felt like he was about to cry. ¡®Damn it. If only it weren¡¯t for the money.¡¯ Aris ran to Noah, escorting Cassion, who was holding Ruel. ¡°Give me the horse.¡± Noah was going to give it to him even if he didn¡¯t ask. Noah handed the reins to Aris as if throwing them. At the same time, Aris slipped a gold coin to Noah. Noah¡¯s eyes changed. He immediately took out his bow and shouted solemnly. ¡°Are you okay, Ruel-nim? I will protect this ce, so go quickly!¡± Cassion got on the horse with Aris¡¯ help. ¡°Go first!¡± nk! Aris reacted to the attack and raised his sword to block. Even though more than half of her face was covered, Aris recognized it as Hina. She smiled, lowered her body, and swung her foot towards Aris¡¯ leg. Aris¡¯s centered weight copsed. He fell backwards, but a strong wind blew from behind. Hina stepped back, covering her face with her arms. ¡°No one can get ahead of us.¡± Aris, who regained his bnce, red at Hina bearing a sword and a lightning bolt. It was so good that it could not be considered asplete acting. Her eyes smiled again.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 115: Deceive and be deceived (2) Chapter 115: Deceive and be deceived (2) *** Clop. Clop. The rough sound of horses¡¯ hooves was heard. The knights guarding the main gate of the Setiria Mansion immediately stopped drawing their swords and froze. The person on the horse was Cassion, and the person in front of him with his eyes closed as if fainting was their master, Ruel Setiria. ¡°P-patriarch!¡± Red blood was all over Ruel¡¯s body. The knights were astonished. ¡°Move out of the way right now.¡± Hearing Cassion¡¯s urgent voice, the knights opened the door. Cassion got off his horse at the entrance to the mansion and gave an order to the servant. ¡°Call Fran right now!¡± He went straight into Ruel¡¯s room. The following screams and cries that followed made Cassion uncertain of how to handle the situation. He hesitated toy Ruel on the bed, as the sheets had just been changed before their departure. But in the end, he had no choice but to put Ruel on the bed and Cassion sighed deeply. ¡°Ruel, because of this incident, I¡¯m a little confused about what my job is.¡± He was an assassin, a butler, an adventurer, and even had a hint of acting as an actor. What should I call this? ¡°I fainted, so don¡¯t talk to me,¡± Ruel replied with his eyes half-open. ¡ªThis body knows that Ruel is not sleeping! Leoughed bitterly. Cassion said while looking at Leo who was licking Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°There are no watchers.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Only then did Ruel open his eyes and move his stiff body around. Ruel was surprisingly calm, considering the chaos in the mansion. Cassion looked displeased and asked, ¡°How do you n to handle the situation in the mansion?¡± ¡°Leave them be until we catch them. The culprit this time is quite big, so if we act hastily, we won¡¯t catch them,¡± Ruel replied, smiling. ¡°Fran is here,¡± Cassion said as the door banged open. Bang! ¡°My Lord! Are you alright?¡± Ruel grinned and waved his hand. ¡°Sister! The patriarch is in¡­¡± Even Tierra, who btedly followed Fran, froze and looked at Ruel. Cassion quietly closed the door. ¡°Please lower your voice.¡± Soon Cassion¡¯s brow furrowed. He raised one finger and showed it to Ruel. It seemed to mean that one more person wasing. ¡®It¡¯s my uncle.¡¯ Ruel could clearly guess who it was. He nced at the frozen women and leisurely inhaled Breath. Bang! As always, the door opened violently. ¡°Ruel! Ruel¡­¡± Tyson¡¯s expression contorted as if he was about to burst into tears, then he stopped talking. Ruel put his finger on his lips and motioned for him toe closer. As if possessed by something, Tyson walked inside following Ruel¡¯s instructions. Cassion closed again. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel.¡± ¡°I hope you don¡¯t let the sound go out.¡± At Ruel¡¯s mischievous smile, Tyson cast the spell with a puzzled expression. Tyson¡¯ eyes were busy. The blood on the clothes was definitely real blood. But Ruelughs so casually like that. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Fran took a deep breath and calmed her mind before sitting next to Ruel to conduct an examination. The blood was only on the clothes and there were no cuts or scratches at all. ¡°Really¡­you¡¯re okay.¡± Tyson and Tierra¡¯s hearts pounded at the sound of Fran¡¯s voice. Soon Fran¡¯s face distorted. ¡°Is this a trick?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were going to lie about your life being at stake.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t tell you earlier, but I couldn¡¯t tell you what was going on to catch a big beast.¡± Ruel looked at the three people and smiled suspiciously. ¡°Uncle and you both need to cooperate.¡± *** ¡°What did you say?¡± Huan let out augh and looked at his knight. He hesitated and then opened his mouth again. ¡°The attack¡­ It looks like it was a sess. Now there is news that Ruel Setiria is on the brink of death.¡± ¡°The second one! Finally!¡± Huan mmed the table and stood up. ¡°Did you check it yourself?¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t confirm it. Setiria¡¯s defenses have be even tighter. In addition, it¡¯s very strange that the assassins sent to Setiria keep disappearing¡­¡± ¡°Who on earth is in Setiria!¡± Huan approached the knight. ¡°Who said they were such skilled fighters? Didn¡¯t you check everything? How much have you not reported to me!¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The most important thing in battle was to check the enemy¡¯s skills. The person to watch out for the most was the knightmander named Cheynol, who was guarding the mansion, and the guard knight named Aris, who was always next to Ruel Setiria. Other than them, there was no one else with decent skills. This was the result of checking not just once, but several times. However, the assassins sent to kill Ruel Setiria disappeared, and the adventurers sent to attack him disappeared. ¡®No matter how much you think about it, there must be a third force protecting Ruel Setiria.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t Adoris. He was overwhelmed just holding himself in check. Neither was Banios. Ben Liobenez recently supported him, but he was only a growing force. If Setiria had the power, he would not have been attacked in the first ce, and Adoris¡¯ head should have fallen off long ago. ¡®Who on earth¡­?¡¯ Huan opened his eyes wide. ¡®It¡¯s a guardian¡­!¡¯ When Trino Setiria was killed, it was clear that the disgusting bastards who were protecting him were the ones protecting Ruel. He lost most of his men because of them. ¡®Okay, there¡¯s another one, right?¡¯ Huanughed slowly and then quickly erased his smile. Topletely destroy Adoris and be king himself¡­ ¡°Call the butler.¡± ¡°Are you nning to go by yourself?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll keep visiting so he can trust me.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± The knight bowed and went out. ¡®Ruel Setiria. Soon I will send you to reunite with your father.¡¯ Huan grinned from ear to ear. *** ¡°Please identify yourself.¡± The knight of Setiria looked at Serti and the servants standing behind her with wary eyes. ¡®I heard that Ruel Setiria is on the brink of death. I guess it¡¯s real?¡¯ She had no choice but toe to Setiria as she could not ovee her father¡¯s anger. She felt better though now that she was here. If you look at the serious atmosphere, the rumors that came out, and the reactions of the knights, it was real. Ruel Setiria was really seriously injured. Serti unfolded her fan presenting the Shio family crest. ¡°Serti Shio, I havee to inquire about the lord¡¯s well-being upon hearing the news.¡± ¡°Please wait a moment.¡± Even though her identity was revealed, the knights¡¯ vignce did not ease. One of the knights entered the mansion. ¡®It¡¯spletely different from thest time I came. Well, I guess it¡¯s worth staying alive till now and seeing the debt repaid.¡¯ She had to make up for the money she had wasted. Her teeth clenched involuntarily. Shortly after, a man with ck hair walked out with the knight. Upon seeing him, Serti tightly gripped the fan. Isn¡¯t he Ruel¡¯s exclusive butler? ¡°Excuse me. Pleasee inside.¡± Serti walked along with Cassion¡¯s guidance. It seemed as if the word ¡®worry¡¯ was written on the face of every servant she could see. That appearance was very unfamiliar to Serti. Aren¡¯t servants not even given the right to worry about nobles? ¡°I¡¯mte to say hello, Miss Shio.¡± Cassion paused for a moment and bowed his head slightly to Serti. ¡°Thank you so much foring. Ruel-nim will be happy too.¡± ¡°What is the condition of the patriarch?¡± Soon Cassion stopped in front of the room with thergest door. He slightly turned the handle and smiled slightly. ¡°Please go inside.¡± Serti stopped the attendant and went inside alone. Ruel¡¯s escort knight caught her eye first, and the bed was covered with curtains. The woman, perhaps a doctor, stood up and bowed towards Serti. ¡°I¡¯d like to meet him face to face for a moment, is that okay?¡± Serti looked at her face and spoke kindly. It was a face that had stayed up all night for several days. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s okay.¡± Fran left the ce and went outside. Serti looked at the seat she was sitting in displeasure and spoke to Cassion who came inside. ¡°Can you change me to a different chair?¡± ¡°Yes, I will change it for you.¡± Cassion removed the chair Fran was sitting on and reced it with another chair. Only then did Serti sit down and carefully open the closed curtain. ¡°¡­!¡± Serti was startled, but managed to hold back. The smell of blood was strong. It smelled like something was rotting. Blood and thick liquid were visible on the bandages carefully wrapped around half of the face and neck. It was disgusting. She felt like she was going to vomit at any moment. But Serti held back and opened her mouth. There were things that a nobleman had to maintain, such as face and honor. ¡°My lord, you must recover safely for Setiria¡¯s sake. Everyone is hoping that the patriarch will wake up.¡± What¡¯s so difficult about saying only usible things in front of a patient. Since she was nning to leave after a short talk anyway, Serti endured the disgusting smell and continued to speak in a kind voice while being conscious of the butler and escort knight. ¡°Really?¡± Then, a familiar voice was heard. Serti was so startled that she stood up in her ce. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassion asked casually. The fan that Serti had in hand shook. Did she hear it wrong? ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She tried to calm down and sit down, but this time she ended up falling t on her butt. Ruel opened his eyes. Then he got up and looked at her casually. ¡°Did you really want me to wake up?¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth rose. ¡°M-my lord¡­¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°As you see¡­ I didn¡¯t know you would be so loyal.¡± Ruel pointed to a chair. ¡°Sit down, don¡¯t we need to talk?¡± With a confused look on her face, Serti managed to sit down on the chair with Cassion¡¯s support. When she made eye contact with Ruel, her hands started shaking. She felt something was wrong. She felt like she was trapped. ¡°Diagos Shio must have sent you. I expected you toe.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Serti¡¯s fan was slightly bent. The trap was right. ¡°Do you remember that you swore your loyalty to me?¡± ¡°I¡­ I remember it.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll see how deep your loyalty is.¡± Ruel smiled arrogantly. One came first to throw the spark of discord. ¡°I¡¯ll ask before that.¡± Ruel did not get straight to the point. ¡°Please speak.¡± Serti soon suppressed her emotions and became calm. She was indeed a nobleman. ¡°Do you want to be the head of the family?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± It was the fastest response he¡¯d ever heard from Serti. Only after receiving confirmation of her ambition did Ruel get to the point. ¡°You remember the promise I made to you, right?¡± ¡°Yes, didn¡¯t you say you would make me the patriarch?¡± ¡°Your chance hase.¡± Serti looked at Ruel as if asking what he was talking about. ¡°I need your help to defeat Diagos Shio.¡± Serti¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Father¡­ Are you nning to kill him?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to keep him alive. I¡¯m nning on letting him rot in prison until he dies.¡± As if she had rested for a while, Serti took a deep breath. It was okay as long as he remained alive. Serti calmlyposed herself. ¡°Can I hear why?¡± ¡°Your father is taking a dangerous gamble. If he seeds, he will receive a position worthy of a dukedom, but if not, the Shio family will be swept up in charges of treason. Even you.¡± Again, treason was imed. Serti felt dizzy and closed her eyes for a moment before opening them. ¡°Did you just say it was treason?¡± ¡°Do you think what I am saying is a lie?¡± Serti couldn¡¯t answer Ruel¡¯s question right away. It was such a hard thing to believe. Ruel let out augh as if mocking Serti. ¡°Why would I say this when I tied you with an oath in the first ce? At least I¡¯m giving you a chance to make a choice.¡± ¡°At least exin what my father did¡­¡± ¡°Make a choice.¡± Ruel spoke firmly as if she would not be allowed to say anything more. Whether Serti believed his exnation or not didn¡¯t change the fact that she had a choice to make. She didn¡¯t want to waste that time. After thinking about it, Serti opened her mouth heavily. ¡°Are you really, really not going to kill my father?¡± ¡°I promise.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyesmunicated his seriousness. Serti slowly loosened her grip on the fan. *** ¡°This way, Your Highness.¡± Cassion spoke to Huan. Just then the door opened and Serti came out. She looked at Huan and bowed. ¡°I meet His Highness, the Little Sun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Serti Shio.¡± Huan smiled dly. ¡°Yes, Your Highness. Long time no see.¡± ¡°I just wanted to tell you something. Would you mind waiting a moment?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Huan heard Serti¡¯s answer and went inside. It was quiet. It was too simple to be a lord¡¯s room. Setiria owed a lot of debt, and that seemed to be true. Huan didn¡¯t sit down and just pulled back the curtain. As soon as he saw Ruel sleeping as if he were dead, his stomach boiled. He should have killed him, not Adoris. Soon Huan closed the curtain again and noticed a woman next to him with her head down. ¡°Are you a doctor?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Fran answered. ¡°What is Lord Setiria¡¯s condition?¡± Huan asked cautiously. ¡°He was close to the explosion, but he¡¯s in good condition. I think he¡¯ll be fine as long as he regains consciousness.¡± ¡°So, contrary to the rumors that are spreading, the situation is not as bad?¡± ¡°Yes that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good thing. Oh, if it¡¯s a rumor, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll put them to rest.¡± Huanughed contentedly. It was a good idea to check for himself. If Ruel Setiria hadn¡¯t died, he still had a chance. If he just strangled Ruel now, he would die, but dying like this would only be helping Adoris. When Ruel came to his senses again, it had to be dealt with cleanly. Huan swallowed hisughter and opened his mouth with difficulty, as if he were depressed. ¡°Please take good care of Lord Setiria. If you need anything, I will spare no effort in supporting you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°No, isn¡¯t Lord Setiria a talent that the country desperately needs?¡± ¡°I will take care of the lord with the utmost care.¡± ¡°Thank you, I will go then without wasting any more time.¡± Huan encouraged Fran and went out. Huan looked apologetic as he looked at Serti who was waiting. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for keeping you waiting.¡± ¡°No, Your Highness.¡± Before leaving with Serti, Huan walked up to Cassion and lightly tapped him on the shoulder. ¡°I hope Lord Setiria gets well. If you have any difficulties, please contact me at any time.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°There is no need to see us off, you can take care of Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Please proceed carefully.¡± Cassion bowed. As Huan and Serti disappeared from sight, Cassion brushed off the shoulder that Huan had touched in displeasure.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 116: Deceive and be deceived (3) Chapter 116: Deceive and be deceived (3) *** Huan and Serti walked down the hallway talking. ¡°I heard a lot from your father. You are clever and wise.¡± ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed.¡± Serti replied, touched by thepliment. ¡°How is your father doing well these days? I heard a rumor that a few businesses are faltering.¡± Serti¡¯s hand holding the fan trembled at his sarcastic remark. The Shio family had supported Huan in the past, but how difficult had it been since he suddenly announced his intent to give up the throne. He stabs someone in the back and pretended as if it never happened. Sertiposed her crumpled expression. ¡°Your Highness, the rumors are different from the reality.¡± ¡°Is that so? It was rude to ask, but I was worried as we were once in the same boat afterall.¡± ¡°There was a time when your rtionship with my family was special, but I don¡¯t think our rtionship is close enough to bring up such a story now.¡± Huan noticed something in Serti¡¯s manner that made him realize that Serti was unaware what her father, Diagos Shio was up to. The rtionship between the Shio family and himself hadn¡¯t changed. He felt like he was going tough at the sight of Diagos, who was struggling to prevent his daughter from bing his dog. However, in the end, the Shio family was his dog. ¡°So, what is the rtionship between Setiria and you? As far as I know, you and Setiria had no connection. Could it be¡­?¡± Huan trailed off, lifting the corners of his mouth. Serti¡¯s expression sank slightly. ¡°I only came at my father¡¯smand, so I hope there are no other misunderstandings.¡± ¡°Lord Diagos Shio?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± In response to Serti¡¯s answer, Huan stroked his chin. ¡®Diagos. Are you doing something I didn¡¯t ask you to do?¡¯ Why did he send Serti Shio to Setiria? The obvious intention was visible. ¡®Insolent.¡¯ Huan clenched his fists. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Serti¡¯s voice soon came, and Huan responded with a friendly face. ¡°Yes?¡± Huan asked. ¡°I honestly can¡¯t understand why my father would withdraw his support for you,¡± Serti said abruptly. Huan didn¡¯t say anything in response to the sudden remark. ¡°I think you still have a chance to aim for the sky, Your Highness,¡± Serti added. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Give me a chance.¡± Huan smiled with interest. ¡°Why did my father send me here? If I can capture Lord Setiria¡¯s heart, Setiria will be mine.¡± ¡°Is that an easy task?¡± Even though Huan¡¯s words sounded sarcastic, Serti smiled brightly. ¡°Is there a unique way to capture someone¡¯s heart? In my opinion, Your Highness, you seem to need Sertiria¡¯s support. What do you think?¡± It was the typical gaze of a noble, seeking only to satisfy their own ambitions without understanding their position. Huan forced a smile, suppressing his amusement at the situation. ¡°Your father doesn¡¯t seem to favor me very much.¡± ¡°Your Highness, I am a direct descendant of the Shio family.¡± Huan understood exactly what that meant. It was a deration of intent to push aside Diagos Shio and take control. Huan finally let out a genuine smile. ¡®Yes, I was thinking about getting rid of Diagos, but it worked out well.¡¯ Serti Shio. She was Diagos¡¯ most beloved daughter and was the perfect tool for his ns. ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± he said, and Serti subtly covered her smile with a fan in response to the positive signal. *** Rustle. Cassion, who was wiping the sword next to Ruel, stopped his hand for a while. His subordinate quietly left a note to him and disappeared. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Ruel responded, flipping through some documents. His bandaged face was now uncovered, since he was feeling stuffy. ¡°It is said that Serti Shio contacted Huan and made their next meeting.¡± ¡°As expected,¡± Ruel smirked. Serti Shio was as good an actor as the prince. She had made a deal with him, in exchange for assurance for her father¡¯s life. Huan was the person who would eventually kill Diagos. Those who knew too much were always a danger, and their rtionship was based on gain rather than trust. Crunch. Ruel had informed Serti of his spection that Huan would kill Diagos. For Serti to protect her father, for Diagos to move to protect her. ¡®The more one builds a rtionship for personal gain, the smaller the crack that can shake everything,¡¯ Ruel thought, anticipating Serti¡¯s actions. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! You¡¯re so wicked right now. Leo, who had a listless expression, soon opened his eyes round. ¡°I thought it was kind of fun.¡± Ruel smiled excitedly and took a bite of the meat pie. Glitter. The ring lit up. It was Banios. ¡®Didn¡¯t you say you were going to let Adoris suffer on purpose?¡¯ Ruel was trying to infuse mana into the ring when he heard Cassion¡¯s call. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°There are numerous callsing in on themunication device.¡± Ziing. The vibration seemed particrly loud today. Ruel¡¯s voice sounded excited, as if he was enjoying the situation. ¡°If it¡¯s Ken, let him know, but if it¡¯s from the barons, ignore it.¡± It would liven up the atmosphere if all the barons came to the mansion together. As Cassion rose from his seat, he asked, ¡°Are you not nning to inform the barons?¡± ¡°No, why would I? Of course, once they¡¯re here.¡± From his position serving Ruel, Cassion truly pitied them. ¡°Understood. I will contact Ken ande back.¡± Ruel nodded and infused mana into the ring. ¡°I¡­¡± -Are, are you okay? ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± -The carriage exploded! Was that supposed to happen? Was it my brother¡¯s idea? ¡°No, it¡¯s not¡­¡± -I¡¯ll go ask my brother right now! Ruel inhaled Breath. He couldn¡¯t say anything. Didn¡¯t he clearly tell him not to be surprised in advance? ¡°Please wait, Your Highness Banios.¡± The sound of footsteps stopped. ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯m safe. Nothing happened. So rest assured.¡± -Are you really okay? Really? ¡°I nned the carriage explosion. I would appreciate it if you woulde to see me with the same concern as you have now.¡± Soon a deep sigh of relief was heard. -¡­ Lord Setiria, please tell me in detail next time. ¡°I told you clearly.¡± -I thought something would go wrong in the doing of the ¡®little surprise.¡¯ ¡°Please pay more attention.¡± Ruel chuckled. -You¡­ I understand. If Ie to you like this, no one will suspect anything. Then. The ring¡¯s light went out. ¡®Phew, that was close. My eardrums almost burst.¡¯ Knock. Cassion came inside with a light knock. ¡°His Highness Adoris has contacted you.¡± Ruel swept his face. The brothers were in an uproar because the carriage had exploded. ¡®Why aren¡¯t they using their perfectly good brains here?¡¯ Surely, they should be suspicious of what¡¯s happening. All he had done was put chocte on a pre-made cake. ¡°Pass it to me.¡± Cassion handed over themunication device. ¡°I¡­¡± -Ar-are you okay? Ruel felt d¨¦j¨¤ vu. *** ¡°Astell.¡± Ruel held Leo and quietly called Astell from the kitchen. She was startled, but then looked at Ruel with a slightly angry look on her face. ¡°Do you know how many times our hearts have skipped a beat today between my colleagues and me at the dreadful news?¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry.¡± Since both Serti and Huan had arrived on the same day, he didn¡¯t bother hiding it from the servants and knights anymore. However, he has already heard from Astell and countless others saying the same thing. Last time Ruel checked he was the patriarch. Why should he be the one scolded? ¡°Don¡¯t do that next time. To us, you¡¯re not just a Lord.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel was about to ask what she meant by ¡®not just a Lord,¡¯ but decided against it, thinking she might begin a different lecture. Astell sighed heavily and asked softly, ¡°Did youe because you wanted to have cocoa?¡± ¡°Yes. Just two cups.¡± ¡°Does Cassion know that you¡¯re here?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Astell knew it was a lie, but she pretended not to notice. ¡°Are you dressed warmly?¡± ¡°I even wore gloves today.¡± Ruel showed off his thick gloves. ¡°The sky wasn¡¯t very clear today.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going out to stargaze. Just going out for some fresh air.¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t catch a cold likest time.¡± Astell didn¡¯t ask why Ruel was going outside after returning from a walk. She simply made cocoa with warm milk so that he could enjoy it. Leo had already swallowed his saliva at the sweet smell. Astell was about to hand the cup to Ruel, but cautiously suggested, ¡°I¡¯ll apany you outside.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll enjoy the cocoa.¡± Ruel quickly grabbed the cup, chuckled, and left the kitchen. *** ¡ªThere are no stars today. Leo said, licking his cocoa and looking up at the sky. ¡°Instead, the moon is out.¡± ¡ªReally! Leo smiled brightly as he watched the round full moon with his tail wagging. It wasn¡¯t cold today. He had Aris¡¯s cloak, Cassion¡¯s gloves, and Tyson¡¯s scarf to keep him warm. ¡ªRuel. Leo asked, burying his face in Ruel¡¯s stomach. He nced and noticed the cocoa stains still there. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªAre you sad? Ruel lowered his head at Leo¡¯s question. His green eyes, just like Leo¡¯s, sparkled like stars. He stopped himself from lying. At this moment, with no one around, he didn¡¯t want to hide his emotions. He knew he had to hold back at certain times, but not now. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m a little sad today.¡± Ruel smiled bitterly. He felt overwhelmed by his own existence. He felt trapped withinyers of walls. He didn¡¯t want to be someone important to someone else, not wanting to be the important person to those whose faces and names he didn¡¯t even know. ¡ªThis body will hug you tightly. Leo hugged Ruel with his short front paws. Seeing Leo¡¯s gesture, Ruel burst intoughter. It was small, but it was enough, and it was warm. Ruel managed to stifle hisughter and sipped his cocoa. Ha. It was very sweet. ¡®It¡¯s delicious.¡¯Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 117: Small sparks Chapter 117: Small sparks Ruel-nim, Jirie and Dion havee to visit. What should we do? Cassion asked, while polishing his sword. How does Cassion know who is here? Leo, who was happily ying with the spirits, paused for a moment looking at Cassion. Cassion reluctantly answered therge sparkling eyes looking at him. I hear their footsteps. Wow! Thats amazing! Leo eximed, spinning around Cassion and the spirits followed suit, jumping and shouting Kuroo kuru excitedly. Although it was chaotic, Cassion looked at Ruel with a calm expression. Let them in. Ruel fidgeted with his hand that had an IV in it. Last night at the training ground, he saw the moon instead of the stars, but he didnt catch a cold. Instead, pain urred while he was sleeping, so Cassion brought Fran to him. This time, the pain did not subside easily even after vomiting ck blood, and Fran eventually gave him an IV. How is your condition? Cassion looked at the pocketwatch in his hand and asked. It doesnt hurt anymore. Can you take it out now? It was ufortable to have something stuck in his arm. After meeting Jirie and Dion, I will call Fran. Okay. Cassion got up and went outside. Does it really not hurt? Leo jumped up and clung to the bed. Yeah. Compared to when the condition was severe and the pain came several times a day, he was doing much better now. However, it was a little difficult to rush around without any time to rest. Ruel inhaled Breath and continued with the paperwork he had put off. Arent you going out today? Leo looked at Ruel with a look in his eyes that suggested he wanted to go for a walk. Do you want to go out? This body wants to run on the training ground. Ruel stroked Leos head. You go running with Aris first. Ill go out when it feels better. Okay. Leo soon lowered his head, as if making a decision, and resisted the temptation with determination. This body will go out with Ruel. Itll be a big problem if Ruel is sad. Im not sad today, so you can run with Aris first. Really? Yes. This body understands! Leoughed and ran to his exclusive door. Just before he went out, he turned back and looked at Ruel intently. Are you happy today? Um, a little? The food was delicious. This body is happy too! Leo eximed, raising his short front paw as if he were cheering and quickly ran out the door. Kuroo kuru. Ruel reacted with astonishment when he saw the spirits gather around the paperwork, almost as if they wereforting him. Im really not sad, so go and have fun. Only then did the spirits disperse again. Even if he was the medium of the barrier that blocked the Great Man, nothing would change. Get rid of the Red Ash and survive. That was it. Ruel put down his pen and turned his stiff shoulders. I should take a break after finishing this. Since it was winter, it was obvious that there would be people who would object if he said he wanted to go out and wander. Knock. Knock. Come in. P-patriarch! Jirie and Dion rushed in so urgently that their hair was disheveled by the wind. When Ruel smiled happily, they stopped and froze like the others who came before them. Smiling at their confusion, Ruel gestured towards the chairs in front of them. Please, have a seat. Are you okay? Are you sure youre okay? Jirie and Dion spoke at the same time and were busy looking at Ruel. As you can see, Im perfectly fine, Ruel reassured them. They made subtle expressions. Although there were no injuries, he still did not look healthy. First, they took a deep breath and sat down on the chairs that Ruel had pointed out. What exactly happened? Jirie asked cautiously. However, although Ruel understood his feelings, this incident was not a story he could share casually. Instead, Ruel prepared to bring up another story. Cassion, give it to Jirie. Cassion handed a piece of paper to Jirie. It was a certificate authorizing the trading of royal goods received from Banios. Jiries face hardened as he read one letter at a time, and the hand holding the certificate trembled. The eyes soon moved quickly. As nothing changed after reading it again and again, Jirie looked at Ruel with a face filled with emotion. He seemed on the verge of kneeling down in gratitude. You are my representative. In addition, Jirie expressed his admiration in a hoarse voice at Ruelsment, which reached its peak. Th-thank you. Thank you so much, my lord! I dont know how to repay this favor! As always, you just have to show your skills. At Ruels smile, Jirie stood up and bowed deeply. This humble person will always work for you, my lord! You must have heard about the new vige being built, so please provide as much support as possible. Of course! We have already researched what is needed and are preparing the items! As expected from a merchant, he was quick with information. Ruel then turned to Dion, who seemed to be expecting something. His gaze was reminiscent of Leos, seeking approval. After a moment of thought, Ruel spoke. The recent back alley incident wasrgely handled thanks to you. I should have told you back then, but I apologize for the dy. Its okay. What do you want? Just a word of thanks from you is enough, my lord, Dion replied, genuinely satisfied. Ruel was always concerned because the Birds had no material desires. As I mentioned before, we exist for you, my lord. The support is already sufficient, and you dont need to give us more. Dion seemed like he wouldnt ept anything this time either, but Ruel had to give him something else to do. Should I give him that? Ruel thought for a moment and then called Cassion. Cassion, just give me a piece of paper. Reluctantly, Cassion took out a piece of paper from his pocket, which had now be a store. Cassion didnt know what Ruel would ask for, so he had everything prepared. Ruel immediately started writing on a piece of paper, the sound of the pen filling the room. Jirie and Dion waited quietly, suppressing their curiosity. Take it, Ruel handed the neatly folded paper to Dion, who reluctantly epted it. Its a letter. Thank you. I will cherish it, Dion replied with a warm smile, carefully tucking the letter into his pocket. Now that they had received something, he had an excuse to make a request. Ruel spoke up, I want to give you one more task. Is that okay? Pleasemand as you wish. We follow your orders, Dion replied. There are rumors and people to investigate within the Royal Family. Cassion will pass on the details. Can you and Jirie handle it? Jirie smiled proudly. Now that his influence reached the Royal Family, it was natural that his scope of investigation would expand. There was more brilliance overflowing from Ruel than when Jirie first saw him. It was like an object whose value increases the more you polish it. Jirie was able to take a small risk with that insight. I will follow as the Lordmands. Our birds always follow their master. *** Dion spoke with Jirie with a serious expression, unable to ovee his continued curiosity. Mr. Jirie, would you like to go first? I will follow soon. Alright. Dion sent Jirie away first and then unfolded the paper as if he were handling the most precious item. He soon bit his trembling lip. Then again, Dion carefully took the letter in his arms. He knew. To be a bird, the first thing Dion had to do was give up his name. The real name, which he had never mentioned since he was given the name Dion, and not just one, but the real names of all the birds, were written as if they were precious. Someone remembered them, who had no choice but to be forgotten by everyone. Dion is so grateful for that. He just burst into tears. *** Banios, Adoris, five family heads, and barons visited Setiria. Ruel was scolded by the two princes and scolded by the barons, but he was relieved and shed tears, so he thought he should stop blowing up carriages. From that day on, Ruel worked out from time to time to build up his basic physical strength, and increased his mana among the spirits. Ruel spent his days drawing mana for the experiment with the ck water, sometimes spent his days and nights looking at the sky. Now it was time to start moving, and Ruel made a loud announcement that the enemies could hear. Lord Ruel Setiria has awakened! It was a week after the carriage ident. *** I see you, Prince Huan. Diagos bowed politely to Huan. It was the first time in almost two years that Huan had called him publicly. Please, have a seat. Huan gestured to a chair. When he smiled, Diagos felt like he was sticking his head into a beasts mouth. It didnt feel good. Nevertheless, Diagos smiled brightly and asked about his well-being. You look better. It seems like things are going well for you. Thanks to you, everything went well. Huan replied, his voice slightly heavier than his words suggested. As his gaze settled, he continued speaking. I went to visit Lord Setiria in his mansion and met your daughter, Serti Shio. When Serti was mentioned, Diagos had a vague sense of what wasing. Im worried about what impertinence she might have shown to you, Your Highness, Diagos pretended not to understand and changed the subject. Isnt it you who has been impertinent? However, Huan caught Diagos tail. I only sent the child away because I was busy. Diagos Shio, dont evade the topic. Your Highness Did I order you to send your daughter to Setiria? Or did you use your daughter to get on Setirias side? It was only then that Diagos desperately got up from his seat and prostrated himself in front of Huan. Your Highness! I, I have made a mistake! I thought my n would be helpful for Your Highness. Didnt I clearly tell you not to do anything other than what I tell you to do? I swear I will never do something arbitrary like this again! Huan rested his chin on the back of his hand and looked down at Diagos, who was lying face down. Your daughter is indeed something you can be proud of. Diagos felt an unexinable sense of foreboding at Huans words, whose meaning he could not understand. It seems like I have relied on you too much all this time. My, my lord. Do you particrly favor Serti? At the mention of using Serti, Diagos felt a surge of anger. He could tolerate anything else, but not when it came to his daughter. His beloved daughter, Serti. She was more precious to him than his own life. What had that child suffered at the hands of that venomous snake in Setiria? The memory of seeing Serti returning from Setiria, crying, shed through his mind. Your Highness, that child is still young. Please punish me for my mistake, Diagos pleaded. Leave now, Huan said, coldly gesturing towards the door. Your Highness. I said, leave. I will take my leave for today. I wille back to ask for forgiveness another time, Diagos said as he got up and bowed to Huan, who didnt even spare him a nce. As Diagos stepped out of the room, deep anger shed in his eyes. He was a lord, but he couldnt escape Huans grasp after the incident five years ago. He never thought that what he had done to secure a golden future would turn into a noose around his neck. Huan Leponia. The words Huan had spoken to him were a warning. A warning not tomit such acts in the future. As much as he relied on Huan, Huan also needed him, but he had touched a nerve. Serti should not have been touched. If I die, the next one to be a dog will be my daughter. He should have bitten first before Huan bit his neck. Serti, no matter what happens, your father will protect you. Diagos clenched his fist and walked down the hallway. His footsteps echoed fiercely.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 118: Small Sparks (2) Chapter 118: Small Sparks (2) *** Ruel-nim. Cassion stopped in his tracks, not taking the documents Ruel had been working on, and spoke up. Ruel, looking exhausted, looked at him from the bed. When Ruels hand paused, Leo looked at Cassion. Why? Did something go missing? Ruels expression involuntarily turned sour. After checking the documents multiple times, it seemed that something had been identally left out. Prince Huan ising. It seems we need to prepare. Leos ears perked up at Cassions words. Ruel has decided to y with this body. This body, this body has been waiting quietly by Ruels side Just a little while ago, you were happily running around the room with the spirits. Ruel looked at Leo as if in disbelief. But Leo, who didnt know how to lie, seemed to be saying that ying with the spirits wasnt really ying. Leo fell down helplessly, as if his soul had gone out, and leaned against Ruel. And then it started whimpering and tried to cover its face with its short front paws, but it didnt work. This body is sad because it cannot y with Ruel, and it is sad that the feet of this body are short. Cassion, ask Astell to make just one ice cream. Is it for this body? Leo sniffled and looked at Ruel with expectant eyes. Yes. With Ruels answer, Leos ears perked up and he bounced around the bed with joy. This body is happy now! Ha. Ruel let out a bitterugh. In the meantime, Leo ran to Cassion and pressed his face against his leg. This body wants to eat it right now. Quickly, tell Astell. I will call Fran. Cassion looked at Leo attached to his leg, then spoke to Ruel. Alright. Watching Cassion and Leo leave, Ruel inhaled Breath. Serti is doing well. Ruel didnt know how much he hadughed upon hearing that Huan foolishly touched Serti. He should have been more careful with Serti, even if he was ignorant of everything else. Huan knew how much Diagos cherished Serti. It was an intentional move. However, Huan would not have known that precious things have different depths. Huan may have thought he had Diagos weakness, but in fact, he rubbed the wrong way. He ignited Diagoss anger. He underestimated the importance of the title father had. There was no way that Huan, who always received and only took, would know. The small embers burned brightly and became fire, which would soon be a huge me that would drive away the rest and Red Ash. Ruelughed happily. Now was the time to make his move. I rushed here as soon as I heard that you woke up. It seems like I was too hasty. Im sorry, Huan looked at Ruel with an apologetic face. Half of Ruel face was covered in bandages, and his paleplexion was enough to make anyone feel sorry for him. I Im the one who should be sorry. Your Highness came all this way and Im just lying here like this, Ruel replied, feeling guilty for causing concern. Dont worry about it. Hows your body feeling? Huan asked, showing concern. Im fine, thank you for worrying so much. Its not as bad as it looks, Ill get better with time. Huan sighed in relief, patting his chest. The sight was so disgusting that Ruel frowned. Are you sick? Ill call a doctor right now. No, its just a mild difort, Ruel replied, trying to endure the pain without inhaling Breath. Perhaps, Huan hesitated, then cautiously asked, Has the culprit been caught? Not yet. I couldnt identify who did it, Ruel replied in a grim voice. I know. Thats why I rushed here, Huan replied cautiously, as if sharing a secret. Ruel immediately got up and theny down again,ining of pain. Huan stopped him andforted him. Calm down. You shouldnt get up yet, he said. Who is it? Tell me, Your Highness! When Ruel pretended to be angry and raised his voice, he found it harder to breathe than before. Huff. Huff. Ruels breathing became a little rough, and his eyes were filled with desperation. Huan lowered his head and answered, It was Adoris. His Highness A, Adoris, again! Meagain! Ruel shouted again, and his breathing quickly became more rapid. Are you okay? Your breathing sounds too rough, Huan asked, furrowing his brow. It sounded like he was struggling to breathe. C-Cassion Huf Huff, Ruel gasped, clutching at his clothes in distress, causing Huan to immediately get up from his seat. If Ruel died like this, it was obvious that it would be attributed to Adoris actions. Huan opened the door and shouted, Summon the doctor right away! Fran and Tierra, who were waiting outside, along with Cassion, hurriedly ran in. Ruels breathing was not normal. Your Highness, please stay here for a moment, Cassion politely asked Huan and followed her. Swish. Fran immediately closed the curtain and hurriedly asked Ruel to inhale Breath. You need to breathe. Its okay. Just breathe slowly, Fran said as she administered the Breath several times until Ruel was able to breathe normally. Crazy For a brief moment, it seemed like his deceased father was expressing anger. Ruel deliberately did not inhale Breath to show Huan that he was not in good condition. Ill never, ever do something like this again. Ruel was exhausted and closed his eyes for a long time before opening them. He really thought he was going to die. It was better to be sick honestly. Are you okay? Ruel nodded slightly in response to Frans question. Is Lord Setiria okay? Huan anxiously asked as he heard the heavy breathing subsiding. Fran was just pulling up the bed curtains when she saw Ruel. She heard him stifle a groan. This wasnt something that was announced in advance; it was real pain that hade over Ruel. Fran urgently reached out to Tierra. Tierra, painkillers. Quickly! I understand! Tierra handed the painkillers to Fran from her bag. I will hold him. Cassion rushed over and held Ruel. Ruel hands, clenched into fists, trembled. After the painkillers were administered, Ruels fists gradually rxed. Fran, holding another painkiller, watched over Ruels condition. It seemed that the pain didnte back in session. Fran breathed deeply and sighed with relief. Soon, Cassion went out of the curtain and bowed his head to Huan. Your Highness, I am truly sorry, but this is beyond Its okay. Theres no need to apologize. Its my fault for suddenly showing up. Huan bowed his head. I deeply appreciate your mercy, Your Highness. I wille again next time. Please take care of Lord Setiria. You dont need to follow me. Yes, Your Highness. Please be careful. Cassion opened the door and bowed until Huan left. The door was soon closed, and the curtain was drawn. Watching Ruel inhale the Breath with his trembling hands, Cassion asked Fran, How is Ruel-nim? Hes feeling drained due to temporary pain. But other than that, hes okay. Is that so? Cassion took out a handkerchief just in case. Ill be okay with a little rest. Hearing Ruels weak voice, Fran welled up with tears of sadness. As he said, it would be okay after resting for a bit, but the pain was also eroding his mind, so it was a problem. Mr. Ruel. Fran sat back down and looked at Ruel. Tell me. Even if the pain doesnt ur, you should take painkillers for a while, just like before. I guess so. Are you okay? It doesnt hurt now. Are you okay, not just physically but mentally? Arent you tired? Ruel could not answer the sudden question right away. He soon smiled andforted Fran. Its okay. Enduring is not the only answer. Please tell me at anytime, Fran insisted. Alright, Ruel responded calmly, causing Fran to hesitate in approaching him further. Fran stood up. I will leave now. Ille running back anytime, so dont worry. With that, Fran bowed to Ruel and then left with Tierra and Cassion. After walking a few steps, Fran called Cassion. Cassion. Yes, please speak, Cassion responded. She hesitated several times before calling Cassion, who spoke first. Is Ruel-nims condition worsening? His condition is okay. But more importantly Is Mr. Ruel okay here? Fran asked, caressing her own chest. Cassion, who was closest to Ruel, answered carefully after a brief hesitation. Hes still holding on. Thats a relief, Fran said, feeling reassured. But there maye a day when he cant hold on mentally. Pain can gnaw at the mind as well as the body. Im worried about that too. Im not well-versed in psychiatry, but when Ruel receives external stimuli, he tries to internalize everything. So, he may have already reached his limit, Fran pointed out sharply. In fact, Ruel had hit his limit after hearing that he was a medium blocking the Great Man. Please keep a closer eye on Ruel, Fran requested. I understand. Alright then. Fran bid farewell to Cassion and walked down the corridor with Tierra. Cassion twirled his hair and entered Ruels room. Im fine, so dont do things that you dont want to, Ruel said, staring at Cassion sharply. Cassion chuckled. I know. I wouldnt do it unless you ordered me to, Ruel-nim. Ruel was trying to pet Leo out of habit when he remembered that Leo had gone to y with Aris. Feeling embarrassed for no reason, he put his hand on his stomach and asked Cassion. What about Diagos? It seems hespletely back to himself. Hes quietly gathering evidence rted to the incident from five years ago, Cassion replied. Have you located the information that Huan gathered to pin Adoris? Ruel asked. It has been located and there has also been confirmed reactions to your recent reenactment, which suggests that he actually believes in it, Cassion responded. Ruel smiled with satisfaction. The rtionship between Diagos and Huan had been twisted by Serti. For the stage, the four heads of the family were looking for Red Ash hidden in the territory, and the king and princes were looking for Red Ash hidden in the Royal Pce. Now there were two things left for him to do. Ruel poured mana into the ring. Your Highness. -Im ready. I am ready too. Please tell me the location of the ce where you meet Cron. *** It is an honor to meet you. As soon as Cron saw Banios taking off his cloak, he bowed. He had never expected to meet Banios only in a small vige near the capital, swayed by Banioss persistent persuasion. Isnt Banios also being recruited by Red Ash anyway? No matter how likely Adoris was to be the next king, he would never favor Cron. It was better to choose something that fell close by rather than to reach for something unattainable. Nice to meet you. At Banios words, Crons mouth didnt loosen from the smile when Banios spoke. Thank you for your hard working all the way. Even though it was winter, Cron continued to wipe off his sweat and led the way to the seat he had prepared in advance. Ive rented the entire building to ensure yourfort. Thank you, Banios sat down and smiled leisurely. Have you considered my proposal? It was a proposal to empower Banios himself to ascend to the throne. It was a very simple, yet also heavy proposal. Cron sat down and answered thoughtfully. Yes, I have thought about it, a lot. I personally hope that your answer is positive, Banios poured a drink for Cron and himself. I think that if you want to be the so-called king, the priority is to recruit the nobles, but in reality, it is ministers like you who run this country. Cron wanted to agree wholeheartedly, but it was a risky statement for someone of his humble status to handle. Isnt that right, Cron? Banios asked, not bothering to look at Crons expression, shaking the ss again. Whatever your conviction is, if it can be your strength, I would be delighted, Cron replied cautiously. Ha ha, my apologies. I was too hasty. Lets forget about our conversation just now, and could you give me an answer to my proposal? As soon as Banios gaze fell on him, Cron felt his heart stop. The efforts he had made to rise to the position of judge unfolded before his eyes like a painting in an album. He had thought this day woulde someday. He had thought that someday, someone would need him. Cron took a deep breath, put on the strong expression he had practiced in front of the mirror many times, and spoke, Your Highness, my conviction is Its the Red Ash, isnt it? Red Ash.? Cron was taken aback by the sudden unfamiliar voice and looked urgently in the direction of the sound. The door opened, and someone wasing in. Ttak. Ttak. The sound of a cane echoed cheerfully. R-Ru-Ruel Setiria! Cron pointed his finger at Ruel and shouted. Nonsense. Didnt he just wake up from a carriage ident? How dare you call my name so recklessly? Contrary to his words, Ruel looked at Cron with a mischievous smile. Ruel approached Banios and bowed. Your Highness, its been a while. You seem to have lost a little weight. Its not just a little, its quite a bit. I have been doing quite a run around, Banios joked. Cron couldntprehend the situation. Ruels sudden arrival was unexpected, and instead of being rude to him, he was surprisingly friendly. We can catch up on thingster. Lets deal with this matter first, Ruel said, inhaling Breath and sitting next to Banios. Aris. At Ruels words, Aris entered and stood next to Cron. Finally, Cron understood the situation. The two of them had plotted against him. Cron pointed at Ruel and shouted, You, you! Youagh! Aris lightly broke Crons finger that was pointing at Ruel. Aris, my order hasnt been given yet. As if he didnt care about Cron, who was suffering from a broken finger, Ruel pointed out Aris unruly attitude. I apologize. I couldnt help but act when his finger pointed at you. I will be more careful, Aris said apologetically, and Banios took a sip of his drink, seemingly indifferent to the situation. The true appearance of Ruel and his escort, which he did not recognize, was unfamiliar to him. Is it okay for the noise toe out? Banios looked outside. Even if Cron had rented the entire shop, he couldnt control the noise. Yes, its fine. Please dont worry, Ruel showed a faint smile to ease Banioss concern. Outside the door, Tyson and Cassion were waiting. How reliable they were. Ruel put his sped hands on his stomach, enduring the dizziness that came after the warp magic used by Tyson. To synchronize the timing, they had no choice but to use warp magic to avoid the surveince of the Red Ash. Luruans henchman and a member of the Red Ash. Quite an interestingbination, isnt it? Cron red at Ruel, holding his finger. Youve deceived all of us, he said. Im a bit busy, so lets wrap this up quickly. Ruel looked at Aris and pointed to Cron with a nod. What Aris presented to Cron was data containing records of how he freely used Luruans money and power. Although there was a hierarchical rtionship between the two, they had been friends since childhood, and that rtionshipsted for 20 years. Ironically, Luruan genuinely trusted Cron, but to him, Luruan was merely a means to climb higher and a necessary pawn for his schemes. Cron, with a doubtful look, gazed at the stack of documents in front of him but made no attempt to touch them. Dont you want to see it? Ruel confronted him, not wanting to waste any more time on the rascal. This is evidence of your exploitation of Luruan. What do you think will happen if this falls into Luruans hands? Ruel directly challenged him. Only then did Cron hastily grab the documents, surprised and flustered. H-How did you? His breathing quickened, and his eyes widened. The process is not important now. Isnt that right, Cron? Ruel smiled arrogantly. Rip! Cron hastily tore up the materials. The sight made Ruel burst intoughter. Tear it all you want. The originals are in my hands. You, you bastard!Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 119: Small Sparks (3) Chapter 119: Small Sparks (3) As soon as Cron got up from his seat, he couldnt ovee Aris power and fell down again. Ruel spoke while inhaling Breath. Where is the Red House owned by Luruan? Crons eyes widened at the mention of the Red House. He tried to appear nonchnt, but sweat quietly trickled down his face. He knew after all. Ruel suppressed hisughter. Luruan was different from other people who thought their home was safe. The only information the shadows brought was the word Red House, and the only information Dion managed to get werepliments about him being an innocent person with lots of integrity. After hearing the report, Ruelughed so loudly that his stomach hurt. Integrity and innocence were the words that were most unfit for Red Ash. Like I said a little while ago, Im a little busy today. Ruel flicked the cup with his fingers and looked at Cron. He seemed busy racking his brain. Was there an opportunity to exploit? You, Luruansckey, must not hold a higher position within the Red Ash. What will Luruan do to you? Ruel didnt know what punishment was given to traitors in the Red Ashes, but Cron did. When Ruel poked that point, there was an immediate response. Little by little, fear appeared on Crons face. Ruel, who was enjoying looking at Crons face, soon opened his mouth as if he had thought of something. Oh, do you know a guy named Nintra? Why dont you stop making useless efforts? Do you think you can get information even if you catch me? Cron tried to remain calm andughed at Ruel. How did he die again? Ruel stopped snapping his fingers and looked at Cron calmly. ck water. Cronsplexion darkened at the words Ruel mentioned. Someone made him drink ck water. He was betrayed, Ruel stated. Ha, dont make meugh. Nintra was a Red Ash from the beginning, unlike me! Cron retorted. Even if his whole body turned ck and he suffered a fatal blow, he couldnt die or be torn apart. For Cron, who did not believe him, Ruel listed out the characteristics of ck blooded-man. You will soon be useless to the Red Ash and be used as a means to kill me, wont you? Ruels smile curled upwards. Cron could no longer maintain hisposure. Knowing what ck water was, he couldnt contain the natural fear that arose within him. Ruel watched silently as Cron sumbed to fear, inhaling Breath. Ruel pointed to Banios. Look carefully. With Banios present, doesnt it seem like I have the authority to negotiate with you? Banios stood with his arms crossed, looking down at Cron. Ill spare you, he said, giving Cron the words he most wanted to hear. Thats the reason Im here. Crons lips trembled with relief. Cron had already stabbed Luruan in the back. How can he not be afraid of what happens next? He probably felt anxious every time. Ruel had instilled fear in him, so he was ready to gently unravel him. Think about it carefully. Why are you keeping your mouth shut for a ce where the only thing you can return to is death? Ruel pointed to the ground. What you should do now is not keep your mouth shut, bute to me and beg for your life. Do you have any ns to save me? At Crons sneer, Ruel nced at Banios. Look carefully. With His Highness Banios present, doesnt it seem like I have the authority to talk to you? Banios immediately crossed his arms and looked down at Cron. I will spare you. Thats the reason Im here. Crons lips trembled with relief. With a gaze that questioned the truth, Banios responded without any hesitation. What Im saying will weigh heavier than anyone present here. Banios emphasized his words with strength in his eyes and voice. Who was he? He was one of only three princes in the country. Ruel swallowed his satisfaction at Banios very appropriate remarks and cajoled Cron. Think about it. Its not thatplicated. Its a matter of choosing whether to be a monster or at least maintain conscience as a human being. Cron felt trapped between himself and Luruan. Neither side could easily escape. Now, the only thing left was Crons choice. Ill ask again. Where is the Red House? In response to Ruels question, Cron looked at Banios and then turned his head to nce at Ruel. Even if it was a small chance, which ce would he choose, one with a glimmer of hope or one with no hope at all? Cron struggled to open his mouth. *** Ruel moved to Setiria with the help of Tyson, just as he did when he arrived at the location where Cron was located. A dizzying sensation swept over his entire body, and as soon as he returned to the room, Ruel started coughing up blood. Cough It was because his body couldnt withstand the warp magic twice in one day. His whole body was shaking. Ruel! Leo, who was curled up on the bed, rushed over. Are you okay? Tyson urgently supported Ruel and wiped the blood from his mouth with his hands. I will call Fran. No, theres no need to call Before Ruel finished speaking, Aris hurried out. Cassion sighed as he looked at the blood staining Ruels clothes and the floor. Because his body was not used to warp magic, he was a step behind. After wiping his mouth with a handkerchief, Cassion picked him up andid him on the bed. Are you okay? Cassion looked at Ruel, wondering between painkillers and tranquilizers. His body was shaking from the effects of the magic, but it wasnt as serious as it looked. Breathing is fine too. He thought he would have to check the details when Franes. Im okay. Its okay, Ruel said, trying to calm Leo, who seemed anxious and kept poking his side, and then looked at Tyson. It didnt hurt, and his body wasnt broken. Ruel even felt satisfied with the greatly improved strength of his increased resilience and reflexes. Are you really okay? Tyson was heartbroken and massaged Ruels hands and arms as if it was his fault. Yes, Im okay. Havent I grown quite a bit by enduring this? Cassion snorted while looking at Ruel, who was smiling happily, and then frowned. It was barely a snort, but his heart ached. Bang! The door crashed open. Fran took a deep breath and checked Ruels condition. His face was pale and his clothes were stained with red blood. As she approached him, she looked down when she heard a squishing sound. There was blood on the floor. She had stepped on Ruels spilled blood. The amount he vomited was twice as much as usual. Tierra, prepare medicine for anemia. Understood. Tierra sat down at Frans words and opened the bag she had brought with her. Aris closed the door and used magic to erase the blood spilled on the floor. Are you okay, Ruel-nim? Aris walked up to Ruel and looked at hisplexion. He looked weak, as if his eyes were about to close at any moment. Im fine. Ruel was about to tell Aris not to call Fran. In the end, didnt Frane? But theres one more ce I have to go. Ruel was startled by the sudden action of the spirits jumping into his face while trying to bite Breath, so he missed it. At that moment, Ruel felt that the people around him were looking at him strangely. What? Cassion raised Breath to his mouth for him. Fran asked quietly instead of examining him. Mr. Ruel, are you feeling very dizzy? Because her eyes were serious, Ruel spoke softly. It was a mistake to miss the Breath just now, so you dont have to look at me like that. Look at this. Ruel held onto Breath again, but Frans eyes did not change. Mr. Ruel. Frans voice was heavy. Ruel could see a glimpse of the expression on her face before she insisted for absolute stability in his health. Tell me. Have you experienced any strong shock from the outside today? There is none. Fran pursed her lips tightly at the lie that came out without even blinking an eye. She barely took a breath and asked the question again. Is there really nothing? Stop beating around the bush and tell me what you want to say. I am not a mage, so I cannot see mana with my eyes. But I have treated patients who have been attacked by magic, so I know the signs. Why do I see those signs on your body? Fran thought she was sharp, but Ruels expression did not change. Instead, he just looked at her with an expressionless face. It was as if he was telling her that a line had been crossed. Fran strengthened her voice, enduring the strange pressure felt by his indifference. This is a necessary question in treatment. Ruel smiled slightly as he inhaled Breath. I have never been attacked by magic. However, due to my constitution, I am vulnerable to magic. Alright. I will take note. Thank you for telling me. Fran took a moment to catch her breath. Although it was only a little, she felt like she knew what kind of person Ruel was. She realized what she wascking. Fran received a syringe from Tierra. I will administer the anemia treatment. I understand. Do you have any ns to go out today? In response to Frans question, Ruel touched his lips. There is a ce I need to go. Today I must go. Are you sure youre okay? Im fine. Fran looked at Ruel with concern. Just as she respected Ruel by recognizing that he was a patient before being treated as the head of Setiria, she should have recognized that his responsibilities as head of the Setiria sometimes came before being the patient. This difference had always kept them at a distance. Fran considered the position of the patient and the head of the family before speaking. In my personal opinion, you must take a rest today, but I think Ill be very upied making medicine with Tierra today as well. Ruel chuckled at Frans words. She yed along with the obvious situation, as she had taken a step back herself. Thats a big deal. Go on, then. Rest is absolutely necessary for the time being. I may not be able to check on you because Ill be busy, but please make sure to take care of yourself. Dont worry. Ruel nodded his head lightly. Sister? As Fran got up, Tierra called out to her in surprise. Tierra seemed to be taken aback as well. Then, get some rest. Fran went out, dragging Tierra. When the door closed, Ruel looked at the door and smiled. It seemed that she finally understood her position. Lets get ready, Cassion. Ruel said, while petting Leo. Alright. After Cassion left, Tyson spoke up. Are you really okay? Dont worry, I dont n on leaving right away. Okay, dont overdo it. Tyson stood up. Staying here didnt mean Ruel would get better. He had a lot of work to do. That came first. Yes, I wont push myself. Tyson turned around with difficulty as he looked at Ruels smile and the blood stains on his clothes. Aris. Ruel called Aris. Yes. Take a break and rest in your room for a while before we leave. I will stay here. That is my role. Okay. Ruel stroked Leo and inhaled Breath. *** Knock. Knock. Serti knocked on Diagos door. This is Serti. Diagos opened the door in response to the chirping sound of Serti, like a mother bird. Oh, Serti. Do you have any concerns? Or are you not feeling well? The business is on my side. Lord Diagos Shio. Diagos opened the door wider at the familiar voice. A man covered in a cloak stood behind Serti. As he removed his cloak, a pale-faced Ruel Setiria appeared. Ruel, Ruel Setiria. Diagos froze as he mentioned Ruels name. Didnt they say he just woke up from a carriage ident? Unlike his still sickly face, he showed no signs of trauma. May wee in? Diagos looked at Serti and Ruel in confusion at Ruels confident statement. Are you going to keep guests waiting here? It was only then that Diagos came to his senses after hearing the words that sounded like a scolding. Pleasee in. First, he let Serti and Ruele inside. When the three people sat down, Diagos opened his mouth and expressed his displeasure. Lord Setiria, I need to hear an exnation as to what is going on. We are both busy people, so I will be brief. Dont we have a story to share? Diagos looked at Serti, as if he had immediately guessed the topic of conversation from Ruels words. Serti. You should go out for a while. Father. I deserve to be here too. Later, this father will exin everythingter. So please stay out. In response to Diagos earnestness, Serti reluctantly stood up. After she left, Diagos looked at Ruel harshly. What did you do to Serti? Thats something you should ask Prince Huan, not me. Isnt that right, Lord Diagos? You knew? Fear flickered in Diagoss eyes. How? He couldnt figure out how the information had leaked. You should be grateful to me. I helped cover up Sertis foolish mistake, Ruel said, without moving from Leos side. Since meeting Cron, Leo had been silent and unresponsive. Foolish mistake? Diagos asked. In response to Diagos question, Ruel spread his fingers around the side of his neck before dragging them across his throat in a slicing motion. Treason. A heavy sound came out. Diagos swallowed dryly at the words that followed. Treason? Attempting to open the door of Setiria, the gatekeeper of Leponia, and coborating with those who did it. They are Carbena and Ma. You know them, dont you? S-Serti? No way! Theres no way! Diagos eximed. Whether you believe it or not is not important. The deed has been done, and I turned a blind eye to Sertis crime. There should be atonement. Diagos red at Ruel with gritted teeth. A man who had yet to grow all his hair was touching his daughter. Ruel chuckled at his gaze. For your information, I have never touched your daughter. In fact, I promised to make your daughter the head of the family. You must have mistakenly said your dog, not the head of the house. But youre the dog, right? Prince Huans dog. When Ruel imitated his words, Diagos face instantly turned red.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 120: For the stage! Chapter 120: For the stage! Ruel Setiria! Kang! Diagos hit the table hard. Ruelughed at that action. Are you pissed off because I just called you a dog? Calm down. I still have more to say. Get out now. You must be in trouble. Are you conceited that you have caught my weakness now? Okay. It must be fun now. Butter, that pride will make you Conceit? Ruels smile disappeared. Cassion. Cassion emerged from Ruels shadow and aimed a dagger at Diagos neck before both of them could blink. Diagos btedly noticed Cassions presence and took a deep breath. Even though Diagos doesnt know anything about fighting, he definitely noticed this one thing. The person who pointed the dagger at him was an incredibly talented person. Ruel sneered again as he looked at Diagos, who had stiffened. Are you saying I was conceited because I could cut your head off at any time? Diagos. Diagos Shio. You must have been conceited. Didnt you help Prince Huan with all the various things he did while he was drunk in his position as a prince? Ruel rxed while inhaling Breath. Hina. Diagos flinched at Ruels grave voice. Hina appeared from Ruels shadow and handed him something. Whack. What Ruel put on the table was a fan. Sertis fan. Now, do you know Ive kept Serti and you alive? Diagos suddenly found Ruels arrogant smile and rxed gesture extremely terrifying. Diagos. Ruel called Diagos again. Diagos looked at Ruel without saying anything like before. Scrchh. Diagos teeth gritted together. When he saw Sertis fan, a terrible thought came over Diagos. Do you know what it feels like to walk between cliffs, relying on a rope thinner than your arms? Tuk-tuk. Ruel started hitting the table slowly. You pushed me to that ce, watched when I fell, and enjoyed shaking the rope, didnt you? The sound that rang out in precise rhythm stabbed Diagos fiercely, like a dagger aimed at his throat. From now on, its me who holds the rope and Im the one who shakes it. Ruel looked at Cassion and motioned for him to lower his dagger. Only then did Diagos take a long breath. However, he was unable to make proper eye contact with Ruel, as the time spent soaking in fear had not yet washed away. Now, lets start again. Ruel stopped his hand hitting the table. Is Serti unharmed? Diagos asked cautiously. Yes. Tell me what your deal was with Serti. Ruel shook his head in response to Diagos question. That might not be the first thing to be asking, is it? Sertiplease at least spare my daughters life. Wrong. Well, what do you want? Now we can have a conversation. Only then did Ruel smile with satisfaction. As Serti requested, I have decided to keep you alive. Serti? Diagos eyes turned slightly red. Even during this time, he seemed to be moved by his daughters deep filial heart. Only life. Just your life. You havent forgotten the crime youmitted against me, right? Bang! Ruel hit the table with his palm. My father. The anger hidden behind a smile. My Guardian. The ferocious teeth hidden in the youthful face. And me. All of it was revealed. You wont forget, will you? Diagos hands on his knees trembled. He knew it all. Ruel Setiria knew everything about the past five years ago. The sins he hadmitted came back again like the hands of a clock. But this time, he wasnt the only one caught. Even Serti. No, all of his beloved children, including Serti, were captured. Please let me handle it all. Its my fault, no one elses. Yes, you are the best. The proud Shio family will be preserved, and your dirty sins will not be buried with your lovely children. Really? Instead, you should be my teeth to point towards Prince Huan. Diagos lowered his head helplessly and then gritted his teeth and asked. How Are you nning to save my family? Ruelughed at the shameless question, but he exined it kindly to make Diagos despair. Serti will use you directly to the nation, cing you in jail. She will sell you to preserve her family and her life. Diagos mouth trembled with anger and shame as he gritted his teeth. You know thats the only way, right? Hearing Ruels next words, Diagos frowned and closed his eyes. There was only darkness before his eyes. Ruel said one more hint before inhaling Breath. Or why dont you go to Prince Huan and kneel begging to him? Of course after you die, Serti, no, the entire Shio family will fall into the hands of Prince Huan. Whats the difference between Prince Huan and the actions of you, the head of Setiria, rushing to take over Shio? Difference? Ruelughed lightly after inhaling the Breath. Even though I had my enemy right in front of me, I endured. Even when that enemys daughter intruded on my territory, I endured. If wepare this to patience, isnt it akin to a saint? Above all, I prefer a fox to a dog. Leos ears perked up at the word fox. He looked at Ruel with sparkling eyes as usual. Does that make sense? I, your father Diagos reacted in disbelief to the statement that Ruel would not treat Serti like a dog, but then closed his mouth. It seemed like he couldnt bear to talk back. Yes, I might look like trash to you because I suffered at the hands of such a dog. But remember, you will be that dog. Ruels fingers were sharp, as if piercing Diagos heart. Is it Huan Leponia or Ruel Setirria? Diagos didnt want to choose either. He had wanted to revive his family, but now everything had turned dark, and he couldnt see anything. I Enough of the private matters, hand over to me evidence of what Huan and yourself have done. Ruel didnt want to hear Diagos excuses or regrets. Only Diagos would hold onto the feelings of guilt. I will ry my instructions through Serti. Cassion, hand me the magic contract. Cassion took out a magic contract from his pocket and ced it on the table. Write that you will be a dog obedient to only me, and that you will eliminate all the Red Ash in Shio, except for youself. Diagos felt as if he was falling off a cliff due to the conditions that Ruel presented for granted. But as he gazed at Sertis fan in front of him, the fact that he had killed Trino Setiria was his own fault, not his daughters. Instead of handing over that heavy fact, it was better for him to bear everything. Diagos, holding the pen, asked with a fearful voice as a thought crossed his mind. Serti Does she know what I did? No. Th-Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Even though Ruel could have said everything, he did not say anything to Serti. Diagos did not hesitate any longer. At least Ruel gave him a chance to remain a father. He wrote down all the demands as Ruel wanted, and at the end, he signed his name. At that moment, he felt something leaving his body. The color of the magic contract turned blue. After confirming that it was properly executed, Cassion took the magic contract. Now, what you need to do is find the Red Ash hidden in the Shio family. It should be an easy task for you. Ruel said, stroking Leo. Okay. After hearing Diagos answer, Ruel was about to get up and asked briefly. How much do you know about Red Ash? As you know, I am Huansdog. Some owners tell his dogs everything. Ruel was not disappointed by Diagos answer because he had not expected much in the first ce. Ruel stood up and put his cloak back on. I need to diligently collect the things you took from me from five years ago. Ruel looked at Diagos with disdain and took Cassion outside. Only after the door closed did Diagos put his hands on the table, holding his hair. Even now, when he closes my eyes, he vividly remembers what happened 5 years ago. The small hands of the child trembling in fear behind Trino Setiria, and the green eyes filled with fear reminded him of Serti, and his heart sank. Damn it. At that time, he should have killed him no matter what. Then, those small hands and green eyes filled with fear stood in front of him in apletely different manner. He was frightened. He was overwhelmed by those straight eyes. Damn! Sertis fan was reelected in Diagos eyes filled with despair. Serti, Serti. He doesnt know what Serti did to want to have Setiria, but wasnt she caught by Ruel in the end? She was just like himself, who was ambitious to revive the Shio family using Prince Huan. Diagos held Sertis fan with both trembling hands and lowered his head in silence. *** Cassion stopped at Lake Prina and carefully lowered Ruel to the ground. Arent you dizzy? Im a little dizzy. Ruel frowned and answered. He had been transported twice by Warp, and his body was in a state of disarray when he was brought to the Shio family by Cassion. It was impossible for his body to be normal. He felt as if he could vomit blood at any moment, the taste of blood lingered in his throat, and his stomach churned. He felt dizzy, as if he might tilt over at any moment. Cassion supported him and sat him down on a rock. Despite everything, the cool breeze made him feel a little better. Ruel looked at Leo, who clung to his shoulder as if for dear life. Even though they hade to ake he loved, Ruel reluctantly removed Leo from his shoulder and ced him on hisp. When he met Cron, he intentionally didnt bring Leo along. He left him behind for a while, thinking it would be okay to visit Aris, the Magic Knights, and the kitchen. Ruel petted Leo and said, You want to swim? You used to sing that you wanted to swim while I worked. This body will be with Ruel. Im sorry. Cassion was very surprised by Ruels apology. He turned his head to avoid making any sound. I was wrong. Ruels continued apology brought tears to Leos eyes. Seeing the tears fall, Ruel apologized again, filled with remorse. Next time, Ill make sure to tell you before leaving. This body was so scared when you left, Ruel. I promised not to abandon you. This body knows. Thats why this body endured it as best as this body could. This body quietly waited for Ruel in Ruels empty bed. How surprised he must have been to vomit blood as soon as he returned. Ruel wiped Leos tears. This body was so shocked to see youe back injured and in pain again. It seemed like he was talking about a time when his stomach was pierced by the Great Man. Leo. Speak. Leo sniffled and looked up at Ruel. The spirits made gurgling sounds as they patted Leo. Ruel opened his mouth but suddenly felt too embarrassed and covered his face with his hand again. How can he get the word precious out of his mind? Who knew that this short-legged, snack-eating fox would upy a lot of space in his heart from fall to winter? When Ruel admitted that fact, his face heated up slightly. Ruel hesitated several times before finally opening his mouth. Ill say it again, I will never abandon you. Everyone is busy, but there is nothing for this body to do. This body also wants to be of help to Ruel. This body feels like hes bing a Leo who is only worth eight pennies Ruel grabbed Leos mouth. You are still helping me enough, so dont say things like that. Leo stared at Ruel and wagged his tail. The round, tear-soaked eyes sparkled beautifully. Leo immediately asked in disbelief. This, this body, is for Ruel Is it important? Leo usually felt his emotions well. He seemed to have noticed this time too. Yes. Really? Yes. Really? Is it really precious? Ruel answered Leos questions repeatedly. But as soon as Ruel answered, he couldnt raise his head as his face grew hotter. Cassion and the shadows must be listening. This body is really, really, really happy now! Leo was wagging his tail and rubbing his face against Ruel. This body cant believe it! This body! This body! This body is the most precious person to Ruel! Leo soon got off Ruelsp and ran around him. Ruels most precious being is this body, Leo! Leo shouted loudly and shouted again for Lake Prina to reverberate. This body is now refreshed. This body will have fun swimming! Ruel btedly took his hand away after seeing the short legs running from between his fingers. For some reason, he felt exhausted. Hmm. Cassion let out an out-of-ce cough. I didnt know that the beast was so precious. Shut up, Cassion. Alright. I will dly follow your orders. Cassions voice was excited. It was a big change after a long time.Author''s Thoughts Why Leo is so cute? Chapter 121: For the stage! (2) Chapter 121: For the stage! (2) *** Knock. Knock. After knocking, Cassion came into Ruels room. When he looked around the room and saw that Leo was not there, Cassion smiled and opened his mouth. Ruel-nims precious beast is nowhere to be seen. Did he go to Aris? At that moment, Ruels hand as he was signing the document slipped. Cassion. Despite Ruels sharp eyes, Cassion approached without any hesitation and reported what Ruel had told him to do. We received reports from the five heads of families that most of the Red Ash hidden in the territory have been found. Also, I heard separately a little while ago that Prince Adoris had filtered almost all the Red Ash that had been hidden in the royal family. The process went smoothly and Ruel smiled slightly. Even if we do this, we wont be able topletely filter out the Red Ash hiding in Leponia, but wouldnt it be enough to cut off the Great Mans arms? Ruel asked as he signed the document again. What about the Red House? Ive been there. Ive confirmed that people are being held in the basement of his mansion. Ha, they really do all sorts of things. Ruelughed. His actions were simr to those who were worried that they might be seen as trash. Cassion yed back the magically recorded device. The people imprisoned in the prison sat quietly as if they were drugged and did not even blink. No matter which side the screen was showing, everyone was doing the same thing. Ruel, who was quietly watching the scene, opened his mouth. Is it human trafficking? He felt relieved that Leo wasnt there to witness this. Yes, thats correct, Cassion replied as he handed over the documents. Ruel expressed his confusion as he looked through the information. So, the ce they are being sent to is not Cyronian, but the Kran Kingdom? ording to the information provided, that seems to be the case, Cassion replied. Ruel furrowed his brow as he listened to Cassions answer. Mentions the Kran Kingdom was quite unexpected. Among those captured, we found one person who was locked up alone in the deepest part of the underground. It seems they received special treatment. So, they were treated differently from the others? Ruel put down his pen and rubbed his chin. Yes, unlike the others, there were no signs of drugs or physical abuse. However, it seems their mental state is not entirely stable, likely due to being imprisoned for a long time. Treating someone differently and leaving them in the deepest part of the underground was suspicious to anyone sane. Did you bring them here? Ruel asked, holding Breath. Yes, I did. I have employed a healer to treat them. They are currently suffering from anxiety symptoms apanied by aphasia due to the mental shock. I will report as soon as their condition improves. As soon as Cassion finished speaking, he took out the materials Ruel had been waiting for. These are records of transactions with some high-ranking officials, including the exchange of goods. It also includes some nobles from Cyronian and Cron. They even came forward and produced evidence, these guys are really diligent. Ruel received the data. Who would have thought that their enemy would benefit from what they did because they did not trust each other? Before reading the material, Ruel asked a question. In this data, other than those who came in asters, were there people who were part of the Red Ash from the beginning? Adoris gave us information about them, but there were no executives among them. The Red Ash that needed to be captured were not those who had just dipped their toes like Adoris or Huan, but the executives. If we attack them one by one from the bottom, we will be able to find out who the executives are. Cassion shook his head. I havent been able to confirm that yet. Okay. I will check that. Theres one more thing you need to know. Go on. Ruel said as he read the material. While investigating the Red House, I confirmed that Luruan, despite being ater, became a devoted follower of the Great Man, and I found out why. Should I prepare myself to shed tears? Cassion chuckled at Ruels words. Im telling you in case it might be helpful. If you dont want to hear it, I wont say anything. No, go ahead. Im curious about howpelling it is. The Luruan family are descendants of the so-called heroes who protected theirnd from the attacks of the Tonisk Empire in the past. However, as you know, except in very special cases, the existence of a hero is quickly forgotten. A hero Ruel furrowed his brow slightly as he recalled the power left behind by the hero, or rather, the Great Man, that still lingered. They were given the title of nobility by the royal authority, but over time, they were forgotten and their titles andnds were taken away. It was at that time that the Red Ash approached Luruan. Surely they didnt approach him with the intention of helping people remember his ancestors. Well, did they approach him with such conditions? Thats correct. Ruel seemed bored as the story unfolded as he had expected. The Red Ash provided full support for him and ced him in the position of a judge. Thats when Luruan became a devoted follower. Cassion looked at Ruels outstretched hand and ced snacks on the table. Crunch. Cassion opened his mouth as he watched Ruel quickly take out a meat pie and take a bite. Do you know why I am telling you this? Uh, its not something Red Ash would do. Looking at Red Ashs actions so far, it seemed like he had invested too much in Luruan. If Luruan was a genius who only came once in a hundred years, it might have been worth it, but investing to the extent of making him a judge didnt seem justified. Thats right. Personally, I found it so strange that I thought I should inform you about it. If their goal was to create a devoted follower, their actions towards others dont make sense. Red Ash expanded its power by using things needed by nobles as bait. Just looking at Bianne Chen and Iria Promien, whom he saw in Cyronian, they were not fanatics. Crunch. Ruel frowned as he bit into his meat pie. He even felt ufortable with the ambiguous facts. Is this all there is anyway? Ruel put aside his iprehensible actions and waved the document and asked. Thats right. Okay. After reviewing the data, I will let you know if there is anyone to investigate. Yes, then I will go prepare dinner. Cassion bowed and went out while watching Ruel wave his hands. The stage will bepleted when the investigation into the Red Ash hiding in Leponia ispleted. With the cooperation of Diagos, the investigation became even faster. The materials to hold the Red Ash necks were piled up one by one, and everything was perfect if it proceeded as it was. Kran Kingdom. Crunch. Tonisk Empire. They say there is a mountain beyond the mountain. The Tonisk Empire was entrusted to Ganien, yes, but it was unsettling to see a point of contact between Luruan and the Kran Kingdom. Crunch. Well, Leponia and Cronian also have Red Ash, so why not the Kran Kingdom? Ruel mumbled and held the pen again. All he had to do now was catch up on his work. *** 3 dayster. Crunch. While eating savory popcorn glossed in butter, Ruel watched as the defense mechanism, made by Tyson and the magic knights, was installed. How can popcorn be missing on a day when the final check of the defense mechanism is being carried out? Perhaps because it was popcorn made by Astell, Ruel felt healthier the more he ate it. Leo short front paws carefully entered the popcorn container that Ruel had grabbed. You once said that you only like sweet things. Ruel tilted the container so that Leo could eatfortably. Crunch! Leos ears perked up. It tastes kind of strange. Its a strange food that this body keepsing back to! Leo seemed to be annoyed at having to take little by little with his short paws, so he went face first into the container. Hehe! However, Ruel immediately grabbed Leos tail and gently pulled him out of the container. Leo, with his mouth full of popcorn, looked like a squirrel, not a fox. By then, almost half of the popcorn was gone. Ruel clenched a fist of popcorn and asked as he looked at Aris standing next to him. Do you want to eat too, Aris? Im fine. Eat plenty. If its not enough, Ill go to Ms. Astell and get more. Is there aw prohibiting escort knights from eating while escorting? Eat. Ruel heard Aris gulping and swallowing a little while ago, so he stretched out his clenched hand to Aris. As Aris just stared in confusion, Ruel massaged his outstretched arm. My arm hurts. I, Ill take it! Ruelid popcorn in the palms of Aris, who stretched out politely. Tell me if you want to eat. Dont say anything rude about food. But isnt this a snack that Ruel-nim would eat? I can make it again. Of course, Im not responsible for that. Ruel looked up at Aris, who seemed taller than a few days ago, and suddenly measured his own height. He thought he had grown a lot, but before he knew it, the difference between him and Aris was as big as two fists. You are already growing well, but since you are at the peak of growth, eat a lot. Ruel suppressed his envy and ced more popcorn on Aris still outstretched palm. Ruel and I are the same age, but somehow you are like an older brother. Were you the same age? Anyone can see that Aris is the older brother. Noah, who was standing next to Aris, opened his mouth in surprise. Noah. Ruel called out to Noah in a low voice, making him tense up. It was all because of his big mouth moving on its own again. But Ruel didnt get angry, instead, he offered the bag of popcorn. Do you want some? Youre already grown, but it seems like you still need to grow some more in height. Yep, I will shut my mouth and eat quietly. Noah quickly took the popcorn Ruel gave and put it in his mouth. Oh, it tastes as good as it smells. Can I eat it once, or continuously? Okay, eat it. After sharing it with Aris and Noah, there was less than half left. Leo stood on his hind legs and hurriedly put his face in the container. This body will eat too! Ruel chuckled at Leos urgent voice and tilted the container. Crunch! Ca No, Noah. While trying to call Cassion, he called Noah, who was standing in his ce. Cassion was warming up for a defense mechanism test that would begin soon. He cant distract Cassion. Yes. Noahs attitude was perfect, but his voice was slightly crooked. Ruel decided to let it go since it wasnt to the point of being unbearable. Tell Astell. Ruel paused before speaking, looking at the mouths that were eating. Himself, Leo, Aris, Noah. Make enough for four people. Understood. Ill be right back. Noah politely bowed and then swiftly ran off. By the time Leos popcorn-eating sounds stopped, Tyson approached Ruel. Ill make a barrier and defense shield here in case its dangerous. Yes, make it strong. The opponent was Cassion. There was no shortage of careful preparation. Now that I think about it, how strong is Cassion now? The strongest character in the story was, of course, the main character, Ganien. Wouldnt Tyson know the extent of Cassions level by now? Uncle. Tell me. Uncle, do you know how strong Cassion is? From afar, Cassion turned his head and looked at Ruel with his lips curved as if teasing Ruel for his ignorance. Tyson pushed his hair back on his forehead. Very strong. More than ever. I dont even understand why Cassion is your butler, to be honest. Is that so? Ruel responded with a bored reaction. He knew Cassion was originally strong, but hearing that he had gotten stronger didnt sound realistic. Mr. Tyson. Tyson was startled by Cassions voice. Because there was no sign or sound. Tyson said, calming his shocked heart for a moment. Whats going on? Just in case, please protect Ruel with the strongest protection magic you know. I was going to do that anyway. Even after hearing Tysons answer, Cassions face was still stiff. Cassion was shocked to see his weak owner sitting leisurely and eating a snack in front of such a dangerous experiment. Ruel-nim, do you really need to see it? Cant you hear the results through a report? Ive never seen a defense mechanism tested before. Coincidentally, the day I see it is thest day of the experiment, so what can I do? Ruel shrugged his shoulders. It seemed that his stubbornness would not be easily broken. Cassion called Aris. Aris. Please speak. Can you protect Ruel-nim? Of course. After confirming Aris strong will, Cassion turned around. Even if something happens, it will be okay because he has his subordinates. I am ready. Cassion stood in front of a pre-marked spot on the floor. Im ready as well. Tyson spoke after creating a barrier and shield in front of Ruel. A-Are you okay? Aris asked Ruel carefully. Even if it was made from afar, it was not as far away as the mansions barrier, so it could have had some effect on Ruel. Its bearable. After answering, Ruel inhaled Breath. Ruel, when would you like to start? Tyson asked. Tyson and Cassion are ready, but Ruel is not ready yet. Its delicious! This body can eat more! Leo came out of the bucket, smiled brightly and wagged his tail. Just bring me the popped corn and then start. Do you think its okay if your hands are empty? *** Lets begin. Cassion wielded two daggers along with his words. After wiping out an assassins guild yesterday, his senses were still fresh. After confirming the barrier that Tyson and the magic knights had created together, and re-checking Ruels location, he infused them with aura. A purple light aura surrounded the dagger. The thicker the aura, the better the cut. Thin but strong, thin but sharp. So thin that the aura was covering the dagger. Cassions eyes sparkled for a moment. Kwaaang! Ruel covered his ears from the sudden, tremendous roar. He didnt even see Cassion swinging his dagger. Push it away. Aris hurriedly chanted a spell and swung his sword, pushing away the approaching wind as a result. Ugh. Aris quickly let out a moan. It was heavy despite the wind that only happened in the aftermath. However, when he reached the barrier without being able to push all the way, the wind disappeared in an instant. Huh. Ruel let out augh as he straightened his hair. Even though it was only a single blow, the impact was so great. Leos eyes widened. Its stronger than I thought. Cassion touched the shield-like translucent defense mechanism. There wasnt even a scratch. You can go a little harder. Ruel couldnt even chew the popcorn he put in his mouth as he continued to speak. Haha. Tysonsughter could be heard as if he was the only one who was thrilled. Lets start again. Cassion raised the corners of his mouth. He was excited to rx for the first time in a while. He made the aura thinner, about 4 to 5 sheets of paper, and swung it towards the defense mechanism. Kwaaang! Once more. And then he moved the opposite hand. Kwaaang! Ignoring the roaring sound in his ears, Cassion slowly increased his speed. Like decapitating an enemy. Faster. Stronger. Kwaaang! As the sound rang out several times, Cassions eyes widened. The path of the sword that he had previously seen in Cyronian unfolded before his eyes again. This time it was closer enough that he could touch it if he just stretched out his hand. His body became so light, as if it was not his own. The dagger in both hands felt like his own body, and he could even hear the Aura whispering as if it was speaking. It was clearly visible where he would swing and the defense mechanism would copse. Its here! He drew a circr path as if he was stirring an egg. Crack! With the sound of the defense mechanism breaking, a light appeared in Cassions purple eyes. He finally broke down the wall he had been facing for a long time. The corners of Cassions mouth rose high. huh. Tyson took a deep breath. Cassions state was no longer visible. Finally, he broke through the long-faced wall. For a moment, Tyson looked at Ruel urgently. As the defense mechanism was broken, the aftermath was severe but Tyson only smiled happily. Although Aris face turned pale, hepletely blocked the shockwaves from reaching Ruel. Cassion wasnt the only one who grew. He noticed that the light in Aris eyes had be deeper than before. Even if he couldnt ovee the wall, he gained enlightenment. Crunch. Ruel btedly ate popcorn and raised his eyebrows. Youve grown. The mana flowing around Aris became thicker. Are you okay? Aris turned his head and looked at Ruel. As soon as he saw the blood flowing from the corner of Aris mouth, Ruel made a serious expression. I guess I should ask, are you okay? Isnt it because the mana flowed back? Ah! Aris bleeds! He got it from Ruel! When Leo said something absurd, Ruel gently pressed Leos head. Im not a germ. Take your hands off this body. This body cannot eat that delicious food! Seeing Leo hurriedly moving towards the bucket of popcorn, Ruel took his hand away and looked at Aris again. Im fine. Aris spoke calmly. How much blood has Ruel shed so far? Aris was rather embarrassed when Ruel looked at himself anxiously. Ruel looked around and mentioned the same thing again. Hurry up and go to Fran and get treatment. Its really okay. This is a temporary phenomenon, so I will go after this experiment ispletelypleted. Aris. Ruels voice was heavy. Yes. Go now. Anything that hurts needs to be treated quickly. It wasnt something Ruel, who always held back, would say, but Aris answered with a hearty smile. Alright. Ill be back. As Aris left, Ruel called out to Noah as he saw Cassion and Tyson talking. Noah. Please speak. Take care of the mess. Noah looked around for a moment with a grudging face as he really didnt want to do.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 122: For the stage! (3) Chapter 122: For the stage! (3) Alright. Ruel stood up and approached Tyson. What do you think, uncle? Can we install defense mechanisms in each vige starting today? Tyson opened his mouth before looking at Cassion. It seemed like the decision would be made after listening to what he had to say about destroying the device himself. This is enough to be useful. Cassion answered with a satisfied smile, and Tysonughed along with him. I guess its possible. Ruel was satisfied with the positive results. Then uncle, please stop by each vige from now on and set up defense mechanisms. I will convey this to the barons. I understand. Thank you for your hard work, uncle. Ruel greeted Tyson and moved on to the next task. Cassion walked at Ruels pace and handed him a handkerchief. Youve overdone it. You should have heard it through reporting. Ruel covered his mouth with a handkerchief. It was annoying to have to be told that it was too much to just see one experiment, but it was true, so he couldnt refute it. Ruel doesnt know if it was the aftermath of Cassion destroying the defense mechanism, or the barriers and shields that Tyson installed as a safety device, but the taste of blood filled his mouth. Are you okay? Leo, who had been following Ruel, raised his head. Ruel nodded. The more he hit the limit, the more his strength grew, so it was an advantage in the long run. Ruel spoke after wiping the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. Cassion. Yes. Have you by any chance crossed the wall? Cassion nced at Ruel. Ruel held out his handkerchief with an expression of displeasure, saying, Theres no way I can see that. Youre right. How did you know? Ruel was truly surprised by Cassions answer. When Leo told him, he couldnt believe it. I didnt believe it, but its true. Isnt it a cheat to be stronger here? Didnt I tell you that I would be stronger when we visited the Ice Castle? Cassion walked ahead, acting as if nothing had happened. It is cold. Pleasee inside. He opened the door and waited for Ruel. Whether he overcame the wall or became stronger, the fact that Cassion was Ruels butler did not change. *** Ruel drank water first in front of Huan. Afterwards, Cassion chose only the food that Ruel could eat among the food prepared by Huan, and when all the selection waspleted, the conversation between Ruel and Huan began. Is it okay to walk around like this now? Huan nced at Ruels left arm, which was wrapped in bandages, and asked. Ruel answered as brightly as he could because it was the first time he had seen Huan outside in a long time since they had been meeting in Setiria. Yes, its okay to move now, just a little ufortable here. Ruel pointed to his left arm. Then he saw Leo swallowing his saliva while looking at the food. How long has it been since Leo ate the ck stuff from him? Huan smiled with relief. Thats a good thing. By the way, Lord Setiria. Yes, Your Highness. Do you know that you have a peculiar habit? What habits are you talking about? Youre so careful with your food, but dont you drink water casually? Did I do that? Ruel reacted as if he really knew nothing. The world is scary, so be careful. Thank you for telling me. Ill have to be more careful next time. Huan cut the steak with a good-natured expression on his face. Anyway, I postponed it because Lord Setiria wasnt feeling well, but now I think its okay to listen to my proposal. Yes, Your Highness. I was also thinking that I should respond to your proposal today. Ruel put down his fork for a moment and rinsed his mouth with water. Youve waited a long time. With a bright smile, Ruel spoke his first words. At the same time, Huans expectations seemed to be rising. Ruel continued without further hesitation. I will support you. Thanks Before Huan could finish speaking, the ring on his finger sparkled. It seemed like someone had contacted him. Huan looked at the ring and Ruel alternately, then made an apologetic expression. Can you give me a moment? Yes, Your Highness. You must be in a hurry, so Ill give you a moment. Ruel stood up with his cane and went outside. With his back to the door, he leisurely inhaled Breath. The call to Huan was obvious. The stage decorated by Brans and Adoris has beenpleted. And the person who tells us this is probably Luruan. Cassion. Yes. Cassion appeared from Ruels shadow. Check whether Huan added poison and report it. Po, poison! Leo was surprised. Is Ruel eating it? Big, big deal! If you eat poison, you will die! Leo clung to the hem of Ruels pants and scratched him with his front paws. Alright. Cassion tried to say something, but answered by quietly disappearing into the shadows again. Dont worry. Ruelforted Leo. It was obvious what Huan would do while he was away for a moment. He will prepare poison. He would slowly administer the poison, repeating their encounters as Carbena and Ma had done to him. Cassion had already checked the food once due to his allergies. It was a moment when Ruels guard was down more than ever, and this was an opportunity for Huan, who had encountered Ruel several times and gained his trust, to strike. But one variable had exploded. The stage will unfold tomorrow. Time was running out as the task of selecting a sessor was urgently announced. The time was shortened in part to prevent Huan from preparing too much and to make him impatient and use more dire means. When something explodes, it should explode all at once. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. Like Ruel-nim said, it is poisoned. Ruel asked Cassion in response to his voice. Can you detoxify it? I know the poison, so its possible. I see. But there was another variable. He had the power of resistance, and Cassion knew most poisons. In order to bring down a man with the status of a prince, shouldnt there be one more incident other than treason? Ruel was slightly startled by the sound of the door opening as he tried to hug Leo, who was hanging on his leg. Through the door, Ruel saw Huan with an apologetic expression on his face. You cane in now. Have you waited long? No. But whats going on? You dont seem to be in a good mood. Huan bit his lip in response to Ruels question. Things suddenly went wrong, so its natural to be angry. Ruel gleefully looked at Huans face. Huan looked at Ruels expression with a slightly suspicious look. Have you not heard yet, Your Highness? What do you mean? Huan held the ss tightly because he didnt really know what was on his face. I heard His Majesty will decide on a sessor tomorrow. You mean tomorrow? Isnt it too sudden? Thats what I want to say. Huan wet his dry mouth with a nervous look on his face. He looked like he wanted to leave right now. I have a good idea. Ruel opened his mouth. What do you mean, a good idea? Your Highness, have you forgotten who I am? Huan watched with interest as the words tickled his ears strangely. Ruel drank the poisoned water that Huan had prepared and looked at him with an indifferent expression. Im Setiria. Whats special about Setiria? No one could ignore its location. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. If I let everyone know tomorrow that I will support you, it might shake things up. Despite his confident voice, Huan was unable to answer right away. Ruels n was definitely a good one. Even someone like himself who had once given up the throne might regain the qualifications to be involved in that game by carrying Setiria on his back. But the problem was the fact that Ruel had drunk the poisoned water. Originally, he had nned to slowly kill him, but with the news of determining the sessor tomorrow, he had hastily carried out his n. It was uncertain whether Ruel would be able to hold on until tomorrow. Brans did something unexpected and his n was already in vain. While Huan was thinking about whether he should give Ruel the antidote and keep him alive, someone knocked on the door. Who is it? Huan paused to think for a moment and asked. I am the butler of the Ruel Setiria family. I will go out and see. Ruel got up and went outside. Soon Ruel spoke to Huan with an urgent look on his face. Your Highness, Im sorry, but something urgent hase up in my territory, so I have to go now. Ruel seemed in such a hurry that it was difficult to ask what was going on. No problem. Go quickly. Thank you, Your Highness. Ruel bowed his head and hurried out. As soon as they got on the carriage, Cassion handed over the antidote to Ruel. Ruel clenched his hand in the air instead of taking the antidote. Damn Ruel frowned when there was nothing in his hand. It was because the poison had blurred his vision. Wi-ing. Even the feeling in his hands was disappearing due to the power of resistance ringing in his ears a little while ago. I will feed you. Cassion opened the vial and administered the antidote directly. After taking the antidote, the sound of the resistances roar gradually disappeared, and the feeling in his hand returned. Are you okay? Cassion asked, fiddling with his handkerchief. Ruel nodded his head. The poison wasnt as strong as he had thought. Did you eat poison? Leo was surprised and nced at Ruel. I took the antidote, so Im fine now. Ruel stroked Leo and inhaled Breath. The preparations wereplete, from the king to the princes, and the five families. Ruel didnt forget to cause confusion for Prince Huan as a final touch. Tomorrow, finally, the stage would be set. It would be a sea of blood so immense that it couldnt bepared to the cleansing in Setiria. Ruel closed his eyes and opened them. *** Cheynol, uncle. Ruel saw the two people before getting into the carriage. Yes, patriarch. Yes, Ruel. The two answered at the same time. The enemy was not a fool. If something big happens in the royal family, they wont sit still. Defense mechanisms were installed in each vige to prepare for any possible danger, and walls were also rebuilt. It bothered him that the warp device wasnt finished yet, but for now this was the best. Ruel spoke more forcefully than ever. Please do me a favor while Im away, Billo. Yes, Ruel-nim. I trust you. When the head of the house was away, Billos role was also important as the butler took charge of the mansions work. Yes. This old man, I will protect the mansion no matter what happens. Ruel then looked at the two vice-captains, Horen and Drianna, who were eager to chase after him immediately. He smiled wryly at their frantic expressions Please take care of it. Yes! Leave it to me! Ill do better! The two of them shouted fiercely. Ruel looked at the knights firmly and then got into the carriage. Lets go. Cassion tapped the carriage wall at Ruelsmand. You seem quiteposed for someone causing such a bigmotion, Cassion remarked with a hint of dissatisfaction in his voice. Its unusual for you to beposed when Im around. This body too! Leo nuzzled his face into Ruelsp. Okay. Ruel quietly inhaled Breath while stroking Leo. Although the Red Ash would try to destroy him, they also had to keep in mind that it would shake up Setiria, its foundation. *** The castle courtyard was filled with more carriages than ever before. A carriage with a shield emblem symbolizing Setiria came to a stop. Soon, the door opened, and Ruel, dressed in a white suit that didnt befit his title as the Noble of Darkness, stepped out. Because he was one of the six heads of the family, the eyes of ministers and barons turned to him. Ruel entered the castle without being conscious of the people around him. Lord Setiria. Banios, who was heading alone, found Ruel and called him. It was truly a coincidence. Ruel greeted neatly. I greet the little sun. Why is your attire like that? It was evident that Banios was not ustomed to Ruels usually dark attire turning so stark white. Its boring to always be in ck, isnt it? Ruel forced a smile. It would be difficult to exin why he had chosen to wear a new white suit this time, considering his noble title of the Noble of Darkness. Arent you going to enter with the other princes? Ruel changed the subject. Entering simultaneously in the ce where the sessor is chosen. Isnt that amusing? Well, thats true. Then, are you nervous? Banios chuckled leisurely at Ruels question. Im incredibly nervous. How about you? Me? Im the same. Crossing the line as always, there was nothing to be nervous about. He had to ovee this hurdle to live on for the next time. They stopped for a moment in front of the door. Ruel nced back at Aris, who stood behind him. His face was still tense. Knowing he would do well once inside, Ruel smiled lightly and looked ahead again. With a gesture from Banios, the servant opened the door and shouted loudly, Sir Aris, the knight of Setiria, and the noble of darkness, Lord Ruel Setiria! The servant paused for a moment and then shouted again, And His Highness, Banios Leponia, the little sun of Leponia, is entering! Ttak. The sound of Ruels cane echoed through the hall.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 123: Stage Chapter 123: Stage Banios and Ruel entered at the same time for the ceremony to choose the sessor. Huan, who was seated ahead of them, could hardly hide his displeasure. Ruel looked at him leisurely and inhaled Breath. Adoris, ncing at Ruel, turned his head away when their eyes met. Good. Ruel liked the current atmosphere. Today there was no loud music, no eye-catching delicious food, or greedy gazes. Everyone was just sitting quietly, seemingly shocked by the sudden news from the king. Ruel walked to the ce where the patriarchs were gathered. Its nice to see you all, Ruel smiled at them, breaking the silence. Diagos nodded and squeezed his arm, and Corrence swallowed his nervousness and went along with the charade for now. Rie was worried about Ruels bandaged arm, and Ben handed him the snack he had brought to give Ruel, saying he seemed to have lost weight. Sniff. Leo sniffed the snack bag Ruel received and raised the corners of his mouth. Its a macaron! This body remembers that! Just when I was feeling a bit hungry. Ruelughed as if he had made a fortune. Long time no see, Ken greeted Ruel warmly and made space next to himself. Thank you, Lord Prios, Ruel took a seat and took a deep breath. Just exchanging greetings was already exhausting. To regain stamina, Ruel took a bite of a macaron and offered one to Ken. Would you like one? Its okay. I dont think I can handle it well in this tense atmosphere. Did I just hear someone swallowing? Ruel watched his surroundings and secretly passed it on to Leo. Oooh! This is what it tastes like! Ruel couldnt understand why they hesitated to ept what he offered, whether it was Aris or other servants. He moved his hands back and forth. The spirits tilted their heads following his hand. Is it because there are a lot of needle marks? Mostly on his arms, but a few on the back of his hands. He considered wearing gloves like Cassion, but the sound of the door opening made him turn his head. The heavy atmosphere deepened. The king had appeared. His Majesty Brans Leponia, the sole Sun of Leponia, enters! The servants loud shout broke the silence. Everyone rose from their seats to look at the king. The words he was about to utter would change the bnce of power among the nobles and ministers, including the fate of the country. Without a show of any emotion in his expression, Brans walked over and sat down on the throne. Turning to face them, he spoke. Take your seats, everyone. Making sure everyone was seated, Brans spoke again. This was sudden. In an instant, a murmur arose. As Brans said, it was a very sudden announcement. Since there were no prior signs, the confusion was further aggravated. Brans eyes turned to the three princes. Huan, Adoris, Banios. Each and every one of them made eye contact. Instantly, his heart sank. No matter what anyone said, they were all his precious sons. But please know that there will be no change in the choice of my sessor today. Brans first made his intentions clear so that no one would object. Your Majesty, may I be presumptuous However, someone among the ministers cautiously spoke. Brans immediately showed his displeasure. Be silent. I will not ept anyments on this. Brans knew that it seemed like an arbitrary choice. However, most of the dissenters were those who joined the Red Ash. It was ugly, but the thought of them deciding the countrys sessor made him feel like he had bugs crawling all over him. There was no point in dragging it out. Brans again tried to speak directly without paying attention to the minister standing next to him. Your Majesty, this is too sudden, and somewhat unjust. Huan spoke up, cautiously. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the ministers expressions rxed as they heard the refreshing sound. But it didnt take long for Branss anger to hit him like a bolt of lightning. What did you say now? Unfair? What does the prince say is unfair now! Your Majesty, please hold on. Youre choosing the heir to the country, and youll be deciding its future, so please be more careful Brans held out his palm. It meant to stop talking. I have made it clear that I am here to choose an heir. Is the prince here to lecture me? Huan was surprised at the remark mixed with anger and was unable to answer hastily. I tell you clearly. If there is anyone who objects to my decision to select a sessor, I will bring down thew. Brans nailed his point firmly so that no more words could be spoken against his decision. He paused, letting his anger settle, and then spoke again. His voice was softer than before. Some may think as Prince Huan does, but I have been dismayed by the state of affairs in this countrytely. I can no longer stand idly by and have made this decision, so follow it. At the subtlety of his words, the ministers began to stir. Brans looked at the three princes again and gestured. Princes,e before me. The princes rose from their seats and walked toward him. That was Brans signal that the performance had begun. Ruel inhaled the Breath and stifled augh. Its time to get up. As he fiddled with his cane, Leo hit his hand with his tail. Stroke this body, not the cane. What a mess. Instead of looking at Leo, Ruel looked sideways at the patriarchs. Everyone seemed to understand the signal. Each person will use their own method to give a signal to sweep away the Red Ash from their territory. Brans continued to pace the room, watching the princes thoughtfully. The atmosphere in the hall was growing heavy, like walking on thin ice. Next. When Brans finally opened his mouth, the sound of swallowing could be heard from somewhere. The sessor is. Brans eyes naturally turned to Adoris. Adoris just looked at Brans calmly without any change in expression. Huans lips were chewed. Its Banios Leponia. What followed was somethingpletely unexpected. Banios, who has just started umting power. His stomach churned. It became a celebration for those who epted Banios proposal to support him, and on the contrary, it seemed that a field of thorns spread to those who refused. Your Majesty. At that time, Ruel quietly got up. The voice was strangely haunting. Brans frowned, and a faint smile appeared on Huans face. As Ruel had said to Huan beforehand, he did indeed stand up for him, but Huan became anxious at the same time. The poison he had fed Ruel still lingered in his mind. Unfortunately, I cannot follow Your Majestys words. Themotion came again due to the bombshell remarks. Brans stared at Ruel with disbelief. What did you say just now? The future of Leponia is at stake, and I think youre in too much of a hurry. Rushed? Brans voice was filled with irritation. Nevertheless, Ruel persevered and spoke. Yes, you were in too much of a hurry. Isnt it too early to decide on a sessor? At the same time, Ruel nced at Huan. Huan was looking at him with expectant eyes. Crazy bastard Huan seemed to have forgotten that he had been poisoned by him. Ruel moved forward even though Brans did not give permission. Brans asked in daze. Lord Setiria, what is this? I came to inform you that Your Majesty forgot one thing. Ruel bowed politely towards Brans and raised the corners of his mouth. Such a rude! Brans mmed the handle of the chair and gritted his teeth. He had crossed the line. Even in a suffocating situation, Ruel smiled leisurely. How to keep himself alive, number eight. Driving out Leponias hidden Red Ash. Your Majesty, before choosing a sessor, shouldnt you clean up the Red Ash first? At that moment, the hall became quiet. Red Ash. It was clearly mentioned in Ruels mouth. Instead, he saw people who were contemting. The same was true for Huan. Aris hurriedly came next to Ruel. Thank you. I forgot that. Brans smiled at Ruel, as if he had switched off his anger, and soon turned his attention to the ministers. Sir Torto,e inside now! At Brans shout, the tightly closed door opened and the knights, led by Torto, came inside. Thump. Thump. A huge sound shook the ground. Blood, blood One of the ministers covered his mouth in surprise. The knights swords and armor were stained red. Blood flowed with every step, their eyes were like sharpened swords, and their heavy footsteps were the final bell of death. No one could speak at the sight of them. They felt as if their throats would be cut at any moment. While most people were horrified and holding their breath, Torto shouted loudly. Block the door! Some knights stood in front of the door. The figure standing there soaked in blood was bigger than any other gatekeeper and looked far more ferocious. Torto led the knights and walked in front of Brans. Your Majesty, I, Torto, return from performing royal cleaning duties. Brans bit his lip at the sight of the blood on Tortos body. There is as much Red Ash in the royal castle as there is blood. Sir Torto. Yes, Your Majesty. At your service. Torto bowed his head in response. Brans pointed once at Huan. Brans fingertips trembled. Take the treasonous traitors, including the First Prince, from this room at once. Kill those who resist. As ordered! Torto shouted immediately after the reply. What are you doing, not capturing the traitors now? At Tortosmand, the knights arrested the ministers who colluded with the Red Ash, including Luruan and Cron, whom they were previously briefed on. Your Majesty! What is the meaning of this ugh! Torto struck Huan on the back of the head as he approached Brans and knocked him down. Brans did not turn his head. Your Majesty! It is I, Huan! Huan is here! Huan tried to rise, but the knights grabbed him and held him down. He hurriedly shouted with an iprehensible expression on his face. Treason! Your Majesty! Its all a misunderstanding! Let me exin it properly, so I cherished you! I really cared about you! But what have you done to me and to this country! Brans shouted desperately. Huan realized then that this was all a trap set by the king and Adoris. They had lured him and the others of the Red Ash into the trap with the bait of choosing an heir. Who led all of this? You son of a bitch! Adoris! Huan turned his head with difficulty, ring at Adoris as if he were going to kill him. Ruel looked back at the crowded hall and inhaled breath. Ruel expected this situation, but it was more hectic than he expected. Even those who already knew about this stage seemed confused. Who the enemy was. What the enemy had done to us. Dont worry. Aris watched the surroundings while holding the sword given to him by a knight. Aris. Aris responded firmly to Ruels words. Yes. Cough, cut down all those whoe after me. Alright. Ruel moved his cane while listening to Aris answer. Ttak. The sound of the cane echoed off the ground as Ariss sword moved. Enemies appeared, taking advantage of the chaos anding to target Ruel. Even though the enemies copsed to the floor and vicious curses were heard, Ruel did not stop walking. Blood sttered on the ground and screams rang out, but Ruel didnt stop walking. Sttered blood stained his white clothes red. He stopped in front of Huan. Heughed at the sight of him being captured and tied up by the knights. How did you feel when you killed my father? Huan was startled by Ruels cold voice. How, how could you For what reason did you kill my father? Have you longed so much for a throne that you will grovel at the Red Ashs feet on the floor? Huans eyes filled with bewilderment, then gradually turned to anger. Its you! It was you! Looking at Huan moving his whole body in a frantic struggle, Ruel leaned down slightly and touched his cheek, then stood up again and looked around. Now that the knights have blocked the door, they leisurely capture and kill the enemies in this hall who had no hole to escape. After a while, silence came. Ttak. The sound of Ruels cane broke the silence. They belong to an organization called the Red Ash, including Prince Huan Leponia. The Red Ash seeks to sell this country, your Majesty, the princes, and all of us to a man they call the Great Man. His voice was full of appeal, but those who were not Red Ash were unable toe to their senses due to the carnage and sudden actions of the knights. Ttak. Ruel mmed his cane on the floor again. At the sound, they all turned to look at him. The Red Ash killed my father, Trino Setiria. At those words, those who were not Red Ash came to their senses and were shocked. All the heads of the household, except Diagis Shio, were equally surprised. What a ce Setiria was. Everyone here knows what Setiria is like. Its the Red Ash that killed Trino Setria, my father the former lord. Only then did everyone understand what Ruel wanted to say. They understood why Brans had been shouting treason, and they realized how terrifying the Red Ash were. But those were secondary thought. What mattered now was that the Red Ash had killed Trino Setiria. The Red Ashes had dered war on Leponia. As Ruel secured the legitimacy of the current situation, the atmosphere of fear quickly turned into anger. Those who were not Red Ash red at those captured by the knights, considering them enemies. They must be the same guys. Brans looked bitterly at the blood-stained hall and then bowed his head towards the honest ministers and heads of families of this country. Im sorry, because it was like this, I had no choice but to let the situation unfold like this without any exnation to you in advance. As soon as the kings apology confirmed the gravity of the situation, the ministers became angry. The number of those captured by the knights was huge. The influence of the Red Ash had been so great. Wondering why they hadnt realized this before, one of the ministers bowed to the king. Your Majesty, its the fault of this subject! I didnt know anything while this country fell into enemy hands! Please kill this subject! This subject is guilty and deserves to die! They didnt care if their knees were soaked with blood or if they stepped on the corpses of their enemies, but instead they all bowed their heads to the king. No matter who they were, they were all people of Leponia. Brans spoke as if he was embarrassed by the ministers sudden actions. Rise. It all happened because of myck of virtue. My son, Huan Leponia, was part of a Red Ash. Dont be pretentious, Your Majesty! Didnt you turn your head when you learned of the death of Trino Setiria?! Huan gritted his teeth and shouted.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 124: Stage (2) Chapter 124: Stage (2) He couldnt die alone like this. If he dies, shouldnt they all die together? The ministers who stood up from their seats at Huans explosive remarks looked at Brans in bewilderment. Brans answered them without hesitation. It is true. I turned a blind eye to the death of Lord Trino Setiria. The ministers couldnt hide their surprise. If you have a mouth, why dont you speak up, Adoris, youre a Red Ash too! Huan then proceeded to bite at Adoris. Stop it, brother! Banios shouted. Adoris grabbed him by the shoulder and shook his head. Its true. I have no intention of hiding it, nor intention of denying it. Adoris didnt lie about the truth either. The room fell silent again as one more shocking truth hit them. Therefore, the next heir shall be Banios. He was the only one who truly cared about this country. Brans looked at Banios warmly. Your Majesty Banios was speechless. Perhaps a stage will be set to decide on a sessor. So the real protagonist is you, Your Highness. He remembered Ruels words, when hed said that he was the real protagonist. Now he understood what he meant with his father, his eldest brother, and his second brother all shackled by sin, he was truly alone. The ministers turned towards Banios. There was hope in their eyes. Do you truly have the heart to be king? The question Ruel asked himself came to mind again. Hed said yes then, but the words didnt seem toe out right now. It was heavy. It was much heavier than he thought. Banios. Brans called out to Banios with a sad smile. A bright red line was drawn over the royal family. He hadnt expected to pass on the throne like this. Instead of answering, Banios looked at Ruel. Ruel nodded and smiled. And then Ruel got down on one knee towards Banios. I am Ruel Setiria. It was a promise to be made at theing-of-age ceremony, but there was no stage more suitable than now. Because there is nothing more beautiful than a flower that blooms in despair. I support His Highness Banios. You really, really overdo it. Baniosughed in exasperation. His back was against the wall. In a situation where even Setiria supported him, he couldnt avoid answering. I, Rie Kuhn, support His Highness Banios, not His Highness Adoris. Rie walked out and got down on one knee like Ruel. Prios also supports His Highness Banios. Ken also supported Banios. Ben said with a chuckle. I already supported the prince. The Lumina family will also support Banios. Corrence quickly came out and knelt down, catching Ruels eye. Five families have already supported Banios. The answer had already been decided. Your Highness, we too When even the ministers opened their mouths, Banios held out his palm. No more words were needed. Banios took a breath and looked at Brans with his fists clenched. In those clear eyes, Brans saw the future of Leponia. A brilliant future. Your Majesty, I may be weak, but I will lead Leponia. As Banios epted the position of next king, the hall became so noisy that it seemed as if they were about to leave. What the hell. Huans words sent a chill through the air, like cold water. Everyones gazes turned toward him. The throne is mine. That seat belongs to me! How did Ie this far! Me! He couldnt keep still, not even in frustration. Cough. At that time, Ruels coughing sound was ominous. Ruel urgently covered his mouth with his hand, but blood leaked out between his fingers. Darn it. Again, blood without any symptoms Ruel covers his mouth with the handkerchief given to him by Cassion, but it is already toote. There was no one who was not shocked by his bright red blood. Ru, Ruel! Leo was shocked and froze. No words came out of his mouth to say he was okay. Despite the painkillers hed taken beforehand, the pain rushed through him, making his whole body shake. Damn it! Ruel-nim! In the end, when Ruel lost his bnce and fell backwards into Aris arms. The sound of a cane copsing followed. Fuhahaha! Huan smiled very brightly. Hope bloomed in despair. The poison he had fed Ruel was finally working. Look! The throne is mine now, because I poisoned him! Huan, you! Brans gritted his teeth and red at Huan. That was a sin of his own making. It was very awful and terrible. Brans looked away from Huan and urgently raised his voice. Now! Call a doctor immediately! No matter what happens, Lord Setiria must not die! Itste, Your Majesty! Itste! Huan chuckled. He shouted again, looking at his own shadow instead of Ruel. Ruel Setiria is about to die! I killed him! Now the throne is mine. Isnt that right? At that moment, the necks of the knights holding on to Huan were separated from their bodies. There are assassins! Protect Your Highness and Your Majesty right now! Torto held his sword in front of Brans. He couldnt tell how many others had stepped out of the shadows. Torto swallowed dryly at the tension. Now, hurry and save me. Save me and give me that crown! Huan shouted to those who appeared from his shadow. At that moment, Aris raised his sword in response to a violent attack. Someone came out from Huans shadow and tried to attack Ruel. nk! Aris parried the attack and red murderously at the man. How dare you Ruel-nim! In one swift motion, Aris pierced the enemys abdomen. Cuck! A groan escaped the enemys mouth. Aris raised his sword, preparing for the next attack. Ill join you! Rie took a sword from a knight and shed at the enemys throat as they charged towards Ruel. Blood sttered everywhere. Damn it. Ruel struggled to endure the pain and looked at the current situation. Assassins emerged from Huans shadow. From the words Huan muttered, they werent just assassins, they were hired by the Red Ash. This was not a simple matter. A ck-blooded man might appear soon. Cassion, ugh. Take care of the assassins. Ruels shadow moved and set medicine down beside him. Ruel fumbled to pick it up. He took a deep breath against the pain and barely managed to open his mouth. Leo. A-are you okay? If a ck-blooded persones out, can we purify it? This body can do it! At the whispered words, Leos tail stood high. Let me help you. Ken took the medicine and handed it to Ruel. Ruel chewed the medicine, swallowed it, and forced the power of recovery to flow. Cough. Ruel spat blood into his handkerchief and got up again using his cane. The pain hadnt stopped yet, so Ruels facial expression didnt improve at all. He forced himself to hold on and spoke to Brans. Your Majesty, please leave the hall immediately. Then Ruel nced at Banios and Adoris. They would have realized what he meant now. Sir Torto, escort His Majesty and leave the hall immediately. Adoris moved immediately. We need to take Lord Setiria first. Brans hesitated and looked at Ruel. Ill take care of that, Your Majesty, brother. Baniosforted Brans and pointed to the door. Then he looked at the ministers. What are you doing, ministers, not escorting the king out of here at once! Toote. Huan rose from his seat, unbound with the help of the assassins. He had prepared for this day. A final move to overturn this situation and eliminate everything. He took out ck water from his arms and shook it. Now, its party time! The moment Huan was about to move his hand, someone appeared in front of him. Before he could recognize the familiar face, he was knocked unconscious by a painful blow to his face. Cassion held the ck water in his hand and disappeared. Rie momentarily rubbed her eyes and looked at Huan. It seemed like something appeared and disappeared. Thinking that she had seen it wrong, she tried to swing her sword at the enemy again, but soon she was unable to hide her embarrassment. There was suddenly no sign of enemies. ha. Aris breathed, lowering his sword. There were no more enemies. Torto quickly evacuated the king and then saw the ministers leaving the hall and approached Ruel. Are you okay? Aris supported Ruel. Ruel asked, examining the situation. Any enemies? Not anymore The shadows must have gotten rid of them. Aris whispered thest part. Okay Ruel answered in a weak voice. Cassion walked through the crowd of people heading to the door. His steps as he walked across the floor covered in blood and corpses were infinitely calm, like walking on ice. Cassion supported Ruel instead of Aris. Please rest assured that we havepletely recovered the ck water they had. Ruel turned his head and looked behind Cassion. The knights were dragging the captives away. Its over. Cassion stated clearly. Only then did Ruel catch his breath and inhale Breath. Cassion stopped short of giving Ruel the painkiller. Its so dirty here. I will take you to your room. Did a lot of people die? Cassion responded calmly to Ruels calm voice. Yes, there was a lot of blood in other ces besides here. The blood on Torto and the royal knights as they entered this ce belonged to the Red Ash that had spread throughout the royal family. Ruel asked, looking at the family heads before moving his body. Did the red flowers bloom there as well? When they nodded instead of answering, Ruel turned back to the door, no expression on his face. It was a given that today, wherever they went, there would be rivers of blood. Are you okay? Banios approached and asked. His expression wasnt good. It was probably the first time he had seen so many deaths. Do not bury this day, my Lord, but remember it forever. Ruel himself was able to bury this incident. No, he had to. The Red Ash had notpletely disappeared yet, so it was not the time to get drunk on small victories. Banios, the man who would lead the country in the future, needed to remember. What the end for those who supported the Red Ash. What the first victory tasted like. He had to remember it all. I understand. Lets go to the room first. Isnt detoxification a priority first? Ruel-nim. Cassion frowned slightly and called out to Ruel. Cassions expression was not good. He carefully took out themunication device. It wasnt a good thing for themunication device to ring in this situation. Did a Red Ash, or rather a ck-blooded man, appear? Ruel pictured the worst in his current situation. What if Red Ash knew of the stage he had created and attacked Setiria? No, that cant be possible. It was foolish to abandon the royal family and the five territories and only attack Setiria. He decided not to overthink it and focus on what he had to do now. Connect. Ruel calmly opened his mouth. -Patriarch! Its Gors! An urgent voice was heard. The voice was urgent. The urgency was palpable. Ruel didnt panic and spoke calmly. Briefly. -Well, the ck-formed monster you mentioned is attacking Sylvia right here. Sylvia was a new vige to be created for the residents of the back alleys. -Suddenly, some guys appeared, shouting Great Man and drinking some liquid. Red Ash suddenly appeared? Only then did Ruel chuckle. The Red Ash hadnt realized this stage, and had been preparing to stab him in the back when Huan said that he had poisoned him. It was like they had both taken a strike, but he had hit harder. He hadnt been properly hit by that guy yet. I understand. Ill be there soon, so take refuge. Ruel broke off the contact and inhaled Breath. His fingertips were still shaking. Im sorry. Cassion bowed his head in apology. No, not your mistake, my mistake. Ruel shook his head. He turned to Banios and spoke. Your Highness, please be especially careful, as there may still be hidden remnants in the castle. I will return now. Are you going back in that condition? Banios protested as he tried to stop Ruel. Ruel smiled at him and then looked at the five patriarchs. Ill leave it to you. As soon as he finished speaking, Ruel walked towards the door. Every time he touched the ground with his cane, it sshed pooled blood on the floor. Ruel moved beyond the door and infused mana into the ring. Uncle. -Yes, Ruel. Tysons expression became cold when he saw the situation unfolding behind Ruel. I need you toe to the Royal Pce now. This was the only way to get to Setiria quickly. -On the way. Going straight to the pce. As soon asmunication with Tyson was lost, Ruel mentioned the next person to connect with. Cassion, contact Billo. Alright. As Ruel walked, he saw numerous footprints marked with blood. Footprints continued endlessly in the hallway. -Ruel-nim, we were already nning to send knights and soldiers to Sylvia Dont send them. -Pardon? What do you mean by that? Billos embarrassment was vividly conveyed. Dont send them because unnecessary sacrifices will only increase. Stop Cheynol, stop the knights. -Understood. Billo reluctantly responded. Ruel cut offmunication and saw Tyson appearing in front of him. It wasnt a time to show joy. It wasnt a time to exaggerate pain. Uncle, you know where Sylvia is, dont you? I know. The ck-blooded man Please take me there. Ruel stretched out his hand. His fingertips were trembling. Tyson hadnt found an alternate way to deal with the ck-blooded man, so the burden had to fall back on Ruel. However, Tyson did not apologize for this. Every time he apologized, Ruels expression was so pitiful. It was like he was being forced to take something that didnt belong to him. Leo climbed onto Ruels shoulder, and Cassion and Aris gathered close to Ruel. Tyson began to cast a warp magic spell.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only on . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 125: Stage (3) Chapter 125: Stage (3) *** Ruels body staggered from the effects of the warp. Despite the overwhelming aftereffects, he soon opened his eyes wide. Ten, no, twenty, maybe more? There were more of them than the ck-blooded man hed fought in Cyronian. Thump. Thump. Thump. His heart pounded loudly. His own shadow moved arbitrarily. Calm down. Ruel soothed the shadow and surveyed the situation. Gors must have evacuated the people, so all that was left in Sylvia was the corpse. With all traces of the vige that had been built so far gone, Ruel bit his lips hard. Ruel, Ruel! This body can do it now! This body will purify those who are out of natural order. Leo said, his tail raised. Are you alright? Aris asked, concerned. Ruel nodded in response. I can fight. Please dont ask me to run away this time, Ruel said. Aris discarded his sword and took out his own sword from his magic pocket. Ruel, you dont have to face this alone, despite Tysons gentle words, an icy sphere already hovered in his hand. Ruel-nim, I apologize for bringing you to such a messy ce. Cassion spoke, pulling a syringe from his magic pocket and casually injecting it into Ruels arm. The ck water in their bodies feels stronger than before. Cassion noted, swiftly cutting down a tree and arranging a makeshift seat for Ruel on the stump. You can sit here quietly. Observing Aris and Tyson rush towards the ck-blooded man without hesitation, Ruel turned to Cassion and asked. What about the spies? Rest assured, there are none in this vicinity, Cassion assured him, bowing low. As he straightened up, a dagger appeared in each of his hands. The assassin unbuttoned his shirt as he smiled. The slightly eerie smile made Ruel flinch, almost inhaling Breath. Well then, please stay here quietly, Cassion said before disappearing from sight. Ruel gulped while inhaling Breath. What a burden. However, the best oue would be for all the ck-blooded men to copse and be defeated by their hands. Chuckling softly, Ruel observed the approaching ck-blooded men. They paid no attention to the others rushing to attack, their focus solely fixed on Ruel. Do I look that appetizing? The shadows whispered, urging him to devour them immediately, but Ruel calmed himself. Wait. He had to hold back from purification, as it took a toll on his body. I trust and wait for my uncle, Aris, Cassion, and Leo Ruel, Ruel! Strange! Leo came running, panting. How long had it been since he had run off? Ruel looked at Leo, his gaze drifting away from the scene of lightning, ice, and fire. What is it, Leo? Ruel asked. It cannot be purified. Leo immediately tilted his head. Cant be purified? Purification isnt working as strongly as this body did at theke. Did this body revert back to being stupid? Ruel patted Leos head and looked ahead, seeing the worry in his eyes. When Leo used purification, his shadow first surrounded the ck-blooded man. And Leo used purification. Was that the difference? Ruel did not show impatience. Right now, they were calmly eliminating the ck-blooded man, one by one. By following the method discovered by Cassiongetting rid of the ck water in their bodies. Okay, theres no need to be anxious, Ruel reassured himself, attempting to calm his racing heart. Thump! However, his heart suddenly started beating violently once more, sensing something ominous about the death of the ck-blooded man. Thump! Thump! Unable to ignore the unsettling feeling, Ruel got up from his spot. Are they clustering together? The ck-blooded men had changed their behavior and started clustering together. No, rather than uniting, theyre devouring each other. Instead of attacking their intended targets, the ck-blooded men turned on each other, tearing into one anothers flesh and consuming their own kind. As they did, the body of the ck-blooded man grewrger. We have to stop them! Aris! Tyson shouted, reaching his hand towards the sky and signaling Aris. Im ready, Mr. Tyson! Aris responded, preparing himself. Now! Tysonmanded, and together they unleashed a powerful bolt of lightning. Rumble! Electric blue streaks extended from the sky, descending upon the enemies like divine punishment. The forked beams of light judged the ck-blooded men, piercing through their bodies and even reaching the ground. mes erupted, engulfing the area, and clouds of dust and dirt billowed around. This body will put a stop to it! Leo stood up in front of Ruel and halted the gust of wind that threatened to blow towards them. Ruel closed his eyes tightly and slowly opened them again. Through the haze of dust, his vision was obscured. Ruel! Leo tapped the ground with his front paw. A stone wall appeared in front of Ruel. Bang! But before that, there was the sound of the sword colliding with something. Cassion was standing in front, blocking the ck stem. Hina! Cassion called out to Hina and quickly cut down the ck stem. Excuse me, Hina said as she carried Ruel and quickly left the area. Huh? Oh no! Leos mouth opened wide as he clung to Ruels leg. ! Ruel finally grasped the situation. Among the numerous ck-blooded men, only one remained visible. It had merged with the others, and its size is now three timesrger than before. Crazy bastards Unlike before, the ck water has changed. Ruel immediately inhaled Breath and spoke. Cassion, do you think you can get rid of it? It was safe to say that this was a new opponent. Kkaaang! Cassion deflected the ck stem aimed at Ruel and answered. Even the ck water inside them regenerates. It seems impossible to eliminate it all at once. Uncle, Aris. Ruel turned to his uncle and Aris who had taken a moment to catch their breath and check on him. Relief washed over their faces when they saw that he was unharmed. Can both of you still locate the ck water? Ruel asked. I can still see it! Aris responded confidently, mes flickering in his hand. I can see it too, Tyson confirmed. Good. Ruel nodded, his gaze shifting to Hina. Put me down. But still Hina. Understood, Hina reluctantlyplied, realizing she had no choice but to put Ruel down. She couldnt refuse his resolute words. Leo. Say it. When I envelope that guy in the shadows, then purify him. This body understands! This body can do it! Ruel knew that the others would instinctively know what to do. He focused his attention on the approaching ck-blooded man. I am here. And then he put Breath in his mouth. The ck-blooded man advanced swiftly, dragging its massive body. But Ruel held no fear. With two shields and a fierce dagger by his side, he felt protected. Ruel cast a shadow on the ground, channeling his mana into it. Merely capturing the ck-blooded man within the shadows wouldnt be enough, considering its size. Ruel needed to restrain it and prevent its movements. A glimmer appeared in Ruels eyes as he raised the corners of his mouth. The divided shadows transformed into hands, closing in on the ck-blooded man from both sides. Just the mere touch of the shadow on the ck-blooded man transmitted a tingling sensation to him. Its just this much. Its easy. Then, Ruel twisted and bound the ck-blooded man from both sides with ropes made from his mana. At the same time, his mana prated into the ck-blooded man. Ugh. Ru, Ruel! Blood ising out! He had a taste of blood in his mouth, but he was still fine. The resistance of the ck-blooded man proved to be stronger than expected. If the ck-blooded man continued to resist, Ruel knew he would have to resort to more forceful measures. Ruel took out a third shadow, transformed it into a club, and struck the head of the ck-blooded man. Puck! He could feel the sensation of his hand hitting something. Then, Cassion, Tyson, and Aris attack began again. The attacks from Cassion, Tyson, and Aris were magnificent and powerful, iparable to Ruels. As blood flowed down his lips, Ruel wiped it away and once again infused his mana. With the ck-blooded mans resistance weakenedpared to before, Ruel pushed his mana deeper, a confident smile forming on his face. Found it! He caught the feeling of holding the reins in an instant. But soon, Ruel vomited in agony. Countless voices echoed in his ears, cries of suffering and pleas for mercy. Ruel bit his lip. This way. Although they indicated the direction he should go, those voices pushed him away. cough! The bacsh made Ruel cough up blood, feeling something ominous surge up his mana path. Damn It wasnt as painful as purification. Taking control was impossible. The resistance from the ck-blooded man was too strong. Ruel nodded towards them, who asked if he was okay while inhaling Breath. All that remained were their attacks and purification. Ruel held onto the reins and poured all his strength into capturing the ck-blooded man, extending his fourth, fifth shadows. Cassion looked at Aris and Tyson. Ruel tightly held the ck-blooded man with his shadow. What did he want from them? He was signaling for them to eliminate the ck water concealed within the ck-blooded man. Twelve. It was the amount of ck water hidden within the ck-blooded man. Even with his skills, it was impossible to prate its hard shell and eliminate more than six ck waters simultaneously. Thats why Cassion needed the help of Aris and Tyson. Ill cut off the six on the left, Cassion dered, his grip firm on his dagger. The only one who can hold down the ck-blooded man now is Ruel, who has the same dark attribute. If it wasnt for Ruel, they would be easily defeated. Cassion nced at Ruel. Even now, it looks like hes overdoing things quite a bit. They had to concentrate. Ill get rid of the four on the right. Tyson opened his mouth cautiously. Because the target was too small, they couldnt attack all at once. Then I will get rid of the rest. Aris applied lightning to his sword. Crackle. Lightning shed everywhere. They knew the burden Ruel was under, so they had to seed. The three looked at each other and rushed at the same time. It was their first time working together, but Cassion shot a dagger, and Tyson fired four ice skewers as thin as needles, matching Aris speed. Crackle. The lightning from Aris sword drowned out all sound. Thebined attacks from Cassion, Tyson, and Aris pierced through and eliminated all twelve hidden ck waters within the ck-blooded man. It seemed as if the ck-blooded man was melting, and the thick ck liquid spreading around him began to shrink, and the ck water that had been cut began to clump together. Is he sacrificing himself to regenerate the ck water? Cassion urgently looked at Ruel. Ruel, the ck water is starting to regenerate! Damn bastards. He released both the reins and the shadow restraining the ck-blooded man, calling out to Leo. Leo, go! This body is always ready! Leo ran towards the ck-blooded man. Dozens of shadows spread out like a canopy, covering the ck-blooded man. Dont eat it. Ruel cried out in pain as the shadows tried to devour the ck-blooded man without warning, as he squeezed the reins of the shadows hard. Stay still. Hold on. Inside the shadows, the ck-blooded man began to rampage. Despite the shadows pleas to eat it, Ruel looked at Leo. When the silver bead that emerged from Leos short front paw touched the shadow, a silver light ascended along the shadow. Its the Milky Way I saw back then. Ruel lost strength and copsed on the spot. Although it wasnt nighttime, the silver powder that apanied the silver light spread like beautiful snowkes. Ruel reached out and caught some of the powder, experiencing a warm sensation as it touched his palm. This body has done it! This body is a great purifier! Leo jumped up and down in ce, then leaped towards Ruel. Ruel dispelled the shadows. The silver powder, which had not disappeared and was left in that spot, fluttered once again. In an instant, Ruels upper body copsed. Cough The corruption of the ck-blooded man, which the shadows had consumed recklessly, hade crashing towards Ruel. The blood spreading across the ground looked eerie. Cough! As another gush of blood poured out, Leo stood frozen in ce. Are you okay? Th-this body definitely purified it! Wiing. The power of recovery cried out. Perhaps it ovepped with the aftermath of grabbing the reins of the ck-blooded man. Despite everything, he managed to stay conscious. Lifting his head quietly, he gazed at the deste ground. The silver powder continued to flutter, and he released a long breath. He was grateful that the ck-blooded man appeared here and that he was the only one shedding blood. Are you okay? Cassion approached Ruel and offered him a handkerchief. Aris and Tyson extended their support, helping Ruel to his feet. The question that Cassion had asked earlier, whether he was okay, followed. Ruel did not answer the question but asked Cassion. Are there no more enemies? There are none. Cassion confirmed. Upon hearing this, Ruel infused mana into his ring and contacted Banios, causing blood to flow from the corner of his mouth once again. It was a result of the heavy mana consumption. Your Highness. Ruel weakly spoke. Are you okay? What about the ck-blooded man? Are there no casualties? How is that ce? -Its being handled well here. The prisons are overflowing from all the arrests. How are the conditions in each territory? -I havent heard any bad news. It seems like things are being handled well on your end as well. thank you. Ruel expressed his sincere gratitude. He understood how terrible it could have been if ck-blooded men had appeared in other locations too. Your Highness, if I may, I will end the call first for today. -Okay. Rest up a bit, and contact meter. After concluding the call, Ruel closed his eyes momentarily and then opened them. He tried to inhale Breath but his hands were shaking, making it difficult to hold it. Tyson handed him the breath. Are you okay? It was a familiar question, but today it carried a different weight. It felt like a congrattory message for this small victory, a word he could only hear because he had managed to stay alive. Ruel weakly smiled. Yes, just a bit dizzy, but Im okay. They won. It was a day with a lot of bloodshed, but they still won. Although everything wasnt perfect yet, they had erased the Red Ash from this territory. Ruel covered his eyes, which were growing warm. Finally he murmured. He could finally breathe freely. Swallowing the tears of relief that fell to the ground, Ruel reaffirmed, Im okay.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 126: Sometimes Im relaxed Chapter 126: Sometimes I''m rxed Shrrk. Ruel frowned at the sound of the curtain being lifted and the sunlight pouring in. His body felt heavy, as if it were Monday morning and he had to go to work. After purifying the ck-blooded man and returning to Setiria, I cant remember what happened afterwards. It was obvious. He must have passed out. Ruel, Ruel. Are you awake? Ruel had no choice but to open his eyes at the sound of Leos lively voice. How does he manage to draw the curtains with those short legs? Kuroo kuru. The spirits eagerly approached him, expressing their joy at seeing him. Ruel petted them in response and soon felt a tingling sensation in his palm, realizing there was an IV inserted there. Fran attached it while you were sleeping. How long did I sleep? He didnt know how long he slept, but he was very hungry. Leo nced at his front paws and then gestured with them. Ruels frown deepened as he observed Leos short front paws. Did I sleep for 10 days? Well, this body cant say for sure. It might have been longer than that. Ruel became anxious when he heard Leo say that he may have slept more than 10 days. Cassion. Ah, are you awake? Cassion said it with a faint smile as he stepped out of the shadows. Ruel hurriedly asked, How long was I asleep? Its only been about four days, so dont worry about it, Cassion reassured him. Upon hearing this, Ruel finally rxed his body and inhaled Breath. Four days wasnt too bad. He grabbed hold of Leos tail, noticing the sparkle in his eyes. You really know how to startle people. Hmph! Leo growled and immediately pounced on Ruels arm as soon as he let go of his tail. You naughty hand! This body didnt do anything wrong! Leos bite didnt hurt, so Ruel let him go and turned to Cassion. What is the situation of the Royal Family and other territories? They apprehended the rebels within the Royal Family who were attempting to escape through a secret passage, and the other five household heads are focusing on capturing them as well, Cassion replied. Was there an attack on Setiria? Yes, they attacked the viges of Apor and Sisel. We immediately activated the defense mechanisms and sessfully subdued the enemy after a minor battle. It was to be expected. The Red Ash couldnt remain quiet. Ruel asked cautiously, Did any ck-blooded men appear during the battle? Yes, they did, but thankfully they werent the same ones as the ones from Sylvia. Their numbers were small, so we didnt suffer major damage. Ruels expression darkened. Whether they drank ck water out of despair during the battle or intentionally, ck-blooded men had appeared in Setiria again. It seems that my situation, or rather, the situation within the Red Ash, has changed. They are about to break their silence and make their move. Perhaps Adoris words to him wereing true. Anyway, since they had sessfully subdued the ck-blooded man sent by the enemy, it meant that even stronger and more numerous enemies would appear in the future. Just the thought made his head throb. What else do I need to know now? His Highness Banios requested that you contact him once you wake up. Work has begun on rebuilding the vige in Sylvia again. Ruel smiled at Cassions final report. It was the first vige he had established, and he vividly remembered the anger he felt when it was destroyed by the ck-blooded men. It still felt like the lip Ruel had bitten back then was hurting. Ill call Fran. Ill go to the kitchen to prepare a meal. Call me anytime if you need anything. Okay. Ruel answered Cassions words and patted Leos stomach. There was the sound of the door opening and closing. Ruel nced at Leo. Anyway, its been four days, and I dont think hes cried. This body didnt cry. Ruel flinched, as if his thoughts had been read. This body has made up its mind not to cry over trivial things anymore. This body still doesnt like it when Ruel sleeps, but this body is fine because it checks Ruel heartbeat every time! Leo raised his nose high and stretched out his short front paws. Immediately, his tail began wagging, and he raised his head towards Ruels face. Are you okay now, Ruel? Are you not sad anymore? Maybe? First and foremost, with most of the Red Ash driven out of Leponia, Ruel could feel somewhat relieved. This body is always happy to see Ruel. This body hopes you wont experience anything sad again. Every time Ruel looked into Leos sincere green eyes, he found it impossible to lie. Yeah, I hope so too. Knock. Knock. Fran cautiously opened the door and met Ruels gaze. She quickly rushed to stand in front of him. Ruel-nim Fran looked at Ruel with a face that seemed like she would burst into tears at any moment. I was worried. Very much so. I heard from the butler that youve experienced something like this before, but I never saw it with my own eyes. Tierra, who approached silently, quickly bowed her head when she saw Ruels gaze and handed a handkerchief to Fran. Tears fell from Frans eyes onto the handkerchief. Did she really cry? Ruel was taken aback. Cassion didnt say anything, but it seemed like he had a seizure, vomited blood, or other things while he was unconscious. Fran sat down, wiping away her tears with a handkerchief. I wonder if I should have stopped you, Ruel-nim. Should I have prioritized the fact that you were a patient before a patriarch? I really regretted it. Fran had cried a lot, not just today. This body doesnt know what happened because Cassion kept pushing this body away. Leo rubbed his head and then whispered softly. This body tried to stay hidden, but Cassions promise of ice cream was seducing. This body couldnt resist the ice cream. Something must have really happened. Im sorry. Ruel sincerely apologized. If you really feel sorry for me Fran, who had been quietly examining with her head down, raised her head. She stared at Ruel with a piercing gaze. Then so be it. Lord was Lord, and life was life. Fran spoke with the same intense gaze. Please take some time to rest. While you have improved from youratose state, your overall health has significantly deteriorated. Its as if the illness has ravaged your body. Although he took the reins of the ck-blooded man, it seemed to be due to the bacsh that arose due to his failure to take the control and the purification that the shadow carried out arbitrarily. hmm. Ruel couldnt answer hastily and soon asked carefully. How long does some time refer to? You need to rest for at least a week. Ill try. Understood. Is there anything else ufortable? Ruel said, shaking his head. Everywhere else is fine. Great. Fran smiled and scribbled something in her notebook. Please take your medicine well. The IV should not be removed yet. Ille backter and take it out. You must eat your meal slowly and chew it thoroughly. I understand. After answering, Ruel inhaled Breath. Fran stood up and ced an IV on the magic tool Tiera handed her. It floated in the air, seemingly not needing him to push it. After Fran left, Ruel got up and went outside. Where are you going? Leo happily followed Ruels side, yfully tapping his feet as if jumping in ce. Even the spirits followed, looking very excited. After making sure there was no one around, Ruel whispered softly, Im hungry. I n to go to the restaurant and have some snacks before the meal. This body too! Give this body too! Yes, you should eat too. This body is excited! This body can eat anything. Ah. Ruel paused for a moment and looked at Leo. Had Leo not eaten anything while he was asleep? Would you like to eat something ck first? This body ate while Ruel was sleeping! Leo spoke so confidently that Ruel couldnt even get angry. Since Ruel knew from the start that he was an endless source of food for Leo, did it really matter whether he fainted or not? Ruel let out augh and then inhaled Breath. My lord! Although it was the usual path to the restaurant, the reactions of the servants who made eye contact with Ruel were different this time. It was as if they were seeing a ghost. Dont mind me and continue with your tasks. Ruel calmly opened his mouth as usual in response to the stares he felt while walking. Is it alright for you to be wandering around like this? Where did you leave your cane? Shall I fetch it for you, my lord? Where did Cassion go? As one cautiously spoke, the others followed suit, opening their mouths. Overwhelmed by the sudden rush of voices, Ruel grabbed onto a wall and closed his eyes tightly. He felt a momentary dizziness, as if vertigo had struck. Are you okay? Before the servants could continue speaking one after another, Ruel held out his palm. The hallway quickly fell silent. Its fine, as you can see. No need to shout. The servants hurriedly covered their mouths. Ruel was about to tell them there was no need for that, but he let it go when he saw the worried expressions on their faces. Instead, he smiled broadly at them and continued walking down the hallway. Everyone was waiting for Ruel to wake up. Walking side by side, Leo spoke joyfully. More than half of the servants were people who had been there since Trino Setiria, and the rest were people Ruel had saved. He knew they were grateful to him, but they worried too much. They worried about him from the beginning, even when he was just walking around. Im not made of ss, you know. This body is so d that this body is not the only one worried about Ruel! Leo kept chattering happily until they reached the restaurant. Ruel silently listened to the chatter and the chorus-like sound of the spirits that followed, finding the sound rather pleasant. *** Knock. Knock. After a light knock, Cassion entered Ruels room with a tray of snacks. Soon, Cassion frowned. After the meal, Ruel had been wandering around the mansion, but now he was quietly working in his room. When Noah briefly visited Ruels room, he seemed to have taken some documents from Billos room. I heard that you stumbled for a moment while walking in the hallway. Its been a while since you woke up, so why dont you get some rest? I was just going to finish this and then Ill rest. Cassion knew that those words were lies. If Ruel really wanted to rest, he wouldnt have brought a pile of paperwork that reached up to his shoulders. Cassion thought about stopping Ruel, but decided against it. After all, Ruel was the type to wear earplugs and ignore others advice. Ruel-nim, your precious Shut up. Cassion couldnt finish his sentence, but he felt relieved to see Ruels flustered expression. Leo seemed to have gone to y with Aris again. Ruel-nim. Ruel red at Cassion as before when he spoke. Have you contacted His Highness Banios? No, I was just about to finish this. Ruel put down the pen and inhaled Breath. As he tried to grip the pen again, his wrist went numb, so he shook it. What happened to the person who was taken from the Red House in Luruan? Banios had taken charge of the people captured by Luruan, excluding those brought by Cassion, dering it was the Royal Familys responsibility. Since there had been no contact since then, Ruel didnt know what had happened afterward. They say hes doing much better. Other than that, who is he? I dont know. He was the only one whose information was erased. Only him? Ruels mouth curled up, a sign that he found something interesting. What do you think, Cassion? My guess is that he was of noble status. asionally, I saw characteristic behaviors that only nobles exhibit. The Kingdom of Kran is quite far, isnt it? Yes, its a bit far. Ruel expressed his disappointment at Cassions prompt answer, whichcked any hesitation. There seemed to be a connection with the Kran Kingdom. However, to unfold the stage for the Royal Family, he couldnt send the shadows out just yet, so they were temporarily at a standstill. Ruel knew it was time to start making slow moves, but there were several difficulties ahead. Firstly, the Kran Kingdom was even farther away than Cyronian, and Ruel had no knowledge of it. Once again, he found himself without someone he could trust and rely on like Ganien. Its not impossible. It will take some time. At Cassions following words, Ruels ears perked up momentarily before hesitating. As the shadows were sent out, Ruels reach in Leponia decreased. Ruel hesitated at the realization, then spoke. I see. He knew that the missing pieces could be filled in by his Bird. Alright, we will begin the investigation immediately, Cassion said. Cassion set down a te of snacks and tea that he had brought, and Ruel immediately grabbed a cookie. Crunch. Well then, Ill be going now. Okay. Ruel waved his hand and took a sip of his tea. Then, instead of picking up the pen to continue with his paperwork, he hurriedly looked for Cassion. However, Cassion had already left. Damn it. He had taken everything with him except for the documents Ruel had been reviewing. What a waste of power. Ruel quickly got up and went outside, but of course, he couldnt find any trace of Cassion. Kuroo kuru. The spirits gathered around him, as if tofort him. Its okay. Go and y. In a moment of anger, he almost considered chasing after the spirits to see where they would go when they grew up, but he stopped himself.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 127: Sometimes Im relaxed (2) Chapter 127: Sometimes I''m rxed (2) Hes not even a child. Anyway, I should contact His Highness Banios since it turned out like this. Ruel sat on the bed and infused mana into the ring. Your Highness, its been a while. -Lord Setiria! Are you awake? Yes, I woke up today. It seems like I slept deeply. -You must have slept for a long time. I wonder how impatient everyone was, not just me. Banios chuckled happily. I received a message to contact you once I woke up. Whats going on in the royal family? -It wasnt a formal message. Your butler is no fun. I agree as well. Ruel snickered. It was okay to be boring, but he was good at his job. -When can youe up to the pce? Ah, not immediately, though. You must find time to rest your body. Is everything alright, Your Highness? Banios hesitated for a moment. -Thats part of the issue, there are other matters too. His Majesty has something for you to do. It seems like an official apology. Either way, he intended to go to the pce. He wanted to see what Huans expression was when he saw him. Ah, how exciting. -Thank you. Banios voice, filled with deep sincerity, was heard. -The royal family has been greatly indebted to you and hasmitted indelible sins. Didnt I say that any sin can be forgiven as long as you hand over money or snacks? -I heard youre building a new vige. Yes, I dont know where you heard that it would be most appreciated. -Fuhaha! As Banios cheerfulughter continued, Ruely down on the bed and waited for hisughter to subside. -Sorry. That was too funny. Ill take care of you so that you dont feel disgruntled. Of course. I support Your Highness now, so I wont hesitate to make demands. -I look forward to what demands you will make. Even as Banios disconnected themunication device, he didnt stopughing. Ruel inhaled Breath and called out to Cassion in a low voice. Cassion. Yes. Cassion responded with a resigned voice, as if he had expected this. Hand over the documents you took. Its an order. Ruel reached out his hand, and sure enough, the documents ended up in his palm. Ruel wore a sly expression, lifting the corners of his mouth. Ruel-nim, Cassion spoke up, holding back the pain in his heart. Tell me. Your condition was not good while you were unconscious. He could tell just by looking at Fran or Tyson. Vomited blood, had a seizure, whatever. Cassion barely suppressed his anger at Ruels indifferent words. Despite knowing that, Ruel snickered at Cassions expression, as if asking if he was looking at the documents. Im the Lord. The tasks to be done dont change. Understood. So, how about taking a few days off? If I dont do it, you or Billo will do it. Cassion looked slightly puzzled at the concern for himself. Quietly, he took out the documents and ced them on the table, wondering what Ruel was going to ask him to do. Im afraid that if I just rest quietly, Ill get drunk on this small victory. Im really going to just do that document and rest. Ruel sat up straight. The situation improved, but Ruel was looking further away. Only then did Cassion rx his expression and give a faint smile. Sometimes, there should be days like today, shouldnt there? Its okay for Ruel-nim to rx a bit. Ill try. Ruel-nim, you have made Setiria run smoothly, so dont worry. Its not as weak as before. Yeah. Ruel chuckled, then got up and sat down at the desk. Cassion was right; there was no need to be anxious today. They had dealt a significant blow to Red Ash, so retaliation was expected. They needed to be prepared for what was toe. Of course, I should rest well now. Ruel inhaled Breath and held the pen again. Well then, Ill go now. Call me whenever you need me, as always. Sure. Before he could reply, Ruel called out to Cassion again. Ah, Cassion. What did you say the name of the sword you wanted was? Cassion smiled immediately. Its called Sirinels Tears. Do you need anything else? No, thats all. You can go now. Seeing Cassions obvious expression, Ruelughed triumphantly and moved the pen. Banios said I can demand anything, so while Im resting, I should ask everyone what they need. Since it wasnt his money being spent, his lips naturally curled up. As a prince of a country and soon-to-be king, he should have more than enough resources. *** Hello, Astell. Ruel visited the kitchen with Leo. As expected, Astell was the only one alone in the kitchen at this time. My Lord! Astell stopped what she was doing, startled. She quickly looked at the clock. 3:38 PM. Dinner was still a long way off. Relieved, Astell asked. Are you hungry, by any chance? As Ruel stroked Leo, who was affectionately rubbing his face against Ruels leg, Astell remembered something and opened the drawer with the preservation spell. Please just wait a moment. Just in case the snacks the butler took earlier seemed to be insufficient, I have something prepared. Chocte cake! Leo wagged his tail in excitement. Ruel nced at Leo and opened his mouth. My stomach is always empty. I came to ask if you needed anything. Something needed? Astell put down her chocte cake and rolled her eyes at Leo. Well there isnt anything. Im not saying this out of obligation, but I really dont need anything. If theres something needed, the butler will provide it immediately upon request. Astell replied apologetically, then pped her hands. Is there anything you need, Ruel-nim? Not at all? Oh, thank you again this time. Astell smiled broadly, realizing that Ruel was referring to the time she had blocked some of the information heading to Banios. No, its something I need to do. Well then, Ill look forward to dinner tonight. Um, Ruel-nim. Ruel paused for a moment and looked at Astell. Do you not need cocoa today? Im fine. So youre going to Im taking a break. I see. Astell nodded at Ruels answer, trying to stifle theughter that leaked out. Hes not an adult yet, even if he pretends to be. Feeling pleased to see Ruel behaving like his age for once, Astell smiled happily. Ah. Can I have the cake? Ruel came back and asked cautiously. It wasnt something he wanted to eat, but Leo, who always eats well, cried out for cake, so there was nothing he could do. Of course. Astell looked at Ruel with warm eyes. As soon as Ruel saw those eyes, he realized that Astell had misunderstood something, but he couldnt figure out what it was, so he just stayed quiet. *** Is there anything else you need, Uncle? Ruel asked, elegantly eating the chocte cake with a fork. The sound of munching followed from the side. Leo smiled brightly, his mouth full of chocte. Its delicious! If this body couldnt eat this, this body would have shed tears. You already did. Ruel endured the itchiness in his mouth while eating the cake. Tyson looked at them with satisfaction as they entered his room. What more can I receive here? Just the fact that youre alive is already a great gift to me. What about you, Aris? Aris, who was eating the cake stiffly, was startled when Ruels gaze fell on him. Ruel mumbled and stared. It seemed like Aris had picked something up from somewhere. Why are you so nervous? Its not like anyone notices. Thats right. Rx and enjoy your meal. Contrary to his words, Tyson was not sitting down, instead experimenting with ck water using Ruels mana. Aris nced at Tyson and Ruel and fiddled with his fork. Well, while I was in contact with Lord Rie Kuhn and Sir Torto, I received instructions on what an escort knight should do. Like, youre not supposed to eat a snack with me or anything? There was that, too, but it was very different. Different from what? Well, the noble person was much higher in status than I had thought. As soon as I heard those words, I realized that until now Oh, what am I considered? Ruel giggled. He himself knew that the atmosphere of Setiria was different from that of other territories. To put it in a good way, it was friendly, but in a bad way, the distinction of social status was not clear. He didnt care. Ruel stuck his fork into the chocte cake. I am your master, and I will continue to be, so theres no need to worry. Just eat. Yes, understood. Only then did Ariss face brighten, and he naturally started eating the cake. Ruel-nim, I really like Setiria. This body too! Even with Aris and Leos words, Ruels expression didnt brighten. Im d. Ruel paused for a moment, his hand stopping briefly. He was going to ask Prince Banios for various things, but since everyone he asked said they didnt need anything, he was uncertain about what to request. Do I give out too much? Thats not the case. Ruel started eating the cake again while pondering over the budget he had received recently. *** After dinner, Ruel took a walk around the garden and sat down in a neatly arranged chair. It was winter, so there were no flowers and no leaves, but there were spirits hanging from the branches of the trees, which was a nice touch. In the end, there was no to-do list for the day, and all he could do was wander around the mansion. Still, it didnt feel too bad. The mansion felt more familiar than before. It felt like a ce where he could be himself. I had a good rest. Shall I go out tomorrow? Ruel stopped thinking and immediately burst intoughter. Those who would oppose this idea immediately came to mind. Ruel, Ruel. Why? Leos round eyes, looking up at Ruel, also saw his own reflection. Leo always seemed cheerful, but today he looked especially happy. Ruel looks happy today. I had a good rest. There are many things Ruel cherishes. But the first is this body! Ruel nodded instead of answering. Memories of the past briefly surfaced, and he felt a moment of embarrassment. Hina must be watching. Most of the things that happened ended up reaching Cassons ears. He probably knows everything thats happening now. The jewels sparkle! At Leos words, Ruel looked at the ring. It was Ganien. Ruel infused mana into it and immediately asked, Yes? -I heard the news. Four days had passed, so it was enough time for news to reach Cyronian. What kind of news did you receive? -The First Prince of Leponia has been used of treason. Is that so? Leponia had hidden the Red Ash and exposed the royal familys shame. They chose to crouch down first, huh? Ruel knew that their contact with the Red Ash had been cut off, so it was expected that they wouldnt know the full details of what had happened in Leponia. However, the royal family seemed to have decided, even if momentarily, to shield the eyes of those bastards from knowing what event had urred. -The truth is different, isnt it? Thats right. I stopped the Red Ash buds. -We also captured most of the nobles who were involved with the Red Ash. During the process, a ck-blooded man appeared ha. Ganien sighed and added. -Thats no joke; thats not a human; thats a monster. Yeah, a monster. Anyway, I guess you cut through the ck water like Cassion told you to? As Ruelughed, his breath leaked out. -Yeah, I did. Let Cassion know that I seeded as well. And thank him. No, scratch that. Just forget what I said. Ill tell him that too. -I misspoke. I will tell him, so what? Ganien shook his head, as if he thought Ruel would actually tell him. -Ruel, please, just think of it as saving one person and keep your mouth shut. That guy is tougher than you think! Cassion is the kind of guy who would brew tea until the tea leaves arepletely worn out! Have you ever heard of arms being bent inward? T/N : Bending the arms inward is a Korean proverb that means admitting ones faults or shorings and apologizing or making concessions. This expression means suppressing or hiding ones thoughts or opinions in order not to be subdued, encouraged, or oppressed by the other person. -Ruel. My proud friend. Not long ago, Cassion jumped over a wall. -What did you say? Cheer up. So? What happened? -Ruel, wait. Really? Yeah. Ganien was silent for a while. Ruel patiently waited, gently stroking Leos belly as he requested. It must be so bitter to lose to Cassion and then be pushed back a step. - ha. Thatwhen was it? Previously, the barrier of the Tonisk Empire Cassion, you monster! Perhaps Ganien needed to know how Cassion had gotten over the wall to hear the rest of the story. Cassion -No. Its okay. Even if all roads lead to one in the end, I must ze my own trail. Okay. -Anyway, do you remember what I saidst time about the Tonisk Empires barrier shaking? What came out? -There were signs before the barrier was released. At that time, it was quite ambiguous, so I said I would inform you next time. After continued observation, it has be certain, so Im contacting you now. The barrier is being released? Ruels hand paused, and Leo opened his closed eyes, tapping Ruels hand with his tail. Ruel resumed stroking Leo and inhaled Breath with his other hand. -Perhaps the barrier will be released soon on its own. So, it means that its lifespan hase to an end. The Tonisk Empires gate had closed decades ago, and while Leponia was established not long after, it had been centuries ago. It seemed strange that the empires barrier, maintained by a single individual, woulde to an end after just a few decades. Ganiens words sounded awkward. -The magicians believe that the Tonisk Empires gate may be opened again to reinforce the barrier. Okay. Thank you for letting me know. -Dont hang up yet. Theres something else I need to tell you. Ruel patiently waited for Ganien to speak. -Some of the nobles have connections to the Kran nobility. So, I investigated further. Kran Kingdom again? Ruel frowned slightly. -They were not the people of the Kran Kingdom but of the Tonisk Empire. It seems that people from the Tonisk Empire are mixed within the Kran Kingdom. So, are you saying that the nobles connected to Luruan might also be from the Tonisk Empire? Ruel brushed his hair back, which was fluttering in the wind. Ganien. -Yes. No, give me a minute. When you say my name this seriously, I get a little scared, like something big is about to happen. The ck-blooded man that appeared this time was different from what we saw before. -Look at this. Something huge is about to be revealed again, isnt it? Anything else? Let me get ready. Um no. -Darn! The ck-blooded man we encountered not long ago was already bad enough. Are you saying its another kind? Ganien raised his voice btedly. They might be able to merge with each other now. Despite purified, they wont return to their original selves. -Crazy people. Red Ash is really crazy! Are you looking for warlocks or anyone with a dark attribute? Find them and bring them in. The ck-blooded man that showed up this time regenerated even when Cassion, Uncle, and Aris tried to kill it. -We are searching, but sigh, its already difficult to find them, and now its even more difficult. It might be faster if you came. Ganien. -When will the warp bepleted? Ganien turned at the sound of Ruels heavy voice. Sooner orter. A month or two, maybe sooner. -Okay. Yes. Cutting offmunication, Ruel inhaled Breath. Is there any connection between the Kran Kingdom and the Tonisk Empire? Or did the Tonisk Empire spread unterally within the Kran Kingdom? Why? At this point, Ruel couldnt know anything for certain. As much as he received information, he had to diligently find out more. Haa. Ruel let out a long breath. He decided to take the day off and stop thinking about it. He stared at the pure white steam and quietly listened to the spirits ying still. Uh! Leo opened his closed eyes and stood up. Its snowing! He jumped in ce and stuck out his tongue. This is what it tastes like! A taste that feels like nothing. Leo slid under the chair and busied himself with eating the snow that was falling thicker and thicker. When the snow piles up, this body will swim happily! Okay. Ruel put Breath in his mouth, remembering the snow he had seen in Cyronian. Hup! Leo was suddenly startled. Ruel will catch a cold if he gets hit in the snow! We have to go to the room quickly! At that time, I was suffering from fatigue Quickly, quickly! We have to go to the room! Leo tugged at the hem of Ruels pants with his mouth. Since Leo was so desperate, what could he do? Ruel had no choice but to get up and follow the little fox, who eagerly led the way back to their room.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 128: Sometimes Im relaxed (3) Chapter 128: Sometimes I''m rxed (3) *** Are you feeling better now? Fran looked at Ruel with concern. Ruel nodded his head while wiping the red corners of his mouth with the handkerchief Cassion handed him. The mood had be heavy as Ruel vomited blood during the examination. I have to leave tomorrow Before Ruel could finish speaking, Fran stared at him intently. Frans gaze was burdensome, but Ruel finished his sentence. Has your condition improved? Fran turned her gaze to the fever patch on Ruels forehead, a magical tool that was attached to his forehead. It was not a fever from a cold or overexertion. It was a sudden onset of fever as a symptom of the illness, so they didnt know when it would subside. Was he still suffering from the fever even now? Fran squeezed down the bitterness and anxiety that boiled inside her. Thinking about the fact that Ruel was a patient, she asked, recalling that he was a patriarch before being a patient. Lord Ruel, I would like to ask if it is absolutely necessary for you to go. The King has summoned me. When the King was mentioned, Fran understood that it was inevitable. Lately, Ruels symptoms have been unpredictable, as if someone has tampered with his illness. The royal family had a physician, so the least she could do was write down the symptoms and what could be done about them in a notebook and hand it to Cassion. If any symptoms other than those I have prepared medicine for appear in Lord Ruel, please contact the royal pce I dont want the symptoms of my illness to spread to others. Ruel interrupted Fran in a low voice. People knew that Ruel was sick, but no one knew what it was. Fran lowered the paper she was about to hand over and looked straight at Ruel. I recognize that, she said, but my priority is your health. Thats fine; the medicines you gave me will suffice. Alright. Fran answered reluctantly and stood up. Dont push yourself too hard. Dont worry. Among the words Ruel uttered, it was the only one that Fran couldnt trust. Fran couldnt help but nce at Ruel once more before leaving. A momentter, as Fran, Tierra, and Cassion went outside, Leo stopped eating his cookie and ran to Ruels bed. Ruel, Ruel. Are you going out tomorrow? Ruel inhaled Breath and nodded. After you wake up and my front paws um, after four days, we will go outside! The fact that they were going out already seemed to bring joy to Leo. Ruel touched his forehead. It was hot. Kuroo kuru. The spirits gathered around his head and rubbed their bodies as if telling him to get better quickly. Leo watched the scene, climbed onto the bed, and stroked Ruels head with his short paw. The spirits are cheering for Ruel to get better. Was it real? Ruel, feeling strange, nervously fiddled with Breath. *** Butler. Fran thought about it and handed Cassion the paper from earlier. I know Lord Ruel is against it, but I really want you to have it, just in case something happens. Cassion hesitated. It was almost heartbreaking, but he agreed with Frans idea, so he took it. I hope you understand Ruel-nim. Yes, I understand. Fran smiled. As Ruels sole physician, she often unintentionally heard various things from the servants. Knowing how difficult Ruels journey had been to get to this point, she knew how much of a blow it would be for his specific condition to be exposed to the outside world. Ms. Fran and Ms. Tierra are the only doctors and pharmacists Ruel-nim trusts. Cassions words were not ttering but sincere. So, I think its okay to tell you Ruel-nims little secret. Secret? Fran looked at Cassion with interest. Ive only known Ruel-nim for about seven months, so I dont know the details, but it seems hes been taking poison mixed in with his painkillers for quite some time, which is why he doesnt trust doctors and pharmacists. Crazy guys! Tierra hurriedly closed her mouth as she shouted in a fit of rage. Lord Ruel Fran clenched her hands in shock. The line Ruel kept drawing wasnt just about the division of roles between a patriarch and patient. It was a boundary. She felt so sad and sympathetic for Ruel that she felt like crying right now but Fran endured the feeling. Thank you for letting me know. I almost made a big mistake, so Ill never say anything about this. Fran stammered as if in a daze. Neither will I. Tierra continued, supporting Fran. Once Cassion confirmed that the two of them had disappeared down the hallway, he went back into Ruels room. It was a good idea to mention this before inadvertently triggering Ruels trauma. *** It seems like youve finally found the most suitable position, Your Highness, Ruel chuckled as he looked at the imprisoned Huan. Brans mercy allowed him to see Huan before seeing him first. The prison was filthy and stinking, and the prince was no exception. He felt very relieved to see Huan, who quickly turned into a scruffy mess after not seeing him for a few days. This was where the sinner should have been. In a prison with no light, he was eating disgusting food that was nothing more than porridge, not the tongue-melting food he had ever eaten before, where every day was hell. Ru, Ru, Ruel Setiria! Huan screamed and immediately lunged toward the bars when he saw Ruel. I thought you were dead! Am I seeing a hallucination right now? An illusion. I feel bad for you. Werent we once eating the same meal? Oh, I dont know if I can say we ate the same meal, since you didnt take poison. It was only then that Huan realized that Ruels sarcastic remarks were not an illusion. You, you bastard! Huan tightly gripped the bars and shook them vigorously. One corner of Ruels mouth lifted. Youre exactly where you belong. That was the extent of his respect for Huan. You fit in so well. Its as if you were born here from the beginning. Hah, do you not see that youve put me here? Dont you have eyes to see? You go away; I am the prince! A prince? What kind of person would look at you in a prison cell and think youre a prince? Wake up. Youve lost everything. Lost? Me? Are you kidding me? Dont make fun of me with your lies! Ruel inhaled Breath while watching Huan struggle. If he had a chair, he would have sat here and watched him rant. This ce is not good for your body, Ruel-nim. How about leaving now that youve seen his face? Cassion watched quietly and opened his mouth. The air was thick, and Ruels breathing was more irregr than usual. You, you! Huan looked at Cassion and pointed with his hand, shaking. When he brought out the ck water, the person he had encountered was none other than Cassion. The person who ruined his chance for a reversal. Youve ruined everything! Youve ruined my ns! If you dont want that hand to be cut off, lower it. Cassion looked at Huan as if he were dirty. Maybe it wouldnt be so bad to cut off one of Huans wristster on. Ruel nced at Cassion and smiled. You seem to have a strong desire to cut off his wrist. Go ahead. Its not like he needs it anyway. At that moment, Huan grabbed his wrist. The aura Cassion emitted was too sinister to call it a lie. Ruelughed at Huans frightened appearance. I cante often, but when I do visit the pce, Ille to see your face. I look forward to seeing how messed up youll be. You! The Red Ash will save me from this ce! Then, I will send you to where your father is Huan couldnt finish his sentence. Your mouth. Dont make fun of it. Crushed by Cassions momentum, Huan grabbed his throat and shuddered. He was not a human; he was a monster. Thats enough, Cassion. Its not right to act this way. You have to endure him for a long while longer. Understood. Following Ruelsmand, Cassion withdrew his aura and silently red at Huan. With Cassions gaze, Huan trembled and shivered. Huan. Ruel smiled before calling Huan. Will the Red Ash save you? Why? Whats in it for you? Youve already been branded a traitor not only by this country but by other countries as well, and will Red Ash save you and make you king? What? What did you say? Huans eyes shook greatly. He grasped the bars again and shouted as if in a frenzy. What, am I a traitor? Dont make meugh! I am a prince of Leponia! As the firstborn, is taking the throne treasonous? Get a grip. There is only one thing you need to do. Keep your eyes open and closed here until you die. Its simple, isnt it? Ruel coughed after inhaling Breath. Ruel-nim, it might be best for you to leave now. Cassion cautiously suggested it upon hearing Ruels cough. Okay. Breathing felt slightly heavy, even with the stagnant air in the prison. Before Ruel left, heughed at Huan to his hearts content. Then. I wish for each day to be a joyful one. Ruel Setiria! You! You bastard! *** These are the nobles, barons, and ministers who participated in this treason. Following Brans orders, the Minister called out all of those who participated in the Red Ash Incident. Diagos Shios name was mentioned, but Serti sat calmly in the ce of Diagos. Ruel did not kill Diagos as promised, and Diagos alone was sent to prison for Shios dirty deeds. Despite the dishonor brought upon Serti by the usations against her father, it was only fitting that she assume the role of the next family head, considering her significant contributions to saving the Shio family. Huan, the first prince of this country, will never see the light of day in prison, and Diagos and Luruan, who helped Huan, will likewise be sentenced to life imprisonment! Brans solemn voice rang out. He then stood up and ordered the actions of the remaining ministers. Everyone else who was seated also stood up and looked at Brans. Brans walked towards Ruel with the face of a sinner, not a king. Lord Setiria. Yes, Your Majesty. Ruel politely replied, bowing his head. Branss long sigh was audible. No matter what happens, as a king, I should not turned a blind eye to the death of your father, Trino Setiria. Ruel simply bowed his head, waiting for Branss next words. I have be a foolish and ipetent father who is too busy hiding the sins of my son. As Branss head slowly bowed, surprise appeared on the faces of those standing. The king bowed his head. Unbelievable events had unfolded. I will apologize for everything and live to atone for you until the day my eyes close forever. Ruel looked up and gazed at Brans. Whether Brans was speaking sincerely or just putting on a show to restore the fallen royal familys reputation, in the end, it was just a stage. Thats what Ruel thought, but it seemed that his body was not his own. Just as when Ruel read Trino Setirias letter, his smile blossomed effortlessly, and tears welled up in his eyes, flowing uncontrobly. It was happiness. The mere possibility of an insincere apology brought him so much joy. How foolish. Foolish Ruel Setiria. Naive Ruel Setiria. Well, if it pleases you so much. If it pleases this body, thats all that matters. He has now paid off his debt to this body. Ruel lowered his head again, swallowing the tears that happened at will. Thank you. No words could express how he felt right now. He was happy, angry, relieved, and disgusted. He felt like two minds in one body. Thank you, thank you very much. Ruel raised his head again at the sound of Brans crying. The hall that was once filled with blood and corpses now echoed with cheers andughter. It felt unfamiliar to Ruel. *** Hey. Someone called Ruel. Ruel thought for a moment. I guess Im on my way back from the royal family to Setiria right now? Looking around, he realized that he wasnt in a carriage. It wasnt the inside of a carriage, but rather that shabby room where he first became Ruel Setiria, the room where Carbena and Ma had imprisoned him. He stood there while Ruel Setiriay on the bed. He had the same frail and sickly appearance as when he first saw Ruels face. Ruel Setiria looked at him apologetically and asked him, Dont be surprised. So whats your name? Your real name, I mean. Kim Han. Now what felt to be an unfamiliar name came from his lips. Ruelughed. Thats a very unique name. Nice to meet you; I am, as you can see, Ruel Setiria. Are you really Ruel Setiria? You are Ruel Setiria, so what does it matter who is real? Ruel looked at Kim Han with a contented expression. It was chilling to see that expression on his face. Han brought a chair and sat down next to the bed. This was where Cassion always sat. Looking at him like this, he looked so sick that Han wanted to stop him from moving. Han asked with his arms crossed. Where am I? Is this a dream?Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 129: The gate was opened Chapter 129: The gate was opened I dont really know either. Ive always been here and watched, so maybe only the gods know? Ruel tilted his head weakly. So what do you want to say? The thought of being observed by the real Ruel Setiria, or whatever it was, didnt sit well. Ruel chuckled softly at Hans words. Dont be so hard on me. I just came to give my greetings. What kind of greeting? Ive died. Youve lived. Hans eyebrows twitched. Ruel struggled to sit up and looked at Han. Perhaps I am nothing more than remnants of my soul, or a form born out of lingering resentment. Or maybe something else entirely. Ruel chuckled again, sounding strained. But in the end, does it really matter? I am grateful to have this chance to say myst words to you. You seem strangely carefree. Thank you, for everything. Ruel expressed his sincere gratitude, causing Han to hesitate in response. I I took over your body, didnt I? I was already dead. You fool. Ruel smiled gently at Hans straightforward remark and reached out his hand. Reluctantly, Han took Ruels hand, and Ruel held it tightly. There was no warmth, just like when the unknown woman vanished. Ruel locked eyes with Han. Youve endured so much until now. I burdened you with the most difficult tasks because I couldnt handle them myself. Yeah, well, Im d you finally realize that. Regarding my father and Setiria, thank you for everything. Now, I can finally find peace. Ruels voice trembled as he spoke, pouring sincerity into each and every word. My time has alreadye to an end, but I am so d to see you like this. Ruels smile widened. Dont give up. Promise me that you will keep on living. Those words sounded familiar, reminiscent of what the king had once said. Han furrowed his brow and asked, What do you mean? Kim Han. No, Ruel Setiria. Please cut the ties of this stubborn fate and dont create another like you. What do you mean by that? Ruel raised a finger to his lips. Ruel Setiria was not alone. Observing Ruel crumbling like dust, Han felt a vague force pulling him in a certain direction and closed his eyes. *** Ruel Setiria is really you now. With thest echoing words of Ruel Setiria, Ruel opened his eyes. Are you hurt? Is something wrong? Leo asked, surprised to see Ruel. It seems like you had a bad dream, Cassion said, pretending not to have seen anything. Ruel felt the corners of his eyes moisten. Taking a deep breath, he felt the void left by something vanishing, and he wiped away the tears streaming down his cheeks. To ensure he didnt forget the clue Ruel Setiria had given him, he recalled thest scene he witnessed. raising a finger to his lips. Ruel Setiria was not alone. The finger raised to the lips signified a secret or a gesture to keep quiet. In this case, it seemed to indicate a secret. Ruel Setiria was not alone. If he wasnt alone, does that mean there is another Ruel besides me? No, that cant be right. Ruel remembered the words of the king. -You are not the child I saw before. He didnt just mean that Im not the real Ruel Setiria. -I am waiting for you. Do not give up. Hold on to that fragile life. The words the king said to him. -Do not give up. You must keep living. The words Ruel Setiria said to him. Ruel is not alone. Do not give up. Hold on to your life. He kept remembering what they said. In an instant, Ruel urgently sat up. With trembling hands, he inhaled Breath and covered his mouth against the pounding sound that followed. Crazy. This is crazy. Whats wrong? Cassion asked anxiously as Ruels condition seemed strange. This isnt the first time! There had been others who had be Ruel Setiria before. Someone had be Ruel Setiria and then given up. They couldnt bear the torment inflicted by the Mark of the Great Man, nor escape the clutches of the assassin who now looked at him with concern And they couldnt withstand the pressure from the Red Ash. They had all died. Really? Is this really true? If thats true, how many Ruel Setirias were there? What on earth was the ending of this novel? Blood, color. His breathing became too fast. Ruel felt his vision spinning before his eyes. Wiing. Suddenly, a strange noise rang out, apanied by a rush of blood from his nose. The sound didnt reach his ears properly, and the dizziness weighed heavily upon him. Thud. Ruel copsed. Ru, Ruel! Ruels copse sent Leo into a panic. He called out to Ruel, overwhelmed by a mix of unknown emotions. Ruels condition left Leo bewildered, unsure if it was due to the emotional turmoil. However, the immediate concern was Ruels well-being. Ruel-nim! Cassion called out, but Ruel remained unconscious. His pulse was weakening slowly. Cassion found himself unable to respond effectively, as this wasnt a seizure or a condition he had witnessed before. He urgently opened the carriage window and spoke to Aris. Aris, Ruel-nim has copsed. We need to head to Setiria immediately. Understood. Aris calmly replied with blood dripping from his lips. *** Beep. Beep. Ruels heart felt heavy as the mechanical sound echoed, a sound he hadnt heard in a long time. His fathery helpless, eyes closed. It was just a dream. A damn dream. His father had already passed away. Yet, the sight of him brought overwhelming joy. Ruel had always wished that one day, even in a dream, his father would visit him. Dad, Ruel struggled to speak, his mouth opening with difficulty. He tightly grasped his fathers hand, now nothing but skin and bones, wrinkled with age. Han, his father opened his eyes and looked at him, unlike in the memories of reality. Han, a voice he had missed. Ruel smiled and replied, Yes. Dont try to follow me, just live. I didnt follow you. I wanted to, but when I saw your memorial photo, I remembered what you said, so I just stopped. Ruel finally spoke the words he couldnt bring himself to say before. Live and do what you want to do. But it doesnt work like that. Can I simply quit my job or live the life I want? If that were possible, I would have left a lot of insurance money or lived a more enjoyable life, rather than dying. Ruel held back the emotions he had suppressed, trying to contain them, and then spoke again. Dad. His father silently looked at him. I have a lot of money now. I can buy you anything you want. But his father was no longer there. His fathers face was bing blurry. I cant even go see you now. Is that why you appeared in my dream? If I had known, I should have extended the spot at the memorial park for another 15 years. Ruel continued to tightly hold his fathers hand. Are you worried about me? His father didnt respond, but it was stillfortingjust to be able to see him like this. Im fine. Really. Ive already endured and ovee other things, havent I? Ruel smiled widely once again. Come visit often, not just today. You dont have to say anything, juste. He gently ced his fathers hand on his cheek and closed his eyes. Please. Ruel felt that it was time to wake up now. It was regrettable, but he heard Leos crying sounding from somewhere, which made him release his fathers hand. *** Wiiiing. He could hear the sound of the recovery power reaching its limit. Leo, who had said he wouldnt cry, was crying, and Cassion was relieved to the point of showing his emotions. It seemed like Cassion was saying something, but all he could hear was a buzzing sound. Ill call Fran. Finally, one by one, the sounds became audible. Cassion hurried out. He heard his footsteps for the first time. When Ruel looked away, he saw something hanging on his arm. Whatever they were, there were a lot of them. There were blood bags among them. Leo. He could taste blood in his mouth. He couldnt imagine how much blood hed thrown up. Ruel, Ruel! Leo came into Ruels outstretched hand and rubbed his face against it. This body, this body thought Ruel was dying. I wont die. It was like you were suddenly stabbed with a knife, and lost a lot of blood. The fever continued, but Cassion drive me out on the way. Well, this body wanted to be next to you. While Leo was talking, he continued to sniffle, so Ruel gently stroked him. Just listening to Leo speak, he could imagine what his condition must have been like. I never thought I would end up like this. He didnt know that his body would deteriorate so much just from knowing a shocking fact. No matter how many times Ruel Setiria had existed, now he could only move forward. I never had the intention of giving up my life in the first ce. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment and then opened them. It seems like Im the first Ruel Setiria toe this far. Now he finally understood what the king was saying. Perhaps what followed after the word again that the being hadst uttered was now bing clear to him. Wake the king up and listen to everything. Sorry. Theres so little I can say, Im sorry. Ruel recalled the words of the unnamed woman. Is there a limit to what she can say? The image of Ruel Setiria, who had given hints and turned into dust, came to mind. So Ruel Setiria disappeared like that because he wasnt supposed to know? Ruel looked at the IV dripping on his arm. He couldnt recall ever being in this much pain before. What if Im not fragile and I know something I shouldnt know? It strangely made sense. The door opened, and Fran and Tierra ran in together and copsed in ce when they saw Ruel waking up. Thank God Im so, so d, Fran just cried. Your heart is Ruel quickly grabbed Leos ear, who was still wiping his face with his hand, causing Ruel to feel dizzy. Whats wrong? Leo looked at Ruel with red eyes as he sobbed. Lord Ruel? You shouldnt move suddenly, Fran urgently got up from her seat to stop Ruels actions. Understanding the situation immediately, Cassion lowered his voice and spoke to Fran. I will personally inform Ruel-nim of that story. Please take care of Ruel-nims condition for now, Cassion said. Understood. I was too hasty, Fran wiped away a tear that had welled up in her eyes and sat down to examine Ruels condition. Cassion gave Ruel Breath and spoke briefly. It has only been a day, so dont worry. Your condition may have worsened due to using magic while copsing. Cassion perceptive master would have understood. Ruel nodded slightly as he inhaled Breath. He understood what Cassion was saying. His heart had stopped, and it seemed to imply that he had used magic for that. No wonder my whole body hurts. Ruel soon raised the corners of his mouth. It seems like this happened because I was not fragile and knew something I shouldnt have known. Gradually feeling the diminishing power of recovery, Ruel breathed a sigh of relief. Thanks to the power of recovery, he seemed to have survived. Even if it was the power of a Great Man, it couldnt have looked so good. I should have realized that death was right in front of me since I met Father. Ruelughed. Are you okay now? Leo asked, his eyes wide. Ruel nodded and wiped away Leos tears. I guess I cant tell Cassion. Another secret had been added.Author''s Thoughts Who''s cutting onions in here? Chapter 130: The gate was opened (2) Chapter 130: The gate was opened (2) *** Ruel opened his eyes again. The things hanging around his arms were reduced to two. He turned his head at the sound of Leos snoring and the sound of a sword being wiped. Have you woken up? Its still far from morning, so you can go back to sleep, Cassion said. Did Fran go? Ruel asked. Yes, after checking and confirming your stable condition, Fran left with various things. After answering, Cassion stopped cleaning his sword and looked at Ruel. Cassion hadnt been able to inquire about the situation since Ruel had taken a stabilizer and fallen back asleep after the examination. I cant tell you about this, Ruel said first. Cassion pointed to his own heart with a calm expression. Do you know this? When your heart stopped, so did mine. Of course, I managed to hold on for a moment. Your heart stopped and you held on? Youre a monster. Ruel frowned at the unbelievable statement. Hows Noah? Hes fine. After the response, Cassions expression twisted slightly. Honestly, I really didnt expect our hearts to stop together. It was one of the most terrifying experiences in my life. I think my heart stopped because I figured something out. What do you mean by that? I dont know exactly either. My heart stopped because I found out something I shouldnt have known, and I guess I survived thanks to the power of recovery. So, you shouldnt know about it, Ruel exined. Cassion didnt have the power of recovery. If his heart stopped, he would definitely die. I understand, Cassion stepped back as he seemed to have understood enough. But still with a face full of dissatisfaction, he called out to Ruel. Ruel-nim. Speak, Ruel replied. Are you okay? Oh, Im used to this kind of thing now, Ruel said nonchntly as usual, but Cassion could see Ruels irritation that was briefly revealed. Is it rted to you, Ruel-nim? Yes, what about Uncle and Aris? They went out for a moment. Fran said your condition had stabilized, so they should be fine, Cassion said. Thats good. Im sure Uncle was worried a lot, Ruel replied. He was worried, Cassion confirmed. Ruel turned his head towards the window where the sun had not yet risen. Cassion. Yes. Sorry. ! Cassion froze at the unexpected apology. He hesitated several times, wondering if he should ask Ruel to repeat himself, doubting what he had just heard. Ganien asked me to thank you for letting him know the weakness of the ck-blooded man, Ruel quickly changed the subject. Cassion chuckled and smirked, realizing that Ganien wouldnt normally express gratitude in such a manner. It must have been quite embarrassing for him to admit it. Thank you. It was a good catch, Cassion said. I didnt say it to make you feel good, Ruel snapped. Yes, I understand, Cassion resumed wiping his sword, barely able to contain hisughter. He wanted to see Ruel embarrassed. But then Cassions hand stopped again for a moment. He remembered a fact that he needed to tell Ruel. Ah Ruel-nim, I have something to tell you. What is it? Ruel asked, his voice tinged with annoyance due to Cassions constantughter. Yesterday, Ganien contacted me urgently, Cassion continued. Ruel turned to look at Cassion again. The word urgently caught his attention. What did he say? Ruel inquired. He said that the gates of the Tonisk Empire have opened, Cassion replied. What? Ruel was taken aback. They say that a group of supposed soldiers came out, and when they were spotted, they suddenly disappeared, and in their ce were traces of magic. Did they use warp magic like Uncle? Warp magic required arge amount of mana. Tyson now used itfortably after crossing the wall, but it was difficult before. Ruel clenched and unclenched his fist. However, the Tonisk Empires gates had indeed opened. Where could those suspected soldiers have gone? Ruel asked after inhaling Breath. But the gates didnt open after that? No, they didnt, Cassion confirmed. Cassion. Yes, please speak. How many people are there who have reached Uncles level at such a young age? I can count them on one hand, Cassion replied. Tuk-tuk. Ruel started tapping his thigh. The opponent was the Tonisk Empire. Given the name Empire, there must be someone who had reached Uncles level. However, Ruel was puzzled as to why the Tonisk Empire had moved at this ambiguous time. The news of Leponia and the Cyronian Kingdom forming an alliance, and the rumor that the Kran Kingdom had sent an envoy to Leponia, must have reached them. There was deep animosity between the Tonisk Empire and the three kingdoms, so the fact that the Tonisk Empire was making a move now only seemed like a provocation to the alliance. If they really wanted to make a move, they should have done so before Leponia and Cyronian formed an alliance. Ruel furrowed his brow. Hoswell, the king of Cyronian, valued peace, but it was difficult to predict how the Kran Kingdom would react since their stance was unknown. There was a Red Ash hideout in the Tonisk Empire, so I suspect that the individuals presumed to be soldiers who came from there might actually be Red Ash. They sent an elite unit to kill me. It wasnt a groundless assumption. In any case, the gates of the Tonisk Empire had opened. Each country will start making moves, whether its their rtionships or anything else. For Ruel, it wasnt a favorable situation. If each country remained still like stagnant water, it would be easier to identify who the Red Ash was. This is frustrating. Ruel pondered on what the shadow operatives sent to the Kran Kingdom might uncover. He knew he had to wait patiently without making any hasty decisions. Ruel-nim, please refrain from thinking too much and rest deeply for a while, Cassion advised. Cassion, Ruel called out as Cassion was about to finish speaking. Cassions eyebrows twitched slightly. Have the shadow operatives taken the measures I instructed? Ruel hadnt just sent the shadow operatives to the Kran Kingdom without precautions. Uncertain of what might unfold, he took out an insurance policy. He demanded that the operatives, who bore a striking resemnce to three individuals Cassion, Aris, and himself assume the guise of adventurers using their names. The added benefit was that they could raise their adventurer rank using their names. Yes. I told Flenn to create separate adventurer badges for the Shadows to use, and named them Han, Cassion, and Aris. Okay. Ruel-nim, I asked before, but do you have any ns to go to the Kran Kingdom? Cassion, Ruel called out, feeling annoyed by Cassions suspicious gaze. Why would I go to the Kran Kingdom? During the previous trip to the Cyronian Kingdom, he had to go there because of the power left by Ganien and the hero, but the Kran Kingdom was different. He didnt know anyone there, and he had already acquired the power of the hero. There was nothing more to gain. Ruel felt unjust that Cassion couldnt trust his words. He exined, Just in case. Its just insurance, a precaution. Understood, Cassion reluctantly replied. He couldnt shake off his suspicionspletely, but he acknowledged Ruels request. Cassion, prepare more food than usual for today. I dont know if Im dizzy because I didnt eat, or if Im dizzy because Ick blood. Thetter. Cassion answered neatly and got up from his seat. Still, Im d that Ruel-nims stomach is as strong as ever. I think so too. Oh, while youre at it, please call my uncle. I have something to confirm. Understood. Even without that, Tyson-nim has been waiting for you to call him. Cassion bowed and walked towards the door, pausing briefly in front of it. Ruel-nim. What? Ruel looked at Leo, who suddenly started iling on all fours, and then turned his attention to Cassion. Even though he didnt know what he was trying to say, Cassions voice was infinitely serious. Whatever you know, you dont have to force yourself to keep it to yourself. Without listening to Ruels response, Cassion left the room. Geez. I told him theres no need for unnecessary concern. Ruel looked at the spot where Cassion had left, then inhaled Breath, and turned his head back to the window. Wasnt it said that its the darkest right before the sunrise? Thats true. Outside, there wasnt a single star visible, and it was still dark. Since he had slept a lot, sleep didnte to him, and he just wanted to see the sunrise. He petted Leo and quietly waited for the sunrise. A momentter, there was a knock on the door, and Tyson cautiously opened it and entered. Ruel greeted Tyson warmly as he sat up. Uncle, good morning. Despite Ruels smile, Tyson approached him with a fearful expression and tightly held his hand. Dont get up yet. It hasnt been long since your body recovered. Ive been lying down for so long that my back was sore. Im fine. You dont have to force a smile in front of me. Im not forcing a smile. I missed my uncle, so I called. Ruel smiled at the warmth he felt in Tysons hand. Tyson also looked warmly at Ruel. Yeah, I feel the same way. Lie down now, Ill be here. Its okay. I just wanted to see the sunrise. Its better to sit and watch than lying down. Ruel turned his head back to the window and looked out again. The darkness was gradually fading as the light of dawn spread across the sky. Ruel wanted to hold onto the warmth he felt in his uncles hand, even if he was called Ruel Setiria for the umpteenth time. That was enough for him. Since the moment he decided to live as Ruel, nothing had changed, and he was content with that. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth, smiling once more. *** Two dayster. Ah, are you awake? Ruel blinked a few times at the familiar voice and then rubbed his eyes. Why was Banios in his room? Sorry foring so suddenly. I just arrived, so dont be surprised. Is it you? If youre curious, do you want to pinch me? Banios readily extended his arm. Seeing the medical equipment attached to Ruels arm, he couldnt bring himself to ask Ruel to pinch his arm. Ruel hurriedly sat up. His head spun briefly due to the fever. Leo, who was sleeping next to him with his belly exposed, was startled when Ruel suddenly moved. Wh-what happened? When Ruel gently stroked his belly again, Leo fell back into a deep sleep. Leaving what shouldnt be known aside, Ruel had been in bed without doing anything due to his poor health condition. He was in painst night, so neither of them could sleep well. That fox is always cute. Banios yfully extended his fidgeting hand, coughed awkwardly, and crossed his arms again, spitting out a fake cough under Ruels gaze. You dont have to get up so suddenly. Its not like weve only met once or twice, and the time has passed for us to show courtesy. Your Highness, I am someone who knows courtesy. I am deeply sorry for greeting you in this state. Despite being the one to apologize, Ruels expression was very stern. Banios, who knew that this was an insult to himself, smiled and said. I did apologize in advance, didnt I? Sorry about that. Did something urgente up for you toe here personally? Do I have toe only if its urgent? Thats disappointing. Even though you havent officially inherited the throne yet, isnt it a busy time for you? Ruel looked behind Banios as he spoke. He followed Ruels gaze and replied, Ah, your butler has left for a moment. He must be busy. Cassion was always busy, but it was frustrating to see the Crown Prince, who should be even busier, sitting idly. What do you have to say to me, Your Highness? Whats so urgent? Im not busy at all, so take your time. I came to Setiria before, but I couldnt properly tour around and had to leave, which was very regrettable. Did youe to Setiria for refuge? Bing a crown prince from a prince, the amount of things to learn would be overwhelming. If Banios, who hade out of a web novel as a work addict, was like this, how much more would there be to learn? Banios avoided eye contact. You dont need to worry at all. I brought my butler, and I can do everything well on my own. Of course, theres no need for formal greetings. Just rx. It seemed like he didnt juste for refuge. Banioss behavior seemed suspicious. Your Highness, are you really not busy? If thats the case, may I ask Prince Adoris? Lord Setiria. Banios urgently called Ruel, then opened his mouth more seriously than ever. So, this is a territory visit. Its natural for me to look around since its thend Ill be ruling. Ill make sure you dont feel ufortable. Ruel let out a light sigh. It seemed like Banios was nning to stay for a while. Although some of the information directed to Banios through Astell was hidden, there was no fear of being caught because he trusted Cassion to handle the aftermath well. How long do you n to stay? Ill leave soon, so dont worry. If not for this opportunity, when else could I tour around Leponia? Has His Majesty approved this? Of course. Banios responded cheerfully, which annoyed Ruel slightly. Laughing shamelessly at someone elses house. Ruel didnt like talking back, but since Banios was a prince, he decided to turn and politely decline. Im not sure if theres a suitable room for Your Highness. Any ce would be more humble than the royal pce. I didnt grow up as sheltered as you think. As long as theres a ce to lie down, its enough, so dont worry about it. His attempt didnt work at all. After inhaling Breath, Ruel just spoke as usual. I feel ufortable. Im not ufortable. Your Highness, I am telling you that I am ufortable. The diplomatic delegation from the Kingdom of Kran will arrive soon. I dont know what the oue will be, but it will be interesting. Baniospletely changed the subject. Ruel had no choice but to move on from a topic that couldnt be ignored. So soon? A meeting was held a few days ago due to the news that the gate of the Tonisk Empire had opened. I assume there was a simr meeting on the Kran side as well. What kind of proposal do you think Kran will make to the Cyronian Kingdom? Honestly, the rtionship between the two countries is not good, but I heard they are leaning towards sending a diplomatic delegation. Is that so? Ruel frowned slightly. Kran Kingdom had sent a diplomatic delegation. The fact that the Kran Kingdom was sending an envoy hinted at a potential alliance. No matter how you look at it, the timing of the Tonisk Empire opening the gate is convenient. It almost seems like they are pushing for an alliance. Ruel felt uneasy about this fact. I have reported to thendlord, so I will be leaving now. Ive said it before, but please treat me as if Im not here and make yourselffortable. Banios stood up, nced at Leo, and then something came to his mind and he opened his mouth. That guy, Kron, you gave me was remarkably good at sniffing out the Red Ash. I think well be able to take out the rest of them sooner than expected. Now, get some rest. Banios smiled and walked out again. After confirming that he had left, Ruel opened his mouth. Cassion. Yes. For what purpose did Prince Baniose? First of all, inspection of the territory seems to be the top priority. Empty-handed? Ruel subtly inquired. Cassion shook his head and replied, Prince Banios provided me with a sum of gold to cover expenses. As expected. Ruels lips curved up. He would continue to wee him with open arms since they would be seeing each other often from now on. While Prince Banios is staying here, treat him as a special guest. But, regardless of that, keep an eye on him. Understood. Cassion waited without fading into the shadows. Also, find out who ising as an envoy from the Kran Kingdom and what their intentions are. They have already started moving. Ruel smiled contentedly at Cassions response. Then, continue with the preparations for breakfast. Of course. Ruel watched Cassion disappear, continuing to contemte the rtionship between the Kran Kingdom and the Tonisk Empire.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 131: The gate was opened (3) Chapter 131: The gate was opened (3) Tap. Tap. As Ruel tapped his thigh, the spirits gathered around him. Kuroo kuru. When one of them cried out, all the spirits in the room joyfully joined in with their kuroo kuru cries. Pausing for a moment, Ruel reached out and grabbed one of the spirits. Kuroo kuru. It seemed that the time for the spirits to depart was approaching, as they had grown significantly. Even after absorbing the sounding spirit stone into his body, many spirits remained gathered, indicating that they wouldn¡¯t disappear anytime soon. The presence of the spirits had increased his mana and slowed down the growth of the marks, and Ruel had grown ustomed to their presence.¡®Now that the spirits have grown, maybe it¡¯s time to follow them and see where they go.¡¯ A smile formed on his lips. Cassion, Billo, Fran, Cheynol, Tyson, and the others¡ªsince they all seemed to be urging him to rest, perhaps he should take a break. ¡®I¡¯ll use recuperation as an excuse,¡¯ Ruel chuckled, inhaling Breath. Regardless of the excuse he made, he was the head of the family. As Ruel prepared to rise from his seat, the spirits moved in unison, as ifpeting to see who could reach his body first. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere, just stretching,¡± Ruel reassured them. Kuroo kuru. As if understanding his words, the spirits dispersed and began ying among themselves. ¡®¡­what the.¡¯ What was the reason for constantly sticking to him, besides the pleasant scent emanating from his body? Ruel sits up and cranes his neck, and soon there¡¯s a ¡®crack¡¯ sound. ¡ª¡­! Leo¡¯s eyes snapped open as he quickly sat up. ¡ªHah! Ruel¡¯s bone is broken! It wasn¡¯t me! This body¡¯s only broken it once! ¡°It¡¯s not broken,¡± Ruel assured him, causing Leo tough and lie back down on the bed. ¡ªRuel, did you sleep well? ¡°Yes, good morning.¡± Leo rolled around on the bed and then widened his eyes. ¡ªAre you feeling better today? ¡°Yeah, my body feels better than yesterday.¡± Leo quickly got up and wagged his tail. ¡ªCan you go out? Can you run? This body is ready at any time! ¡°How about doing something more fun?¡± At the mention of something fun, Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡ªThis body! Leo eximed, hopping onto Ruel¡¯sp and looking up at him. ¡ªThis body is already excited! ying with Ruel is the best thing ever! Leo spread his short legs as wide as possible and hugged Ruel tightly. ¡ªWhat are we going to y? This body is curious! ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± Since Leo was a chatterbox, he might have gone to Cassion to tell him about it. Leo¡¯s tail and ears drooped. ¡ª¡­Alright. This body¡¯ll be a good Leo and listen when Ruel tells me. It was a bit pitiful to see Leo holding back his excitement, even though it wasn¡¯t really a secret. Leo sat down and hunched over, gazing at Ruel for a moment. Ruel chuckled and called out to him, and instantly, one of Leo¡¯s ears perked up. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo looked at Ruel with eager eyes. ¡°You must be wondering as to where the spirits are heading, right?¡± ¡ªThis body¡¯s curious! This body has been curious from the beginning! We¡¯re both spirits, so this body really wanted to know where they were going, but this body held back! Leo¡¯s tail wagged so fast that it was almost invisible. ¡ªAre we going to see where the spirits are going? Is that it? ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as Ruel¡¯s words were spoken, Leo jumped up from the bed with joy. ¡ªThis body¡¯s excited! This body is happy! ¡°Leo, where were you born?¡± Ruel stood up and stretched, asking Leo. With every movement, the sound of bones creaking could be heard. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t know. Leo replied, momentarily stopping his movements and tilting his head. ¡ªAll this body knows is that this body has a mission to purify what goes against the natural order. ¡°Well, you might not remember. I don¡¯t remember my childhood memories either.¡± Leo¡¯s ears drooped. ¡ªThat¡¯s why another purifier called this body a lost cause. This body is unable to purify and does not know the purpose of his birth. Ruel stopped moving and observed Leo. Contrary to his somber tone, Leo bounced around the bed again. ¡ªBut it¡¯s okay! I am now a great purifier who can purify! If this body meets another purifierter, this body will ask them what this body should do! Surprisingly, Leo¡¯s recovery was quick, which reassured Ruel. Leo, who was the most precious being to him, seemed to shine even brighter now. ¡ªThanks to having Ruel by my side, this body was able to ovee everything. Hehe. Ruel turned his waist onest time before sitting back on the bed, and Leo hopped over to him, wagging his tail. ¡ªBut should Ruel really go after the spirits? Isn¡¯t Ruel busy enough? Constantly dealing with the white thing, giving orders to Cassion, calling for Uncle, and going to find the Magic Knights¡¯ whereabouts! ¡®I thought I was taking it easy, but hearing it like that, I seem to have been quite busy.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at the IV line. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll take a break for now.¡± Suddenly, Leo sat up straight, looking worriedly at him. ¡ªAre you in pain? ¡°No. Why do I look like I¡¯m in pain?¡± ¡ªRuel doesn¡¯t know how to take a break. Leo knows how to take a break. Are you in pain? Ruel felt a bit embarrassed, and he nervously yed with his messy hair. ¡°Well, taking a break doesn¡¯t necessarily mean staying in bed all the time.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right! Cassion said that polishing his sword is taking a break! Finally relieved of his curiosity, Leo flopped back down and yfully nudged Ruel¡¯s hand with his tail. ¡ªPet me. Ruel was a bit taken aback, but seeing Leo¡¯s bright and sparkling eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but pet him without saying a word. *** ¡°I¡­ want to take a break,¡± Ruel quietly uttered those words, and a silence filled the dining room. Chomp. Chomp. Leo looked up from his chocte cake, while Cassion, who was setting down his te, gave Ruel a puzzled look. Aris nced around nervously, and Tyson looked at Ruel with concern. ¡°Why is it suddenly so quiet? Isn¡¯t it a good thing if Lord Ruel takes a break? You¡¯re always telling Lord Ruel to take a break, so why are you acting like this?¡± Noah, confused, whispered to Cassion. Cassion set down his te and moved his hand, breaking the stillness. ¡°Because the rest we know and Ruel-nim¡¯s rest are different.¡± ¡°You meanpletely taking a break from work?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel with surprise. Ruel¡¯s condition had been rapidly improving ever since his heart stopped a few days ago. Today, his breathing was fine, hisplexion, though never great, seemed to be getting better, and the tremors in his body had lessened. Didn¡¯t he also take the IV drip before eating? ¡°About¡­ 5 days?¡± When Ruel mentioned a long period of five days, Cassion¡¯s eyes filled with a hint of gratitude. Finally, the day hade when Ruel, who always prioritized others, would take care of his own well-being. ¡°I want to go outside for some fresh air and take care of myself,¡± Ruel expressed, causing Cassion¡¯s expression to grow colder. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion spoke up, the air around them feeling as icy as his tone. Aris, feeling anxious, quickly stuffed a piece of bread into his mouth. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ruel replied nonchntly, continuing to cut his meat. Cassion¡¯s voice remained sharp. ¡°Taking care of yourself doesn¡¯t mean wandering around.¡± Ruel set down his fork and gave Cassion a stern look. ¡°Are you suggesting I go back to the vi? I¡¯m tired of being confined there or anywhere else.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t mean that. I apologize,¡± Cassion hurriedly apologized, unintentionally triggering memories of the five years Ruel had spent trapped in the vi. Ruel then instructed Cassion, ¡°Prepare to leave in advance. I¡¯ll talk to Billo.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Cassion responded. Ruel turned his attention to Aris. ¡°Aris.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Get ready to go as well.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll get ready,¡± Aris replied with a smile. Noah, hopeful and eager, asked, ¡°Am Iing too?¡± as he pointed to himself. Considering their destination and the spirits they were following, Ruel shook his head. ¡°Noah, help Billo instead. You¡¯ve been learning to read, right? You can assist with simple tasks.¡± Noah hesitated, his expression uncertain. ¡°You mean the Butler, sir?¡± ¡°Yes. Assist him as needed.¡± But he soon reluctantly agreed. ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll do as Lord Ruel says.¡± ¡°Alright, Uncle. I¡¯ll be back soon, so don¡¯t worry,¡± Ruel said with a big smile, looking at Tyson. *** Cassion wasted no time and immediately spoke up as soon as he entered Ruel¡¯s room. ¡°During the meal, I found out the identity of the envoy from the Kran Kingdom, but there were many eavesdroppers, so I couldn¡¯t inform you right away.¡± Crunch. Although they had just finished their meal, Ruel already had a meat pie in his hand. Crunch. Watching Leo munching on the pie like a cookie near Ruel¡¯s legs, Cassion clenched his teeth at the crumbs they were dropping. ¡®It seems I¡¯ll have to clean up again.¡¯ Curious, Ruel sat on the bed and asked, ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°They are the first and second princes of the Kingdom of Kran. The first prince is named Adea Kran, and the second is Treytol Kran. The first prince is leading the delegation.¡± ¡°They sent both princes?¡± Crunch. Ruel¡¯s expression hardened as he took another bite of the meat pie. If they sent princes, it undoubtedly meant they were aiming for an alliance. If they intended to dere war, they wouldn¡¯t have sent the princes in the first ce, as they would be the first targets. ¡°Why are there two of them?¡± ¡°The second prince is also part of the delegation, but it seems they n to separate during the journey.¡± ¡°Separate? Is he going to Cyronian?¡± ¡°No, it appears he intends to visit a neutral vige. He has expressed a desire to go there.¡± Since only the representative of the delegation needed to announce their presence to King Brans, there was no need for them to travel together. From a status perspective, it was a bold decision to forego the potential benefits of an alliance and visit a neutral vige instead. Although Ruel found it intriguing, it didn¡¯t personally concern him, so he shifted the conversation to another topic. ¡°Is the alliance truly their goal?¡± ¡°Yes, it seems their objective is to form an alliance.¡± Ruel absentmindedly petted Leo, who had climbed onto hisp. ¡®Is it because of everything that¡¯s happened to me? There¡¯s nothing inherently suspicious, so why does it feel strange?¡¯ With the opening of the Tonisk Empire¡¯s gate and the positive response from the Kran Kingdom, it appeared to be a favorable oue, albeit unexpected. ¡®Does it all fit together too perfectly?¡¯ Ruel considered the possibility that individuals from the Tonisk Empire were involved within the Kran Kingdom. ¡°I will investigate further to determine if any Red Ash members are part of the delegation,¡± Cassion stated, meeting Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Very well. Keep a close watch. With the heightened security in Leponia, they may be hiding even more discreetly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll call Fran.¡± ¡°Good.¡± After receiving Ruel¡¯s approval, Cassion respectfully bowed and left the room. Despite almost eradicating the Red Ash infiltrators in Leponia, Ruel couldn¡¯t shake off his unease. After enduring so much, he knew that rity wouldn¡¯te overnight. However, Ruel¡¯s suspicions didn¡¯t entirely carry a negative connotation. Considering the person who had requested the assassination from Ruel, there was a possibility they had a connection to the Kran Kingdom. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know¡­ Ah, Kr-Kran! Even for a moment, I smelled that unique flower scent that onlyes from the Kran Kingdom! The name¡­ the name was, yes, it was Prazio! Prazio!¡± Recalling the dying words of the assassin from the previous day, Cassion¡¯s eyes grew sharp and cold. ¡®Prazio.¡¯ The name that had been buried deep within him resurfaced. Prazio, the flower that bloomed in the deepest sea of the Kran Kingdom. The same name as the drug that had brought down Carbena. ¡®So, they are connected.¡¯ However, Cassion decided not to inform Ruel just yet. He nned to wait until his master¡¯s condition became more stable. ¡®Ruel-nim¡¯s condition is still somewhat unstable.¡¯ Remembering the time when Ruel¡¯s heart had stopped, Cassion clenched his fists. As Cassion arrived in his room, Ruel¡¯s heart stopped beating. At that moment, something appeared. It appeared as a mana cluster, faintly visible to Cassion¡¯s eyes, resembling natural mana. Just as he was about to attack the presence, a voice echoed in his mind. ¨C Don¡¯t worry. Setiria is not dead. I exist in the present moment and have no intention of causing harm. ¨C One who serves Setiria. Please, do not say anything to Setiria. I don¡¯t want to make the poor child sad. The voice carried a sorrowfultone. ¨C I¡­ I am the guardian of Setiria. Then, Ruel¡¯s heart started beating again. The presence that had revealed itself kissed Ruel¡¯s forehead and smiled as if satisfied. Cassion had done nothing. ¡®What should I call that being?¡¯ Although Fran couldn¡¯t see mana, the presence felt eerily simr to the woman who had appeared in the Ice Castle before. Walking down the hallway, Cassion let out a sigh. His master seemed to have a grand protector. Perhaps his master had been an onion in his past life, peelingyer byyer. ¡®In any case, it¡¯s a good thing I left the beast behind.¡¯ Leo had tried to follow him, grabbing onto his leg, but Cassion decided to leave him behind, just in case. If Leo had been there at that moment, he would have undoubtedly overheard the conversation. A secret had unintentionally slipped out. It seemed Cassion would have to be even more careful to ensure his observant master remained unaware. Cassion quietly continued down the hallway, gently smoothing his slightly disheveled hair.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 18: The Wizard Came (3) Ruel turned back to board the carriage but paused for a moment and asked, ¡°What about the children?¡± ¡°Not everyone has joined us.¡± Contrary to the momentum he had just shown, Cheynol hesitated. ¡°Really? Tell them to tell me whenever they feel like it. I¡¯m going.¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The carriage, which had started without escort, brought in a good hundred people on its way back. Their strength, which was notmensurate with the old armor, was powerful enough without looking at it. ¡°It¡¯s the Knight!.¡± cried one of the people who gathered at the parade of the Lord. Someoneughed at the sound, but someone shouted together. ¡°Herees the Knights!¡± If they are not knights, who are they? Many people wondered why they were not wearing armor. In the blink of an eye, a lot of spection arose. Among them, the most influential was the fact that ¡®there was no money in Setiria, so they had to sell even the knights¡¯ armor.¡¯ But the eyes of the knights were different from what people had guessed. They couldn¡¯t see any shame in being proud of themselves and their eyes were wary of any harm that could befall upon their Lord. ¡°Isn¡¯t it time to announce that the luxury of the barons is over?¡± People sympathized with the sound someone uttered. Everything was right. The Lord had returned, and strong knights stood by him, even though they were not wearing armor. People were full of expectations. Remembering thest five years of the luxury of the barons. ¡°Why, do you like it so much?¡± Ruel spoke bluntly. People were talking, but the voices are mixed and I couldn¡¯t understand his question. Maybe he¡¯sughing at the Knights without armor. ¡°Hooray for you.¡± Ganien said. ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ganien shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Look at this. I told you people wouldn¡¯t hate you like you think.¡± When Cassion was ted, Ruel frowned. ¡°This can¡¯t be.¡± Either way, he is an bad Lord who gave up his job. Hurray for board that wouldn¡¯t be strange even if a stone flew in. ¡®That¡¯s weird.¡¯ *** The hurrah procession continued until Ruel arrived at the mansion. Ruel now felt strange and burdensome. It was because he liked it so much and felt like he had to do something. Crunch. Ruel soothed himself by eating cookies. Hooray or stone throwing won¡¯t change your ns. ¡®Peaceful life, normal life.¡¯ I repeated my simple dream several times in my mind. ¡°Looking at it, there¡¯s a lot going on around you.¡± ¡°I think so too.¡± At the sound of Ganien and Cassion¡¯s easygoing voice, Ruel let out augh. ¡°¡­huh.¡± I was upset when I saw Ganien, who looked at me in a strange way, not knowing if it was all because of me, who was the actual main character of this procession. Crunch. Ruel bit another cookie. ¡°Are you done with your schedule for today?¡± With the help of Cassion, Ruel got off the wagon. As he looked at the wagon foot, he automatically remembered what had happened this morning. ¡°I have to ride again, so until then, make another footrest and attach it.¡± Ruel gave a lightmand as if calling someone¡¯s dog¡¯s name and entered the mansion with Ganien. The knights followed him. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Cassion, who was left behind by the carriage, messed up his neat hair. ¡®Damn you!¡¯ His heart throbbed immediately, but Cassion clenched his teeth and chewed on Ruel once more. ¡®If it wasn¡¯t for the contract¡­!¡¯ Cassion looked at the guild members who were guarding the front of the mansion with a wrinkled expression. ¡°You hear him? Make a foothold, tight.¡± ¡°Chi-, chief?¡± One of the guild members asked. Despite their bewildered words, Cassion diligently moved into the mansion. He was suddenly craving something sweet. *** Crunch. Gold coins poured out. Cassion¡¯s eyes grew bigger together. The side he was looking at was the sword, not the gold coin. His heart ached when he saw the leaf pattern that was closely ivory-colored with ck sheath. A gold-wrapped pattern on the handle and rim was written in a very small handwriting. Cassion eventually gulped the saliva down his throat as he looked at the sword, which felt sacred just by looking at it. He couldn¡¯t even feel the sweetness of the ice cream he had a while ago. ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± Ruel brought it up peacefully. ¡°Mi-, mine?¡± Unintentionally, Cassion stuttered. Ruel grinned at the sight. ¡°The heirloom that came down to Setiria is the Turbulent Day, the sword you were hoping for. And that¡¯s the content of our contract.¡± ¡°This is the Turbulent Day sword!¡± It was a more attractive and beautiful sword than he heard. Cassion took a new glove out of his arms and put it on. Even a grain of dust should not be buried, but it was noticeable that it was ced on the desk. ¡®Clean up the Turbulent Day sword and put it in a ss box¡­¡¯ ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something you need to do before you get it.¡± Ruel tried to take back Turbulent Day Sword to let him know that the deal had not yet started. p. Cassion struck Ruel¡¯s hand in an instant. Holding his heart tight, Cassion struggled to get his words out. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it with your hands!¡± ¡°¡­Wow, I didn¡¯t expect you to like the swords so much. Do you like collecting swords?¡± Ruel snorted and rubbed his pushed hand. Cassion closed and opened his eyes for a moment, looking at the back of his red hand. How was he supposed to lie and show him his hand even though he knows his heart will tighten? ¡°I¡¯m a sword collector.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to get a lot for my butler.¡± ¡°¡­Yes?¡± ¡°You said you liked collecting swords. You can look forward to it.¡± Since the main character of the ¡®SSS-ss Knight¡¯ is a knight, of course there are many swords. I love you so much, so I¡¯ll get them all for you. Cassion looked at Ruel. he could feel the sincerity in what he said. ¡®What¡¯s the point of making a stable like that? Next time, I¡¯ll make a carriage for you even if you ask me to. Okay.¡¯ If Ruel manages to gain control of Setiria again, he might buy a few expensive swords for him. Above all, he was a noble, the probability of obtaining a noble sword was higher through him for me. ¡°Anyway, there¡¯s something you need to do before you get this.¡± ¡°Just say.¡± Today was the most polite Cassion I¡¯ve ever seen. ¡°Make a replica.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°Copy the product.¡± ¡°What do you mean by a duplicate product?! It stigmatizes the sword!¡± Cassion, who confirmed that he had heard it properly, was about to jump in ce because he was too excited. ¡°This sword must be more famous than I thought. What if someone finds this sword? You want to put it back then?¡± ¡°Giving and taking away, no, the terms of the contract¡­¡± ¡°So make it look real.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll make a Turbulent Day, not just a cheap counterfeit.¡¯ This did not go in ordance with Cassion¡¯s heart. But what can he do, that was his master¡¯s orders. ¡°In addition¨C¡± ¡°If possible, how about saying everything at once?¡± ¡°With this money, you can buy knights¡¯ armor. You know better than me.¡± ¡°Where did you get the money?¡± Ruel, whom Cassion saw, was the head of Setiria, but he was penniless. Would he have spent his own money? ¡°I found some money in my safe. I guess I¡¯m the only one who can open it.¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think so?¡± There was something strange about what Ruel said. He was just smiling gently. Ruel wandered around an unfamiliar mansion by himself a while ago when he found a room with a safe? How convenient. I thought the security was seriously wrong because it seemed to be no different from the regr room, but it wasn¡¯t. When Astell, who was passing by, asked what was on the wall, Ruel noticed. The room with the safe is only visible to him. Inside the safe were gold coins and heirlooms that the former head of the family had collected. Turbulent Day, misceneous jewels, and things wrapped in something. Numerous papers were attached like talismans, so I was reluctant to touch them anymore. ¡°I¡¯m busy because I¡¯m going to meet the Knights of the Magic after lunch.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be right back.¡± Cassion took out a silk cloth from X-Raemon¡¯s pocket and carefully wrapped it around the Turbulent Day. Cassion actually put the sword into his pocket. Ruel said with a slight surprise. ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡± ¡°Say it.¡± ¡°What is that pocket?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve magically connected it to my vault. It¡¯s quitefortable. Unfortunately, you can¡¯t do it because you need a lot of money to open your pockets.¡± Ruel clicked his tongue andy in bed inhaling Breath. Then he waved his hand and sent Cassion away. Before leaving, Cassion turned back abruptly and called Ruel. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s a letter for you.¡± ¡°What letter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a letter asking you to pay off your debt.¡± Ruel received Cassion¡¯s letter and confirmed the sender. The Lumina family and the Shio family. ¡°They¡¯re back again?¡± Since the Knights returned, they were trying tounch a pincer attack on him. If you want to keep barking, isn¡¯t it better to cover your mouth? ¡°Any news from Minart?¡± ¡°Yes, I was just about to take it out.¡± Ruel took the letter and unfolded it. The letter was filled with three pages. ¡®Why are there so many?¡¯ Among those listed in the letter, the Knights Temr were excluded because they returned. Former aristocrats, butlers, servants. Why are there so many people who have been kicked out or gone on their own? Ruel handed over the letter to Cassion. ¡°Choose one of these to exclude. You can do it, right?¡± Of course, it was your guild members who did all the work. ¡°Even if I can¡¯t, I have to.¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to meet the two nobles after meeting with the Knights of the Magic. Which one is closer between the two families?¡± ¡°¡­¡­.¡± Cassion was silent for a moment, and then asked with firm eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t mean to attack them all at once, do you?¡± ¡°Yes? I want to take care of everything once I can move my body.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Cassion sighed deeply. His experience so far had shown me that he would not be able to dampen that stubbornness. If Ruel would listen to him because he said it wasn¡¯t good for his health, he would be resting now. Cassion struggled to speak as he looked at Ruel¡¯s paleplexion. ¡°The Lumina family is closer.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be ready. How many knights do you intend to take as an escort¡­¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m going to move quietly. I haven¡¯t been out since I came back with the Knights. Cough, cough.¡± Ruel finished coughing and went on. ¡°Because I¡¯m very, very busy trying to raise the fallen Setiria.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll move quietly.¡± ¡°I asked Astell to make me a lot of cookies, so bring them. I¡¯ll bring in Cheynol.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Cassion hesitated to look at Ruel, contrary to his answer. Ruel pointed to his chest instead of answering. It¡¯s working fine. Despite the announcement, Cassion sighed outside. ¡®You¡¯re a quick-witted man.¡¯ I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s because I ate all the cookies Astell made me, but I was getting sick again. ¡®Damn body.¡¯ No matter how many times I cursed, I felt sick. As Ruel closed his eyes and forced his recovery efforts, a knock was heard. ¡°It¡¯s Cheynol. I heard you found it.¡± ¡°Come in.¡± Cheynol was the Knights Commander. Other knights didn¡¯t know, but he was aware of Ruel¡¯s condition. ¡°May I ask you a question with all due respect, my Lord?¡± The first word he received as a Knight Commander was, ¡®You may.¡¯ It was bittersweet, but hisplexion was so bad that even his eyes could see it. Ruel didn¡¯t answer and said something else. ¡°The armor will be delivered within a few days. As you know, Carbena and her crew have done a lot and it¡¯s empty now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all right, we just need to protect this ce.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not okay. You¡¯re my knights. They¡¯re like my face. I¡¯ll make everything the best from head to toe.¡± Cheynol¡¯s eyes slightly red. ¡°This old man is honored to have been thought of so highly by you, my Lord.¡± ¡°So, I¡¯d like to give you two orders, would you mind?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± ¡°A week? Maybe more. I¡¯ll go out ande back. Can you keep this ce safe?¡± Cheynol, who answered without hesitation, shut up for the first time. Ruel¡¯s paleplexion, blue lips, and even his trembling hands. Those symptoms were not good. ¡°Can you keep it?¡± Ruel asked again. Cheynol¡¯s lips trembled. ¡®You don¡¯t have more than one life¡­ Are you thinking of burning that one life for Setiria?¡¯ Cheynol thought. ¡°Can you keep it?¡± As if to urge him to agree, the question uttered again left Cheynol choked. It was just like that when you get old, your tear nds be weak. ¡°It¡¯s possible!¡± So Cheynol shouted louder. Ruel smiled contentedly only then. ¡°And onest thing.¡± ¡°Yes, my Lord.¡± ¡°I wonder if the sword has rusted after years of grazing. Cough.¡± The sound of coughing followed. Each time, Cheynol¡¯s clothes were wrinkled. ¡°Be strong.¡± Ruel said. ¡®For Setiria.¡¯ Ruel didn¡¯t say aloud, but that¡¯s what Cheynol heard. ¡°It has to be.¡± Cheynol was on one knee. And he bowed his head for a pledge to his lord. ¡°I will be strong.¡± Chapter 24: One by one (3) Author: CleiZz ¡°Get me some data so I can solve that stupid face,¡± Ruel said. At Ruel¡¯s words, Ganien put the materials on the table as if throwing them. ¡°The testimony of those who have confessed that you set it up to frame the Hand of the Wind Guild. Evidence that money was handed over to them.¡± Ruel pointed to the data. Matyros¡¯ eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. It was reported that suspicious people stopped by at the Hand of the Wind guild. Don¡¯t tell me it was them. ¡°And you made money out of very, which is prohibited by the state. You have done all this so that this mansion and your guild can shine.¡± ¡°Well, what do you mean!¡± ¡°Be quiet.¡± As Ganien increased his momentum, Matyros trembled and bowed his head. ¡°Why would I look at the time?¡± Matyros started sweating even more. It would have been more than 30 minutes since they came. ¡°Don¡¯t, don¡¯t tell me¡­!¡± ¡°Yeah, the soldiers will being this way soon, so keep quiet.¡± ¡°I, this! !¡± I was so excited to see that his face was burning red. How frustrating it must be because he couldn¡¯t move or argue recklessly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, your guild and mansion will be disposed of.¡± The moment I heard Ganien¡¯s voice saying ¡®Herees¡¯, the purpose was over. ¡°The tea, well done.¡± Ruel got up from his seat. I¡¯ve had Cassion run wild as much as possible, so Corrence, the Lord of Lumina, would not be able to easily cover it. ¡®It would be nice to receive it as a gift.¡¯ I raised the corners of my lips. ¡°I, Do you know what I did to go this far?¡± ¡°None of my business!¡± ¡°Your guy-¡­! You guys ruined it all! I don¡¯t forgive you! I won¡¯t forgive you! Youuu!¡± Suddenly, Matyros remembered that they gave it to him so that it would be used someday. It wasn¡¯t the time to be picky. Matyros rushed to Ruel with something. However, he was easily suppressed in front of Ganien. The moment he was about to take what was in his hand, something exploded. Cough! Ganien hesitated, covering his face with his hands. ¡°¡­poison?¡± ¡°Cough!¡± When Ganien looked back, Ruel¡¯s dark red blood popped out of his mouth. The color of the skin began to turn purple. Matyrosughed, raising his voice. ¡°Perfect! Die! Puck¡­¡± Ganien punched him in the face with all his might. He seemed to have lost all reason. But he suppressed his emotions and went to Ruel. ¡°Ruel! Ruel! Wake up!¡± Ruel stumbled and fell. After something was shot in the face, he threw up blood. Something was off. His body didn¡¯t listen to him. ¡®What¡¯s this?¡¯ I felt as if I had been burned all over my body. ¡°¡­ugh!¡± It was more painful than when I was injured. Whizz. The sound I had heard before was ringing in my ears. My eyes were dimmed. Ganien said something, but I couldn¡¯t hear it. Something swallowed itself. * * * Whizz! It sounded like a motor turning. Ruel tried to open his eyes, feeling the sensation of his body slowly returning. ¡°¡­that¡¯s all right. Get some more sleep.¡± He fell asleep again after learning that he was alive by the voice of Cassion, which sounded like a luby. I didn¡¯t know how many times I woke up and fell asleep again. Every time I felt like I saw something. A sorry Ganien, a tearful Aris, and an angry Cassion. I don¡¯t know how many people there were, but I also saw quite a few peopleing and going. But I couldn¡¯t open my eyes. The power of recovery seemed to say that it was not ready yet. I didn¡¯t know how long it had been, but I finally opened my eyes. ¡°¡­ Ah.¡± I was blinded by the morning sun. My mouth was dry, and my whole body was weak. I felt like something was empty. ¡°I¡¯m hungry.¡± A cracked voice came out. ¡°I¡¯ll be ready.¡± I heard Cassion¡¯s voice next to me. Unlike the voice, I heard when I couldn¡¯t open my eyes, it was bright. Ruel turned his head with difficulty. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­ Sorry.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim has not broken his promise.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel closed and opened his eyes. Meanwhile, Cassion brought up the story that he had been poisoned and opened his eyes five dayster. I didn¡¯t die this time because of the power of recovery, but next time¡­ ¡®I¡¯m sure I need the strength of tolerance to survive.¡¯ The power of tolerance. Poison, magic, or anything was one of the powers left behind by a hero who became resistant to pain. His uncle almost died because of theck of Mana, and the poison almost killed him. ¡®I have to get it, I must.¡¯ ¡°The poison.¡± Cassion spoke heavily. Ruel nodded his head. I¡¯ve never seen poison sprayed like that before, not perfume. ¡°It was the first kind I saw. I thought I knew most poisons, but I didn¡¯t expect this to happen.¡± ¡°Detoxification¡­¡± ¡°It took me a while to detoxify you because I didn¡¯t know the type of poison was. It was really fortunate that you had that power.¡± Cassion glossed over the detoxification process. ¡®I think Cassion deciphered it, given what he¡¯s saying.¡¯ ¡°Matyros was beheaded yesterday for harming Nobility. And I did some research personally.¡± ¡°Research?¡± ¡°Why did he try to enve people and where did he intend to sell them?¡± Cassion got up Ruel and turned the water over and continued. ¡°Not found.¡± ¡°¡­ Not found?¡± ¡°But I found a piece of paper with a me-shaped pattern on it at the trading site.¡± Ruel, who rushed to drink water, asked in surprise, ¡°The group that taught Carbena how to take Setiria?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all linked together.¡± ¡°Anyway, it¡¯ste to talk, but take another day off today and go find the Hand of the Wind Guild tomorrow.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To be honest, I didn¡¯t have the strength to get up. Cassionughed contentedly at Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°Then I¡¯ll prepare your meal ande back¡­¡± ¡°Ruel!¡± Ganien kicked the door in. Cassion stared at him openly and greeted Ruel and went outside. ¡°How are you? Don¡¯t you still need more sleep?¡± Unlike his worried expression, Ganien stood far away. Not knowing what he was doing, Ruel answered with a question. ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m so ashamed.¡± ¡°Put up as a debt.¡± ¡°You almost died. You haven¡¯t even gotten up in five days. It¡¯s my fault, so you can hit me until you are satisfied.¡± Only then did he notice the distance of Ganien. He felt guilty and couldn¡¯t approach him. ¡®This is crazy.¡¯ Instead of talking, Ruel pped his hands. Only then did Ganien approach. ¡°I don¡¯t have the strength to hit you, so you owe me one.¡± ¡°Barely?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll regret it, will you?¡± Ganien¡¯s firm expression was hardly resolved, even though he was joking. As a knight, the promises couldn¡¯t keep weighing on his heart. ¡°I¡¯m alive, that¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough to say that. You kept throwing up blood, your whole veins showing, your skin¡­¡± ¡°Okay, if you¡¯re going to have such a sweet talk, then go out.¡± Ruel waved his hand. Only while being kicked out did Ganien smile awkwardly. ¡°When youe back, shake it all off. Cause I did, too.¡± ¡°¡­okay.¡± ¡°Please call Aris.¡± ¡°You¡¯re starting to act like a Cassion.¡± ¡°You owe me, it¡¯s big, so I have to use it a lot.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ganien suddenly pulled out a sword when he thought he was going outside. Skunk. Ruel looked bewildered at the light sound. ¡®What are you doing?¡¯ ¡°I, Ganien Croft, from the Blue Knights, must defend Ruel Setiria, I swear on my honor as a knight.¡± Ruel was really startled by the loud cry right away. A Knight¡¯s oath. It was notpulsory like the contract of mana, but it was an oath that a knight had to keep. ¡°¡­ Crazy? Cancel it quickly.¡± Suddenly his head hurt. He and Ganien were from different countries. What would happen if war broke out? ¡°I¡¯m going.¡± The person who caused the headache smiled brightly and went outside. ¡®Crazy guy.¡¯ Ruel attempted to wrap his head around this. After a while, I heard a knock on the door. ¡°Come in.¡± Aris, who had been eating well for a few days, carefully came inside. ¡®¡­ You look tall?¡¯ Ruel stopped looking at Aris and looked at his body. It hadn¡¯t changed much since he had first entered the body. Rather, it felt like I was drying up. ¡°Thank you.¡± Arisy face down before he spoke out. His voice was locked. ¡°And I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°What?¡± Aris looked up at the questioned words. Ruel was skinnier than he was a few days ago. He was worried that he might dry up. ¡°Everything. Thank you and sorry.¡± Aris¡¯s eyes turned slightly red. ¡°I was supposed to help, so that¡¯s fine.¡± Aris was moved because I said it was my greed to help. I¡¯m sure he was considerate of himself. ¡°Do you have anywhere to go?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Did you say you were in debt?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel liked the current situation. Now that we¡¯ve sown the seeds, we¡¯ve sprouted them, we¡¯ve got to harvest them. ¡°Be my escort.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°An escort.¡± ¡°I, you mean me? I don¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I suggested it.¡± A shield pattern appeared on the back of Ruel¡¯s hand. Chapter 132: Chase the Spirits! Chapter 132: Chase the Spirits! Hmm. Ruel examined the spirits closely, but they all appeared quite simr, making it challenging to distinguish them. Their physical builds were also nearly identical. Choosing among them seemed like a difficult task. Leo, I need your help with this. Leo stood up from Ruelsp, his eyes sparkling with excitement. Really? Yes. I want you to choose only the spirits who are nning to leave here in the future. Understood.Leo replied firmly and scurried under the bed. He extended his short legs as far as he could and began speaking to the spirits. Ahem, listen well. Only the spirits who are going to leave Ruels side shoulde forward. Kuroo kuru. The spirits looked at each other and exchanged words. Soon, one of the spirits stepped forward and started speaking to Leo. Ruel waited quietly for Leo to trante the words. Kuroo kuru. Leo nodded in understanding and turned to Ruel with a serious expression. It seemed as though he had been bestowed with a mission to save the world. They want to know why you want to follow them. Ruel suppressed augh before responding, I want to know what the spirit stone inside me is, and Im curious about where you all are headed. Kuroo kuru. The spirit continued speaking, and Leo tranted. They wee you, but they mention that there is a guardian protecting their destination, and they are uncertain about what might happen. You dont have to worry about that. Ruel chuckled. Having a guardian there is a bit unexpected, but if things go wrong, they can always retreat, right? Kuroo kuru. They respect Ruels decision. However, they are not sure if they can guide the way Why is that? Leo, who was tranting the spirit words, unexpectedly asked a question. As the conversation continued, Leos ears perked up. Oh! Is that so? How fascinating. This body wishes this body could grow up quickly too. Ruel inhaled Breath and then burst outughing at Leos enthusiasm. Leo had been so engrossed in the conversation that he had forgotten his purpose of tranting. Kuroo kuru. Really? Then could this body have been born there too? Why cant this body remember that? Kuroo kuru. Thank you. Maybe this body can find out something if this body goes there! Kuroo kuru. Well, this body doesnt know either. Its already amazing that Ruel can see spirits, isnt it? Just a moment. Ruel couldnt wait any longer and interrupted them. Leo was surprised to see Ruel take action. Huh! This body forgot that this body had an important mission. Leos eyes were filled with determination. So, the spirit said that when they grow up, its instinctive to go to a certain ce, and they also mentioned that this body might have been born there. Leos eyes, which were full of determination, softened, and his head tilted. And also, uh, the spirit wondered why Ruel doesnt understand what theyre saying, so I answered! Ruel gently stroked Leos head in response to his pleading eyes. Leo might have been born there too? There was now another reason to go. Perhaps they could meet other Great Purifiers there. Ruel looked at the spirit and asked, So, when are you nning to leave? Kuroo kuru. Upon hearing the spirit response, Ruel naturally looked at Leo. The spirit Oh! They say this body is helping Ruel. Unbelievable! Even though Ruel had already said that Leo was already helping enough, he was endlessly delighted. The fact that Leo was happy was enough for him. Ahem, this body will clearly tell you what the spirit is saying. Leo proudly raised his snout. *** So, youre saying youre going to see where the spirits go? Aris was taken aback by Ruels statement about following the spirits. Cassion, who already guessed why Ruel had said he would rest for five days, nced at Leo, who was clinging to Ruel. Leo looked very excited. Ruel-nim, you are nning to ride a horse to an uncertain destination on a cold day like this. Have you reconsidered this journey? Cassion cautiously brought up the topic before departing. Its a beautiful day for a ride, Ruel replied with a bright smile, gazing up at the sky. He had recalcted the tranted words from the spirit, which Leo had conveyed, and decided to sneak out in the early dawn while everyone was asleep. Equipped with gloves enchanted with protective spells, as well as a cloak and hat given by Aris, Ruel didnt feel the cold. He listened to the horses whinny, gently stroking its mane before mounting it. The world looked different from this new perspective. Even though I dont know who this teacher is, I can ride perfectly now. Yes, that teacher really showed impressive riding skills, and now youve be a perfect rider, Cassion remarked. Although Cassion had taught Ruel how to ride, it remained unclear whether Ruelcked skill, pretended to be less skilled to receive praise, or simply didnt want to ride well. Cassion sighed inwardly and surveyed their surroundings. The only escorts were himself and Aris. As their destination might be in the mountains or forests, the carriage wouldnt be able to go, and they had no choice but to ride the horses themselves. Cassion felt increasing anxiety about the journey. Cassion, did you pack everything? Ruel asked cheerfully, aware of theplications. Cassions dissatisfaction was evident, as Ruel had entrusted all theplicated and troublesome tasks to him. Hispetence sometimes became a disadvantage. Ha. Looking at Ruel with a bewildered expression, Cassion felt his heart tightening little by little. Damn it. Cassion. Ruel inhaled Breath and then called Cassion. Yes, all preparations have beenpleted, so please dont worry. There probably wont be a repeat ofst time, so dont look so disgruntled. Ruel spoke subtly. His quick-witted master quickly sensed Cassions dissatisfaction. Cassion silently waited for Ruel to continue speaking. Well, I cant do anything about the illness, so Ill try not to push myself too hard, Ruel said subtly. The spirits had grown up simply by being around him, and once their growth wasplete, they instinctively left for somewhere. As the spirits wouldnt wait for or consider Ruels group, Ruel had chosen to apany those spirits who were ready to depart, fearing that he might lose them otherwise. Given the numerous opportunities to chase after them, he assured Cassion that he wouldnt overexert himself. Yes, I understand, Cassion replied absentmindedly. Ah! The spirit is moving! At Leos words, Ruel nodded at Cassion, signaling that they should follow. Reluctantly, Cassion mounted the horse Ruel was riding and took hold of the reins. Ruel had assured him that everything would be fine, but Cassion couldnt help but doubt the sincerity of Ruels statements. In that direction. As Ruel pointed in a direction with his finger, Cassion slowly guided the horse. Ruel-nim. Aris spoke while riding alongside. Speak. It seems like there are several spirits visible. Yes, has your ability to sense mana improved? When Ruel looked pleased at Aris, he awkwardly touched the back of his head. No, its thanks to the earrings you gave me. Well, regardless, youve made progress, so its fine. You dont have to praise me too much. I still have a long way to go. Aris nced sideways at Cassion. Ruel felt a twinge of guilt, knowing that Aris couldnt fully ept his own progress due to Cassions exceptional abilities. Youre a real genius. Who reaches this level after learning magic for only two months? But knowing that Cassions presence acted as a driving force for Aris to grow faster, Ruel decided not to say anything more. Clip-clop, clip-clop. The horse moved at a pace matching the spirit running ahead. Not too fast, just right. Nice. Ruel smiled happily, enjoying the chilly breeze on his face and the snowyndscape. The world seemed perfect to him, unaware that the absent threat of Red Ash attacks made the experience even more enjoyable. Is this speed alright? Cassion asked, maintaining a steady pace. Yes, its just right. Ill let you know if the spirits speed changes. They rode through the streets of Apor, the heart of Setiria. As they had only passed through the city in carriages before, Ruel observed his surroundings with curiosity. Oh! This body and Aris had ice cream at the yellow shop! And this body ate chocte cake with Aris at that red shop! Leo would happily chime in with memories of the shops they passed by. Leos conversations revolved around food, but it brought a sense of joy to the journey. Next time, it would be great if Ruel-nim coulde along too. Im looking into delicious ces within the range of food you can eat, Ruel-nim. Aris cautiously suggested, looking at Ruel with a bright face. Thats a great idea. Ive been wanting to create a map of good restaurants as a hobby. Curious, Aris asked with a puzzled expression, A map of good restaurants? Im not sure about the details, but can I join you in making it? This body wants to do it too. But what is a map of good restaurants? Pfft. Ruel burst intoughter, finding Aris and Leos simr expressions amusing. He tried to stifle hisughter, but it continued to escape. Despite his efforts, theughter felt liberating, making him feel light-headed and content just being still. *** Crack. The sound of firewood burning in the bonfire rang out. Ruel continued to gaze at the firewood. The sound of the crackling fire brought peace to his heart. It reminded him of camping, something he had always wanted to do with his father. Are you really going to sleep here? Theres an inn just a little further. Would you like to stay there? Cassion looked around and came back to ask Ruel. Its okay. I want to continue feeling like Im on a journey. You seem happy. Yeah, I am. Ruel smiled and stretched his arms. Despite his contentment, he still needed to take his medication. Cassion administered two injections to Ruels arm. Even though they had only passed through several small viges in Setiria, seeing them with his own eyes made it feel different. Ruel permitted one of the spirits to leave so he could take a break, but he wasnt concerned because many other spirits still clung to him. Aris handed warm water to Cassion, who took out dried apples from his magic pocket, put them in a cup, and brewed them. Apple tea! This is the apple tea this body likes the most! Leo, ying in the grass field, ran over and eagerly waited next to Cassion. Cassion, feeling ufortable with Leos gaze, subtly said, You have your share, so you dont have to look like that, beast. This body likes Cassion! Leos attention shifted to the apple tea, and he rubbed his face against Cassions body,ughing. Here. Cassion reluctantly poured the apple tea into Leos special bowl, and Leo hastily consumed it, almost dropping the bowl in his eagerness. By the time the apple tea was halfway gone, Leo raised his head and looked at Ruel, indicating that he had finished his meal. It was the perfect time to eat the ck stuff on Ruels body as the freshness spread in his mouth. You cant do that here, Leo. Leos wagging tail drooped at Ruels words. Still, you cant. This body didnt say anything. As Ruel sipped on the apple tea, he soon chuckled. He wondered what that sparkling look in Leos eyes meant, as if he was asking for something ck to eat. No, Ruel firmly refused, causing Leos wagging tail to droop. Leo whimpered but reluctantly finished the apple tea. Ruel then turned to Aris and asked, Aris, would it be okay for you to sleep here? Ruel skipped over Cassion and asked Aris. Aris, on the other hand, expressed concern for Ruel. Im used to sleeping on the floor, so its okay. But Im more worried about you, Ruel-nim. Are you really going to sleep here? It might be ufortable for my body, but I wanted to experience this once. I have already driven away the Red Ash, and now that I have a moment to rx, I should enjoy it. I will help make your sleeping arrangement morefortable, Ruel-nim. Aris took out a material like stic from his magic pocket, shaped it, filled it with air, and quickly sealed the opening. Is it like an air mattress? Ruel was greatly surprised to find a familiar item in this unfamiliarnd. Would you like to try lying down? If its too firm, Ill dete the air inside. Ruel put down his tea and immediatelyid on the makeshift bed, which resembled an air mattress. As soon as hey down, words of admiration escaped from his lips involuntarily. Its even morefortable than I expected. Really? Aris asked with a pleased expression. Leo perked up his ears and eagerly bounced onto the makeshift bed. Its reallyfortable! So soft! Ill sleep here tonight! Thank you, Aris. Thanks to you, Ill be able to sleep well. Aris waved his hands dismissively. Its not worth being thanked for. No, receiving thanks is more than enough. In truth, Ruel had been a little worried himself. It was winter, and he was concerned about catching a cold. Despite the insting stones surrounding him, acting as heaters, there was still a lingering worry. If you feel cold, please let me know. I have received many items from Tyson-nim, Cassion offered after taking a sip of tea. Okay, Ruel replied, returning to his seat and picking up his teacup. Crack. The bonfire sttered sparks. It was quiet. Ruel was enjoying this rxed feeling so much. I followed the spirit out of pure curiosity, but its even more enjoyable than I expected, Ruel spoke softly. Since he didnt often share his feelings, Leo, Cassion, and Aris listened attentively. Actually, I wanted to experience something like this with my father Ruel brought up the topic, knowing that both Setiria and Kim Han didnt have fathers. He quickly smiled, preventing the atmosphere from turning somber. But its still wonderful because Im here with you guys. The bonfire reflected brightly in Ruels eyes. Despite the asional cold breeze touching his cheeks, even though they had put up a tent to shield against the wind, it was colder than his room, but it was bearable. Ruel took a sip of his apple tea, surprising the others. The warm and refreshing taste spread throughout his mouth, bringingfort to his senses.Author''s Thoughts Chapter 133: Chase the Spirits! (2) Chapter 133: Chase the Spirits! (2) *** Crack. Cassion swatted away the sparks flying from the bonfire with his hand to protect himself. Recently, he had ovee a wall where he could go without sleep, so it was okay even if he didn¡¯t sleep a wink. After just an hour of closing his eyes, the fatigue had vanishedpletely. ¡°Can¡¯t sleep, Aris?¡± Cassion spoke after looking at the sleeping Ruel and Leo. Ruel¡¯s breathing became increasingly irregr, so it seemed like it was time to give him Breath. Aris sat up awkwardly. ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t think I can sleep tonight.¡± It seemed like he was having a hard time falling asleep today. Ruel¡¯s words have already be a memory of yesterday.¡°But it¡¯s alright because you guys are here with me.¡± Aris felt so happy to hear that. He didn¡¯t dare describe it as family, but Aris felt that way. ¡°Ruel-nim is quite clumsy about expressing his feelings, so I was surprised when he said that yesterday.¡± Cassion was also secretly surprised, but he didn¡¯t show it. Sometimes, it happens that way. Aris cautiously spoke as he stroked his hair. ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m too happy to fall asleep. Despite almost being an adult, I still feel like a child.¡± ¡°Being an adult doesn¡¯t make much difference. Would you like some tea if you can¡¯t sleep?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Aris shook his head at Cassion¡¯s suggestion and quietly looked at the bonfire, just like Cassion did. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion started the conversation first, and Aris turned to look at him. ¡°You know he cares for you, even if he doesn¡¯t express it, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I am well aware of that,¡± Aris used a spell to block the sound as he approached the bonfire, in case Ruel woke up. ¡°However, I always feel sorry for not meeting Ruel-nim¡¯s expectations.¡± ¡°Aris, don¡¯t the knights usually say you¡¯re unlucky?¡± ¡°How did you know? I can¡¯t fool your ears,¡± Aris expressed slight surprise before smiling. ¡°I still have a long way to go to keep up with the knights. I need to work harder to catch up.¡± Cassion clicked his tongue but then quit. Comparing a mage to a knight in that way didn¡¯t sit well with him. It seemed to be an unchangeable aspect of his personality to always consider himselfcking. Even if Aris reached a higher state than now, that thought might not change. ¡®If he surpasses me, maybe things will be different then.¡¯ Cassion tried to imagine Aris surpassing himself, but it didn¡¯te to mind easily. ¡°Now Ruel-nim will be able to smile a lot, right?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Cassion couldn¡¯t give a definite answer to Aris¡¯s question. The only thing that had copsed was the Red Ash in Leponia. They hadn¡¯t even encountered the higher-ups yet. The future remains uncertain, casting a slight gloom over Aris, then he clenched his fist. ¡°I want to be stronger, so that no one can harm Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°I think the same.¡± Aris was surprised by Cassion¡¯s words that followed. Cassion bing stronger from here was unimaginable. ¡°Why are you surprised? I haven¡¯t reached my peak yet. Stopping here would be foolish.¡± Cassion chuckled and looked at Aris. When Ruel¡¯s heart stopped, he realized that if the weak master died, he would die too. To protect his own life, he needed to be even stronger, ensuring no one could harm Ruel. ¡°I feel reassured because of you, Cassion.¡± Aris smiled faintly as he looked at the bonfire. A challenge seemed toce Cassion¡¯s words as he questioned, ¡°Not following behind me are you?¡± Aris met Cassion¡¯s gaze once again. Observing the determined glint in Cassion¡¯s eyes and his smug smirk, Aris clenched his fists once more. ¡°I will catch up. Definitely.¡± *** The spirit passed through the gate and headed towards the Beast Forest. Ruel, watching the lone figure, stood in line with those trying to pass through the gate and leisurely looked around. Seeing the Setiria Gate after a long time, a satisfied smile naturally appeared on his face. He had only heard news of the gate being repaired, so he didn¡¯t know what it looked like afterwards. ¡®Seems like it¡¯s been rebuilt.¡¯ The old, worn-out feeling was nowhere to be found. The number of soldiers had increased significantly, and their armor and weapons sparkled brightly. ¡®Good, good. It¡¯s very well done.¡¯ Ruel then tried to see therge rock covering Leponia, but it was still shrouded in mist, making it impossible to see. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at Cassion. ¡°I will go talk to the soldiers at the gate.¡± Ruel was now feeling the chilly wind despite Aris¡¯s warming magic and Leo being in his embrace. However, Ruel was still shivering from the cold and shook his head. ¡°No, it¡¯s a rule I¡¯ve set. I don¡¯t want to break it with my own hands.¡± Breaking the rules would undermine their resolve. There should be no exceptions at the gate. ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion took out a nket from his magic pocket and covered Ruel with it. They waited for their turn in line, unsure of how much time had passed. When it was finally their turn, Cassion handed his identification to the soldier. The soldier, wearing an expressionless face, was taken aback and urgently searched for someone. Soon, his gaze fell on the man with a white cloak and a nket covering him. A finger covered with thick gloves rose to Ruel¡¯s lips. ¡°Be quiet. Do you understand?¡± ¡°Y-yes, I understand perfectly! Please go ahead quickly!¡± As Cassion retrieved his identification from the soldier, Ruel mounted his horse ahead of time. Cassion followed suit, and the horse started moving energetically again. ¡°Can we still catch up?¡± Aris asked Ruel. Ruel nced at Leo in his arms before looking ahead. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not visible from here. We might see it if we go a little further.¡± ¡°In that case, let¡¯s keep moving,¡± Cassion said, tightening the reins while remaining vignt of their surroundings. Once they passed through the next gate, they would enter the Beast Forest. Curiosity got the better of Cassion as he asked, ¡°Ruel-nim, do you n on using that power?¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not use it. I shouldn¡¯t copse.¡± Ruel had never used the power to control monsters without fainting. This time, they were going to pursue a spirit, not stop something or thwart an enemy¡¯s intentions. ¡°Good point.¡± Cassion showed a faint smile. He was slightly anxious that Ruel might use that power. ¡°Leo, do you know where the spirit went?¡± Ruel asked Leo after inhaling Breath. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t know. There are too many scents mixed together, making it difficult to distinguish. And this body hates being here. Leo nestled in Ruel¡¯s arms, only showing his ears. As they got closer to where Ruel first met Leo, Leo became silent. Ruel hurriedly spoke while petting Leo. ¡°Stop for a moment.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassion halted the horse and scanned the surroundings. There were no monsters in sight, nor did any signs of their imminent appearance exist. Cassion had sent his men ahead to clear the road, so there shouldn¡¯t have been any obstructions. Ruel silently gazed towards the forest. ¡®The monsters seem to be chasing something. Just like when I first met Leo.¡¯ Cassion had said before that monsters didn¡¯t gather like this. However, dozens of them were clearly chasing something. ¡®What are they chasing? Are they chasing a Purifier like Leo?¡¯ Ruel pondered for a moment. The spirit was not visible on the straight road ahead. ¡°Cassion, Aris.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Both Cassion and Aris responded to Ruel¡¯s words at the same time. ¡°Something is being pursued by the monsters. It¡¯s very simr to when I first met Leo.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡ªIs that true? This body was suddenly chased by monsters too! ¡°Yes, it¡¯s quite simr to what happened back then,¡± Ruel confirmed, pointing towards the gathering of monsters in the distance. ¡°Over there.¡± Cassion sighed from behind. ¡°Understood. Please dismount for now.¡± Cassion dismounted from his horse. Ruel looked at him with a puzzled expression. ¡°Horses are skittish creatures. It¡¯s best not to take them into the Beast Forest,¡± Cassion exined, chuckling lightly at Ruel¡¯s reaction. ¡°Are you suggesting we go on foot?¡± Ruel looked displeased. Originally, he had no intention of going to the Beast Forest, but the situation had changed. Perhaps the spirit, who had gone ahead of them, had been chased by monsters and ended up in the Beast Forest. ¡°I will cast a Hold spell.¡± Aris dismounted from the horse and used the Hold spell as Ruel came down to the ground. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel smiled contentedly as he felt the sensation of floating. Cassion took the lead, and as they walked, Aris voiced his concern while ncing at the horses, ¡°Should we leave the horses like this?¡± ¡°My subordinates will take care of them, so we don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Finally, Aris let go of any concerns and followed Cassion. Kuroo kuru. As soon as they stepped into the Beast Forest, the spirits suddenly began to cry and cling tightly to Ruel. Ruel pointed to the spirits gathered around his abdomen and asked Leo, ¡°Why are they acting like this?¡± ¡ªThey say it¡¯s scary here. This body is scared too. It feels like this body is surrounded by something bigger and scarier than before. Ruel had already sensed that Leo was trembling slightly in his arms. Ruel gently stroked Leo and the spirits. ¡°Are the monsters scary?¡± ¡ªThe monsters are scary, but it¡¯s something different. This body doesn¡¯t know how to express it. In Ruel¡¯s own gaze, there was nothing else visible or felt besides the mysterious scene and the monsters. ¡®Is there something in the Beast Forest?¡¯ Ruel looked around the Beast Forest more intently, and he noticed that the monsters were instinctively retreating from the direction Cassion was heading. ¡®Even the monsters are afraid. What a monster.¡¯ Ruelughed and inhaled Breath. *** How far had they ventured inside? Just when Ruel thought they had gone quite far, he heard a cheerful sound that didn¡¯t quite fit in with the Beast Forest. Pop. Something stomped on the ground, like a game sound effect. ¡ªHuh? As Ruel turned his head in surprise along with Leo¡¯s words, something resembling a rabbit was hopping alongside them. ¡°What is that?¡± Ruel¡¯s startled voice made Cassion and Aris stop in their tracks. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? I don¡¯t see any monsters,¡± Cassion said, scanning the surroundings with his dagger at the ready. He couldn¡¯t see what Ruel was referring to, but it appeared to be a spirit. Ruel, who had now noticed a rabbit-like spirit stuck to his leg, looked around and saw cute little creatures peeking at him from behind trees, in the grass, and on branches. In an instant, he felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°Aris, can you see them too?¡± Ruel asked anxiously, pointing out the spirits surrounding him. Cassion might not be able to see them, but Aris should. Aris replied somewhat awkwardly, ¡°In fact, there is so much natural mana here that it¡¯s difficult to distinguish.¡± ¡°How does it appear to you?¡± ¡°It seems like a thick fog has settled.¡± As Aris answered, Ruel looked around and clenched his fingers. The twinkling eyes of the spirits resembled the eyes of the smaller, fuzzy spirits as they stuck to his body. ¡®One of them has already attached itself to me.¡¯ Ruel still saw the rabbit-like spirit clinging to his leg. ¡ªIt seems like everyone is drawn to Ruel¡¯s scent. Leo sniffed and said with a big smile. Ruel sighed deeply and wiped his face with his hand. Is it the scent again? ¡°Is this ce full of spirits?¡± Aris asked anxiously, his face showing a desire to take out his notebook immediately. ¡°Yes. There are so many.¡± Although Ruel didn¡¯t know why there were spirits in the Beast Forest, it seemed like he needed to first confirm the beings being chased by the monsters. Ruel was about to speak as he made eye contact with the spirits, but he stopped himself. Even if he told them not to follow, the spirits were already in pursuit. ¡°It¡¯s that way.¡± Ruel pointed in the direction again with his finger. They ventured deeper into the Beast Forest, with the spirits following behind them. Sounds from the spirits and unfamiliar voices echoed from all directions, making Ruel increasingly frown. Ruel couldn¡¯t help but nce back. ¡®What? They¡¯ve increased more than before, right?¡¯ Ruel was surprised by the procession of spirits following him one after another. ¡ªOh! This body didn¡¯t know there were so many spirits! Leo, who was always fascinated by anything, was busy admiring them. ¡°It feels like something unpleasant has been lifted, and I feel like I can breathe more easily.¡± Aris took a deep breath and spoke with a calm expression on his face. Is it because of the spirits? Ruel paused for a moment while inhaling Breath, recalling Aris¡¯s words. ¡°You mentioned that there is a lot of natural mana here. Shall we take a break?¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve been slowly converting it into my mana anyway.¡± ¡°Is it possible to convert your mana while walking?¡± ¡°Yes, it is possible.¡± Ruel was amazed at how easily Aris answered. If he made a slight mistake, he wouldn¡¯t be able to convert it to mana while in such a precarious situation. ¡®That¡¯s why geniuses¡­¡¯ Ruel closed his mouth, understanding the knights, especially Horen¡¯s feelings. ¡°Ruel-nim, it seems like we¡¯ve ventured too deep into the Beast Forest. How about turning back from here?¡± Cassion, who had been silently moving forward, spoke up. The Beast Forest was dangerous. At the moment, the monsters around him were at a level he could handle, but as they went deeper, he felt a sense of danger. His sense of direction was starting to blur. ¡°It¡¯s up ahead. Let¡¯s just check here and then turn back.¡± Ruel was just as tense. While in the beginning, they leisurely admired the surroundings, it was different now. Because of Cassion, the monsters didn¡¯t approach, but it was clear that they were starting to gather, considering them as tasty prey, which created a significant sense of pressure. After a few more steps, Cassion stopped walking for a moment. ¡°Please wait a moment. My subordinates are dealing with the monsters up ahead.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel nodded and looked at the spirits. ¡®It seems like there are even more now.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo called out to him, scratching the ground with his front paw. ¡°What?¡± ¡ªThe spirits said that the monsters attacked while they were on their way home.¡± ¡®Home? Are they referring to the ce where the spirits are heading?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, waiting for Leo¡¯s words. ¡ªThey said they were running away and happened to catch a good scent that led them to you, Ruel! ¡®Again, this scent¡­¡¯ Ruel petted Leo, who was seeking praise, and met eyes with Aris, who seemed to be expecting something with a fervor for knowledge. He must be curious about what spirits look like. Ruel nced at Aris and asked Leo, ¡°Surely they won¡¯t attach themselves to me again?¡± ¡ªNo, they won¡¯t. It seems like they have found the direction to go back home. It was good news at the right time. Ruel¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay now. Let¡¯s move again.¡± Cassion resumed walking after stopping. As they arrived at a ce where traces of battle were visible, Ruel spotted a spirit running towards him through the bushes. ¡ªIt¡¯s a spirit! We found it! Leoughed gleefully and hugged the spirit tightly with his short hands. It seemed to be the same spirit that had left the gate first. ¡®It¡¯s not a great purifier.¡¯ Although disappointed, Ruel was initially satisfied with the fact that he had discovered an important piece of information. The ce the spirit was heading was none other than the Beast Forest. ¡®A very unlikelybination¡­¡¯ Suddenly, Ruel¡¯s eyes widened. A monster was rapidly approaching him at an incredible speed. It was different from the previous monsters. It was of enormous size, unlike anything he had seen before. ¡°A giant ising!¡± Ruel immediately shouted loudly. Knowing where the spirits were heading, there was no reason to fight the monster.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 134: Chase the Spirits! (3) Chapter 134: Chase the Spirits! (3) Running away wasn¡¯t a bad idea either. But Aris drew his sword and stood in front of Ruel. Ruel spoke, looking at Cassion and Aris, ¡°Now step back¡­¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just step back against that guy.¡± Suddenly, a dagger appeared in Cassion¡¯s hands. He looked in the direction the monster wasing from with interest and smirked. ¡°He¡¯s strong.¡± ¡°Yes. This one, no, this monster is strong.¡± Aris furrowed his brow and swallowed nervously.Rumble! The ground shook for a moment. A giant snake with golden-yellow scales emerged, crashing through the trees. It stood tall, filling the forest with its overwhelming presence. It was sorge that Ruel couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°What is that? It¡¯s huge¡­!¡± Standing before such a monster, he felt as insignificant as an ant. -Ugh. Suddenly, a voice echoed in Ruel¡¯s head. Ruel quickly turned to look at Leo. It wasn¡¯t Leo. Leo was gaping in surprise. ¡®I haven¡¯t even used my power yet; I can hear its voice.¡¯ The ckened eyes of the monster only looked at Ruel. -Me¡­ me. Shaaa. Just the sound the monster made sent shivers down Ruel¡¯s skin. ¡°Aris, take Ruel-nim and retreat,¡± Cassion¡¯s dagger emanated a purple aura. ¡°Understood.¡± Aris immediately took Ruel, who was lifted by Hold, and ran backwards. -Stop¡­ Please. ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Ruel urgently called out to the desperate voice of the monster. Aris came to a halt, his expression filled with confusion as he looked at Ruel. ¡°The monster is speaking to me.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Aris was taken aback by Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°That monster.¡± A light shone in Ruel¡¯s green eyes. Despite how absurd it sounded, Ruel didn¡¯t feel entirely unfamiliar with the monster. ¡°Instruct me to stop.¡± -¡­Ruel. The monster spoke Ruel¡¯s name. At that moment, Ruel¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Thump thump. ¡®Does this monster¡­ know my name?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯tprehend this strange situation where the monster seemed acquainted with him. The glow in Ruel¡¯s eyes caused Aris¡¯s face to tense up. He was using that power again. ¡°Ruel-nim, do you n on using that power?¡± ¡°Release Hold.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Aris immediately released Hold at Ruel¡¯smand. But Aris watched over Ruel, biting his lip in worry about what might happen. ¡°Leo, step back.¡± ¡ªThis body¡­ ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªThis body understands. Ruel put Leo down and walked forward. ¡°Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion turned his head at the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. His master was heading towards them. Cassion wanted to shout, ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± But when he saw the light in Ruel¡¯s eyes, he turned his head towards the monster. The ckened eyes of the demon gradually subsided. Cassion clenched his dagger tightly and spoke firmly, ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t use that power if possible.¡± The monster was strong, but he was confident he could handle it. ¡°I can handle this.¡± ¡°Cassion, step back.¡± Ruelmanded. Reluctantly, Cassion took a step back. However, he was prepared to step forward, no matter how much it pained his heart. ¡°Stop.¡± At Ruel¡¯smand, the monster stopped and stared silently at Ruel. Ruel thought it wouldn¡¯t be difficult since it was just one monster, but a severe headache surged as if controlling dozens at once. Ruel grabbed his throbbing head and asked the monster, ¡°How do you know my name?¡± Cassion, who was standing behind, looked at Ruel and the monster alternately in surprise. -Dear. The monster called Ruel with a faint voice. -My friend. ¡°¡­.?¡± Ruel was too shocked to utter a word. The monster called him a friend. -Something is devouring my existence. I can no longer sustain myself. ¡°What¡­ are you saying?¡± Ruel felt frustrated that the monster didn¡¯t exin in a manner he couldprehend. ¡°Who are you? Speak so I can understand!¡± At Ruel¡¯smand, the monster spoke immediately. -I am Rupina. The guardian and the one who obeys yourmands. ¡°Rupina¡­?¡± Why did that name not feel unfamiliar? Apart from the headache, Ruel sensed a surge of emotions welling up within him, but he couldn¡¯t grasp what they were. It felt as though something tightly blocked his understanding. There was no Ruel Setiria to seek answers from at that moment. -I have protected this ce, faithfully following your orders until now. Please aid me in finding rest. ¡°Me? Help you?¡± -Even if you don¡¯t remember me, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just happy to see you for thest time. The monster bowed its head to Ruel. Cautiously, Ruel reached out and touched the monster. There was no warmth. How many times had he experienced this sensation now? Ruel finally understood what it meant¡ªthe monster was on the verge of death. ¡®Ruel Setiria. You¡¯re such a piece of trash.¡¯ Why are there so many things you left behind? If you¡¯re leaving, take everything with you. Ruel understood, yet there was only onemand he could give to the unfamiliar monster. ¡°Rest in peace now.¡± Instantly, Ruel copsed in ce, overwhelmed by a sudden headache. A trickle of blood streamed from his nose. -My friend and my master. The monster, raising its head again, looked at Ruel with golden eyes and smiled. -Goodbye. In an instant, it turned into silver dust. Even though it wasn¡¯t purification, the same phenomenon urred. As the wind blew, the dust scattered. At the same time, Ruel felt the emptiness and nostalgia of sending off a familiar being. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ Ruel felt frustrated. The monster named Rupina, whom he had only encountered once, couldn¡¯t be erased from his mind. *** Ruel sighed as soon as he opened his eyes. The ceiling above him was unfamiliar once again. ¡®But I didn¡¯t copse immediately, so I must have grown somewhat.¡¯ Finding some sce in that, Ruel chuckled softly. He had a minor nosebleed as an aftereffect of controlling the monsters, but he was fine. It seemed like he had walked for about 5 minutes, but he had lost consciousness afterward. Leo¡¯srge eyes came into Ruel¡¯s view. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Are you awake? ¡°Nothing happened, right?¡± Ruel looked around. It seemed like a few spirits had disappeared, but some still remained. ¡ªNothing happened! Um, about this body¡¯s front paw¡­ Leo grabbed his own tail before finishing his sentence. ¡ªIf this body gets the date wrong, are you going to grab this body¡¯s tail again? ¡°Even if a lot of time has passed, it couldn¡¯t be more than two days.¡± As someone who had copsed before, Ruel knew. Even if he used the power to control monsters and copsed, it neversted more than two days. Feeling somewhat well-rested, it seemed like a day and a half had passed. ¡ªRuel. Leo let go of his tail and leaned in close to Ruel¡¯s face again. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªDid Ruel use purification? ¡°No. The shadows didn¡¯t even move.¡± ¡ªBut why did a phenomenon simr to purification happen with that monster? Leo tilted his head in confusion. Ruel grabbed his head as a sudden realization hit him. ¡°Was that truly purification?¡± ¡ªYes! It was purification! Leo nodded in response to Ruel¡¯s question. -Someone is devouring my existence. I can no longer sustain myself. Ruel remembered Rupina¡¯s words and felt puzzled. ¡®Is Rupina being controlled by someone?¡¯ -I am Rupina. The guardian and the one who obeys yourmands. ¡®Rupina is not a monster¡­.¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow and clenched his fist. ¡®That can¡¯t be. This power can only control monsters, right?¡¯ Ruel covered his face with both hands and took a deep breath. -My friend and my master. ¡®Rupina addressed me as its Master. Wasn¡¯t this just Ruel Setiria¡¯s power? Being the master of a monster. What¡¯s this¡­?¡¯ Trying to avoid dwelling on it any further, Ruel sat up. However, he immediately felt dizzy and had to lie back down on the bed. ¡ªYou shouldn¡¯t get up suddenly like that! Leo eximed in rm. ¡°Why? What happened while I was unconscious?¡± Using the power to control monsters was only burdensome during its use, with no issues afterward. Leo was gradually disappearing from Ruel¡¯s sight. Leo ttened himself on the bed and buried his face in the nket. ¡ªThis body, this body ate something ck because this body was hungry. This body was only supposed to eat a little, but it was so delicious¡­ so this body ate a lot. Only then did Ruel notice that his clothes had changed. Ruel rolled back the nket and gently stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, you can eat.¡± ¡ªRuel, are you not mad? ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± When did Leo ask for permission and eat? It was quite amusing. Leo stood back in his ce and wagged his tail. ¡ªHehe. It was so delicious! As expected, the ck stuff that springs from Ruel¡¯s body is the most delicious! Creak. The sound of the door opening made Ruel turn his head. ¡°Are you awake? How¡¯s your body feeling?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice sounded slightly strained. Aris stood behind him. ¡°It holds more grudges than it looks.¡± Ruel chuckled and said, ¡°Oh, please don¡¯t misunderstand. It¡¯s because the sound thates every time the door opens is unpleasant.¡± Cassion nced at the door, ready to grease it. Then he brought a tray and ced it on the table. Before opening the lid of the tray, Cassion looked at Ruel with a mocking smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything, but it seems like a guilty conscience needs no user, Ruel-nim.¡± A direct hit. Ruel looked at Cassion with an ufortable expression. ¡°Leo, would you like to y with Aris for a while?¡± Since it was a topic that a talkative fox shouldn¡¯t be involved in, Ruel sent Leo out differently than usual. ¡ªI will stay by Ruel¡¯s side. Leo pouted. Cassion nodded slightly at Aris. ¡°Leo.¡± Aris called Leo. ¡ªThis body is not in the mood to y with Aris right now. This body will stay by Ruel¡¯s side. ¡°Besides that, don¡¯t you want to go buy snacks with me? Ruel-nim hasn¡¯t been able to eat anything and has been lying down all the time, so he must be very hungry.¡± Leo slowly turned his head to look at Aris. His eyes were still full of discontent. ¡°Leo, you¡¯re going to choose something delicious for Ruel-nim.¡± ¡ªThis body? ¡°Yeah. You know best what Ruel-nim likes.¡± ¡ªThis body knows! Only then did Leo smile broadly. ¡ªThis body knows how hard it is to be hungry! This body will choose something delicious for Ruel! Ruel felt a sense of guilt as he looked at Leo¡¯s innocent smile. ¡®I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just happy to think it¡¯ll help me, and whatever he chooses, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s delicious.¡¯ ¡ªThis body will be back. Leo was hugged by Aris, who waved his short front legs. Ruel waved his hand as well, and the door closed with a squeak. Cassion brought a chair with a frown at the unpleasant sound. He spoke up towards Ruel, who was sitting upright and inhaling Breath. ¡°Is it worth sending out an innocent beast like that?¡± Ruel knew that he usually didn¡¯t send Leo away from his side. He sent Leo away because it was something that shouldn¡¯t be heard by him. ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel spoke with a deep frown. ¡°Yes, please go ahead.¡± ¡°Do you remember when I first performed purification, and you questioned my identity?¡± ¡°I do remember,¡± Cassion replied. The memory of that moment was still vivid for him. However, now that he knew the reason behind Ruel¡¯s ability to purify, he no longer doubted Ruel¡¯s identity. ¡°The monster ims that I am its master,¡± Ruel revealed, causing Cassion to be taken aback. ¡°The¡­ monster?¡± Cassion repeated, trying toprehend the absurdity of the statement. ¡°I¡¯m not joking,¡± Ruel said, looking at Cassion, who was in shock. ¡°I¡¯m not joking either. The master of a monster is obviously not a monster.¡± If Ruel was a monster, it made sense that he could control monsters as well. It was obvious that the master of monsters could control them. ¡°Cassion, stop talking nonsense.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice rose. Since it was not good for him to get angry, Cassion held back his itchy mouth and remained silent. ¡°I have no memories of my childhood,¡± Ruel continued, revealing that his childhood memories had been erased by someone. Cassion was aware of this fact, but Ruel himself was not. Cassion hesitated on whether to inform him of this. ¡°Perhaps someone granted you this power when you were young?¡± Cassion suggested. The demon named Rupina knew about him. Rupina even said it received orders from him. There was no doubt that Ruel had encountered that monster when he was young. ¡°It seems like I have more reasons to find the king.¡± Cassion nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. First, we need to go back to the Beast Forest.¡± ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± ¡°We came here to chase the spirit, didn¡¯t we? We need to achieve our goal.¡± Cassion stared at Ruel as if he had been hit hard. Whether he stared or spoke, Ruel lifted the corners of his mouth and said, ¡°We¡¯ll eat first and then set off again.¡± *** ¡ªWas the cake this body chose delicious? ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel nodded his head at the sudden cough. ¡ªReally? Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled unusually today. Ruel smiled and patted Leo, who was sitting on his shoulder. ¡°Yeah, it was delicious.¡± ¡ªThis body did it! This body was helpful to Ruel! Leo nuzzled his face into Ruel¡¯s arms and constantly waggled his tail. They left the inn in the neutral zone and walked through the marketce. Since none of them had seen the neutral zone before, they decided to take a leisurely stroll around the outskirts of the Beast Forest, allowing themselves some extra time. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion spoke quietly. Since Ruel mentioned going to the Beast Forest, Cassion¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t been favorable. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Please ept this for now.¡± Cassion handed Ruel a cane. ¡®Why a cane all of a sudden?¡¯ Briefly puzzled, Ruel soon turned his gaze around. ¡°Someone is watching you, Ruel-nim. I thought it would be wise to be prepared, so I¡¯m giving this to you.¡± Ruel¡¯s doubts were resolved by Cassion¡¯s small voice. Ruel held onto Breath and asked. ¡°Is it the Red Ash?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe so. They don¡¯t seem to have any intention to attack.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ruel raised the corners of his mouth. No one was chasing after him. If someone were, Cassion would have already informed him. ¡®They seem to be interested in me.¡¯ Whether this person recognized his face or had heard the name ¡®Ruel¡¯ from Cassion or Aris, they clearly knew who he was. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have stared at him so intently, prompting Cassion to report it. Ruel didn¡¯t know their intentions, but he had to confront them directly.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 135: House of Spirits Chapter 135: House of Spirits ¡°Go down the alley,¡± Ruel instructed, and Cassion nodded in agreement. ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way.¡± ¡°Aris, silence the sounds around us,¡± Ruel continued, giving his instructions. ¡°Understood,¡± Aris replied, and he immediately used magic. ¡ªAnd what about this body? Leo was also waiting for his instructions. ¡°Leo, you¡­¡± Ruel hesitated for a moment, but Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled with anticipation. ¡°Leo, reveal yourself and stay close to me,¡± Ruel finally said. The rumor of Ruel carrying a red fox had spread widely. ¡ªGot it! Leo happily jumped down from Ruel¡¯s shoulder and stuck closely to Ruel¡¯s leg. Pretending to casually explore the market, they naturally made their way towards the alley, with Ruel patiently waiting for the person following him. Their eyes met as a man nced at Ruel.Ruel removed his hat, offering a gentle smile. ¡°If I made you ufortable, please ept my apologies,¡± Ruel said politely. The man, apanied by several imposing individuals, approached Ruel cautiously, scratching the back of his head. ¡°I unintentionally followed someone I couldn¡¯t see here, and I apologize regardless of the circumstances.¡± The man bowed his head to Ruel. Then, realizing something, he gestured towards the men behind him, and they respectfully backed away. ¡°If you have a moment¡­¡± the man began hesitantly. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ruel replied, noticing the man was wearing and the men who approached him as if to escort him, Ruel noticed that he was not amoner. ¡°Here.¡± Ttuk. Ruel gestured with his cane toward the ground. He intended to show respect but had no intention of being led by the man until he knew his purpose. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can convince you, but I am not a suspicious person,¡± the man exined, rubbing his chin and shaking his head. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t very convincing.¡± He seemed to be talking to himself, contemting how to gain Ruel¡¯s trust. ¡®What is he doing?¡¯ ¡°How can I persuade him to believe me?¡± Ruel grasped his cane at the man¡¯s clearly audible muttering. Preparing to speak and not wanting to waste any more time. However, before he could say anything, the man introduced himself. ¡°Please don¡¯t be startled and hear me out. I am Prince Treitol Kran, the second prince of the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyebrows twitched slightly. The man then took out a ne and approached Ruel, but Aris stepped in. ¡°Do note any closer,¡± Aris warned, cautious of any potential threat. ¡°Oh, my apologies. In any case, please show this to your master,¡± the man said. Aris took the ne from the man and handed it to Cassion. Sniff. Leo sniffed. ¡ªSmells like the ocean! Cassion closely inspected the emblem on the ne and nodded slightly towards Ruel, indicating that it was indeed the authentic emblem of the Kran Kingdom. Ruel internally swallowed his surprise. ¡®Has the Kran Kingdom¡¯s envoy already arrived?¡¯ Ruel nced at Cassion and spoke softly, ¡°Return it.¡± It was clearly Cassion¡¯s mistake not to inform him. However, Cassion¡¯s expression remained unchanged. ¡®Does this mean the envoy hasn¡¯t arrived yet?¡¯ The man, who was smiling awkwardly and trying to hide his embarrassment, was indeed a prince. The ne was real, after all. Ruel bowed his head to the man. ¡°I apologize for the inconvenience. I am Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Ah, as expected, you are Lord Ruel Setiria,¡± Prince Treitol said with relief, cing a hand over his chest before bowing his head in surprise. ¡°Oops. Let me formally apologize. Will you forgive all my actions?¡± ¡®He believed me so easily?¡¯ Ruel momentarily suppressed the doubts that arose within him. He hadn¡¯t revealed the Setiria crest on the back of his hand yet. ¡®He must have already investigated me.¡¯ He raised the corner of his mouth even higher, ¡°How about we relocate first, Your Highness?¡± Ruel suggested, wanting to properly wee this suspicious guest. *** Ruel attempted to secure a private room at the inn to have a conversation with Treitol, but the prince had rented out the entire ce as a gesture of apology. ¡®What a waste of money.¡¯ He was a prince, after all. ¡®The prince I know wasn¡¯t like this.¡¯ Ruel sipped water in silence while thinking about Banios living in his house. Leo, sitting on Ruel¡¯sp, tilted his head in confusion when he saw that there was only water on the table. ¡ªWhy is there nothing here? He tried to jump onto the table, wondering if he was mistaken, but Ruel grabbed his tail. ¡ªHic! ¡°Oh, my apologies! I rented the shop to make you morefortable, but it seems you¡¯ve already had your meal,¡± Treitol expressed his regret with a sigh. ¡°No, I simply ate a bit earlier,¡± Ruel replied, hiding his annoyance and maintaining a polite smile. As they walked together and after renting the shop, Ruel continued to wonder why Treitol wanted to meet him. ¡°To be honest, it was a coincidence,¡± Treitol began cautiously, sensing Ruel¡¯s wariness. Ruel felt ufortable with Treitol¡¯s pretense. ¡°You can speakfortably, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I deeply regret my actions, and I wanted to apologize to Lord Setiria¡­¡± ¡°It is I who feels ufortable,¡± Ruel interrupted suddenly, causing Treitol to blink in surprise before awkwardly smiling. ¡°I apologize¡­ I mean, I¡¯m sorry. I spoke that way because of my guilt towards Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°I consider myself fortunate to have met you, Your Highness Treitol, in this vast neutral zone,¡± Ruel confessed. Even when Ruel questioned whether it was truly a coincidence, Treitol answered without hesitation. ¡°Oh, by the way, speaking of coincidences, the diplomatic delegation has not arrived yet. I hurriedly came here because I was eager to explore this ce.¡± ¡°You arrived before the delegation?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. I have always wanted to see the neutral zone. It¡¯s a ce where the perspectives of the Kran, Leponia, and Cyronian nations converge!¡± Treitol eximed excitedly before quickly covering his mouth. ¡°I apologize. I haven¡¯t been out much, so I didn¡¯t realize my voice was getting loud.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. I understand that feeling.¡± ¡°I appreciate your understanding. It¡¯s somewhat embarrassing,¡± Treitol said, taking a sip of water before returning to the main topic. ¡°I overheard someone passing by calling out ¡®Lord Ruel.¡¯ Out of curiosity, I followed, as I only know one Ruel, Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Did you know about me?¡± ¡°Of course! Lord Setiria, the noble who saved the vige of the Cyronian Kingdom and earned the title of the Noble of Darkness, is truly an exemry noble!¡± ¡ªThis body¡¯s favorite words! Ruel is indeed a noble of darkness! Ruel¡¯s expression suddenly crumpled, and he grew tired of maintaining his smile as bombshell words came from both sides. ¡®Damn you, Ganien.¡¯ He never expected to hear the title ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ here. It hit him hard. ¡°I¡¯ve always hoped to meet Lord Setiria someday,¡± Treitol said with a smile, extending his hand. At that moment, Ruel felt a strange sensation wash over him. Swish. For a brief moment, Treitol, who had appeared harmless until then, seemed different. It was like touching a spider¡¯s web that couldn¡¯t be easily broken. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ Ruel blinked a few times and looked at Treitol again. The person sitting before him appeared in yet elegant, just like when they first met. Treitol briefly nced at his outstretched hand before retracting it awkwardly, seemingly embarrassed. However, Ruel held onto his hand. ¡°I am also pleased to meet you, Your Highness.¡± ¡°I am truly, truly d as well. I didn¡¯t expect to encounter Lord Setiria here. If I had known, I would have followed the envoy to Leponia,¡± Treitol expressed his regret while fiddling with his ss. He spoke as if there were reasons preventing him from joining the delegation, so Ruel asked vaguely, ¡°Even now, couldn¡¯t Your Highness join the delegation?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bitplicated. Um, there are internal matters that I can¡¯t discuss. It¡¯s just regrettable,¡± Treitol replied. ¡°Cough.¡± Treitol asked worriedly as Ruel coughed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard rumors that you¡¯re not feeling well.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Just a minor cough,¡± Ruel reassured him. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not taking up Lord Setiria¡¯s time with my presence,¡± Treitol said, taking a moment to collect himself. Even in the midst of their conversation, a spirit departed. It was a pity, really. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I¡¯ve been curious about Kran for a while,¡± Ruel replied, patting Leo while maintaining an innocent smile. ¡°Well, that works out nicely then. Although I haven¡¯t traveled much, I know my country well,¡± Treitol said, and from then on, he continued to talk incessantly. He mentioned the beauty of the seas in the Kran Kingdom and the bridges connecting the neutral zone, sharing trivial stories. Ruel struggled to stifle a yawn and noticed that Leo had fallen asleep. He found Treitol rather uninteresting. ¡°Oh, I forgot to ask the most important question amidst our conversation. I¡¯ve heard about the Turbulent Day in Setiria. Is it truly as beautiful as they say?¡± Treitol asked, mentioning the Turbulent Day, catching Ruel off guard. If Treitol knew about it, it meant that the Turbulent Day was not just a famous sword. Ruel had even shattered that sword twice, albeit a replica. Ruelposed himself and replied, ¡°Yes, it is truly beautiful. If Your Highness ever visits Setiria, I would be delighted to show it to you.¡± ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ve been eager to see it. Ah, the legends associated with Turbulent Day are quite fascinating, aren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what legends are for, aren¡¯t they? Most of them are fictional.¡± ¡°Yes, indeed. But they often have roots in true stories. Ever since I learned about the Turbulent Day, I¡¯ve been curious about the hero who perished by that sword.¡± Treitol smiled. ¡°And what about Lord Setiria? Aren¡¯t you curious?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never really pondered it before. But now that Your Highness mentions it, I am starting to feel intrigued.¡± Ruel¡¯s words flowed effortlessly, and Treitol burst intoughter. ¡°¡­!¡± Ruel suddenly choked and hurriedly covered his mouth as blood spurted out. ¡®Not again¡­¡¯ Treitol, who had beenughing joyfully, quickly stood up in shock upon seeing the blood flowing between Ruel¡¯s fingers. ¡°Quickly! Get a doctor!¡± he urgently shouted, and Cassion immediately rushed into the room. ¡°I will take care of him. I apologize, Your Highness,¡± Cassion said, carrying Ruel out. ¡°No, go quickly! Hurry!¡± Treitol urged Cassion hastily. ¡°Until we meet again, Lord Setiria,¡± Treitol said faintly, leaving Ruel with an unsettling feeling, as if he was caught in a spider¡¯s web. *** As Cassion carried Ruel back to the inn, Leo, who had been sound asleep, suddenly opened his eyes, hearing Ruel¡¯s groans. ¡ªRuel? Leo hesitated, not sure what to do, as he saw Ruel curled up in pain, trembling. ¡ªCassion, Is Ruel in pain again? ¡°It¡¯s the pain he always experiences,¡± Cassion replied calmly, administering a third painkiller to Ruel, who seemed to be in more intense and prolonged pain than before. It was a variable he had worried about, but fortunately, they were currently in a neutral zone and not the Beast Forest. Aris wiped Ruel¡¯s cold sweat and asked Leo, ¡°Leo, can you check to see if anything ck stuff has increased in Ruel-nim¡¯s body?¡± ¡ªThere aren¡¯t any. Leo approached Ruel and gently patted him. ¡ªDon¡¯t be in pain. I willfort you. ¡°Cassion.¡± Aris called out heavily, interrupting Cassion. The enemy had finally made a move, and Aris could sense their presence. Expecting retaliation from the Red Ash, Aris calmly said, ¡°I will go.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t let any of them escape,¡± Cassion instructed. ¡°Of course,¡± Aris replied, tightly gripping the handle of his sword. Opening the door swiftly, he drew his sword. The enemy had been waiting for an opportunity, and now they had targeted Ruel. How dare they? Aris¡¯s eyes gleamed with fiery determination as he dered, ¡°Not a single one.¡± mes erupted from his sword with a swift motion. ¡°None of them will survive.¡± *** As the pain subsided, Ruel breathed heavily, feeling drained. Cassion offered a handkerchief and asked, ¡°How about returning to the mansion?¡± Ruel, after coughing up ck blood, raised the corner of his mouth and said, ¡°You know this symptom¡­ it appears even when I¡¯m resting. What about Aris?¡± ¡°He went with my subordinates to dispose of the bodies.¡± ¡°Bodies? There was Red Ash?¡± ¡°Yes. As soon as we crossed the gate, the enemy attacked. Although I thought they would give up once we reached the neutral zone, they pursued us again.¡± ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel called out to Cassion fiercely. He, too, foolishly didn¡¯t know about it. ¡°I apologize. But I didn¡¯t want to disturb your peaceful journey, and it seemed manageable enough for Aris to handle.¡± ¡°Cassion, you have an obligation to report everything to me. Is there anything else you¡¯re hiding?¡± ¡°Yes, there is.¡± Cassion spoke without hiding the truth. After all, even if he had concealed it, only his heart would ache. Ruel looked at Cassion with a look of disbelief. ¡°There¡¯s more?¡± ¡°As you know well, I am your loyal butler, Ruel. I won¡¯t do anything that harms you.¡± He confidently stated that the hidden information was for Ruel¡¯s benefit. Ruel clenched his fists, considering Leo¡¯s presence, and suppressed his anger. Cassion had hidden the truth from him, but he was unharmed. It was clear that it was something for his own sake. But it was unpleasant. After inhaling Breath, Ruel asked without showing his emotions, ¡°¡­Fine. What happens if I find out?¡± ¡°You will likely be greatly confused.¡± ¡°Greatly confused?¡± ¡°Yes, after all, who doesn¡¯t have secrets?¡± Ruel chuckled at Cassion¡¯s remark. ¡°Okay. You¡¯re right. Who doesn¡¯t have secrets?¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze gradually turned cold. ¡°But not you, Cassion.¡± Ruel¡¯s words drew a clear line between them, and Cassion suppressed a smirk that almost escaped. Regardless of whether he had crossed a line or not, he couldn¡¯t show any fear to Ruel. It was only natural for someone who was his master. ¡°Remember,¡± Ruel reiterated, driving the point home, and Cassion lowered his head. ¡°I will keep it in mind. If you ever wish to know the secret I¡¯ve hidden, pleasemand me anytime.¡± ¡°¡­No. Later. Tell meter.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t want to immediately know what secret Cassion had concealed, considering the potential confusion it could cause. His mind was already consumed with thoughts of Rupina. Ruel closed his eyes in exhaustion, then opened them again, raising his upper body. ¡°Would you like to rest a little longer?¡± Cassion asked, his gaze falling on the bloodstains on Ruel¡¯s clothes. He had brought plenty of spare clothes, knowing this would happen. ¡°We¡¯ve already dyed for too long,¡± Ruel replied, turning his head toward the spirits clinging to his body. ¡°Once Aris returns, we¡¯ll set off.¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 136: House of Spirits (2) Chapter 136: House of Spirits (2) *** As Cassion led the way into the Beast Forest, Aris used his ¡®Hold¡¯ ability to carry Ruel and kept a watchful eye on him. ¡°Are you okay now, Ruel-nim?¡± Aris asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ruel replied with a slight nod. Although he felt a bit weak, being carried by Aris meant he didn¡¯t have to walk on his own, so he managed. Ruel was trying to inhale Breath when he called out to Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Cassion responded. ¡°Look into Treitol Kran more closely. Something doesn¡¯t seem right.¡± Cassion chuckled for a moment. Having overheard the conversation between Ruel and Treitol, Cassion had a rough idea of where Ruel¡¯s suspicions wereing from. First of all, it must have been suspicious that Treitol treated Ruel like a celebrity.¡°Ruel-nim, you are much more famous than you think you are.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Ruel asked, disbelief evident in his voice. ¡°What Cassion says is true. If you simply walk around Apor¡¯s Street, you¡¯ll see children dressed in ck, idolizing the title ¡®Noble of Darkness¡­''¡± Aris was happily telling the story but quickly fell silent as he noticed Ruel¡¯s expression turning serious. ¡°When did this start?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. If even children were using his title, it meant that the news had already spread far and wide. ¡°It started a while ago. It happened about two days after you returned from Cyronian to Leponia,¡± Cassion replied, mentioning the exact date while raising the corner of his lips. ¡®Damn you, Ganien.¡¯ Ruel cursed Ganien in his mind several times before pointing ahead. ¡°Anyway, look into it.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Cassion replied cheerfully. *** They safely arrived at the ce where a monster named Rupina had appeared. The trees in the area were not the usual trees found in the Beast Forest, but instead were taller and thicker than normal. The forest looked different than before, and somehow the monsters that had been chasing them suddenly began to retreat. It took them a moment to catch their breath. ¡°Am I seeing things? The trees have changed,¡± Aris quickly took out his notebook and asked Ruel for confirmation. ¡°It has changed,¡± Cassion answered, looking at Ruel. ¡°Is that because the monster is dead?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± When Ruel looked to Leo for his thoughts, all he could see was Leo¡¯s eager request for a quick petting session. For some reason, they ventured deeper into the Beast Forest in a rxed andfortable manner, as if taking a leisurely walk. *** ¡ªRuel is so popr! The spirits are always flocking to him like this! Leo, perched on Ruel¡¯s shoulder, turned back and smiled. Numerous spirits followed Ruel, their numbers increasing from thest time they were here. ¡ªAhem. Leo felt an unfounded sense of pride, as if he were the leader. ¡°Now you¡¯re not scared of this ce, are you?¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel spoke. ¡ªNot at all. This body has ovee this level of fear now. Following Leo¡¯s words, the spirits also seemed to have lost their fear, no longer clinging to Ruel¡¯s body. Leo raised his front paw and tapped his head lightly. ¡ªThis body can sense it! ¡°What do you sense?¡± ¡ªA warm energy is flowing from over there! Leo immediately turned his body in the direction Ruel and the group were heading. Sniff sniff. ¡ªThe smell is also very nice! It¡¯s the same smell as Ruel¡¯s! Ruel hesitated at Leo¡¯s joyful words. Ruel knew that the scent emanating from his body was not normal, but he never expected it to be the same scent as the spirits¡¯ home. He couldn¡¯t help butugh. Kuroo kuru. The spirits smiled at Ruel and suddenly detached from his body. The spirits that had been following Ruel walked ahead of him, saying something to him. ¡ªThey all express their gratitude. Leo¡¯s eyes captured the march of the spirits. Their voices transformed into songs, and wherever they drifted, grass grew and flowers bloomed. Gradually, light began to circte within their bodies. The light expanded, spreading widely through the forest in an instant. The purple leaves bathed in the light transformed into vibrant green, and even the once darkened branches returned to their natural tree color. ¡ªOooh! The purification is spreading to the remaining contaminated parts of the forest! Leo eximed as he watched the spreading light in awe. ¡°What¡­?¡± Ruel looked around in surprise. If this is purification, it must be referring to what happened when Rupina died. Cassion and Aris also stopped in their tracks, unable to take their eyes off the sudden phenomenon. Silently, glittering dust fell like fluttering flower petals or snowkes. Aris reached out to touch the dust and was startled. It was nature¡¯s mana, so dense that it was clearly visible to the naked eye. ¡°W-what is happening all of a sudden?¡± Aris asked Ruel in confusion. Ruel found himself unable to answer Aris¡¯s question. In the direction where the spirits were heading among the many trees, a door appeared. As the spirits stood in front of the tree, the door opened slightly, revealing a multitude of flowers as if spring had arrived inside. However, what Ruel saw peeking through the door was a beautiful being with scales. ¡°¡­A king?¡± ¡°Did you just say ¡®king?¡¯¡± Cassion followed Ruel¡¯s gaze, but there was nothing but trees in that direction. It seemed that Ruel was seeing something that he could not see. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. This body wants to go there! Leo came down to the ground and tugged at Ruel¡¯s pants. Ruel, as if drawn by something, walked towards the door, breaking free from his hold on his shadow. nk! At that moment, Cassion appeared in front of Ruel, blocking something with a wooden sword. ¡°Step back¡­¡± A woman with long brown hair looked coldly at Cassion, not like a spirit but like a human. She was surprised to see Ruel standing behind Cassion. ¡°Setiria?¡± She immediately lowered her sword and ran towards Ruel as if she was overjoyed. However, Cassion¡¯s subsequent attack made her raise her sword again. ng! The two swords shed, sparks flying. ¡°Back off before I kill you.¡± Cassion quietly pressured her. She nced back and forth between Cassion and Ruel, her expression threatening. ¡°Who are you to stand beside Setiria?¡± ¡°I have something to say. Who are you?¡± Ruel asked her calmly. ¡°It¡¯s me, it¡¯s me,¡± she pointed to herself but hesitated. She stopped, as if she would burst into tears at any moment, and finally spoke. ¡°You¡¯re not that child. How many Setirias have there been?¡± Ruel finally realized who she was. ¡°Are you a guardian?¡± ¡°Yes, I am. Not the guardian who protects you, though. Where is the other guardian? Why did you leave the guardian alone¡­?¡± ¡°They¡¯re dead,¡± Ruel said, causing herplexion to turn pale blue. ¡°No, they can¡¯t be dead. That¡¯s not possible. Leaving Leponia without a guardian¡­¡± ¡°See for yourself,¡± Ruel smirked. How could he summon a guardian that no longer existed? ¡°The Great Man wille to kill you! Haven¡¯t you heard that from the other Setiria?¡± ¡°The Setiria who can exin things to me is no longer¡­¡± ¡°Just a moment,¡± she said, approaching Ruel once again, but Cassion blocked her once more. This time, Aris joined in, and her annoyance grew. ¡°Who are you, people?¡± Aris grew frustrated with the dy and gritted his teeth before speaking. ¡°I¡¯m the knight who protects Ruel.¡± ¡°A knight?¡± She looked at Ruel and, upon his confirmation, reluctantly lowered her sword. ¡°Setiria, return to Setiria immediately.¡± ¡°Are you the guardian that the spirits spoke of?¡± ¡°No. I am not the guardian of the spirits. I am just staying here temporarily due to an injury.¡± ¡°Where is the guardian of the spirits, then?¡± Ruel asked a question and then inhaled Breath. He wanted to enter the ce where the beautiful being with scales resided. If there is a guardian of the spirits, shouldn¡¯t they get permission first? She shook her head slightly. ¡°It¡¯s contaminated.¡± ¡°Contaminated?¡± In response to Ruel¡¯s question, she tightly gripped her arm. ¡°I stopped searching for the one who corrupted the guardians.¡± ¡°Guardians?¡± Ruel suddenly thought of Rupina at the mention of guardians. ¡°Could it be that the name of the guardian of the spirits is Rupina?¡± he asked. In an instant, her eyes widened. Ruel bit his lip. It couldn¡¯t be, but it was Rupina. -I have protected this ce, faithfully following your orders until now. Please aid me in finding rest. The ce Ruel Setiria hadmanded Rupina to protect was just beyond that door. ¡°You¡­ met? You met Rupina?¡± She asked anxiously, impatience evident in her voice. Ruel hesitated before answering. ¡°Let me get through to that ce first. That¡¯s the priority.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t enter without the permission of the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. It¡¯s not something I can control,¡± she replied. Before her words fully sank in, someone slightly opened the door and then swung it wide open. ¡ªThe door has opened! The scent inside is so delightful! Leo eximed, his feet ready to dash towards the door. ¡°Come in, my children,¡± a solemn voice resounded from inside. Ruel chuckled and looked at her. ¡°They¡¯re inviting us in?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it,¡± she said, staring at the open door in disbelief. ¡°Didn¡¯t the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor fall asleep?¡± *** Aris clutched his notebook, his gaze fixed on the being known as the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. His hands trembled uncontrobly, unable to believe this situation. He finally saw another spirit other than Leo. The appearance of the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor captivated him¡ªtheir shimmering hair and radiant presence, akin to enchanting fairies from a tale. With three pairs of wings draped like a cloak, the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor walked ahead in silence, pausing briefly to nce back. With a few graceful movements of their fingers, the ground transformed into a table. ¡°Will the humans take a seat?¡± ¡°Yes, of course,¡± Ruel replied, responding with proper etiquette. Seeing the numerous blooming flowers around, Ruel¡¯s heart naturally eased. ¡°Child,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor softly smiled at Ruel. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much.¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°At that time, you were only this tall.¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor waved his hand around his knee. Ruel felt more embarrassed than surprised. It seemed the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor knew everything about him. ¡°How do you know me?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t youe here to see the king? Ah, someone has tampered with your memories.¡± Cassion¡¯s eyebrows furrowed as the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor casually revealed the secret he had been hiding. Ruel licked his lips and asked, ¡°Are you saying someone manipted my memories?¡± ¡°I apologize. It seems I unintentionally revealed the secret you were hiding,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor apologized, offering a sympathetic gaze to Cassion. Cassion cautiously inquired, ¡°Do you possess mind-reading abilities?¡± ¡°I, too, am a spirit, and I can sense emotions,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor replied. Approaching Aris, he gently stroked his head. ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate to ask any questions you¡¯re curious about. You¡¯re the one who protects Ruel, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Th-Thank you!¡± Aris replied breathlessly, his face turning red. The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor¡¯s gaze shifted to Leo, filled with a tinge of sadness. ¡°Great Purifier.¡± ¡ªDo you know this body? Leo asked. ¡°Of course. I have something to discuss with you. Will you listen?¡± ¡ªCan Ruele with this body? ¡°You cane together,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor replied with a faint smile. Leo followed him,ughing joyfully. ¡ªThat¡¯s great! ¡°Child,¡± the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor, approached Ruel once again. Ruel¡¯s gaze fell upon a white being with exquisite scales, as if adorned with gems, buried amidst a variety of colorful flowers.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 137: House of Spirits (3) It wasn¡¯t a dragon, but it resembled one, and its mere presence gave it a serene majesty, but it didn¡¯t give the sensation of being alive. ¡°Is that being the king?¡± Ruel asked the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡°Child.¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor took Ruel¡¯s hand. It was warm. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°What are you thankful for?¡± Ruel immediately became cautious at the unexpected remark. He didn¡¯t do anything that the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor would be grateful for. ¡°The power that resides within you is the power that I have lost.¡± Cassion chuckled as if he was amazed. He thought Ruel was good at picking up amazing gifts here and there, but he didn¡¯t expect him to pick up what the king of the spirit¡¯s dropped. Ruel recalled what the woman who introduced herself as ¡®Mayre¡¯ had said.¡°The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor fell into a slumber. In order to maintain this ce, they had to use all their power and inevitably fell into a slumber. To wake up like this, it¡¯s unbelievable.¡± Ruel nced at Mayre, who was ying with a spirit in the distance, and spoke calmly. ¡°The spirit stone that has seeped into my body was found in the royal treasury of Cyronian.¡± This ce was inside a barrier created by the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. How did the spirit stone that should have been in the Beast Forest end up in Cyronian? ¡°I lost them when I was chased by monsters. Someone who follows the Great Man picked up my Spirit Stone and sent it far away so that I couldn¡¯t possess it.¡± ¡°You mean the Red Ash?¡± Ruel asked, puzzled by the sudden appearance of Red Ash. ¡°You call them Red Ash?¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor smiled innocently. As he moved his fingers, something emerged from Ruel¡¯s body and took on a form. Jingling jingling. It was the spirit stone that made the ringing sound he had heard. Sniff sniff. Leo sniffed Ruel. ¡ªThis body can still smell it. ¡°Because it has been absorbed into the child¡¯s body, my power still remains. Don¡¯t worry too much. There will be no harm.¡± The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor smiled and pointed to the table he had set up. ¡°Your mind seems troubled. Why don¡¯t you sit down first? Let¡¯s have a conversation, and then you can talk to the guardian next.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel¡¯s lips twitched at the suggestion. There was no need to rush. There was a being believed to be a king here, the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor who was the origin of the spirit¡¯s, and above all, he now knew what power resided within his own body. All he had to do was listen to the stories calmly. ¡®I¡¯ve stumbled upon something big while chasing the spirits.¡¯ He felt like he had discovered a 5,000 won bill buried in the yground as a child. They walked towards the table and took a seat. The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor nted the spirit stone that had been pulled out of Ruel¡¯s body in the spot where they stopped for a moment. After the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor and the spirits gave it water, a tree that looked like ore grew in an instant. ¡ªOooooh! Leo immediately ran over and touched the tree emitting a faint blue light. ¡ªIt¡¯s smooth. Oh! This body feels like it¡¯s gaining some strength! The Spirit¡¯s Progenitor picked Leo up and walked with him to the table. Leo wagged his tail and nced at the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡ªThe spirit¡¯s, um, name is too difficult. ¡°Then call me Jan. It¡¯s the name Ruel gave me.¡± ¡ªWhat is Jan doing here? ¡°I am protecting the remaining spirits.¡± ¡ªWhy is there no Purifier? Why is this body alone? Janughed silently. ¡°Are you sad?¡± When Leo tilted his head and asked, Jan said while stroking Leo. ¡°It¡¯s sad.¡± Jan took a seat, and Ruel observed while inhaling Breath. When Leo sat on Ruel¡¯sp, Jan began to speak. ¡°Can I speak first?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not interested in unnecessary stories,¡± Ruel said tly. He didn¡¯t want to hear anything if the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor intended to bring up trivial stories from the past. His mind was alreadyplicated. He already knew that the being crouched within the flower was likely a king. ¡°It¡¯s an essential story. It will be helpful to you, too, my child.¡± Since the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor made such a request, Ruel thought he should at least listen to what he had to say. ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s hear it,¡± Ruel smirked arrogantly. ¡°Child.¡± As the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor continued to use the term ¡°child,¡± Ruel felt that he had to rify. It was quite an unfamiliar way of addressing someone. ¡°My name is Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°I am Cassion.¡± Cassion was also getting annoyed, so he said his name. ¡°Well, I¡¯m Aris.¡± As the self-introduction continued, even Aris noticed and then joined in. ¡ªThis body is Leo! Ruel named this body! And Leo climbed up to the table and felt proud, concluding the series of self-introductions. Janughed happily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Having seen many Setirias living and dying, I¡¯ve gotten used to it. Old habits die hard. Please understand.¡± ¡®Does that mean it¡¯s been over a hundred years?¡¯ It didn¡¯t seem real how many years the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor had spent walking the earth. ¡®That would make us seem like babies.¡¯ Ruel moved Leo from the table to hisp and urged Jan. ¡°Please continue speaking.¡± ¡°Child, have you ever thought about what kind of existence you are? Of course, your memories were erased, so it must have been frustrating¡­¡± ¡°I am Ruel Setiria,¡± Ruel curtly mentioned his name. He had already thoroughly considered and epted his identity as Ruel Setiria. ¡°You must have been confused by your special powers to control monsters and see spirits¡­¡± ¡°Please get to the point without beating around the bush,¡± Ruel interrupted, his expression growing displeased. He couldn¡¯t fathom why the conversation had taken such a lengthy detour. However, no matter how Ruel looked at him, Jan continued to smile warmly. ¡°You were the first. To see spirits¡­¡± Growl. At that moment, a sound was heard from Ruel¡¯s stomach, catching Jan off guard. ¡°Seems like you¡¯re hungry. My apologies. There¡¯s nothing here for humans to eat. Let me go and fetch something for you.¡± ¡°No. It¡¯s not that I¡¯m hungry¡­ Ha, Cassion.¡± Ruel started to speak but stopped himself. He never intended to make excuses in the first ce. Cassion, with a satisfied expression, raised the corner of his mouth and pulled out a snack basket from his magic pocket. It seemed like it was about time for his master to feel hungry. ¡°Cough.¡± Cassion made a subtle expression upon hearing Ruel¡¯s coughing sound. ¡°It seems like you¡¯re coughing quite a bit.¡± ¡°Perhaps I¡¯m catching a cold.¡± Ruel acted like it was nothing and handed over a meat pie before Leo stuck his face in the snack basket. Crunch. The sound of him munching on the pastry quickly followed. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue. Please go on.¡± Ruel said to Jan after holding a meat pie in his hand. Jan smiled contently and continued speaking, ¡°The Great Man ced a very powerful curse on himself before being banished from this world. It was a curse strong enough to stake his very existence. Those who can see spirits will no longer exist in the future.¡± Crunch. As Jan finished speaking, his smile gradually faded. ¡°Since then, no one born afterwards could see spirits. But that changed when you were born. You are the only human in existence who can see spirits.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± The crumbs of the meat pie fell from Ruel¡¯s mouth as he was too shocked to even swallow. ¡®Crazy.¡¯ Ruel was so surprised that he immediately started huping. Jan sensed Ruel¡¯s emotions and gently squeezed his hand. ¡°It maye as a sudden revtion, but my child, you need to know this.¡± ¡°Well, why did the Great Man ce such a curse?¡± Aris raised his hand slightly and asked. Jan nodded and answered, ¡°That¡¯s a very good question.¡± Jan looked at Ruel, studying hisplexion. ¡°We spirits exist to sustain the world, in other words, we¡¯re like pipes to draw water.¡± ¡°If there is a pipe, does that mean there is water?¡± Aris asked another question while writing in his notebook. Jan looked at Aris with pride, as if he had found a good student. But only for a moment before he spoke heavily. ¡°Flowers represent the world, and water represents nature. The Great Purifier cleanses the water, and the spirits bring it as flowers. Guardians, also known as monsters, watch over to ensure that the Great Man does not touch the flowers.¡± Jan hesitated for a moment, noticing Ruel¡¯s increasingly paleplexion. ¡°And finally, the one who bnces it all, my child, is the king, whom you know.¡± Everyone was speechless as Jan exined how the world¡¯s bnce is maintained. It was a story they had never heard before. Ruel barely managed to speak. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that monsters are guardians against the Great Man? No. That doesn¡¯t make any sense. They¡¯re monsters.¡± ¡°The first thing the Great Man targeted to destroy this world was the guardian. He corrupted the guardians who were our eyes and made them attack the spirits. What do you think came next?¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t answer Jan¡¯s question and silently looked at Leo. ¡®The Great Purifier¡­ He messed with them.¡¯ Recalling Jan¡¯s attitude towards Leo, Ruel realized what Jan was trying to say. The Great Purifiers were all gone. Except for Leo. ¡®Wait for a sec. That means¡­¡¯ Ruel urgently asked Jan. ¡°Was I not the first but thest target of the Great Man?¡± ¡°No. The target that the Great Man always aimed for was Setiria. But there were many things to go through. Guardians, spirits, monsters, Great Purifiers, all exist for the world, for you. You are thest barrier for this world.¡± ¡°Just you wait.¡± Ruel remembered the Great Man¡¯s murderous re at him. ¡°Where have my guardians¡­ gone?¡± His hands trembled. ¡°Now my time hase.¡± The words the Great Man had uttered while changing his mark were not just a warning. It was a deration of war, a sign that the real battle had begun. ¡°That, I do not know. Only the King knows,¡± Jan replied. ¡°Did my father know? Or was I the only one who didn¡¯t know this fact?¡± Ruel felt a sharp pain in his chest. While he struggled to survive, the enemy had already painted a grand picture. ¡°It is said that bing the head of Setiria means taking on the role of the mediator for the next barrier. Even if you don¡¯t know, the heir knows that they will pass on this story to the next heir.¡± Ultimately, it was a story that only Ruel did not know. Heughed bitterly and ate the leftover meat pie. Crunch. The sound of the meat pie breaking was louder than ever before. Ruel wiped the pie off his lips and asked, ¡°Let me ask you a simple question. What did you do to get the situation to this point? You said I was thest wall?¡± Whether they were kings or Spirit Progenitors, they were all beings who had a ce in this situation. Even though they knew everything, they were helpless against the Great Man. ¡°The ones who can see spirits,¡± Jan calmly said, ¡°It happened because they were not born. Who hunted the monsters?¡± ¡°Are you now shifting responsibility to humans?¡± Ruelughed at Jan. It was humans who hunted the monsters. Jan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to shift responsibility. I wanted to tell you that so many monsters, spirits, and purifiers had no choice but to die because there was no bridge to connect them with humans.¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°The Great Man and the organization known as the Red Ash that you spoke of, spent a very long time messing up the rtionship between monsters and humans. That was the beginning.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. He knew what Jan was trying to say. The Great Man used humans to disrupt the bnce between monsters, spirits, and purifiers. ¡°I desperately tried to make humans aware that the Great Man was behind all this. But because we were invisible to them, unheard, we couldn¡¯t reach them.¡± ¡°So how did you survive? Did that being, the king, protect you?¡± Aris holding his notebook tightly and asked. ¡°Setiria saved us. The guardians¡¯ duty was to protect Setiria, but they ended up protecting us instead. We owe a lot to Setiria, to you,¡± Jan looked at Ruel with eyes full of gratitude. He then pointed to the white being buried in the flowers. ¡°The king is not present here. That being is just a fragment of power left behind by the king to protect the spirits.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I meet the king in this very ce when I was young? Was that also just a fragment of power?¡± Ruel asked, remembering Jan¡¯s words. There was bitterness in his voice. He had thought he had found the king, only to realize it was just a fragment left behind. ¡°That¡¯s right. The real ce where he is can only be known by you,¡± Jan said. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The power that the king gave to Setiria tomand the monsters or the guardians, is the power that only you, who possess that power, can understand.¡± Everyone was shocked by Jan¡¯s words. ¡®He must have hit the jackpot in his past life.¡¯ Cassion looked at Ruel. Thump thump. Ruel heard his own heart beating loudly. Being the medium of the barrier, the only one who could see spirits, and now having the power tomand monsters, it was too much for one person to bear. Ruel felt suffocated and spoke, ¡°Why on earth did the king give me this power? Is it because I am the only one who can see spirits?¡± ¡°Perhaps. Of course, it may not be. I cannot fully understand his intentions either,¡± Jan looked at Ruel with pity. Jan felt so many emotions from him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We won¡¯t ask anything of you. You have already received a lot, and you are carrying too much already.¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t you say that a bridge was needed between you and humans?¡± ¡°Child, you don¡¯t have to carry all of that burden alone.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that only I can see spirits?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice became louder. ¡°You have brought my power, so now I can gather more spirits.¡± ¡°The Great Man!¡± Ruel exploded after seeing the calm demeanor of the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. How could he be so rxed with all the power he had found? ¡°He came looking for me!¡± Jan kept quiet when Ruel shouted loudly. The opponent was the Great Man. ¡°He said it¡¯s time for him to return and dered war after seeing me clearly.¡± Jan¡¯s expression darkened gradually. Listening to Ruel¡¯s gasping breaths, Jan closed and opened his eyes. ¡°Child. I know how nervous you are. All Setiria¡¯s were like that, and so are you.¡± Jan didn¡¯tugh. He sincerely wanted to convince Ruel. ¡°Now, thanks to the power you brought, I can move freely and maintain the barrier without falling into slumber. The situation will improve even more than it is now.¡± ¡°How much better does it get?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°You don¡¯t need to sacrifice yourself any further. So¡­¡± ¡°So, do you really not want anything from Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion quietly spoke instead of the exhausted Ruel.Then, he openly expressed his difort and continued speaking. ¡°Are you telling Ruel-nim to do nothing simply because you feel sorry for him? Or do you have false hope that he can win after enduring so much until now?¡± Cassion mocked Jan, criticizing him. Ruel had relieved some of the burden with the spirit stone he brought, but not everything was resolved. If Ruel was thest line of defense, shouldn¡¯t they have protected him better? They couldn¡¯t properly protect him and ended up burdening Ruel alone, making his burden heavier and iming it was the truth. It didn¡¯t sit well with him. ¡°Why couldn¡¯t you stop the Great Man with all your big talk?¡± Cassion asked the most fundamental question. Ruel also wanted to hear this part, so he waited for Jan¡¯s answer while stroking Leo. ¡°The Great Man knew us better than anyone else.¡± ¡®Knew us better?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath. He realized that there was some reason, some constraint, whether it was vague or whether Jan couldn¡¯t answer directly, that he couldn¡¯t tell him anything. ¡°Are you saying that this is someone you knew?¡± Jan nodded at Ruel¡¯s question. ¡°Is there some constraint that prevents you from speaking?¡± Jan nodded again. If there was a constraint, he couldn¡¯t ask any further. Ruel stepped back for now. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Child. This is all I have to say to you. Is there anything else you want to ask? I¡¯ll tell you whatever I can within my limits,¡± Jan said. ¡°What is the current situation?¡± Ruel asked. What Ruel needed to know now was their situation. If they were to copse, the damage would eventuallye back to him, so he needed toe up with a n. ¡°Child.¡± ¡°Please tell me.¡± At Ruel¡¯s urging, Jan looked at Leo. Leo¡¯s ears twitched. Jan let out a long sigh and hesitated. No matter what he said, Ruel was going to fight. It seemed that he should let go of his stubbornness. Surprised at the small fire he had been able to extinguish, he had grown impatient to protect what was in front of him. Jan wondered what it would have been like to fight alongside the spirits instead of protecting them. But it had already passed. Jan opened his tightly closed mouth. ¡°It¡¯s serious. The great man continues to spread corruption to kill the spirits.¡± ¡®The reason for creating the ck water wasn¡¯t just to break my seal.¡¯ Ruel bit his lip. ¡°Spirits cannot exist in corrupted ces, nor can they purify it. The only spirits that can purify this are purifiers, and they¡­ I can¡¯t feel them anymore.¡± ¡ªWhat do you mean? Leo perked up at the mention of purifiers. Ruel¡¯s hand that was stroking Leo stopped. It seemed like Jan was nning to tell Leo the truth. Leo grabbed the table and nced at Jan. ¡ªDoes Jan know where the Great Purifier¡¯s are? ¡°I did. I exist to protect and watch over you all,¡± Jan replied. ¡ªThen tell this body. When this body meets the Great Purifier, this body has a question to ask. Well, what does this body have to do, what was it born for, again. Leo¡¯s ears moved around, but he stopped thinking when nothing came to mind. ¡ªIn any case, please tell this body. ¡°Leo.¡± When Jan called Leo, Ruel urgently shouted, ¡°Wait.¡± Ruel pressed his lips tightly together as he looked at Leo. His hand trembled as he petted Leo. ¡°Just a moment, please.¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 138: Exhale Chapter 138: Exhale ¡ªRuel, what¡¯s the matter? Why do you suddenly seem sad? Leo was puzzled by the deep sadness he suddenly sensed in Ruel. ¡°Leo,¡± Ruel called out Leo¡¯s name with a heavy tone. ¡ªTell me. ¡°This story can wait for another time.¡± ¡ªBut this body has a question. After hearing Jan¡¯s words, this body wants to know more. ¡°You cane over another time and listen.¡± Ruel nced at Jan and shook his head. Reluctantly, Jan nodded, sensing Ruel¡¯s sincere emotions.¡°I might have rushed things. Leo, let¡¯s discuss itter.¡± ¡ªCan this bodye back again? ¡°Of course.¡± ¡ªHehe. This body likes it here. Leo continued to talk about why he enjoyed being in this ce and leaned his head against Ruel. ¡ªRuel, this body will listen to what you have to sayter, but for now, can this body y with the spirits? Leo seemed tired from the intense conversation they had. ¡°Sure, go and y.¡± When Ruel lightly tapped Leo¡¯s back, he quickly dashed off. ¡ªI¡¯ll y ande back! ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Ruel let out a deep sigh, feeling a mixture of relief and uneasiness. He cautioned Jan, ¡°You mustn¡¯t reveal anything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a truth that even the beasts wille to know one day,¡± Cassian remarked indirectly. ¡°I disagree,¡± Aris shook his head, voicing a differing opinion. Opinions were divided, and Ruel¡¯s expression grew darker. While he recognized that Leo needed to learn the story, he believed it wasn¡¯t the right time. ¡°I will speak when I decide. It¡¯s better that way.¡± ¡°¡­I can¡¯t sense the whereabouts of the Great Purifier, but there might still be a sliver of hope. I regret rushing into things and causing you distress.¡± Jan cautiously spoke, and Ruel saw a glimmer of hope. He also hoped for the same. He wished that Leo wouldn¡¯t have to experience the same pain as him. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s coughing caught Jan¡¯s attention, who seemed puzzled by the sound. ¡°Are you okay? It doesn¡¯t sound like a typical illness.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a mark of the Great Man.¡± ¡°That¡­?¡± Jan¡¯s eyes shook intensely. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s not your responsibility,¡± Ruel rified, drawing a clear line for Jan. It wasn¡¯t Jan¡¯s fault that Ruel was marked by the Great Man. Ruel then shifted the focus to the task at hand. ¡°I can also perform purification. Perhaps others can too. Above all, I know what leads to corruption.¡± ¡°But even if other humans, including you, can perform purification, it¡¯s still different and dangerouspared to what the Great Purifier does,¡± Jan expressed concern, looking at Ruel. However, no matter how Jan showed concern, it wouldn¡¯t solve the issue. If Leo was the only Great Purifier left, then humans had to step in to restore bnce. Ruel pointed towards the spirits and asked, ¡°Are all the spirits here?¡± ¡°No, spirits can be anywhere. There are still children I haven¡¯t found. Thanks to you, I can open many doors and rescue those children.¡± ¡°Very well,¡± Ruel smiled satisfactorily at Jan¡¯s positive response. If the spirits were scattered everywhere, having a good source of information would be wonderful. ¡°I need you to be my ears.¡± ¡°Ears?¡± ¡°For the warlock.¡± Ruel paused for a moment and summoned his shadow. ¡°A very pure darkness.¡± At Jan¡¯s prompting, the shadow approached him adorably, seeming to cuddle up to him on its own. Ruel heard the joyous sound emanating from the shadow towards the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡®I thought it only enjoyed consuming things.¡¯ As Ruel retrieved his shadow, Jan looked disappointed. ¡°Are you asking me to find a warlock and a human who can wield darkness like you?¡± ¡°Yes, you must find them. That¡¯s why I specifically asked you.¡± Jan appeared to be on the verge of saying something worrisome. ¡°So please, do not draw a line between humans anymore.¡± Ruel spoke before Jan could utter a word. While Jan¡¯s words included ¡®us,¡¯ referring to Ruel, there was no mention of humans. Jan didn¡¯t hold resentment towards the Guardians¡¯ killing, but he drew a clear line. Jan smiled quietly for a while, touching his sped hands. Eventually, with a lighter expression, he finally spoke, albeit btedly. ¡°Yes, I understand what you¡¯re trying to say. To be honest, I don¡¯t have much fondness for humans. I know it¡¯s not their fault, but they always seem to be at the center of everything that happens.¡± Jan¡¯s smile turned slightly contorted. ¡°I find that very disappointing.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t force you to change your mind, but if you genuinely care, please consider my request.¡± ¡°Child.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Tell me one thing.¡± Ruel waited for Jan to continue. ¡°Do you think things would be different now if I hadn¡¯t protected the spirits and fought against them?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. But there are many things that would be different if you had taken action, even now.¡± Jan suddenly burst intoughter, a sympathetic tone underlying his amusement. ¡°Thank you. Despite causing you much disappointment, I will make my move now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll hand over mymunicator.¡± Ruel gestured to Cassion and then to Jan. Jan took themunication device, examined it briefly, and then returned it to Ruel. ¡°With my power inside you, I can reach you without using themunicator.¡± ¡°But keep it with you, just in case,¡± Ruel insisted. Given his own unstable condition, there would undoubtedly be a need formunication. Jan reluctantly ced themunicator back in his hand. Ruel surveyed the surroundings and spoke, ¡°Do we have to pass through the Beast Forest again to return here?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯ll leave the door open for you whenever you want.¡± ¡°Very well, then we¡¯ll conclude our conversation here. I believe I¡¯ve kept Mayre waiting for too long.¡± ¡°Sure, go and see her.¡± Despite his response, Jan¡¯s disappointment was evident. ¡°Aris.¡± Ruel called out to Aris, his gaze fixed on the notebook in Aris¡¯s hand. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°This is a great opportunity, so if you have any questions, feel free to ask.¡± ¡°Uh, are you sure I¡¯m not bothering Jan-nim¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Feel free to ask anything.¡± Aris bowed his head in response to Jan¡¯s smile. Ruel rose from his seat. Since arriving there, he had sensed it, but even as he stepped on the ground, it felt as though he wasn¡¯t trampling on the flowers. Ruel approached Mayre and suddenly nced at the ground. ¡°¡­!¡± The flowers moved to avoid his feet. Ruel stood frozen in ce. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t you know? You seem observant in other aspects, but surprisingly oblivious here,¡± Cassion chuckled. He gazed into the distance, taking in the field covered with crystal trees and numerous flowers. ¡°I don¡¯t know how it appears to you, Ruel-nim, but this ce is beautiful to me as well.¡± While Ruel continued to marvel at the flowers, reaching out to touch them repeatedly, he replied, ¡°It looks beautiful to me too. It¡¯s just that there is more to see from where you¡¯re looking.¡± In reality, the field that Cassion saw was teeming with adorable creatures moving and living within it. ¡°Well, how about taking a breather?¡± Cassion suggested. Ruel looked at him in response. To Cassion, Ruel seemed precarious, as if he would be submerged at any moment in the sea where his feet had not touched. Even though both of them were grappling with confusion and difficulties, Ruel seemed to be in an especially challenging situation. There were too many entanglements, and the frustration of not being able to find answers, even to the question of who the Great Man was, added to theplexity. ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel turned his head back towards the field and called out to him. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°My situation hasn¡¯t changed. It¡¯s just be moreplicated.¡± ¡°I understand. But this time, it feels deeper and heavier.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and slightly raised the corners of his mouth, looking exhausted. ¡°To be honest, it sucks,¡± he chuckled as he spoke. ¡°I feel like I have too much to lose if I let go. There isn¡¯t even a Setiria to direct my anger towards.¡± That feeling of being caught between moving forward and holding on, unable to let go of everything. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s really not okay. I feel suffocated, just like you said.¡± Ruel nced at Leo, who was happily ying with the spirits. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°But despite it all, I¡¯ll survive. Just like I am now.¡± Ruel¡¯s smile remained calm as he resumed moving forward. *** ¡°Mayre.¡± Ruel turned his gaze to Mayre, who was lying leisurely in the field. ¡°You sure have a lot following you,¡± Mayre chuckled, observing the spirits trailing behind Ruel. ¡°It just happened,¡± Ruel shrugged. Since the spirit¡¯ progenitor took the spirit stone from his body, the scent was lighter than before. He left the pursuing spirits alone, assuming it was merely a momentary curiosity about him. ¡°Why don¡¯t youy down too?¡± Mayre gestured to the spot next to her. Tak. Tak. Ruel didn¡¯t refuse and ended up lying down instead of sitting. He noticed a faint covering the sky, presumably the barrier mentioned by the Spirit¡¯ Progenitor. ¡°You should sit as well,¡± Mayre said, looking at Cassion with a disapproving gaze. ¡°Whether I sit or not, don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Cassion replied curtly, standing beside Ruel like a tree. ¡°Setiria, I mean¡­ Ruel. Is he human? He blocked my attack,¡± Mayre asked. ¡°Mon¡­ No, he¡¯s human. And what about you?¡± Ruel almost instinctively blurted out that he was a monster. Mayre chuckled at his mistake, tucking her hair behind her ear. ¡°You know, as a guardian. Guardians have their own tasks. I¡¯m searching for those who corrupt monsters.¡± ¡°In addition to that, what does it mean to be a guardian?¡± Ruel asked, calmly inhaling Breath despite the spirit ying with his hair. ¡°Well, a forgotten hero. That¡¯s all I can tell you for now,¡± Mayre replied. ¡°A forgotten hero?¡± Ruel questioned, and Mayre simplyughed. She reached out her hands to the sky and casually asked, ¡°You don¡¯t remember your childhood memories, right?¡± ¡°Did you hear that?¡± ¡°I heard it.¡± ¡°Yeah, as you said, I don¡¯t have any.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the Spirit¡¯ Progenitor spoke so much. He¡¯s actually quieter than he seems. Well, you seem to be an exception.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say? You mentioned having a question for me,¡± Ruel asked. ¡°How was Rupina¡¯s end¡­?¡± Mayre asked cautiously, burying her face in her knees. Her hair fell down over her shoulders as she did so. ¡°She left in a peaceful manner.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± A mncholic voice resonated, her face hidden by her hair. ¡°She was my friend.¡± Ruel remained silent, understanding that sometimes silence is moreforting than empty words. ¡°You should ask. I¡¯m sure you have many questions. This is your chance to learn about the Guardians.¡± Mayre¡¯s voice brightened again, as if she hadn¡¯t been so somber. However, her hair still covered her face. ¡°Do you know of a Guardian who pursued the power left behind by the Great Man?¡± Ruel mentioned the unnamed woman. ¡°I do. We were colleagues. Her name was Hian, Hian. Have you met her?¡± ¡°¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s gone too. It¡¯s alright. We were prepared for it.¡± Mayre¡¯s voice trembled slightly. Ruel pretended not to hear and asked the question that had always intrigued him. ¡°The Guardians aren¡¯t human, right? The Great Purifier I carry with me often mentions that the Guardians are closely connected to nature.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. They¡¯re not human anymore.¡± ¡°Why do the Guardians exist?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t a grand reason behind their existence. We couldn¡¯t bear to see Setiria carrying the burden alone. Since Setiria took on the heaviest and most difficult role, the rest of us felt it was our duty to take on other responsibilities.¡± ¡°Do you know where the other Guardians are?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Perhaps even the other Guardians themselves are unaware. It¡¯s better that way. If we were captured by the group led by the Great Man, we could die without revealing any crucial information.¡± Ruel sat up. Although he didn¡¯t know what the spirit had done, the sensation of his hair felt strange. ¡°You¡¯re here to treat your injuries, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t have much time left¡­ Even if I disappear when the timees, I have to do everything I can before that.¡± ¡°See you next time.¡± ¡°How reckless. Saying that kind of thing only leaves unnecessary regrets.¡± Mayre finally raised her head and looked at Ruel. Tears stained her face. Ruel stood up without saying a word and handed the thick gloves to Cassion. He knew that due to the constraints, he couldn¡¯t obtain information freely, and it was regrettable. ¡®Forgotten heroes.¡¯ Heroes are usually forgotten with time. But they hade like somewhat special heroes. ¡®If the Guardians are all colleagues, the first Setiria must have been a hero too.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and walked away silently. ¡®They know who the Great Man is. Why can¡¯t they even mention it because of some constraint?¡¯ The question still remained, but through the conversation, Ruel was able to establish a hypothesis. The Guardians, including Setiria, were heroes who protected this world from the Great Man. But for some reason, they couldn¡¯t eliminate the Great Man. ¡°It¡¯s because there are things in the royal treasure vault that must not be taken away by the Great Man.¡± Ruel recalled Brans¡¯ words. As apromise, they had ced something rted to the Great Man in the Leponia Pce treasure vault and created a barrier mediated by First Setiria to prevent the Great Man froming to Leponia. ¡®It seems quite usible.¡¯ Ruel thought as he stood in front of the fragment of power left by the king. ¡°Cassion, can you see this?¡± ¡°No, I can¡¯t see it.¡± The king was also a spirit, it seemed. ¡®Spirits have a broader range than I thought.¡¯ Ruel cautiously reached out his hand while inhaling Breath. He didn¡¯t feel any sense of being alive, but he just wanted to touch it. It felt like touching cold ice. But his hand didn¡¯t feel numb. ¡®As expected, there¡¯s no response.¡¯ Ruel sighed with disappointment and remained sitting there. ¡°The king is here. Well, to be precise, it¡¯s a fragment of the power left by the king. It¡¯s so beautiful with its shining scales.¡± ¡°You seem to need a drink.¡± Cassion¡¯s words made Ruel smirk. Indeed, he felt like it, but his body was too sensitive, and he couldn¡¯t drink. ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to drink. You said it¡¯s forbidden.¡± Clink. Cassion took out a bottle from his magic pocket and shook it. The sound was clearly that of alcohol. As Ruel swallowed dryly, Cassion raised a corner of his mouth. ¡°Unfortunately, it¡¯s not alcohol. Well, the taste might be simr.¡± ¡°Are you teasing me now?¡± ¡°Regardless of what it is, wouldn¡¯t it be enough if we could enjoy spring in winter?¡± ¡°Just be yourself as usual.¡± Unexpectedly, Cassion said something surprising, contrary to his usual behavior or personality. Ruel untied the hair that the spirit had touched and ruffled his hair in frustration. ¡°I am a butler.¡± Surprised by Cassion¡¯s sudden words, Ruel gave him a disapproving look. ¡°Why are you saying that? Did you finally get the sword you needed?¡± ¡°As I spend most of my days as a butler, I now feel like being a butler is my calling.¡± ¡°¡­Huh.¡± Ruel was finally impressed by Cassion¡¯s recognition of himself as a butler. How long had it been since he made the mana oath with Cassion? Cassion bowed his head and said, ¡°In that case, I will ask the spirit¡¯ progenitor to make a table.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Ruel nced at his knees and the spirits around him, who were looking at him with worried expressions, then simplyid down in that spot. Kuroo kuru. Among them, that spirit was also visible. The spirit¡¯ eyes were welling up as if it would burst into tears at any moment. ¡°It¡¯s fine. You don¡¯t have tofort me. It¡¯s my fault for being a Setiria.¡± As he thought about it again, anger suddenly surged up within him. ¡°Damn it.¡± He saw slowly drifting clouds. He thought he had somewhat escaped from the clutches of the Red Ash, but it was a mistake. Arger was waiting for him. ¡¯Ruel Setiria.¡¯ His mind wasplicated due to the various things Setiria had, causing anger yet feeling burdened, unable to let go of the situation as Cassion had said. He didn¡¯t even know if he should follow Cassion¡¯s advice and take a breath. ¡°Ha¡­¡± Ruel deeply, deeply exhaled while looking at the colorful petals fluttering in the wind. ¡®Hian¡­¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± He faintly smiled, recalling the words she had said while smiling. He finally knew her name.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 139: Exhale (2) *** ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious! Leo smiled brightly, lifting his face from his special rice bowl, which was filled with various snacks. However, Cassion¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he observed that the bowl was already more than halfway empty. It seemed like Leo had been eating more than usual. ¡°It¡¯s nice to see you eating well,¡± Jan said quietly as he sat in front of Ruel. Aris, who had been engaged in conversation with Jan, joined the small dinner gathering as well. Every time Ruel took a bite, Jan smiled contentedly. ¡°It¡¯s burdensome,¡± Ruel said, annoyed, taking a bite of strawberry cake. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. But will you let me keep watching? The time that passes by for me is different, so the moments we spend talking and seeing each other are very precious to me.¡±Reluctantly, as Ruel had only nned to eat the snacks and leave, he nodded in agreement at Jan¡¯s sincerity. He replied, ¡°Yes, please feel free to do as you wish.¡± ¡°When do you n to leave? I¡¯ve been thinking a lot as I walked here. I made a soft bed with the hope that you would sleepfortably¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll have this before I go. Cough.¡± Suddenly coughing, Ruel tasted the peculiar beverage that tastes like beer in his mouth. It was perfect as an apanying drink with apple tea, but it left a slight sense of disappointment. ¡°A-Are you leaving already?¡± Jan was visibly flustered, stumbling over his words. ¡°Yes. Now that the business is finished, is there a need to stay longer?¡± Originally, Ruel¡¯s purpose for this short journey was to find out where the spirit was heading after growing up. Along the way, he ended up learning other various things, but his main objective was to take a break and perhaps do some fishing at Lake Prina. Jan gazed at Ruel with deep sadness, as if he feared that he would never see him again. He wondered how long it had been since the previous Setirias had shown such expressions. Ruel picked up thest strawberry from the cake with his fork and reassured Jan, saying, ¡°But Leo enjoys being here, so I wille to visit often.¡± This ce is just as wonderful as Lake Prina. It¡¯s a perfect ce to clear his mind and it¡¯s not even cold. ¡°Is that really true?¡± Jan asked, expression filled with hope. ¡°Have you been deceived?¡± Ruel replied yfully. Seeing Jan¡¯s delighted expression, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I don¡¯t think I was fooled. It¡¯s just that those children probably don¡¯t like this ce where there¡¯s nothing but flowers.¡± With a nostalgic gaze, Jan gently touched Ruel¡¯s hand, as if he had been deceived more than once. Sensing that he had unintentionally stirred painful memories, Ruel silently stuffed a piece of chocte cake into his mouth. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Aris spoke up, his eyes sparkling like Leo¡¯s. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°While I was talking to the Spirits¡¯ Progenitor, I discovered an interesting fact.¡± Aris was typically interested in topics that stimted his curiosity, such as the rtionship between magic and nature to fundamental questions about magic and spirits. In other words, he wasn¡¯t particrly interested in academic matters that he didn¡¯t find interesting. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the reason the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor here is visible to me, even though he¡¯s a spirit, is because he¡¯s been granted the powers of a king, but then so has Leo! If this is how it works¡­¡± It was the same as when Cassion exined about the swords. Ruel stared at the spinning spirit in front of his bowl and chewed the cake he had stuffed into his mouth. In short, Leo had the king¡¯s genes mixed inside him, allowing him to control what is visible and invisible to human eyes. In other words, he was a more special existencepared to regr spirits. After finishing his exnation, Aris held his notebook carefully in his arms. He expressed his disbelief, saying, ¡°It¡¯s unbelievable. I want to inform Tyson-nim and Sister Drianna as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Yeah, they will definitely find it fascinating,¡± Ruel agreed. Aris¡¯s exnation had been somewhat lengthy and sluggish, but he was genuinely interested in the topic. He knew that Tyson, Drianna, and Aris had discussed the principles behind Leo¡¯s ability to appear and disappear multiple times. Ruel had been forced to participate in those lengthy and tedious discussions. He had listened to half of it attentively and had fallen asleep during the other half. ¡°Child,¡± Jan said with a happy expression. ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°It has been a long time since so many humans have visited here, and I have never been this happy.¡± Jan expressed his sincere gratitude, causing Ruel to change the subject for no apparent reason. ¡°May I investigate and study this ce?¡± Before Jan could respond, Aris suddenly stood up from his seat, looking astonished. ¡°Really?¡± Ruel could already imagine the reaction of the Magic Knights. ¡®They will absolutely love it.¡¯ They were still conducting research on the Beast Forest and had a lot of work to do. Ruel had concerns about the consequences of extending their research to a ce with spirits. However, on the other hand, he couldn¡¯t simply ignore how much the Magic Knights would enjoy it. ¡°If it¡¯s an investigation, will more humans being?¡± Jan asked cautiously. ¡°Yes, they are the Magic Knights apanying me.¡± ¡°In that case, bring as many as you want.¡± ¡°Do you trust me that much?¡± Ruel asked with a hint of surprise. Surprisingly, he granted his permission so easily. ¡°Of course. As I mentioned before, we owe a tremendous debt to Setiria.¡± This ce was created to escape the Red Ash and monsters. Ruel smiled brightly for the first time in a while, knowing how significant Jan¡¯s decision was. ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No, my child, that¡¯s something I should be saying. Thank you.¡± Jan smiled with joy. *** -Lord Setiria. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Ruel answered while waiting at the gate leading to Setiria. As Aris blocked outside sound with magic, Ruel was able to talk to Baniosfortably. -Where did you go, leaving your guests behind? ¡°You told me to take it easy, so where am I going and why are you asking about my whereabouts? I was just following your orders.¡± -Even though I said so, I didn¡¯t expect Lord Setiria to follow my orders so faithfully. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you think of me, but I¡¯m a better listener than you might think.¡± -So¡­ ha. Banios sighed deeply. He¡¯d said what he¡¯d said, and if he took it back, he¡¯d be an asshole. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth as if he was amused. -How am I supposed to know what¡¯s good to explore in Setiria? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know either.¡± -¡­Lord Setiria, is that my cue to startughing? Am I missing something? Should I be careful in asking this? ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. I just hope you remember that I¡¯ve been imprisoned for five years.¡± There was a brief pause in Banios¡¯s voice. Ruel chuckled unconsciously as he remembered Jan seeing him off while trying to inhale Breath. Jan¡¯s nervousness resembled that of parents sending their child to kindergarten for the first time. He really resembled Tyson. -Oh, I may have asked a very rude question indeed. I seem to have forgotten that fact. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Come to Lake Prina. I¡¯ll see you there.¡± -Fine. The location¡­ no. I¡¯ll find my own way. Well then. Banios ended themunication. When Ruel looked at Aris, he immediately released the sound-blocking magic. As the voices of many people reached his ears, Ruel inhaled Breath and looked around. He was not a hero. Even if enemies were toe here, he was too weak to save even one person, but he certainly wasn¡¯t cowardly. Even if he couldn¡¯t be a hero, he didn¡¯t want to be a coward. ¡°Cassion, we¡¯re going to Lake Prina instead of home,¡± Ruel said. There were so many stories he wanted to share with Banios. If the Great Man and the Red Ash had a global impact, he had to y his part in that grand scheme. The time he had spent until now was not meaningless. Ruel smiled. *** The sky over theke turned red as the sun set. The sound of Leo swimming yfully broke the silence of theke. ¡ªThere is sun on theke today! Even the stars cannot be caught by the hands of this body. Why aren¡¯t they caught? Leo looked sullen at his short front paws while swimming. ¡°In other words, it¡¯s quite a frustrating situation,¡± Ruel summarized, observing Leo¡¯s sullen expression. Meanwhile, Banios remained frozen, his face filled with astonishment, not even realizing that his fishing rod was shaking vigorously. ¡°Your Highness, it seems you¡¯ve caught something,¡± Ruel pointed out. ¡°What? What have I caught?¡± Banios asked, his face filled with surprise. ¡°A fish, Your Highness. Your fishing rod is shaking,¡± Ruel replied, gesturing towards the rod. In contrast, Ruel¡¯s own fishing rod showed no signs of activity. ¡°Do you perhaps not know how to fish, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Cassion, standing by Ruel¡¯s side, struggled to contain hisughter. Who was scolding whom? Ruel couldn¡¯t believe that Cassion wasughing simply because he had asked him to bait the hook. ¡®Is this what they call a loyal butler?¡¯ It had only been a day since Cassion had dered himself a butler, and he was already changing his tune. Banios, as if possessed, tugged on the fishing rod and suddenly burst intoughter, seemingly bewildered by his own actions. ¡°Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Is it an appropriate time to tell this story while fishing?¡± ¡°Does it really matter if we talk while fishing or elegantly slice the fish?¡± ¡°I suppose you¡¯re right,¡± Banios agreed. Releasing the fishing rod from his grasp, as if he had momentarily lost, Banios sank deeply into his chair. ¡®It seemed like quite a big catch.¡¯ Ruel nced at his motionless fishing rod. ¡°I¡­ to be honest, I¡¯m feeling a bit confused,¡± Banios confessed, stumbling over his words. Ruel chuckled lightly in response. ¡°Just imagine how confused I am as the person directly involved.¡± ¡°I apologize. I didn¡¯t take your feelings into consideration.¡± ¡°I was just teasing.¡± ¡°I was joking.¡± Banios was as astonished as when he had first heard about spirits and monsters. ¡°L-Lord Setiria? Please tell me I didn¡¯t hear that correctly.¡± A joke? It didn¡¯t seem like something Ruel would say. Banios seemed very confused as to how to ept the series of surprises that continued. ¡°Just call me Ruel,¡± Ruel said, gazing at the setting sun in a rxed manner. Cassion, standing beside him, Aris, engrossed in his notebook while sitting on a rock, and Banios, who had heard Ruel¡¯s words, all looked at him in surprise. ¡°Your Highness and I are in the same boat now. Besides, you owe me a significant debt, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s time for you to repay it,¡± Ruel stated. Banios chuckled, his lips curling into a smile. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a shame. I thought I was on board from the beginning.¡± ¡°I had my doubts,¡± Ruel replied calmly, his gaze fixed on his motionless fishing rod. Banios couldn¡¯t help but softlyugh at the sincerity in Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°It seems like more than just a bit,¡± he remarked. ¡°In any case, we need to move forward,¡± Ruel said. ¡°Lord Setiria, I mean Ruel¡­¡± Banios chuckled at the still awkward words. ¡°Yes,¡± Ruel responded nonchntly. ¡°To be honest, I enjoy working. Maybe that¡¯s why I like getting things done.¡± It was no wonder he was considered a workaholic. ¡°The reason the royal family came to Setiria was to check on Leponia, just as I told you.¡± Ruel covered his mouth as he coughed while inhaling Breath. Cassion¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡®His coughing seems to be getting worse.¡¯ Despite having taken all the medicine, Ruel¡¯s condition was worrisome. As Ruel¡¯s cough subsided, Banios spoke up again. ¡°But I don¡¯t think today is the day.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Ruel asked and inhaled Breath. ¡°How about we simply enjoy fishing?¡± Clearing one¡¯s mind by hiking in the mountains felt great, but considering Ruel¡¯s current condition, fishing seemed like a reasonable alternative. Ruel smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m d you finally understand my intentions.¡± ¡°You seem to have a lot on your mind,¡± Baniosmented. Banios had no idea what emotions were hidden behind Ruel¡¯s calm expression. He decided to let Ruel be, thinking that he wanted to conceal his feelings. Everyone needed a break sometimes. Banios¡¯s version of a break was spent with alcohol. ¡°If you ever need a drinking buddy, just call me. How about meeting in two months?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t drink,¡± Ruel replied. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re still a kid. How about we have a drink together in two months?¡± Banios found it amusing and chuckled. Ruel felt a little embarrassed at being treated like a child but rified the misunderstanding. ¡°I did try drinking once, but it didn¡¯t sit well with me. Remember how I drank and vomited blood a few times, Cassion?¡± ¡°That happened more than a ¡®few¡¯ times,¡± Cassion replied, causing Banios¡¯ughter to vanish. He asked in surprise, ¡°N-no, are you serious?¡± Cassion looked at him with a stern expression. ¡°I understand,¡± Banios said, his hands trembling slightly as he held the fishing rod. Since it seemed unlikely that Banios could regain control of the situation, Ruel decided to intervene. ¡°How about having tea instead of alcohol?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Banios burst intoughter abruptly upon hearing Ruel¡¯s unexpected suggestion. Knowing from past experience that once Banios startedughing, it was hard for him to stop, Ruel remained still, holding onto the fishing rod without any intention of moving. ¡®Why isn¡¯t my fishing rod moving¡­¡¯ When Ruel reached out his hand, Cassion familiarly gave him a piece of meat pie. Ruel took a big bite of the pie. Crunch. Eating outdoors made it taste even better than usual. ¡ªHeh! This body wants to eat too! Leo, who was swimming hard, pricked up his ears and looked at Ruel. Ruel chuckled at the sight of him suddenlying towards him. ¡®His ears are sharp.¡¯ ¡°Sorry. Once I startughing, it¡¯s hard to stop,¡± Banios said, embarrassed, only staring at the fishing rod. ¡°It¡¯s okay. So, how about considering my suggestion?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about having tea instead of alcohol, but it¡¯s fine,¡± Banios reluctantly agreed. Although it seemed like Banios was giving an unwilling approval, Ruel didn¡¯t mind. He never particrly enjoyed relying on the effects of alcohol to express himself. ¡ªCassion! Cassion! Give this body too! Leo approached Cassion, still dripping wet. ¡°Leo, you need to dry off,¡± at Ruel¡¯s words, Leo stood tall and looked at him. ¡ªThe wind will dry this body. But since Ruel told this body to pretend to be a fox outside, this body has no choice but to shake it off. ¡°Just a mome¡­¡± Before Ruel could finish his sentence, Leo shook off the water. ¡ªHup¡­! Looking surprised, Leo stared at Ruel after shaking off all the water. Ruel,pletely soaked, calmly gazed at Cassion. Cassion pointed his finger at Aris. Externally, Cassion was an ordinary butler, and Aris was his knight. Regardless, Aris had to be the one to protect Ruel from any external harm. When Ruel looked at Aris, he seemed engrossed, as if he were shut off from the world and focused on something. ¡®Right. He said he was studying, so I can¡¯t say anything¡­¡¯ ¡°Are you alright?¡± Banios rummaged through his magic pocket, searching for something. Cassion took out a towel from his magic pocket and wiped Ruel off. He briefly nced at the fishing rod. ¡°Ruel-nim, the fishing rod is shaking.¡± ¡ªIs that so! This body will help! Ruel quickly grabbed Leo¡¯s tail. ¡ªHic! With Leo¡¯s surprised cry, theke quieted down. Fishing was indeed enjoyable. ¡°Achoo!¡± Ruel sneezed, causing Leo¡¯s ears to twitch. ¡ªThis body is at fault. Seeing Ruel covering himself with two nkets and heat patches, Leo hurriedly hid his head in Ruel¡¯s clothes. ¡ªThis body thought this body only had to watch out for Ruel¡¯s surroundings. Today, this body learned that even getting wet can give you a cold. It¡¯s not Leo¡¯s fault; it¡¯s just funny how his body gets a fever from getting a little wet. Ruel petted Leo. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel responded to Banios¡¯ question nonchntly. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Cassion said sincerely. It was a great relief that Banios had brought the carriage.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 140: Exhale (3) Ruel almost ended up heading home, fully exposed to the chilly wind. ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m d I could be of help,¡± Banios reassured, ncing at Ruel leaning against the carriage wall. ¡°I really am fine,¡± Ruel insisted, meeting Banios¡¯ gaze. Despite feeling a slight fever and dizziness, it was within an eptable range. ¡°I apologize,¡± Banios suddenly said. ¡°What are you apologizing for?¡± Ruel asked, taken aback. ¡°What for?¡± Ruel asked, surprised. ¡°I mean, for sending you to Cyronian. Looking back, it was like throwing you into the lion¡¯s den.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re sorry, then give me a bunch of shiny things to hold in my hand.¡±Pffft. Banios chuckled, covering his mouth with his hand. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ruel called out, and Banios turned to him with a smile. ¡°I actually encountered His Highness Kran, the second prince of Kran, in the neutral zone.¡± Ruel let out another surprised remark that Banios thought wasn¡¯t possible at this point. Banios widened his eyes and asked, ¡°Does that mean the envoy has already arrived? I haven¡¯t heard that news.¡± ¡°No, they haven¡¯t. ording to Prince Treitol, it seems he visited the neutral zone first.¡± ¡°He went to the neutral zone first? So he doesn¡¯t intend to take part in the envoy? That sounds peculiar to me. Did he miss out on an opportunity for significant gain by staying idle?¡± Puzzled by the situation, Banios furrowed his brow. ¡°What kind of person is Prince Treitol, as far as you know?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Banios rubbed his chin, trying to recollect who Treitol was. ¡°I only met him when I was young, and even in my memories, he was a prince with a barely noticeable presence. But I heard that he underwent aplete change after suffering a head injury.¡± ¡°In that case, what kind of influence does he hold in Kran now?¡± Ruel asked, curious about Treitol¡¯s current position. Banios pondered for a moment before answering, ¡°Unlike Leponia, Kran is a country where the firstborn inherits the throne. However, the King of Kran holds the second prince in high regard, and he faces challenges from various directions.¡± ¡®So, is this what he meant by ¡®internal affairs¡¯?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, feeling a slight headacheing on. He closed his eyes briefly, then reopened them, continuing the conversation. ¡°Today, I found out that I¡¯m more famous than I thought. Your Highness, how famous do you think I am?¡± Ruel had requested King Huswen of Cyronian to dy the official announcement of his achievements until his uinging-of-age ceremony. However, rumors have a way of spreading regardless. Despite his efforts to keep a low profile, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the extent of his newfound fame. Banios contemted for a moment, a subtle twitch ying on his lips as he considered how to respond to Ruel¡¯s seemingly boastful yet humble inquiry. ¡°Hmm¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to boast here. His Highness Treitol approached me after hearing these rumors. Please just tell me the facts you know.¡± ¡°To be honest, you are quite famous. Even if people don¡¯t know your name, they are aware of the title ¡®Noble of Darkness.''¡± As soon as the title ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯ was mentioned, Ruel frowned deeply, his frustration evident. ¡®Damn you, Ganien!¡¯ Ruel¡¯s mind wandered back to Ganien, and he vowed that if he ever saw him again, he would definitely punch him in the face. Taking a moment to regain control of his emotions, Ruel asked again, ¡°Why am I so famous? Why did a prince from another country investigate me to that extent?¡± ¡°If I tell you the truth, there were acts of goodwill that you performed that hadn¡¯t been seen before, or rather hadn¡¯t been seen for decades. After the fall of the Tonisk Empire, there hasn¡¯t been such a thing. All three countries have been watching for an opportunity to fill that reputational void.¡± Banios took a short breath and continued speaking. ¡°Did you ask if a prince from another country would investigate you to that extent? Honestly, yes. Um, thanks to you, ck outfits are selling like crazy¡­ ahem.¡± Banios coughed awkwardly as Ruel¡¯s gaze became increasingly sharp. ¡°Anyway, I¡¯ve heard that your actions have increased the number of foreigners who view Leponia favorably. In a way, you have be a famous figure, and perhaps even a potentially dangerous one. It¡¯s only natural that investigations would be carried out.¡± As Banios conversed with Ruel, he found himself overwhelmed by curiosity and hesitated for a moment. ¡°Ruel, there¡¯s something I¡¯m really curious about, so please don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡± ¡°Please, go ahead and ask.¡± ¡°Do you know how to take a break?¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right. Ruel doesn¡¯t know how to take a break. Although Leo knew he wasn¡¯t being heard, he joyfully replied. Cassion, sitting beside Ruel, couldn¡¯t contain his suppressedughter. Realizing that he might have been too blunt in his question, Banios hesitated slightly and corrected himself. ¡°So, I¡¯ve been informed by your butler that you briefly left the mansion to rest. However, it seems that this wasn¡¯t exactly a leisure trip. When one is resting, one should¡­¡± Banios proceeded to exin how one should properly spend leisure time, as if he had paid particr attention to recent literature on the subject. While Cassion and Leo were captivated by Banios¡¯ words, Ruel listened with only partial attention, asionally ncing out the window. ¡®¡­!¡¯ Suddenly, Ruel spotted something and urgently spoke up. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Could we please stop here for a moment?¡± ¡°Understood.¡± At Banios¡¯ words, Cassion knocked on the carriage wall. Ruel, who had been leaning against the carriage wall, straightened his body as the carriage came to a halt. ¡°Your Highness, may I step out briefly?¡± ¡°Where are you going? Isn¡¯t your body still not back to normal?¡± Ruel¡¯s face was slightly flushed with heat. He smiled faintly as he looked outside the window. ¡°Right now, I can see the new vige I¡¯m building outside the window.¡± The vige he had created for the first time. It had crumbled due to the ck-blooded man, but now construction was underway once again. How relieved he was to hear that. ¡°It¡¯s called Sylvia.¡± Ruel smiled brightly and looked at Banios. Only then did Banios understand why Ruel had stopped the carriage. He heard that the vige Ruel was talking about copsed before it even started because of the ck-blooded man. ¡°Very well. Take your time.¡± With Banios¡¯s permission, Ruel gestured to Cassion with a nod to open the door. Cassion cautiously held onto the door handle and asked just in case, ¡°Ruel-nim, your condition is not good. How about visiting next time?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll just take a quick look ande back.¡± Cassion sighed but handed Ruel a cane from his magic pocket, just in case he needed support. Ruel took the cane and waited for Cassion to open the door. ¡ªThis body will go too! As soon as the door opened, Leo couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and leaped out of the carriage first. Ruel, supported by Cassion, followed suit. The cold wind greeted them, carrying various scents and a familiar scent near the construction site. Tak. Tak. Ruel leaned on his cane and slowly walked forward. As they moved away from the carriage¡¯s blind spot, Ruel came to a stop, taking in a deep breath. Ha. His breath formed a white puff in the cold air. Despite the winter weather, construction work was still ongoing at the vige. Ruel had advised Gors, the person in charge of managing Sylvia Vige, to take it easy during the winter. However, it seemed that his advice hadn¡¯t been fully heeded. ¡ªRuel, why did you stop? Why aren¡¯t we going there? Although it hadn¡¯t been fully captured yet, a vige was being rebuilt in the ce that had crumbled because of the ck-blooded man. Ruel paused, watching the vige being rebuilt from a distance. He knew that approaching the vige would result in a dy as he would be greeted by the workers, and he didn¡¯t want to waste time. ¡ªThis body wants to go there. Ruel looked at Leo, who was urging him to go inside, and called Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Quietly, bring Gors here.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Cassion nced at Ruel once before disappearing to fulfill his request. Ruel then turned his attention to Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªYes, Ruel? ¡°Go and take a quick look. I¡¯ll stay here.¡± Leo¡¯s ears twitched back and forth. ¡ªWill Ruel stay here? ¡°I¡¯ll stay here.¡± ¡ªWon¡¯t you move from here? ¡°I won¡¯t move.¡± Ruel affirmed, ncing around before settling on arge rock to catch his breath. He sat down heavily, feeling the weight of exhaustion on his body. ¡ªThis body will go and take a quick look. You can¡¯t go anywhere. ¡°Alright.¡± After asking a few more times and turning around to look at Ruel, Leo waved his hand. ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Ruel furrowed his brows at the sudden bout of coughing. He hadn¡¯t been coughing muchtely. ¡®Seems like I caught a cold. Fran will probably say something when I get back.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and patiently waited for Cassion to bring Gors. Rustle. In the bushes, a squirrel-like spirit with wide eyes looked at him. Kuroo kuru. The spirit, still clinging to Ruel, responded and they carried on their conversation among themselves. If he looked closely, there were probably a few more spirits around, but Ruel simply gazed at the darkening sky. ¡°My, my lord!¡± Gors rushed over and bowed in front of Ruel. ¡°My lord, why are you staying outside instead of going inside? I am here to serve you.¡± ¡°No. Wouldn¡¯t it bother you if I went inside?¡± ¡°It bothers me more to see you outside like this. We are all here, ready to serve you at any time.¡± ¡°Is the construction going well?¡± ¡°Of course! We are working harder than anyone else because it¡¯s our vige!¡± Gors smiled proudly, appearing much brighter than before. Ruel formed a faint smile and said, ¡°It¡¯s good to have enthusiasm, but take it easy. Don¡¯t forget it¡¯s winter.¡± Cassion, wearing a displeased expression, nced at Ruel, silently conveying his disapproval of Ruel¡¯s words, as if saying, ¡°So you are aware of the situation here?¡± Gors answered with a hint of embarrassment, ¡°I understand. We all know that. But we can¡¯t just sit still, so we are working carefully to avoid any injuries.¡± ¡°Is there anything else you need?¡± ¡°No, Jirie has prepared everything, so it is sufficient. Maybe the vige can be built faster than scheduled.¡± ¡°Has there been any trouble in the back alleystely?¡± The expression on Gors¡¯s face, which was just beaming moments ago, hardened. ¡°Actually, I was going to report that to you, my lord.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Lately, smuggled goods have beening in through the back alleys.¡± ¡°Smuggled goods have always beening in, haven¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Well, the thing is, as you mentioned, Prazio has starteding in as smuggled goods.¡± ¡°Prazio?¡± Ruel raised an eyebrow, having a specific reason for mentioning that item to Gors. It was because Prazio was an item that the Red Ash hade into contact with. Gors nodded. ¡°Yes, even if we try to apprehend them, the smuggling routes are so diverse that they slip through our fingers.¡± ¡°If you need support, let me know. I can provide as much backup as you need.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Just as Ruel finished his discussion with Gors, Leo returned, running towards him. Ruel rose from the rock, realizing that his business here wasplete. ¡°Then, take care.¡± ¡°Thank you, my lord.¡± Ruel looked at Gors as he spoke. ¡°Thank you once again for giving us this opportunity.¡± Ruel smiled faintly, leaning on his cane for support. He took a few steps forward and quietly called out to Cassion. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Instruct them to reinforce the gate.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± It seemed that since he started trading with Cyronian, the Red Ash had started toy the groundwork once again. He can¡¯t bear to see the Red Ash return to Leponia. Even if this incident wasn¡¯t rted to the Red Ash, it was clear that it needed to be stopped. A haughty smile appeared on Ruel¡¯s lips. *** ¡°Achoo!¡± Fran tried to hide her frustration as Ruel sneezed. ¡°Mr. Ruel,¡± Fran addressed him. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°You clearly said you were going to rest. I don¡¯t understand why you keep finding excuses to be outside.¡± ¡°I rested. I just couldn¡¯t help myself from getting soaked.¡± ¡°I see. Did you overexert yourself?¡± ¡°Did my condition worsen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard to say for certain. The nature of your illness remains the same, but there are a few unusual aspects. We need to observe it further to understand what¡¯s happening,¡± Fran exined, closely watching Ruel¡¯s reaction. However, Ruel maintained a calm expression, making it difficult to gauge his true feelings. So, Fran smiled reassuringly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not worried.¡± ¡°Well then, until you recover from your cold, please refrain from wandering around.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Ruel agreed, casting a quick nce at Leo, who was staring at the wall. After Fran, Tierra, and Cassion left, Ruel shifted his gaze to the ring on his finger. He needed to inform Ganien about what he had revealed to Banios, but he was still annoyed about the incident in the carriage. If only he had chosen a more ordinary title, he wouldn¡¯t have felt so embarrassed. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo, who had been fixated on the wall, turned his head to look at Ruel. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªThis body has already repented. ¡°Is that so?¡± Upon returning to the room, Leo stood facing the wall, expressing his intention to reflect on his actions. Ruel hadn¡¯t asked him to do so, and it wasn¡¯t necessary, but since Leo insisted, Ruel allowed him to do as he pleased. ¡ªThis body will never throw snow or water at Ruel! ¡°Leo, what you did¡­¡± ¡ªNo. This body is at fault. Aris told this body that if this body makes a mistake, this body has to reflect on it. ¡®He had a good teacher.¡¯ Leo immediately smiled bashfully and ran up to Ruel. He showed his belly, asking to be petted, and Ruel gently touched Leo¡¯s soft belly. Ruel infused mana into the ring and called Ganien. ¡°Ganien, is it a good time to talk?¡± -¡­Just a moment. What do you want to talk about now? Let¡¯s take a deep breath first. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. It¡¯s just a little long.¡± -Oh, really? I thought it was something really serious. I¡¯m on my way home from work, so that¡¯s good news. What do you want to talk about? Ganien¡¯s cheerful voice lightened Ruel¡¯s mood, causing him to chuckle softly.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 141: Its my heart that goes -You¡­ damn it. Haa. Bast, no, you¡­ you really¡­ Without waiting to hear what Ruel was going to say, Ganien interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important to you, right?¡± At Ruel¡¯s amusedughter, Ganien couldn¡¯t hold back the curse he had been holding in. Ruel petted Leo while waiting for Ganien to finish his swearing. -Are you crazy? The bnce of the world? Thest wall? Seriously? ¡°Um.¡± -What is the name of the first patriarch? ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe something like Setiria.¡±-Dig up that bastard¡¯s grave. ¡°Well, that¡¯s actually what I was nning to do.¡± What¡¯s so great about the legacy that forced Setiria into sacrifice? It was a waste ofnd to give. -He¡¯ll sacrifice alone, so why force everyone to sacrifice one after another? What a fucking bastard. Ruel nodded instinctively at Ganien¡¯s impassioned words, even though he knew Ganien couldn¡¯t see him. ¡°Anyway, Ganien. There¡¯s still more to uncover about Cyronian.¡± -And what happened to you again? Ganien sounded horrified. ¡°Prazio has entered Setiria once more.¡± -What? Did the Red Ash return? Ganien let out augh as if he was shocked. ¡°That¡¯s still being investigated. It¡¯s suspicious that Prazio appeared as soon as we started trading with Cyronian. There¡¯s no solid evidence yet, but suspicions are growing.¡± -As you mentioned, there¡¯s still more to uncover. I¡¯ll personally inform His Majesty. No, I¡¯ll discuss it with him tomorrow when I go to work. It would be better for you to contact him directly, right? ¡°Yeah.¡± After inhaling Breath, Ruel continued speaking, ¡°And have you heard the news about the Kingdom of Kran sending an envoy to Leponia?¡± -I have. I can¡¯tprehend what those guys are thinking. The ones who used to look down on us are now trying to make amends or something. It appeared that the reports of Kran sending an envoy to Cyronian were indeed true. ¡°Ganien.¡± -Say. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯ve been through a lot, but why does the current situation seem so suspicious? It seems like everything is going too smoothly, doesn¡¯t it?¡± -Yes, I feel uneasy too. Kran has always been good at betraying us. ¡°Betraying us?¡± When Ruel momentarily stopped his hand, Leo opened his eyes and stared at Ruel intently. -When the Tonisk Empire was about to copse, they reached out to us first to form an alliance and then stabbed us in the back. In short, they¡¯re a treacherous bunch. That¡¯s why we dislike them. Geographically, Cyronian and Kran were positioned on either side of the Tonisk Empire. It seemed that they considered themselves the biggestpetitors now that the empire had copsed. -Anyway, we still don¡¯t know how things will turn out. His Majesty is considering it, but it might take some time for the decision. ¡°Yeah, please inform me when the decision is made. And make sure to handle the Red Ash situation properly.¡± -I¡¯d love to, but conflicts of interest are difficult. Unlike Leponia, we have many nobles here. As Ganien said, there are more than thirty times as many nobles in Cyronian as in Leponia, which must have been troublesome. -But Bianne Chen, whom you handed over, still has a scent, so I¡¯ll need to investigate further. Anyway, thanks. ¡°Yeah.¡± Just as Ruel was about to end themunication, Ganien urgently called out to him. -Just a moment. ¡°What now?¡± Ruel responded curtly. There didn¡¯t seem to be much left to discuss with Ganien. -¡­ I was wondering if it was worth living. ¡°It¡¯s still worth living. Then.¡± -Wait a sec. I haven¡¯t arrived home yet. ¡°I¡¯m done with my business. That¡¯s it.¡± -Hey, hey! Just a moment¡­ Before Ganien could finish his sentence, Ruel ended themunication andy down on the bed. ¡ªIt sparkles. Leo opened his eyes and looked at Ruel¡¯s ring. The sparkling sight made his pupils shimmer even more. ¡®He¡¯s persistent today.¡¯ It seemed that Ganien was going home with his mouth, not his feet. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel asked in a disgruntled voice. -Last time when the gates of the Tonisk Empire opened, there were those guys we missed. Afraid that Ruel might end the call, Ganien quickly spoke up at the mention of the Tonisk Empire. Ruel tried to hang up but stopped at the mention of the Tonisk Empire. When he first heard this story, he thought it was strange. Those presumed to be soldiers suddenly disappeared? Was that really possible? ¡°Did you find any traces?¡± -I didn¡¯t find any traces, but I figured out what was left behind at that time. It¡¯s definitely not teleportation magic. As expected, Ruel didn¡¯t jump to conclusions and sought the expertise of Tyson regarding teleportation magic. Tyson confirmed that it was impossible and mentioned that teleportation magic takes at least 30 seconds to perform. ¡°What kind of trace was it?¡± -They mentioned that they saw traces of a warlock. Whether it¡¯s a warlock or a magic user who maniptes darkness, they¡¯re notmon, so it¡¯s hard to say for sure. ¡®A warlock?¡¯ The Shadows were searching for them, yet there were no signs of their presence. Thump. Ruel suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. He paused momentarily, holding his breath. It was the first time his chest hurt without coughing. ¡®What¡¯s going on¡­?¡¯ The pain disappeared as quickly as it came, leaving Ruel confused. Was it a new symptom? -Are you listening? You¡¯re not falling asleep, are you? ¡°I¡¯m listening. A warlock, cough, cough, cough!¡± Leo opened his eyes, startled by Ruel¡¯s sudden cough. ¡ªWhat¡¯s wrong? -What¡¯s happening to you all of a sudden? Leo and Ganien asked worriedly, but Ruel couldn¡¯t even answer. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± The coughing wouldn¡¯t stop. Ruel clutched his chest, feeling the pain apanying each cough. Wiing. The power of recovery cried out. Something was wrong. He felt that something inside his body was targeting his life. -Is Cassion not there next to you? Hey! Ruel! ¡°I¡¯ll call the chief!¡± Hina quickly emerged from Ruel¡¯s shadow and rushed outside. ¡°Cough!¡± Blood flowed from Ruel¡¯s mouth, staining the sheets red. ¡ªRu, Ruel? Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡ªSuddenly, there¡¯s so many ck things. Why, why is this happening? -Damn it! Ruel! Don¡¯t lose consciousness! Hang in there! Huff. Huff. Breathing became difficult. ¡°Cough! Cough!¡± Ruel tried to inhale Breath, but the persistent coughing made it difficult to inhale. His face turned increasingly red, and the suffocating feeling of being unable to breathe caused him to scratch his throat desperately. ¡°Kuhuk!¡± Meanwhile, Ruel had to let the surging blood flow out again. Bang!window.yaContextCb=window.yaContextCb||[] window.yaContextCb.push(()=>{ Ya.Context.AdvManager.render({ renderTo: ''yandex_rtb_R-A-2282848-6'', blockId: ''R-A-2282848-6'' }) }) The door mmed open. Cassion, Fran, and Tierra rushed over. Fran had no time to panic and immediately gave instructions as soon as she saw Ruel. ¡°Tierra! Secure the airway first!¡± *** ¡°Why is this happening all of a sudden? Just a moment ago, he greeted me with a bright smile,¡± Tyson asked Fran with a trembling voice. Not long ago, when Ruel¡¯s heart stopped, it felt like Tyson¡¯s world was crumbling. His already broken heart ached as if he was on the verge of dying. Knowing that mana was toxic to Ruel, Tyson had used his magic to help him breathe. Another blow struck his shattered heart. He should have calcted how much mana Ruel¡¯s immunity could handle, but he couldn¡¯t think straight. Knowing that Fran suffered the most here, Tyson continued to urge her while enduring the stabbing pain in his chest. ¡°Please¡­ tell me. Please.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Fran bit her lip. The bed was drenched in a sea of blood. They had used up all the collected blood, and it had be so critical that they even had to resort to using Cassion¡¯s blood. ¡°I¡­ was negligent. During today¡¯s examination, I noticed something unusual, but I should have been more vignt,¡± Fran confessed, and immediately, frustration filled Tyson. Even though she knew, even though she understood everything, her actions were inadequate. ¡°Are you saying you knew and still let Ruel suffer? You, who know how weak Ruel¡¯s body is!¡± ¡°Tyson-nim, please calm down,¡± Cassion intervened, trying to pacify Tyson. ming Fran wouldn¡¯t solve anything. Negligence applied to him as well. When he noticed Ruel¡¯s frequent coughing and shared it with Fran, he should have taken action. Tyson clenched his fists tightly, suppressing his anger. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I know how much Ruel has suffered until now, that¡¯s why¡­¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s my fault,¡± Fran couldn¡¯t even lift her head. ¡°How is Ruel-nim¡¯s current condition?¡± Cassion looked at the blood flowing from his arm to Ruel¡¯s arm and asked, ¡°Is the amount of blood okay for now?¡± Fran examined Ruel again and nodded. ¡°The blood volume is fine for now. What concerns me is his breathing.¡± Cassion¡¯s expression darkened. Ruel¡¯s lungs were already weak. ¡°Will he recover?¡± ¡°Yes, Lord Ruel has a rtively fast recovery rate, so he should be able to fully recover to his previous state. The problem is¡­ I¡¯m not sure if he can withstand magic. I know he¡¯s vulnerable to mana.¡± ¡°I will do my best to control it.¡± Fran breathed a sigh of relief at Tyson¡¯s response but soon was taken aback. ¡°Why?¡± Tyson asked, surprised by her reaction. ¡°When Lord Ruel came back, I told him that I saw a strange structure during the examination¡­¡± Fran looked at Tyson with a surprised expression on her face. ¡°But¡­ I can¡¯t find it anymore.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°I mean, well, I¡¯ve never seen anything like it before, so I don¡¯t know what to say, but that strange structure exploded like a bomb and disappeared, leaving behind the previous illness.¡± Fran looked perplexed throughout her exnation. The illness grew back. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was a temporary phenomenon or not, so it felt like a dream. Deep wrinkles formed on Cassion¡¯s forehead. ¡®Did the Great Man interfere again?¡¯ Ruel had mentioned encountering the Great Man in a certain space before. At that time, the Great Man had touched Ruel¡¯s mark, causing the structure of the illness to change. He had been foolish to believe that was all. He should have been more suspicious. ¡®Damn it¡­¡¯ What the hell does this mean? ¡°I will continue to watch over him.¡± Fran gathered her resolve, swallowing back tears that seemed on the verge of spilling. Scratch. Scratch. The sound of a small fox scratching at the door made Cassion feel uneasy and frustrated. This was a very unfamiliar feeling to him, but one he had experienced before. It was a sense of helplessness. *** Three dayster. Banios received a message from the royal pce and headed straight to Ruel¡¯s room. The atmosphere in the mansion was heavy and dark, making him question if it was the same ce he had been staying in. Despite knocking on the door and entering, Cassion, who sat in front of the bed, remained motionless. Banios didn¡¯t find it rude; he found it pitiful. Even though he had been informed that Ruel would wake up today or tomorrow, Banios didn¡¯t believe it. He thought it was merely a figure of speech implying that Ruel¡¯s condition was critical. But he was mistaken. ¡°The envoy from the Kingdom of Kran has arrived,¡± Banios said, regardless of whether Cassion heard him or not. Only then did Cassion push back his disheveled hair and rise from his seat. ¡°Yes, I will convey the message to Ruel-nim once he wakes up,¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I have taken care of the eavesdropping, so you can rest assured.¡± ¡°Yes, of course. I wouldn¡¯t have stayed silent if this news had leaked outside.¡± It wasn¡¯t something a mere butler would say to a crown prince. However, Banios forcibly suppressed the instinctive warning and his difort. Without drawing back the curtain that concealed Ruel¡¯s appearance, he sat down beside Cassion. ¡°He will wake up.¡± ¡°He will.¡± ¡°But, why don¡¯t you eat something?¡± Every time Banios visited Ruel¡¯s room, Cassion never left his chair. He seemed like a wounded beast that had lost its appetite. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Cassion was not alone. Every knight in the manor had be a beast. Banios felt a deep sense of envy towards their loyalty. *** Four dayster. As Ruel¡¯s fingers twitched, Leo hurriedly approached his face. Tears welled up in Leo¡¯s eyes upon seeing Ruel¡¯s trembling eyelids. ¡ªRuel! Ruel! Leo called out to him desperately. When Ruel¡¯s hand touched his body, Leo held back his emotions, but tears inevitably streamed down his cheeks. ¡ªWhat Fran and Cassion say, this body doesn¡¯t know but this body knows that Ruel was in a lot of pain. Ruel, who was already pale, became even paler, as if buried in snow. ¡ªEven if this body was hungry, this body endured this time. ck things umted inside Ruel¡¯s body, but Leo judged that he shouldn¡¯t eat because there was too much blood on the bed that day. ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t go to Aris either. Sob, leaning against the door, this body listened to Ruel¡¯s heartbeat quietly. Leo was terrified that the faint sound of the heartbeat might disappear at any moment. Ruel opened heavy eyelids, hearing Leo¡¯s whimper. He hadn¡¯t dreamt of anything. It felt like he had just slept for a long time. ¡®¡­I really thought I was going to die this time.¡¯ Something was off. The symptoms seemed familiar, but they were different. It felt as though death was spreading through his veins like poison. ¡®Did the Great Man nt something?¡¯ ¡°Are you¡­ awake?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice strained as he struggled to open his mouth. Ruel was taken aback by the sight of Cassion¡¯s unfamiliar face. The gravity of the situation must have been immense. Ruel smiled, not asking any questions. ¡°¡­ see?¡± Ruel managed to speak after taking a deep breath. ¡°¡­That I won¡¯t die.¡± ¡°Yes, I knew.¡± Cassion answered with a faint smile.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 142: Its my heart that goes (2) Chapter 142: It''s my heart that goes (2) *** Crunch. Ruel swiftly devoured a meat pie. Munch. With his mouth full of cookies, Ruel extended his empty hand to Cassion. ¡°People really need to eat,¡± he mumbled. Although Ruel¡¯s voicecked strength, Cassion felt reassured that Ruel was now okay. ¡°I¡¯ll go call Fran,¡± Cassion said, cing a cookie in Ruel¡¯s palm. Concerned that Fran had been staying awake for days, Cassion convinced her to return to her room, fearing that she might copse. Ruel was about to eat another cookie when he spoke up. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you asked how I ended up like this?¡± ¡°First, let¡¯s assess your condition, Ruel-nim. We can discuss the reasonster.¡±¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Ruel agreed. Leo, pulling himself out of the bliss of Ruel¡¯s touch, shouted. ¡ªCassion is right! He then stood up abruptly and stared at Ruel intently. Ruel gently touched Leo¡¯s lips. ¡°Maybe that Great Man did something to me when west met,¡± Ruel revealed without hesitation, even though Cassion had suggested discussing itter. He then smirked. ¡°But I emerged victorious, didn¡¯t I?¡± It may be funny to say that he won in this situation, but as Ruel said, if the Great Man pulled out some trick, it could be said that Ruel won because he overcame it. Because surviving means winning. ¡°Despite your victory, you appear quite worn out,¡± Cassion bluntly remarked. It seemed that the things hanging on his arms were not visible right now. ¡°That¡¯s understandable, and¡­ what about Uncle?¡± Ruel asked after a moment of pause. He was always prone to worrying, and he wondered how shocked his uncle would have been by the incident when his heart had stopped before, and now this. Cassion¡¯s expression softened as he replied, ¡°I¡¯ll bring him.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡ªRuel. Leo called out to him as Cassion left the room. ¡°Why?¡± ¡ªRuel should thank Cassion. Although Cassion¡¯s footsteps paused for a moment, as if pretending not to hear, the sound of the doorknob turning was heard. ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Ruel spoke in a barely audible voice, without questioning Leo further. Even though it was soft, Cassion must have heard it clearly. ¡°Please find a good sword for me,¡± Cassion chuckled as he left. ¡°Sure,¡± came an indifferent voice in response. ¡ªCassion drew blood for Ruel. He never left Ruel¡¯s side, always there. And¡­ After confirming Cassion¡¯s departure, Leo chirped more cheerfully. Ruel inhaled Breath and clenched his hand without saying a word. ¡®This can¡¯t continue.¡¯ If the mark on his body disappeared, he didn¡¯t know what would happen to Leo. He had been putting off dealing with it until now. However, Ruel now had a way to contact the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor. ¡®How should I reach out to him?¡¯ Recalling the method Jan had taught him, Ruel attempted to contact him. ¡®He said to imagine opening a door by adjusting mana at a regr rate, right?¡¯ ¡ªAre you in pain? As Ruel closed his eyes, Leo urgently stroked his head with his paw. ¡°No. I am trying to contact Jan. I have some questions to ask.¡± -What is it, my dear? What¡¯s going on? As if the connection was sessful, he could hear Jan¡¯s excited voice in his mind. It feels a bit ticklish. ¡°I want to ask about something rted to Leo.¡± -By any chance¡­ Did you tell everything to Leo? ¡°No. I contacted you to ask what Leo should eat besides the thing called ¡®ck stuff¡¯.¡± ¡ªThis body can answer that. This body eats ice cream, cake, and apple tea! Ah! This body also eats cookies and meat pies! Leo smiled as if it was a delight just to say it. Ruel scratched the back of Leo¡¯s neck. -Is Leo forgetting his duties as the Great Purifier? ¡°Yes.¡± -I see. It¡¯s not just immaturity from being too young. Spirits do not forget the mission assigned at birth. He seems to have been born a little unstable. Jan sighed softly. -Child, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re next to Leo. ¡°Why?¡± -The Great Purifiers are born in the purest of darkness. That¡¯s why they can naturally use purification like breathing. Ruel stared intently at Leo. The green eyes twinkled back at him. ¡®Born in darkness?¡¯ Leo and darkness seemed ipatible. In fact, his fur color made him blend in with sunlight, not darkness. -Cover Leo with the darkness you possess. Just feeding off that energy will be enough. Ruel smiled. The solution was simpler than he had imagined. Perhaps this little fox hade to him not because of the ck stuff spreading in his body but because it instinctively sensed the darkness within him. ¡°Thank you for letting me know.¡± -You¡¯re wee. Your voice sounds weak. ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired, that¡¯s all. I¡¯ll contact you again next time.¡± -Just a little longer¡­ Ruel immediately dispersed the gathered mana he used tomunicate with Jan. ¡®This is more exhausting than I anticipated.¡¯ He took a deep breath, realizing that he should use amunication device next time. ¡ªWhat did Jan say? Leo¡¯s anticipation was evident, as he had already licked his lips in anticipation of something delicious to eat. Ruel nced down at the various items hanging from his arm and spoke up. ¡°Hina.¡± ¡°Yes, please continue.¡± Hina appeared, slightly puzzled, and looked at Ruel. ¡°I have something I need to confirm, but I don¡¯t want Cassion to know.¡± Ruel pointed towards Leo as he made his request to Hina. ¡°Please, Ruel-nim.¡± Hina¡¯s voice carried a firmness that seemed like a scolding. Ruel was taken aback by her attitude, but he wasn¡¯t angry. ¡°Hina, if you don¡¯t want to help, just say so. I don¡¯t really feel like listening to nagging right now.¡± Hina momentarily fell silent. Ruel didn¡¯t want to be nagged, but he was prepared for any trouble. ¡°It¡¯s about Leo.¡± But Hina listened attentively to what Ruel had to say next. ¡°Does it have something to do with spirits?¡± ¡°Yes. You heard that¡¯s why I called you just now.¡± Hina sat down, contemting with an anxious expression. ¡°If it¡¯s dangerous, I will put a stop to it immediately.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not dangerous. I¡¯m just going to use a bit of magic.¡± Ruel conjured shadows and enveloped Leo in them, as if swaddling a newborn. Leo chuckled almost immediately. ¡ªWhat¡¯s this game? What is this body supposed to do? ¡°Try eating this.¡± Ruel pointed at the shadows. Leo tilted his head curiously. ¡ªIsn¡¯t this Ruel¡¯s magic? It¡¯s not meant for eating. ¡°Jan said you should consume this dark energy.¡± ¡ªWhat is this energy? What should he say? Ruel hesitated for a moment before deciding to let it go. Leo¡¯s instinct for darknessy dormant within him, and now was the perfect time to awaken that instinct when his hunger was at its peak. ¡°Just stay still. Let me know if you feel anything.¡± Ruel released the shadows to cover Leo once more, like a nket. Growing impatient, Hina asked, ¡°Is it safe to keep using magic like this?¡± ¡°I have arge capacity. It¡¯s just that I¡¯m weak, so¡­¡± Before Ruel could finish his sentence, Hina was startled and looked towards the door. ¡°Hina.¡± Cassion chuckled in disbelief. A few days ago, Ruel could hardly breathe, so he had to rely on magic. Sadly, it was short-lived, and by the fifth day, his tolerance reached its limit, and he was on the verge of breaking. At that moment, as if by a miracle, Ruel exhaled on his own. Two dayster, he had barely regained his senses. Now, he watched closely as his master yed with Leo while performing magic. ¡°Hina.¡± Cassion called out to Hina again, his voice filled with gravity. Hina stood up nervously, stumbling over her words. ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not it. I mean, this is¡­ ¡° ¡°Cassion, it hurts a bit because of your aura,¡± Ruel said, showing his trembling hand. Despite Cassion¡¯s efforts to prevent his aura from affecting Ruel, his hand was still shaking due to the lingering effects. Cassion withdrew his aura and let out a long sigh. ¡°Ruel.¡± Tyson, who was standing behind Cassion, called out to Ruel with a trembling voice. ¡°Yes, uncle,¡± Ruel replied, smiling at Tyson, who looked greatly concerned. ¡°Come with me, Hina,¡± Cassion said, taking Hina, who was on the verge of tears, outside. Meanwhile, Tyson remained seated, silently watching Ruel. He exhaled slowly and spoke with desperation. ¡°You are my everything.¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes widened, understanding the fear Tyson must have felt. ¡°You needed to wake up. That¡¯s all I want.¡± Ruel felt sorry for Tyson but couldn¡¯t bring himself to say anything. *** ¡°I apologize sincerely for delivering such news as soon as you open your eyes. There will be no demands this time, and your¡­¡± ¡°I will go.¡± Ruel readily epted Banios¡¯ proposal. Cassion and Banios¡¯ faces contorted almost simultaneously. Before Banios arrived, Cassion had informed Ruel of three facts: The delegation from the Kran Kingdom had arrived in Leponia, a noble from the Kran Kingdom who had conducted trade with Prince Huan and Luruan involved in the Red Ash had been identified. However, as Ganien had revealed, they were actually officials of the Tonisk Empire, not nobles of the Kran Kingdom. And there was a member of the Red Ash among the nobility named Medeas Tehel. He was a member of the Tonisk Empire and the son of a former prime minister. ¡®That Medeas is connected to the first prince of Kran, Adea Kran.¡¯ It was unbelievable. It was like finding a sweet potato in a field. For the first time in a while, Ruel felt excited. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Ruel.¡± Both Cassion and Banios broke the silence and spoke. Ruel responded calmly, as it was a familiar response he always received. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the King of the Kingdom of Kran personally chose me to lead the delegation?¡± ¡°Well¡­ but there¡¯s no absolute need for you to go. His Majesty will surely find a way to prevent it. I will also help.¡± Ruel was currently lying down, unable to move, with medical devices attached to his arm. Anyone who saw him would try to stop him. ¡°Now I have a reason to go.¡± Ruel smiled as if he had found an interesting toy. ¡°There is nothing to exchange for your health,¡± Banios insisted. Ruel informed Banios of what the shadows had discovered in response to his firm words. Banios had to know but Ruel didn¡¯t reveal everything. Maybe there was a Red Ash¡¯ executive there, he made up an excuse like that. ¡°Huh.¡± Banios couldn¡¯t close his mouth in disbelief. ¡°Why¡­ Why do I keep hearing surprising facts from you?¡± ¡°This journey will be apanied by Prince Adoris.¡± From the perspective of the Red Ash, Adoris was a traitor. It created a perfect target. Ruel nned to use himself, who was popr among the people, and Adoris, a traitor to the enemy, as bait. Banios managed to calm his heart as he looked at the little fox clinging to Ruel¡¯s side. ¡°Ruel, to be honest, I was nning to reject the intention brought by the delegation and inform you of my decision.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t Kran bring an offer to form an alliance? And even though you didn¡¯t mention it, they surely didn¡¯t juste here for nothing. Wasn¡¯t it included in the conditions of the alliance that I would go to Kran?¡± The Red Ash¡¯ executive was a man under Adea Kran. The prince would not havee as the head of the delegation without a reason. Banios flinched at Ruel¡¯s sharp point. Adea Kran had specifically requested Ruel, who had yed a crucial role in establishing the alliance between Cyronian and Leponia, to be sent as the representative of the delegation. Despite being presented as a request, it was more of a condition. It appeared that they wanted to exploit Ruel¡¯s favorable reputation to gain some advantage, even if it meant extracting minor concessions. Alternatively, they might have aimed to present Ruel as a symbol of peace. Either way, Banios was displeased with this fact. Banios sighed and said, ¡°Brother Adonis alone will go to Kran. That was the original n.¡± Ruel chuckled lightly. What Banios was saying now was merely ast resort. The first prince, Huan, was imprisoned and the second prince, Adoris, had alsomitted a crime and had given up the throne, barely maintaining his position as a prince. Banios was the only one left. He couldn¡¯t risk leaving Leponia and falling into a trap, as it would practically be the end of their country. But Kran, a country where the firstborn inherits the throne, has sent their first prince. Could they really send only Adoris under these circumstances? ¡°Your Highness, I know the situation is not favorable, so you can stop acting.¡± Banios squeezed his thighs and sighed. ¡°I never thought it would be this difficult to deceive you.¡± ¡°When did I ever say I was going now?¡± ¡°Then¡­¡± ¡°I will go to Kran once I have recovered. They may have their own ns for my arrival, but ultimately, it is my decision.¡± A subtle smile yed on Ruel¡¯s lips. He had no intention of blindly epting Kran¡¯s demands. He intended to act only after confirming the ties between Kran and the Tonisk Empire. ¡°I do n to go eventually, but my current condition is not suitable. Please inform them that I will go at ater time, apanied by some ttery, of course.¡± Banios, who had been frowning the whole time, suddenlyughed. How could he notugh at Ruel¡¯s statement that he would defy Kran¡¯s arrogance? Alliances aside, how arrogant was it of the Kran Kingdom to act in such a manner? From the moment Banios ordered Ruel Setiria to be sent as the representative of the delegation, an invisible battle had begun. Who had made the request for a prince to be sent? Who had proposed using the alliance as a hostage under the pretense of courtesy? How dare they treat Leponia in such a manner? ¡°Very well. You¡¯re right. Restfortably and inform us when you feel ready to go. We will leisurely make the decision on that day.¡± Finally, Ruel¡¯s words struck a chord with Banios. Delighted, Ruel replied with a beaming face, ¡°Yes, Your Highness. I trust your word, and I will rest well.¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 143: Its my heart that goes (3) Chapter 143: It''s my heart that goes (3) *** ¡°Ganien, please convey my apologies to His Majesty Huswen for the dy,¡± Ruel said as soon as he contacted Ganien. He had originally intended to contact Huswen and discuss the current situation, but he unintentionally broke that promise. -¡­Huh. Ganien could onlyugh in disbelief. ¡ªRuel, you should sleep now. Fran said you need plenty of rest. Leo said, flicking the nkets up with his short front paws. Since Ruel was already under the nket, he stroked the back of Leo¡¯s neck. Leo¡¯s serious expression softened, and he smiled.Ruel smiled at the sight and said, ¡°Since when did you start saying that you wanted me to sleep?¡± ¡ªThis body hates it more when you¡¯re sick. Many humans weep when Ruel is sick. Even Aris cried today! News of Ruel waking up spread, hence many people briefly visited his room. Upon seeing Ruel¡¯s condition, visitors disyed visible emotions and teary eyes. Aris was one of them and burst into tears upon seeing Ruel. It reminded Ruel of their first meeting¡ªthe child who was thin and desperate for help was now growing into an adult, surpassing his own height, but Aris still cried like a child. Ruel once again realized that his life was not just his own and felt the need to value himself even more. Ruelforted Leo and said, ¡°Just a few more words with Ganien, and then I¡¯ll go to bed.¡± ¡ªReally? ¡°Yes.¡± Despite Ruel¡¯s answer, Leo crouched next to Ruel with a sullen expression on his face. -Do you have to say that as soon as you wake up? Forget it, get some rest, don¡¯t worry about anything else! ¡°I am resting. I¡¯ve been in bed all day today, haven¡¯t I?¡± Ruel chuckled. -And now you¡¯reughing? ¡°So did you inform His Majesty Huswen?¡± -You are so stubborn. I ryed everything you said. His Majesty was very worried. The Master too. ¡°Okay, please tell them thank you.¡± -Got it. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Before Ruel could finish speaking, Ganien cut off contact first. Ruel chuckled again and closed his eyes. He felt like he needed to warn the other family heads to be cautious of Prazio, but it seemed that for today, he had done enough. His eyes felt heavy. ¡ªHave sweet dreams! Leo rushed to turn off the light, as if he had been waiting. *** ¡°I apologize for calling you at thiste hour,¡± Brans said with a faint smile as he looked at Adea Kran. ¡°No, I cannot express enough gratitude for Your Majesty¡¯s kind consideration. Please don¡¯t worry,¡± Adea replied. ¡°Lord Setiria¡¯s condition has worsened recently, and I have only just received a response. I apologize for the dy,¡± Brans expressed his regret. ¡°No, it was actually me who was worried and felt troubled for Lord Setiria.¡± Brans suppressed his anger inside as he looked at Adea¡¯s mouth, talking like a snake. He knew about Ruel¡¯s condition, yet he deliberately used him as a hostage for the alliance. However, he couldn¡¯t turn them away when the road to peaceid before him. Brans clenched his fist tightly and spoke softly. ¡°Lord Setiria has granted the prince¡¯s request. He will go to the Kingdom of Kran as the representative of the delegation.¡± ¡°Thank you. Please convey my gratitude to Lord Setiria as well,¡± Adea responded. ¡°One more thing,¡± Brans smiled, interrupting Adea, who held his breath in anticipation. ¡°Lord Setiria has decided to depart once he recovers. Please inform the King of Kran about this,¡± Brans continued. ¡°When is he going to¡­?¡± ¡°Prince Adea,¡± Brans¡¯s forceful voice called out, drawing a line. ¡°I cannot force Lord Setiria any further, so refrain from asking. Anyway, since we have granted the demands of the Kingdom of Kran, it is time for you to withdraw.¡± Before Adea could protest, Brans dismissed them. ¡°Dammit!¡± Adea left Brans¡¯s room as if being kicked out and vented his anger upon returning to his own quarters. ¡°Please calm down, Your Highness. This is Leponia. You must be careful.¡± ¡°I know. I know!¡± Adea followed the butler¡¯s advice, sat down, and tried his best to calm his anger. ¡°What about Treitol?¡± ¡°He is waiting for Your Highness in the neutral zone.¡± ¡®What¡¯s on your mind, Treitol?¡¯ Ever since suffering a head injury, Treitol had be apletely different person. He imed to have apanied the diplomatic delegation to see the neutral zone out of curiosity, but Adea didn¡¯t believe him. Adea sensed that Treitol had his sights set on the throne. Adea anxiously revealed his restlessness by repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fists. Finally, he persuaded His Majesty Brans to summon Ruel Setiria to Kran. ¡®Just a little more.¡¯ Adea applied so much force that his hands turned bright red. *** Ken revealed the Prios emblem appearing on the back of his hand. ¡°I wanted to show it to Ruel-nim first.¡± Although he spoke calmly, the emotion was evident in Ken¡¯s expression. ¡°Congrattions,¡± Ruel greeted him simply. Ken smiled slowly, without rushing. There had been a slight dy due to the remnants of the Prios family, but Ken had officially be the head of the family thanks to the removal of the Red Ash. Of course, all of this was done unofficially at Ruel¡¯s request. ¡°Now you are a lord too.¡± As promised, Ruel made Ken head of the family. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Even though I¡¯ve be the head of the family, my allegiance is still to Ruel-nim.¡± Ken took the emblem away and made eye contact with Ruel. ¡°I have already sworn the Mana Oath, but please allow me to pledge my loyalty to you again.¡± There were no emotions other than loyalty in Ken¡¯s eyes. Ruel nced at him and smiled briefly as he leaned back on the bed, contemting what had stirred his heart. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t a bad feeling. ¡°If you wish.¡± As soon as Ruel gave permission, Ken stood up and knelt down on one knee. Despite their equal status now, Ken showed no hesitation. ¡°I, Ken Prios, am and always will be steadfast.¡± Ken¡¯s head bowed. ¡°I swear allegiance to Ruel-nim.¡± How many people had bowed their heads before him until now? Saying that, Ken was the first outsider, someone who did not belong to Setiria, who had bowed to him without any expectation of anything in return. Ruel¡¯s heart was deeply touched by Ken¡¯s loyalty. ¡°Thank you,¡± Ruel smiled. *** ¡°Would you like more?¡± Cassion asked, looking at the empty tes. He had brought enough food for four servings, thinking there would be leftovers, but it seemed Ruel hadpletely filled himself up. ¡°No, I¡¯m really full. There¡¯s no more room. It¡¯s amazing how my appetite is still so big, even though I haven¡¯t eaten much while I was sick,¡± Ruelmented. Cassion revealed the truth to him. ¡°The portion size was meant for four people.¡± ¡°Four servings that are probably equivalent to one serving for you,¡± Ruel chuckled in response. Cassion didn¡¯t argue with Ruel¡¯s remark and instead handed the small table on the bed to Noah. ¡°The lord eats so much, where is all the weight going?¡± Noah now knew that Ruel was a hearty eater. Despite eating less than usual due to his health condition, he still had a big appetite. ¡°I¡¯m curious about that myself,¡± Cassion sighed as he looked at Ruel. He realized that Ruel¡¯s body was using a lot of energy due to the constant recovery process, which was taking a heavy toll on him. Especially considering that he had already lost weight due to recent events. It seemed like he needed to diligently feed him to put some weight back on. ¡®And he needs to grow taller too.¡¯ Cassion paused for a moment, lost in thought. Now that he acknowledged himself as a butler, things felt different. Even though Aris, who ate less than Ruel, was growing rapidly, Ruel wasn¡¯t. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel frowned when Cassion stared at him intently. ¡°You want me to eat more?¡± ¡°Sorry, I got lost in my own thoughts for a moment,¡± Cassion apologized. It was clear that Cassion was contemting his own weight and height. ¡®I can¡¯t do anything about my weight, but I¡¯m not exactly short.¡¯ Ruel thought of saying more but held back when he looked at Noah. Whenever Noah was afraid of Billo, he would run to him and tell him everything that happened in this room. Despite thinking that Aris and Noah would always remain at odds, they had gradually be more friendly, and naturally, Aris was now being informed of the events happening in this room as well. ¡®Then Aris would inform Uncle about it.¡¯ Ruel clearly understood the entrenched system of gossip in his mansion. ¡®There is no one left on my side.¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath as he watched Noah leave the room with a groan. Cassion didn¡¯t go out. It seemed like he had something to say. Leo perked up his ears and brought his food bowl, cing it in front of Cassion. ¡ªThis body can eat more! Cassion refilled Leo¡¯s bowl before speaking. Glug. Ruel asked after seeing Leo burying his face in his rice bowl, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°They say the red house that Luruan owned burned down.¡± ¡°Burned down?¡± Ruel¡¯s brow twitched. He didn¡¯t expect to hear any more news from that ce after saving the people and obtaining the information. Ruel red at Cassion. ¡°I thought you took care of everything, or did I hear wrong?¡± ¡°No, you didn¡¯t. We made it look like the building copsed due to its old age. We also concealed all the traces,¡± Cassion exined. ¡°But it caught fire?¡± ¡°Yes, someone intentionally set the fire.¡± The culprit was undoubtedly Red Ash. Ruel found amusement in the situation, as if he had witnessed something amusing. ¡°The red house burned down around this time¡­ There must have been a secret there that someone didn¡¯t want to be revealed,¡± Ruel spected. Setting fire to a crumbling building wouldn¡¯t be worth the risk unless there was valuable information at stake. ¡°Cassion, you¡¯re investigating the aftermath, right?¡± ¡°Of course. We¡¯re currently tracking it down. It seems like the culprits aren¡¯t very skilled, so they¡¯ll likely be caught soon.¡± Ruel knew that even if they caught the person responsible for the fire, they might not obtain any valuable information. They probably hired adventurers or manipted desperate individuals who were in need of money. ¡°How is the person you brought in?¡± The person Ruel was referring to was probably the one trapped alone in the basement of Luruan¡¯s red house. ¡°They¡¯ve improved significantly. However, they still struggle with ustrophobia, so it¡¯s challenging for them to leave their room,¡± Cassion exined. ¡°Can theymunicate now?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Yes, they can express their opinions,¡± Cassion confirmed. ¡°In that case, deliver this message,¡± Ruel grinned. Red Ash never acted without purpose. ¡°If they want to bring down the Great Man, they should tell me everything.¡± ¡°Alright, I will ry your words,¡± Cassion said. As he was about to leave, he hesitated and spoke softly. ¡°Fran said a light walk would be fine. There might be a lot of stars tonight. Take care not to catch a cold.¡± Cassion neatlyid a white cloak on the bed. ¡°Are you encouraging me to go out for once?¡± Ruel asked. Cassion chuckled lightly. ¡°Even if I advised against it, you would still go out, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°¡­¡± Ruel felt a twinge of guilt and didn¡¯t even manage to speak. ¡°In my opinion, it seems like it¡¯s about time for you to go out. It¡¯s already been three days. Well then,¡± Cassion said, bowing slightly before leaving. ¡®Has it only been three days?¡¯ Being confined to the bed made it feel like a week had passed. He now looked at the solitary IV drip, and before he knew it, he made eye contact with Leo, who was dangling from the bed. ¡ªAre we going to have some cocoa? ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡ªThis body is ready at any time. Leo¡¯s tail wagged so much that it seemed invincible. Just like Cassion said, he was starting to feel a bit sore. ¡ªIt sparkles! Leo climbed onto the bed and grabbed Ruel¡¯s arm. The ring sparkled. It was Ganien. ¡®He won¡¯t let me contact His Majesty Huswen.¡¯ Ruel tried to contact Ganien earlier today, but Ganien only left the message ¡®Rest¡¯ and cut off themunication. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel said grumpily. -The gates of the Tonisk Empire are open. Ganien¡¯s serious voice came through the ring. Ruel¡¯s expression hardened upon hearing Ganien¡¯s words. ¡°Again?¡± -It¡¯s different this time. I confirmed that they were real soldiers. Ruel gazed at the window. Darkness had fallen. It was a good time to move secretly. ¡°Are you going there now?¡± Ruel asked. Ganien seemed to have mounted a horse as the sound of the wind and ttering hooves could be heard. -Yes, I¡¯m heading there now after hearing the news. Even though the numbers might not be many, they say it¡¯s over a hundred. I¡¯ll see what they¡¯re like. Unlike his words, Ganien¡¯s voice was tense. It was the Tonisk Empire. This time, unlikest time, they had confirmed that they were actual soldiers. ¡°If you¡¯re going, that means the soldiers areing toward the Cyronian.¡± -Yes, they¡¯reing our way. ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± -I don¡¯t know. I¡¯ve only read about them in books but never actually fought anyone from Tonisk before. The sound of the horses¡¯ hooves became faster. It sounded like Ganien¡¯s heartbeat. -Regardless I will be the one to win. Ganienughed out loud. ¡°Yeah. You¡¯ll win ande back to defeat Cassion.¡± -That¡¯s some good encouragement. The sound of grinding teeth could be heard in the background. ¡°Stay in touch.¡± -Yeah. I¡¯ll contact youter. Take care then. Ganien cut off themunication first. Ruel grabbed Breath and bit his lips at the fact that the approaching danger felt more imminent ¡®Is the Tonisk Empire really moving?¡¯ He expected it, but it finally felt real now. His heart pounded hard with the fear of war. ¡ªRuel, are you sick? When Ruel¡¯splexion paled slightly, Leo lifted a short front paw tofort him. ¡°No, I¡¯m not in pain. It¡¯s just the medicine working,¡± Ruel assured, pointing at the IV to indicate the painkiller¡¯s effectiveness. ¡°Leo, let¡¯s go get some cocoa.¡± ¡ªReally? Leo was so happy that he jumped up in his ce, pricked up his ears, and looked at Ruel. ¡ªAre you okay? ¡°I¡¯m fine, just a little fuzzy-headed.¡± He needed time to process the information he had received; he felt restless without a clear reason. Something was bothering him, and he hoped that slowing down and enjoying a cup of cocoa would help him figure it out.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 144: Everything was a lie (1) Chapter 144: Everything was a lie (1) ¡®What¡¯s missing?¡¯ Ruel went to kitchen while thinking for the missing puzzle piece ¡°My Lord?¡± He ran into Astell, who was justing out of the kitchen. ¡°Thank goodness. I¡¯m not toote.¡± Astell smiled in response to Ruel¡¯s smile, ¡°Are you here for some cocoa?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Two cups, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°Come in. It¡¯s warmer here than the hallway.¡± Astell opened the door and waited for Ruel.¡ªThere always seemed to be a sweet smelling from Astell Leo rubbed his head against Astell¡¯s leg and followed Ruel. ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± ¡°You also came to my room yesterday.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look as well as you did yesterday.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I came for cocoa.¡± Seeing Ruel¡¯s indifferent expression, Astell decided not to ask further. ¡°The Lord will always do well.¡± Instead, she carefully encouraged Ruel. ¡°¡­?¡± At Astell¡¯s words, Ruel looked at her with a puzzled look. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re going through, but I¡¯m always here to support you, my lord.¡± ¡°Ok, thanks.¡± Ruel waited patiently, showing a faint smile. Since his body couldn¡¯t move freely, he had to use his head at least. More than others. That¡¯s why he needed something sweet today. *** ¡®Medeas Tehel, a man of Adea Kran, was an executive of the Red Ash and a citizen of the Tonisk Empire. Technically, his mother was Kran, so he was half-blood.¡¯ Ruel gently stroked Leo¡¯s smooth fur and tasted the sweetness in his mouth. ¡®However, the issue is that there is still no evidence that Adea Kran is one of the Red Ash.¡¯ Medeas Tehel was an executive. Even though Adea imed to be a prince, some evidence should have been revealed. ¡®The gates of the Tonisk Empire have opened twice.¡¯ Once before Kran sent an envoy to Leponia. And once before Kran sent an envoy to Cyronian. ¡®Is this just a simple coincidence?¡¯ Ruel took a deep breath. ¡®When the gates of the Tonisk Empire first opened, those presumed to be soldiers suddenly disappeared from the scene. Although it is not exact where they disappeared, traces of ck magic were visible.¡¯ But the second time was different. Soldiers moved as if they were really going to attack Cyronian. What was the reason? What was most iprehensible was the behavior of Treitol Kran, the second prince of Kran. Neutral zone. ¡®Why did Treitole to the neutral zone?¡¯ Without any gain, it was too strange to visit the neutral zone just to see it. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. As Cassion says, there are many stars! Leo stopped licking his cocoa and looked at the sky. Ruel instinctively gazed at the sky as well. The densely packed stars emitted different lights with each blink. ¡°Ha,¡± Ruel exhaled. His fingers grew numb, the cold air biting at his skin. He had forgotten to wear gloves despite being fully armed. Leo grabbed Ruel¡¯s hand with his short front paw. ¡ªThis body loves drinking cocoa while looking at the stars. It tastes different from just drinking it. ¡°How is it different?¡± Ruel asked with a smile. He felt like Leo could be a food critic at this rate. ¡ªThe twinkling of the stars feels like it¡¯s entering this body¡¯ mouth! That¡¯s why this body drinks cocoa after looking at the sky! ¡°That¡¯s a nice way of putting it.¡± ¡ªTry drinking it like this body, Ruel. Ruel patted Leo¡¯s head and reached for the cocoa he had set aside. When Leo touched it lightly, the slightly cooled cocoa became warm enough to enjoy. He looked up at the sky and drank the cocoa. ¡ªHow is it? Doesn¡¯t it taste better? Leo stood leaning on Ruel¡¯s body with both paws. With so many stars in the sky, Leo¡¯s eyes seemed to sparkle particrly brightly today. ¡°It¡¯s delicious.¡± ¡ªHehe. This body thought so! This body has discovered something new. Knowing all along, Ruel pretended not to know and brought the cup to his lips. ¡®Drinking inside and drinking outside are different,so I prefer drinking outside¡­¡¯ Ruel paused for a moment. ¡®¡­!¡¯ The opening of the Tonisk Empire¡¯s gates seemed simr, but each situation was different. ¡®Why didn¡¯t I think of this simple thing?¡¯ The rtionships between Leponia and Kran, and Cyronian and Kran, were different. When was peace most desired? It was when the enemy appeared. The Tonisk Empire¡¯s move to invite an alliance was not as simple as one might think. If the Tonisk Empire and Kran were on the same side, how could they easily conquer both countries? ¡®Alliance.¡¯ The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth rose. An alliance was the perfect moment to strike unexpectedly. If both countries were eliminated, those who would criticize them would also disappear. ¡°When the Tonisk Empire copsed, they extended a hand to us first to form an alliance and then stabbed us in the back.¡± Ruel recalled Ganien¡¯s words. The Kran Kingdom was already a country with a history of war. They had tried it once, so why couldn¡¯t they try it again? Ruel now realized the frustration that had been bothering him all along. It was all about the actions of the Tonisk Empire. The empire was a country that even three nations couldn¡¯t defeat together. ¡®Why go through all this trouble? Why bring Kran into it?¡¯ Of course, an empire was an empire because it was powerful. There was no reason to go through all of this. ¡®It¡¯s like a fox wearing a tiger¡¯s skin to y the role of a king.¡¯ Ruel pursed his lips, then stopped. ¡®Wait a minute¡­¡¯ ¡ªPat this body. When Ruel¡¯s hand disappeared, Leo looked at him and tapped his hand with his tail. ¡ªDrinking cocoa tastes even better when Ruel pets this body while looking at the stars. Ruel continued to stroke Leo, his face disying a fascinated expression. ¡®What happens if the premise changes?¡¯ What if the Tonisk Empire didn¡¯t copse but was destroyed for some reason? ¡®Is that even possible?¡¯ Ruel chuckled. They would fit better with the puzzle pieces, but at the same time, new obstacles would arise. Who destroyed the strongest Tonisk Empire, and why did the Tonisk Empire¡¯s people spread within the Kran Kingdom? Just when he thought his frustration had been relieved, it brought him more questions. ¡®I need more information, vital information.¡¯ Ruel sipped his cocoa again. The shadows that had gone to Kran should have brought back anything they could gather. *** ¡°I think the growth of the disease was a temporary phenomenon. I¡¯m relieved.¡± Fran said with a big smile. Leo, who was crouching, got up and ran towards Ruel. ¡ªDoesn¡¯t it hurt anymore? Thank goodness. Ruel patted Leo, who was hugging him tightly, and asked Fran. ¡°Has the requirement of absolute stability been resolved?¡± ¡°I heard you went out briefly yesterday.¡± ¡°It seems like you have someone in the mansion,¡± Ruel mentioned, realizing that news of his movements within the mansion had spread quickly. Fran chuckled softly, covering her mouth. ¡°I have more than one pair of eyes. I witnessed firsthand how everyone worried about you every time you moved.¡± ¡°You saw that?¡± Ruel furrowed his brow, feeling slightly overwhelmed. While it was heartwarming to see the servants¡¯ concern, he didn¡¯t want to appear too dependent. It felt like being a baby bird surrounded by numerous mother birds. Franughed even harder than before, but stopped abruptly at the sound of Tierra¡¯s call and spoke calmly, ¡°As you know, I am the only doctor in this mansion. Even if I don¡¯t want to, I hear everything.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good to have multiple sources of information.¡± ¡°They all did it out of their affection for you, Mr. Ruel. I hope you don¡¯t find it unpleasant,¡± Fran said. ¡°Who said anything about being offended? It¡¯s just¡­ a little strange,¡± Ruel replied, averting his gaze slightly and scratching his cheek. Fran¡¯s eyes widened momentarily, and then she regarded Ruel with an intrigued expression. ¡°Why?¡± Ruel inquired, aware of Fran¡¯s curious gaze. Sheughed bashfully and stood up. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Anyway, considering the severity of the situation, your recovery is remarkably fast. You can start moving around now, but as always, don¡¯t push yourself too hard,¡± Fran said. ¡°I know. I won¡¯t push myself.¡± ¡°Mr. Ruel.¡± Fran leaned back and spoke, conscious of the stares around her. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°You always say the same thing, ¡®It¡¯s okay. I won¡¯t push myself.¡¯ We all know that¡¯s the most unreliable thing you can say. I knew it for sure this time.¡± ¡°Who said that?¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze instinctively turned to Cassion, who shrugged his shoulders. ¡°Mr. Ruel,¡± Fran called out to him again, her brows slightly furrowed, uncertain of what she would say next. ¡°I will ensure that the events ofst time do not repeat themselves.¡± Fran wiped the smile off her face, regret reflecting in her eyes. ¡°I heard that you are going as a representative of the Kran Kingdom delegation. Tierra and I also want to apany you on this journey.¡± ¡°Fran.¡± ¡°I know I may not be capable, but please allow me to join you on this journey.¡± ¡°I have never considered you as incapable,¡± Ruel spoke sincerely, causing Fran to tightly seal her lips. Ruel had heard through Cassion about how heavily she med herself for the recent events. ¡°Regardless, no. This trip is far more dangerous than you realize.¡± ¡°I think Fran shoulde with us this time.¡± Cassion, who had been silently listening to the story, spoke up. ¡ªThis body also thinks Fran should go. What if you copse suddenly likest time, this body, this body, is too scared. Leo rubbed his face against Ruel¡¯s body. Ruel patted Leo and red at Cassion. Cassion said what he wanted to say despite Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°I understand that you said those words for Fran¡¯s sake, Ruel-nim, but you need Fran.¡± ¡°I feel the same way,¡± Fran quickly added. ¡°Your current physical condition has too many variables. Instead of relying on an external doctor who may not fully understand the situation, I believe it¡¯s better if I apany you, Mr. Ruel.¡± Caught in Fran¡¯s earnest gaze, Ruel fell into deep thought before speaking. ¡°I will consider it. I need some time to think.¡± It was not a decision he would make lightly; it required careful consideration. ¡°Understood. Please take your time and give us an answer,¡± Fran replied, her face brightening at the fact that Ruel didn¡¯t outright refuse. She left with Tierra, leaving Cassion standing behind. Ruel spoke first, breaking the silence. ¡°You know why I don¡¯t want to take Fran with us.¡± ¡°Yes, I know. That¡¯s why I thought about it carefully and told you,¡± Cassion replied. ¡°What if something happens to Fran?¡± Ruel was referring to the worst-case scenario, and Cassion didn¡¯t understand why he always dwelled on that possibility. Cassion, suppressing his frustration, spoke. ¡°Why do you always prioritize others over yourself, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°I¡¯m already a target, but Fran is different.¡± Ruel¡¯s words, considering himself as the obvious risk, momentarily angered Cassion. Cassion calmly assessed the situation. In other matters, he would have been fine, but not when it came to Ruel¡¯s own people, the people he had always considered his own. It was the butler¡¯s job to keep his master in line. ¡°I will also make sure to protect Fran at all costs, so please allow it.¡± Cassion refused Ruel¡¯smand, feeling his heart tighten. ¡ªRuel, this body will protect Fran as well. Fran is necessary for you, Ruel. When Leo joined in, Ruel¡¯s heart wavered. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± It was a matter that required time for Ruel, at least in his perspective. ¡°I¡¯ll let you knowter.¡± ¡°Understood. Then I will take my leave.¡± Ruel had made significant concessions, so Cassion didn¡¯t press any further and left. As soon as Cassion left, Ruel inhaled Breath. He had nned to go to Tyson, but upon receiving a message from Ganien, it seemed he needed to leave. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo, hugging one of the spirits, looked at Ruel. ¡ªThis body thought Aris was the most cautious person, but it seems this body was mistaken. Leo held Ruel¡¯s hand.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 145: Everything was a lie (2) Chapter 145: Everything was a lie (2) ¡ªRuel is the most cautious of all. Ruel silently stroked Leo¡¯s head. ¡ªDon¡¯t be scared. What could he be scared of? Even though Ruel didn¡¯t know why, he couldn¡¯t deny those words. ¡°I know it¡¯s better for Fran to go to Kran with me.¡± ¡ªThen why are you opposing it? Leo tilted his head curiously. Ruel didn¡¯t have an immediate answer. He had always entrusted dangerous tasks to the shadows while being exceptionally cautious with Fran.In that contradiction, Ruel finally realized why he was opposing it. Finally, he understood what Leo was saying. Ruel whispered softly, ¡°¡­Because they¡¯re weak.¡± He was still afraid of his father, who was thinner than his own arm and still relied on a respirator. ¡°If they¡¯re weak, they¡¯ll die quickly.¡± That¡¯s why he couldn¡¯t escape from sadness and saw that image ovepping with others. Leo blinked his eyes and continued to look at Ruel. ¡°But¡­¡± Ruel took a deep breath. ¡°I suppose I have to trust, right?¡± Since Cassion said he would protect Fran and Tierra, he must keep his word. Finally, Leo smiled brightly. ¡ªJust trust this body! This body is a great purifier! ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick to call.¡± Cassion appeared with a sigh. He nced at his watch, realizing that he had left Ruel¡¯s room only a minute and 43 seconds ago. Ruel smiled as Cassion sighed, regardless of whether it was aint or a sigh of relief. ¡°Tell Fran and Tierra to pack in advance.¡± Cassion was momentarily curious about Ruel¡¯s sudden change of heart. ¡°Ruel-nim, why¡­¡± ¡°Now go.¡± Ruel interrupted Cassion¡¯s words and waved his hand. It seemed Ruel had no intention of providing an exnation. Cassion briefly lifted the corners of his mouth, observing Leo rubbing his face against Ruel¡¯s palm. ¡°Understood. Then.¡± Confirming Cassion¡¯s left, Ruel called Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at Ruel. ¡ªYes? ¡°If Cassion promises to give you ice cream, you¡¯ll fall for the temptation just like that, right?¡± ¡ªThis, this body¡­ Leo¡¯s eyes trembled greatly. He avoided Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡ªThis body will never, ever give in to ice cream. This body can ovee this time.¡± Ruel chuckled softly. Even if he made such a determination, Leo¡¯s mouth would easily sumb to ice cream. ¡ªIt sparkles! Leo became even more excited when he saw the lighting from Ruel¡¯s ring today. ¡ªRuel! The ring is sparkling! Hurry, hurry and take it! Leo urged him on, but this time Ruel was ready and connected. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Ruel immediately asked about Ganien¡¯s well-being. -There¡¯s no need to worry. They withdrew just before the conflict broke out. ¡°Withdrew?¡± -Yeah. I guess they didn¡¯t have any intention of escting things on their side. They had a considerable number of scouts, but it was insufficient for a full-scale battle. ¡®The Empire avoided conflict?¡¯ Not scouts, no deration of war, and they even avoided directbat. Ruel¡¯s face also suddenly hardened at this strange situation. -I have no idea what the Empire is thinking. Ganien let out a deep sigh. -In any case, we¡¯ve been debating this situation all night, so I was a bitte because I took a short nap. ¡°It looks like no conclusion has been reached.¡± -That¡¯s right. We have to prepare for war, we have to wait and see. Also, it was still too early to be sure about either of them, etc. ¡°What about His Majesty¡­?¡± -Oh, he¡¯s right here. Let me hand it over. ¡®¡­?¡¯ Ruel had no choice but to stop talking, startled by Ganien¡¯s sudden action without warning. -Ah, can you hear me? Huswen¡¯s voice could be heard. When he told Ganien about the bnce of the world before, it seemed to be revenge for that time. ¡®Don¡¯t be petty.¡¯ Ruel grimaced, but his voice remained steady. ¡°I greet the brightest sun of Cyronian. I apologize for not being able to meet you in person and having tomunicate through the device¡­¡± -Such greetings are fine. How is your health? ¡°Thanks to Your Majesty¡¯s concerns, I am now well.¡± -That¡¯s good to hear. However, before I talk to you, I need to confirm one thing. ¡°Please feel free to ask.¡± -Is the story youmunicated through Ganien true? ¡°Yes, it is an undeniable fact.¡± Huswen let out a long sigh. -I believe in you and am looking for warlocks and those with dark attributes on arge scale. ¡°Your Majesty should also stop hunting monsters for a while.¡± -I am aware of this fact, but monsters are continuing to attack my people. ¡°I¡¯m not asking Your Majesty to stop all attacks. Naturally, monsters that attack Your Majesty¡¯ people must be killed. However, please maintain a minimum defense line and stop any unnecessary attacks.¡± Ruel asked Banios the same thing. The monster has be corrupted. Probably due to the ck water. In any case, regardless of the reasons, the monsters attacked humans, and even if they were the Guardians who were monitoring the Great Man, they couldn¡¯t stop their countermeasures. -I will give your request some thought. ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± -I personally believe that what you just asked about, what the Empire has done, is a deception. Ruel stroked Leo as he listened to Huswen¡¯s words. -I was raised by my grandfather to believe in the Empire¡¯s might. The Empire is not a ce for such petty behavior. Huswen also had simr thoughts. ¡°Your Majesty, I have a quick question. Please allow me.¡± -Allowed. ¡°Your Majesty, why do you think the Empire suddenly dered itself abolished? As far as I know, at that time, the empire swept through the three countries for unification.¡± Ruel spoke in his own way about the fact that the three countries werepletely destroyed by the empire. -At that time, I heard that the situation in the three countries was dire. For a moment, Huswen¡¯s lightughter could be heard. -Anyway, then the Empire suddenly stopped fighting. Then it dered itself abolished, and there were many rumors about it. What my grandfather told me was this. It was supposed to be a tense moment, but instead, Ruel was taken aback. Kuroo kuru. Leo and the spirits gathered around him, their ears pricked up. ¡®It wouldn¡¯t be fun to listen to.¡¯ -They say a ck light has descended on the empire. ¡°ck light? What is that?¡± -My grandfather said that heavenly punishment came down, but I think a civil war broke out. In fact, there were quite loud voices calling for the war to stop in the empire at that time. ¡®It¡¯s a civil war.¡¯ It wasn¡¯t an impossible story, but it wasn¡¯t a clear answer. -You¡¯re in charge of the mission heading to Kran again, right? ¡°Yes. They nominated me and made me the representative of the delegation.¡± -They will surely use you. Be careful. Kran is a poisonous ce, and if you let your guard down, they may bite you. Even Huswen is as wary of the Kran as Ganien. He could almost sense his anger, even more than Ganien¡¯s. ¡°Your Majesty, I have heard that Kran is sending an envoy to Cyronian.¡± Huswen immediately snorted. -You don¡¯t know how much Iughed when I heard that. But I¡¯m still worried because I don¡¯t want my personal feelings to get mixed up. ¡°Your Majesty, if it would not be too presumptuous, I would appreciate it if you could dy the departure of the delegation from Kran for the time being.¡± Rtions between Kran and Cyronian were not good. Cyronian had his reasons for dying the delegation, but Leponia did not. -I will hear the reason first. Huswen approached cautiously. ¡°Your Majesty, if it wouldn¡¯t be too presumptuous, I have pondered this matter deeply. Although uncertain, I havee up with two possible hypotheses.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath for a moment. -Keep talking. Huswen urged Ruel. Ruelughed lightly at those words. Huswen also seemed to have doubts about the current situation. ¡°One is, as you may have guessed, the hypothesis is that Kran and the Empire joined hands.¡± -I already guessed it from the fact that the Tonisk Empire came from Kran. ¡°The second is the hypothesis that the Tonisk Empire was not abolished but rather copsed.¡± A sound of a chair being dragged could be heard. Huswen rose from his seat. -The empire¡­ The country was not abolished but destroyed? ¡°Yes, there is no evidence to support this yet, but isn¡¯t it quite possible?¡± -¡­ Hahaha. If it were someone else saying this, I might have been furious, but since it¡¯s your words, I will take them into consideration. Ruel couldn¡¯t help but smile at Huswen¡¯s calm warning. He knew how ridiculous this must sound to Huswen but surely he wouldn¡¯t simply brush it off. It was settled then. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± -Tell me. ¡°I am aware that Your Majesty¡¯ birthday ising up soon.¡± -Yes, I am delighted that you remembered. ¡°Would you please invite me?¡± -You are quite¡­ Huswen paused for a moment. Then his soft chuckle could be heard. -Quite an interesting fellow. What should I do about this temptation? Huswen quickly caught on to his intentions. He was truly perceptive. Ruel was currently in the process of creating a pretext that would allow him to move freely within Kran. Officially, he hadn¡¯t been announced as the representative of the delegation heading to the Kingdom of Kran. If Huswen took the initiative to officially invite him, it would give him a pretext to travel to Cyronian whenever he pleased, along with his safety. Being the representative of the delegation was important, but the birthday of a king of a country was equally significant. -Of course. No. It is only natural that I invite you, isn¡¯t it? Huswen¡¯sughter continued to resonate. ¡°I hope you will make it lively and festive.¡± -Okay. After all, it is an opportunity to strike at the back of Kran. How could I not grant permission? ¡°Thank you for granting my request.¡± -But remember, don¡¯t forget that our rtionship is mutual, and I am allowing this. ¡°I feel the same way, Your Majesty.¡± Huswen burst intoughter once again. It was a genuinely joyful sound. -If you¡¯re tired of Leponia¡­ Oh, I may have gone too far. Come to Cyronian whenever you feelfortable. I¡¯ll show you around the beautiful ces of Cyronian properly. Huswen¡¯s intention to invite him was tantly obvious. However, Ruel pretended not to notice and responded, ¡°Yes, when the timees, I hope Ganien can guide me through the beautiful ces of Cyronian.¡± There was still a debt that Ganien owed him. *** ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Just as Ruel was about to open Tyson¡¯s door, Cassion appeared from Ruel¡¯s shadow and called out to him. ¡ªWhoa! Leo was startled and quickly backed away. Ruel chuckled as he nced back and saw Leo hiding behind his leg. ¡ªDon¡¯tugh. This body doesn¡¯t get surprised! Leo growled and yfully bit Ruel¡¯s shoe. Kuroo kuru. The spirits pulled Leo¡¯s fur. ¡ªAh, this body didn¡¯t bite him hard. Ruel is not hurt by this body¡¯s teeth. Kuroo kuru. ¡ªIt¡¯s true. Ruel smiled and spoke at the sight of the spirits trying to protect him from Leo. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°There are two things I need to tell you.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I heard news that they are recruiting adventurers in Kran.¡± ¡°Why adventurers?¡± Ruel inhaled Breath as he walked into the room. He noticed that Tyson seemed to be absent momentarily. Ruel took a seat and looked at Cassion, who closed the door before answering his question. ¡°There is a day every year in Kran when monsters run rampant, and it is said that now is that time.¡± Ruelughed for a moment. As Cassion frowned, Ruel urged him again. ¡°Oh, go ahead.¡± ¡°They say it usually happens around summer, but this time it camete.¡± The corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth rose. ¡°Every year, monsters run rampant temporarily. Is that possible?¡± ¡°Yes, it happens in Leponia as well as Cyronian, but it seems to be particrly severe in Kran,¡± replied Cassion. Ruel didn¡¯t jump to conclusions. Surely there were experts who could shed light on the matter. ¡°Contact Jan,¡± Ruel said. ¡°Understood,¡± Cassion said, taking out themunication device and contacting Jan. After about 30 seconds, Jan¡¯s voice came through, sounding slightly surprised. -Who is this¡­? ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± -Child, why did you contact me with this? You startled me. Jan¡¯s voice quickly brightened. ¡°I was a bit tired, so I contacted you this way.¡± -Alright, from now on, use this method to reach me. I don¡¯t want to burden you. ¡°I had something to ask, so I contacted you again. Are you busy?¡± Ruel inquired. -Not busy. I was just receiving news from the spirits and opening the gates to bring them in. Jan denied it, even though it could easily be described as busy. He must have thought Ruel might abruptly end the call again, as he swiftly brought up the events that had been happening. After listening to the story for a while, Ruelughed at Jan¡¯s words as he asionally checked to see if he was listening to his story. How long had Jan been waiting for Ruel¡¯s contact? Jan¡¯s fondness for him was evident even across themunication device, but it was different from Tyson¡¯s affection. -¡­So, there isn¡¯t much news at the moment, right? Okay. What do you want to ask? Jan finally asked after the long conversation. Now that the lengthy conversation was over, Ruel finally got to the point. ¡°Is it possible for non-corrupted monsters to go on a temporary rampage?¡± -A rampage, you say. Jan pondered for a moment before responding. -Non-corrupted monsters don¡¯t disy aggression. They only attack the Great Man. But you say it¡¯s temporary. The possibility of a Great Man causing monsters to go berserk in Kran was very low. It¡¯s not just Kran where the monsters go on rampages; it happens in the three nations as well. However, as Jan said, it bothered him that it was temporary. ¡®Could it be rted to corruption?¡¯ It was difficult to confirm whether the monsters had been corrupted or not. Even if Rupina¡¯s eyes had returned from ck to gold the other day as a sign, there were too few examples to be certain. Perhaps some beings were originally ck-eyed. ¡°Thank you for letting me know. I will send my people over soon, and I will rely on you for assistance.¡± -Of course, I don¡¯t know how many wille, so I¡¯m not sure what preparations to make. I can¡¯t leave this ce¡­ Ruel looked at Cassion and made a light waving motion with his hand. Themunication device turned off. ¡°I¡¯ve disconnected it.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while listening to Cassion. ¡°It seems corruption is a possibility. It will be difficult to confirm with the shadows,¡± Ruel said. Since the monsters would prey on the spirits, it was also impossible to confirm through the spirits. ¡°Indeed. It seems you¡¯ll have to personally confirm this part since I can¡¯tmunicate like you, Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion suggested. ¡°Is there anything else?¡± Ruel asked, patting Leo¡¯s stomach. ¡°The person we rescued from the Red House, previously owned by Luruan, wants to have a conversation with you.¡± ¡°I heard they haven¡¯t fully recovered yet?¡± ¡°Yes. Their mind is still not entirely stable. However, after conveying your words as instructed, they momentarily came back to their senses.¡± ¡°And are they back now?¡± ¡°Yes. So you need to hurry.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°It seemed that the person had suffered greatly under the Great Man.¡± ¡°I also thought so at first.¡± Listening to Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel stood up. It seemed he would have to meet Tysonter. ¡°He ims to be the Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire,¡± Cassion revealed.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 146: Everything was a lie (3) Chapter 146: Everything was a lie (3) ¡°Haha¡­¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but burst intoughter, finding the situation amusing. Looking at Cassion¡¯s expression, Ruel finally spoke. ¡°You said he came to his senses, even if just for a moment?¡± There was annoyance in his voice. ¡°Yes, he is currently in his right mind.¡± ¡°The Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire? Even a passing dog wouldugh at that. This is what you call being in his right mind?¡± Cassion remained unfazed by Ruel¡¯s snort and calmly replied, ¡°You may find it hard to believe, but it was proven true after undergoing a simple test.¡± ¡°What kind of test?¡± ¡°I first asked him to name the kings of the Empire. In addition, he answered most of the questions about the royal family, such as the names of cities in the Empire and methods of conquest,¡± Cassion exined.¡°If he is interested in the Empire, he could know that much. Or maybe he¡¯s a spy from another country.¡± ¡°I merely ryed his words. You be the judge.¡± The truth couldn¡¯t be revealed by scolding Cassion, so Ruel had to make his own judgment. Ruel hesitated. He thought the person was quite important, but what if he turned out to be a mere scammer? However, he couldn¡¯t discard even the slightest possibility. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go. Lead the way.¡± Ruel said with a troubled expression. Cassion reached for the doorknob and announced, ¡°Mr. Tyson is outside.¡± When the door opened, Tyson smiled widely and spread his arms. ¡°Ruel, you¡¯re already wandering around like this¡­!¡± ¡°Uncle, I¡¯lle backter.¡± Ruel nodded slightly and followed Cassion. Leo rubbed his face against Tyson¡¯s leg and waved his short paw. ¡°I wille backter.¡± ¡°Yes, see youter.¡± Tyson awkwardly looked at his outstretched arms and then nervously scratched his back. ¡®Is Ruel too big for me to hug?¡¯ No matter how much Ruel had grown, he looked like a child in his eyes. *** ¡°This way.¡± Cassion guided Ruel to a room that had not been used before. As they entered, they heard a frightened sounding from a man crouching in the corner. ¡°¡­?¡± Ruel was slightly surprised by the man¡¯s behavior. He had expected a young prince, but instead, he saw a middle-aged man with sparse white hair, showing signs of aging. ¡°Are you saying he is in his right mind now?¡± Ruel asked Cassion, seeking confirmation. Cassion smiled and replied, ¡°Yes, he¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but sense Cassion¡¯s enjoyment of the situation. ¡®Okay, the more difficult my situation is, the more fun it is for you, right?¡¯ Having already figured out Cassion¡¯s twisted personality to some extent, Ruel¡¯s temper red up. ¡®He¡¯s also a butler.¡¯ Ruel swallowed a sigh and then spoke, ¡°Bring a chair.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Cassion said, cing a chair at a distance from the man. Even conversation with a person in their right mind could be difficult, Ruel was already anticipating how tiring this conversation was going to be. Ruel looked at the man while inhaling Breath. The man crouched, shielding his head with both arms. The sight was pitiful, but Ruel could not associate any sense of a crown prince¡¯s bearing. ¡®No matter how I look at him, he seems like a swindler.¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow and absentmindedly pet Leo¡¯s stomach, who was lying on hisp. ¡°Do you know the Great Man?¡± Ruel brought up a topic, trying to gauge the man¡¯s reaction. The man¡¯s trembling ceased, and he cautiously observed Ruel, resembling a wary herbivorous animal. ¡°I am Ruel Setiria, the owner of this mansion.¡± Thinking that his name must have been mentioned several times during his treatment, Ruel introduced himself. This time there was a reaction. The man lowered the arm covering his face. ¡°You im to be the Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire?¡± Ruel mocked him once again. ¡°Ho¡­ How audacious!¡± The man automatically responded to Ruel¡¯s ridicule, just like a typical noble who considered himself highly esteemed before he quickly looked away and raised his arm again. ¡°To be honest, I think you¡¯re a scammer,¡± Ruel continued, regardless of whether he was upset or not. At that moment, a flicker of light sparked in the man¡¯s hazy eyes. Ruel knew he had hit a nerve and continued to provoke him. ¡°If you want to talk to me, lower your arm and look at me properly. Even a self-proimed crown prince should be able to do that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not self-proimed; I am the only Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire.¡± ¡°Well, well. Let¡¯s set that discussion aside for now. What¡¯s more important is that you can provide me with information to bring down the Great Man, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruel smirked arrogantly. ¡°Go ahead, speak. I¡¯m listening.¡± Ruel set the stage for the man, prepared to listen to whatever he had to say. The man took a deep breath and lowered his arms. Ruel sensed his tightly gripped, trembling hands, as he struggled to maintain hisposure. ¡°Concentrate. Focus,¡± the man muttered to himself, then turned his attention to Ruel. ¡°Prove to me that you are not the Red Ash.¡± When the name Red Ash was mentioned, Ruel chuckled, realizing that the man possessed at least some information. ¡°If I thought you were a swindler, would I be acting this way if I were the real Red Ash? I would have killed you the moment I found you.¡± ¡°¡­!¡± The man, suddenly overwhelmed with fear, grabbed his head. He panted heavily and muttered frantically, ¡°Hide. I need to hide and watch for the next move. Don¡¯t get caught. I must hide. I need to stay alive. The Empire will only survive if I live.¡± Leo¡¯s ear twitched. ¡ªThat man fears something. Ruel gently scratched Leo¡¯s belly and nced at Cassion. ¡°He¡¯s still fine.¡± With reassurance, Ruel inhaled Breath and waited for the man to calm down. After a while, the man¡¯s murmuring ceased, and he once again tightly gripped his hands. ¡°Understand¡­ Please understand. My mind feels shattered into pieces.¡± ¡°I understand. So, is that enough proof now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s sufficient. If you were really the Red Ash as you said, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape from there in the first ce,¡± The man let out a long sigh and covered himself with a more rxed expression than before. ¡°I am Hilim Tonisk, the Crown Prince of the Tonisk Empire.¡± Ruel chuckled lightly at the man reiterating his prince status. Though Hilim¡¯s gaze briefly turned fierce, he managed to suppress his anger. ¡°I understand the ridicule. Everyone is probably deceived by a trivial lie.¡± ¡°What is the lie?¡± ¡°Please promise me one thing.¡± Ruel frowned. If he was going to speak, he might as well speak openly without holding anything back. What if he lost his mind again? ¡°Speak,¡± Ruel demanded, suppressing his rising irritation. He understood that some people required a promise before they would share any information, and he had no choice but to oblige. ¡°Make sure¡­ to destroy the Great Man,¡± Hilim said, his anger palpable. ¡°Erase that Great Man from thisnd. That man. Erase him. Surely!¡± His face flushed with rage, tears welling up in his eyes. ¡°Alright, I promise. So tell me, what is this lie?¡± Ruel asked, struggling toprehend the intensity of Hilim¡¯s anger. Even if he was a crown prince, his reaction seemed extreme. ¡°There is no Tonisk Empire,¡± Hilim finally managed to force out the words, leaving Ruel blinking in surprise. ¡°The Tonisk Empire has long been destroyed.¡± Silence filled the room. Neither Ruel nor Cassion could utter a word after hearing Hilim¡¯s statement. It was a statement that was hard to believe or disbelieve without further evidence. Breaking the silence, Hilimughed. ¡°You all have been deceived by that lie. Everyone has been fooled. The Empire vanished long ago.¡± Ruel stared at Hilim intently, feeling his mouth go dry at Hilim¡¯s desperateughter. It seemed genuine. Even if Hilim was a swindler, he was adamant that at least the information he shared was real. ¡°¡­Who?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice trembled. ¡°Who destroyed the Empire?¡± ¡°The Great Man. No, that bastard who took on the disguise of my younger brother!¡± Hilim gritted his teeth and emphasized each word with anger. ¡®¡­!¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes widened. He had learned from Trino Setiria¡¯s letter that the Great Man, who was not supposed to exist in this world, had taken on someone else¡¯s identity. It was not information easily obtained by others. Hilim stoppedughing and continued hesitantly, ¡°The Ray of Darkness¡­ engulfed the entire Empire. I saw it clearly.¡± ¡°They say a ray of darkness descended on the empire.¡± He recalled the story he had heard from Huswen earlier today. ¡®What?¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t easily believe the information he had acquired one by one. ¡®He is not a swindler but the real Crown Prince?¡¯ Ruel still found it hard to believe it was the truth. Hilim¡¯s hands shook as he covered his ears, his voice trembling. ¡°The sounds¡­ They¡¯re fading away. My nanny, my mother, the servants, they¡¯re all gone,¡± His voice trembled as he spoke. ¡°I had to hide. I had to survive for the Empire to exist but I was discovered. That bastard who took my brother¡¯s identity captured me and unted the state of the empire.¡± Tears welled up in Hilim¡¯s eyes as he began to choke up. ¡°They¡¯re all dead. Everyone is dead. That was the Empire. The ce I was supposed to rule¡­¡± Hilim¡¯s pale face expressed bewilderment and sorrow as he nced around the room, haunted by the memories of that day. ¡°The war? You were the ones who started the war, right?¡± Ruel asked, licking his lips nervously. ¡°That war¡­ It was all manipted by the Great Man who used us,¡± Hilim bit his lip. ¡°What¡­?¡± Ruel felt a growing sense of unease at the extent of the Great Man¡¯s influence. ¡°One day, my brother brought information from a group called the Red Ash. That¡¯s when it all started,¡± Hilimughed bitterly, trying to hold himself together by sping his hands tightly. ¡°He said they worshiped the one known as the Great Man and promised to fulfill the nobles¡¯ desires. Many nobles joined the Red Ash as well.¡± It was the same method Ruel knew the Red Ash used to expand its influence in Leponia and Cyronian. ¡°As I delved deeper, I discovered the immense scale of their influence. Despite that couldn¡¯t fathom where they acquired such wealth and power,¡± Hilim¡¯s anger surged, evident in his bulging veins. ¡°But now I understand. He changed bodies and umted power and wealth! That monster!¡± Hilim spat out the words, his disgust evident. Ruel had often wondered about the source of the Red Ash¡¯s power but had never found a definitive answer. There was much he didn¡¯t know about the organization. ¡®If what Hilim says is true, how long has this n been in motion?¡¯ Ruel swallowed nervously. ¡°After my investigation, I found that the Red Ash¡¯s influence extended to three other countries, even deeper than in our own Empire.¡± ¡®From that moment, or even before, the Red Ash had been pulling the strings.¡¯ Leponia had severed ties with the Red Ash. Cyronian had mostly rooted them out. What a relief. ¡°The size of the force convinced me it was a dangerous matter. Their leader, the Great Man, is a monster. How can a person take over another person¡¯s body? We started a war to get rid of the Red Ash.¡± ¡°The war started because of the Red Ash?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The reason seemed somewhat absurd, but considering it was the Empire, Ruel could understand their confidence. Hilim took a deep breath and sighed. ¡°We were arrogant. We deluded ourselves into thinking that our Empire could truly save humanity.¡± ¡°Save humanity? What does that even mean?¡± Ruel furrowed his brow, struggling to grasp the connection between eliminating the Red Ash and saving humanity. ¡°They sought revenge.¡± ¡°Revenge? Revenge against whom?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know but they were aiming to eradicate all of humanity on thisnd except for themselves. The Empire was arrogant. We should never have started that war¡­¡± ¡°What happened to the Empire in that war?¡± Ruel circled back to the crucial point. Ultimately, the most important thing was the reason for the Empire¡¯s downfall. ¡°The Ray of Darkness,¡± Hilim¡¯s eyes trembled intensely. ¡°The Ray of Darkness. It descended upon us. That ray, that ray¡­¡± Hilim recalled the Ray of Darkness as if he had just seen it, curling up and shuddered. ¡°I have to stay alive. I must rebuild the Empire. I must not be found out.¡± As he repeated the same words, the mes in Hilim¡¯s eyes that had flickered were extinguished. Ruel inhaled Breath and waited for his condition to improve. ¡®Damn it.¡¯ He hadn¡¯t expected the hypothesis he made yesterday to be reality. If the Tonisk Empire had fallen, how could there still be people from the Tonisk Empire in the Kingdom of Kran? ¡®Then did Kran already know that the Empire had fallen? That can¡¯t be.¡¯ If Hilim¡¯s words were true, it meant that at the time, the Great Man had taken over his brother¡¯s body. The Kingdom of Kran had no connection to all this. ¡®Why on earth did the empire have to be brought down? And what is this Ray of Darkness?¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow. ¡°If you count the use of magic in exchange for your own life as one, you count the lives and blood of tens of thousands of other beings as one.¡± Suddenly, he remembered what Tyson had told him about the corruption. The ck water corrupted those with darkness attributes. Where did the heavy pricee from, and where was the ck water being created? He brought back the questions he had postponed. ¡®Crazy¡­¡¯ Ruel¡¯s hand trembled slightly as he held Breath. ¡®Surely not. They didn¡¯t sacrifice the entire empire just to create the ck water, did they?¡¯ It was a horrifying thought that crossed his mind. If it were true, then what or who could be present in the empire now? It was unimaginable, and Ruel didn¡¯t want to entertain those thoughts. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion quietly called out to Ruel. ¡°Speak.¡± Ruel¡¯s voice still shook, unable to easily recover from the shock. ¡°It seems like we need to end the conversation here.¡± Hilim showed no signs of recovery, and Ruel¡¯splexion was also not good. ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel stood up, inhaled Breath. Soon, heughed absurdly. They had all been yed by the Great Man¡¯s tricks. They had allied themselves out of fear of a non-existent Empire. The only country that knew all this now was the Kingdom of Kran. Why was it Kran? Why did Kran know? There was only one conceivable answer now. ¡®You were there.¡¯ Ruel smirked. ¡®You were in Kran.¡¯ The Great Man.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 147: Stand firm again Chapter 147: Stand firm again ¡°Bwahaha.¡± The moment Ruel stepped out of the room, he held his stomach and burst intoughter. ¡ªWhy are youughing when you¡¯re not happy? Leo followed closely behind Ruel, his eyes wide open. Ruel took a quick nce at Leo while inhaling Breath. ¡°Just because it¡¯s a bit funny.¡± He understood why the Great Man spared Hilim¡¯s life. Hilim was kept as a pawn for the worst-case scenario. A means to demonstrate that the fallen Tonisk Empire still existed.However, the Red Ash burned down the red house that Luruan owned. Hilim was no longer necessary. Because the n that had been devised was likely the Great Man¡¯s most wless n. ¡®Now that I know how the game works, I have to turn it over and start again.¡¯ If the Tonisk Empire was truly destroyed, there was only one ce to be wary of. ¡®Kran Kingdom.¡¯ Ruel spoke. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Investigate about Hilim Tonisk.¡± But all of these assumptions depended on whether the words spoken by Hilim Tonisk were true or not. ¡°First, you need to find out if that person is truly Hilim Tonisk.¡± It was a matter that couldn¡¯t be hastily judged; it required careful consideration. A more cautious approach was necessary. ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll prioritize this investigation above all others.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice carried a hint of concern as he called Ruel. Knowing what he intended to say, Ruel interjected first. ¡°It¡¯s alright. We don¡¯t have to face the Empire anymore, right?¡± The number of enemies to face had decreased. That was sufficient for now. Ruel was about to turn towards Tyson¡¯s room, but instead, he headed in the direction of the room where Banios stayed. ¡®I¡¯ll see my uncleter.¡¯ If he were to meet Banios after seeing his uncle, this sense of calm would likely crumble. Honestly, it was frightening. The opponent was too overwhelming. The more he tried to find out, the more it seemed that the Great Man¡¯s ns extended endlessly. Ruel took a deep breath and controlled his emotions. He had to endure both fear and frustration. ¡®Let¡¯s start by overturning the scenario created by the Great Man now.¡¯ ¡°Are you going to see His Highness first?¡± Cassion hesitated before speaking. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Would you like some cocoa?¡± Leo was the first to react at the mention of cocoa. He immediately clung to Cassion¡¯s feet. ¡ªGive some to this body too. This body wants to drink as well. ¡°Yes. We¡¯ll need two cups, no, three cups.¡± Ruel nced at Leo with a faint smile. Cassion now understood that the smile was forced. He simply bowed and replied, ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll bring it right away.¡± *** ¡°Haha. What a humorous joke. It seems you were bored lying around. So, what book were you reading? I¡¯m quite curious about this strange book of yours.¡± Banios smiled and yfully responded to Ruel¡¯s words. ¡°Your Highness, please do not turn your eyes away from the truth.¡± Bang! Banios mmed his hand on the table. ¡ªHick! Soon he took a deep breath and showed an expression of regret. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. This, this is truly¡­ difficult. Too difficult.¡± Banios furrowed his brow, struggling to control his emotions. Ruel felt the same way. ¡°I find it difficult as well. That¡¯s why I¡¯vee to seek your help first.¡± ¡°If only it were a joke, how pleasant that would have been.¡± Banios clenched his fist. He then looked at Ruel with a concerned expression. ¡°Can you endure it?¡± If he was grappling with such difficulties, how could Ruel not? ¡°Yes. I can endure it.¡± Ruel smiled gently. It was a wry smile. Banios rubbed his fingers with his thumb. In the end, the object the Great Man was after resided in the royal treasure vault. To obtain it, he would stop at nothing, even if it meant the destruction of humanity. ¡°Why go to such lengths for an item in the royal treasure vault?¡± ¡°No one besides the Great Man knows what that item is. So, please refrain from seeking it,¡± Ruel calmly stated. Not knowing what the Great Man was seeking was frustrating, but hiding it with ignorance was a wise decision. None of the kings of Leponia were willing to surrender to the Great Man. Setiria guarded the gates of Leponia, and without knowing which treasure the Great Man sought, nothing could be given or bartered. ¡®One thing is certain, though.¡¯ Despite any cover-up, the Great Man could not enter Leponia. Several hypotheses could be made. ¡°The conclusion remains the same, Your Highness. The Great Man cannot enter Leponia unless he kills me.¡± ¡°Indeed, that hasn¡¯t changed.¡± ¡°Your Highness, you mentioned that only the king can open the royal treasure vault. Is that true?¡± Banios nodded and replied, ¡°Indeed, it is true. I have attempted to open it before, but it remained unresponsive. Unlike His Majesty, it doesn¡¯t even react.¡± Ruel¡¯s smile grew wider as he listened to Banios¡¯ response. Setiria was the guardian of the gate, and only the king possessed the key to the chest inside the vault. The Great Man had targeted Setiria and had a relentless fixation on the throne of Leponia. There had to be a reason behind it all. ¡®If my thoughts are correct, to obtain that item, two conditions may need to be met.¡¯ Ruel pointed at himself, indicating the first condition, ¡°First, the barrier surrounding Leponia needs to be lifted, through killing me or any other means.¡± Then, he directed his finger towards Banios, who would ascend to the throne as the next king. ¡°Once you be king, you will have the authority to ess the item from the royal treasure vault using the key.¡± The barrier and the key were crucial. Without satisfying both of these conditions, the item could not be obtained. ¡°So, you mean to say that Great Man couldn¡¯t use the empire to overthrow Leponia?¡± Ruel nodded, ¡°That¡¯s correct. I¡¯m not sure why he chose to destroy the empire, but he has the same power to bring down Leponia.¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard that the empire was incredibly formidable in the past,¡± Banios added. ¡°While this is all spective, it¡¯s important to keep these possibilities in mind. Our current priority is to overturn the scenario that he has orchestrated,¡± Ruel exined. ¡°Overturn the scenario¡­¡± Banios half-closed his eyes, contemting the task at hand. He understood the intention, but he also recognized the difficulty of the challenge they faced. ¡°Now, let¡¯s consider why the Great Man desires an alliance. Any thoughts on that?¡± Ruel asked. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s an opportunity for them to strike from behind, to regain the lost power of the Red Ash,¡± Banios suggested. Ruel smiled in satisfaction. It was exactly what he had thought of. The moment the three countries formed an alliance to fight an empire that did not exist, exchanges would be many times more active than now, and a natural opportunity would arise for the Red Ash to infiltrate. Banios, stroking his chin, pondered for a moment before speaking. ¡°So, are you suggesting that we should break the alliance with Kran before that?¡± ¡°No, quite the opposite. We must break the alliance with Cyronian first,¡± Ruel responded. Banios was momentarily surprised but soon burst into heartyughter. ¡°You never cease to surprise me.¡± Ruel¡¯s words aligned perfectly with his earlier statement about overturning the board. It meant joining hands with the enemy while distancing themselves from their current allies. It was a bold move, filled with the determination to conceal their true intentions and strike at the enemy¡¯s throat. ¡°We need to break this alliance to prevent them from achieving their objectives,¡± Ruel dered, inhaling Breath and chuckling. ¡°By using the empire that no longer exists, the enemy would have been hindered,¡± Ruel exined. Banios questioned, ¡°So, this is what you meant by overturning the board?¡± ¡°Exactly, but instead ofpletely overturning it, we need to shake it up first. Currently, both Leponia and Cyronian have expelled the Red Ash that was hiding within their borders.¡± ¡°Indeed, now is the most opportune time,¡± Banios acknowledged. Knock. Knock. ¡ªHerees Cassion. He has brought cocoa. Leo opened his eyes and urgently ran towards the door. Ruel realized he had been speaking too fervently and took a moment topose himself. He settled backfortably in his chair, savoring the sweet aroma wafting through the door. ¡°Give it to him first.¡± Banios looked at Leo, who clung to Cassion¡¯s leg, with an affectionate gaze. Leo¡¯s tail wagged so vigorously that it couldn¡¯t be seen, just a blur. ¡ªThis body is most happy today! Next, Cassion ced the cocoa in front of Banios and Ruel. Banios hesitated for a moment, captivated by the sweet scent, before reluctantly taking a sip. ¡°Cocoa. I haven¡¯t had this since I was a child.¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite delicious,¡± Ruel remarked, sipping it familiarly, and Banios reluctantly followed suit. ¡°¡­?¡± Banios¡¯ eyes widened slightly, finding it tastier than expected. ¡°It¡¯s different from what I am familiar with.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it delicious?¡± ¡°I can see why you enjoy it.¡± Astell¡¯s cocoa had a distinct vor that couldn¡¯t be found elsewhere. It was not overly sweet but still provided aforting warmth. It felt like he could finally breathe now. Ruel continued his interrupted words, ¡°We must spread the fact that ¡®the empire doesn¡¯t exist¡¯ at the most opportune moment.¡± Banios nodded in agreement, then hesitated for a moment. ¡°Is that what you intend to do? I know you have a tendency to be reckless, but I¡¯m against it.¡± ¡°Why would I do such a thing?¡± Ruel took another sip of cocoa, a pleased smile forming on his lips. ¡°The most crucial task should be undertaken by Your Highness, shouldn¡¯t it?¡± Hearing about delivering a significant blow to the enemy, Banios covered his mouth, his lips curling up in amusement. ¡°I¡¯m proud to have you by my side.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the fish we caught that slipped away a bit,¡± Ruel held his ss as he gazed at Cassion, causing a slight furrow in Cassion¡¯s brow. The fact that all the fish had been caught was already known without double checking. *** Ruel left the room as soon as he finished speaking with Banios. His steps were unusually quick as he made his way to Tyson. ¡°Ruel-nim, are you going to inform Ganien of this as well?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Ruel replied, shaking his head. After confirming that Hilim Tonisk was real, he nned to inform Garnien. ¡®Maybe I should make a deal with Huswen?¡¯ Ruel hoped that Banios would be the one to announce the fake existence of the Tonisk Empire. It would strengthen the foundation once he became king, thanks to his achievements. It was a deal made with that purpose in mind. ¡°You¡¯re still gathering information on Adea Kran and Treitol Kran, right?¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯m still gathering information. I hope you understand that it takes more time than others.¡± He knew that it was much more difficult to extract information since they were princes. ¡°I understand, but please hurry.¡± Time was of the essence as the enemy was moving on arger scale. ¡°And you mentioned that you¡¯re searching for adventurers in Kran?¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s¡­ correct, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion sighed as he spoke. Not long ago, Cassion visited the Hand of the Wind Guild to disguise his subordinates as adventurers and send them to Kran. However, the guild master, Flenn,ined about why Ruel hadn¡¯t given them a different mission, leading Cassion to believe that the adventurer fever had subsided. Unfortunately, it was just his misconception; the adventurer fever hadn¡¯t subsided, but had only paused momentarily. ¡°We need to check whether the monsters have been corrupted or not. You know I¡¯m the only one who can do so, right?¡± Ruel kindly reminded as he came up with a usible excuse that left Cassion speechless. He couldn¡¯t retract his previous statement about not being able to confirm the corruption among the monsters. ¡°If Ruel-nim falls into hot water, I think you¡¯ll just open your mouth,¡± Cassion said, provoking a reaction from Ruel. Ruel chuckled, responding to Cassion¡¯s remark, ¡°How did you know? I¡¯m fine, including my mouth. Oh wait, my mouth isn¡¯t fine either. It still hurts a little, like it¡¯s been scraped from continuously spitting out blood.¡± Ruel reacted strongly to Cassion¡¯s slightly provocative remark. Cassion was once again left speechless. Ruel continued walking down the hallway, raising the corner of his mouth, and advised Cassion, ¡°Don¡¯t try to climb for nothing and report it after you¡¯ve done your research well.¡± There had been a moment when the barrier around the mansion weakened. For reasons unknown, Tyson had casually undone a fewyers of the stacked barrier at Cassion¡¯s request. Seeing that it hadn¡¯t been reported to him yet, it seemed the investigation was iplete. ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel observed Cassion¡¯s restrained anger and wore a satisfied expression. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. At Leo¡¯s words, Ruel looked down. ¡ªAre you okay? Ruel¡¯s emotions are swirling again. ¡°Well, I¡¯m going to see Uncle to feel better.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s a good idea! Ruel likes his uncle. Of course, this body is Ruel¡¯s first choice. Ahem. Leo snorted defiantly. It was fortunate that no one else could hear his words. Ruel sighed and looked out the window while walking down the hallway, noticing the falling snow. He momentarily pleased at seeing the snow that Leo enjoyed. He inhaled Breath as he quickened his halted steps. His smile slowly faded along with the quietly falling snow. *** ¡°Uncle,¡± Ruel greeted Tyson with a warm smile. ¡°Ruel,¡± Tyson¡¯s bright smile seemed to relieve all tension. ¡°Are you busy?¡± ¡°What does it matter if you¡¯re here, Ruel?¡± ¡°Do you happen to know where the quietest ce in Setiria is?¡± At Ruel¡¯s question, Tyson¡¯s eyes flickered for a moment. It was clear that something had happened to Ruel. But Tyson, just as he did when he first weed Ruel, smiled and asked, ¡°Do you want to go?¡± ¡°Yes, I want to go,¡± Ruel replied with a smile. Although Tyson knew that Ruel¡¯s smile was forced, he responded affectionately as if he didn¡¯t notice, ¡°Well then, let¡¯s go. It happens to be very close to the mansion.¡± ¡ªThis body will follow too! Leo smiled brightly.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 148: Stand firm again (2) Chapter 148: Stand firm again (2) *** Tyson led them to a small mountain located behind the mansion. ¡°This is the highest and quietest spot in Setiria. You should be able to see the whole of Setiria from here.¡± With Hold¡¯s assistance, Ruel climbed the mountainfortably and sat on a rock, inhaling Breath as he looked down below. Just as Tyson said, he could faintly see the mansion, the central area called Apor, and even the distant vige of Sisel. Ha¡­ Ruel let out a deep sigh and inhaled again. The cold air filling his lungs didn¡¯t feel so bad. The snow, which had been falling until recently, showed no signs of stopping.Tyson draped a nket over Ruel and offered, ¡°If you feel cold, just let me know.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not cold. It feels warm.¡± Even without a cup of cocoa in his hands, mes danced around Ruel, providing warmth. Ruel looked at Leo running around to eat snow and the spirits talking with a new spirit, and called out to Tyson. ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you for a while. A lot has happened today, but¡­ can I share it with you?¡± ¡°I want to hear everything,¡± Tyson said. Ruel poured out everything he hadn¡¯t been able to tell Tyson¡ª stories he heard from Jan and the truths he had learned today. As Ruel conveyed his thoughts, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief wash over him. When he finished speaking, Tyson let out a deep sigh, his gaze fixed on the sky. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°If I were a direct descendant, I wouldn¡¯t have burdened you with this difficult task.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault. The one who deserves to be killed is already dead.¡± Ruel chuckled for a moment. The first Setiria. It seemed he should issue orders to dig up that bastard¡¯s grave tomorrow. If someone dared to say anything about disturbing the ancestors, he would have Cassion break that person¡¯s fingers. ¡°Uncle, there are so many people who say they feel sorry for me. Please, you don¡¯t have to apologize, Uncle.¡± ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll try not to.¡± ¡°Uncle.¡± ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°Can I¡­ admit that I¡¯m struggling?¡± Tyson clenched his fists upon hearing Ruel¡¯s words. The child who rarely showed his emotions was expressing his difficulties, and it weighed heavily on Tyson¡¯s heart. ¡°Can I¡­ say that I¡¯m feeling a bit overwhelmed?¡± Seeing Ruel, who struggled to even voice that, filled Tyson with a deep sense of sorrow. ¡°Of course¡­ you can say anything.¡± Tyson¡¯s voice trembled. The burdens on the child, who was already suffering, kept piling up. Since Ruel asked him not to feel sorry, Tyson held back his own urge to express pity. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± Ruel cautiously spoke while looking around Setiria. Then, he let out a bitterugh¡ª a smile tinged with deep sadness. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I have the right to feel this way.¡± ¡°You have every right to feel that way; in fact, you should. You are Ruel before being the head of this family.¡± ¡°Uncle,¡± Ruel called Tyson quietly. ¡°Please forget everything I¡¯m saying today. Just think of it as the foolish words of a child who hasn¡¯t even gone through hising-of-age ceremony yet.¡± Before being the head of the family, he was just one person. There were some things that should never be shown. Just a little, but he had let a glimpse slip through. Not wanting the mask covering his face to crack just yet, Ruel steadied his emotions once again. ¡°Ruel, right now, I¡¯m not looking at you as the head of the family.¡± Tyson¡¯s words caused Ruel¡¯s lips to tremble slightly. ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Ruel swallowed the emotions welling up in his throat and gazed at the snowkes falling from the sky. The fear he experienced today, the weight of the burdens pressing down on his shoulders. He had to forget all of it and be the head of the family. He hoped everything would be buried deep, deep within the snow. Ruel exhaled another long breath. *** ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s time to wake up and have breakfast¡­¡± Cassion halted as he opened the door and found the bed empty. He entered the room, curious about the situation, and discovered Ruel sitting at the desk. ¡°Perfect timing. Here, take this to Billo.¡± Ruel handed Cassion a neatly signed document. Cassion almost unconsciously reached for the documents, surprised at how natural Ruel¡¯s action was. Very soon, a burning sensation surged from below his abdomen. He realized that he hadn¡¯t brought those documents himself; someone else had delivered them. Someone in this mansion who could be easily swayed for a handful of gold coins. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion¡¯s tone was unusually harsh. Leo, who sat right next to Ruel, perked up his ears and looked at Cassion. ¡ªThis body warned him. Truly! Ruelughed out loud at the sight of Leo¡¯s panicked expression, as if he was afraid Cassion wouldn¡¯t make him a snack. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion called his name again, and Ruel answered with a smile. ¡°Say.¡± ¡°Would you stop working if I broke Noah¡¯s leg?¡± It hadn¡¯t even been a week since Ruel copsed and woke up. By now, he should be slightly better and able to move around looking for things to do. Ruel raised the corner of his mouth. A characteristic arrogant smile crept onto Ruel¡¯s face. ¡°If you break Noah¡¯s legs, then what? Will you move on to Hina¡¯s legs next? And after that, how many of your subordinate¡¯s will you need to break?¡± That damned mouth of his. Cassion frowned as he felt pain in his heart. ¡°¡­Wow, how terrifying. What curse did I utter to make your face contort in pain?¡± Ruel feigned shock, widening his eyes dramatically. ¡°Have you¡­ slept?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡ªYou didn¡¯t sleep. Leo spoke simultaneously with Ruel but quickly lowered his ears under Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡ªRuel slept¡­ a little. As much as this body¡¯ two front paws, nay, one, and that¡¯s not sleeping! ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll sleepter.¡± Ruel got up from his seat and stumbled while trying to inhale Breath. Cassion caught him, observing him quietly. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay?¡± Ruel was momentarily taken aback, but he swiftly masked his surprise and replied, ¡°It¡¯s just asional dizziness.¡± A hint of skepticism appeared in the corners of Cassion¡¯s eyes. ¡°Are you testing my patience right now? Or do you want to see Billo copse from high blood pressure just so you can feel better?¡± ¡°Why Billo?¡± ¡°He¡¯s someone who worries about you day and night. Do you really think he¡¯d be happy to receive this document? He¡¯s already anxious because of what happened recently.¡± ¡°Cassion, this was originally my task. I said I would handle it myself. Why are you behaving like this?¡± Uncharacteristically, Ruel quickly grew irritated. His mind was already in disarray. He constantly felt guilt for suddenly copsing. Had he not thought so carelessly about whether the Great Man could simply change his illness to something different, perhaps the situation would have been slightly different. ¡°I can handle this much,¡± Ruel¡¯s voice gained strength. ¡°Even in my current state, I can handle paperwork! Why do you always try to stop me from doing anything? Why do you keep insisting I stay still?¡± But what more could he do? Resting quietly caused pain, and even with painkillers, it persisted. Breathing properly at night was a daily struggle. It felt as if the taste of blood lingered in his mouth with every breath. Every day was torment for him. Yet, why were those who worried about him the ones suffering the most? It was bing increasingly difficult for him to witness that sight. He understood logically that his tasks were being delegated to others, but he disliked it. ¡°Ruel-nim, please forgive my rudeness,¡± Cassion realized his mistake. He should have noticed that Ruel was on edge. He had carelessly poked an already distressed beehive. Leo fidgeted ufortably, and Ruel wiped his face andposed himself. ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s just that my mind is in chaos. I spoke out of frustration. Just pretend you didn¡¯t hear it.¡± On the day he climbed the mountain with Tyson, he thought he had emptied everything out. Yet many things still churned inside him, causing him to be irritable. This shouldn¡¯t happen. ¡°Cassion.¡± Cassion remained silent but quietly looked at Ruel. ¡°¡­never mind.¡± Cassion stopping him was part of his duty as a butler. That wasn¡¯t what frustrated Ruel. He was simply frustrated that his body wasn¡¯t cooperating with him today. Cassion was about to withdraw, hesitatingly asking, ¡°What about meals?¡± ¡°I should eat,¡± Ruel replied. He sat on the edge of the bed and let out a smallugh. Skipping a meal would only weaken his body further, making it harder to endure his illness. Upon hearing Ruel¡¯s response, Cassion blurted out, ¡°Ruel-nim, today I will turn a blind eye and a deaf ear.¡± It was a deration that he wouldn¡¯t intervene at all for the day. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Ruel was slightly taken aback. To some extent, he knew he had be like a car without brakes. Since Cassion had always been the one to restrain him, he might have felt an even stronger urge to step on the elerator. ¡°Yes. Then I will take my leave first.¡± Cassion responded neatly, taking the documents and stepping outside. Sometimes, things needed to break for one to regain their senses. Cassion believed that this was the moment for Ruel. ¡®Since Hina is with him, it should be fine.¡¯ *** ¡°My Lord, are you going out?¡± One of the servants asked cautiously as he saw Ruel walking with a cane. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Are you going out alone, where is the butler?¡± How many times had he heard that question already? It was because the lingering effects of his previous fall were still severe. ¡°I¡¯m just going for a short walk nearby. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Ttak. Ttak. The sound of Ruel¡¯s cane echoed through the hallway, catching the attention of the servants, who turned to look at him in unison. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Ruel nced at Leo, who matched his pace beside him. ¡ªEveryone is looking at Ruel. He knew that even without Leo saying it. At this point, it had be routine, and he had grown ustomed to it. Before opening the front gate, Ruel put on a hat and gloves, fully prepared for the outside. ¡°I¡¯ll open it for you.¡± Several servants who were cleaning near the front gate hurried over to open the door for him. The snow swept in with the wind. ¡ªWhoa! There¡¯s a lot of snow piled up! Leo, like a fish in water, scampered over and buried his head in the snowdrift. Poof! As Leo iled his hind legs, Ruel approached and pulled him out. ¡ªHehehe! This body loves the snow! Leo rolled in the snow and perked up his ears. ¡ªAh! It¡¯s Aris! ¡°¡­Ruel-nim?¡± Aris dismounted his horse and quickly ran towards Ruel as soon as he noticed Leo approaching him. Other knights appeared behind Aris, as if they had just returned from training. ¡®Oh my goodness¡­¡¯ It was bad timing. Ruel¡¯s hand tightened on his cane. ¡°Where are you headed?¡± He noticed Horen running up behind Aris. ¡°Ruel-nim! I don¡¯t know where you¡¯re going, but we¡¯ll escort you,¡± Horen hurriedly saluted Ruel and spoke. ¡°It¡¯s fine; you don¡¯t have to follow me. Aris, you don¡¯t need toe either. I¡¯m just taking a quick stroll.¡± ¡°In this weather? It¡¯s dangerous if you slip,¡± Aris pointed out the snow piled up everywhere, a look of concern on his face. Even Ruel found that argument rather unconvincing. ¡°Is Cassion going with you?¡± At Aris¡¯s question, Ruel shook his head. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I-I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Upon hearing that Cassion wouldn¡¯t be joining, Aris panicked and raised his voice. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Ruel lightly declined and walked slowly. Observing the knights approaching in a hurry, Ruel paused for a moment and nced back. ¡°Don¡¯t follow me. That¡¯s an order,¡± Ruelmanded. Horen and the knights hesitated, unsure whether to obey the order. However, Aris, undeterred, stepped forward to follow Ruel. ¡°I said not to follow me, Aris?¡± ¡°Have you forgotten my role?¡± Aris smiled innocently. ¡°The moment you step outside the mansion, my duty begins.¡± ¡°No matter what I do, you¡¯re going to stop me.¡± ¡°Of course¡­ isn¡¯t that natural? I have the obligation to protect you, Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel gestured toward the mountain behind the mansion. ¡°Thatnd is mine too. So, this doesn¡¯t count as outside the mansion.¡± Aris looked at him, questioning the validity of such a flimsy argument. However, it wasn¡¯tpletely flimsy. After all, thatnd belonged to him. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day. Take a break.¡± Ruel waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Aris called out earnestly. Ruel furrowed his brow slightly and nced at him. He couldn¡¯t help but worry, remembering how Aris had cried for no apparent reason before. ¡°If you¡¯re confident enough to quietly follow, thene along.¡± ¡°Yes, understood.¡± Finally, Aris rxed his stern face. Ruel felt a slight sense of unease, but he pretended not to notice and resumed walking.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 149: Stand firm again (3) Chapter 149: Stand firm again (3) *** The mes danced around Ruel. It was a fire created by Aris. Aris remained silent until Ruel came to a stop in front of the mountain. It was Leo and the spirits¡¯ responsibility to chatter. ¡ªAre you climbing the mountain again? Didn¡¯t youe here once with your uncle? Whenever you climb the mountain, don¡¯t you feel sad again? This body is worried. Leo circled around Ruel, looking distressed. ¡°Today is different.¡± ¡ªWhat¡¯s different?Leo halted and looked up at Ruel. ¡°I¡¯m going to climb the mountain myself,¡± Ruel¡¯s lips curved up high. ¡°¡­!¡± Aris looked at Ruel in shock. Ruel knew it was a crazy thing to attempt. He understood that climbing the mountain with this body was overly ambitious, which was why he hadn¡¯t considered it, but deep down, he had always liked hiking. Today, Cassion had dered that there would be no restrictions imposed on him. It was a rare opportunity to give it a try. ¡°R-Ruel-nim,¡± Aris stammered. Ruel gestured towards the path they hade from, silently signaling Aris to refrain from trying to stop him. Aris immediately fell silent. As Ruel climbed with Tyson, he assessed that this was a mountain he could potentially manage. Of course, it would still be difficult for him. ¡®Except when my body is truly unwell, I have always pushed myself hard.¡¯ He had maintained a regr exercise routine and hadn¡¯t forgotten the joy he felt when he first stood on two legs. Leaning on his cane, Ruel took his first step towards the mountain. Leo raced over in front of Ruel. ¡ªThis is the first time this body has seen Ruel climb a mountain by himself. ¡°Yes, it is,¡± Ruel replied. ¡ªThis body believes that Ruel can do it! Leo smiled brightly. Last night, Leo had sensed Ruel¡¯s deepening frustration as he heard the non-stop sound of the pen. Leo was afraid that Ruel would be consumed by the darkness that loomed overhead. But now, that fear has dissipated. Leo wagged his tail uncontrobly, relieved. ¡ªIf it gets too hard, this body will help you. Leo said in an excited voice. ¡°Okay,¡± Ruel agreed. Ruel proceeded slowly, taking one step at a time. Aris silently followed behind, feeling a sense of unease today as he observed the familiar Ruel¡¯s back. It was as if the most vital part of the tower was missing. ¡°Huff¡­¡± Ruel¡¯s breathing grew faster after just a few steps. Ruel continued walking with Breath in his mouth. He kept his gaze fixed on the path ahead, not looking up. Step by step, he felt a sense of progress, despite his aching calves and the chilling breeze prating his lungs. He stumbled along the way, losing count of how many times. His knees throbbed, and his face was covered in sweat. As the unnecessary thoughts that had filled his mind began to dissipate, his heart felt lighter despite his weary body. Tears and sweat streamed only surrounded by the snow-littered dirt, stones, trees, and grasses. There was no need to think about anything, and there was nothing to fear. Ruel paused for a moment, taking deep breaths while inhaling Breath. The spirits sitting on the dry tree caught his attention, turning their heads curiously observing him. ¡ªAre you okay? Leo rushed ahead but, upon hearing Ruel¡¯s barely audible footsteps, he quickly walked back to him. ¡°No. It feels like I¡¯m dying,¡± Ruel replied, struggling to catch his breath. For a brief moment, his vision blurred. Despite not having traveled a great distance, his entire body was drenched in sweat. ¡®Maybe it¡¯s just cold sweat.¡¯ So he paid it no mind. Although his body was exhausted, there were no other abnormalities yet. ¡°We¡¯re almost there,¡± At Aris¡¯s voice, Ruel collected his scattered thoughts. His head felt heavy, preventing him from seeing Aris¡¯s expression. ¡°Really¡­?¡± Ruel asked weakly. ¡°Yes, really,¡± Aris reassured him. As Ruel¡¯s breathing steadied, he resumed moving forward with his cane. Two steps forward, catch his breath. Two steps forward, inhale Breath. With his head feeling lighter, it seemed as if his body could copse at any moment. His legs trembled, and sweat dripped onto the ground. Yet, Ruel smiled. The snow, resembling a whipped cream topping, adorned the mountain in a beautiful manner, bringing him delight. The thought of getting closer to the summit filled him with joy. ¡ªOh! Ruel, Ruel! We¡¯ve reached the top! At Leo¡¯s words, Ruel lifted his head with difficulty. In the ce where there was no further ascent, snow fell gently with the wind. It was even more beautiful than when he had climbed with Tyson. Ruel¡¯s legs moved on their own. Overwhelmed, Ruel reached the summit and sat down on the ground. His hair was damp with sweat and his legs trembled uncontrobly, but it was all worth it. Overwhelming joy swelled within him, causing Ruel to smile with his eyes andugh so wide that his teeth were visible. He was on the verge of choking and had to inhale Breath, but the corners of his mouth refused to drop. ¡ªRuel did it! Leo jumped in ce andughed. ¡°Can I help you?¡± ¡°Yeah. My legs are trembling, so I can¡¯t get up,¡± Ruel said, reaching out toward Aris and finally looking at his face. Aris¡¯s expression was filled with emotion, his eyes slightly red. Surprised, Ruel asked, ¡°Are you crying again?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not crying. It would be absurd to cry when you¡¯ve aplished something like this, Ruel-nim!¡± Aris used magic to brush off the snow and helped Ruel sit on a rock. He knelt down to meet Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°You are truly incredible, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been spending too much time with Noah; now you¡¯re making jokes too,¡± Ruel teased. ¡°It¡¯s not a joke. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think you would make it,¡± Aris admitted. Ruel inhaled Breath and looked down at the view before him. Thendscape he had once seen with Tyson unfolded beneath him, covered in pristine white snow. ¡°I can¡¯t express how anxious I was watching from behind,¡± Aris confessed. ¡°I can imagine. Just look at me now. It feels terrible,¡± Ruel pointed to his trembling legs and let out a smallugh. ¡°You are stronger than I ever expected, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Thank you, even if it¡¯s just empty words.¡± ¡°These are not empty words. Look at the footprints you left behind,¡± Aris said, pointing in a direction. Ruel turned his head and saw three distinct footprints in the snow. ¡°The footprints don¡¯t lie. I swear I didn¡¯t do anything to assist you,¡± Aris assured him. ¡ªThis body also did nothing as well. Upon hearing Leo¡¯s words, Aris chuckled, ¡°Did you hear that? Ruel-nim made it here all by himself. Isn¡¯t that amazing?¡± Normally, Ruel would brush off such praise, finding it embarrassing. Only today, it resonated deeply with him. He had doubted himself and thought he wouldn¡¯t make it. It had been tough, and he had questioned why he even attempted the climb. But he did it. Even though he hadn¡¯t found answers to the lingering questions in his mind, this overwhelming feeling in his chest would serve as a guiding light. It was enough. ¡°I suppose most people won¡¯t believe it. That¡¯s why I recorded a video of your climb,¡± Aris revealed, surprising Ruel. ¡°What?¡± Ruel, momentarily carried away by his sense of victory, was brought back to reality as Aris proudly presented a recording device. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve been feeling frustratedtely¡­¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t even ask for the recording device as Aris¡¯s tone suddenly shifted to something heavier. ¡°When Mayre suddenly appeared in the Beast Forest, I was unable to respond. Despite knowing Cassion-nim¡¯s capabilities, it was infuriating.¡± Despite his frustration, Aris¡¯s eyes sparkled brightly. ¡°But seeing you, Ruel-nim, gave me the strength to rise again. You will always be my source of pride.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Ruel replied, chuckling, and turned his gaze back to thendscape unfolding below the mountain. For some, climbing this mountain may not be a remarkable feat, but for him, it was a monumental achievement. A strong sense of aplishment stirred within his chest. Everyone had said he wouldn¡¯t survive, but he had. Everyone had said he wouldn¡¯t be able to walk, but here he was, walking on his own two feet. Everyone had said he wouldn¡¯t be able to use magic, yet he had proven them wrong. And today, He had aplished something that everyone said was impossible. He did it. With this, he could continue to move forward. The green glint in Ruel¡¯s eyes shone brightly again. His eyes softly closed, and a smile crept onto his lips. *** ¡°¡­Sigh.¡± Cassion exhaled deeply as he looked at Ruel, who had been carried back down by Aris. He had dered that he wouldn¡¯t worry about anything today, but he hadn¡¯t expected things to escte to this level. Ruel¡¯s appearance seemed as if he had been through a rough time climbing a mountain. ¡®Did he actually climb the mountain?¡¯ Cassion tried to ignore the traces they left behind. ¡°I¡¯ll call Fran.¡± ¡°He¡¯s just exhausted and copsed.¡± Aris hesitated, wanting to say that there was no need to call Fran. Except, what if something big happened again, likest time? Cassion immediately frowned. It seemed that Ruel really did climb the mountain. ¡ªRuel has climbed the mountain! Leo said with a bright smile. Even Leo¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t look so good after rolling around on the mountain. Soon, Leo covered his mouth and quickly nced around. ¡ªThis body shouldn¡¯t say this out loud¡­ Oh! This body said it again! ¡°There¡¯s no one nearby,¡± Cassion replied tly, then finally noticed the traces of dirt on their bodies. They were covered in dirt. The scent of dirt from the mountain lingered. Cassion stared intently at Aris. Though he had gone along, he hadn¡¯t stopped Ruel. His mouth itched to speak, but he held back. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to believe, isn¡¯t it, Cassion-nim? Thankfully I anticipated this and managed to record it,¡± Aris eximed with an excited expression. He was about to pull out his recording device when he realized Ruel was still slumped on his back and looked at Cassion, silently asking what to do. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go this way,¡± Cassion directed Aris, leading him towards the bathroom. He couldn¡¯t bear to see Ruelid down on the bed in such a state. *** The recording device proved to be quite convenient, although it consumed more mana than other magical tools. ¡°This was the limit of my mana,¡± Arismented, unable to capture everything. ¡°No, Aris. I appreciate that you managed to record this much,¡± Tyson reassured him. With every stumble Ruel encountered, Tyson cheered alongside him. And when Ruel reached the summit, Tyson shouted as if he had been there, experiencing the moment firsthand. At first, when Aris mentioned Ruel climbing the mountain, Tyson couldn¡¯t believe it either. ¡°I feel ashamed for only wanting to protect Ruel.¡± Tyson felt proud but also a bit guilty. Ruel was growing, albeit at a gradual pace, and he had achieved what everyone deemed impossible. What a strong kid he was. Tyson nced at Cassion, whose expression appeared ratherplex. ¡°What do you think, Cassion?¡± Cassion didn¡¯t like the question directed at him. He had thought Ruel would return defeated, but instead, he hade back having made the impossible possible. He couldn¡¯t help but sigh, wondering how much further his master would race forward. ¡°What do you expect me to say?¡± Cassion retorted sharply, causing Tyson to chuckle softly. ¡°Just be honest with me.¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t be the one in this position; it should have been Billo. He would have given you the perfect answer, Tyson-nim.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you realize how much Ruel relies on you?¡± Cassion let out a mockingugh. ¡°Don¡¯t sugarcoat it by calling it reliance. It only makes it easier to manipte me. I¡¯m just a fish that¡¯s already caught.¡± ¡°Cassion, why can¡¯t you be honest?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take my leave now. It¡¯s almost time to pass on the Breath to Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°So be it. I¡¯d like to witness more of this scene. Oh, and while you¡¯re at it, please call Billo too. I think he¡¯ll find it pleasantly surprising.¡± Tyson¡¯s tone resembled Setiria¡¯s, much to Cassion¡¯s displeasure. Nevertheless, he reluctantly agreed. ¡°Well, fine. If I happen to pass by, I¡¯ll ry the message,¡± Cassion replied before silently leaving the room. As soon as the door closed, Aris revealed a hint of impatience, ¡°Tyson-nim, please understand that it¡¯s not Cassion¡¯s true feelings.¡± ¡°I know. I just wanted to tease him a little,¡± Tyson replied with a mischievous smile. He had noticed a fleeting sense of pride in Cassion¡¯s gaze when Ruel reached the summit. As a butler, how could Cassion not experience joy witnessing his master achieve such a feat? ¡°By the way, neither Ruel nor Cassion are very honest, are they not, Aris?¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Aris acknowledged, finally understanding Tyson¡¯s implication, and chuckled, ¡°Perhaps Cassion-nim is the one feeling the most pride at this very moment.¡± ¡°That¡¯s probably true. Despite his pretense, Cassion takes care of Ruel even more than I do. Sometimes, doesn¡¯t he seem like Ruel¡¯s dependable older brother?¡± ¡°He¡¯s an older brother who can¡¯t be honest.¡± ¡°Ha ha ha!¡± Tyson burst intoughter, his voice echoing. It was a fitting description of Cassion. *** As soon as the door opened, Leo, who had been curled up next to Ruel, perked up his ears. ¡ªCassion, Ruel is still asleep. Cassion sat down beside the bed. ¡ªDid you see Ruel reach the summit? ¡°I did.¡± ¡ªThis body was so, so anxious. Look at this. Ruel fell and got hurt. Leo licked Ruel¡¯s injuries on his face, knees, and palms as he spoke. Although the injuries would heal quickly thanks to the power of recovery, it was better to address any concerns. ¡°I called Fran, so she¡¯ll be here soon.¡± ¡ªWhen Ruel wakes up, make sure to praise him for doing well! Cassion couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡®Compliments for a child¡­ Ah, I suppose he is still a child.¡¯ Suddenly, Cassion was struck by this realization and looked at Ruel. The child didn¡¯t behave like a typical child, which made even him confused. ¡°Beast.¡± ¡ªSpeak. ¡°Astell probably baked a chocte cake.¡± ¡ªOh! Really? ¡°Yeah, if you hurry now, you might get a few pieces.¡± Leo immediately jumped off the bed. It appeared as though he would rush outside at any moment, but he restrained himself and nced at Cassion. ¡ªWill you stay here while this body goes to eat all the cake? ¡°Probably.¡± ¡ªIf Ruel wakes up, let him know that this body will be back soon. ¡°Okay.¡± ¡ªRuel likes this body the most, so this body will return quickly. Only then did Leo seem relieved, shing a big smile as he dashed out through the private door. Cassion covered his mouth, and between his fingers, a slight upward curve of his lips could be seen. ¡®Likes me the most, huh¡­¡¯ Suppressing hisughter, Cassion looked at Ruel again. Having spent half a year with him, Cassion had thought he would die soon and had made the mana oath. He didn¡¯t even know if the contract was fraudulent from the beginning. Honestly, there had been moments when he had wanted to kill Ruel, but now, it doesn¡¯t seem so bad. Not in this situation. Not in this mansion. ¡°Well done, Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion quietly smiled and spoke.Author''s Thoughts Aww... so wholesome. Chapter 150: Before Departure Chapter 150: Before Departure Fran was in agony again today. There are only six family heads, and among them, why and for what reason did Ruel, who has the highest of noble status, get injured like this? It was a wound, as if he had fallen down from a mountain. Fran¡¯s brows were deeply wrinkled as she looked at Ruel¡¯s wounds. ¡°Sister,¡± Tierra gently patted Fran on the shoulder. Despite thinking she had grown ustomed to Ruel¡¯s actions and any situation that arose, it seemed otherwise. After all, she had earnestly asked him to take better care of himself. This time, as his personal physician, she intended to scold Ruel severely. ¡°Mr. Cassion,¡± Fran called, rolling up one sleeve.Cassion looked at her sympathetically, knowing what Fran was feeling. How frustrating this must be. ¡°The wounds themselves aren¡¯t too deep. It¡¯s more like he stumbled a bit while ying,¡± she informed him. These injuries were likely to heal within a week. ¡°However, the real problem is the reason behind them. If my assumptions are correct¡­ Did Lord Ruel climb the mountain?¡± ¡°Yes, Ruel-nim did climb the mountain,¡± Cassion confirmed, prompting Fran to roll up her other sleeve. ¡°Can you wake Lord Ruel up now? As the attending physician, I have something to tell him.¡± ¡°Ms. Fran, could you overlook what you saw today and let it pass quietly?¡± ¡°With his body covered in wounds, you expect me to let this pass quietly? Do you recall how shocked I was thest time he was injured?¡± This wasn¡¯t the first time Ruel hade back with a minor or major injury. He had previously returned with arge hole in his abdomen. ¡°And now the mountain¡­¡± Fran paused, attempting to control her rising anger. ¡°Climbing a mountain with such a body is excessive. No, it¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°It was what Ruel-nim wished for. So please, just let it go.¡± A faint smile briefly appeared on Cassion¡¯s face. ¡°And it wasn¡¯t impossible. Ruel-nim really did reach the summit.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Fran asked incredulously, looking back at Cassion. As he nodded, Fran jumped up and hugged Tierra tightly. ¡°S, sister?¡± ¡°Tierra! This is a miracle! Regardless of the process, it signifies Lord Ruel¡¯s recovery!¡± Realizing Cassion was present, Fran abruptly released Tierra from the embrace. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Fran, feeling her face lightly flush, sat back down in her seat. Then, suddenly, a wave of confusion washed over her, and her eyes darted around. ¡®Why on earth would the family head be climbing a mountain?¡¯ With a slight hesitation, Fran turned to Cassion and asked, ¡°Is it possible that Lord Ruel went up the mountain for¡­?¡± While speaking, she lightly patted her chest. ¡°Yes. So please don¡¯t say anything to Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Fran finally grasped the situation. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she cautiously asked, ¡°Was Lord Ruel¡­ really struggling a lot?¡± ¡°Perhaps he is alright now.¡± With Cassion¡¯s assurance that he would be okay, Fran let out a deep sigh. ¡°¡­I¡¯m truly relieved.¡± Her gaze softened as she looked at Ruel. *** ¡°Ugh.¡± Upon opening his eyes, Ruel let out a groan. His entire body felt sore and heavy. It seemed to be muscle pain. ¡ªDoes it hurt? Leo¡¯s surprised face came into Ruel¡¯s view. ¡°It¡¯s not an illness, so no need to worry,¡± Ruel reassured Leo with a chuckle, realizing he was back in his own room after patting Leo. He had copsed again. ¡®Ah¡­ I missed a good opportunity. I was thinking ofing home and getting some work done.¡¯ Ruel clicked his tongue in disappointment. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Are you awake?¡± ¡°How long was I out?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for a full day. How¡¯s your body? You probably strained muscles you haven¡¯t used in a while.¡± ¡°My whole body is sore.¡± If the pain had been severe, he would have taken painkillers, but since it was mild, he had to endure it. ¡°Did Fran visit?¡± Ruel asked as he looked at the neat treatment of his wounds. Since it was a minor wound, it would have healed quickly with the power of recovery, but it was obvious that suddenly beingpletely healed would seem strange, so he decided to leave it alone. ¡°Yes, she did because I called for her.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat first.¡± ¡°Prince Banios has requested to have a meal with you, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Okay, tell him I understand.¡± Ruel paused mid-sentence and let out a big yawn. He felt incredibly sluggish. ¡°When does he want to eat? Lunch? Dinner?¡± ¡°It¡¯s lunch.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± As Ruel slumped back onto the bed, Cassion interjected. ¡°It¡¯s already lunchtime.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. *** ¡°Haha, I heard you rolled down a mountain,¡± Baniosughed heartily at the sight of the bandage on Ruel¡¯s face. He hadn¡¯t thought it was true, but it really was the case. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just ying around on the mountain; I actually climbed it.¡± ¡°Climbed it¡­?¡± Banios suddenly stoppedughing, his expression shifting to one of astonishment. ¡°¡­You? You climbed the mountain?¡± Ruel puffed out his chest proudly. ¡°The efforts I¡¯ve put into exercising have finally paid off.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Haha, I feel the urge to reward you with something right away.¡± ¡°Well then, don¡¯t hold back; give it to me now,¡± Ruel said politely, extending both hands toward Banios. ¡°What would you like?¡± Banios nced at the little fox that was wandering around at Ruel¡¯s feet and asked. ¡°Support from reliable wizards and an unlimited research budget,¡± Ruel responded. To delve into the mysteries of ck water, more manpower and funding were essential. Banios smiled knowingly. ¡°I actually called you for that very reason. First, have a seat. Let¡¯s talk while cutting steaks.¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be bad, but honestly, I prefer talking while fishing.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t catch any fish that time.¡± Banios chuckled at Ruel¡¯s visibly hardening expression. ¡°You know, Ruel, you¡¯re more clever than I thought.¡± Cassion subtly turned his head. Ruel shot him a sharp look, intentionally dragging his chair with a loud scrape before sitting down. The fact that he hadn¡¯t caught any fishst time was purely down to bad luck. Next time would be different. ¡°Your Highness, please tell me what it is you wanted to discuss regarding ¡®that matter.¡¯¡± ¡°Our biggest goal right now is to overturn the table set by the Great Man,¡± Banios replied, slowly wiping the smile off his face. ¡°Equally crucial is finding a solution for the ck water.¡± ¡°Have you witnessed it firsthand, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Yes, your uncle showed it to me. Seeing it in person felt much more serious than what you described. If it were to be unleashed all at once¡­¡± Banios frowned at the mere thought of it. ¡°Regardless, the ck water will undoubtedly pose a significant threat.¡± ¡°Yes, without a solution, a grave crisis is inevitable.¡± ¡°Therefore, the Royal Family has decided to directly support your recent request.¡± Ruel remained silent, anticipating further revtions. ¡°Furthermore, we will allocate additional troops. Given Setiria¡¯s strategic position, this is a precaution against worst-case scenarios.¡± Banios paused, toying with the spoon in front of him. Despite the dishesid out, Ruel had to wait patiently as Banios had yet to start eating. Moreover, the way Banios cut his sentences was quite frustrating. Ruel couldn¡¯t hold back any longer and asked, ¡°Whates next?¡± Setting down the spoon, Banios smiled once more, seemingly in no rush to eat. ¡®He mentioned talking over steak,¡¯ Ruel thought, genuinely irritated. If Banios had begun with the soup, Ruel could have used his spoon as well. ¡°I thought it might ease your concerns to have an escape n, so I¡¯ve made arrangements.¡± ¡°An escape n? What do you mean?¡± Ruel scrutinized the object Banios pulled out, which looked like an identification card. ¡°Isn¡¯t this your ID card?¡± Upon seeing the character ¡®Han¡¯ in the ID card, Ruel tightened his grip with surprise. ¡®He really is a prince after all.¡¯ He had clearly concealed it well, but Banios had discovered it nheless. ¡°I only found out a few days ago that you are an adventurer under the name Han. I had a bit of a hard time because you were really good at hiding it.¡± Banios gestured reassuringly as Ruel¡¯s expression tensed slightly. ¡°I have no intention of pressuring you, so don¡¯t make that face. I found it by chance, and I was able to notice it because I observed you up close. Ruel, aren¡¯t these ideas all yours?¡± ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll turn a blind eye to my illegal activities?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not illegal anymore. I¡¯ve made it legitimate for you. So rest assured and use it well.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re saying this is a gift?¡± ¡°Precisely. ept it graciously.¡± With that, Banios had essentially put himself on the same boat as Ruel, handing over the identification card. Only then did a smirk appear at the corners of Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to utilize it with gratitude.¡± ¡°Furthermore, to save your time, I¡¯ve brought a means to verify whether Hilim Tonisk is real or not.¡± Seeing Banios finally act the part of a prince, Ruel smiled contentedly. ¡®Yes, a prince should be capable of dealing with such matters effortlessly.¡¯ All of the praising words he¡¯d used to win Banios¡¯ favor now felt justified. ¡°What kind of means is it?¡± Ruel was already filled with anticipation. It was a fact that needed to be confirmed for future work. ¡°The Empire presented an object to the three nations as a show of goodwill, essentially a symbolic gesture to honor the Empire. I¡¯ve already handed it to your butler in advance for us to inspect togetherter.¡± As Cassion was also unaware of its purpose, he caught Ruel¡¯s gaze and promptly responded, ¡°What the prince entrusted to me was a g.¡± Ruel looked at Banios again, ¡°How can we verify with that g?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it myself, but I¡¯ve heard that the g glows brightly when the royalty of the Empire is present, and it was sent to me before the war, so it¡¯s practically an object with the intent to bring down the three nations.¡± ¡°What a disgraceful object.¡± ¡°Indeed. So, it took a while to track it down.¡± ¡°Thank you, Your Highness.¡± Regardless, this would save them some time. Banios shook his head at Ruel¡¯s gratitude. ¡°I know this is a trifling matterpared to the grace you have shown me.¡± ¡®He¡¯s well aware,¡¯ Ruel thought, choosing not to respond but instead smiling. ¡°This was just the main topic I wanted to address before your meal, in case you might choke on your food,¡± Banios added, and his expression softened slightly. Ruel, too, eagerly anticipated beginning his meal. However, just as Banios picked up his spoon, a mischievous smile crossed his face. ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ll be attending His Majesty Huswen¡¯s birthday celebration.¡± ¡°How did you find out?¡± Ruel asked, surprised. They had not disclosed that information externally. ¡°His Majesty Huswen personally reached out to me and informed me.¡± ¡°The King spoke to you directly?¡± Ruel couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Huswen would contact Banios. He tried to predict the reason, but his hunger made it hard to think straight. ¡°Oh, my apologies. Please, start eating.¡± Banios, seeing Ruel make no move to start, felt sheepish and gestured for him to begin the meal. ¡°My birthday is exactly ten days apart from His Majesty Huswen¡¯s. Perhaps he reached out to me to offer a smallfort because of that.¡± ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ruel sputtered on his soup, almost bringing tears to his eyes with a dramatic cough. After recovering, he nced at Banios. Banios wore a proud expression, as if he had just discovered his weakness. It was then that Ruel realized this was the real reason Banios had called him. *** Ruel walked behind Banios with an ufortable expression. ¡°I must have said something unnecessary,¡± Banios muttered. ¡®Then you should have just kept it to yourself.¡¯ If Banios had expressed feeling excluded, Ruel might have offered someforting words. However, Banios did not bring up the topic of birthdays again. This made Ruel so uneasy that he couldn¡¯t discern if he was actually swallowing his food or if it was just getting stuck. If Ruel didn¡¯t even remember his own birthday, how could he possibly know Banios¡¯s? He had been aware of Huswen¡¯s birthday celebrations from the scenes depicted in the web novel. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Walking beside Ruel, Leo called out to him. ¡ªInform this bodyter about your birthday. Ruel nodded slightly at Leo¡¯s request. ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± Banios elongated his words with a grin, clearly enjoying the moment. It wasn¡¯t just Banios who was thrilled; Cassion wore a bright smile as well. ¡°When is your birthday? I want to properly congratte you.¡± As if he thought he had caught hold of a tail, Banios was trying hard to avoid getting caught himself. What was Ruel supposed to do now? ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he replied with a short sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t remember my early childhood, and did I ever get a celebration while being locked away?¡± Banios¡¯s face, which had beenughing heartily, suddenly turned awkward and stiff. ¡°Haha, well, what significance does a birthday hold, right? By the way, is this the correct path?¡± Banios looked at Cassion, sending a look for help. ¡°This way, Your Highness,¡± Cassion replied. However, Cassion icily disregarded Banios¡¯s plea and continued leading the way. ¡°Your Highness,¡± Ruel called out, causing Banios to flinch. ¡°W-what is it?¡± Banios stuttered. ¡°I just realized I¡¯ve been so consumed with work that I forgot to inquire about my own birthday from Billo. I genuinely appreciate you reminding me.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The dynamic had shifted; now Banios was the one feeling uneasy. Ruel inhaled Breath andughed.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 151: Before Departure (2) Chapter 151: Before Departure (2) *** As Cassion entered the room where Hilim was staying, he immediately saw Ruel and Banios. ¡°Today, Hilim Tonisk¡¯s condition isn¡¯t good, so I¡¯d like you both to wait here. I will check on him myself.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Banios replied, with Ruel nodding in agreement. Cassion moved to another soundproof chamber inside the room. Hilim, with his arms tightly bound to prevent self-harm, was muttering to himself in the corner, repeating that he needed to ¡®hide¡¯ unaware of Cassion¡¯s arrival. ¡®The g shines¡­¡¯ Cassion genuinely hoped the g would shine. Currently, he was investigating all four princes and two princesses, including two princes of Kran.Moreover, in preparation for any potential incidents that might ur in the enemy¡¯s stronghold, he was meticulously recording all the geography and mapping their movements. This time, he hoped the number of things to investigate would decrease, as he felt somewhat apologetic for how hard his subordinates were working. Cassion carefully took out the g that Banios had given him. ¡®¡­!¡¯ Cassion¡¯s eyes widened slightly. The emblem of the Tonisk Empire engraved on the g was glowing. ¡®It¡¯s real.¡¯ The man who imed to be a prince was indeed of royal blood. The Tonisk Empire had truly vanished from thisnd. The false board had disappeared, revealing a new game on top of it. The fight, the oue of which no one could predict, had genuinely begun. He could already hear the deepening concerns of his master. When Cassion opened the door and stepped outside, Ruel and Banios looked at him intently. ¡°Hilim Tonisk is indeed of royal lineage.¡± Upon Cassion¡¯s words, Banios closed his mouth, and Ruel¡¯s lips curled slightly. ¡®Great Man, as expected, you were in Kran.¡¯ *** Ruel walked around the quiet training ground, inhaling Breath. ¡ªRuel, are we skipping cocoa today? Leo, who had been following Ruel, finally asked after some hesitation. ¡°I feel like exploring a bit today.¡± ¡ªOh, so no cocoa then? ¡°Perhaps.¡± Leo¡¯s tail and ears drooped in disappointment. He hade to expect cocoa during their nightly visits to the training ground, so it seemed he was looking forward to it again today. Ruel chuckled and teased, ¡°Leo, did you really tag along just for the cocoa?¡± ¡ªAh, no, this body followed you because this body likes Ruel! Despite Leo¡¯s denial, the sad look in his eyes suggested that more than half of his purpose was indeed the cocoa. ¡°Would you like to go have cocoa with Hina? Astell is likely still in the kitchen.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes lit up with excitement. ¡°I¡¯ll wait here until you return.¡± ¡ªReally? ¡°Really!¡± Without anyone calling her, Hina appeared, looking at Ruel with eager eyes. ¡ªEek! Leo jumped in surprise, clinging to Ruel, but then promptly smiled at Hina. ¡°Leo-nim,¡± Hina carefully approached Leo and gently patted him. Observing her joy, Ruel gestured with his hands, saying, ¡°I don¡¯t need anything, so you should go with Leo.¡± ¡°Ah, no! If I leave, I won¡¯t be able to protect you, Ruel-nim!¡± After receiving a stern rebuke from Cassion previously, Hina was more cautious. ¡°This is my home, and you¡¯re only going to be gone for a little while, so go.¡± ¡ªHina, this body wants to have cocoa. ¡°Yes, shall we go together then?¡± Leo rubbed against Hina¡¯s leg, and her resolve crumbled in an instant. ¡ªThis body will be back soon! With short legs kicking excitedly, Leo hurried off to the kitchen with Hina. As Ruel watched intently until Leo disappeared into the mansion, he let out a deep sigh. ¡°Hah,¡± Taking a deep breath, he continued his interrupted steps, inhaling Breath. The Empire had vanished, and the Great Man was in Kran. ¡®Whose body did the Great Man enter?¡¯ Trino Setiria knew who the Great Man had possessed. Ruel wished there were more clues left behind. There was a suspicious person, but evidence was still elusive. ¡®Regardless, even if I find the Great Man, how can I defeat him?¡¯ Since they had failed to eliminate the Great Man before, perhaps the royal family had hidden something. The scope had narrowed considerably, but there was still much to find. ¡®The King.¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. ¡®I need to find the King.¡¯ Even though he had been happy to think he had found the King in the spirit¡¯s house, that had merely been a fragment of power left by the King, not the King himself. ¡®I am the only Ruel Setiria who has survived to this point, though I¡¯m not sure which number I am.¡¯ Ruel walked ap around the training ground before stopping. He had been feeling this way for a while, but it was hard to believe that he was truly in the world of a web novel. ¡°SSS-ss Knight¡± was still ongoing, so why would a different story be unfolding? It seemed that only stories that couldn¡¯t be found in a web novel were being revealed. ¡®What if this isn¡¯t a world of a web novel, but a real world?¡¯ Where have all the people who previously became Ruel Setiria gone? Had they gone back? Or¡­ Ruel clenched his fist. ¡®What if I find a way to return¡­?¡¯ He gazed at the mansion, which was brightly lit. The scenery had be so familiar, leaving behind a deep sense of longing. ¡®Do I want to go back?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath, slowly closing his eyes before opening them again. He pushed any unnecessary thoughts aside. He looked at his own hands, d in thick gloves. Ruel Setiria received the power to control monsters from the King, and through this, they could figure out where the King was. ¡®I am clueless. I wish they would at least guide me on how.¡¯ Ruel repetitively clenched and unclenched his hands before lifting his gaze to the starry sky. ¡®If I find his memories¡­ will I know?¡¯ Ruel Setiria had met the King when he was young. Although it might have been merely a fragment of power, perhaps it offered a slight clue. Ruel continued to ponder, walking severalps around the training ground before sitting on a chair in the corner. Kuroo kuru. The spirits that had detached from his body tilted their heads, as if asking if he was okay. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m fine now, so no need to worry,¡± Ruel assured. Kuroo kuru. The spirits smiled with their eyes. Sniff. Ruel wiped his nose and looked back up at the sky. It was time to let Ganien know. He also needed to negotiate with Huswen. Infusing the ring with mana, Ruel asked, ¡°Ganien, are you avable?¡± -¡­Ruel. Ganien let out an exasperated sigh. -Why do you always contact me at the same time? It¡¯s quite unnerving. What¡¯s the matter today? ¡°The knight captain is pretending to be weak.¡± -That¡¯s a separate issue. Frankly, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to endure it if I were in your ce. Ruel could faintly hear Ganien muttering that ¡°an event keeps happening continuously.¡± ¡°Today¡¯s news isn¡¯t easy either, so listen closely.¡± -Again? This is crazy¡­ Ruel allowed Ganien a moment to collect himself. ¡°Before that, can you find out when His Majesty Huswen is avable to talk?¡± -I¡¯m on duty today. Damn it. ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± -It¡¯s not good news for me¡­ But why are you outside again? Where¡¯s Cassion? Good children should be sleeping by now. Ruel couldn¡¯t help butugh. He hadn¡¯t expected to be treated like a child again. ¡°How many years apart are we?¡± -Ten years. ¡°¡­¡± The age gap was wider than he had imagined. ¡°Are you saying you want me to call you ¡®older brother¡¯ even now?¡± -¡­It sends shivers down my spine, so no. Ganien replied in a truly disgusted tone. ¡°Ganien.¡± The jokes stopped here. Ruel called Ganien seriously. -Okay, wait a moment. Do you think a king has so much time on his hands¡­ Your Majesty? -What are you doing during work hours, Ganien? A faint voice from Huswen could be heard. He seemed pleased to catch Ganien cking off. -I wasn¡¯t cking off, Your Majesty! What are you doing right now? -I was taking a stroll. A stroll. Hmm, your way of talking is suspicious. -I was in contact with Ruel. Can we chat briefly? -Why not? Let me speak to him for a moment. Some background noise was heard. -Oh, Lord Setiria. What¡¯s the urgency at thiste hour? It seems rather pressing. ¡°Your Majesty, would you be interested in making a deal with me?¡± Ruel skipped the pleasantries and cut to the chase. -A deal¡­ I¡¯d like to hear the details first. ¡°It has to do with the Empire.¡± -What do you want? ¡°Give me the highlight of the event.¡± -Is there something you need to tell me? Huswen seemed to pick up on a hint from Ruel¡¯s brief statement. ¡°Will you agree to the deal? I¡¯m confident you won¡¯t regret it.¡± -Do you think this deal is for the benefit of Cyronian? ¡°Yes, absolutely. If it wasn¡¯t meant to benefit both our nations from the outset, I wouldn¡¯t have brought it up to you, Your Majesty.¡± -If you were in my position, would you ept this offer? Ruel put strength into his voice. ¡°Without a doubt. I would have epted it immediately. It holds that much significance.¡± -Then I concur. I will stake Cyronian¡¯s honor on this pact. If you wish, you can record this conversation. Should you visit, I will personally draft the contract. As the king of a nation, I am unable to go back on my word. ¡°I trust you, so I will reveal first.¡± Ruel took a moment to breathe. ¡°The Empire no longer exists.¡± -¡­Is that what you¡¯re implying? At the disappointment in Huswen¡¯s tone, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He had anticipated this reaction. ¡°I received this information directly from a member of the Tonisk Royal Family.¡± The mention of royalty changed Huswen¡¯s reaction. -W-What did you just say? ¡°I said, I heard it directly from a member of the Tonisk Royal Family.¡± -What¡­what does this mean? ¡°The Empire has fallen. What we believe to be the Empire now is nothing but an illusion.¡± -Who¡­ who could possibly bring down the Empire? Huswen¡¯s voice rose in volume. ¡°The Empire copsed at the hands of the Great Man. I believe that the current situation is orchestrated by the Kingdom of Kran, who knew this fact.¡± -Wait, hold on. Huswen was breathing heavily. -I¡¯m trying to grasp this situation. Are you certain the person you met is truly a member of the Tonisk Royal Family? ¡°Yes. I confirmed it through the g that the Empire gave to the three countries before the war. Are you familiar with this?¡± -If it¡¯s the g given by the Empire¡­ Ah, you mean that humiliating g? ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± -I heard that my grandfather tore it to shreds the moment he received it. So, Leponia has kept it. ¡°Yes, they have. In any case, I confirmed that the g started to glow in his presence.¡± -I see. Huswen understood immediately what it meant for the g to be glowing, as he was already familiar with it. He let out a series of gasps, struggling to find words. ¡°Now I will tell Your Majesty my conditions for the deal.¡± -Go ahead. Huswen¡¯s voice sounded slightly sharp. How frustrated he must have been, not knowing he had been stabbed in the back and yed by the enemy. ¡°Someone must inform the world that the Empire no longer exists. Please grant me this crucial moment as promised.¡± -Indeed. That moment holds great weight. It carries substantial influence. Pause. Upon hearing Huswen¡¯s words that seemed to prolong the conversation unnecessarily, Ruel waited with slight tension. ¡®He wouldn¡¯t really back out of the promise, would he?¡¯ Taking on arge role was only one part of it. There were still other opportunities avable. -It¡¯s a very tempting position, but I will grant it to you as promised. That position is notrge enough for me to forsake my rtionship with you. ¡°Your Majesty, I n to extend this opportunity to Prince Banios.¡± -How admirable. My knights often ck off during duty, and the nobles only think of ways to press me down, yet you are actually strengthening the foundation for the Crown Prince. I really envy you. Huswen repeated his envy several times as if feigning regret. ¡°Your Majesty, I am thinking of shaking up this newly arranged board. Would you join me?¡± -You always manage to surprise me. How can I assist you? Ruel shared the same information he mentioned to Banios regarding the alliance with Huswen. ¡°I will inform you again once a detailed n is outlined.¡± -Lord Setiria. ¡°Yes.¡± -I¡¯ve been jesting until now, but this time I speak earnestly. I will create a position for you. Whenever you feel inclined, visit Cyronian. You will be weed with open arms. Huswen, who had been talking around in circles, sincerely offered for him toe to Cyronian. To be honest, it was a wonderful proposal, but he was Setiria. ¡°Thank you for your generous offer.¡± -Take your time to consider it. ¡°Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask.¡± -Feel free to speak. ¡°The Empire now stands vacant. I would like to see what lies within it. I hope you can remove the seal ced at the entrance of the Empire.¡± -It¡¯s not easy to break the seal, but I¡¯ll try. I guess I¡¯ll have to stop for a walk here. Well then, have a good night. Ruel inhaled Breath and replied, ¡°Yes, I wish you a good night too, Your Majesty.¡± Only then did Ruel ease his shoulders, relieved that the negotiations had proceeded more smoothly than anticipated. -Ruel. Ganien cautiously spoke up. ¡°You haven¡¯t hung up yet?¡± Ruel sniffled. -How can I just hang up after hearing this? Damn it! What the hell is this¡­ ha. Ganien struggled to find the right words as he let out several sighs. While he took a moment, Ruel continued inhaling Breath and waited patiently. -Ruel, given the situation, wouldn¡¯t it be better for you to be in Leponia? ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± If this were a game of chess, Ruel was the king. There was no ce safer than Leponia, which had cleared out the Red Ash. ¡°But as I¡¯ve mentioned before, I¡¯m simply doing what others cannot. If you think about it, Cassion has done most of the work, and I¡¯m just putting in the finishing touches.¡± -I don¡¯t see it that way. Others probably won¡¯t either. ¡°Stop with the uncharacteristic ttery and get back to work. Goodbye.¡± Ruel felt an itch at the nape of his neck and quickly cut off themunication. Sigh. A white breath fogged the air. Ruel stood up and started walking around the training ground again. Crunch. The sound of stepping on snow echoed under his feet. ¡ªRuel, Ruel! Leo¡¯s excited voice made Ruel wave his hand slightly. Leo rushed over and circled around Ruel. ¡ªThis body had a delicious meal! Look, this body¡¯s front paw¡­ Leo paused for a moment and looked at his front paw. ¡°Leo-nim ate a whole cake,¡± Hina chimed in and smiled brightly. ¡°Is it good, Hina? You have a bit on your mouth.¡± As Ruel gestured towards the corner of her mouth, Hina quickly covered it, surprised. Simr to Leo, there were remnants of chocte cake on her lips. Ruel chuckled and inhaled Breath again. ¡°Let¡¯s head inside, Leo. You should rest too, Hina.¡± ¡°Have your concerns been resolved?¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t a situation that worrying could fix from the start, but I¡¯m not feeling down about it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good, I was worried. It¡¯s good to see you smiling, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡ªThis body also enjoys seeing Ruel smile! With both Hina and Leo chiming in, Ruel hurriedly turned his head away. Suchpliments still made him feel rather shy. Hastening into the mansion, he paused briefly. Snowkes began to fall once more,ing down steadily. ¡ªLook, it¡¯s snowing! Leo looked up at the sky with his mouth agape. ¡°Shall we build a snowman?¡± ¡ªA snowman? What¡¯s that? Leo immediately picked up what Ruel muttered. ¡°Perhaps we can make one tomorrow? You can discover what a snowman is then!¡± ¡ªSounds fun! Witnessing Leo¡¯s wide grin brought a smile to Ruel¡¯s face as well.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 152: Before Departure (3) Chapter 152: Before Departure (3) *** ¡°Hmm.¡± Ruel smiled contentedly as he gazed at the snowman he had just finished building, its curves perfectly formed. Extending his hand towards Cassion, he awaited the carrot toplete the snowman¡¯s nose and enhance its perfection. ¡°Cassion, continue speaking,¡± Ruel requested. He had recently learned that a bounty of 10 million gold coins had been ced on his head. It was shocking enough but Ruel couldn¡¯t decide whether tough or scold Cassion for not informing him earlier, especially considering he had acquired this information by eliminating most of the assassin¡¯s guilds in Leponia. ¡°It seems that most of the remaining assassins in Leponia are preparing to leave. That¡¯s why I went out yesterday,¡± Cassion exined, handing the carrot to Ruel. Pausing before cing the carrot on the snowman¡¯s face, Ruel seemed to savor the moment, as if on a leisurely stroll.So that¡¯s why Cassion¡¯s face seemed refreshed today. ¡°Let¡¯s skip the details; what intel did you gather?¡± Ruel wasn¡¯t particrly interested in the specifics of how Cassion had taken down the assassin guilds. Cassion smirked slightly before revealing, ¡°The client was a noble from the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Could it be Red Ash then? Please tell me it¡¯s not one of their high-ranking members?¡± ¡°If Medeas Tehel, who follows Adea Kran, has recently joined the Red Ash and been promoted to an executive, then it¡¯s not him as it seems that the person whomissioned the assassin¡¯s guild was a member of the Red Ash from the very beginning.¡± While they spoke, Aris watched Leo joyfully crafting a snowball with his short front paws, creating a feeling of disconnect between Ruel and Cassion¡¯s conversation and the current circumstances. It was as if a line had been drawn in the middle, cing the two pairs in entirely different worlds. ¡°So who is this guy?¡± Ruel asked and inhaled Breath. ¡°I mentioned before that they were rescuing adventurers in the Kran Kingdom from a monster outbreak,¡± Cassion replied. ¡°Right.¡± ¡°He¡¯s the person in charge of that.¡± ¡°Haha,¡± a chuckle escaped Ruel¡¯s lips. ¡°It seems like there are connections everywhere.¡± It would be prudent not to rush to conclusions about the involvement of a Red Ash member in the outbreak until the reasons behind the monster outbreak were thoroughly investigated. Ruel nonchntly stuck the carrot into the snowman¡¯s face and stepped back a few paces, admiring his creation. It was a perfect snowman that could be considered the masterpiece of a lifetime. ¡°It seems there are more things Ruel-nim can¡¯t do than I had imagined,¡± Cassion said, ncing at the somewhat shabby snowman that Ruel had built, choosing to withhold somements. Even a child might have been able to craft a better one. ¡°Has the departure date for Kran been finalized?¡± Ruel¡¯s voice held a hint of displeasure. ¡°Yes. We¡¯re set to depart in ten days.¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°How quickly can you get me to Kran?¡± Cassion looked at Ruel with suspicion. Ruel rarely spoke without reason. This meant that there must be a significant reason for him to want to go to Kran. ¡°Could you exin why you are asking such a question?¡± ¡°You seem quite distrustfultely,¡± Ruel chuckled. Thanks to whom? Cassion forcibly held back his urge to speak out. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal, I just don¡¯t see the need for a carriage to the Kran Kingdom when you can move so swiftly.¡± ¡°Ru, Ruel-nim.¡± The snow in Aris¡¯ hand slipped away, and even Leo paused to gaze at Aris. ¡°Are you suggesting you want to depart separately from the delegation?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Ruel pped his hands twice. ¡°So, what¡¯s your decision, Cassion?¡± Under Ruel¡¯s prating gaze, Cassion massaged his temples. His head was throbbing. ¡°Could you tell me the reason you want to go separately from the delegation?¡± ¡°When the delegation arrives, there will naturally be a lot of attention around. I want to investigate the monsters before that.¡± Breaking the seals guarding the Empire¡¯s gates would require time. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t sure how to use his power to approach the ¡®king.¡¯ A carriage journey to the Kran Kingdom would take a minimum of four days. Given various factors, those four days might stretch even longer. Time was of the essence. Wouldn¡¯t it be best to figure out whether the monsters¡¯ rampage was due to corruption or some other reason in the meantime? Ruel shook off the snow from his gloves and said, ¡°Everyone already knows that I¡¯m unwell. I stayed practically glued to the carriage during the Cyronian incident anyway, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a risky move. What if it¡¯s discovered that you¡¯re not in the carriage?¡± Aris asked, looking concerned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that.¡± The wealthy and capable crown prince would take care of everything. Ruel then fixed his gaze on Cassion. ¡°Do I need to ask again?¡± ¡°No, one day will suffice.¡± Ruel only managed to smile with satisfaction before an unexpected sneeze escaped him. ¡°Achoo!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been outside for too long. It¡¯s time to go back inside.¡± Cassion quickly took out a nket and wrapped it around Ruel. Even though Ruel had been feeling bettertely, he couldn¡¯t let his guard down. ¡°Not yet. Leo hasn¡¯t finished his snowman,¡± Ruel gestured towards Leo, who was diligently crafting with his front paws. Before Leo stood a snowballrger than himself, taking the shape of a snow fox. ¡®A snow fox¡­?¡¯ Once Leo attached therge tail, he ran to Ruel. ¡ªLook at what this body has made! The Great Purifier! Leo beamed at Ruel, then went back to his creation to rub his face against it. ¡ªThis body. This body will grow so big that this body will give Ruel a ride. ¡°Sure, make sure to give me a ride,¡± Ruel responded, suppressing augh at the little fox¡¯s enthusiasm. How long would it take for Leo to actually aplish that feat? ¡ªRuel. Leo paused rubbing his face against the snowman and looked at Ruel. ¡°Yes?¡± Leo stared intently at the snowman he had made. ¡ªThis body would like to go to Jan and ask where a Great Purifier like this body is. Ruel¡¯s smile slowly faded. Leo perked up his ears and gazed at Ruel. ¡ªWhy does Ruel look so sad when this body mentions the Great Purifier? ¡°Well¡­¡± ¡°Leo, let¡¯s hurry back to the mansion before Ruel-nim gets a cold,¡± Aris urgently interjected as Ruel hesitated. ¡ªOh! If Ruel catches a cold, it will be a big problem! Leo nced back and forth between the snow fox he had made and Ruel, then touched the snow fox with his front paw. Sparkling powder materialized around the snowman and vanished. ¡ªThis is the Great Purifier created by this body. So, don¡¯t melt. Leo was about to run towards Ruel but stopped when he saw the peculiar snowman made by Ruel and the splendid one made by Aris. ¡ªAh, this body will go touch Ruel¡¯s snowman and Aris¡¯s snowman too, so they don¡¯t melt. ¡°Okay,¡± Ruel replied, turning his head away. ¡°Ruel-nim, as you¡¯re aware, dying the truth only makes things moreplicated,¡± Cassion cautiously mentioned, observing Ruel¡¯s expression. ¡°I know,¡± Ruel bit his lip. He knew all too well. *** Three dayster. ¡°Just like before when I was at the Cyronian, I will go to the royal pce, receive the delegation letter from His Majesty, and then ride in the carriage.¡± Ruel looked around at Banios, Aris, Cassion, and even Ganien on the screen before continuing. ¡°After that, I n to leave the carriage and move ahead until the delegation arrives in the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Banios couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity and interrupted Ruel. ¡°How do you intend to slip away from the carriage without deceiving all those knights? That sounds impossible.¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly where I need your help.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Banios¡¯ eyes widened as he pointed at himself, seeking further rification from Ruel. ¡°That¡¯s right. I need your power, Your Highness.¡± The point Ruel was trying to make was quite simple. ¡°So, you want me to make sure the knights keep their mouths shut?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness, isn¡¯t this a moment where your power shines brighter than ever?¡± Ruel chuckled mischievously. ¡°Please assist me in ensuring that my absence is not revealed until the diplomatic envoy reaches the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Your request is polite, but it almost sounds like coercion,¡± Banios remarked. ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. As you¡¯re aware, Your Highness, the journey to the Kran Kingdom is longer than the one to the Cyronian Kingdom, necessitating more time. I¡¯m simply expressing mymitment to serving our country by reducing that timeframe.¡± ¡°Do you always speak in circles at times like this? Just be straightforward as usual,¡± Banios raised an eyebrow. Ruel had told Banios nearly everything, but he carefully avoided mentioning that he could control the monsters. Knowing that this matter could be dangerous if revealed prematurely, Ruel nned to persuade Banios without disclosing it. ¡°The situation is different from the previous Cyronian Kingdom incident. This is probably the most perfect n the Great Man has everid out.¡± ¡°Are you suggesting that the attacks have decreasedpared to before?¡± Cassion asked, to which Ruel nodded. ¡°Yes. There will probably still be attacks. After all, we need to deceive them. However,¡± Ruel turned to Banios, ¡°the attacks themselves will be much less than before. That¡¯s why I can leave the delegation.¡± The reduced attacks also meant a decreased risk of his absence being exposed inside the carriage. As long as the risk was manageable, the chance of leaving the carriage behind and escaping was minimal. ¡°What will you do if a ck-blooded man appears on this journey?¡± In response to Banios¡¯ concern, Ruel pointed to Aris as if to reassure him. ¡°There is Aris. Aris will depart with the delegation.¡± Aris¡¯ face turned pale at Ruel¡¯s unexpected statement. He momentarily tightened his lips at Ruel¡¯s continued words. ¡°Your Highness, please do not worry about Aris¡¯ abilities. I guarantee it. Aris can certainly defeat the ck-blooded man. Isn¡¯t that right, Aris?¡± Ruel turned to Aris. Shocked but meeting Ruel¡¯s expectations, Aris stuttered, ¡°R-Ruel-nim, I am your guardian knight. It is my duty to protect you.¡± ¡°Then you should apany the delegation. Everyone knows you¡¯re my guardian knight,¡± Ruel countered, leaving Aris speechless, unable to protest further. Aris could only gaze at Ruel with a rigid expression. ¡ªWhat about this body? This body wants to go with Ruel. The news of Aris separating from Ruel to join the delegation startled Leo, who quickly grabbed Ruel¡¯s leg with a surprised look. Ruel leaned down and whispered softly to Leo, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re going together.¡± ¡ªThank goodness. This body is so surprised. This body thought it couldn¡¯t go with you. At Ruel¡¯sforting touch, Leo finally loosened his grip on Ruel¡¯s leg. ¡ªSo, that¡¯s why you called me? To take me instead of Aris? Ganien said, crumpling his face. At Ganien¡¯s question, Cassion chuckled, causing Ganien¡¯s brow to furrow even more. ¡°That¡¯s right. You have toe with me.¡± As Ruel smiled brightly, Banios, who was quietly listening, asked, ¡°Isn¡¯t Sir Croft a knight of His Majesty Huswen?¡± ¡°I have already asked His Majesty Huswen for permission.¡± Ganien reacted to Ruel¡¯s answer as if it were his first time hearing it. -When was this decided? ¡°It was a hassle tomunicate with His Majesty Huswen through you all the time, so I decided to get a newmunications device,¡± Ruel proudly showed off his fourth ring. ¡°His Majesty Huswen has granted me full authority to use you as needed, but you can confirm with him separatelyter.¡± Although Ruel spoke lightly, Ganien was one of the threemanders protecting King Huswen. King Huswen had willingly handed over Ganien because after this incident was over, Cyronian could exert influence over Leponia. Taking this into ount, Ruel had made the request to King Huswen himself. After all, finding a trustworthy and skilled individual wasn¡¯t a simple task. -For some reason, His Majesty keeps forcing me to take leave these days. Bless me¡­ I apologize, Your Highness,¡± Ganien hastily bowed, frustration evident in his voice. He had momentarily forgotten that Banios was present. ¡°I understand your sentiments. In fact, I somewhat sympathize with you at this moment,¡± Banios chuckled helplessly before shifting his focus to Ruel. ¡°I finally grasp the meaning of being ¡®caught like a sitting duck.''¡± ¡°That¡¯s a rather hurtful thing to say, Your Highness. As I just mentioned, I am acting in the interests of my country¡­¡± ¡°Lord Ruel, you should tone down your ttery a bit. It¡¯s terribly awkward,¡± Banios interrupted. ¡°Your Highness, isn¡¯t this the time to wield power? And everything I do is ultimately for you,¡± Ruel exined. A peculiar atmosphere lingered, leaving Banios unable to discern the underlying meaning in Ruel¡¯s words. As a Leponian and a key supporter, Ruel¡¯s actions would naturally enhance his own influence as he continued to excel. ¡°What you say is always strange. It leaves me speechless.¡± Seeing Banios¡¯ troubled expression, Ruel smiled. If one only looked at his smile, he seemed entirely innocent. However, there was a slight unsettling feeling as he couldn¡¯t guess what was hidden beneath it all. ¡°Your Highness, did you perhaps forget the Mana Oath we exchanged?¡± ¡°How could I forget the strongest bond between us?¡± Baniosughed lightly. As long as the Mana Oath, which affirmed theirmitment not to betray each other, remained as a foundation of trust, everything Ruel did would undoubtedly be for the benefit of Leponia. ¡°Then, I look forward to your support. My fate lies in your hands.¡± ¡°Understood¡­ Just a moment.¡± Banios hesitated, feelingpelled to address the unmentioned ns for the Kran Kingdom. ¡°You haven¡¯t mentioned what you will be doing in the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°I n to be an adventurer and investigate the monsters,¡± Ruel announced with a wide smile. ¡°As I have a gift bestowed by Your Highness personally, it¡¯s only fitting to make use of it, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± Previously, it was cumbersome to ask Flenn to create the adventurer Han¡¯s activities and records separately from his own, but now that Banios had created a persona named Han, it was enough. Even if something went wrong, Banios, who had made the identification card, would take most of the responsibility, so there was no need to worry. ¡°Thank you, Your Highness,¡± Ruel expressed his gratitude once more. Was there ever a moment when he could act without worry, like now, before stirring up trouble? As patriarch, how much effort had he put into avoiding being caught? Hearing that Banios would mostly take responsibility in his ce, it seemed that one must possess a mindset as calm as the Pacific Ocean to be a prince.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 153: Ive already arrived Chapter 153: I''ve already arrived Ruely on the bed. Tomorrow, he will have to leave Setiria. The tasks that neededpletion before his departure weighed heavily on him, leaving him too exhausted to do anything but grumble. ¡®I¡¯m tired. Really tired.¡¯ Leo, who had been ying with the spirits, rushed over and climbed onto Ruel¡¯s stomach. ¡ªYou should change your clothes. Cassion will scold you if you don¡¯t. ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let him be mad if he wants to.¡± ¡ªHas Ruel finished everything? ¡°Maybe?¡±¡ªThis body has been bored all the time. You¡¯re always talking to the magic knights, the regr knights, the barons, Cassion¡­ You just keep talking. After a brief bout ofints, Leo sulked and flopped weakly on Ruel¡¯s stomach. ¡ªYou don¡¯t even y with this body anymore. Always busy talking to other humans. ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that. Cough, cough, but I used to y with you a lot. We built snowmen, had snowball fights, and climbed mountains.¡± ¡ªThose were the best times! Aris is busy too. This body is the only one not busy. Leo muttered sulkily but then perked up his ears. ¡ªAnd Ruel has not told this body what a birthday is. Leo crawled up to Ruel¡¯s face with bright eyes. Ruel inhaled Breath before answering, ¡°A birthday refers to the day you were born.¡± ¡ªWhen is this body¡¯s birthday then? Even when Leo looked at him with sparkling eyes, Ruel couldn¡¯t answer. After all, the first time he had seen Leo was in the Beast Forest, so he had no way of knowing how or when Leo had been born. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡ªRuel and this body are the same! We both don¡¯t know our birthdays! Yet, it seemed that Leo had little interest in his own birthday, as his tail wagged with excitement, seemingly forgetting his earlier sulking. ¡®Is being the same really that great?¡¯ Ruel enveloped the bouncing Leo with his shadow on the bed. Leo smiled brightly. It wasn¡¯t for fun that he wrapped Leo up; previously, Jan had said that the energy of darkness could be food for great purifiers. So, whenever Ruel had the chance, he attempted to create shadows around Leo or envelop him in various ways, but he still didn¡¯t know how Leo could consume it. ¡°Do you still not know how to eat the darkness?¡± ¡ªThis body feels the warmth of the darkness. Kuroo kuru. The spirits that were spread out in the room came rushing in, clinging to the shadows. At first, the spirits had been wary of the shadows, but now they treated them as their yground. ¡°How about resting today to prepare for tomorrow?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice drew Ruel¡¯s attention. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°The Kingdom of Kran is very dangerous, unlike the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± The Kran Kingdom had a Red Ash executive, the monsters were on a rampage, and, most importantly, there was the Great Man. ¡°I know.¡± Despite the dangers, Ruel knew he had to proceed, even if it felt like walking into a minefield unarmed. ¡°You and Ganien will find a way.¡± ¡°Are you saying this because you trust me, or are you just trying to pass the responsibility onto me?¡± Ruel stared at Cassion with a confused expression, not understanding what he meant. Cassion looked more serious than usual. Thinking about it, Ruel realized he probably hadn¡¯t said that ¡®thing¡¯ to Cassion, considering it the most obvious thing in the world. Ruel thought Cassion might need more assurance from his perspective, so he sat up straight. ¡°I¡¯m not good with sentimental words; they make me feel awkward.¡± Previously, he hadn¡¯t even properly conveyed to Leo how precious he was, just nodding his head instead. ¡°So listen carefully.¡± Ruel took a deep breath, feeling the awkwardness creeping in. ¡°Whatever you do, I hold the responsibility. I am your master.¡± Meeting Cassion¡¯s gaze, Ruel spoke with conviction. ¡°I trust you, Cassion.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cassion¡¯s eyes slightly wavered. ¡°Are you serious¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough. You¡¯ve understood.¡± Ruel intervened, sensing Cassion might dwell on it too long. He wanted to prevent overthinking. ¡°I am already a fish caught in the.¡± Cassion, still looking surprised, responded to Ruel. ¡°Even a fish in a is still a fish. Well, that¡¯s enough. If you have nothing more to say, you may leave.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Even when Ruel waved his hand, Cassion stood there, stunned. It seemed he was deeply shocked. ¡®Yeah, I admit this. He¡¯s been working hard, so it¡¯s understandable.¡¯ Ruel suppressed his growing impatience as he looked at Cassion. Then, as he inhaled Breath, he suddenly recalled something and asked Cassion. ¡°Oh, what about the First Tomb of Setiria?¡± Cassion answered a beatte. ¡°I dug up the grave as you instructed, but it waspletely empty inside.¡± ¡°Nothing at all? Not even a body?¡± ¡°None. While I was digging, I found an old trace. The color of the soil was slightly different from the other tombs.This is just my guess, but it seems like someone had dug up the tomb before.¡± ¡°You mean it was robbed?¡± Ruel asked in confusion. Although the First Tomb of Setiria was more borate than the rest, he didn¡¯t expect everything, including the body, to be looted. ¡°It¡¯s just my spection.¡± ¡°Have Noah investigate around the tomb. We need to confirm if it was really robbed.¡± Noah, a hunter, was just as good at finding traces as Cassion. Since Cassion was busy, someone had to go in his ce. ¡°Will Noah be apanying us on this journey?¡± Ruel blinked in response to Cassion¡¯s question. ¡°Why? Does he not want to go?¡± ¡°Since Ruel-nim didn¡¯t say anything, I was curious, as was Noah.¡± ¡°Are you saying he doesn¡¯t want to go on purpose? Noah is definitelying along, but make sure to keep his mouth shut and have him stick close to the delegation.¡± ¡°I understand. Then.¡± After bowing to Ruel, Cassion left the room. Ruel smiled softly as hey back on the bed. ¡®Serves you right, First Generation Setiria.¡¯ He had known since he had to hand over the burdens that were too heavy to bear. It ends up like this. The previous Setirias should have seen thising. They probably would haveughed and mocked. Ruel fought back his heavy eyelids, adjusted his mana, and contacted Jan. -Oh, child. Long time no see. ¡°I contacted you two days ago.¡± -Was it about the door we discussed earlier? Jan pretended not to notice Ruel¡¯s point and changed the subject. ¡°That¡¯s right. You mentioned before that the spirit¡¯s house can open anywhere except for areas where corruption has urred, correct?¡± If there were ces that could be opened from anywhere, it would be good to have at least one refuge prepared. -Hmm. Hold on, don¡¯t hang up. Just wait a moment. ¡°Understood.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while enduring the fatigue that came over him. Theughter of the spirits, including Leo, continued without pause. Now that it was almost time to withdraw the shadows, he wanted to give them a heads-up. ¡°I¡¯ll be withdrawing the shadows shortly.¡± Kuroo kuru. As if protesting, the spirits hopped around, but Ruel had no intention of changing his mind. -Did you wait long? ¡°No.¡± -Now that my power resides within you, you can open this ce anytime. Go ahead and try. ¡°Really?¡± Ruel was genuinely surprised. It felt akin to demonstrating how to swim and then asking him to dive into the ocean. -Oh, you don¡¯t need to match your mana to this door. Just think about opening the door, and it will materialize before you. Feeling like he was trying to catch dust in the air, Ruel wasn¡¯t sure what that meant, but he closed his eyes and imagined opening the door, just as Jan instructed. ¡ªWhoa! At Leo¡¯s exmation, Ruel opened his eyes. A door had indeed appeared right before him! Though it was small enough that he had to hunch down to enter, so what? ¡ªThis body wants to go in quickly! Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at the door. ¡°Should we? How about a quick look?¡± Ruel had been curious too. As soon as he opened the door, beautiful flowers that he could see in the house of the spirits that day weed him. Feeling the warm air, Ruel was about to reach out his hand when he suddenly got startled by a suddenly visible lower body. ¡°Wee, my dear. The door¡¯s small size is due to containing a portion of my power. But it won¡¯t hinder your entry, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡ªCome,e, release the shadows! Caught in the shadows, Leo iled about, moving his short legs. The moment Ruel dispelled the shadows, Leo bolted through the door. ¡ªIt¡¯s really the Spirit¡¯s house! With a big smile, Leo circled around Jan¡¯s legs. ¡ªJan! It¡¯s good to see you! Aris told this body to say hello if we met anyone! ¡°It¡¯s great to see you, Leo.¡± Jan smiled brightly, bending down to pet Leo. ¡°But is there no toll for passing through this door¡­?¡± Before Ruel couldplete his sentence, he hastily covered his mouth. He struggled to focus as he felt the familiar taste of blood in his mouth, trying to hold onto his blurry consciousness. ¡®Of course, there can¡¯t be no cost.¡¯ The moment he fully crossed through the door, his mana drained away all at once. At least he hadn¡¯t gotten a nosebleed, indicating he still had a minimal amount of mana left, but it was a serious problem. Their departure was scheduled for tomorrow. Unnnedplications loomed before him, and he could almost see the disappointed expressions of those who would scold him. ¡°Are you okay¡­?¡± Jan hesitated and called out to Ruel. Since passing through the door, Ruel had remained motionless. Only then did Jan realize something was wrong. ¡ªOh no! This is bad! This body needs to call Fran! Ruel is sick again! Leo, staring at Ruel, was startled by his paleplexion and the smell of blood. ¡°T-Tell me who Fran is. Ah, never mind. I¡¯ll be right back!¡± Jan spread his wings and flew off in search of someone. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Are you in pain again? Ruel shook his head at Leo¡¯s question but then stopped moving as dizziness overwhelmed him. ¡°Ruel-nim!¡± A familiar voice called, and he heard Drianna¡¯s voice, likely brought by Jan, but even at Drianna¡¯s urgent call, Ruel couldn¡¯t muster the strength to lift his head. ¡°¡­!¡± Drianna scrutinized the faint traces of mana around Ruel and the small door, her gaze shifting between them. It appeared that all his mana had dissipated in a single swoop.. ¡°Could it be¡­ that you made the door and crossed over, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°T-That¡¯s right. So that Ruel cane over here as much as he wants¡­.¡± ¡°I need to move him to a safe ce.¡± Drianna, suppressing her rising anxiety, nced at Jan and carefully ced a Hold on Ruel. *** Ruel opened his eyes and quickly sat up, realizing he wasn¡¯t in his own room. This was Banios¡¯s room. ¡°Doesn¡¯t this situation feel all too familiar to you?¡± Cassion spoke with a sigh. As Ruel cautiously surveyed the room, his gaze met Tyson standing beside Cassion. It had be the same situation as before, before heading to Cyronian, except for the fact that Fran, who had been sitting next to Tyson, was now staring at him intensely. ¡ªRuel! Ruel lowered his head as Leo rushed towards him. He truly felt ashamed of this incident. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need to apologize; just the fact that nothing serious happened is enough,¡± Tyson smiled warmly, observing the mana swirling around Ruel. Ruel¡¯s mana was replenishing at a more normal pace ¡ª so it was much quicker than before. He believed that even if Ruel were to open the door to the spirit¡¯s house again, he wouldn¡¯t copse as he did that day. ¡°Are you feeling dizzy or nauseous?¡± Fran¡¯s tone was sharp. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m alright.¡± Ruel avoided meeting Fran¡¯s eyes. ¡°I had told you to be careful, as anything could happen in this brief time before joining the delegation to the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°I know. I¡­ I¡¯m really sorry about this.¡± ¡°Lord Ruel,¡± Fran called Ruel calmly, her anger having subsided by now, ¡°When we meet again in the Kran Kingdom, I hope it will be with smiles. So, you must be careful while I¡¯m away.¡± Ruel was doing something separately, though she didn¡¯t know exactly what it was. It had to be something important yet simultaneously dangerous. Unable to ask what it was, Fran forced a bright smile as she said goodbye. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Although she knew that the wordsing out of Ruel¡¯s mouth were unreliable, she wanted to believe him once again. Fran stood up, knowing that the longer she stayed, the more rumors about Ruel¡¯s condition would arise outside, so she decided it was best to leave. ¡°Ruel-nim, you¡¯re truly remarkable.¡± As soon as Fran left, Cassion spoke sarcastically. ¡ªRuel has done nothing wrong. Leo observed the atmosphere carefully and said, ¡ªIt was this body¡¯s fault. If this body hadn¡¯t insisted on going through the door, Ruel wouldn¡¯t have¡­! Ruel hushed Leo, cing a hand over his mouth. It wasn¡¯t Leo¡¯s fault. This was due to his ownck of caution. ¡°This time, I was the one at fault.¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you understand your mistake. Please don¡¯t open that door again.¡± Cassion said firmly. Though he had a rough idea of why Ruel had opened the door to the spirit¡¯s house and why he was so interested in it, what good would it do if he copsed this way? ¡°You¡¯ll be fine now,¡± Tyson interjected, breaking the tense silence, ¡°Ruel, you are free to open the door to the Spirit¡¯s house again.¡± Ruel looked surprised. ¡°Tyson-nim?¡± Cassion raised his voice. ¡°Have you not noticed the increase in Ruel¡¯s manapared to before?¡± Tyson¡¯s words gave Cassion pause. ¡°I learned that just protecting him isn¡¯t the answer from thest experience.¡± Even now, if he closed his eyes, he could vividly recall the scene of Ruel climbing the mountain. Though his body was weak, he was a child capable of achieving anything. Tyson smiled at Ruel. ¡°Go ahead and try anything.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡± Regardless of Cassion¡¯s sighs, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel answered while petting Leo. ¡°If anything happens, call for me.¡± ¡°I will.¡± ¡°Do not bear everything alone. If it bes overwhelming, don¡¯t hesitate to reach out to me anytime.¡± ¡°Yes, Uncle.¡± Tyson felt reassured that Ruel¡¯s smile was genuine as he walked towards the door. Before turning the handle, he nced back at Ruel and waved lightly. ¡°Then let¡¯s ensure a safe reunion and take good care of yourself.¡± ¡°I will return in good health.¡± Tyson seemed like he could repeat those words several times, but without any lingering feelings, he stepped outside. Slightly disappointed, Ruel cut off his lingering feelings by inhaling Breath. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion¡¯s voice had a slightly sharp edge to it. ¡°Is it because of me that the appointment ceremony has been postponed again?¡± ¡°You hit the nail on the head.¡± Ruel shared a smile with Cassion, who raised the corner of his mouth. He felt sorry, but King Brans would have handled everything on his own. ¡°Let¡¯s prepare. It¡¯s time to depart.¡± Towards the Kran Kingdom.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 154: Ive already arrived (2) Chapter 154: I''ve already arrived (2) *** Ruel seemed to have adapted to the rapidly changing scenery; the wonder he once expressed was nowhere to be seen, and he merely yawned in boredom. ¡ªWhoa! However, Leo¡¯s admiration continued incessantly, even though it wasn¡¯t being expressed verbally. Cassion paused to check on Ruel on his back, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± At first, it felt strange, like being on a train without a roof, but now he had grown ustomed to the wind pping his face. Cassion spoke up to reassure Ruel, ¡°There are no watchers or enemies nearby.¡± ¡°Is there anyone who could match your speed?¡±¡°The world is vast, Ruel-nim.¡± In the past, Cassion might have boastfully dered there was none, but since Ruel had been injured in the stomach by the Great Man, he had changed. He truly did not take pride in himself and continued to look upward. Cassion waited while Ruel inhaled Breath. ¡°I will resume our journey. Please let me know if you notice anything unusual at any time.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± With Ruel¡¯s answer, Cassion set off again. Ruel gazed out at the sea that had finally revealed itself. Although he had copsed after opening the door, he had confirmed, just as Jan had said, that the door connected to the spirit¡¯s house could be opened from anywhere. He could only hope he would never need to open that door again. *** ¡°Ruel-nim, it¡¯s time to wake up now,¡± Cassion shook Ruel out of his deep sleep. Perhaps due to the journey¡¯s toll, Ruel struggled to shake off his drowsiness. Thankfully, there was no fever in sight. Leo peeked his head out from Ruel¡¯s arms. The scent of the sea was overwhelming. As Leo took in the surroundings and caught sight of the ocean, his eyes lit up with excitement. ¡ªHave we arrived already? But Leo quickly closed his mouth, sensing the atmosphere. He had broken his promise to Ruel not to speak outside. ¡°That over there is Kran.¡± Cassion pointed to the country floating above the sea, on the other side of the long bridge. The only entrance to the Kran Kingdom was via this bridge, with the surrounding expanse being ocean; they had to walk the rest of the way. ¡ªIs there nobody around? Leo asked quietly. Cassion nodded, and only then did Leo let out a joyful shout. ¡ªWhoa! At Leo¡¯s voice, Ruel finally pried open his heavy eyelids. After inhaling Breath, he opened his mouth. His throat was dry. ¡°People are truly amazing. I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m falling asleep in the meantime.¡± As soon as night fell, thebination of sea breeze and winter wind made his long hair dance. He had never thought of it as bothersome, but this time it was especially irritating. As Ruel blinked, he finally realized that they had arrived in the Kran Kingdom. ¡°Cassion, would you like to rest briefly until Ganien arrives?¡± Cassion had only managed short five-minute breaks for himself. He must be exhausted no matter how tough he seemed. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll prepare a meal once we¡¯re in the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Cassion had pre-prepared a snack and offered it to Ruel. Today, it was a sandwich instead of a meat pie, filled generously with vegetables. ¡ªHow delicious! Leo¡¯s mouth watered as he eyed the sandwich, while Ruel simply stared without interest. ¡®More than half of it is vegetables.¡¯ It seemed odd. Cassion surely knew his preferences. Looking at Ruel as if he were a finicky child, Cassion said, ¡°Ms. Fran mentioned the benefits of eating plenty of vegetables, so I tried something new this time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just eating because I¡¯m hungry.¡± Ruel reluctantly took a bite of the sandwich and then chuckled. Despite the overwhelming presence of vegetables, the meat¡¯s vor was robust. ¡°Cassion, you could open a shopter.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t add to my workload here,¡± Cassion said, frowning. His current tasks were already more than sufficient. ¡°What about Ganien? Is he on his way?¡± Ruel finally took in his surroundings, finding himself near a forest close to the bridge leading to the Kran Kingdom. ¡°He¡¯s on his way,¡± Cassion replied, ncing back as Ganien hurried towards them. ¡ªGive this body too. Leo tried desperately to cling to Ruel¡¯s arm, but it was futile with his short front paws. ¡°It might not suit your taste. It¡¯s not sweet.¡± Leo mostly enjoyed sweet foods. Ruel tore off a piece of the sandwich and gave it to Leo, then turned his head towards the beach, pausing. ¡°¡­!¡± Spirits that looked like water droplets had gathered on the sandy shore, staring intently at him. When did they gather? ¡ªIt seems they came out from under the sea because of the good smell. They¡¯ve been watching you even before you woke up¡­ mm, it¡¯s not delicious. Leo¡¯s words trailed off as he choked slightly. ¡°See?¡± Ruel took a delicious bite of his sandwich while watching Cassion busily prepare the medicine. How could there be so many kinds of medicine? ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to eat?¡± Ruel asked Cassion, offering him a piece of the sandwich. ¡°I¡¯m fine with not eating.¡± ¡°Is thatmon when you reach your level? You don¡¯t need to sleep or eat?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s rtive. As you know, I don¡¯t have a big appetite to begin with.¡± ¡°But howe you cook so well?¡± ¡°What if I told you I learned to cook to poison you?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Even with Cassion¡¯s harsh words, Ruel just turned his head away, puzzled. Because he heard footsteps. ¡°Am Ite?¡± Ganien gasped, clutching a tree for support. ¡°Cassion, wait a moment.¡± Ruel handed the sandwich to Cassion. ¡°Late¡­?¡± As Ruel approached, Ganien hurriedly pulled a watch from his pocket. He was indeed a littlete. ¡°I know this sounds like an excuse, but the reason I waste is¡­¡± Ganien began exining, but Ruel cut him off. ¡°Don¡¯t dodge,¡± Ruel cautioned, adjusting his wrist. ¡°What?¡± ¡°If you dodge, my hand might break,¡± Ruel warned with a smirk before throwing a punch. In an instant, Ganien¡¯s body reflexively moved back, but if he continued, Ruel would lose his bnce and fall. Ultimately, Ganien had no choice but to step forward and take Ruel¡¯s punch. Thud! ¡°¡­?¡± Contrary to expectations, it hurt. Ganien looked at Ruel with a bewildered expression. A cloth-like shadow was wrapped around Ruel¡¯s hand. ¡°Ha, now I feel a bit alive.¡± Ruel joyfullyughed and returned to his original spot to finish eating his sandwich. ¡°Ruel?¡± Ganien approached Ruel, still wearing a dumbfounded expression. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Why did you hit me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the price you pay for that damn title.¡± ¡°What? Did I do that? It¡¯s cooler than I thought.¡± Ganien smirked. Ruel wanted to throw another punch at that smug face, but his wrist ached. Expecting this, he wrapped his wrist in shadows. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Ruel stuffed thest piece of his sandwich into his mouth and donned the fox mask that Cassion had prepared. ¡°Aris¡­¡± He started to call out to Aris but stopped, recalling that he would being with the delegation. He could disguise himself, but what about Cassion and Ganien¡¯s faces? ¡°Don¡¯t worry. His Majesty knew this would happen and took care of it. Vo.¡± Ganien took out two bracelets. *** ¡°Ugh. The smell of blood is no joke. Just how many have died?¡± As soon as Ganien entered the Kran Kingdom, he spoke softly. ¡°You smell blood?¡± Ruel and Leo sniffed the air almost simultaneously. ¡ªThis body doesn¡¯t quite understand. There¡¯s just too much smell. Ruel¡¯s scent is the best! ¡°I can¡¯t tell.¡± ¡°Not knowing might be better. It¡¯s the stench of death that¡¯s lingered for a long time. He probably smells better than me, though?¡± Disgusted, Ganien pointed at Cassion. Ruel and Leo¡¯s gazes turned towards Cassion. ¡°It seems there are many monsters and people who died quite a while ago.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s that. Now, how should we address each other?¡± Ganien chuckled softly. He seemed to be subtly expecting a certain response. They hade disguised as adventurers in a team together. A team needed a captain. Seeing through Ganien¡¯s intentions so clearly, Ruel didn¡¯t want to y along. ¡°We can just call each other by our names, Gaft.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, you dumb Gaft.¡± ¡ªSo Ganien was Gaft? This body is confused. Ganien had chosen ¡°Gaft¡± as a name derived from the ends of Ganien Croft, but Leo couldn¡¯t have known that. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t turn me into the naive fool who just wants to be the leader.¡± Ruel ignored Ganien¡¯s words and inhaled Breath. The chattering voices of children, the ordinary conversations of people, the loud calls of vendors promoting their stalls, and the still biting cold wind that pped against their faces. People here were too peaceful, not knowing what beings lurked or what events might unfold. Ruel thought the calmness around them resembled a sandcastle that might copse at any moment. ¡ªThere¡¯s a blue roof shop selling cakes! At Leo¡¯s cheerful voice, Ruel patted him on the head, shaking off his pointless thoughts. ¡°It is said that the Kran Kingdom prepared separate rides for the gathering adventurers as monsters started to rampage.¡± Cassion quickened his pace, about three more steps ahead. ¡°This way.¡± *** The site of the monster rampage was located at the far northwest end of the Kran Kingdom. Ironically, the only ce epting mission requests for resolving the monster rampage was the capital, so they inevitably had to pass through it. There were no restrictions on adventurer ranks for the requests, and since there were no limits, the dangers involved were significantly high in terms of personal risk. Ruel boarded the elongated carriage designed like a bus and began to skim through the materials that Cassion had passed him. They had deliberately chosen a carriage with fewer passengers, making the surroundings rtively quiet. Rustle. His hands turned quickly through the pages. The person in charge of this year¡¯s monster rampage incident, ¡®Glen Syria,¡¯ had been responsible for managing it for thest twenty years. ¡®Stripped of national merit¡­¡¯ Ruel noted that Glen had led a fairly ordinary life, but one notable incident in his life was that his father, a national meritorious person, had been stripped of his title. His father, an ordinary teacher, had died while trying to save a student, but as time passed, the incident seemed to be forgotten by the public, leading to the revocation of his status. ¡®His mother tried to appeal to the country, but it failed.¡¯ That was an unsettling conclusion. ¡°Is that all?¡± As Ruel turned the page, expecting more information, he found none and turned to Cassion for answers. Aside from the fact that he had requested the Leponia Assassin Guild to kill him, the information felt rather dull. Even if he tried to ckmail him, there was nothing to threaten him with. ¡°That¡¯s all for now.¡± Ruel frowned at Cassion¡¯s words. Wasn¡¯t this vastly different from the normal trajectory set by the Red Ash? ording to the information, ¡®Glen Syria¡¯ was just a low-ranking noble who had lived a normal life with support from the Red Ash. Was he supposed to believe this nonsense? ¡°Anything else?¡± Ruel inquired. Cassion nced at Ganien, who was entertaining Leo, and then pulled out another document. ¡°The investigation on this is still ongoing. There¡¯s much more to review.¡± ¡°Just hand it over.¡± Ruel snatched the document and began to examine it. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a shame to miss out on the meat pie while you¡¯re engrossed?¡± Before Ruel could respond, Cassion handed him a meat pie. Crunch. The satisfying sound caused Leo¡¯s ears to perk up. ¡ªMeat pie! This body loves meat pie! ¡°Where are you going?¡± Ganien looked on regretfully as Leo dashed over to Ruel. ¡°Beast, yours is right here.¡± Since Ruel was beginning to focus, Cassion preemptively blocked any distractions. Crunch. Leo took a bite of the meat pie that Cassion held in his hand. ¡°Cassion.¡± When Ganien called Cassion, he spoke firmly. ¡°There¡¯s none for you.¡± *** Before long, the sun was setting in the west. Ruel furrowed his brow and looked up. ¡®Treitol Kran is investigating the Red Ash?¡¯ That couldn¡¯t be right. Something felt off. There were a total of six princesses and princes in the Kran Kingdom.Among them, aside from Adea Kran and Treitol Kran, the only one currently entangled with the Red Ash was Princess Jayel Kran. Adea Kran and Treitol Kran, born to the same mother, were Jayel Kran¡¯s half-siblings. Given the kingdom¡¯s hereditary nature, Adea Kran, the eldest, was set to inherit the throne. ¡®So it turns out that it is not the second, Treitol Kran, but the fourth, Jayel Kran, who is trying to keep things in check.¡¯ If one were to look at Treitol Kran¡¯s previous actions, it appeared he had been supporting his elder brother, Adea Kran, from behind the scenes. ¡°Cassion, are you certain about this?¡± Ruel questioned, clutching the documents tightly. Based on this information alone, it seemed Treitol Kran had grown distant from his brother due to misunderstandings, yet he was depicted as a noble prince dutifully working for the kingdom by investigating the Red Ash, as well as a good younger brother willing to sacrifice for his elder brother. Cassion, slightly puzzled, affirmed, ¡°The investigation results are urate.¡± ¡°Reinvestigate. Not just the results, but the whole process.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Cassion asked with a hint of confusion. It was the first time Ruel had so vehemently denied his own research findings. As Ruel inhaled Breath, he started to notice soundsing from another direction. They weren¡¯t the only ones here. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Though Ruel didn¡¯t provide a clear answer, Cassion understood his concern and nodded in acknowledgment. Ruel opened his mouth to speak again but scanned the surroundings instead. Wasn¡¯t it too quiet? Ganien and Leo had already fallen asleep. ¡®Sleep well.¡¯ Ruel briefly smiled and then turned his gaze back to the documents. The Great Man was in Kran. He thought and thought and thought about whose body he might be in. Although it was too early to conclude, Ruel found it difficult to erase the feeling of being trapped in a spider¡¯s web when shaking hands with Treitol. Why did he feel that only with Treitol? After meeting Treitol, he suddenly shed blood, and strange things happened to his body, almost causing his death. It seemed far too coincidental to chalk it all up to mere chance. Ruel spoke cautiously, ¡°I think Treitol Kran is the Great ¡­ Man.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Cassion was taken aback, but he didn¡¯t rush to voice his thoughts. His master was that cautious. Although not certain yet, there seemed to be some suspicions. Without further inquiry, Cassion replied, ¡°I¡¯ll review the process, as Ruel-nim suggested.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t miss a thing.¡± Ruel doubted but did not have conviction. There were only suspicions, and it was just one of many possibilities, so he had to keep his ears open.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 155: Ive already arrived (3) *** After spending the night in the capital, Ruel and his party found the reception desk. Adventurers from various regions had gathered, and there were already more than ten lines just waiting at the reception. The line stretched long like a snake, seemingly endless, so Ruel decided to step out early and wait nearby until it was their turn. ¡ªThis body can¡¯t count anymore. Leo¡¯s head was spinning as if overwhelmed by the crowd and his own paws. Leo only had ten paws in total. Although tempted to tease Leo with a number game starting from one and ending at ten, Ruel was also overwhelmed by the many sounds around him and decided against it. ¡°Would you like some water?¡± Cassion offered, extending a bottle of water subtly.The one standing in line was Ganien, who asionally shot him dissatisfied nces, but Ruel didn¡¯t have the energy to wave his hand. He weakly responded to Cassion¡¯s offer and reached out for the water. ¡°Uh.¡± ¡°Would you like to wait at the inn instead?¡± ¡°Yeah, that sounds good,¡± Ruel replied, feeling unwell. Despite the seemingly swift movement of the line, he hadn¡¯t anticipated such a long wait, which was why he hade to the reception desk in the first ce. If he had known, he wouldn¡¯t have left the inn at all. ¡ªHuh? Leo tilted his head, looking at Ruel. ¡ªWhere have the spirits gone? Lost in observing the crowd, Leo hadn¡¯t noticed the spirits¡¯ disappearance. A sudden chill ran down Ruel¡¯s spine as he scanned himself and his surroundings. ¡®Where are the spirits¡­?¡¯ Despite the bustling crowd, not a single spirit was in sight. It should have been a safe ce, unlike outside. While he could have assumed the spirits were hiding once again, it had be a routine after gaining Jan¡¯s power to have spirits emerge and curiously watch him. Where could they have strayed off to? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Cassion asked. ¡°Just a moment,¡± Ruel replied, deep in thought. ¡®The absence of spirits could mean that corruption is urring nearby?¡¯ But Leo, being a Great Purifier, was unaffected by corruption. ¡®It¡¯s not corruption.¡¯ If there had been a Corruption, Leo would have said to himself, ¡®I smell something out of the natural order.¡¯ ¡®What else could exin the absence of the spirits?¡¯ Ruel stopped his thoughts. It seemed he would need to ask Jan about the situation once they got to the inn. As he stood up, Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡ªAh! Leo began sniffing the air, tilting his head. ¡ªThere¡¯s an unusual scent. It¡¯s so overpowering that it initially confused this body, but indeed, it is the scent of something out of the natural order! ¡°What about ck water?¡± Ruel whispered, prompting an immediate reaction from Cassion. He narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings carefully. ¡ªNo. ¡°Then is it a ck-blooded man?¡± ¡ªNo. It¡¯s very faint. Leo jumped down from Ruel¡¯sp. ¡ªFollow this body. ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel called out, and Cassion nodded in response. ¡°I¡¯ve got your back, no need to worry.¡± With Cassion¡¯s reassuring presence behind him, Ruel confidently trailed after Leo. ¡°Let Ganien know about the situation.¡± Following Cassion¡¯s directive, a lurking shadow quivered slightly. They ran for about five minutes. As they were passing a narrow pathway, Cassion caught Leo, who was dashing ahead, and then grabbed Ruel as well. ¡ªLet go of this body. It¡¯s over there. Leo struggled, iling his front and back paws, but couldn¡¯t escape Cassion¡¯s grip. ¡°Why?¡± After inhaling Breath several times, Ruel finally asked. ¡°It¡¯s a trap,¡± Cassion stated calmly, passing Leo back to Ruel. ¡°A trap?¡± ¡°I need to confirm it properly. Please wait here for a moment.¡± Cassion faded into the shadows against the wall. Ruel leaned against the wall, regting his breathing and inhaled Breath again. ¡ªThat was close. Aris always told this body to be careful when walking down the street, but this body forgot. Leo¡¯s ears drooped, and his tail lost its usual energy. Ruel patted Leo gently. No matter who brought him here, Aris seemed to have raised him well. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel finally turned around, prompted by Hina¡¯s voice. A man stood there. ¡°I¡¯m not your enemy. I¡¯ve been led here by death,¡± the man, d entirely in ck, spoke calmly even with Hina¡¯s dagger at his throat, ¡°Aren¡¯t you also led by death?¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Ruel furrowed his brow at the gibberish. But even that moment was followed by the man¡¯s shocking words. ¡°O Great Purifier and Devotee of Darkness.¡± ¡ªHuh! He recognised this body! Leo was momentarily shocked but then burst intoughter, his tail starting to wag once more. ¡°Who are you?¡± Ruel questioned sharply. Until now, the only ones who urately knew about the Great Purifier were the Guardians and the Spirit¡¯s Progenitor, Jan. Ruel didn¡¯t think that the man was one of his guardians. A smile crept onto the man¡¯s lips hidden under his hat. ¡°I am a servant of death. People often refer to me as a warlock.¡± ¡°A warlock?¡± Despite Ruel¡¯s extensive research, this was the first time a warlock had voluntarily approached him. Was it mere coincidence? ¡°Back off, or you¡¯ll lose your head.¡± Hina swiftly reacted to the man¡¯s slight movement, tightening her grip on the dagger. Red blood dripped from the wound on the man¡¯s body, cut by Hina¡¯s dagger. ¡°Hina, wait a moment.¡± Hina frowned at Ruel¡¯smand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any orders to step back.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not giving an order to step back. Just wait there.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hina sheathed her dagger, remaining vignt in her spot. ¡®His outfit perfectly portrays a warlock.¡¯ Ruel slowly scrutinized the man. ¡°I must admit, my approach was rather hasty. Please grant me the opportunity to prove myself, Devotee of Darkness.¡± Once again hearing the title ¡®Devotee of Darkness,¡¯ Ruel furrowed his brow. It was a diforting title, reminiscent of the distasteful moniker of ¡®Noble of Darkness¡¯. ¡°Go ahead,¡± Ruel smirked. ¡°Maybe your darkness will ept me.¡± With a smile still on his face, the man moved his fingers. In an instant, his shadow appeared to writhe and a familiar figure suddenly appeared in response, colliding with the warlock¡¯s body. As the man staggered, Cassion swiftly delivered a final swift kick that sent the man crashing against the wall behind him, where he slowly slumped down. Thud! ¡ªWhoops! Leo jumped a beat toote, his tail stiffening upright. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± Cassion¡¯s purple eyes glowed ominously as he walked towards the man and grabbed his neck. ¡°You seem to attract quite the attention, Ruel-nim. Who is this guy?¡± Cassion¡¯s gaze met Hina¡¯s, and she lowered her weapon. ¡°F-Firstly, he¡¯s a warlock,¡± Ruel stated, stuttering slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll conduct a thorough investigationter. For now, let¡¯s take this man to the inn,¡± Cassion dered, releasing the self-proimed warlock and holding up a second man he¡¯d captured to Ruel. ¡°What about this one?¡± Ruel inquired. ¡°He was setting a trap. He was waiting for something. Hina.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion retrieved a crest from one of the captives and tossed it to Hina. It was not a noble crest of the Kran Kingdom. ¡°Investigate this.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Can we head that way now?¡± Ruel pointed in the direction Leo was trying to go. Cassion nced in that direction, then answered neatly, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve taken care of the traps they set.¡± ¡ªCan we go now? Leo asked eagerly. Once Ruel set Leo down, he took off running excitedly. ¡ªThis way! After running for a while, Leo suddenly stopped. ¡ªHere! Leo scratched the wall with his front paw. ¡ªThere¡¯s a smell here that goes against the natural order. Ruel inhaled Breath, calmly surveyed his surroundings. The alley extended left and right. ¡®There are three exits.¡¯ It was a perfect setup for an ambush. Ruel turned to Cassion, ¡°Cassion, were the enemies waiting on both sides?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Leo.¡± Next, Ruel called Leo. ¡ªSay it. ¡°Purification cannot be performed while concealing your form, correct?¡± Thus far, Leo had purified only after revealing himself. ¡ªThis body is unsure¡­ huh! Leo suddenly seemed to remember something and approached Ruel with shining eyes. ¡ªAre you curious, Ruel? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªThis body understands! This body will try it right now! Leo smiled, clearly excited at being able to help Ruel. ¡ªThis body has disappeared. After hearing Leo¡¯s words, Ruel looked at Cassion, ¡°The beast isn¡¯t visible.¡± ¡ªThis body will now purify what is tainted on the wall¡­ ¡°No. Refrain from purifying the corruption on the wall, simply use purification.¡± Ruel stopped Leo from purifying the wall. Cassion identified it as a ¡®trap.¡¯ The corruption stained on that wall was not idental, nor was it something that happened by chance. So removing the corruption from the wall would be like walking foolishly into a trap. ¡ªThis body understands. Leo smiled brightly and raised his front paw to create a silver bead. ¡°I can see the beast.¡± Ruel spoke as Cassion pointed it out. ¡°That¡¯s enough. Now let¡¯s return to the inn. I¡¯m still feeling dizzy.¡± *** ¡°¡­Ha.¡± As soon as Ruely down on the bed, he let out a groan. He had no idea he would be so exhausted just by the presence of so many people. Leo, with wide eyes, came into Ruel¡¯s view. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Are you tired? ¡°I¡¯m just exhausted.¡± ¡°Although we arrived early in Kran, the travel fatigue cannot be ignored. Still, you seem to be much healthier now.¡± Cassion, contrary to his words, pulled out a heat patch and ced it on Ruel¡¯s forehead. Ruel pointed at the heat patch, ¡°But I¡¯m not feeling hot right now?¡± ¡°You have a slight fever.¡± ¡°Where is the delegation now?¡± ¡°I received contact from Aris this morning. They are likely just about to leave the neutral zone. So far, things are going smoothly.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath while fiddling with Leo¡¯s ears. ¡°Leo.¡± ¡ªSay. ¡°You mustn¡¯t rush at the corruption recklessly like you did earlier.¡± ¡ªA deviation from the natural order isn¡¯t right. Aris hadn¡¯t said such things. ¡°That¡¯s a trap.¡± ¡ªWhat kind of trap? Leo tilted his head in confusion. Ruel took a moment to think about how to exin it. Given the circumstances and the fact that the Great Purifier couldn¡¯t hide when using purification, the traces of corruption on the wall were a lure. A bait to draw in a na?ve Great Purifier, like Leo. It seemed that other Great Purifiers had disappeared from Kran. Ruel had a headache. ¡°Do you remember how Noah sets traps to catch rabbits?¡± ¡ªThis body saw it. ¡°What happened to that rabbit?¡± Leo immediately looked sad. ¡ªRuel¡­ ate it. So, if this body gets caught in a trap, will this body be eaten too? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªOh, this body understands! This body won¡¯t chase after anything at all. This body will stick close to Ruel! Leo trembled and burrowed into Ruel¡¯s arms. ¡®It¡¯s good he¡¯s so innocent.¡¯ Ruel felt a sense of relief and gently patted Leo. ¡°Ruel-nim,¡± Cassion said, drawing Ruel¡¯s attention. ¡°I¡¯ve contacted Ganien for now.¡± ¡°Right, he¡¯ll just be grumbling by himself again.¡± ¡°Then, what do we do about those guys?¡± ¡°Hina.¡± Without even looking at the ones Cassion was pointing to, Ruel called for Hina. ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel, sitting up straight, handed Leo over to Hina. Despite her puzzled expression, Hina¡¯s hands instinctively reached out for Leo. ¡°Leo.¡± Rather than responding, Leo appeared on the verge of tears. It seemed he sensed the separation. ¡°Hina doesn¡¯t know my preferences. So, Leo, you choose for me like before.¡± ¡ªAre you talking about snacks? ¡°Yes.¡± ¡ªUnderstood! This body will choose for you! Leo¡¯s tail wagged. That was it. Leo would no longer have to listen to what those guys had to say. ¡°Hina, please go and return.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Hina responded with more energy than ever and left the inn. Cassion waited a moment before speaking again. ¡°Ruel-nim, I apologize for pushing you. However, we now have proof that the Great Purifier¡¯s have disappeared from the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯m just not prepared yet.¡± He still couldn¡¯t bear to witness the tears Leo would shed. ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Ruel said calmly. Cassion pped the cheek of one of the men who had targeted the Great Purifier, whoy unconscious. p! With a sharp sound, the target hurriedly opened his eyes. Cassion pressed firmly on the assant¡¯s mouth and quietly asked, ¡°Do you have any intention of telling me why you targeted the Great Purifier? Nod if you do.¡± The assant struggled, but he couldn¡¯t ovee Cassion¡¯s strength. ¡°Or perhaps, dying like this wouldn¡¯t be so bad.¡± The assassin, who also worked as a butler, smiled, ¡°The choice is yours.¡± With words that could determine life or death.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 156: Warlock The man¡¯s eyes trembled intensely. Tears streamed down his face as Cassion¡¯s murderous intent felt like it was prating every fiber of his being. Cassion nced at Ruel. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt today, so go ahead,¡± Ruel waved his hand dismissively. Cassion mped the man¡¯s mouth shut, gripping his jaw, while swiftly drawing a dagger with his free hand and pressing it against the self-proimed warlock¡¯s throat. ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The self-proimed warlock groaned and spun around, then stopped. He was helpless to do anything as the dagger touched his neck, he felt as if he would be split in half. ¡°You¡¯re next,¡± Cassion dered with a menacing re at the self-proimed warlock. The atmosphere was so oppressive that breathing felt like a chore.When Cassion retracted the dagger, the self-proimed warlock let out a shaky breath. ¡°I¡­ I can tell you who that person is, if you spare me,¡± At the trembling voice of the self-proimed warlock, Ruel grinned slyly. ¡°Hmm¡­ Is that so? What I need is someone who can share the information I want, so deal with the other one.¡± ¡°Ugh!¡± At that moment, the guy that Cassion was holding desperately nodded his head. As soon as Cassion removed his hand from his mouth, he spoke in a pleading voice. ¡°I will tell you everything. Please, please, let me speak!¡± ¡°Why were you luring the Great Purifier?¡± Ruel asked, and the guy spoke immediately. ¡°Death, death is the ultimate form. The Great Purifier interfered with that¡­¡± ¡°Did the Red Ash tell you to do that?¡± As he spouted nonsense, Ruel cut it off sharply, wanting to get the answer he sought. ¡°I-I am not with the Red Ash. We coborated because our interests aligned¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Suddenly, the self-proimed warlock shouted. ¡®Surprised me,¡¯ Ruel thought, startled by the sudden outburst. ¡°He is the same servant of death, a very, very, very shameful bastard who ignores proper death and tries to lead the world to destruction with a false death!¡± The self-proimed warlock red at the man in front of him as if he were about to kill him. Ruel pointed to the one the self-proimed warlock was ring at. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying he¡¯s a warlock, too?¡± ¡°As much as I hate to admit it, yes,¡± the self-proimed warlock replied. ¡°Are there really factions among warlocks?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like that, they¡¯re different from us because they¡¯re mentally corrupted!¡± ¡°Are you saying they¡¯re insane?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense! The Lord of Death desired the world¡¯s demise for us!¡± As the man retorted loudly at the self-proimed warlock¡¯s ims, the room became very chaotic. Ruel nced at Cassion, who watched as the shouting continued to escte. Catching Ruel¡¯s gaze, Cassion spoke low to them both, ¡°The order of speech is determined by my master.¡± Both fell silent at Cassion¡¯s threatening tone. ¡°So what proof do you have that you are a warlock?¡± Ruel wanted to leave, but he needed some confirmation that assured the self-proimed warlock was indeed a warlock. Cassion had intervened before he could verify everything, but when the self-proimed warlock had first offered to show proof, he remembered how the shadow of that man had writhed. ¡°I¡¯ll show you right now.¡± As soon as the self-proimed warlock moved his hand, his shadow stretched out towards Ruel. In an instant, Cassion¡¯s dagger was aimed at the self-proimed warlock¡¯s eye faster than he could blink. The gap between the dagger and the eye was as thin as a sheet of paper. Toote to react, the self-proimed warlock found himself utterly powerless. ¡°Stay still, Cassion,¡± Ruel¡¯s displeased voice cut through the tension as the approaching shadow vanished. ¡°Understood, but this guy¡¯s magic is a bit annoying,¡± Cassion sheathed his dagger immediately, remaining wary of the self-proimed warlock. He knew what kind of person his master was. His master was as fragile as ss. Gulp. The self-proimed warlock swallowed dryly. Only after calming his pounding heart could he move the shadow again. ¡®Hmm¡­¡¯ Ruel fixated on the shadow that the self-proimed warlock was controlling. He thought he was a person with the attribute of darkness because he moved his shadow, but something about the self-proimed warlock¡¯s shadow felt different from his own. First of all, it was small and somewhat frail. Second, even though it had no eyes, he felt like it was gazing at him with infinite affection. Ruel watched the self-proimed warlock¡¯s moving shadow andmanded, ¡®Come here.¡¯ Then, like Leoing to eat meat pie, the shadow hurriedly approached him and waited patiently. ¡°¡­!¡± Both the self-proimed warlock and the man who was still held by Cassion reacted almost simultaneously with widened eyes. ¡°A-Are you a Devotee of Darkness?¡± the man, still restrained by Cassion, stuttered out. ¡°Did I give you permission to speak?¡± As soon as Ruel smirked, the man let out a scream. This was because Cassion had crushed one of his arms. ¡°Does ¡®devotee of darkness¡¯ refer to someone with dark attributes?¡± Ruel asked, looking at the self-proimed warlock. While it could be said that this was merely a coincidence the first time, it became annoying with the repeated mentions. ¡°Yes. However, you are more than just that. You easilymand the darkness,¡± the self-proimed warlock replied, gazing at Ruel with admiration. ¡°Why do you call me that?¡± ¡°You can guide the corrupted death properly, can¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Are you talking about purification?¡± Ruel frowned as he asked. Why did they insist on using a term only they understood when there was a clear word like ¡°purification¡±? ¡°You might think purification and guiding death yield simr results so they are the same, however, purification is something only the Great Purifiers can achieve.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°The ¡®purification¡¯ that the devotee of darkness uses is about sacrificing their own life to create a path and then guiding the death along that path to its proper end.¡± ¡°Sacrificing my life?¡± Ruel paused. He had felt unwell every time he used purification, but to think he was actually sacrificing his life, it truly reflected the meaning of ¡®devotee.¡¯ A deep sigh from Cassion could be heard. ¡°I won¡¯t need to do it again, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel quickly said this before Cassion could object. Did he really look like someone who would be reckless enough to sacrifice his life knowing this? ¡®I should have demanded more from Huswen.¡¯ If the life he was losing was a price for rolling around in Cyronian, it changed the conversation entirely. The things that Huswen had rewarded him with now seemed utterly trivial. Ruel asked, his voice tinged with irritation, ¡°What¡¯s the difference between a warlock and a devotee of darkness? You control darkness too.¡± ¡°I, no, we don¡¯t call upon the darkness. It¡¯s more like seeking a favor, requiring permission from darkness to act.¡± It seemed that an additional somewhat bothersome step of ¡®request and permission¡¯ was removed in Ruel¡¯s process ofmanding darkness. The warlock looked at Ruel as if he were worshiping a god. With Cassion now out of the way, the warlock stood up and knelt before Ruel. ¡°We, the Servants of Death, are those who help the devotees of darkness to change the corrupted death that exists on this earth into a righteous death.¡± ¡°Ruel, the warlocks, are known as guides of death. They are different from us. They are given their mission from birth.¡± Recalling Tyson¡¯s words, Ruel suddenly found himself puzzled. ¡°Despite the presence of Great Purifiers, why are you engaged in this task?¡± ¡°We, too, are uncertain about our given mission.¡± Once again, uncertainty reigned, causing Ruel¡¯s eyebrows to twitch. ¡°Where are the Great Purifiers? You should have knowledge of their whereabouts.¡± The warlock had appeared in the very spot where traps had beenid to capture the Great Purifiers. There had to be a reason¡ªwhether to save the Great Purifiers or to eliminate the corruption hidden as bait. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I can¡¯t see them.¡± ¡®Right.¡¯ Ruel was the only human capable of seeing spirits. While he was aware of that fact, it remained frustratingly limiting. He turned his head to look at the other guy. ¡°And you, what do you know?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I believe they still exist. That¡¯s why Iid the traps¡­¡± Fortunately, there were still more to catch. That was enough for Ruel. Ruel cut off the man¡¯s words and smirked, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Lord of Death sought the world¡¯s end. Then why are you still alive? If you follow so faithfully, shouldn¡¯t you be the first to die?¡± Ruel¡¯s gaze, filled with mockery, pierced the man¡¯s resolve, ¡°¡­ah, but you trembled at the thought of death earlier.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of dying, this world is already out of bnce, and at this rate, we may all be stuck here forever, unable to die. I¡¯m not afraid of that horrible¡­¡± It was a nonsensical argument. There was no need to listen further. ¡°Cassion, find out what this fool is involved with. He needs to be dealt with.¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Cassion raised his pinky finger. The shadows that lingered in the room appeared and grabbed the man. ¡°O devotee of darkness! We shall guide all towards rightful death! This unbnced realm shall drift into a deathless abyss. For you sacrificed¡­¡± The man, desperately shouting, vanished alongside the shadows. ¡®To think the Red Ash would join hands with a lunatic.¡¯ Ruel shook his head in disbelief. What more terriblebination could there be? He inhaled Breath and looked at the warlock. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Hikars.¡± ¡°Did youe looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes. To be precise, it was death who guided me to you.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To protect you as these lunatics are using dark devotees as scapegoats to create corrupted deaths. You are¡­¡± Hikars paused for a moment, furrowing his brow slightly, ¡°Death is close to you. An artificial death, it seems.¡± ¡°Can you see that?¡± It sounded as though he was referring to the mark left by the Great Man. So far, only the guardian Hian had seen that mark. ¡°We can feel death. That¡¯s how we know of the Great Purifiers born from the darkness.¡± ¡°Even those lunatics?¡± Hikars shook his head, ¡°They are so mentally corrupted that they no longer feel death. That¡¯s why they were unaware that you are a devotee of darkness.¡± ¡°You said you help people with darkness attributes like me. I want to know if purification is included in that help.¡± ¡°We do not purify, we only seek out the corrupted dead and burn their lives on behalf of the devotee of darkness.¡± Ruel fell silent. He had said that if a devotee of darkness used ¡®purification,¡¯ their life would decrease. In other words, the warlocks became living batteries to help Ruel survive longer. ¡®What kind of ridiculous system is this?¡¯ Ruel decided not to dwell on this topic further. ¡°Why have youe here?¡± He deliberately changed the subject. ¡°I sense a death here that is far more immense than one can handle. I came to resolve this before it transforms into a corrupted death.¡± A shadow crossed Hikars¡¯ face. ¡°Are you familiar with the Red Ash? I overheard your conversation with that lunatic earlier.¡± ¡°I am somewhat acquainted. Why?¡± ¡°Because of them the warlock¡¯s mission was twisted. Originally, they weren¡¯t this severe. Whatever they¡¯ve done with the Red Ash, they are distorting reality and leading the world to destruction.¡± Ruel let out augh. ¡°What they did? It¡¯s obvious; they¡¯re just happy to be apuded for a job well done, so they go on a rampage, like children.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± ¡°Where¡¯s their hideout? You must know.¡± ¡°Are you thinking of uprooting them?¡± Cassion spoke up. ¡°It wasn¡¯t part of the n, but I guess I have to.¡± Ruel smiled at Hikars, who was staring at him in disbelief. It was an arrogant grin. ¡°The ones causing corruption are those lunatics. While not the sole perpetrators, they lie at the heart of it. Eliminate the instigators to eradicate corruption. It¡¯s a straightforward solution, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruel then turned his gaze to Cassion. ¡°It¡¯s what you do best, and above all, it¡¯s foolish to let your main skills get rusty.¡± Lately, Cassion had been functioning as a private investigator for himself, pulling the original Shadows, who had served as assassins. ¡°I currently serve as a butler,¡± Cassion remarked, a faint smirk ying on his lips, ¡°But I am willing to undertake this task. If Ruel-nimmands, I shall obey.¡± ¡°So, if I prevent a corrupted death, what will you offer me?¡± Ruel redirected his attention to Hikars. Taken aback, Hikars stuttered, ¡°W-wait a moment, please.¡± ¡°Why? From what I understand, warlocks aren¡¯t exactly known for their magical prowess. Are they perhaps strong inbat?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve only fought that lunatic, so I¡¯m not sure. Ah, we can¡¯t do it, but they have the power tomand the dead.¡± ¡®Do they possess necromancer-like abilities? Then perhaps the soldiers that came out when the empire¡¯s gates opened¡­?¡¯ Ruel briefly lost himself in thought, staring intently at Hikars as he continued to babble. ¡°It¡¯s difficult to clearly distinguish between strong and weak. However, a wrongful death bes a corrupted death. And corruption feeds on more corruption.¡± ¡°So, by merelymanding the dead, they are spreading corruption?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± There was now one more reason to eliminate the lunatics. ¡°Are there royals or nobles among these lunatics?¡± ¡°None.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ruel quickly came to a conclusion. After all, his goal was to destroy the Great Man. If the lunatics were in league with the Red Ash and yed a key role in creating corruption, then they too had to be eliminated. ¡°So what can you offer me?¡± Ruel asked again. Perceiving his seriousness, Hikars respondedposedly, ¡°What is it that you desire, Devotee of Darkness?¡± ¡°What is your standing among the warlocks?¡± ¡°We have no hierarchy. Everything is shared.¡± It seemed there was some sort of group chat existing somewhere in his mind. ¡°Alright. What do you think of my proposal?¡± ¡°We have epted your proposal.¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 157: Warlock (2) ¡®Consent?¡¯ It was so absurd that it almost made himugh. However, Ruel held back and inhaled Breath. ¡°But I want to ask. Can you really eliminate those lunatics?¡± Seeing Hikars look at him earnestly, a smirk appeared on Ruel¡¯s lips. ¡°The deal has already been made. Whether I can eliminate them or not, it¡¯s no longer your turn to demand.¡± ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°You just said you¡¯d consent.¡± Hikars red up, but Ruel spoke as if he found it amusing.To Ruel, the agreement resembled a personal challenge, even without swords drawn. Now that his opponent had surrendered, it was time to reap the rewards. ¡°Now, it¡¯s time for me to state my conditions.¡± Hikars¡¯s anger subsided as he bit his lip, ¡°Serving the Devotee of Darkness is one of our missions.¡± Ruel crossed his arms, wanting to probe whether his true feelings matched his words, ¡°So, it doesn¡¯t matter what kind of person I am?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Then it means I can stake all your lives on my conditions.¡± ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± As expected. Ruel never met a man who could actually keep his word after all the bullshitting he¡¯d done, ¡°From now on, keep your nonsense to a minimum and choose your words carefully.¡± ¡°I apologize.¡± With Hikars already kneeling, Ruel felt like a teacher scolding a student. He sighed as he looked at him. ¡°First, swear by mana that you won¡¯t betray me.¡± Hikars¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°Must I do it now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel waited for the words from Cassion confirming the mana oath had been made, slightly swinging his crossed legs. He had thought only the madmen were lunatics, but the warlocks were no less formidable to deal with. Their faith was blind, as if they had been brainwashed. He needed to understand what they meant by ¡®death¡¯ in the first ce. After hearing Cassion announce that the mana oath was concluded, Ruel proceeded to mention his second condition. ¡°Second, you will tell me everything you know about the so-called corrupted death. Third, you will cooperate with me unconditionally. Fourth, I will be the absolute priority when ites to Devotee¡¯s of Darkness to you.¡± Hikars, who had been blinking, spoke up when Ruel finished listing the conditions, ¡°Is that all?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Hikars¡¯s face visibly brightened, ¡°You¡¯re a good person before being a Devotee of Darkness.¡± To describe himself as a good person¡­ Ruel cast a disapproving look at Cassion, who was now openly snickering beside him. ¡°It seems you¡¯ve had your fair share of bad experiences with other Devotees of Darkness, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but yes. Six months ago, I guaranteed a loan, and I still have some debt, but I don¡¯t hold any resentment. Even the Devotees of Darkness have their circumstances¡­¡± ¡°Circumstances, my foot!¡± The mention of ¡®guarantee¡¯ instantly triggered Ruel¡¯s intense anger. Even Cassion appeared slightly surprised. Ruel clenched his teeth. Due to that guarantee, his father had fallen ill, and he had suffered greatly. A brief sh of old memories raced through his mind. ¡°Hikars!¡± ¡°Y-yes!¡± ¡°You sensed that I was a Devotee of Darkness and came looking for me, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Mying to find you was no coincidence.¡± ¡°Find them.¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­?¡± ¡°Find them. Instruct your associate to track down the Devotee of Darkness who made you guarantee the loan.¡± Ruel knew from Hikars that when a Devotee of Darkness used purification, their life force was depleted, and he shouldn¡¯t use purification rashly. However, he was determined to capture that person and force them to use purification, no matter what. How dare they make him guarantee a loan? ¡°Ah, understood. But if that person refuses toe with us¡­¡± Ruel frowned at Hikars¡¯s hesitant attitude. He was reminded of the otherpany¡¯s assistant manager, Park, who was often whining and grumbling. ¡°Have you forgotten the fourth condition, ¡®I will be the absolute priority to you¡¯?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten. Understood. For us, you, that is¡­¡± Hikars trailed off, staring at Ruel. Until now, he hadn¡¯t even known the name of the Devotee of Darkness. ¡°Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Y-you are the Noble of Darkness!¡± As soon as Ruel said his name, Hicarus was visibly surprised. ¡°Darn it!¡± Ruel cursed aloud. Even a clueless warlock knew that title. ¡°I-I apologize! I spoke your esteemed title carelessly!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t even mention the word ¡®esteemed.''¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± Hikars appeared anxious, uncertain if he had offended Ruel with his words. Ruel inhaled Breath and suppressed the rising frustration. ¡°I¡¯m truly proud to be the butler of someone as famous as Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Shut up, Cassion.¡± Cassion closed his mouth tightly but was grinning widely. ¡®That twisted loyalty¡­¡¯ Ruel clenched Breath tightly. ¡°Before you leave, I have one question. Where should I go?¡± Frustrated by Hikars¡¯ naivety, Ruel snapped, ¡°I told you to track down that person.¡± ¡°I have another death servant handling that. My duty is to serve you,¡± replied Hikars confidently. ¡°Who said you could?¡± ¡°It¡¯s my mission.¡± Why should he bother apanying such a fool who epts without even knowing the basics of a deal? No, there was no reason to keep him around in the first ce. Ruel was a higher version of a warlock, and he had Leo. Keeping in touch with Hikars asionally would be enough. Dismissing Hikars with a wave of his hand, Ruel said, ¡°I have no patience for fools. Go your own way. Answer if I reach out.¡± Hikars, however, remained resolute. ¡°Yourmand is vital, but my missiones first. I will stay by your side.¡± Hikars looked at Ruel with a sincere and reverent gaze. That look was burdensome. Not wanting to engage further, Ruely back on the bed, responding with annoyance. ¡°Go find another Devotee of Darkness to follow.¡± Cassion idly toyed with a dagger, creating deliberate noise, yet Hikars remained unfazed by the distraction. ¡°You¡¯re here because of the corrupted death, aren¡¯t you? I can assist you with that,¡± Hikars stated. ¡°How?¡± When Ruel asked, Hikars answered joyfully. ¡°We can handle the corrupted death¡­¡± ¡°Just say purification.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t perform purification, but we can spread the purification you use.¡± It seemed they could act not only as a backup battery but also as an antenna. Ruel was slightly intrigued but felt something was off and asked, ¡°You¡¯re sacrificing your life to spread this purification, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. Nothing in this worldes without a price,¡± Hikars affirmed. ¡°Is this something Death demands? For you to casually discard your lives?¡± Ruel retorted, disapproving of Hikars¡¯ nonchnt attitude towards risking his life. ¡°Death doesn¡¯tmand us. It just speaks to us. At first, it was terrifying, but now it feels okay, like an old friend or a parent.¡± There was no trace of resentment towards Death in Hikars¡¯s words. It seemed he was satisfied with his current life, regardless of what Death did or said. Since he was content, Ruel couldn¡¯t argue with him. Ruel decided to ask the question that had been on his mind. ¡°What exactly is this Death you keep mentioning?¡± ¡°Death is literally the death everyone knows. It¡¯s also a sub-concept of darkness. Darkness is nature itself. Perhaps our existence, and yours as well, is a natural urrence that arose from the imbnce of the world.¡± Hikars smiled brightly, ¡°I¡¯m genuinely fine. I appreciate your concern. Devotee of¡­¡± ¡°Call me Ruel.¡± Despite Ruel¡¯s curt tone, Hikars continued to smile. ¡°Of course, Ruel-nim.¡± He could feel Ruel¡¯s concern for him, even if it was a little crooked. Hikars stood up from his seat. It seemed like he was finally leaving. Scratch, scratch. There was a scratching sound at the door. It was probably Leo. ¡®Has he been waiting outside all this time?¡¯ Leo¡¯s patience was as short as his front paws. Having endured this much was impressive enough. Ruel instructed Cassion, ¡°Open the door.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± With the door ajar, Leo eagerly pushed his head through the gap, eximing, ¡ªRuel, Ruel! Guess what this body brought¡­ Oh! Leo¡¯s enthusiastic demeanor faltered upon spotting Hikars. Hina, following behind Leo, barely managed to suppress augh and turned her head away. ¡ªTh-this body identally spoke in front of someone else. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Ruel reassured Leo, noticing the tears welling up in his eyes, which made him lose the urge to tease. ¡°Greetings, Great Purifier. I am Hikars, a servant of Death.¡± Hikars bowed politely to Leo. However, Leo immediately dashed behind Ruel, peeking out cautiously at Hikars. Sniff, sniff. Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he briefly smelled something. ¡ªThis body smells something familiar. Hikars had mentioned that death was a sub-concept of darkness. Leo recognizing a familiar scent might indicate that his instincts were awakening. ¡®Hmm.¡¯ Ruel briefly pondered whether to keep Hikars by his side or not. Leo smiled brightly. ¡ªThis body is Leo, the Great Purifier! He didn¡¯t forget to proudly raise his nose up high. ¡°Hikars.¡± ¡°Did you call for me?¡± Hikars bowed his head, cing a hand on his chest in response to Ruel¡¯s summons. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll decide whether to keep you by my side based on your usefulness. Until then, it¡¯s on probation.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s on probation, that¡¯s fine. I will do my best to assist you, Ruel-nim.¡± Ruel appreciated Hikars¡¯s response. ¡°Are you picking up people again?¡± Cassion asked incredulously. He noticed Ruel had changed his mind based on Leo¡¯s reaction but didn¡¯t expect him to actually take Hikars in. ¡°I said it¡¯s on hold,¡± Ruel replied dismissively. ¡°Then I¡¯ll linger in the shadows. Summon me when needed.¡± Hikars smoothly melded into his own shadow, unlike Cassion. After closely observing Hikars¡¯s magic, Cassion spoke up, ¡°Can¡¯t Ruel-nim do that like the warlock?¡± ¡°Why would I?¡± Ruel sneered, and Cassion realized he had asked a stupid question. Why would he bother learning such magic when he could easily capture a stronger target? ¡°Then, let¡¯s have a snack.¡± Ruel sat up again, looking at the snacks Hina had ced on the table. *** ¡°Did you bring me here for this?¡± Ganien red at Ruel slightly. It was unreasonable for Ruel to stand in line when he wasn¡¯t feeling well, so as a friend, Ganien could stand in for Cassion, who had to take care of Ruel. Then, he received a concerning message about confirming the presence of corruption and pursuing it, which left him slightly uneasy. Finally, they arrived back empty-handed despite the enticing aroma around them, which made him disappointed that they hadn¡¯t even brought him warm coffee. ¡°Yes,¡± Ruel replied without hesitation. Huswen had sent Ganien to him for his country¡¯s benefit. Whatever he did with Ganien was his own business. ¡°The line has gotten shorter.¡± ¡ªThat¡¯s right. Ruel nced at Leo, who was chiming in, and slightly leaned forward to look ahead. The day had darkened, with about five people visible in front of them. Perhaps due to a brief nap, he felt less dizzy. ¡°Ruel, you¡­¡± ¡°Cassion.¡± Ruel cut off Ganien¡¯s words and called Cassion. It was obvious what Ganien was unhappy about. ¡°You¡¯re ten years older than me, yet your behavior is¡­¡± Ruel carefully chose his words and inhaled Breath. Cassion smirked while looking at Ruel. He didn¡¯t want to leave any room for Cassion to retort with a look insinuating, ¡®You¡¯re no different.¡¯ Ganien expressed his frustrations after receiving a snack from Cassion; it was too cold, he had no one to talk to, and he even got into some sort of dispute, etc. Ruel, who was listening next to him, let it all pass through one ear. ¡°So, can you imagine how bored I was? At least¡­¡± Ganien stopped mid-sentence and turned his head in a certain direction. Ruel followed his gaze but saw nothing out of the ordinary. ¡°Soldiers have arrived,¡± Cassion exined with a grin. ¡°Including the person in charge, Glen Syria.¡± ¡®Glen Syria?¡¯ Soon, Ruel saw Glen Syria approaching. Dressed in blood-stained armor, it was unclear whose blood it was, he stood confidently in front of the reception desk with soldiers nking him, appearing like a valiant general. Glen¡¯s voice was grave as he dered, ¡°I will now issue an urgent mission. I want to rify in advance that this is an official mission.¡± An urgent mission had been announced. ¡°Currently, the monsters have breached the first defensive line and are now threatening the second. If they break through the second line, they will flood into the Kran Kingdom¡¯s capital.¡± Amotion erupted instantly. Ruel smiled leisurely, recognizing the monsters as the Guardians. This dramatic scene was merely a farce¡ªorchestrated to create chaos, with the blood-stained armor and soldiers all part of the act. ¡®They¡¯re trying to lure adventurers into a dangerous area, likely with a significant reward involved.¡¯ It was a situation he had seen many times before. It was simr to when the Red Ash had created a fake merchant and tried to pass the Leponia attack n to the outside. ¡°Quiet! Please be quiet!¡± Glen shouted. ¡°Anyone willing to join me at the second defensive line, please move to the side.¡± The adventurers hesitated, looking at one another. Most aimed for the rtively safer third and fourth defensive lines, where they hoped to y monsters and earn good rewards. After all, the first defensive line had already been breached; would the second be safe? ¡°This time, as an exception, we will simplyplete the process with ID verification upon departure, and since it is an emergency mission, we promise to give you double the usualpensation!¡± ¡®Of course.¡¯ Ruel covered his mouth, nearly bursting intoughter. The promise of double rewards had sparked a sudden frenzy among the adventurers, who were previously hesitant and now rushed toward the location indicated by Glen. ¡°We¡¯re going too,¡± Ruel said, his voice tinged with amusement. It was essential to uncover the true intentions behind the adventurers¡¯ gathering. He immediately nced at Cassion, ¡°Don¡¯t stop me.¡± Seeing Cassion¡¯s stern expression, Ruel felt refreshed for the first time in a while. ¡°Are you aware of what you¡¯re walking into?¡± Ganien interjected, trying to caution Ruel. The two made quite the pair. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the exnation from Cassion.¡± While the third and fourth defensive lines were nds, the first and second lines were mountainous regions. ¡°Even though you know, are you still going? Consider your objective.¡± Ganien¡¯s remark made Ruel smile brightly. ¡°My objective? Ironically, it¡¯s right there.¡± Ruel subtly gestured towards Glen Syria. ¡°¡­Hey.¡± Ganien called out to Ruel sharply. Glen Syria was associated with the Red Ash. Coincidentally, an urgent mission was announced right when Ruel had joined. Wasn¡¯t it quite peculiar? What if this was not a coincidence but a trap set by the enemy? ¡°Let¡¯s go and find out. Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Seeing Ruel¡¯s confident smile, Ganien felt a swell of warmth in his chest. Despite knowing all this, Ruel had still said he would go. Mirroring Cassion¡¯s distorted expression, Ganien¡¯s expression also hardened. ¡°I don¡¯t want to bring this up, but climbing the mountain is too much for your body.¡± ¡ªNo! Ruel has climbed the mountain, this body has seen it! Leo said proudly, even though he knew he couldn¡¯t hear him. ¡°Too much? Well¡­¡± Ruel chuckled. There was no rule saying you had to climb a mountain with both feet.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 158: Warlock (3) *** ¡°Ah-choo!¡± Leo, who was in Ruel¡¯s arms, was startled by Ruel¡¯s sneeze. ¡ªHave you caught a cold? ¡°No,¡± Ruel replied softly, rubbing his nose. Having journeyedfortably by carriage through the fourth and third defense lines, they now alighted and were en route from the third to the second line. Despite the group of adventurers forming a loose formation as they proceeded, the biting wind still managed to nip at their cheeks from both sides. Thankfully, Ruel¡¯s mask shielded his face from the chill, and the wind naturally muffled noises from the front, which was a relief. ¡°It¡¯s starting to look worrying,¡± Ganien said, looking at Ruel like a parent sending off their child on their first errand.¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much; I¡¯ve been getting healthiertely.¡± Ganien responded as if reluctantly, a beat behind, ¡°True. I suppose your coughing has decreased quite a lot. Still, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re fit enough to climb that mountain.¡± Ganien pointed to a section where the incline began to rise. He had been unable to believe Ruel when he heard that he had climbed a mountain before, and had to ask Cassion for confirmation. ¡°Actually, I was just about to call for you.¡± As Ruel noticed they were slowly getting farther from the front row, he thought he needed to hurry. He then looked up at the quite distant mountain. Unlike the mountain he had climbed at the mansion, this one had many steep sections, making it impossible to challenge. ¡®Maybeter.¡¯ The fierce wind was exhausting just by walking through it. ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold?¡± Cassion asked. Due to the strong wind, Ruel¡¯s body temperature had slightly dropped. ¡°I¡¯m fine for now. Hikars.¡± At Ruel¡¯s call, Hikars appeared from behind. He bowed politely to Ruel. ¡°Thank you for calling me, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Hmmm.¡± Ganien stared intently at Hikars. He was different from a regr wizard. The smell of death spread widely around him. At Hikars¡¯ gaze, Ganien hastily lowered his head slightly. ¡°I apologize. This is my first time seeing a warlock, so I was rude.¡± ¡°No, there are many who find us fascinating.¡± Hikars smiled as if nothing was wrong, as if he had experienced this reaction more than once. ¡°Do you know Hold?¡± When Ruel asked, Hikars answered sharply. ¡°Yes. I know some simple magic.¡± ¡°Good. Just take me to my destination. Simple, right?¡± Hikars hesitated, his gaze shifting between Ganien and Cassion, ¡°Um, are you bothfortable with me?¡± ¡®Comfortable?¡¯ Ruel was puzzled, sensing that it wasn¡¯t just a simple question about the difort of having a stranger join them. ¡ªThis body is fine. Leo smiled brightly. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s not an unfamiliar feeling, so it¡¯s okay,¡± Ganien waved his hand. Then, as Hikars¡¯ gaze turned to Cassion, he pulled a nket from his magic pocket and replied, ¡°I¡¯m used to it, so don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Ruel felt a twinge of difort at being the only one left in the dark. ¡°Unlike you, the Devotee of Darkness, ordinary people instinctively feel difort from the smell of death that we emit.¡± Only then did Ruel understand why he had struggled to find a warlock. It was because they had deliberately hidden themselves from people and their unique smell had prevented the shadows from finding them. ¡®Anyway, since I¡¯ve found a warlock, I should ask Jan to tell me about ces where spirits cannot go.¡¯ In those ces, corruption and Red Ash were likely to be present. ¡°Then, I will cast it.¡± At Hikars¡¯ words, Ruel nodded. He felt a slight tightness from the Hold enveloping his entire body, but it was bearable. ¡®My magic resistance has improved a lot.¡¯ He smiled slightly at himself, who was still standing strong in a situation where he would have already copsed before. *** ¡ªA fox! Leo looked to the left and then to the right, chattering non-stop. His tail twitched with interest, particrly at the sight of a fox resembling him. To Leo, it seemed as though the fox was equally captivated by its doppelganger. Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at the pure white mountain scenery. Before he knew it, a nket had been draped over him, and a heat patch was also stuck to his forehead. ¡°It looks like they are really dead. Especially with the smell.¡± As they crossed the mountain, Ganien pinched his nose and frowned. ¡°Not just over there, but I can feel a lot of death here too.¡± Hikars looked down, bing engulfed in sadness. ¡°Ruel-nim, could you help me for a moment? There is death umting from here.¡± ¡°Death umting? What do you mean by that?¡± When Ruel asked, Hikars reached out his hand, ¡°Please hold my hand. You should be able to perceive the death.¡± ¡°Is it really okay?¡± Ganien asked worriedly. He thought the act of seeing death was not very pleasant. ¡°It¡¯s alright. It¡¯s merely observation. Oh, I was being selfish. Ruel-nim, feel free to decline if you¡¯d rather not witness this,¡± Hikars reassured. ¡°No.¡± After all, it was a rare opportunity to see the death that was said to be spreading in this area, so it would be a shame to refuse. ¡ªThis body wants to see too. Leo stretched out his front paw, but it was too short to reach Hikars¡¯ hand. Ruel chuckled and took Hikars¡¯ hand. In an instant, it felt as if darkness had suddenly descended upon the once-white world, shrouding it in ck fog. The deep, profound sadness surged, enough to make his nose tingle just from looking at it. ¡®¡­!¡¯ He felt as if the ck fog was watching him. A hand that hadn¡¯t existed in the fog suddenly appeared and reached out toward him. -I don¡¯t know where to go. Please help me. -It¡¯s too cold here. -You saw me, right? Right? Voices began to emerge one by one, apanied by desperate eyes pleading for help. Ruel could see the light they needed to go toward. Slowly, he raised his finger and pointed in that direction. ¡®Over there¡­¡¯ ¡ªWake up, Ruel! Leo scratched at Ruel¡¯s chest, and then Cassion immediately separated their hands. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Cassion caught Ruel, who staggered. ¡°Huh!¡± Hikars, who had sat down on the spot, swallowed hard as he looked at his own hand. He had seen their outstretched hands before, but this was the first time he had heard their voices. He had met many Devotees of Darkness, but this was a first. ¡®Is it because death is¡­ so close?¡¯ Devotees of Darkness, by their nature, were close to death but had escaped its shackles. But Ruel was different. As a Devotee of Darkness, he was still bound by the shackles of death. ¡°Is that death?¡± Ruel asked Hikars with a slightly dazed expression. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s death. When it umtes like that, new life can¡¯t emerge,¡± Hikars replied solemnly. Ruel tightly closed his lips, gazing wistfully at the ce that had returned to a white world. ¡ªAre you okay? You look so sad. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Ruel replied to Leo, though he felt a lingering nausea from the emotions that clung to him. It was a sight he didn¡¯t want to see again. ¡°Please help me, Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°What do you need help with?¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Hikars stood up quickly and pulled out an old pouch. ¡°Please infuse some mana into this.¡± ¡°Hey, you guys! Hurry up ande!¡± Ruel, who was about to grab the pouch, was startled by the sudden shout. Before he knew it, there was quite a distance between them and the front row. ¡°We¡¯reing soon! There was a little problem!¡± Ganien shouted loudly. Even when the adventurers urged them from the front, Ruel did not feel anxious. Wasn¡¯t there a butler who was good at tracking traces? Hikars held the pouch with both hands and Ruel slowly infused mana into it. Since his body was like ss, he handled it carefully and cautiously. He didn¡¯t know what this pouch was, but as he infused mana, he felt a simr sensation to when his shadow was writhing inside. Sensing it was enough, Ruel withdrew his hand. Huff. Ruel let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Looking at you now, you seem like a decent wizard.¡± Ganien said with a chuckle. It was hard to tell if he was teasing or being sincere, so it was quite ambiguous. ¡°Thank you.¡± Hikars bowed his head to Ruel and then reached into the pouch to pull something out. It was powder. It resembled the powder that Noah had used when he first met him, which he had shot with arrows. ¡ªHuh? Leo eagerly stuck out his tongue as Hikars released the powder. Ruel tried to grab Leo¡¯s tail btedly, but Leo had already swallowed it. ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious! ¡°Delicious?¡± ¡ªIt¡¯s delicious! Give this body more! Leo scratched Ruel¡¯s chest. ¡°We can resume moving now,¡± Hikars dered, looking away from the powder mixing with the snow as they closed the distance with the front row. ¡°What¡¯s that pouch?¡± Ruel asked, noticing Leo¡¯s keen interest in Hikars. Leo was licking his lips. ¡°This is our magic tool, the ¡®ck Wayfinder,''¡± Hikars exined, summoning a pouch from thin air. ¡°We utilize the mana infused by Ruel-nim to cover the magical powder in the ck Wayfinder, guiding lost souls to their destination.¡± In short, it meant that the powder was tainted by darkness. ¡®That powder is the same.¡¯ It was indeed the same powder that Noah had used during the Cyronian incident. At that moment, wasn¡¯t the ck water inside the ck-blooded man¡¯s body clearly visible? Ruel raised the corners of his mouth, ¡°Do you happen to know about the ck water?¡± ¡°Are you referring to the corrupted death?¡± It seemed they were talking about the same thing, but for uracy, it felt necessary to show the ck water. ¡°Cassion, show it.¡± At Ruel¡¯s words, Cassion took out the ck water from his magic pouch. As soon as Hikars saw the ck water, he pulled out the ck Wayfinder, ready to sprinkle the powder immediately. ¡°Stop.¡± ¡°That is corrupted death. Just sprinkling it here will cause it to spread in an instant.¡± Even though Hikars¡¯ voice was filled with strength, Ruel spoke his mind first. ¡°Do you know how to get rid of it? I¡¯m trying to find a way.¡± ¡°Only you, Ruel-nim, and the Great Purifier have the power to eliminate it,¡± Hikars exined. ¡°Alright. Let me rephrase. What happens if I sprinkle the powder from the ck Wayfinder onto the ck water?¡± ¡°Thanks to the Devotee of Darkness¡¯s power, it will react¡­ Ah, the hidden corrupted death will reveal itself, but that action alone won¡¯t change the situation,¡± Hikars rified. Ruel raised the corners of his mouth again. That was enough. It must be true since the warlock himself said it. There was no time to conduct further experiments. ¡°Tell your friends.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath. After sniffing, he opened his mouth again. ¡°Just send a few people to Setiria in the Leponia Kingdom to help with the research.¡± Tyson would be delighted if the warlock visited Setiria. ¡°Understood. I will inform them right away.¡± After responding, Hikars immediately muttered something. ¡°If there¡¯s anything we can assist with, don¡¯t hesitate to ask,¡± Ganien added casually, slowing down to match Ruel¡¯s pace. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you prioritize your own nation¡¯s interests first?¡± Ruel questioned Ganien¡¯s willingness to assist, surprised by his offer. While Leo continued to nce at Hikars, Ruel noticed Leo still licking his lips and discreetly pulled out a shadow. However, Leo remained fixated on Hikars. ¡®Does it have to be the powder?¡¯ ¡°Well, I still owe you a debt, and this is both my and his opinion.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Ruel paused. ¡®Huswen?¡¯ It was surprising to consider that Huswen, who held his country dear, had such thoughts. Despite Ganien stating he had no ulterior motives, focusing on the warlock they had encountered by chance seemed more crucial due to the unsettling ck water. Having seen him report to Huswen, Ruel couldn¡¯t help but be even more surprised. ¡°He¡¯s not so naive as to only seek personal gain from a crisis. Someone who was constantly criticizing him said something very simr to what you just said back then.¡± ¡°Does that mean he will take care of the benefits afterward?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. And if necessary, he also mentioned capturing you.¡± Ganien¡¯s words, meant as a joke, were surprisingly intense. Ruel chuckled softly, ¡°Your humor has improved.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking. The value of your existence is more significant than I thought¡­¡± As he spoke, Ganien shed a grin at Cassion. He hadn¡¯t drawn his sword, but the energy emanating from Cassion was already reaching Ganien¡¯s nape. ¡°Are you itching for a duel now?¡± Ganien actually wanted to spar with Cassion the moment he saw him. However, they were currently infiltrating as adventurers. They couldn¡¯t risk ruining their ns over a moment ofpetitive spirit. ¡°How about we think about that after you surpass me?¡± At Cassion¡¯s provocation, Ganien instinctively tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. His hand trembled slightly as he suppressed his instincts with reason. ¡ªYou must surpass this body too! Leo dered confidently. ¡°¡­Pfft.¡± Ruelughed a bit louder. With Leo¡¯s interruption, the tense atmosphere seemed to transform into a flower garden. Cassion and Ganien stopped their standoff and looked at Ruel. ¡°Ah, my apologies. Leo wanted to join in,¡± Ruel said, gently patting Leo¡¯s head. ¡ªAhem. Leo raised his nose high in response to everyone¡¯s gaze. ¡°Well, anyway. Depending on the situation, I can be a hostage or whatever.¡± Ruel wiped the smile off his face. ¡°But you won¡¯t be able to force me, my butler¡¯s a bit strong. Oh, and my knight is no pushover either.¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 159: Second Line of Defense ¡°Aris¡­?¡± Ganien¡¯s expression disyed a mix of joy and triumph. ¡°That¡¯s right. Surpassing your master is the real beginning, isn¡¯t it? How does that sound?¡± At the mention of ¡®master,¡¯ Ganien¡¯s lips curled into a broad grin. ¡°I want to meet Aris soon. But¡­¡± Recognizing it wasn¡¯t the right moment to push forward, Ganien released his grip from the sword. ¡°I have no intention of dragging you along against your will. It¡¯s just a hypothesis, and it means your value has risen that much.¡± ¡°Then, do you owe me an equal amount or more than what I¡¯m worth?¡± Instead of Ruel, who finished speaking, Cassion chuckled.¡°What?¡± ¡°Simr to how there¡¯s interest on loans, there¡¯s interest on debts too. But, don¡¯t fret. What harm could I possibly cause to a friend?¡± Ruel lightly tapped Ganien¡¯s shoulder, who appeared surprised. Having spent a short time with Ruel, he expected, based on his experience, that Ruel would ask him to do something. However, not having a clue about what that was, Ganien swallowed dryly. After confirming that they were getting closer to the front line amidst the blizzard, Ruel infused mana into his ring. ¡°Uncle.¡± -Ruel¡­? Tyson¡¯s face lit up upon seeing Ruel but hesitated as he nced around him. A fierce blizzard was blowing, not from mountainous ground. -I thought it was about time for presbyopia to develop in my old age, but I didn¡¯t know it would be today. ¡°It¡¯s indeed a mountain.¡± -So, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re already getting into mountains. I, um, usually agree with whatever you do, but it¡¯s a bit early¡­ ¡°I have urgent news to share.¡± Ruel adjusted the angle so that Hikars could be seen on the screen. ¡°I¡¯ve found the warlocks.¡± Tyson jumped up from his seat. -Y-you found a warlock? ¡°I instructed them to head to Setiria. If they arrive dressed like this and mention my name, please wee them.¡± -Ah, I see. How did youe to meet the warlock? ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter. Be well.¡± At Tyson¡¯s rising excitement, Ruel immediately ended the call. Remembering Tyson¡¯s bted reaction, Ruel burst intoughter, pretending to scratch his nose to hide his smile. ¡°How much longer until we reach our destination, Cassion?¡± ¡°I estimate about 3 hours.¡± ¡°Alright. Just bring me another nket.¡± Cassion frowned, but there was little to be done about the cold. *** Thump. Ruel suddenly opened his eyes at the unexpected sound of his heartbeat. ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯ It wasn¡¯t pain, but rather a resonance emanating from somewhere. However, it quickly quieted down as if nothing had happened, leaving him puzzled. ¡®I¡¯m experiencing all sorts of sensations.¡¯ Ruel looked around and met Leo¡¯s eyes. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Are you awake? Leo smiled brightly. He couldn¡¯t remember where his consciousness had cut off. Ruel looked at the nket wrapped around him and sat up. In that moment, his body swayed, and he hurriedly ced his hand on the floor for support. His body felt incredibly heavy. ¡®Has my condition worsened again?¡¯ He thought it was due to the cold wind he had been exposed to. Leo urgently clung to Ruel¡¯s arm. ¡ªYou have a fever. Lie down quickly. ¡°I¡¯m not in a condition where I can¡¯t get up.¡± Ruel brushed Leo off his arm and patted him. A smile quickly appeared on Leo¡¯s serious face. ¡°Are you awake now? How do you feel?¡± Cassion entered the tent. ¡°Have we reached the second defense line?¡± ¡°Yes. We are currently at the second defense line. It¡¯s been about an hour since we arrived here, so you can rest easy.¡± ¡°And Ganien?¡± ¡°He went to capture Hikars.¡± Ruel received the medicine Cassion offered but looked at him with a bewildered expression. ¡°Capture?¡± ¡°Yes. He said that death was lingering and jumped straight down below the defense line. So Ganien followed him.¡± ¡°Did he mention anything about corrupted death?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t.¡± ¡®So the monsters aren¡¯t corrupted?¡¯ It was still uncertain. Ruel moved his hand again, which had stopped at Leo¡¯s tail, which was hitting his hand. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± As Cassion opened his mouth heavily, Ruel¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He wondered if there was something he might get criticized for and then replied. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Well, since this mission isn¡¯t mandatory, how about you stay here until your fever goes down?¡± The verification of the adventurer¡¯s badge had already beenpleted on the carriage while heading to the third and fourth defense lines. Due to the nature of the mission, there were no time restrictions or mandatory requirements. It didn¡¯t matter whether they spent the entire night fighting monsters or carefully taking them down one by one; they would still get paid. After taking the medicine, Ruel asked, ¡°Why are you trying to dissuade me?¡± ¡°It seems a small war has broken out.¡± Cassion referred to it as a war instead of a battle. Just how serious must it be for him to say that? Cassion continued, ¡°Your task is to confirm the corruption of the monsters, correct? With a warlock present who can fulfill your role, it might be best for you not to be directly involved.¡± It seemed like Cassion was carefully choosing his words to avoid offending Ruel. However, being sidelined aftering this far didn¡¯t sit well with Ruel. ¡°I¡¯ll regret it if I don¡¯t go.¡± Cassion sighed at the worst possible answer he expected. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t know what impact the current situation might have on your body, so I¡¯m trying to dissuade you. Please reconsider.¡± Ruel controlled the monsters. Until now, he had only seen the corpses of one or two monsters. But he wasn¡¯t sure if he would be unaffected after seeing the countless monster corpses spread out below the second defense line. It was uncertain. ¡°Alright then.¡± Ruel lifted the corners of his mouth. At his unexpected response, Cassion bit his lip. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a chance to gauge my condition while there are no enemies around.¡± Ruel noticed that Cassion, who used the term ¡®war,¡¯ was worried about something. Corrupted monsters were one of the enemy¡¯s means of attack. It was better to strike first. There was no guarantee that this situation wouldn¡¯t happen in Leponia. Naturally, there would be just as many monster corpses as there were now, and it was better to find out what effect it might have on him in advance. If he waited until his condition worsened, it would already be far toote. Cough. Leo¡¯s eyes widened at Ruel¡¯s cough. ¡°You needn¡¯t worry; I¡¯m fine.¡± Ruel chuckled softly and patted Leo¡¯s face. ¡°Get ready.¡± What on earth should he do about that stubbornness? Cassion sighed deeply, unable to give a hasty reply. *** It was a sea of red. No matter where he looked, only a bright red scene unfolded beneath the wooden walls. Suddenly, nausea rose, and Ruel covered his mouth. The area was filled with ckened corpses, indistinguishable as either monsters or humans, with blood congealing into rivers. Seeing such a horrific sight and the adventurers rushing in made him feel just how desperately they wanted money. There could be various reasons. He himself had lived mad for money due to guarantees. But aside from that, this situation was disgusting. In the end, wasn¡¯t it all caused by that one so-called Great Man? There was no need to fight, and there was no reason for either monsters or humans to die. ¡®This is awful¡­¡¯ ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°For now.¡± Ruel answered Cassion¡¯s question calmly. His stomach was churning, but it wasn¡¯t unbearable enough to leave just yet. Fortunately, contrary to his worries, he hadn¡¯t experienced any symptoms so far. ¡ªThis body is not looking. Truly. Ruel gently pressed down whenever Leo attempted to rise from hisp. He was struggling enough himself, and this was not a scene for Leo to witness. Looking at Leo¡¯s perked-up ears, he could feel Leo¡¯s earnestness, as if he was trying hard to hear any sounds. Ruel felt dizzy from the various noises surrounding him, but he was still okay. ¡°How about returning to the tent now?¡± His steps seemed quite unsteady. Every few steps, he could hear Cassion¡¯s voice like a parrot. Even with the surrounding noise, why did Cassion¡¯s voicee through so clearly? Perhaps bing a master also meant having a louder voice. ¡°I can still manage.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and turned his gaze away from the pit of corpses to look in the direction the monsters wereing from. They stood beyond the mountains, waiting like soldiers, poised to seize an opportunity. The adventurers, perhaps seeing the moment when the monsters weren¡¯ting as an opportunity, grouped together with their teams and began to push through the pit. ¡®¡­?¡¯ There was something strange about those two appearances. There was even a sense of difort. But before he could examine it more closely, dizziness forced him to stop. ¡°What about the delegation?¡± Ruel asked as he descended from the wooden wall towards the tent. ¡°Yourplexion¡­¡± ¡°What about the delegation?¡± Ruel interrupted Cassion, signaling him to stop. ¡°It will take at least two more days to reach the bridge of the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel walked along the defensive line, pushing through the snow that sank deeper with every step. ¡°Haah¡­¡± After walking for what felt like hours, Ruel stopped to catch his breath. It was incredibly difficult to push through the snow that was piled up to his knees. When he looked back, he saw his own trail stretching out behind him like a snake¡¯s tail, contrasting with Cassion¡¯s effortless progress. Even though he knew the difference in their abilities was like night and day, he couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed. Cassion raised one corner of his lip and pulled a pair of boots from his pocket. They were ck shoes that made him feel disgusted just by looking at them. ¡°How about it? Are you still unwilling to wear them?¡± ¡ªThis body can¡¯t see, but this body can hear Ruel moving as slowly as a snail. He could ignore Cassion and Leo¡¯s words, but with his feet sinking so deep into the snow, he could no longer. ¡°Hand them over,¡± Ruel conceded, extending his hand to Cassion. Observing Ruel sunk up to his knees, Cassion smirked knowingly. In his current state, Ruel couldn¡¯t get out on his own. ¡°Excuse me,¡± Cassion easily lifted Ruel, settling him on a nearby rock. ¡°Hmph.¡± Feeling like a paper doll, Ruel wasn¡¯t particrly pleased. But what could he do? He couldn¡¯t get out of the snow on his own. ¡°Damn bastards. They just keep swarming in.¡± One of the adventurers gathered at the defense line muttered angrily. The noise was loud enough for Ruel, who was changing his shoes, to hear. ¡°The idea of easy money, right? Enduring this bitter cold while those bastards keeping.¡± ¡°Tsk. If not for the damn money, I wouldn¡¯t be here freezing. Where are the soldiers at?¡± ¡°Are they making us do all the dirty work? Didn¡¯t you notice soldiers at the third and fourth defense lines?¡± ¡°I did see them. Just didn¡¯t realize they were absent here.¡± ¡°Oh, they are here.¡± The adventurer pointed to a tent that was shaped like a hut, standing alone among the many tents. ¡°Oh, they¡¯re probably around that big shot, guarding his own hide.¡± ¡°Go see him if you think you can protect our meal ticket.¡± ¡°Should I?¡± Theirughter spread cheerfully. ¡®So, soldiers are only stationed around Glen?¡¯ As Ruel put on thest of his shoes, he realized the difort he had been feeling. Amidst the natural situation of monsters and adventurers, the soldiers were nowhere to be seen. ¡°If the second defensive line is breached, monsters will flood over the walls of the Kran Kingdom and pour into the capital.¡± Glen¡¯s words were not just tricks to lure adventurers; they were the truth. In fact, the third and fourth defensive lines were expansive ins without a single tree, making the area too wide to defend. If agile monsters began to surge in, it honestly seemed difficult to prevent them. ¡®In a situation like this, there are no soldiers¡­?¡¯ Ruel was surprised and saw a small opening. A smile crept across his lips. ¡°Cassion.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Cassion followed Ruel as he moved again. ¡°Tell me what you find strange about this ce.¡± ¡°The stench of death lingers, yet the number of corpses is surprisingly low. Also, there are suspiciously few soldiers.¡± ¡°Few corpses?¡± ¡°It seems that way to me.¡± ¡®Few corpses, and few soldiers?¡¯ Ruel stopped for a moment and inhaled Breath. ¡°Hah.¡± His body felt heavy, and his headache from the fever weighed his thoughts down as well. ¡®What kind of a difficult situation would require adventurers but not soldiers?¡¯ Ruel started moving again. With the new shoes, he could move much more easily without sinking into the snow. Originally, he had just nned to explore the second defense line, but now his ns had changed. The defense line remained as he had first seen it: a crude wooden wall lined with drab tents and a strong smell of blood. ¡°Perhaps you should stop wandering around now?¡± Cassion called out to Ruel, who was wandering aimlessly. ¡°I want to meet Glen briefly at night.¡± ¡°Hah.¡± Cassion chuckled at Ruel¡¯s absurd statement. Glen Syria was in charge of this area. Even if there were fewer soldiers, there would still be dozens of them. Only his master could casually say something like wanting to meet someone as if they were going to a neighbor¡¯s house, knowing the situation. But what could he do? If he wanted to meet him, he had to let him. ¡°As you wish,¡± Cassion replied as usual. ¡°Where are Ganien and Hikars?¡± ¡°They¡¯re quite a distance away.¡± Ruel clicked his tongue as Cassion pointed beyond the wall. ¡®They went pretty far.¡¯ He was in no condition to go down there. ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± It seemed he would have to return to the tent after all. ¡°Good choice,¡± Cassion smiled brightly. Ruel¡¯s fever had risen slightly. If Ruel had gone any further, Cassion would have forcibly brought him back to the tent. Ruel, who had been walking unsteadily ahead, suddenly turned to look at the wooden wall. For a brief moment, a light flickered in his eyes before disappearing. Had something he was worried about happened? Cassion moved closer to Ruel, conscious of the surrounding gazes. ¡°Did you hear something?¡± Ruel nodded. He had heard a voice. He wasn¡¯t sure if it was a monster or not, but it had definitely said to him: -Setiria. Setiria. It was clearly referring to Ruel himself. But the voice was too small, and he couldn¡¯t hear the rest. Where did that voicee from? Ruel stared at the wooden wall. Why were so many people looking for him? ¡®This kind of attention is unwee¡­.¡¯ ¡ªRuel, can this bodye out now? Seeing Leo¡¯s head raising, Ruel pressed down slightly again.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 160: Second Line of Defense (2) *** The outside of the tent was bustling, and Ruel woke from a shallow sleep, opening his eyes. His face still burned with fever, and he shifted his gaze to look for Cassion. ¡°It¡¯s Ganien. I¡¯ve finally caught the warlock.¡± At the mention of the warlock, Leo¡¯s ears perked up. ¡ªThis body has been craving that delicious powder! Leo rubbed his face with excitement in his voice. ¡°How are you feeling, Ruel?¡± With a bright voice, Ganien appeared, Hikars slumped on his shoulders.¡ª¡­! Leo¡¯s swaying tail came to a halt. ¡ªSo, he has fallen asleep. This body was craving that powder¡­ Ruelforted Leo and pointed at Hikars. ¡°Ah, he wouldn¡¯t stop resisting, so I just knocked him out.¡± Ganien awkwardlyughed, feeling embarrassed. It seemed Hikars had been quite stubborn to the point of being knocked out. ¡°What was Hikars doing?¡± Ruel asked Ganien in a muffled voice. ¡°He was scattering powder everywhere.¡± ¡°Did he say anything else?¡± ¡°Well, he was weeping deeply about death. I¡¯ve never seen a grown-up cry so sorrowfully, so it took a while to knock him out.¡± ¡°Wake him up.¡± After speaking, Ruel inhaled Breath. He needed to talk to Hikars to see if the ck water had spread or if it was simply stagnant death. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest a bit longer before questioning him? Your fever hasn¡¯t gone down yet.¡± Cassion firmly advised, noticing Ruel¡¯s condition, which was even apanied by cold sweat. The fatigue and cold were ovepping. Although it wasn¡¯t serious, it was uncertain when it might be critical. ¡°Then, should we move after the delegation arrives? Looking at the current situation, I think we should.¡± Ruel was sarcastic. Regardless of his well-being, there were tasks that needed attention. When had he ever dyed action based on his health? ¡°Ruel-nim, are you thinking of going down below the wall¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± At Ruel¡¯s confident deration, Cassion clenched his fist. Ruel going down meant he was somewhat considering using the power to control the monsters. ¡°You know that using that power will make you copse afterward, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll decide based on the situation.¡± ¡°So, do you want me to wake him up or not?¡± Ganien asked while grabbing Hikars by the cor. ¡°Wake him up.¡± ¡°No.¡± Ruel and Cassion almost spoke in unison. After a brief pause, Ganien lightly tapped Hikars¡¯s cheek. Hikars opened his eyes in surprise. ¡°Don¡¯t re at me, Cassion. Remember, your master is Ruel,¡± Ganien chuckled, finding amusement in Cassion¡¯s tant stare. He might have thought he struck a nerve. As soon as Hikars regained his senses, he busily looked around. Just as he was about to dash out of the tent, Ruelmanded him. ¡°Sit there.¡± Hikars obediently knelt before Ruel. The urgency he had shown moments ago was gone, and he now looked like a docilemb, waiting for orders. ¡°This is no joke. It¡¯s like talking to a wall.¡± Ganien was dumbfounded. How much effort had he exerted to capture Hikars? Whoever had firstbeled him a warlock was clearly mistaken. He seemed more like a ck beast, with physical prowess akin to a knight and legs as nimble as a mountain goat. ¡°What did you think of the surroundings?¡± When Ruel asked, Hikars recounted everything he had felt at that time. ¡°As soon as I returned to the Kingdom of Kran, I sensed an aura of death permeating the air.¡± ¡°So, the ck water hasn¡¯t spread?¡± Ruel asked, feeling a sense of unease at Hikars¡¯s response. ¡°That¡¯s correct. I don¡¯t sense any corrupted energy of death.¡± -Setiria. Was this voice calling out to him from a monster? ¡°Something is consuming my existence. I can no longer maintain myself.¡± He recalled the words of Rupina, the guardian that guarded the spirit¡¯s home. Her friend, the guardian Mayre, had said that Rupina had been corrupted, but it wasn¡¯t due to the ck water. At that time, Leo didn¡¯t mention that it was against the natural order. This situation seemed simr¡ªit wasn¡¯t due to the ck water. ¡®Then why are the monsters behaving this way?¡¯ The monsters were the Guardians who watched over the Great Man. Didn¡¯t Jan mention they only targeted the Great Man? Yet now, they were attacking adventurers. ¡°Death is deeply settled here. I called for others because I can¡¯t handle it alone.¡± Seeing Hikars¡¯s anxious behavior, Ruel felt a sense of doubt. It was said that such events urred every year in the Kingdom of Kran. But Hikars¡¯s expression now looked like someone facing a scene he had never seen before. ¡°This is an annual urrence in the Kingdom of Kran. Were you not aware?¡± Ruel questioned. ¡°We travel to many ces, including the Kingdom of Kran, but I swear, it wasn¡¯t this direst year.¡± ¡®It wasn¡¯t this badst year?¡¯ That couldn¡¯t be true. Glen Syria of the Red Ash had been involved for two decades¡ª something was amiss. ¡®Has the Red Ash covered the warlock¡¯s eyes? Why?¡¯ As his thought continued, Ruel felt a chill run down his spine. The soldiers were only present to protect Glen Syria, and a strange situation was unfolding where only adventurers filled the area. Moreover, hadn¡¯t Cassion mentioned that there were few corpses? Adventurers were a profession that typically had a high risk of death, meaning they were often easy to dispose of. ¡®Could it be that all of this is to gather materials to create the ck water¡­?¡¯ No way. Ruel clenched his fists tightly. ¡°Ganien, did you notice anything unusual while capturing Hikars?¡± Ganien¡¯s expression darkened slightly, ¡°I was just about to mention that.¡± At the mention of something being off, even Ruel¡¯s face darkened. Ganien stroked his chin as he spoke. ¡°The deeper I went down the mountain, the stranger it felt. It was like something was seeping out through a blocked gap. But it¡¯s quite vague.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It feels like something is obstructed, yet I can¡¯t see it,¡± Ganien exined. ¡°You can¡¯t see it?¡± Ruel was taken aback. If Ganien couldn¡¯t see it, his gaze instinctively turned to Cassion. ¡°No matter how sharp my vision is, I can¡¯t see that distance. I¡¯ll investigate now,¡± Cassion dered before vanishing into the shadows, startling Hikars. Leo chuckled softly. ¡ªThis body was just as surprised as you! Soon, Leo opened his eyes wide and rushed over to Hikars, circling around him. It seemed he was checking the pouch that produced the powder mixed with darkness. Ganien, conscious of where Cassion had disappeared, spoke up. ¡°If Cassion can¡¯t see it either, it might be rted to mana. Even if the essence of aura is mana, the perspective of a wizard is different.¡± He then turned to Hikars, adding, ¡°In my view, a warlock isn¡¯t quite a wizard.¡± Hikars nodded, ¡°That¡¯s true. We¡¯re often called wizards due to our use of simple magic, but we are merely servants of death.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant.¡± Ganien wanted to say that, unlike a wizard, his physical strength was monstrous, but he held his itchy mouth shut. He wasn¡¯tfortable enough with Hikars to say that yet. ¡°Ruel, you¡¯re likely the best among us at sensing mana,¡± Ganien remarked. Ruel chuckled, ¡°If Cassion caught wind of that, it¡¯d be chaos.¡± ¡°Since we¡¯re on the subject, let me ask. Why is Cassion so overprotective of you? It¡¯s a behavior that doesn¡¯t match his personality at all.¡± ¡°Perhaps you should ask why he became my butler first, or how our paths crossed.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. If you want to talk about itter, let me know then.¡± With the teasing remark and Ruel¡¯s sharp smile, Ganien decided not to pry further. ¡ªRuel, Ruel. Leo, waiting for their conversation to end, urgently called out to Ruel. ¡°What¡± ¡ªTell that human to give this body the powder. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Knowing how long Leo had been waiting, Ruel looked at Hikars. Hikars was staring at him, as if ready to follow anymand. ¡®He¡¯s even more devoted than Aris.¡¯ While Aris was loyal, Hikars looked at him as if he worshiped him like a god. It felt even more burdensome. ¡°The powder from the ck Wayfinder doesn¡¯t require a sacrifice of life, does it?¡± ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. It guides the deceased to the right path, ensuring a corrupted death is led to a righteous death.¡± ¡°Could you give that powder to Leo?¡± As soon as Ruel finished speaking, Leo¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at Hikars. Hikars smiled broadly, ¡°Of course. I was a bit surprised that the great purifier enjoyed this.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t know either.¡± ¡ªThis body didn¡¯t know either! Leo licked his lips and began to fidget in ce. ¡°Can you see it?¡± Ganien, with his arms crossed, spoke while looking into the air. At that moment, Cassion reappeared. He looked at Ruel and said, ¡°It seems there¡¯s a barrier. The smell is quite different in a specific area.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t see it either, did you? Right?¡± Ganien chuckled and asked again. Since Cassion remained silent, it was implicitly agreed that he hadn¡¯t seen it either. In the end, it was clear that Ruel had to get involved. That was eptable. ¡°Cassion, pass me another fever reducer,¡± Ruel requested, ensuring he was adequately prepared for whaty ahead. Cassion hesitated, ncing at Hikars, but eventually handed the fever reducer to Ruel with a resigned sigh. Ruel¡¯s determination to go forth made any further protests pointless. *** ¡°Over there.¡± Cassion pointed to the location with his finger. At first nce, it looked just like any other ce, but the smell of blood was much stronger. ¡°That¡¯s it. I sensed a blockage there too,¡± Ganien affirmed. They had deliberately circled around the outskirts, aware of the adventurers. Since Cassion and Ganien took turns checking if anyone was following, Ruel felt reassured as he approached the spot they indicated. However, the relentless blizzard made it difficult for Ruel to see ahead. ¡°Leo, do you smell anything out of the natural order?¡± ¡ªNot at all. This body is focusing its nose right now to catch the scent! After enjoying the powder mixed with darkness, Leo was in high spirits. ¡ªHuh¡­! Leo¡¯s ears perked up. As some of the powder Hikars sprinkled flew towards Ruel, Leo quickly stuck out his tongue. Since they hade down beyond the defensive line, Hikars began to scatter the powder like a madman. With each sprinkle, Leo¡¯s head moved busily in response. Swish! Ruel shielded his eyes with his hand against the fierce snowstorm. Thanks to Hikars¡¯s Hold, his body wasn¡¯t strained, but the heavy snowfall made it incredibly difficult to keep his eyes open. ¡°Are you alright?¡± At Cassion¡¯s question, Ruel nodded. Cassion and Ganien were unperturbed by the snow falling down on them, and Hikars didn¡¯t seem to struggle as much as he did. Ruel had no choice but to call Leo. ¡°Leo, can you stop the snow around me?¡± ¡ªUnderstood! Ruel felt Leo¡¯s tail perk up. The snow that had been pouring down like it was piercing his face gradually slowed, falling softly like petals. ¡°Perfect.¡± The snow fell slowly around him, barely noticeable from a distance. When Leo looked at him with eyes seeking praise, Ruel patted his head. ¡ªHehe. This body helped Ruel! As they progressed, a peculiar wall with intricate patterns came into view. It looked out of ce against the surrounding scenery, yet strangely felt familiar. Cassion, who had been walking ahead, suddenly stopped. ¡®¡­?¡¯ Ruel blinked as he inhaled Breath. Wondering why Cassion had stopped, he looked around, but the scenery remained unchanged, so he turned his gaze back ahead. ¡®¡­!¡¯ Soon, Ruel understood the meaning behind Cassion¡¯s halt. It was right there. The wall that both Ganien and Cassion had found strange was now visible. Perhaps this wall was something only he could see. ¡°There¡¯s definitely more death umting around here.¡± Hikars stood right in front of the wall and began to sprinkle the powder. Then, he boldly walked through the wall. ¡®¡­!¡¯ Ruel¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He had suspected it wasn¡¯t an ordinary wall, but he hadn¡¯t expected to be able to pass through it. ¡°Strangely, there¡¯s no hint of death within. What do you perceive, Ruel-nim?¡± Hikars directed his gaze towards Ruel. ¡°It appears you can see something.¡± Ganien didn¡¯t miss the moment Ruel looked surprised. ¡°Indeed. There¡¯s a wall here,¡± Ruel confirmed, pointing towards the invisible barrier. Cassion, with a dry chuckle, followed Ruel¡¯s gesture, realizing there was nothing visible to him. It seemed that only Ruel could see it. ¡®Ah.¡¯ Cassion was reminded once again that his master was like an onion. ¡°A wall, not mana?¡± Ganien asked, startled. ¡°Yes, a wall. A rather peculiar one,¡± Ruel responded before inhaling another Breath, scrutinizing the wall that starkly contrasted with its surroundings. ¡°Hikars, release the hold.¡± ¡°Understood. I will release it right away.¡± As Hikars released the hold, the pressure that had been weighing on Ruel disappeared, allowing him to take a deep breath. ¡°Ruel-nim, what are you getting yourself into this time?¡± Cassion¡¯s voice was filled with disbelief, and Ruel couldn¡¯t help butugh.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 161: Second Line of Defense (3) ¡°Well, I¡¯d like to know too. Maybe if we look closely at the pattern on the wall, we¡¯ll figure it out?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a pattern?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll need to get a closer look.¡± Ruel didn¡¯t find the wall unfamiliar, but he didn¡¯t think it had been built with good intentions. After all, he had been told that death lingered deeply where the wall was, and that the smell of blood was thick. He thought it must be meant to block something. ¡°Leo, step away for a moment.¡± ¡ªThis body will stay with Ruel. Leo snuggled close to Ruel, turning his head to the side.¡°I just want you out here as a precaution.¡± Unsure if the wall held a trap, Ruel decided to ensure Leo¡¯s safety by setting him down. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take care of yourself as well as the beast, Ruel-nim?¡± Cassion spoke in a displeased voice, but there was nothing he could do. ¡°What am I supposed to do when only I can see it?¡± As Leo continued to insist, Ruel had no choice but to pull him out and hand him over to Cassion. Leo, reluctant to leave, clung to Ruel¡¯s arm, closing his eyes and letting out a loud protest. ¡ªThis, this body doesn¡¯t want Ruel to get hurt! ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt.¡± Leo opened his eyes and looked at Ruel. ¡ªReally? But Ruel gets hurt all the time. ¡°Leo.¡± Leo frowned at Ruel¡¯s firm voice. ¡ªThis body. This body¡­ ¡°I won¡¯t get hurt, so don¡¯t worry.¡± Ruel gently patted Leo¡¯s head. Thrrr. Slowly, Leo¡¯s front paw drooped helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ll go check ande back.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Cassion took Leo and handed him to Hikars. ¡°You stay here. It could be troublesome if you get involved. Just assess the situation ande runningter. You can get here fast, right?¡± At Ruel¡¯smand, filled with concern and trust, Cassion hesitated. It had been a long time since someone had worried about him. It was particrly surprising that it was Ruel who was giving such concern. Ruel strode toward the wall. As he approached, his eyes widened in amazement. ¡®That pattern is¡­¡¯ It was a shield design, depicting two snakes intertwined, biting their own tails. ¡®It¡¯s Setiria.¡¯ Ruel couldn¡¯t fail to recognize that symbol. Tentatively, he reached out to touch the wall. Suddenly, a sky-blue shield, symbolizing the head of the family, appeared on the back of his hand. -Setiria. And then he heard a voice. ¡°¡­!¡± It was the same voice he had briefly heard from inside the defensive line. -Destroy this wall. Unlike previously, the following words were clearly audible. ¡°Destroy the wall?¡± Ruel didn¡¯t act hastily. He knew there was something within this wall. Crackle. At the sudden noise, Ruel felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. ¡°¡­Hah.¡± He quickly exhaled deeply. The sound had made his head spin. -Destroy this wall that conceals countless deaths. ¡®A wall that conceals death?¡¯ The unknown voice imed that the wall had intentionally hidden death. With widened eyes, Ruel slowly lifted his gaze. ¡®If what it says is true¡­?¡¯ If death umtes, new life cannot be born. Who would have concealed this? For what purpose would they have done so? ¡®Is it true?¡¯ It felt as if the horrific scenario he had imagined was slowly bing a reality. His mouth felt dry. And the biting cold wind made his entire body ache. ¡®Is it true that monsters and adventurers were used as materials to create the ck water?¡¯ Unsure whether the words were true or false, Ruel hesitated. Crack. ¡®¡­?¡¯ At that moment, an ominous sound echoed. ¡®What is that?¡¯ A sound of breaking came from Ruel¡¯s hand, which was gripping the wall. Ruel hurriedly pulled his hand away, but once the crack had started, it wouldn¡¯t stop. ¡®Damn it! I only touched it!¡¯ Feeling unjustly targeted, Ruel stepped back, his expression a mix of frustration and disbelief. There was no turning back now. All he could do was witness the wall crumbling away. Soon, the pattern that had appeared on his hand faded, and the copsing wall dissolved. The concealed area behind the wall slowly revealed itself. ¡®Death¡­¡¯ He saw the death he had witnessed while holding Hikars¡¯s hand. A thick, dark fog filled the area, so dense that it made even the night feel bright. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks, overwhelmed by the flood of sorrow that surged forth without warning. He felt pity for them, and his heart ached. The fog reached out toward him once more, just as it had before. Ruel didn¡¯t shy away. He couldn¡¯t escape the gentle gazes of those who looked at him with kindness. -Thank you. Thank you so much. -It was so cold here, but now it¡¯s warm. -Spring has finally¡­e. Countless expressions of gratitude poured in, but it didn¡¯t sound chaotic. Ruel raised his finger and pointed towards the light they should follow. ¡®Go that way.¡¯ They expressed their gratitude once more and walked toward the light. Their steps seemed light and joyful, as if they were walking on across a cloud, causing Ruel to smile involuntarily. As they approached the light, the thick, dark fog gradually lost its color, turning as white as snow. ¡°This, this doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± At Hikars¡¯s voice from behind, Ruel wiped his tears and turned around. Not only Hikars but everyone else hade running. ¡ªRuel! Leo rushed toward Ruel. Ruel hugged Leo and patted him. ¡°I had no idea there was so much death. It¡¯s¡­ unbelievable.¡± Hikars looked up at the sky, tears streaming down his face. ¡°Ruel, is that what death really looks like?¡± When Ganien asked, Ruel looked at him in surprise. ¡°Can you see it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not clear, but I can see something dark and murky.¡± ¡ªThis body can see it too. Leo said, rubbing his face against Ruel¡¯s chest. ¡°Normally, only the Devotees of Darkness and the Servants of Death can see it, but the umted death was so thick that it became visible.¡± Hikars, who had been gazing up at the sky, finally spoke. Ruel inhaled Breath and looked toward the ce where the dark fog had vanished. There was nothing there but piles of snow. How long had they been trapped in that ce? The once purendscape now tasted bittersweet in Ruel¡¯s mouth. ¡°Thank you, Ruel-nim. I don¡¯t know how to repay this kindness.¡± Hikars quickly wiped his tears and looked at Ruel with a mix of deep gratitude and respect. ¡°You have saved countless lives. If this death had turned into a corrupted death, something unimaginable might have happened.¡± Even Ganien, who didn¡¯t possess any attributes rted to darkness, could see the umted death. What would have happened if that death had been transformed into ck water, as Hikars mentioned? He didn¡¯t even want to imagine it. Hah. A white breath escaped Ruel¡¯s lips as he exhaled. Why on earth had their enemies built a strange wall and gathered death behind it? It didn¡¯t seem like it was simply to create ck water. ¡®And why is Setiria involved?¡¯ Ruel felt a sense of unease as he gazed at the ce where the monsters were gathered. There was something there. His instincts whispered that to him. But Ruel turned away. ¡®Glen Syriaes first.¡¯ For now, he would swallow this unease and focus on confronting Glen. Regardless of the reasons, he had thwarted the enemies¡¯ ns. And it was a significant n at that. Ruel coughed and raised the corners of his mouth in a slight smile. *** Ruel waited for Glen at the spot. He would surelye if he knew something was wrong with the wall. Rather than fighting within the secondary defense line, this was the perfect ce to meet Glen, where neither monsters nor adventurers woulde. ¡°He¡¯sing.¡± At Cassion¡¯s voice, Ruel opened his eyes. ¡°Cough.¡± After coughing, Ruel inhaled Breath and looked up at the now darkening sky. Thanks to Leo, he wasn¡¯t cold, so Ruel spoke first upon seeing Cassion¡¯s concerned expression. ¡°I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help too. Lately, I¡¯ve been doing more writing than fighting with a sword.¡± Ganien warmed up his body in advance. ¡°Alright, just bring Glen to me.¡± Slurp, slurp. Ruel turned his gaze to Leo who seemed excited, making slurping noises. Leo was busy burying his face in his meal bowl, eating the powder Hikars had poured in it. ¡®It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t feed him.¡¯ ¡ªIt¡¯s enough now. This body can¡¯t eat anymore. Leo rolled over, having stopped eating. Hikars paused his hand that was pouring the powder and asked, ¡°Are you done eating?¡± ¡ªThis body is full. Leo nodded while tapping his belly with his short front paw. ¡°Then I¡¯ll stay here,¡± Cassion decided, watching Ganien warm up. It seemed unnecessary for both of them to go. ¡°Aren¡¯t youing?¡± ¡°Do I really need to go against those guys?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s true.¡± The soldiers around Glen weren¡¯t particrly skilled, so Cassion¡¯s presence wasn¡¯t necessary. Ganien felt a bit disappointed since he had intended to test his sword against Cassion while facing the enemy. His fingers twitched, gripping his sword tightly, as he nced at Cassion. ¡°I¡¯ll settle it with youter.¡± Cassion threw a simple sentence at Ganien, who was feeling regretful. ¡°¡­?¡± Ganien looked at Cassion with a dazed expression. ¡°Wasn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± ¡°It is, but why? Did you eat something weird?¡± It was unlike Cassion to acknowledge him. ¡°That sparring match was quite fun that day.¡± Despite saying it was fun, Cassion¡¯s expression remained t. Ganien beamed instantly. ¡°Exactly! It was exhrating. The only one I could truly spar with¡­¡± Ganien paused briefly, a broad smile on his face. ¡°Because you¡¯re my friend.¡± Swish. Ganien unsheathed his sword, resting it on his shoulder, and walked away. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be on my way.¡± He waved lightly and pushed through the snow. ¡°Must be nice, being friends with Ganien.¡± Ruel chuckled as he spoke. He hadn¡¯t intended to tease, but seeing Cassion¡¯s flustered face made it hard to hold back hisughter. ¡°It¡¯s time for your medicine,¡± Cassion stated, his hand holding out the medicine feeling unusually cold. ¡°Sure,¡± Ruel replied, smiling as he took the medicine. Cassion¡¯s expression gradually hardened. ¡°In truth, you¡¯re quite simr to Ganien, aren¡¯t you, Cassion?¡± ¡°Yes¡­?¡± ¡°Ganien is one of the rare few who can truly spar with you.¡± ¡°Well, he can endure against my de.¡± ¡°Look after him. Ganien is my only friend.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best,¡± Cassion replied, a slight frown on his face. *** Ganien¡¯s steps were unusually light. A rematch with Cassion. He had already surpassed his previous level, yet the anticipation of the duel set his heart racing. Perhaps he could break through the barrier he had faced before. No, maybe he could even surpass it. Hah. Ganien took a deep breath. He didn¡¯t have the skills to hide and approach like Cassion did. That was something only an assassin could do. He was a knight. The best thing a knight could do was protect someone. And the one he needed to protect now was Ruel. The number of enemies was about ten, including Glen and the first target he needed to charge at was none other than Glen Syria. Ganien sheathed his sword and dashed forward. Right now, he had no heavy armor weighing him down, norades to rely on, and no one to entrust his life to. His calves burned with heat as he charged forward like a war chariot. ¡°Stop right there!¡± Pushing through the enemies who noticed his presence, he grabbed Glen by the cor and mmed him down to the ground. Thud! All he needed was the enemy¡¯s mouth. He struck Glen¡¯s legs with his sword to prevent him from escaping. Crack! ¡°Aaah!¡± With the sound of bones breaking, Glen screamed in agony. ¡°Hah.¡± Taking aposed breath, Ganien unsheathed his sword once more. The distance to the enemy was a single step. So, he advanced just one step and swung his sword. Before the severed head of the enemy hit the ground, before the blood sttered on him, he moved fluidly like water, targeting the heart of the enemy standing behind. Thud! In the blink of an eye, two enemies fell dead. Gulp. The remaining soldiers hesitated, ncing at each other. They trembled under the gaze of the blue eyes that looked at them like a fierce beast. This was not someone they could dare to face. They had to run. But in that moment, a chilling aura pierced their backs, freezing them in ce. ¡°I can¡¯t leave any witnesses alive. Sorry,¡± Ganien spoke with regret in his eyes. *** Thud. Ganien threw Glen into the snow. ¡°Damn you! Who the hell are you! Do you know who I am?¡± Ruelughed at Glen¡¯s crushed feet while listening to Glen¡¯s screams with one ear. Soon, Ruel looked at Ganien. Not a drop of blood had sttered on his clothes. ¡°Nice and clean.¡± ¡°As for the leg, he won¡¯t be able to use itter anyway. I broke it on purpose.¡± Ganien looked at Glen as if he were trash. He caused countless people to die, and also turned a blind eye to it. That alone was enough to ignite Ganien¡¯s sense of justice. Ruel looked back at Glen. Glen was shouting fiercely, but he couldn¡¯t hide his pain and fear. ¡°Oh, curious about our identities? Allow me to introduce myself,¡± Ruel stated before removing his mask. Seeing Glen¡¯s horrified expression, Ruel smiled. Of course. How could the Red Ash not know him? To them, he was a well-known celebrity. ¡°Now, do you recognize me?¡±Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. Chapter 162: Welcome ¡°Ruel Setiria. Yes, you! It¡¯s you!¡± Glen was excited and tried to get up immediately, but it was impossible with his crushed foot. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you, enduring this cold ce. Let¡¯s make it quick.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath and looked at Cassion. The warlock, whose mind was corrupted and who held hands with Red Ash, was a madman. Was Glen any different? He had been raised by the Red Ash since he was a child. Faster than inflicting physical pain, the confession potion would work wonders. Cassion nodded, forcing Glen¡¯s mouth open to administer the confession potion.Glen¡¯s pupils dted rapidly. ¡°What is your name?¡± Ruel asked for a name as an example. ¡°Glen Syria.¡± Though his voice was weak, Glen said his name correctly. Confirming that the confession potion was effective, Ruel adjusted the nket that had slipped down and asked, ¡°Is there a mana oath ced on you?¡± ¡°There is¡­ I swore an oath of eternal loyalty to the Great Man until my death.¡± Loyalty. It was a very subjective and ambiguous condition. Ruel decided he needed to approach this situation cautiously. Since an oath of mana was involved, there were many things he couldn¡¯t ask. ¡°This ce operates for the Great Man, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct. This ce exists for the Great Man.¡± ¡°The reason Death is confined here is also for the Great Man, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yes. Everything is for him. For his stolen past.¡± ¡®A stolen past?¡¯ Ruel felt puzzled, but this wasn¡¯t something he needed to resolve immediately. He continued the conversation calmly and without wavering. ¡°Ruel Setiria must die for the Great Man. Is that right?¡± Glen shook his head in response. ¡°No. Ruel Setiria must not die.¡± In an instant, Ruel frowned. That was not the answer he had anticipated. ¡®Is the confession potion really working?¡¯ As Ruel was taken aback by the unexpected response, Glen suddenly started to weep. ¡°This ce¡­¡± Ruel¡¯s eyes subtly wavered. Deep guilt clouded Glen¡¯s eyes, ¡°I¡¯ve ruined everything. It was a task entrusted to me by him¡­ a humble servant.¡± ¡°What did you ruin?¡± Ruel asked with a stern expression. His stomach churned at having to look at his disgusting face, let alone the man¡¯s tears. ¡°I messed up the way for him to return to Leponia, breaking through the damn barrier surrounding it. That was something I should have aplished.¡± ¡®Is he talking about using ck water to destroy the barrier?¡¯ Beyond killing the adventurers and monsters, he had thought there must be another reason for hiding death within the wall. A sense of futility washed over him. ¡°Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Suddenly, Glen spoke Ruel¡¯s name. ¡°He was a Devotee of Darkness born in Setiria after hundreds of years,¡± Glen continued while tears streamed down his face. ¡°Ruel Setiria, he was supposed to be the next vessel for the Great Man¡­¡± ¡°What?¡± Ganien was taken aback, and Cassion grabbed his hand with difficulty, his face contorted. ¡®I am¡­ to be the next vessel for the Great Man?¡¯ Ruel felt his mouth go dry, and it seemed the ground was slowly crumbling beneath him. Hisplexion turned pale as if all the blood had drained from his body. His heart raced uncontrobly behind heavy eyelids. ¡®So¡­ the Great Man only sees me¡­¡¯ One by one, pieces began to fall into ce. ¡®The mark that the Great Man left on me.¡¯ It was something that had never been present in the previous head of the household, Trino Setiria. There had been times he questioned why Trino had not received such a mark if it was indeed possible. It wasn¡¯t that it couldn¡¯t be done; it was that it hadn¡¯t been done. Trino Setiria was not a devotee of darkness. ¡®The mark was a symbol indicating the next in line.¡¯ Ruel Setiria survived for five years after being marked. ¡®It was not that I survived¡­ but that I was left alive.¡¯ The mark he left could be reversed at any time if he wanted. Hadn¡¯t he experienced that in his second meeting with him? Even if the actions of the Red Ash trying to kill him were sincere, ultimately, he was the one controlling everything. He designed the n so that Ruel wouldn¡¯t die, wouldn¡¯t doubt, and would only look forward. The overwhelming truth made his senses begin to dull. He could no longer tell if the wind brushing against his face was cold. ¡®Yes. I should have realized it when the one who knows about the power left by the hero¡ªor rather, the power left by the Great Man¡ªkept trying to kill me.¡¯ As if assisting the growth of insufficient strength. To think that he had imed victory without realizing he was being yed. There was a reason behind everything. He was the prey, and the Great Man was enjoying the hunt. ¡®That crazy bastard.¡¯ The back of his head throbbed. It felt as if all his efforts had turned to ash, leaving him feeling utterly dejected. ¡®Damn bastard!¡¯ When he first met the Great Man, it might have been by chance that the Great Man found him, but everything¡ªthe desire to kill him, the stabbing¡ªhad all just been an act. ¡°Wait for me.¡± When he met the Great Man for the second time, the words he had said while pointing at him echoed in his mind. ¡°Now my time hase.¡± ¡®He didn¡¯t mean it as a deration of war; he was saying it was time for him to take over my body!¡¯ A hollowugh escaped his lips. It was a bitter mockery of his own foolishness for not realizing anything while merely nurturing his power. To grasp the fading sensation around him, Ruel clenched his fist tightly. It felt as if everything he had been holding back was ready to pour out at any moment. It seemed like he would fragment and disappear into pieces at any second. The taste of blood lingered from biting down on his lips too hard. ¡°Then¡­¡± Ruel began to speak but inhaled Breath sharply. His breath was bing ragged again. ¡®Calm down.¡¯ He had topose himself and extract everything he could from Glen for now. It was imperative. Remembering the summit he had seen in the mountains that day, he took a deep breath. Don¡¯t look back, just slowly move forward. ¡°The deaths that gathered here were the materials needed for the next vessel, weren¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Yeah, that was it¡­¡± ¡°The ck water is still here, isn¡¯t it?¡± Ruel gritted his teeth as he asked. ¡°It¡¯s not enough. We need more, more. If we¡¯d collected just a little more here¡­ then it would have been enough for the price. I¡¯ve ruined everything!¡± ¡°Then can¡¯t you just break the barrier in Leponia with the ck water?¡± Glen suddenly looked up at Ruel. A deep anger could be seen in his eyes. ¡°That damned Setiria and the Royal Family¡¯s conditions weren¡¯t just a stupid rock and a key! If the final condition isn¡¯t met, then it¡¯ll go ¡®boom!¡¯¡± ¡°Explode? What?¡± ¡°What the Great Man is searching for he has long been yearning for.¡± Ruel furrowed his brow at Glen¡¯s vague words. It seemed that to retrieve ¡®something¡¯ from the royal treasury, another condition needed to be fulfilled. ¡°To think Setiria¡ªhow absurd! That it would impose additional conditions without anyone knowing!¡± Listening to Glen rather than interrogating him, Ruel remained quiet. ¡°The third condition, something the Great Man wanted, something that Setiria would definitely take¡­ Cough!¡± Glen spat blood before finishing his sentence. ¡®So, this is where it ends.¡¯ It appeared his loyalty had limits. Though disappointing, Ruel had still gathered more useful information than he expected. Ruel inhaled Breath. His fingertips trembled as he held Breath. The previously dted pupils of Glen snapped back into focus. ¡°Setiria. Setiria! Do you think you have won? The Great Man is above you¡­¡± Ganien stepped in front of Ruel, and soon after, Glen¡¯s head fell to the ground. ¡°It seems he has lost his usefulness,¡± Cassion said, wiping the blood off his dagger. ¡°Yeah.¡± Ruel replied tly, looking at Leo. Leo¡¯s eyes flickered. Sensing Ruel¡¯s tumultuous emotions, Leo ttened his ears and shivered. His anger and sorrow were immense. The emotions were so deep that Leo had no idea what to do. ¡ªRuel¡­? ¡°Ruel.¡± Ganien and Leo called Ruel almost simultaneously. It was obvious what they would say. ¡°His n has failed.¡± Ruel said, stroking Leo. Regardless of whether the Great Man had viewed him as the next vessel, it was already over. He had released the death that had been deeply trapped, and now he would no longer be taken over. Though uncertain, Glen had implied as much. ¡°I tore it down.¡± Ruel managed a slight smile, but the expression looked almost precarious, as if emotions would burst forth at any moment. ¡°Are you¡­ okay?¡± Ganien cautiously asked, but Ruel remained silent. ¡ªHe¡¯s not okay. Ruel is still holding it all in. This body knows. He could only listen to Leo¡¯s sobbing voice and gently press Leo¡¯s head away from the sight of Glen¡¯s corpse. He turned his gaze toward the ce where the monsters were gathered. Knowing that the Great Man had secretly prepared a significant gift, it seemed only fitting that he should repay that kindness in some way. ¡°Cassion,¡± Ruel called out. Cassion approached him, subtly signaling for Ganien to remain quiet. Ganien hesitated¡ªhow could Ruel be soposed after hearing such news? He himself felt his heart racing in surprise. Yet, he was told to stay still. ¡°If you get a message from the delegation, handle whatever you can on your own.¡± At Ruel¡¯s final words, Cassion looked at the ce he had been briefly looking at. There were only monsters there. ¡°Are you nning to put an end to this situation, Ruel-nim?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ruel nodded. Since earlier, he had been hearing small voices, one by one. Too significant to ignore, yet too faint to listen closely. Different voices, but the content was the same. It was asking for help for the Guardian. They asked for the release of the Guardian from this ce. Realizing the astonishing truth, he couldn¡¯t afford to wallow in despair. Regardless of the reasons behind the monsters¡¯ rampage, now that death had been unleashed, it was time to bring this all to an end. There was no reason to continue this pointless fight. That had toe first. The reasons for the rampage could be investigatedter through the monsters themselves. ¡°Hikars.¡± Ruel called out, and Hikars promptly responded. ¡°Yes, what is yourmand?¡± Hikars¡¯s eyes held many emotions but he remained silent. No, he couldn¡¯t dare to say anything to Ruel. ¡°I hope the things you¡¯ve heard here do not leave your lips.¡± ¡°Of course. I¡¯ve already forgotten what happened today and what we talked about.¡± Satisfied with Hikars¡¯s wise judgment, Ruel smiled contentedly. Ruel inhaled Breath and started walking again. The shadows would take care of the cleanup. ¡°Ruel.¡± Ruel stopped in his tracks after only a few steps, turning to face Ganien. ¡°Let out a scream or something. I¡¯ll pretend I didn¡¯t hear it.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just scream as much as I¡¯d like; my throat isn¡¯t that sturdy.¡± ¡°Then get angry or something.¡± ¡°My body reacts quickly¡ªit¡¯s a bit sensitive.¡± What he had said to Ganien was all true. Even in situations that deserved to be cursed at, his body was too weak and sensitive to properly express his emotions. The trembling in his hands and the dizziness that had started after he had gotten a little angry hadn¡¯t stopped yet. ¡°Fuck!¡± Ganien eximed as he kicked his foot. He then looked at Ruel with a frustrated expression. ¡°What the hell is this? What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re the victim. You should be the one who¡¯s most angry¡­ Why, why are you the one holding it in?¡± Ruel chuckled. ¡°Then go ahead and do it for me.¡± ¡°Is this how it¡¯s always been?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Every time something like this happens, have you always held it in?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Ganien ruffled his hair in frustration. Ruel smiled, almost mockingly, and retorted. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Why, you ask!¡± Was it really okay to just hold it in like that? The thought of someone taking his body from him was disgusting and terrifying, yet it had actually happened. How could anyone remain indifferent in such a situation? Ganien red at Cassion. ¡°Cassion! At least you¡­¡± ¡°You want me to offer some petty constion?¡± Cassion scoffed. Ganien was taken aback by his behavior, ¡°What¡­?¡± ¡°Constion? What good would that do? I don¡¯t know what Ruel-nim is feeling. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t interfere, you idiot.¡± If Ruel himself could endure it, what could Cassion, who wasn¡¯t involved, say? Ganien bit his lip, loosening his clenched fist. He couldn¡¯t say anything to the meaning of his pointless meddling. ¡°Ganien.¡± Ruel called out to Ganien. At the unchanged voice, Ganien¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel smiled and then resumed walking forward. Ganien, clutching his head in frustration, was at a loss for words. He finally realized just how much Ruel was carrying on his shoulders, unable to let anything go. Cassion and Hikars followed behind Ruel. As their figures grew distant, Ganien slowly began to move his feet. Taking a deep breath, he called out to Ruel once more. ¡°Ruel.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You fool. You stubborn fool¡­!¡± Ruel chuckled at those words. ¡°Are you actuallyughing?¡± ¡°I am.¡± Ganien sighed. ¡°Feel free to talk whenever you want¡ªdrop the titles, the nation and rank. I¡¯ll listen as your closest friend.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Ganien was certainly someone who could offer that kind of support. But now was not the time. Ruel walked and walked, inhaling Breath. He came to a halt, finally facing the monsters that had been waiting atop the mountain, now charging toward the adventurers below. Watching this unfold, Ruelmanded them with a bright gleam in his green eyes. ¡°Everyone, stop.¡± Zzing. His head throbbed. -Did you call us? -Is this what you wish? -Did you stop us? The monsters halted in unison, all eyes on Ruel. Hundreds, no, thousands of voices echoed simultaneously. It felt as though someone was gripping his head and shaking it, but he had to endure. If the Great Man were to take everything from him, he would make sure to bring down everything the Great Man had in return. He had to. With great difficulty, Ruel forced his mouth to open. ¡°¡­Yes. I have stopped you.¡± No more would he be used by the Great Man. ¡°Now, do not be bound here.¡± He wished for their suffering to end. ¡°Return to where you belong and do what you wish.¡± Drip. Blood trickled down. When Ruel staggered, Cassion and Ganien caught him. -If it is what you wish. -I will do as you say. -What you wish is what we wish. The gathered monsters began to disperse instantly. The sudden shift in their behavior startled the adventurers, whose murmurs echoed around, but Ruelughed. This was it. This was enough. No one needed to be sacrificed. No more death would ur. The snow touching his face grew cold again. The wind howled as if it could tear his ears off. Ha. As Ruel exhaled, white breath rose into the air. Struggling to keep his heavy-lidded eyes open, he gazed at the snow falling around him. Even though he was tired of it all, the snow drifting gently around him looked as beautiful as flower petals.Author''s Thoughts Kindly read only at . You can get the advance chapter at Ko-Fi Shop. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 163: Welcome (2) *** ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± At Cassion¡¯s voice, Ruel opened his heavy eyelids. It was still dark outside the tent, suggesting the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet. ¡°There¡¯s an urgent message.¡± Ruel stared at Cassion with half-closed eyes. ¡°Treitol Kran is currently heading towards the delegation¡¯s procession.¡± ¡°What?¡± It felt like a thunderbolt waking him from sleep; he couldn¡¯tprehend the words.Ruel blinked. He ced his palm on his forehead and felt heat radiating from it. ¡°Treitol Kran¡­ you say?¡± His mind was still sluggish from sleep, making it difficult to think. ¡°Treitol Kran is approaching the procession of the delegation.¡± ¡°Right now?¡± ¡°Yes. We¡¯ve been monitoring Treitol¡¯s movements. He¡¯s taking a different route than usual, which confirmed our predictions that he¡¯s heading toward the delegation.¡± Ruel quickly sat up, urgency washing over him. Leo, who had been sleeping beside him, rolled over with a groggy sound. ¡°When?¡± ¡°The message just came in.¡± ¡°Contact Aris.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± ¡®Why now, of all times?¡¯ The timing felt all too perfect. -Cassi¡­ Ruel-nim! Aris stopped mid-sentence, startled by Ruel¡¯s paleplexion. He could sense something was wrong. What else has happened? Aris couldn¡¯t hide his anxious expression. -Go, good morning! I hope you¡¯ve been well¡­ ¡°Aris.¡± It wasn¡¯t the time to exchange pleasantries. -Yes. ¡°Treitol Kran is heading toward the delegation. The shadows will provide the location, so buy as much time as you can.¡± -Understood. ¡°I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Ruel maintained a firm smile at Aris before confirming themunication had ended. He then looked around and realized Ganien and Hikars were missing. ¡°What about Ganien?¡± ¡°Ganien went for his morning training, and Hikars went out to deal with the lingering dead.¡± Cassion paused before calling out to Ruel. ¡°Ruel-nim.¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t we need to hurry? Will we meet within an hour, even if we rush?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a way.¡± When Ruel smiled, Cassion didn¡¯t ask any more questions. ¡°What¡¯s the situation right now?¡± Ruel asked, cing Leo, who had rolled off, back on hisp. ¡°The remaining soldiers are searching for Glen Setiria. They¡¯ll probably never find him, though.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve spread the rumor that Glen Syria is dead, so the adventurers will soon leave this ce in a hurry. Some adventurers who have already noticed the situation are already leaving.¡± It was a good decision. Rumors have a tendency to spread uncontrobly, and it was only a matter of time before news of Glen¡¯s death became public. What mattered here wasn¡¯t just the spreading rumor but the fact that Glen was a noble. The disappearance of Glen in the midst of the assembled adventurers meant that everyone would soon find themselves as suspects. Since Glen was a lower-ranking noble, the investigation would likely fizzle out with time, but it was wiser to escape before getting entangled in troublesome matters. ¡°Have you erased any record of our presence?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Ruel inhaled Breath as he listened to Cassion¡¯s answer. It was crucial that no record remained of their presence here. Ruel didn¡¯t want to end up indebted to Banios over such a trivial matter. ¡°We need to leave this ce as well.¡± ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll go get the two of them right now.¡± Before exiting, Cassion took something from a corner and handed it to Ruel. When Cassion opened the closed lid, a steaming soup and a te of sulent meat greeted Ruel. ¡°It¡¯s still warm. Please have some, even if it¡¯s just a little.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Ruel smiled at the food, as he had just realized how hungry he was. ¡°And this¡­¡± ¡ª¡­Huh! As soon as Cassion pulled something else out, Leo¡¯s eyes shot wide open. ¡°Ha.¡± Ruelughed in disbelief. ¡ªIt¡¯s cocoa! This body knows that smell perfectly! Attracted by the aroma, Leo walked over to Cassion, his tail wagging enthusiastically. ¡°It¡¯s cocoa made by Astell. Just in case, I prepared some.¡± ¡°Perfect. I just wanted a drink.¡± Ruel smiled and epted the cup that Cassion offered. ¡ªThis body too¡­ . Just as Leo was about to cling to Cassion, he noticed there was only one cup and hesitated. He soon nced at Ruel with his eyes full of anticipation. The sadness that had been evident since yesterday had not faded. In fact, it may have diminished only as much as his front paw. Leo looked back at the cocoa, licking his lips. ¡ªRuel will drink it. This¡­ this body doesn¡¯t need it. Feeling a bit saddened, Leo thought he could willingly give up the sweet cocoa as long as it made Ruel happy. Ruel looked at Leo admirably and spoke up, ¡°Is there another cup?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Before Cassion could finish his sentence, Leo clung to him. ¡ªHurry up and give it to this body! Even without understanding Leo¡¯s words, Cassion could guess from his sparkling eyes what he wanted. He lightly tapped Leo on the head. It was a bit annoying when Leo only clung to him during these moments, but seeing those bright eyes made Cassion reluctantly pull out a special bowl and pour cocoa into it. ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be off.¡± Cassion took two steps back, bowed, and disappeared into the shadows. Inside the tent, the only sounds were the soft licking noises and the clinking of forks, knives, and spoons against bowls. ¡ªRuel. Leo lifted his face from his bowl and looked at Ruel. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡ªThis body wishes you wouldn¡¯t hold back so much. Both you and this body are too sad. Contrary to his words, Leo¡¯s tongue was darting out to lick the cocoa off the corners of his mouth. Ruel chuckled at the sight. ¡®Of course, I can¡¯t hide anything from Leo.¡¯ Since Leo was aware of his own feelings, no matter how hard he tried to conceal them, he couldn¡¯t truly hide them. ¡°Leo.¡± Ruel set down the fork he¡¯d been holding. It was definitely delicious, made by Cassion, but he couldn¡¯t fully taste it. He was deeply shocked by what the Great Man had done to take over his body and how he had yed along. ¡ªSpeak. ¡°Only you know how I feel.¡± Leo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡ªIs it alright if this body asks why only this body should know? ¡°¡­Um.¡± Ruel struggled to respond. ¡ªIs it hard to say? ¡°Yeah. I think so.¡± Slowly, Leo approached and rubbed his head against Ruel. ¡ªThis body can listen to anything. So say whatever you want when you¡¯re ready. ¡°Okay.¡± Ruel smiled as he stroked Leo¡¯s soft fur. He almost blurted out the scary truth, forgetting that Leo¡¯s mouth was so loose, but it was okay to hold off for now. ¡°Later. When I really can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯ll definitely tell you.¡± Ruel spoke again as if making a promise. Leo smiled. ¡ªAlright. This body can wait anytime! Seeing Leo head back to his food bowl, Ruel also took a sip of his cocoa. ¡°¡­Ha.¡± It was sweet. Thank goodness. It seemed his sense of taste had returned. Ruel closed his eyes for a moment to savor the sweetness filling his mouth before swallowing. Treitol Kran was heading towards the delegation. ording to previous investigations, he was a kind prince who didn¡¯t crave power and cared about his brother. But unlike when the delegation was sent from Kran, this time he wasing under the pretext of a farewell. ¡®There are two possibilities.¡¯ Either Treitol Kran was the Great Man or he was not. If he was not the Great Man, it meant he had something urgent to convey. ¡®Conversely, if he is the Great Man¡­ then it¡¯s to verify whether or not I¡¯ve been involved in this matter.¡¯ A smile crept onto Ruel¡¯s lips. The current position of the delegation and his own location had more than a day¡¯s difference. Since they probably already knew that there was no wizard in the delegation who was good enough to use teleportation magic, they probably decided that they couldn¡¯t travel long distances. That left one clear fact: Ruel Setiria wasn¡¯t in the carriage! ¡®What should I do?¡¯ Ruel happily took a bite of the meat stew, the juices bursting in his mouth, finally making him feel alive. ¡®They likely don¡¯t know that one can move without a mage.¡¯ The existence of a door that could open anywhere was probably unknown to them. Ruel synchronized his mana flow and opened his mouth. ¡°Jan.¡± *** ¡®I hear a sound.¡¯ Aris fidgeted with his hands at the sound of horse hooves. Had Treitol arrived sooner than expected? The carriage was still empty inside. Torto, who had escorted Ruel on the way to Cyronian, was again in charge of this journey. Knowing that Ruel wasn¡¯t inside the carriage, he cast a nce at Aris. ¡®He hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡¯ Aris shook his head, growing anxious as he repeatedly peeked into the carriage. As the dust kicked up by the horses drew closer, the knights unsheathed their swords and formed a protective stance around the carriage. Torto stepped forward and called out to those dismounting from their horses. ¡°Please identify yourselves first.¡± ¡°I apologize foring without prior notice.¡± As a man dismounted, those who had apanied him followed suit. The knights scrutinized them sharply. One of the men who dismounted approached Torto and presented a token. ¡°This is His Highness Treitol Kran, the second prince of the Kran Kingdom.¡± Torto carefully examined the token before bowing deeply, ¡°My apologies for not recognizing you, Your Highness.¡± The other knights followed suit and bowed their heads to Treitol. ¡°No need to apologize. I did not give any prior notice,¡± Treitol Kran replied, turning his gaze towards the carriage, ¡°Please convey my apologies to Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± Chapter 164: Welcome (3) ¡°¡­Ah. Wait a moment.¡± Treitol stopped Torto, who was about to approach the carriage. ¡°I will speak directly. After all, it¡¯s my fault.¡± Torto nced briefly at Aris, who shook his head. Ruel still hadn¡¯t arrived. At themand to dy as much time as possible, Aris clenched and unclenched his fist repeatedly before finally stepping forward. ¡°I greet the Great Small Sun of the Kran Kingdom.¡± ¡°Nice to meet you.¡± Treitol smiled.¡°I am Aris, the escort knight of Lord Ruel Setiria.¡± ¡°Are you the magic swordsman Aris?¡± ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing, but yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard much about you. You imbue magic into your sword, correct? If you have the time, I¡¯d love to see it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a great honor that you remember such a humble person.¡± Bowing his head, Aris cautiously addressed Treitol again. ¡°Your Highness. May this humble one speak?¡± ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°I regret to inform you that Ruel-nim is not in a condition to receive you at this time. Please allow me to convey this quietly.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± Seeing Treitol genuinely worried for Ruel, Torto felt a sense of relief inside. Surely, with this much concern, he wouldn¡¯t press further. ¡°I¡¯ve made a tremendous mistake. Not only did Ie unannounced, but I also approached the carriage of Setiria when he was unwell.¡± Treitol looked at Aris. ¡°Then¡­ can you let him know I would like to visitter to apologize?¡± ¡°Yes. Of course. I will ensure it is conveyed.¡± Only after hearing Aris¡¯s response did Treitol turn away. As Aris felt a wave of relief seeing Treitol take a step or two away from the carriage, his eyes widened suddenly. ¡°Aris, what kind of rudeness is that to His Highness?¡± The carriage door opened, and Ruel¡¯s voice came through. ¡°R-Ruel-nim! I apologize.¡± Aris stammered, shock evident in his expression, but he quickly concealed it, bowing his head towards the carriage. Ttak. Ttak. The sound of a cane striking the ground echoed. ¡°Cough.¡± Ruel¡¯s cough apanied his appearance. Treitol stopped in his tracks and turned back. For a moment, his eyes flickered. ¡°I am honored to meet the Great Little Sun. Please forgive my knight and my rudeness, Your Highness.¡± Supporting himself with the help of Cassion, Ruel stepped down and bowed his head to Treitol. ¡°No, I heard that you were¡­ not feeling well?¡± ¡°Even if I¡¯m unwell, how could I stay inside the carriage when you¡¯vee to visit, Your Highness?¡± With a simple smile, Ruel raised his head once more. Treitol looked taken aback. Why was he so surprised? Ruel didn¡¯t know the reason, but he was determined to strip away any mask Treitol Kran might be wearing. ¡°How could you arrive without any notice, Your Highness? If I had known in advance, I would havee out to greet you.¡± Having regained hisposure, Treitol slowly smiled. ¡°Lord Setiria, I was eager to meet you.¡± Ruel returned the smile. If the other party was brazen, then he had to be even more so. ¡°I also wanted to meet you, Your Highness.¡± Soon, Ruel¡¯s expression turned apologetic as he fiddled with his cane. ¡°¡­I truly apologize for our previous meeting being cut short due to my health. I hope you have been well, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Not at all. Don¡¯t worry about it. How have you been, Lord Setiria? I was worried since you weren¡¯t well at that time.¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine now. Thank you for your concern.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m d to hear that.¡± Treitol Kran smiled as if he were truly relieved. ¡°I have been waiting eagerly for you to arrive as an envoy to the Kran Kingdom. By the way, are you feeling alright now? You don¡¯t look your best.¡± ¡°I caught a bit of a cold due to the cold weather. But it¡¯s not serious enough to worry about.¡± ¡°Would it be alright if I joined you in the carriage?¡± Treitol whispered, ncing around. ¡°I have something I need to tell you.¡± ¡®Something to tell me?¡¯ Ruel had two assumptions about why Treitol hade to see him. One was that if Treitol wasn¡¯t the Great Man, he might have something urgent tomunicate. This was something he needed to hear. Ruel slightly bowed his head and gestured towards the carriage. ¡°Of course, Your Highness. Please, get in quickly.¡± ¡°Thank you, Lord Setiria.¡± Before stepping away, Treitol lightly waved at those he had brought with him. Watching them step back, Treitol climbed into the carriage. Since royalty was present, Cassion could not join them, so only Ruel climbed into the carriage. The carriage started moving, and only then did Treitol, who seemed burdened, speak up. ¡°Please forgive my rudeness, Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. What is the urgent matter you wish to discuss with me?¡± Treitol nced toward the window before carefully meeting Ruel¡¯s gaze again. ¡°Help me.¡± A simple request, but it left Ruel puzzled. With a smile still on his face, he replied, ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure I understand what you mean.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve assisted the Cyronian Kingdom.¡± ¡°Rumors often tend to exaggerate.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s a rumor or not, this matter concerns you. Help me, Lord Setiria.¡± Ruel maintained his smiling expression, intertwining his fingers and cing them over his stomach. ¡°First, I¡¯d like to hear more details about what you¡¯re referring to.¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I got too hasty. I apologize.¡± Treitol slowly exhaled, sensing the slight sharpness in Ruel¡¯s gaze. ¡°Alright. I should start with this story.¡± Treitol¡¯s gaze softened slightly. ¡°Do you know of the Red Ash? No, you must know about it.¡± Ruel remained silent, showing no reaction. The mention of the Red Ash was hardly a pleasant topic to start a conversation with. ¡°I am pursuing the trail of the Red Ash.¡± ¡®Pursuing the trail of the Red Ash?¡¯ Ruel felt like a scoff might escape him. Could he believe such a statement? Ruel still did not speak. ¡°It would be hard for you to believe me. But I know you are deeply entangled in this matter.¡± The fingers Ruel had sped together began to shift, tapping lightly against his own hand. ¡°I learned about the organization called Red Ash through a noble by chance. At first, I intended to dismiss it. But¡­ that wasn¡¯t possible.¡± ¡°One day, my younger brother brought information about an organization called Red Ash. That¡¯s when everything began.¡± Ruel suddenly recalled the words of Hilim, the prince of the Tonisk Empire. He covered a smirk with his hand, pretending to cough. Wasn¡¯t this a familiar tactic? ¡°They had deeply infiltrated the Kran Kingdom. Nobles andmoners alike. What¡¯s more concerning is¡­¡± Treitol paused, swallowing hard. ¡°Their objective, no, their target was you.¡± ¡°¡­Are you talking about me?¡± ¡°More urately, it was you and my brother.¡± ¡°¡­?¡± Why did Adea Kran suddenlye up? ¡°I swear before H, the one who watches over the Kran Kingdom, that this is no lie.¡± Treitol held up a si ring with the royal symbol of waves. H was the only deity worshiped in the Kran Kingdom, the goddess of the sea. Since Kran was the only country among the three where religion held significant power, such an oath was possible. Of course, that didn¡¯t mean that Leponia and Cyroniancked religion altogether. It was just that, unlike the ¡°divine power¡± found in other stories that could heal with a mere touch, the concepts of mana and aura were firmly rooted in nature, granting a degree of freedom whether one believed in a deity or not. ? ¡°Ah.¡± Perhaps because of that, when Ruel showed no change in expression despite witnessing his oath, Treitol appeared slightly disappointed. Yet, he forced a smile. ¡°Ah, you probably wouldn¡¯t trust H, would you? I underestimated that. In Kran, an oath made to H holds as much weight as an oath of mana. Of course, unlike a mana oath, it doesn¡¯t carry the same binding force.¡± Treitol put the si ring away. ¡°I will swear an oath of mana for you. Who will you appoint as your representative?¡± Ruel looked puzzled by Treitol¡¯s confident attitude and asked back. ¡°Are you saying that you will make an oath of mana with me just now?¡± ¡°Indeed. The benevolent H once said that trust must first be given. I will swear to you that I am not connected to the Red Ash.¡± ¡®Is he really going to do it?¡¯ Ruel inhaled Breath and thought for a moment. The Oath of Mana was not an unconditional binding contract like a magic contract. There were gaps in many ways. Just look at Cassion¡¯s twisted loyalty as an example. However, the binding nature of a mana oath was not insignificantpared to a magical contract, even if it was slightly less stringent. Furthermore, the more detailed the content of the oath, the greater its effectiveness. Ruel deliberately adopted a serious expression as he looked at Treitol. ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll make my representative my butler.¡± ¡°Understood. I¡¯ll pause the carriage for a moment so that your butler can join us.¡± Ruel knocked on the wall of the carriage, and shortly after, it came to a stop. ¡°Cassion.¡± He opened the carriage door and called out to Cassion. Ruel pointed to the seat next to him. ¡°Get in the carriage.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Once Cassion climbed in and the door was closed, Treitol spoke again. ¡°I, Treitol Kran, swear that I will not be involved with the Red Ash in any form, now or in the future.¡± A light shimmered and then faded around Treitol¡¯s heart. ¡°It¡¯spleted.¡± At Cassion¡¯s words, Ruel finally smiled. A relieved smile spread across Ruel¡¯s face. He had already experienced fake emotions countless times before, so why couldn¡¯t he do it now? Suddenly, a thought nagged at him. It was about the limitations of the Oath of Mana. ¡®No, I shouldn¡¯t judge just yet. If he¡¯s asking to y, I should indulge him for now.¡¯ When Ruel nced at Cassion, he lowered his head and exited the carriage. As the carriage began moving again, Ruel spoke up. ¡°Please forgive my rudeness, Your Highness.¡± He then bowed his head deeply. ¡°As you have investigated, I am very much entangled with the Red Ash. Therefore, I am deeply sorry that I harbored such doubts.¡± ¡°No, there¡¯s no need for an apology. If I were in your position, I would doubt everything as well.¡± ¡°Thank you for your understanding.¡± ¡°Do you know why the Red Ash has its sights set on you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics. If I did, I wouldn¡¯t be in this situation.¡± Ruel forced a bitter smile. ¡°Their leader is the Great Man who can change his body.¡± When the topic of the Great Man came up, Ruel decided to y dumb for now. The smile that had briefly appeared on his face slowly faded away. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m terribly sorry, but this is not a situation where we can exchange jokes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s no joke; he really has his sights set on your body.¡± ¡°My body?¡± Ruel scoffed. ¡°No, if he wanted to kill me, he would have done it already. Why would he want this worthless body?¡± Ruel struggled to continue his words, trying to soothe his emotions. ¡°Your Highness wouldn¡¯t be making such statements on purpose¡­ I¡¯d like to ask what information you possess.¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t know. Because of the mana oath that they have for the Great Man, I couldn¡¯t find out more details. I feel sorry for causing unnecessary confusion.¡± It was unclear whether he genuinely didn¡¯t know and was backing away, or if he was just pretending to retreat, but Treitol quickly switched topics. ¡°In any case, the threat isn¡¯t just directed at you; they¡¯re also after my brother.¡± ¡°You mean Prince Adea Kran?¡± ¡°Indeed. Their target is the Kran Kingdom itself. My brother is the one who will seed the throne and be the next king.¡± Treitol¡¯s face twisted in desperation as he looked earnestly at Ruel. ¡°Please help me¡­ help me, Lord Setiria.¡± ¡°Your Highness, with all due respect, I am not strong enough to help anyone.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not asking for help with mere words. If youe to the castle, I will share all the information I have concerning the Red Ash with you.¡± ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°The enemy is targeting you. Please find out who the Great Man has possessed.¡± Ruel¡¯s expression hardened slightly at the notion of being used as bait. But Treitol, in his princely status, bowed his head to Ruel. ¡°¡­Please, just tell me that. I don¡¯t want to lose my brother. I don¡¯t want the Kran Kingdom to fall into their hands.¡± The desperate voice for Adea Kran and the kingdom mixed with emotion, leaving Ruel increasingly confused. He felt shaken about what the truth really was. *** ¡°This way.¡± The attendant guided Ruel to his assigned room. Behind Ruel followed Aris, Cassion, Noah, and Ganien, disguised as a servant. ¡°Then please restfortably.¡± The attendant bowed to Ruel at the door. ¡°Thank you.¡± Ruel exchanged a brief word with the attendant before stepping inside. Aris and Noah stood guard at the door, while Cassion and Ganien followed him in. Leo rushed over and immediately clung to the window. He could see the path they had just taken. The traces of their earlier passage were still visible, making his tail wag with excitement. ¡ªEveryone called Ruel the Noble of Darkness! It seemed Leo could not forget the petals and sparkling powder scattered as they passed by in the carriage. Seeing Ganien¡¯s proud expression made Ruel angry, but Leo¡¯s joy made him hold back his frustration. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡ªThis body is so happy! I am so proud! Leo felt proud and let out an ¡®ahem¡¯ so Ruel could hear. Despite having chosen a carriage designed to be soundproof, the noise from outside was overwhelming. On the left, there were the calls of ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯ On the right, there were the calls of ¡®Noble of Darkness.¡¯ And from all around¡ªbehind and in front¡ªthat sound resonated. It was particrly frustrating that he had to share the carriage with Treitol and couldn¡¯t even curse. He had suffered so much during that time. ¡°Ruel-nim, did you gain anything?¡± Cassion asked, holding out the meat pie. Crunch. Ruel sat on the bed and took a bite of the meat pie instead of responding. The bubbling rage inside him slowly settled. Brushing crumbs from his lips, he said, ¡°Ambiguous.¡± It truly was ambiguous. Treitol had even sworn a mana oath. Yet, he still couldn¡¯t feel at ease. Was it because he had been hit hard in the back by the Great Man? Or was it an instinctual feeling of difort? ¡°Even if there are loopholes in the mana oath, thepulsive conditions don¡¯t change.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Ruel replied, taking another bite of the meat pie. Crunch. ¡°I think it would be wise to trust your instincts,¡± Ganien said as he sat in a chair, ¡°You bear the mark of the Great Man. It¡¯s natural to feel something instinctively.¡± ¡°But that instinct isn¡¯t necessarily right. I believe you should make a careful judgment, Ruel-nim.¡± Both Ganien and Cassion were correct. Ruel chuckled. Currently, he suspected there were four candidates for the Great Man. First, Adea Kran; second, Treitol Kran; fourth, Jayel Kran; and the King of Kran as well. It would be wise to meet all of them personally and make a judgment afterward. ¡°There¡¯s a weing party tomorrow?¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± The opportunity would be tomorrow. ¡°Hikars.¡± ¡°Yes, did you call for me?¡± Hikars appeared near Ruel. ¡ªHikars! Leo immediately dashed over to Hikars, blinking his eyes excitedly. The Great Man had stolen someone else¡¯s body. Although it was a body changed at the cost of countless lives, Ruel believed it wouldn¡¯t be perfect. If Treitol was truly the Great Man, wouldn¡¯t Hikars be able to sense the death leaking out from somewhere. ¡°Did you sense anything strange from the person who rode the carriage with me?¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!