107 episodes
31 Ascalonga (2)
“ Sir, could you please visit Ascalon once?”
The attitude of Alstein who met again was very different from before.
When I looked at my face in the old Chimseonggung Palace, the subtly-believable high-pressure attitude had disappeared as if washed away.
In addition to that, he did not bring up any voices such as qualifications or exams.
As soon as he saw Zion for the first time, he bowed his head in the most respectful manner, and that attitude has not changed all the time.
In the meantime, you must have made some kind of decision.
Of course, the decision was on the good side for Zion.
‘ Well, I was expecting it from the grand banquet.’
When the chandelier fell, it was Altstein who moved first.
It was a speed that would never have been able to come out if he hadn’t been paying attention to himself before that.
“ Why?”
“ The Lord wants to see His Majesty.”
Alstein answered Zion’s question immediately.
Same reason as last time.
The final decision maker of a family was the head of state, no matter what anyone said.
Perhaps Ga-ju had already made some decisions, but it seemed that he was trying to have one final conviction after seeing Zion himself.
“ The governor wants to see me… … .”
Shion, who looked at Alstein while muttering, continued with a grin.
“ But that’s it. Don’t you think something’s wrong?”
“ What are you talking about… … .”
“ If you want to see me from there, shouldn’t that side come? Isn’t Ascalon a noble family? But why do I have to go as an imperial family?”
At Shion’s question, Altstein’s expression hardened.
In terms of the fundamental identity system, Zion was right.
Except that the Ascalon family is a special five-generation family among nobles, and that the Ascalon family’s head is one of the ‘Seven Heavens’.
In fact, if it was the head of a five-family family, it wouldn’t be too strange for the imperial family to visit in person.
“… … Because now the head of the family is in a state of being unable to move.”
“ Why?”
As if Shion had been waiting for Altstein’s words, he asked with a cold glare in his eyes.
In fact, Zion knew.
Why is it that the head of Ascalon does not come directly and has no choice but to call Zion himself.
Yet, there was one reason why I kept asking this question.
exam.
‘ If I tell the truth here, I might believe it once.’
It’s because he decided to be with him even as he revealed a secret that was nothing more than the wealth of his family.
Not knowing that Shion had such thoughts, Altstein was silent for a moment.
There was a glimmer of conflict in his eyes.
How much time has passed
Finally, from Albert’s mouth slowly opened,
“… … The current state of the Lord is critical.”
The answer that Zion was satisfied with flowed out.
* * *
A slum on the outskirts of the capital Hubris.
Even in such a slum, a woman with silver hair like a faint morning star was standing in front of an old abandoned factory on the outskirts.
“… … .”
A woman standing still and looking at an abandoned factory with sunken eyes.
“ This is what you said… … You mean one of the secret branches of the demons hiding in the Empire?”
Next to her, another woman with her flaming red hair tied together, pointed to the abandoned factory and asked.
It was Lane Dranir.
“ Right.”
A woman nodded her head in response.
The reason the woman and Lane Dranir are here now was to annihilate all the demons in that abandoned factory.
The woman knew that the demons in the abandoned factory were under the control of Omaryeong, especially Tarahal, who currently controls the body of the 4th prince.
In addition, he also knew that if Tarahal’s power is not reduced now, it will be very difficult in the future.
That’s why I left other things aside and came here first.
“ Then let’s go right in.”
Lane smiled at the woman’s answer and straightened the spear that was hanging over her shoulder.
Obviously, the two of them were going to subjugate the demons whose numbers were unknown, but there was no fear in her eyes.
That’s because her strength had improved to the point where it couldn’t even be compared with before.
Especially since he was with a woman, Lane’s skills soared like crazy.
It was as if the limit that had been hanging in the meantime had been released.
‘ There… … .’
Another thing was that the woman’s power was far superior to that of Lane herself.
Lane could assure that his strength was far from reaching the woman’s toes.
Even the word “genius” is not enough.
‘ Well, in a way, that’s natural.’
Thinking like that, it was time for Lane to look at the woman.
Aww!
With a huge explosion from the abandoned factory, thick smoke began to rise above the factory.
“… … !”
With him, the eyes of the woman and Lane turned cold.
At the same time, the two rush towards the abandoned factory as if they had made a promise.
Quang!
Soon after, they broke the door and entered the room, and an unexpected sight began to appear in their sight.
“ This is… … .”
“ Maybe again?”
Numerous demonic corpses lying on the floor with their breath already stopped.
All of these corpses were roughly torn in part.
As if eaten by a giant beast.
aah!
With him, a bizarre sound is constantly heard from the top of the factory.
“ Rain.”
“ I know!”
Pavabat!
A woman and a new model of Lane ran past the corpses of the demons at high speed and ran towards the top of the factory.
‘ Maybe the existence that is slaughtering demons right now may be related to other things.’
A woman who speeds up even more with that thought.
How far did you travel along the road of death made up of the corpses of demons?
A gruesome sight appeared in the eyes of the woman and Lane who finally reached the top floor of the abandoned factory.
“ Shut up! Turn it off!”
A demon who looked like a high-ranking demon was struggling in the air with his neck caught, and the corpses of many other demons were piled up around him.
and… … .
A red-eyed woman holding the neck of such a demon.
“ Huh? Are you a new guest?”
Soon after, the woman in the red eye turned her head toward this side and opened her mouth with a smile.
But the woman did not answer that.
No, I couldn’t answer.
“ How… … .”
Because she already knew the identity of the woman who was staring at her with a creepy smile in front of her.
Liusina Bloodwalker.
The enemy of humanity sealed two hundred years ago, and the mother of all handshakes.
The strongest blood mage of all time, and the enemy that the future self must destroy.
Why the hell is a thousand-year-old witch killing demons here?
It was a moment in which the woman’s eyes became dazed at the sight that could not be understood.
Let’s do it!
With a terrifying spark that suddenly bursts from the side,
“ You idiot like a dog!”
A new version of Rein Dranir flew toward Riusina like a thunderbolt.
* * *
Celestial Swordsman Ascalon.
The five pillars that support the empire, and the world’s greatest swordsman.
As its name suggests, the main gate of Ascalon was very grand and huge.
“ I see you, Prince Zion Agnes!”
Shion looked at the Ascalonians who bowed their heads toward him in front of such a front door.
Since Zion’s visit this time was an official visit, it seemed that quite a few people came to meet him.
It was also a visit to announce that he was related to the Ascalon family, so there was no reason for Zion to move informally.
“ Hello, Sir Zion. My name is Rohanna Ascalon, who will be responsible for your guidance today.”
In front of such people, a woman with slightly wavy hair and a strong body opened her mouth to Sion.
It was a name I had heard of at least once.
Because the woman in front of me was one of the most powerful people in the top 30 of the Ascalon family, which is said to be the best in the world.
jerk, jerk
Shion naturally received Rohanna’s greeting and immediately entered the front door with the attendants.
Then you can see the inside of Ascalonga.
Although not as large as the Imperial Castle, the size of Ascalon was quite large, and the buildings, on the other hand, gave a calming feeling.
“ Go straight to where the boss is. guide me.”
Sion opens her mouth with a low voice towards Rohanna, who is following her behind her.
“ I, that… … .”
Rohanna, who had a confused expression on her face, looked at Zion’s attendants and family members in turn.
Then he spoke again in a voice that only Zion could hear.
“ I’m sorry, but it seems difficult to meet you right now. Would you like to take a look inside the family for a moment? I will guide you.”
With those words, Rohanna looked at Shion with slightly fearful eyes.
She saw Prince Zion for the first time today, but she had heard and knew what his demeanor was.
‘ Cold- blooded and cruel.’
His former appearance, called the imprisoned prince, was the words that best expressed the disposition of Prince Zion, who had changed to such an extent that he could not find it at all.
Added to that was tremendous power and a terrifying heart.
Because of that, there were even sayings that it seemed to remind the public of the heyday of Emperor Urdios.
For this reason, Rohanna had no choice but to worry about Prince Zion’s reaction.
In addition, her family, Ascalon, once abandoned Prince Zion once.
However,
“ Yes.”
Contrary to her worries, the words of acceptance simply flowed out of Shion’s mouth.
After all, the person who wanted to see Zion the most was Gaju.
Still, delaying like this must mean that there is a good reason.
‘ If you can’t talk in front of other people, it’s probably about the state of California.’
Because Gaju’s physical condition was kept secret even within the Ascalon family.
“ Go, thank you! Your Majesty, then, please go this way.”
Rohanna, who looked surprised at him, began to guide Zion skillfully.
“ Our ancestor of the Ascalon family destroyed the evil dragon and built this family over it. Therefore, a dragon vein flows under the family’s land, and the facilities related to it are also… … .”
The explanation that flows from her mouth, starting with the origins of her family.
Seeing the uninterrupted succession, it seemed that they had prepared for today in advance.
There were interesting settings that I could not understand when reading the chronicle, so Zion was also walking while listening to it.
how far did you walk
“ What makes Dalian special?”
Shion, who noticed something in front of him, opened his mouth.
In such Zion’s eyes, the figures of people fighting on the gigantic gymnasium came into view.
Up to that point, it was a common sight in ordinary samurai, but one peculiar thing caught Sion’s attention.
That is, it does not use any mana at all.
A swordsman who has reached a certain level will automatically move his mana without even being conscious of it.
However, the people on the dance floor thoroughly suppressed even such mana, and they were only competing with the strength of their bodies.
“ It’s called gimu dalian.”
Rohanna, who saw it next to Zion, answered.
“ It’s a training to maximize the senses of the body by suppressing the energy to the maximum.”
at that time,
“ I see you, Prince Zion Agnes!”
The man who seemed to be the highest among the people in the dance hall found Zion and greeted him.
A man with a simple yet passionate image with short hair cut.
“ My name is Lucas Ascalon!”
Zion was also a known name.
Because it was a name that appeared several times in the chronicles.
‘ A genius among geniuses who rose to the 11th place in the family’s armed forces ranking at the young age of just 30.’
Because of that, the Knights of Agnes, the Gray Lions, etc.
The armed groups called the Empire’s strongest were trying to scout with their lights on, but he was an unusual person who refused all of them because he was still lacking, and continued only training in the family.
But Zion knew.
That there is already an armed group to which Lucas Ascalon belongs.
And that group was also the place Zion was trying to get his hands on this time.
“ I am well aware of the prestige that Your Majesty has made in recent years. Especially the saga where only two people destroyed Rgan Ursula and Icarus was amazing! In addition to that, the previous subjugation of the phantom army was also… … .”
Then the words that came out of Lucas’ mouth.
Those words were true admiration, not mere flattery.
As if to prove it, his eyes were twinkling.
“ Do you know quite a bit?”
Zion looked at him with languid eyes at the constant flow of words.
“ Haha, I personally like the achievements of His Majesty Zion the most.”
Lucas’ eyes, who had been talking up to that point, shone like a blaze for a moment.
“ So that’s it, my lord. If it’s not rude, can I make just one request?”
The question that followed him.
“ Tell me.”
It was a random word from the first meeting, but Shion, who roughly expected the content, nodded and opened his mouth.
In the chronicles, Lucas Ascalon is described as very fond of battle.
There was only one request he could make to Zion himself.
“ I heard that Your Majesty also uses swords. then… … Can you do a military match with me just once? I would like to receive a few lessons from Your Majesty!”
Direct words and actions that even appear rude.
However, it was a pure ritual without any other black heart.
In his eyes, there was only the desire to see the sword of Zion.
“… … !”
He had low expectations in the eyes of people around him, including Rohanna.
It was a confrontation between the greatest genius of the Ascalon family and the direct bloodline of Agnes, who is the best name these days.
I couldn’t help but look forward to it.
‘ Of course, if Prince Zion refuses, that’s the end of it.’
People’s eyes naturally focused towards Zion.
Sion, who was silent for a while while receiving their gaze,
“ I do.”
He smiled softly and replied.
We didn’t know if we would continue to be together.
It wouldn’t be a bad idea to look at your skill level in advance.