325. Pre-dinner (3)
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“You must remember this.”
Serath spoke with a serious tone.
“Don’t shout loudly. Try not to attract attention.”
“…”
“It might be a bit challenging for someone like you, a savage, but still, please make an effort.”
“…”
“Despite that, you’re quite good at moving your body. Even if it’s a bit difficult, you should be able to follow from a distance.”
Hearing this, Rilu, unusually, looked at Serath’s back with a sly gaze, without a hint of anger.
It seemed more ridiculous to get angry considering the other person’s condition.
“Why is she carrying that guy?”
Well, behind Serath, Victoria was lifted, her face expressing a desire to die.
On the contrary, Serath’s face showed that this was natural.
“Victoria hasn’t perfected shadow magic yet.”
Although carrying Victoria on his back diminished his dignity, it was a voice full of authority, proving the fact that he earned the title of Grand Assassin.
“Sometimes, it’s more convenient to carry someone when it’s not acceptable to make even a single mistake.”
“Isn’t putting so much effort into stalking just one man a bit excessive?”
“…”
Using shadow magic that could undoubtedly assassinate anyone, chasing after one man was already considered overinvestment.
Perhaps acknowledging this himself, Serath fell silent.
“Anyway, let’s go. We can’t just leave Mr. Dowd alone like that!”
With those words, Serath walked briskly forward.
His ability to hide his presence even in the bustling city was admirable, but there was a person nearby who could immediately see through it.
“Those friends, despite looking like they don’t get along, seem quite close, don’t they?”
With an expression of great disbelief, the Emperor, who was perched on Gomseong’s shoulder, blew out a long puff of pipe smoke.
Due to the tremendous height difference between them, this posture caused no discomfort at all.
Perhaps, what stands out the most is that even in such a noticeable state, there seems to be no interest from the surroundings.
While he mainly chooses to walk through sparsely populated alleyways, it’s probably because of the barrier that the skilled swordsman has set up, which also shows his expertise in alcohol consumption.
“Yes? What are you talking about?”
“Even though it seems like they’re always bickering, they stick together when it comes to doing something.”
“There’s a sense of camaraderie even in their fights. Maybe it’s an emotion shared among martial artists.”
“Is that so? It’s a sentiment that’s a bit hard for me to understand.”
“…Honestly, it’s a bit difficult for me to understand Peiha right now as well.”
Gyumsung, Rad Barphon, glanced at the emperor sitting on his shoulder.
“Even after such humiliation, you still plan to look for that man first—”
“—I’ve decided not to mention that again, Rad.”
“…”
Gyumsung quickly closed his mouth.
Anyway, as a long-time guardian of the emperor, he could quickly discern when it was appropriate to intervene and when it wasn’t.
In situations like now, when the emperor’s voice becomes cold, it always falls into the latter category.
“…Anyway, I’ve been asked to follow that man.”
Scratching his head, Gyumsung opened his mouth.
“What exactly do you want to do? Just watching from a distance would be like watching someone else’s happy feast.”
“That’s right. It’s a reasonable point.”
The emperor agreed with a dignified voice, nodding his head.
“So, we should interfere.”
“…”
“At least, I can’t stand seeing those two enjoy immediate happiness. Probably the people here feel the same way.”
“…Your Majesty. It may be impertinent, but isn’t Lady Tristan a unique friend to you?”
“Even if it’s friendship, it doesn’t change the fact that they look good together.”
That’s the emperor who will bear the future of the empire. Is the empire really okay like this?
As Gyumsung pondered over such profound thoughts, the emperor’s words began to fall with a rhythm once again.
“First, think about it. What could make Elnor and Dowd feel as bad as possible at the same time—”
“—Actually, I think I feel worse than those two.”
However, before the emperor could continue his words.
Chin up.
A darkened barrier in the surroundings crackled and was cut open.
“…”
“…”
As cleanly as slicing tofu with a kitchen knife, the expressions of the barrier and the emperor froze simultaneously at the blade that had entered so neatly.
Part of the reason why Seongseong didn’t react aggressively to such an act was because he quickly realized there was no malicious intent in the edge of that blade.
“Even if I wanted to interfere, there’s a difference in decorum, isn’t there? When humans who might as well be vessels for demons gather in one place like this, who’s going to clean up afterward? Huh? I mean, I’ve been just about losing my mind dealing with you every day on my territory—”
Truthfully, considering the scenes that followed, it seemed like a wise judgment.
Though it was unclear to the enemy, Elijah, who seemed clearly furious to the very tip of his head, almost chilled the air with his muttered sentences.
Having cut through Seongseong’s barrier with the Holy Sword, Elijah strode confidently into the alleyway where they were.
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Dragging behind him, like a child showing off their treasures, were Uriah, clearly knocked out, and the saint.
“…Did those friends of yours come too?”
“Of course. Those vessels for demons are all magnetically drawn to their teacher, like iron to a magnet.”
“…”
Hmm.
Considering the emperor’s presence here, it wasn’t entirely inaccurate.
“…No, but weren’t you originally here to scold Eleanor? Why such a violent reaction?”
“I thought I might end up cleaning up the mess if things went awry.”
“…”
“In reality, you all don’t care at all after causing a mess, do you?”
“…”
“…”
Seongseong and the emperor fell silent simultaneously.
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“…You know, honestly, I’m just as much of a human.”
Feeling an odd sense of kinship in the air, Elijah spoke with a voice filled with disbelief.
“It seems like none of you really had any intention of respecting anyone else, did you?”
“…”
“…”
The gathered women looked at each other wordlessly.
The silence reminiscent of outlaws in the wilderness, hands poised on holsters, flowed for a moment. Finally, Phaenol, who had successfully ripped a thick metal plate off his face, bluntly opened his mouth.
“Well, it’s not like everyone wasn’t thinking the same thing anyway.”
“What?”
“I’ve heard all the talk about marriage and whatnot, but didn’t anyone think of giving a good punch to that arrogant person sprawling in front of their eyes?”
The density of exchanged glances between them intensified even more.
It was a terrifying atmosphere where a physical explosion wouldn’t be surprising at all.
“Uh, we! Don’t fight too much, please…!”
Uria, who seemed to be the most composed, opened her mouth with a flutter, but Rilu, who had been quietly listening, also sighed and interjected in the middle of the sentence.
“You, too, are another ‘order’ to someone else, already here.”
“…”
“If you don’t want to fight, get out. I’ll take care of that guy.”
Uria’s mouth snapped shut.
The fluttering appearance disappeared, and a faint fighting spirit appeared in her eyes.
‘…This is something else.’
Even the most docile person changed their demeanor in an instant, and Elia chuckled inwardly.
Yeah. The quietest cat climbs onto the hearth first.
Originally, the humans here were not all climbing onto the hearth, but rather, they were all strong individuals who would force other cats to submit with their strength and live forever on the hearth.
“…The humans over there seem to have noticed to some extent.”
Rilu, looking at Elnor who had been glancing at this side, smiled provocatively.
It was a look that already sensed that Elnor was following and planning something.
“…Probably, the noblewoman over there already thinks she has won. She’s probably confident that she’s showing off and being acknowledged.”
“Well, that’s interesting.”
Phaenol smiled and said so, and everyone in the room had similar reactions.
Ah, is that how you start a fight?
“From now on, let’s give everyone a fair chance.”
The emperor spoke with a sly smile.
“The one who interferes with the other side the most will naturally snatch that man away. Understand?”
The strong one wins.
Don’t blame me later when you see the results.
‘…Why do these people audaciously target others behind their backs?’
Elijah’s confusion dispersed in his mind like fog.