Episode 11. Candidate for the Next Emperor (11)
The secret underground space of the Imperial Palace.
The mana lamp was illuminating the road and the space, but perhaps because the power of mana was weak, shadows were formed everywhere, creating a bleak and fearful atmosphere.
And there, a man covered in black clothes was walking firmly.
Buck and go.
The sound of footsteps echoed through the aisles whenever the soles of their shoes touched the cold ground.
The members of the Black Gwangjoon heard the noise and stopped servicing their weapons and stood up. The sound of footsteps was the only way to know that the leader had arrived.
“Is everyone here?”
“Are you here, Captain?”
The name of the man called the leader is Manes.
In the past, under the alias of an evil spirit, he was the one who hid in the shadow of the prince and beheaded those who rebelled.
For reference, most of those who were beheaded were from other races.
By setting it up in the village and brutally killing several people as an example, he had no hesitation in slaughter enough to cut off the will of other races against resentment, and his cruelty and notoriety were at the level of sticking out his tongue.
“It’s a mission.”
At the word “Mission,” The eyes of the members of the Black Gwangjoon became lively.
Everyone is sending excited eyes at the mission after a long time.
As it is a secret unit that is not known to the surroundings, there were few cases of outside activities except for missions.
Even if there was, it was simply buying equipment or ingredients.
“We will bring the kidnapped Princess Se-Ri back to Her Highness the Crown Prince. The estimated location is Aus Territory. His Highness the Crown Prince said that Duke Tori would have it, but the one who kidnapped Princess Se-ri is Praus, so he might have it.”
The members were taken aback at the word Prause. It was because it was a mention of an unexpected person.
Currently, Prause’s awareness was at a level where it could be said that there was no one in the empire who didn’t know him, except in outlying villages where information was delivered late.
The biggest reason for that was probably winning against an S-class, but the key was the subjugation of the black dragon.
Most of the victory or defeat when winning the S class was covered, but because the black dragon’s subjugation was officially issued by the imperial family, even though I could not recognize his face, I had no choice but to remember his name clearly.
“So, if a fight breaks out in the process of bringing Princess Se-Ri back, one of us will surely die.”
Agitation leaks out strangely among the members.
“Ph, Prause. What connection did you have with Princess Se-ri, so you kidnapped her?”
“…… Since when did we care about such private things? Are you afraid of death?”
Manes stood in front of the member who vomited his question. The member swallowed and bowed his head.
“Sorry. I made a mistake.”
“His Highness, the Crown Prince, took our lives. That means he’s already died once. Therefore, the life we have left now belongs to His Highness the Crown Prince. Got it?”
“Yes.”
“If you throw up next time, I will cut out your tongue. Think carefully and speak.”
“Yes!”
At Manes’ threat, the member bowed his head even more. Manes, who looked at him pitifully, looked into the darkest part of the space.
“Sirius, this time you are also participating.”
“Ah… …. Is it killing people?”
A languid voice is heard in the darkness.
The color of the man’s hair as he slowly walked out was black, as if he had been in a fairy tale with the darkness.
It was blurry red eyes that couldn’t be found without having to wash their eyes, and their slow movements didn’t match the atmosphere of the black light bird at all.
However, Manes knew better than anyone how much he would change once he entered the mission.
That would be the case, because he was once called an S-class adventurer.
“Whether or not to kill depends on how you come out.”
“…… Is it so. After all, I intend to do whatever the Crown Prince commands.”
“Okay. Then he’ll go straight to the operational mission —”
“Are you the leader of the Black Lights?”
“…… !”
At the sudden voice of a strange woman, Manes grabbed the dagger attached to his waist.
Puffed up.
A person falls helplessly to the ground.
Those who noticed that the person was a member of the Black Lights guarding the entrance drew their swords.
Sureung! Sreung!
In the darkness, the sound of drawing a weapon echoes in succession. All of them were in the mood to run at the woman.
“Because I’m like this, I said nicely and asked to come in, sister.”
The tension of the members of the Black Gwangjo gang rises to the stomach at the man’s voice that follows.
A white-haired man and woman, clearly visible even in the dark, stood proudly.
“You don’t get out of the way. Without any fuss.”
“The only thing I don’t like is my older sister’s face.”
“Would you all go to your room and see?”
“I need to stay out tonight.”
The two men and women had a calm conversation even though their lives had grown so large that even the insensitive could notice them.
“No, but His Majesty the Emperor is too kind. Why don’t you send a business trip to the Aium Kingdom to subdue the demons and then have Shidabari do it right away?”
“Sister, don’t say that in front of His Majesty the Emperor. Then you are executed.”
“…… When that happens, it’s just nice. All you have to do is listen to me ignorant little brother That’s why you still don’t have a girlfriend.”
“Shut up. My older sister is at the right age for marriage, so why is she not dating anyone?”
“What? Are you making a fuss? Do you want to go back?”
Watching the handsome man and the beautiful woman glaring at each other while talking nonsensically, Manes quietly opened her mouth.
“What are you guys?”
“Oh, that’s right. I was talking to you.”
At the reaction of the woman who noticed it belatedly, Manes’ eyebrows twitched. The wrinkles on her face increase one by one.
“Calm down for now. I’m not here to fight you. And we are also people who work in the shadows. Have you ever heard of Baek Gwang-jo?”
“There’s no way you’ve heard of it. Stupid He always kills everyone when he introduces himself.”
“You are an idiot to your sister. You speak very nicely to your sister.”
“You said you would be misunderstood if you came in like this in the first place.”
“But what can I do, this damn bastard blocked it all the way.”
Manes pressed the two of them with all his might. Only then did the voices of the two men stop.
“I asked who it was.”
From noble mtl dot com
“We are the commander and vice-captain of Baek Gwang-jo, a unit under His Majesty’s direct command. Oh, by the way, am I the leader? I am older than him.”
A white-haired woman points to a gray-haired man.
“You are funny. Shall we play a round today?”
“Okay, bet on washing the blanket.”
Manes muttered, frowning as he watched the two fight every time he said a word.
“Baek Gwang-jo…… Called.”
Baek Gwangjo.
As an escort under the direct control of Emperor Lufen, they were a group that operated in the shadows like the Black Gwangjo.
A group formed around two white-haired brothers and sisters, it did not matter if the White Gwangjo was a higher-ranking member of the Black Gwangjo.
Actually, the Black Gwangjo was a group created by the crown prince after seeing the White Gwangjo, so the meaning itself was not wrong.
My sister’s name was Soro, and my brother’s name was Ter.
These siblings earned the title of S-class adventurers when they were teenagers, and after they became famous, they abandoned them and went under the emperor to work in the shadows.
The reason was that being under the emperor was more stable and earning money than handling requests.
“So… How did you know about this place?”
“There is no way that His Majesty the Emperor does not know anything. If there is something we do not know, we will find it and give it to you.”
“…… Get out immediately.”
“Ah, so I came because I had something to say. If you just listen—”
Shook!
With a sound cutting through the air, a dagger rushed into Thoreau’s face. But the tip of the dagger never touched her skin. It was because she moved her head to avoid it.
“Huh. It’s pretty sharp. But I’m not here to fight.”
Ignoring her words, Manes swung his dagger.
“I really hate stubborn men.”
Thoreau’s eyes sharpened as she let out a sigh.
“You did it first?”
Grabbing her forearm towards herself, she pushes her Manes’ elbow out of the way.
Crundy!
“Keugh?!”
Her lower arm bends outward limply. Her elbow joint is shattered and rattled.
“Captain!!”
“You son of a b*tch!”
Ther sighed as he watched the members come out.
“「Repulsion」.”
Terr stretched out his hand, and the members who were running towards Thoreau collided with something as if they were blocked by a wall and fell to the ground. It doesn’t end there, it pushes further.
“Ah, sister… Your Majesty told me not to fight. What excuse are you trying to make?”
“… Oh, yes. I’m sorry—”
Boom—!
While Thoreau takes a second glance, Manes swings her dagger with her free arm and aims for her neck.
“Die!”
“Haa, I didn’t come here to fight. You can’t help it.”
Thoreau raises her index and middle fingers and thrusts them into Manes’ face.
But her two fingers stopped right in front of Manes’ eyes.
It wasn’t that he stopped it, nor did Thoreau stop it.
“Stop it.”
Sirius, who had been watching from behind, accurately recognized the range of the repulsion and avoided it, getting caught between the two and grabbing Thoreau’s wrist.
“…… Hey, you’re pretty.”
“I don’t really like killing people. He also reflected on himself in prison.”
“What are you talking about? Are you a criminal?”
“I hope you don’t call me that. I am not a criminal.”
Awesome.
Thoreau’s forearm cracks the moment she applies strength to her grasp. Thoreau shouted, frowning in pain.
“Let go!”
Thoro strikes the forearm of the hand of Sirius who is holding his arm.
Puck!
Sirius felt a tingling sensation when he saw his forearm bouncing powerlessly.
He clenched and opened his fists a few times, then clenched his fists and shouted at Thoreau.
Puck!
However, Terra, who was watching from behind, blocked it with his palm as if it were natural.
“Let’s finish here. We didn’t come to fight, we came with His Majesty’s orders. Even for the crown prince, His Majesty’s command is absolute. Listen.”
“…… What is it because of?”
Manes, holding onto his broken arm, looks at Ter.
“His Highness, the Crown Prince, told me not to use the Black Light Bird to provoke Prause. Therefore, the mission you are talking about is cancelled.”
“…… I will ask His Highness the crown prince separately about that.”
Terr shrugged at Manes’ words.
“Take care of that. The order ends here, so we’ll leave. The fallen member here only got one hit in the jaw, so he wouldn’t be dead. Treat yourself well.”
Terr said, pointing to the members of the Black Lights sprawled on the ground.
“Oh, and. Next time, my older sister… No, I won’t forgive you if you touch the leader. At least you should be prepared for the collapse of the organization.”
Ther grabs Thor by the shoulders and drags him by force. Thoreau glared at Sirius until the end, then turned his head away. Then he looked at Ter and grumbled.
“Don’t act cool.”
“Shut up, sister.”
The two of them left the hideout of the Black Gwangjo while arguing until the end.
“…… To hurt my body that my parents made for me. I must kill you someday.”
Looking at the siblings from behind, Sirius murmured and touched the arm that had been beaten by Thoreau.
* * *
Prause, who avoided a conflict with the Black Gwangjo by the White Gwangjo, created an environment so that the Crown Princess could focus on her studies, even though she was puzzled by the imperial family that did not put any pressure on her.
Also, Prauss ordered the warriors to go out to the border and hunt demons so that they could continue to grow.
This was to obtain Tina’s final weapon in the territory of Todia, and at the same time to prepare for the yeti hunt to meet the water spirit king.
Two months had passed since Princess Se-ri lived in the Duchy of Aus while spending time together.