6. Please Live Quietly (3)
A week passed, and the royal banquet began.
The banquet proceeded as usual. Invited people from the outside world chatted with each other, learned people consulted on the nobles’ problems and sometimes gave advice, and the royal family at the center controlled the flow and established their dignity.
However, one difference is that ‘Ensis Anima’, who had been in seclusion for 5 years after retirement, attended.
Perhaps because of this, the water-colored hair of the Anima family was especially noticeable in the banquet hall. Since they were originally a powerful Anima family, there were many Anima people, but the presence of Ensis, who formed a vortex just by standing still, made his presence in the banquet hall even greater.
Si-woo filled the position without any awkwardness based on the knowledge he had gained of each faction’s interests and family members that he had gained more completely over the course of a week. Siwoo was a wild man who retired a long time ago anyway, and thanks to his extremely good image, he didn’t have to ask for favors, making it easier for him to deal with people.
Meanwhile, the banquet grew more and more mature. The prepared food was served one by one, and the music created an elegant atmosphere. Each society and politics were mixed together, and the main stream, led by the king, led it skillfully.
However, the command was not perfect.
Because a muddy current was disturbing the banquet hall.
“This is Hastina’s first banquet, right? “Are there any inconveniences?”
“Yes. It’s not uncomfortable. Mr. Ensis.”
“Thank god.”
Siwoo, who was in the center of the muddy current, smiled cheerfully and ate the cookies that were served as dessert. Would you say it is truly royal? Cookies made with a generous amount of precious sugar, honey, and butter were sweet, moist, and crumbly enough to satisfy even the taste buds of modern Siwoo.
While Siwoo was doing this, the banquet was coming to an end. The players, exhausted from playing throughout the banquet, put down their instruments, and the once blossoming story withered with the promise of next time. The food that had been served hot throughout the banquet gradually cooled down.
Around that time, a member of the Royal Guard approached Si-woo. Siwoo smiled softly and responded as he always did.
“What’s going on?”
“Ensis. Could you please stop by the training center and give me some teachings?”
“It’s been a while since I laid down my sword, so that might be difficult. “As a retired person, it is difficult to get involved in the Royal Guard.”
Siwoo rejected the Royal Guard’s request with kind words. Siwoo only attended the banquet because he did not want to cause unnecessary noise, but because he wanted to live quietly.
However, the guards did not let Siwoo go easily.
“But as a former commander of the Royal Guards, he sets an example for his juniors…”
“Hasn’t it already been five years since Amicus took over as commander of the guard? “If you leave Amicus behind and come looking for me, I think Amicus will be quite upset.”
“Amicus will definitely welcome Ensis. “He must have been very disappointed that he could not share his personal experiences at the banquet hall.”
Siwoo’s expression hardened slightly at the last word. Because the last words were words that a member of the palace guard should not say.
The guard’s superhuman physical ability caught it. The air freezes instantly. The guard’s entire body was tense.
In that brutal silence, Siwoo slowly opened his mouth.
“What’s your name?”
“It’s Bate.!”
“Bate. “You know best what you did wrong.”
“Yes! That’s right!”
“Say it.”
“I acted for my own personal purposes without the king’s orders!”
“Okay. “I know very well.”
Siwoo was suddenly overcome by the urge to say, ‘I know, but why did you do that?’
However, since Siwoo was not well versed in the principles of the royal guard, he ended it briefly.
“Don’t do that again.”
“Yes! “I will correct it!”
“Just go.”
“Yes!”
Bate disappeared at a fast pace. Hastina, who was staring at the back, approached Siu just as Bate was out of hearing range.
“Ensis. That…”
“Isn’t it strange?”
“… Yes.”
The guard’s behavior was strange.
First of all, the etiquette for dealing with the sword master was wrong. Anyone can talk to him at a banquet hall or in private, but if he wants to make a request, even the duke must personally come and ask for his understanding. The only exception is the chamberlain who delivers the king’s orders, so a single member of the royal guard is not allowed to speak like that.
The attitude of asking for favors is also wrong. Requesting a request again even after the superior has rejected it once is something that cannot be established in any superior-subordinate relationship.
And last. Principles as a member of the palace guard.
“There’s no way Bate really broke the rules.”
“I think so. There is no way a guy who violates even such basic things would have been selected as a member of the palace guard. “Looking at his name, he doesn’t even come from a prestigious family, so the fact that he made it that far means that he is capable.”
“Then that means it was the king’s order to bring me in…”
Siwoo thought deeply. What is the ultimate intention behind this situation?
It is understandable that the founder’s oath required attendance at the banquet. If you ask me to spar with you from the beginning, I have a good reason to refuse, and it is a heavy request that will not be a big problem if I refuse. It is obvious that he lured Si-woo to the palace with a light request.
And there is only one reason to try to confirm Si-woo’s powerlessness.
Because I doubt whether Siwoo is still a sword master.
In fact, there were many places to get caught. First of all, the big problem is that Si-woo’s body has aged slightly during the three years he was possessed. If he was originally a sword master, it was enough to use it as a basis for aging that should not have occurred.
The fact that he did not show excessive force was enough to be a cause for suspicion. It is said that Siwoo plays Ensis, but the sense of heterogeneity that he inevitably shows from time to time may have played a role in that.
Being a sword master doesn’t disappear with time, but you can suspect that ‘there may be a problem.’
However. No matter how much it is.
Why on earth are you trying to mess with ‘Ensis’?
“Hastina. “What do you think the intention is?”
“Hmm… I don’t know.”
“So do i.”
Siwoo was worried. How should we interpret this situation? How can I move on quietly?
The conclusion was reached quickly.
“Hastina. “You are waiting in the carriage.”
“Yes? Then, EnsisYo. This?”
“I must see the king. Right Now.”
You can’t kill ‘Ensis’ anyway. That would be the most certain political suicide.
In that case, it would be best to confront them directly and settle the matter quickly.
Siwoo walked towards the throne room and quietly opened the chat window.
The warnings written in great detail there seeped into his mind.
*
There was no one blocking Siwoo’s path as he made his way up to the throne room.
It was natural. Who would dare stand in the way of the Sword Master? The guards stiffened as they recognized Ensis, and the servants bowed their heads deeply to show respect to the being who had reached the level of master.
However, Siwoo’s footsteps, which seemed like they would never stop, came to a halt in front of the throne room.
This was because the chamberlain was blocking the front door.
“You’re here. Mr. Ensis.”
“Get out of the way. Chamberlain. I must see your Majesty.”
“Your Majesty has gone to bed.”
“After the banquet, isn’t your highness the one who has to work busier than anyone else? Your Majesty has already gone to bed? “I’ll have to check it out myself.”
“Ensis.”
There was no wavering in the Chamberlain’s eyes as he faced the Master.
As if you are sure that the other person is just an ordinary person.
“Ensis cannot meet His Highness today.”
“Under…”
Siwoo took a long sigh. If Siwoo had been a real sword master, he would have pierced them all with force, but since Siwoo was only a sword user, he felt helpless and frustrated.
In the end, Siwoo gave up on meeting the king and asked the chamberlain.
“Great. So then let me ask you. You are closest to His Majesty, so you know it. Why are you touching me, Your Majesty? “For what purpose?”
In response to Siwoo’s serious question, the chamberlain quickly lowered his head. Then he desperately worked on his facial muscles.
At the end, the chamberlain regained his peace and asked a question.
“Are you asking because you really don’t know?”
“If I knew, I wouldn’t have come all the way here.”
“hahahaha… You really don’t know. “Isn’t this all because of Ensis?”
An even bigger question appeared on Siwoo’s face. The chamberlain looked directly at Si-woo and spoke clearly.
“More precisely, because Ensis is an ‘anima.'”
“What does it mean to be from the Anima family-“
“Of course it is a problem. “He comes from the most prestigious family in the kingdom, and he happens to be a sword master.”
“…”
“Do you understand?”
Siwoo was silent.
That silence contained the meaning of enlightenment.
“There were no problems before Ensis. Although there are a lot of experts from the Anima family, the qualities that can reach the level of a master tend to come from commoners.”
This was because psychic talent was not inherited.
Things such as intelligence, motor skills, body, health, and lifespan that assist in achieving spiritual abilities are inherited, but the soul, which is the core, has nothing to do with genetics.
Anyone can come if the environment and physical talent support it.The soul talent that can reach the level of a master comes to everyone with equal probability, even if it is only at the level of a user who can do it.
In other words, commoners, who make up an overwhelming proportion of the population, have a much higher chance of becoming masters.
“Therefore, this nation was supported by the three axes of the royal family, noble nobles, and masters, who kept each other in check and supported each other. “The master obeyed the king in a formal way, thereby enhancing royal authority, while also serving as a counterweight to prevent royal authority from growing too much.”
This was because the Master was equivalent to a strategic nuclear weapon.
Power is the power to force others to take action, and force is the most basic form of power.
“But a problem arose when Ensis appeared. “Those three axes are broken.”
And the breaking of that axis meant the collapse of the social system.
“But it was okay up to that point. “Ensis returned after wandering the world and became the captain of the royal guard, a symbol of absolute loyalty and obedience.”
Ensis became the captain of the guard not simply because of loyalty. Rather, it was an action that was close to a highly political action.
Just because Ensis is closest to the royalist faction, the momentum of the prestigious family is diminished. Although Ensis was guaranteed considerable freedom and authority compared to previous guard captains, it was natural considering that it was unprecedented for a sword master to become a guard captain.
In the first place, the symbolism of the title ‘Captain of the Guard’ is on a different level.
“Up until that point, it seemed like the kingdom’s problems were being resolved well. But Ensis suddenly retired.”
“…”
“That’s when the implosion began.”
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The axis of power was uncontrollably tilted toward the prestigious family. In particular, the power of the Anima family, which produced Ensis, was already enough to threaten the throne.
Originally, the king would have had no choice but to sit back and watch.
If it was original.
“So, are you saying you want to eliminate the Anima family now? “I’m behind you?”
Siwoo disguised himself as Ensis until the end.
However, the chamberlain laughed as if it was ridiculous.
“There is no need to postpone any longer. Mr. Ensis.”
“Acting. “What is that-“
“Ensis is no longer a sword master, right…? …”
Siwoo couldn’t react any further with his mouth open. He couldn’t even manage his facial expressions.
Even though he was sure he knew, the shock of being found out stayed with him.
“The kingdom’s shadows have already confirmed this several times. His strength is at best that of a sword user. I don’t know why he lost his state, but it doesn’t matter at all. “There is no fear of retaliation.”
“…”
“I am telling you this as a small courtesy to Ensis, who was once loyal to the kingdom. I hope you enjoyed the banquet, and please stay at home. Then everything will be resolved.”
The chamberlain politely bowed and said goodbye to Siwoo. That straight greeting was, more than anything, a strong sign of congratulations.
As if pushed by Siu, he left the palace and headed to the carriage where Hastina was waiting. As night fell, the carriage’s shining lights occasionally flickered and swayed, as if indicating the fate of the Anima.
Inside, Hastina was dozing off.
“Hastina.”
“Uhm…”
“Hastina. Hastina?”
“Hmm… Yes…”
“Hastina. Wake up. “It’s important.”
Hastina, who was half-asleep, found it difficult to understand what she was saying at first, but her expression became serious after hearing all of her circumstances from Siu.
No matter how much the Anima has the power to threaten even the throne, this is a shame that includes cartels with prestigious families.
If the king decides to target only the Anima, it will be difficult to resist.
Because the enemies of the Anima exist even among prestigious nobles.
“Ensis. “Then what should we do?”
“… It’s not like there’s no way. “There’s one thing they overlooked.”
This is a method that NSIS would never have thought of using. So of course I wouldn’t have considered it.
However, Siwoo was not Ensis.
Since it is Siwoo, there is one method that can be used.
“From now on, call everyone I’m talking about. Unus. Duo. Spear…”
“Wait a minute. These names…”
“Okay. “These are the people who were helped by me.”
The people Siwoo was talking about were all people who received help from Siwoo. Although they only helped Ensis by taking on Ensis’s body and imitating Ensis’ actions, they were clearly selected by ‘Siwoo’.
Hastina was astonished that Siu remembered everyone’s names.
“This… “You remember all this?”
“Okay. After all, I am not Ensis. Since I am not Ensis, I will be responsible if any problems arise with these people, so I should at least remember their names.”
Hastina’s eyes changed at Siu’s words. Those eyes were ones that Siwoo had never seen in the past three years.
However, Siwoo did not notice that and recited the names written in his chat window one by one.
“… Ride. Wijinki. Define.”
“… Kurz. Lonely. Dental… “
“… Flower. Angcora. “Sing it all here.”
“What should I do if I call you?”
“What should I do? You should report the situation and ask for help. “As much as I helped them.”
Siwoo grinned.
They will have to repay the intangible debt they owe Si-woo.