Leap or Knockout (2)
A glass of cold beer proudly appeared across the table.
George looked at the hot chocolate placed in front of him in vain, then opened his mouth with a puzzled expression.
“… … So, who is that person?”
A drinker with a good affinity, moving from table to table and leading a long toast.
From the color of his hair to his eyes, he is a man with a look that can be found anywhere.
Even more so, George had memorized the faces of not only the nobles, but also those of his aides.
The fact that such George did not know, at least, meant that he did not belong to the category of nobility.
Did my superior even know the commoners… … .
While he was thinking that, Albedo emptied the huge beer mug he drank from the table next to him and approached.
“Big! As expected, the beer at this store is still carbonated!”
“… … .”
“hmm? Alas, excuse me. Didn’t I introduce myself?”
Moment.
A strange movement of mana occurred around Albedo.
A flow so bizarre that even wizards who are sensitive to the movement of magic do not notice.
The face of the ‘ordinary man’ that George had seen suddenly disappeared, and in the midst of the tumultuous atmosphere, the face of the ‘second prince’ he was familiar with was reflected.
“Two kings… … .”
“Shh.”
“… … .”
It had changed in an instant, but there was no way George could not have noticed it.
“Ah, I know who you are, so it’s okay if I don’t introduce you.”
“… … Is that so?”
“You said you were going to be your older brother’s aide in the future? I heard it directly from my older brother, do you think his ability is good? You must be quite proud.”
“It is a useless sentiment. Albedo.”
I dismissed the guy’s fuss and drank a beer.
I thought George’s presence alone was loud enough, but the real singer seemed to be separate.
By the time I pushed a sip down my throat like that. George asked with a bewildered face.
“By the way, how did you come to know our identity?”
The perception-impairing artifact attached to the waistband was still functioning without problems.
Even if the effect is halved in a small space, it was not a useless artifact to the extent that one would immediately notice its identity.
Of course, the answer to that was simple.
“Just as there is an upper hand in power, there is always a rank in the level of magical power.”
In particular, if it was something like an artifact that only used magic stones to output a fixed wavelength, it was likely to become useless in front of a higher level power.
It’s not that it’s not effective, it’s that it doesn’t work at all.
… … Just like now.
At my brief explanation, Albedo smiled and nodded.
“answer. A perfect explanation, too.”
Although he was destined to be the second prince of the country of knights, he was a strange breed whose talent for magic was superior to his talent for swordsmanship.
The sword was just about to be carried around in form, but it could be said that he was a genius in terms of his immersed magic skills.
“But why are you here, brother?”
“I left the temple.”
“A place like this? Did you like this pompous store? Unexpected Dep Show.”
The boy said and looked around.
It’s definitely a place that’s unreasonable to go over with the excuse of simply leaving the temple.
Conversely, it also means that it is not a suitable place even for the second prince.
“Then why are you guys here?”
“Well, I like the free atmosphere of mercenaries. I stop by sometimes when I don’t have a schedule.”
“… … Right.”
I responded appropriately and raised my beer mug.
Somehow it was a simple conversation, but it was because I felt that my heart was moving in a relaxed atmosphere.
‘… … It feels fresh.’
I had guessed it before, but my mind was gradually getting used to the body of a 20-year-old.
The day I came to realize this was the day I returned from the Galderd Plain dispatch. It was a time when I felt relieved and comfortable in a familiar space.
The momentary longing I felt when I first returned, or a feeling that was completely different from the choice of beer.
It is an unreasonable sensibility that I have never felt while going to war.
‘Thinking about it, I think I felt a similar sense of discomfort when I returned from the land of barbarians.’
And this, undoubtedly, was being adapted based on the body.
Perhaps, as I guessed in my heart, it is a story about the age-appropriate spirit.
I looked at the first prince’s ring on the hand that was touching the beer mug.
‘Getting used to the body of a 20-year-old, la… … .’
It wasn’t a bad feeling.
In a way, it was a story that the gap between the ‘me’ before the return and the ‘me’ now began to diminish.
Maybe it means that I don’t have to rely on a ring like this to figure out my identity as the first prince.
… … Even so.
The spirit of the Sword King imprinted in me still remains. Because it is a form of ‘self’ that is so certain that it does not change even with the age of the body.
So there was no need or thought to search for the source of the unknown emotion.
No matter what the body is, my mind will finally maintain my form.
“… … If you put it badly, it would mean that your mind is getting younger.”
“yes?”
“It is nothing.”
I hesitated and tried to raise the beer glass again.
It was then.
clap-
The door of the inn, which had been tightly closed, opened and an emaciated man entered the store.
A naive impression and the southern continent’s distinctive copper-colored skin. And the silky, flat clothes that scholars usually wear are very similar to the impression of someone they heard.
It was him.
I nodded to George, who narrowed his eyes and raised his glasses.
‘You showed up earlier than expected.’
El Bardo.
An unfortunate scholar and inventor who was once called a genius who committed suicide after becoming a debtor and pessimistic about his continued research failures.
It was the first time seeing it in person. It was clear what he had heard and what he knew.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t just me and George waiting for him.
“I finally met you.”
“Hey… … !”
The gang of gray robes who had been drinking quietly in the corner got up from their seats and started approaching him.
I didn’t wait with good intentions without asking.
The guys lowered their voices menacingly, chewing and spitting.
“I wonder if you were in a place like this?”
“Oh, no… … !”
“Well, if it wasn’t here, there’s no way the likes of you would be able to escape our pursuit.”
The scholar quickly turned around and tried to leave the inn.
However, the movements of those pulling the arms were faster than that.
Knock-!
“Hey, don’t do this.”
“How good would it be if you handed over the results of your research like that?”
“But that research has been something I’ve devoted half my life to… … .”
“Shut up. He’s looking for you. If you don’t want to die, shut up and follow me.”
Seeing that, it became clear what they were aiming for.
It must have been designed that way from the beginning.
George, who was watching the situation, whispered softly.
“Are they the creditors in the report?”
“okay.”
In fact, I’ve noticed since I came here.
They kept silently watching the entrance, and divided into three groups, guarding the possible retreat.
In addition, the dirty trick of forcibly taking on debt and taking research materials was, of course, the trick that the ‘guys’ had committed.
‘I guess he came at the right time.’
At that time, George, who was shaking his head here and there as if he had found something interesting to see, said.
“By the way, can I stay still like this? It seems to be dragged that way.”
“I will have to save you.”
In any case, if we leave this situation alone, the situation we feared will come, and the future will again flow as before the return.
Because the purpose of this temple was to prevent that.
… … but.
“I don’t think it’s my turn to step out.”
“yes?”
“Hey brothers.”
In an instant, the wind blows.
The mana in the air was in a state of rage, as if a storm was about to rage, and to be precise, only the men approaching them were as quiet as the only safe zone.
man. Albedo Esteban gave a relaxed smile to the gang surrounding the scholar.
“At first glance, it looks like they are trying to forcefully drag someone they don’t like, but even if this is a gray zone, openly kidnapping people is out?”
“What are you?”
“me? I’m just a passer-by lover of justice.”
The guy answered generously and put his hand on the arm of the captured scholar.
Then, the one who seemed to be the leader among them gave an order with a small wink.
“… … Tsk. Take care of it before it gets any louder.”
“yes.”
In an instant, men in robes rushed toward Albedo. As if they didn’t care about the others, they pulled out blue daggers from their arms.
That moment.
“Ouch!”
“Ugh!”
“… … ?!”
Suddenly, the men in robes who rushed in started a fight and fell to the floor.
I fainted at the weak wave that came without the slightest sign or hint.
Of course, despite his appearance, Albedo just lightly shook his shoulders as if nothing had happened.
“after. Say it with words.”
“You, what are you… … That wave from before… … .”
The man who had ordered to subdue the sudden change widened his eyes and began to be cautious in all directions.
It was because he did not recognize the cause of the strange phenomenon even though he was nearby.
However, anyone with even the slightest knowledge of magic would have noticed it. In an instant, a huge storm raged inside the inn.
“Well, I don’t know. How about looking back first?”
“Back… … ? Huh!”
Before I knew it, I was behind him, reaching out my hand toward his neck.
Unlike not being able to figure out the identity of the wave, I didn’t feel any sign of it, as if I was facing a ghost.
But there was no time to dodge or counterattack.
“… … .”
fluff-
“Whoa.”
Just by touching the back of his neck with his fingers, the head man fell down with absurd ease.
This is because the flow of qi was artificially blocked by injecting aura into the veins.
The side effects will be severe, but it won’t matter.
I looked down indifferently at the body collapsed on the floor and said.
“That nonsense is still there. Albedo.”
From noble mtl dot com.
“What.”
Some described him as a lazy person who abandoned even the bare minimum of duties.
However, the appearance of Albedo that I can see. Before returning, and even now, he is a more free and dignified person than anyone else.
He was able to be friendly with people he met for the first time, and even if he had no justice to offer, he had a contradictory personality that did not overcome injustice.
Perhaps his personality itself is his greatest talent and weapon.
“Hyung-nim uses an interesting technique. Do you have any business with these brothers?”
“no.”
After shaking my head, I approached the scholar who was sitting on the floor with his legs weak.
He seemed to have noticed me approaching, and after a daze, he hurriedly got up from his seat and tried to lower his head.
however.
“ah! thank you I don’t know who you are, but thanks to you two… … .”
“El Bardo.”
“My, how do you name me… … no way.”
The moment my name was called, my body began to tremble uncontrollably, as if I had an anxious imagination.
“… … Are you here to catch me?”
“Raise your head.”
“Woah, I can never give you the research results! I don’t know how you came to know… … .”
“I don’t order three times. Raise your head.”
“Yes, yep… … .”
El Bardo’s body moved naturally at the command that was more powerful than any threat.
It was an action so swift that the muscles moved unconsciously.
I watched him, and slowly opened my mouth.
“I know that your situation is not good. All the tricks of those guys who made me go into huge debt in the name of investing in research.”
“… … !”
“At first, he must have been framed for embezzlement by skillfully manipulating the ledger. Afterwards, did you mention the terms of the contract and threaten to pay the penalty if you don’t want to be expelled from the academic world?”
“Uh, how… … .”
He wasn’t sure, but he blankly agreed.
Of course, by the time you found out it was a scam, it would have been too late.
Maybe from the time I received the money, I was out of line. It was because there was no way that an unsophisticated scholar could overcome the tricks of ‘them’.
At that moment, the voice that came out of my mouth lifted his mind.
“Do you want revenge?”
“… … !”
To those who seduced an unsuspecting scholar into astronomical debt.
To the scum that threatens to give up the knowledge they’ve been studying all their lives in exchange for paying off the debt.
I asked if he really wanted to receive a fair judgment.
“Bo, if you say revenge… … .”
“Don’t think big. I only serve one purpose, and that will be a form of revenge for you.”
Soon, he brought his head closer and whispered lowly.
“I will personally relieve you of your injustice.”
“… … .”
El Bardo’s lips were tightly shut.
Even if it was not the name of a scholar, he would have been able to fully accept the meaning of the word.
Even more so, even if it was the words of an unknown man.
“I… … Are you really trying to help me, a stranger? I am a person who has not received a penny of sponsorship because I have not obtained any research results in recent years… … .”
“A track record like that is not a factor in determining my actions.”
We change our destiny among the knowledge of the future that has been cut off piecemeal.
Because that’s why I came here.
“… … I’ll do it. What can I do?”
“Simple.”
My gaze then turned to the table where I had just been sitting.
The figure of George reluctantly swallowing the hot chocolate, and the figure of Albedo watching this situation with interest.
finally… … .
“eww… … ugh… … .”
Even the appearance of the chief assailant who was released from suppression and came to his senses belatedly.
I held his neck with my cold hands and whispered softly.
“Guide me, to where your guys are behind.”