91 – The Crown Prince’s Rescuer Turns into a Swordmaster
A lot had happened. I knew that the horse given to His Highness, the Crown Prince, was named Pegasus, but I kept silent. I used military training as an excuse to evade my duties. Moreover, although I had drawn the legendary sword, Lightbane, I kept its identity a secret from the Crown Prince and ultimately escaped on the back of Pegasus. Above all, the greatest sin I committed was letting a woman named Eileen climb onto the back seat of Pegasus first before Princess Yulia, my girlfriend. I confess all of my sins. Please, bestow upon me your generous judgment.
Ascal Erindale’s Confession@
“Isn’t it enough, Yulia?”
Ascal.
He was taken away to the royal family after being caught.
As soon as arrows started raining upon him, Ascal tried to turn the direction of his flight and escape. However, Lia, Arthur, and the Crown Prince combined their forces and carried out a siege operation, which resulted in his capture.
‘Was Pegasus at puberty, he wouldn’t have refused to cooperate…’
What disappointed him most was Pegasus’ disobedience. After it had evolved into a Golden Pegasus, it strangely developed a will of its own. Could it be that he lacked trainer badges?
Lia walked up to Ascal, who was kneeling down, and stroked his tousled hair.
“No, it’s not enough.”
“Lia……”
“Using informal language with the princess?”
“Please forgive me, Princess Yulia.”
He didn’t have a hair tie.
Yes, that was it.
Lia was now in “princess mode”—tyrannical.
“Ascal, do you think I’m angry because you let another woman ride on the back seat of Pegasus? Do I look that narrow-minded to you?”
“Yes.”
Lia pressed down on Askal’s shoulder with her palm. The pressure gradually increased.
“No! Princess Yulia is merciful.”
“What infuriated me was the fact you didn’t get permission. Trust is more important than anything in a relationship. If you had explained beforehand, I might have been able to help.”
“You’re completely right.”
This time, Askal had nothing to say.
Imagine how shocked a girlfriend would be if her boyfriend suddenly disappeared into the clear sky with another woman right in front of her.
“Ah, it was so dangerous. While you were gone… how much my heart was burning black… I wish you would consider that.”
Thankfully, it seemed the princess’s lecture would soon end.
“I’ll let it pass this time, but should there be a next time…”
“A next time?”
As Yulia formed a dark smile, she tapped her jeweled necklace.
“There are some magic spells that are quite secretive and dangerous. Like, for instance, a spell that imprisons people in a gem and tames them.”
“I need to find my hair tie.”
Although Askal rummaged through his pocket, he only had dust.
“Ah, is this it?”
Yulia dangled the hair tie on the tip of her finger.
‘I’ve been tricked!’
So the same pattern does not work.
Yulia stroked Askal’s hair and said,
“Glossy beautiful black hair. I think it would match well with obsidian.”
Askal glanced at the gem hanging from Yulia’s necklace. It gave off a dark glow. It was as if the obsidian was saying, “Come here, it’s comfortable inside.”
It was probably just hallucination.
“I am reflecting and will be careful.”
“Good, you should. My companion.”
Only then did Yulia tie her hair herself.
It was the Lia we knew all too well.
“You look quite weary from your long journey, Lord Askal. Why don’t you start with some warm tea infused with honey.”
“Frankly, it’s sometimes scary how dual-personality you seem. Lia.”
“Ha. If Lord Askal behaves, you’ll only see nice Lia.”
Lia spoke as if she was one of the training camp instructors who could turn into either an angel or a demon depending on how the soldiers performed.
“Hmm. Is the story over?”
“Yes.”
“But, are you two dating?”
Lia froze.
So did Askal.
Come to think of it, the Crown Prince still didn’t know they were dating. He was so engrossed in the conversation that he forgot to keep it hidden.
“Congratulations. I was wondering when you two would start dating. How long has it been?”
“It hasn’t been long.”
“You’re at the best stage then. But, did you run away leaving such a girlfriend behind? Tsk tsk.”
“I’m reflecting on it.”
The Crown Prince patted Askal’s shoulder. He was still kneeling because he missed his chance to stand up.
“So when do you plan to hold the wedding?”
“Pardon?”
“When you become the vassal, you’re going to be too busy to even blink. Wouldn’t it be better in many ways to hold the wedding sooner, even go on a honeymoon in advance?”
The Crown Prince was secretly pleased.
Because marriage would very undoubtedly tie Askal to the empire with an unbreakable leash.
Ascal looked at Lia.
“Is our promise to escape still valid?”
“…Yes. Let’s run away together.”
From Noble mtl dot com
Ascal pondered.
Could he trust this?
He wondered if he would wake up kidnapped in a wedding hall.
“I wish to enjoy this moment as much as I can.”
“Ah, how innocent. Well, I won’t rush you. Congratulations, Ascal, Lia.”
“Thank you, brother.”
“So then..”
*
The Crown Prince drummed his desk lightly.
His eyes changed.
Not the eyes of a sister’s brother, but the eyes of the Crown Prince responsible for the empire.
“…Ascal. I’ll ask just once.”
“Your command, sir.”
“Do you hate the empire?”
Lia looked a little flustered.
“Why would he, brother.”
“I’m asking Ascal.”
The Crown Prince was sincerely asking Ascal.
“You always wanted to escape from the empire. And this time you hid your status in front of me. Also, the Lion tribe warriors and the saintess are following you, but I haven’t heard anything about this from you.”
You’ve hidden important things from me.
How can I trust you then?
“Answer one question, Ascal. If you hate the empire. If so, as the Crown Prince, I will release you from the empire. I can’t continue with someone who tells me they hate it.”
Speak then.
I’ll release you from the empire.
The proposal was enticing enough to draw him in.
There was no avoiding it.
It was the prince who made this serious.
Ascal was just a victim.
After all, even a man who always had a good laugh had moments when he wanted to be serious.
From now on, it would be a conversation between men.
“I once.”
Ascal slowly recounted his past.
A time when he used to work in the empire as a ninth-grade manager.
A time when his fellow managers were taken care of by the Emperor’s hounds.
A time when the sound of grief echoed through the streets everywhere he went.
The empire was the worst country.
“I hate the Empire.”
“Is that so…… “
The prince mumbled as if he could do nothing about it.
“Does a true nation kidnap its people at whim, gouge most of their wealth with taxes, and make it impossible for an officer to retire once appointed? It’s just a demon’s lair.”
“You’re right.”
“Every day as I walk the streets, I see children crying. Saying their parents would never return home. They said they were hungry, so I bought them bread.”
That was the kind of country the Empire was.
Corrupt, decadent, and ultimately destined for destruction.
It’s not strange that the original Yulia became a tyrant. She had no choice but to become one, in this country.
“She ended up sharing with a child younger than herself. She said crumbs were enough for her. Watching that, I thought, ah, I need to escape from here quickly.”
“Did you run away? The pursuit at bottom level wouldn’t have been too intense.”
“But if I worked a few more days, I would receive a salary, right? Though it is tiny like a rat’s tail, it was enough for my meals and to help a few starving kids. The timing never seemed right because of that.”
Asgal thought over it several times.
He now knew.
The Empire he saw during past life experiences was ‘the actual Empire’.
Susia was naïve, so he couldn’t explain it to her, but it was conveyed nonetheless.
“Am I needed for the Empire?”
After pondering for a while, the crown prince replied,
“You are the Empire.”
The crown prince recalled,
The improved magic stone.
The hot springs in the wasteland.
The ancestral Emperor’s sword.
The Sevrin Grand Cathedral.
The airship.
The Jewel Frog.
The decisive ousting of the confidant.
And everything else he did not know.
“If it weren’t for you, wouldn’t the Empire have survived?”
And then, the Crown Prince laughs. Ha ha.
“Help me out, would you?”
His bluff was a failure.
His pretentiousness exposed.
This was the true desire of the Crown Prince.
“In truth, I don’t want to become Emperor either.”
The Crown Prince leaned back in his chair.
The smile was gone.
Cain Barba, in fact, had always wanted to flee.
The politics, the diplomacy, all too bothersome.
He’d always wanted to ride horses and drink in the grasslands.
“Yulia, would you become Emperor in my place?”
“I shall decline.”
“Why?”
Lia pinched Ascal’s ear, giving a light massage.
“This life, I’ve chosen to dedicate to looking after this man.”
“You speak as if you had a previous life.”
“Why yes, it was dreadful. Hence I understand your feelings, dear brother.”
“Quite the jest. Then, Ascal, would you be the Emperor?”
“Absolutely not.”
Cain laughed, empty.
Ascal also chuckled quietly.
“Well, if no one wants to be Emperor, what can I do? I’ll have to do it.”
What a laughable situation.
In the room, there were three people who wanted to flee.
“So, Ascal? You’ve answered. Without you, the Empire would be doomed. Beyond the necessary level. You know why I asked.”
“Two calamities still remain in the Empire.”
“Is there a disaster that has already passed?”
“The airship was bound to fail from the start.”
“Ah, I see. It must have really been a disaster.”
The Crown Prince imagined for a moment and lowered his head.
“The second one is the Dragon. A dragon is sleeping in the Windfall Plains. It’s planned to wreak havoc once it awakens in a few years. It needs to be taken out in advance.”
“Come to think of it, I seem to remember hearing from a soothsayer about unusual signs there.”
“The warriors of the Lion Tribe and the Saintess agreed to help. Please lend us your power as well.”
The Crown Prince asked.
“What was my order again?”
“Fourth, I think…..I can’t remember clearly.”
“Ask me first from now on. Being fourth is a bit insulting.”
The Crown Prince joined the Dragon raid.
“So, what’s the last remaining disaster?”
“That’s a bit vague.”
“Why?”
“They will only reveal themselves when half the empire has fallen. Do you want to know the details?”
“No, I’m good. The dragon alone is already a headache. Let me know if the empire is halfway ruined. Although, I hope it won’t come to that.”
Asgari said.
“I have trained a promising successor. His name is Sirius. He’ll be a fully capable Head of the Evaluation Department. If you want, you can promote him.”
“Hmm. I’ve heard rumors about a genius at Haven Academy.”
“Burnstein and Sirius are the dragon’s teeth. They wouldn’t lack in leading the empire even without me.”
It was an honest evaluation.
Burnstein was indeed capable.
Sirius was just outright the main character.
“I’ll catch the dragon and retire. Send me west.”
“…Understood.”
In the end, Askal wishes to leave the empire.
However.
“There can’t possibly be anyone more capable than you in this world.”
The crown prince, as expected, cannot let go of Askal.
*
“hahahahaha! Askal, you naughty boy! You hid Pegasus from me!”
“I was finally found out. Oh dear.”
“Wasn’t that horse given by me? Truly, you should have told me. There’s no way I’m taking back what I’ve given… um.. I can’t guarantee that.”
The crown prince desperately spoke to Askal.
“Just let me ride it once. Truly.”
“Only one time, truly?”
“Three times.”
“Understood.”
Words are important to the men of the Empire.
Especially in courting a woman, nothing beats a good horse.
According to an internal survey from the Empire’s newspaper, a man with a horse has a confession success rate three times higher than a man without.
However.
“Pitiful… As long as the horse can run, it’s sufficient. What’s so important?”
Lia gave a cool gaze.
Obsessing too much over a horse can backfire, she warns.
“This is, Pegasus…”
The crown prince was moved at the sight of Pegasus.
“His name is Pegasus. He loves carrots.”
“Ah… Can I pet him?”
“Yes. You should stroke him right to left along the grain.”
“I see. So your name is Pegasus. Just right.”
The crown prince was knowledgeable about horses.
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Ferdo was wary of strangers, but upon seeing the blond-haired Crown Prince, he felt something was different from the usual frosty glances. A man, who was a pro at petting. “Hyiiiing!”
“It appears that Ferdo likes you, Your Highness. That’s quite unusual.”
“Is that so? Ferdo, may I ride you?” The Crown Prince slowly approached Ferdo.
Ferdo, who had been relaxed, bowed his body as the prince neared.
“It seems like one ride would be okay.”
“Ah ah…” The Crown Prince carefully climbed onto Ferdo’s saddle.
“This sensation…the rhythmically pulsing softness…the scent of well-maintained fur. Without a doubt, it’s a five-star ride. Perfect score.”
The Crown Prince took hold of the reins.
“Let’s go, Ferdo.”
There was only the Crown Prince and Ferdo in this place.
His joyous appearance moved Ascal to step out of the way.
“Wow, am I flying in the sky? This is great! Fantastic!”
Soon after, Ferdo flew into the air.
The Crown Prince’s hair fluttered in the wind as he flew.
It looked absolutely wonderful.
It was a perfect opportunity to release all the stress that had been built up.
“Perhaps, I was born for this moment!”
The crown prince threw off his cumbersome outerwear.
“It’s in the way!”
He also took off his shoes.
He then performed by standing on Pher’s back with his bare feet.
‘Wait a minute. This pattern is?’
Ascal hesitated.
“Excellent!”
“Hold on, Your Highness! You must not get too excited!”
But, the Prince, who had already ascended into the sky, could not hear Ascal’s words.
Finally, only left in his underwear, the prince had completely stripped off his clothes.
To feel the cool breeze with his bare body.
“It’s still hot, too hot! This won’t suffice!”
The final line.
The prince, who intended to strip off even his underwear.
The prince of the original history fell from his horse and died doing this. Surely not this time?
Ascal became desperate.
‘I must do something!’
He hastily whistled to Pher, but it seemed to go unheard.
‘I have no choice.’
Ascal pulled out the poison dart he had received from the lion tribe.
And aimed carefully.
‘This is my only chance.’
To retire, he must absolutely save the prince.
Meanwhile, the prince had stripped off everything, except for the most important underwear. In the sky, arrows began to rain down mercilessly.
And then.
When he was about to finally ‘strip off’ that last bit.
Whoosh ――
The special poison dart of the Lion tribe was launched.
It hit.
The crown prince looked puzzled for a moment, then almost immediately started to fall asleep.
Ascal hurriedly rushed towards the prince.
It was a serious situation.
‘sh*t.’
The balance of the crown prince was lost, and he was falling.
In an instant, a scenario popped up in Ascal’s head.
The charge of intentional murder against the crown prince.
Even Ascal couldn’t cover this. The minimum would be a painless execution, the maximum would be a torturous drawn-out death.
In a moment of crisis.
Ascal pulled out every last bit of strength he had.
Focusing all his energy into his thighs, he ran and jumped as much as he could. Had he ever strived so hard in life before?
“Haak, Haak!”
In this moment.
Ascal was shining the brightest.
It was not a metaphor, he was literally glowing gold.
He could feel a vitality flowing through his body, something he had never known in his life.
“Hope it reaches you!”
A golden jump, surpassing even the leap of a roe deer on Gwanak Mountain.
Swoosh-
“Caught him.”
Ascal safely caught the falling prince with his two arms.
But, the real crisis comes after.
How to land safely while holding onto the hefty prince?
His entire bone structure seemed like it was about to shatter.
“Fer!”
Lucky.
Fer hurriedly flew, realizing belatedly that his passenger had fallen.
“Fer! Pass the prince! Catch him!”
Ascal threw the prince using recoil.
Fer caught the prince on his back, just like a Border Collie would catch something thrown at it in a split second.
A masterful trick.
‘But what about me…’
The ground is rapidly approaching.
‘Right. I have Lightvein!’
Ascal quickly pulled out Lightvein from its sheath.
‘I was having a nice dream… What’s happening, Master. No, are you falling…’
“Stretch as much as you can!”
Lightvein has the ability to adjust its length.
Realizing the urgency, Lightvein immediately extended its length without any fuss.
Lightvein, now as long as a pole.
There was no rival to its length.
Then, Ascal stuck the Lightvein into the ground and slowly reduced its length.
A miraculous hair’s breadth escape.
Ascal, who had safely landed on the ground, heaved a deep breath.
“Hah, hah…”
“Master.”
“Lightvein.”
Their gazes met.
And thus, Askal high-fived the incoming sword’s handle.
“There was such an incident.”
“You must be making it up. There’s no way I would suddenly undress…”
Askal explained to the prince, who woke up moments later, the events that had transpired while he was unconscious. Leaving out the fact about the poisonous sting.
“I remember flying in the sky on a Pegasus…”
However, the prince seemed to have forgotten recent memories, possibly due to the effects of the poison sting.
“But I felt incredibly free. It’s like all the stress I had went whoosh away.”
“That’s good.”
“Ha-ha. I’ll be asking for your help again next time. There are still two more times.”
Askal casually nodded his head.
‘I’m not going to put up with any more of this nonsense, I absolutely won’t let it happen.’
Having left the resting prince’s room, Askal felt noticeably lighter.
Strangely light.
It’s as if he could feel each and every muscle in his body.
“I didn’t feel like this even after drinking the thousand-year-old water.”
And for some reason, he had a desire to swing his sword. Askal drew Lightvein in the empty garden.
However.
“Master. Congratulations.”
“What are you saying?”
“I can tell. You have become a Swordmaster now.”
“What kind of nonsense is that?”
“It’s true. Try and feel it.”
Swordmaster, as if it’s someone’s pet name. If it’s that easy, Jack next door would also be a Swordmaster.
As Ascal held the sword in this thought and took a medium stance.
He was lost for words at the aura soaring from the sword.
A brilliant golden aura.
In other words, a sword’s ability.
The greatest evidence of a powerful Swordmaster.
‘Why? What have I done?’
——The most important part of awakening as a Swordmaster is surpassing your limits.
——Everyone fell into despair at the threshold, missing just that one step.
——Enlightenment always comes at the moment of crisis.
——The wall only breaks when a powerful will unite with a reckless obsession for life.
“You have overcome a deadly crisis twice. Originally, it’s an old story, but there are often cases where a knight becomes a Swordmaster trying to save his lord.”
“Even while saving a crown prince who almost fell off a naked horse ride?”
“A marvelous example. I should deeply store this story in my memory. I was moved, master. “
Ascal Erendail.
Awakening as the empire’s second Swordmaster.
Is this “Jack” the final boss?