Chapter 66 – Two Choices (1)
“What is the reason?”
What came out of Durak’s mouth was one question.
A simple question without any explanation.
However, Xian did not know what the question meant.
Sian calmly opened his mouth.
“Because there is no place for me in the family.”
Durak’s gaze turned to Xi’an.
I couldn’t even get a glimpse of any emotion in his eyes.
“You are Elandur.”
“It is also Elandur in name only.”
Xian raised his gaze again and looked at Durak.
A face that is still expressionless.
Sian opened his mouth again.
“There is a separate place for me to be.”
Durak was speechless.
A desolate silence descended again.
How much time had passed like that?
“He was overly obsessive.”
Durak opened his mouth again.
Xian didn’t say anything.
To be precise, I can’t really say anything.
“Ruben has been the land that Elandur has protected since the time of our distant ancestors.”
Durak looked at the cyan and slowly opened his mouth.
“It was a useless land, but the former heads of households protected Ruben like that. I’ve been questioning it for a long time. Because it was so strange. There is a manor in the dark forest. It didn’t make sense from this.”
Durak began a short story about Ruben.
And that was a story that even Xian did not know.
“Nevertheless, Elandur protected Ruben. But no one, no one. I didn’t know why it had to be. One thing I found out. That Ruben has existed since before the beginning of the family of Ellandur.”
The origins of the Elandur family go back hundreds of years from now.
although it wasn’t accurate.
As far as Xian knows, it was about 400 years earlier.
At that time, the empire was in danger of great destruction.
It was the time when the first emperor of the empire was killed.
It was the day that Charlotte’s swordsmanship, which had been passed down from generation to generation, was lost.
And it was also the moment when Elandur was able to become a prestigious family in the empire.
“There was no reason, no purpose. As if someone had given them an obligation, the former heads of households had just been protecting Ruben. I questioned that, and instead of protecting Ruben in the end. I decided to use it for another purpose for the family.”
Durac abandoned Ruben.
So Ruben was thoroughly neglected, and at the end it became the current commanding territory.
To put it mildly, it is exile.
To put it bluntly, the place of execution.
Durac used Ruben to eliminate his opponents.
In that sense, Isabel sent Xian to Leuven.
“Leuven is such a land. A commanding estate that is useless to anyone. I have no intention of changing the land.”
however.
“I heard that the territory changed at some point.”
Durak looked at Xian.
Xian didn’t say anything.
To be precise, he hid his emotions inside.
I knew.
Durac was aware of Ruben’s situation.
The time Xian stayed at the mansion.
That time was also the time for Isabel to persuade Durak.
It was also the time Durak investigated Xian and Ruben.
Durak looked at Xian and said.
“Come back to the family.”
Xian met Durak’s gaze.
Eyes that show no emotion.
So Xian was able to realize.
Isabel’s persuasion failed.
Otherwise, Durak would have no reason to say that.
Apparently, Durak seemed to be thinking of returning Xian to the family.
At first, it must have been simple interest.
Little attention to Cyan’s choice for the Zodiac Sword.
And there must have been a curiosity about the growth of this person who was a dunjae of the world.
Then I found out about Ruben’s circumstances.
I found out that Ruben had made incredible progress.
All of that was done in Xian’s hands.
By doing so, Durak seemed to appreciate Xian’s ability more highly.
It seems that he thought that he should hold on to Xian even more.
If Ruben, which was no different from that ruin, had been developed to that extent.
If it had been made into a decent territory in this short amount of time.
Because Xian would have the ability to revive Ellandur’s family much more than that.
I was honestly surprised.
Xian never thought that Durak would be so interested in the investigation.
And if Durac is interested in this far.
It was safe to say that there were no other restrictions on Xian’s presence in the family.
I didn’t have to look at Isabelle anymore.
He wouldn’t have to look at the other brothers either.
He will be able to continue his life in the family, which is the exact opposite of what he used to be.
However, Xian had no intention of returning to the family.
Now come on, something like Durak’s interest.
neither want nor want
Xian had never thought of Elandur as her own family.
That’s why I didn’t want anything to do with Elandur anymore.
At least, if Xian has any lingering attachments to Ellandur, it’s probably just one.
Xian’s mother, Cecil.
However, Cecil died long ago.
Along with him, all of Xian’s family related to Ellandur died.
For Xian, his family is only the people of Ruben.
But now, Durak’s orders are absolute.
In the end, Xi’an is destined to return to her family.
Isabelle’s persuasion failed.
Xi’an’s goal also went wrong.
However.
Not everything is wrong yet.
The proof is right now.
This is how Xian was called separately.
Isabel’s persuasion was not a total failure.
not exactly ignored.
If Durak hadn’t listened to Isabel’s words.
There was no need to call Xian separately.
To be precise, there was no reason to ask him to return to his family one more time.
It was enough to just entrust the work to Xian.
Even so, calling Xian separately and talking to him.
yet.
Not everything is wrong.
So now.
You have to throw the odds.
“1 year.”
Xian spoke slowly.
“Give me a year.”
Durak’s eyebrows twitched.
“After a year, I will return to my family without saying anything.”
Durak was looking down at Xian without saying anything.
“Why should I?”
A word from Durak that followed.
Xian said right away.
“You didn’t mean to entrust me with family affairs, did you?”
“Yes.”
“Then give me one year.”
Durak was silent.
And Xian didn’t know what that silence meant.
refuse.
In the first place, there was no reason why Durak would give Xian a year.
Xian continued.
“If you don’t, I won’t take care of the family business.”
Durak’s mouth twisted.
There is an obvious feeling of anger.
‘Keuhuk…!’
An unimaginable murderous intent strikes.
I felt a terrible suppression force tightening my whole body.
“Did you think you would have a choice?”
The voice weighs on the senses.
And, as Durak said, Xian had no choice.
Durak’s command in Ellandur is absolute.
If Durac would do that.
I absolutely had to do that.
But one thing.
Xian had a choice left.
So, here’s the odds.
Xian gritted his teeth and bit them.
“One thing…! I can choose…! There must be…!”
Xian let out a heavy breath and said.
And facing Durak straight.
“If you can’t grant my request…!”
Sian opened his mouth.
“Now cut my throat…!”
The energy grew stronger and squeezed Xian.
He doesn’t listen as if his entire body is paralyzed.
Durak said nothing.
The winning number thrown by Xian.
It forced Durak to make a choice.
Do you lose the tool to revive the family by cutting Xian’s head here?
Or do you get such a tool by waiting a year?
Durak maintained an eerie silence.
Xian held his spirit in that silence.
How much time had passed like that?
It felt like decades had passed.
For an instant, the aura that oppressed Xian disappeared.
at the same time.
“Half a year.”
I heard Durak’s voice.
straight gaze.
“Get out.”
Durak seemed to have nothing more to say.
I turned my back on Xi’an.
#
Click.
After leaving the office, Xian moved quickly.
And when I wanted to get away from the office.
“Whoa…”
I was able to let out the long breath I had been holding back.
One-on-one with Durak.
Even just having a conversation took a lot of energy.
There was also a feeling of nervousness that something might go wrong.
Especially when suppressed by energy…
It wasn’t called the Empire’s No. 1 sword for nothing.
Truly a monster.
well, anyway.
Fortunately, the worst was averted.
If he had been caught by the family like this, he would have run away at night.
Fortunately, I gained half a year of time.
so that.
“It’s not something to just get over.”
Even if the work was over, it was not simply a matter of passing it on.
Now somehow things have been worked out.
But it was half a year.
After half a year, Xian must return to Ellandur again.
Durak was still holding the hilt.
And the horse was half a year.
You never knew when the hilt would swing again.
Anyway, Durak’s orders in Ellandur are absolute.
He didn’t know that it was Durak, so he must have given Xian half a year.
Because if you want to, you can overturn this board again.
The situation could have been avoided somehow.
However, it was still in Durak’s palm.
“hmm···.”
Xi’an’s head was filled with complicated thoughts.
Right then.
“What are you doing here?”
I heard someone calling out such cyan.
A familiar yet unfamiliar voice.
Sian slowly turned his head in the direction from which the sound came.
the place you looked at.
There, a handsome man with a cold impression was standing there, looking at Xian.
A man like a lofty wolf.
Kai Ellandour.
The first child of the Marquis of Ellandur.
He was the eldest brother of Xian, who was called the star of the empire.
Well, it was only natural that Kai was in the Ellandur Mansion.
But have you ever had a face-to-face conversation like this?
First of all, there was almost nothing in Xi’an’s memory.
No, it wasn’t rare, but it seemed like this was the first time.
Because Kai didn’t pay much attention to his younger siblings.
Only the name was different, but it was no different from Junior Durak.
‘Junior Durach isn’t wrong either, right?’
well, anyway.
“long time no see. Brother Kai.”
Xian lowered his head slightly and said.
Kai also nodded slightly.
Eventually, Kai opened his mouth again.
“I heard that you are coming back to the family this time.”
Durac and Isabelle.
And even though it happened between Xian.
Kai seemed to know that too.
Isabelle could have said it.
Most of all, since Xi’an had been staying at the mansion for over two weeks, I couldn’t help but notice.
A fact that everyone in the mansion knew with a shush.
But I didn’t know or could not know what had just happened.
“This is the way I just rejected the family lord and came out.”
At Xian’s words, Kai slightly raised his eyes.
Hearing this for the first time was, of course, quite surprising.
As expected, Kai asked Xian.
“You said you refused… does that mean you won’t return to the family?”
“That’s right.”
Of course, I had to come back half a year later…
Didn’t bother mentioning that fact.
Kai was silent for a moment at Xian’s answer.
After a while, Kai opened his mouth again.
“I heard that it was suggested by the head of household. So, when I return to my family, nothing will be the same as before.”
Kai said something quite unexpected.
I thought he had no interest in Xian at all.
Still, he seemed to be aware of the situation.
“You will also be able to get support from your family. What is the reason for your refusal?”
“Isn’t there an older brother in the family? It is enough for me to be the lord of Ruben.”
Kai’s eyes changed at Xian’s words.
He seems to be thinking about what it means…
But it didn’t really mean anything.
Because Xian was really enough of Ruben’s lord.
“Is it because of your mother?”
“Well… I won’t deny it.”
Sian replied shyly.
Isabelle’s reasons were not without reason.
Kai looked at Xian quietly.
and.
“If that is what you mean.”
Kai left the seat with those words.
Xian looked at Kai’s back.
Anyway, yes or now.
“…because he’s an unknown person.”
Kai was a person who really couldn’t understand the inside.
“Ah, I don’t know.”
Xian moved again.
#
After breaking up with Kai, Xian immediately came out of the mansion.
Because there was no reason to stay in the mansion.
I didn’t even have any luggage with me.
Even if there were, it was because they were all in the inventory.
Above all, there was no one to say good-bye to.
“If I ran into Roswell for no reason, I might get stuck again.”
There were only a lot of people who would be annoying and troublesome.
So Xian came out of the mansion the same way he and Kai broke up.
Xian came out like that.
Although it was only a few steps away.
For some reason, it felt like my stuffy heart had been pierced.
“Would your mother feel like this?”
probably should have done more.
Xian let out a smile and brushed off the thoughts that came to him.
Then, he took out the paper he had prepared in advance.
He also took out a pen and wrote a letter to Hans.
It was a letter saying that his return to Ruben would be a little delayed.
Even now, it was later than expected.
Even so, the reason for writing an additional letter was simple.
Because Xi’an wasn’t going to return to Ruben right away.
And the reason for this was also simple.
“Half a year might be a bit tight.”
The hilt held by none other than Durak.
It was to bring the hilt that might be wielded again at any time.
In fact, Xian had guessed that this situation would come someday.
Anyway, Xian was Elandur.
Because Ruben was also the domain of Elandur.
So, I was slowly preparing.
But I thought it was too early.
And that’s why it was delayed.
I was going to do it after developing Ruben a little more and settling down.
But half a year is left.
I needed to move quickly.
So it seemed like the time had come to put the plan I had in mind into action.
A plan to escape from Durak’s palm.
In this empire, of course, on the continent.
I wondered if there was anyone who could stand against the name of Ellandur.
That’s why there was no way to bring the hilt held in Durak’s hand.
The hilt in Durak’s hand.
Only two families in this empire had the potential to threaten it.
Like Ellandur, the two pillars supporting the empire, Lorsilt.
Heart of the Empire, the Imperial Family.
And only one of these families was able to ‘suppress’ Elandur.
Heart of the Empire, the Imperial Family.
Even Elandur had no choice but to give up in front of the imperial family, the owners of the empire.
so now.
Xi’an went to Darkan, the capital of the empire, not Ruben.
It was to meet none other than the crown prince, Conrad.
And the reason is the last day.
It was because of a promise the crown prince had made to Xi’an.
‘I’ll grant you a special wish. Whatever it is, say anything. This is a promise made in the name of the imperial family.’
Conrad’s promise and debt he received as a gift of the highest quality mana stone during the National Foundation Day event.
I guess I should go get that debt now.
So that the hilt held by Durach could not be swung toward Xian and Ruben.
Of course, it would be a difficult request even for a crown prince.
Still, since you have something to say, you won’t be able to refuse it.
So I’ll have to go and try it out somehow.
That’s why Xian is not Ruben.
He headed for Darkan, the capital where the imperial palace was located.
Previously.
“Oh. I need to change the ticket.”
I didn’t forget to cash in the 1.5 million gold slip.
#
The capital of the Charlotte Empire, Darkan.
It is the center of the Charlotte Empire, which boasts vast territories.
The heartland where all important matters of the empire are decided.
And this place, which can be called the heart of the heart.
“The imperial palace is always marvelous.”
Xian muttered as he looked at the vast imperial palace.
The residence of Leuven, where Xi’an resided, as well as the mansion of Elandur were not up to the imperial palace.
“Is it normal?”
Xian sighed and laughed and walked towards the entrance of the imperial palace.