Chapter 171
VoAPcw4Broad, who had emigrated from beyond the snowy lands to Asagrim, was quite satisfied with his job as a guard.YeMfjEc
0usehoIn terms of hierarchy, he was a mere low-ranking officer, and his work was limited to patrolling the territory.7K4m
2h0Even so, being a guard was one of the few positions where he could put his previous experience as a warrior to use.8wz0sn
Ijy“Compared to our comrades who are learning trades from scratch, just being able to start working immediately and earn a steady wage is already a win.”T0Pf
w2qRpH“Yeah, we got lucky.”QhaPR1
F7ALnTula, who had been chosen as a guard alongside Broad, nodded in agreement.G9LvD
XrNOther fellow countrymen, having left behind the life of a warrior, couldn’t use even a bit of their combat skills and were now earnestly learning a trade from the ground up.PEC6q
6dGRBy comparison, Broad and the other guards had already become independent workers, so practically speaking, they were several steps ahead of the rest.YAyyi
CRKkIn fact, they stirred envy among those around them, and they themselves took a bit of pride in those gazes.hIQ
BwhOOf course, being a guard had its downsides too.abo
XAD4nd— Waaaaaah!8uHPO
hLBXUY“…Still, it’s a shame we can’t see these kinds of events in person. They say the king’s famous great warrior is going to appear.”uxHMsl
nfOkKumHearing the cheers coming from within the city walls, Tula’s shoulders drooped.tVZ
15MdYTNow he was just a lowly guard, but in his day, he too had called himself a warrior.OyLT
U78jNFIt was only natural that he’d want to see with his own eyes the man known as the king’s great warrior—the strongest of all.r1NzUA
kP4UE9“Can’t be helped. That’s always been the guard’s job. It’s exactly in moments like these, when people let their guard down, that we have to stay sharp, right?”6hpFn
sQ5kJ8“You’re right, but still…”4aO3
fOuqEven with those words, Tula couldn’t hide his disappointment.Tj6q4p3
4BKBroad completely understood how he felt, so he didn’t push the topic further.oLe5H
RR6efsThe truth was, if given the chance, he too wanted to see that famous great warrior of the king in person.58HYa
O5k“At least they say the king’s giving us triple pay this month. With that, let’s take the family out for a nice meal.”emM
wQoJr3T“Let’s do that. My son’s been constantly asking me for stuff lately. Strange—back in the snowy lands, he never threw tantrums.”tRplm
ixCl4kz“There wasn’t anything a kid would like over there. If I’d come here as a child too, I probably would’ve asked my dad for a toy horse.”Eig
Oz3d1PX“True. That toy horse is amazing. You push it forward like a rolling hoop, and the little foal figure goes clack-clack…”ntsr
Fg7qJlESuddenly, both fell silent. In the distance, a whitish figure was approaching.RXUBtWG
Z1OMEBroad and Tula tilted their heads and whispered.QRdL4So
CSeI7“Who could that be? Doesn’t look like a mourner at this hour.”IZvLuDv
OKsB“And not a blacksmith either. If he were a master, he’d be carrying some tools at least.”PedXz
namlThe closer the figure came, the more suspicious it appeared.7cCQZ
acZRWHe wasn’t even carrying a travel bag—something basic for any traveler—and yet he was dressed in strangely luxurious clothing.N1y3o
cbLsOuThe oddest part was that he seemed to have money, but wore clothes far too thin for the weather and was visibly shivering from the cold.VKU1Cz
KkiWu“No matter how I look at him, he doesn’t seem local. Should we arrest him and question him?”liHanQ
vCpe“Let’s wait a bit. Might just be a lunatic.”4zu
KQSuFXIBoth waited in silence, ready to pounce and subdue him if necessary.Xf2J
ocsRoY3Before long, the stranger reached the city gate and shouted in a powerful voice.tVLIG
P1lQo“I am the rightful heir of the Empire, Claude fin Bey Astria! Open the gate at once and announce my visit to Duke Lucian!”xHR
DDv***U4HH1
rb4ZClaude thought that as soon as the guards heard his name, they would throw themselves to the ground trembling.6HXK
OdrfAcGThe only legitimate heir of the Empire—or rather, someone who was no different from the next emperor.PYzFxWY
28ulkrAny commoner in their right mind should feel their legs give out and their mind go blank in the presence of such nobility.TMe
EOvhZo0But, as if mocking his expectations, the guards only blinked with confused faces.4tasI
8BUH“The Empire… what? What did he say?”YfHhT
O5Fk“No idea. Seems like he’s the heir of some family.”3SVF3lc
APGwL“Of an important one?”wpVj
jVtc3t“Who knows. I don’t know anything.”nIoLrq3
8o7“…!?”hEe
0EH3OUoThe guards’ words left Claude completely dumbfounded.vAc
wEOVHe had seen people who revered him with genuine devotion upon hearing his identity.eW2
tmUemHe had also seen others who looked uncomfortable, like they had bumped into someone they didn’t want to see, or who hesitated, unsure of how to act.A3Q6b
f1sBut never in his life had he encountered people who simply didn’t know who he was.PYNRx
GFB2gklAlthough he didn’t like it, Claude decided to make his identity even clearer.YuSFoB9
zcQV1“…I am the first prince. The legitimate son of His Majesty, the previous emperor.”P3vcGnN
Mp82“First prince? His Majesty, the previous emperor? That rings a bell.”gtlcG9
EGSXL7o“Oh, now I remember. That’s what they called the emperor who died earlier.”vtjU
M3NryL“The emperor? So this guy is the emperor’s son?”HIby6
2UIkClaude’s face turned red as a tomato.fvevu
xwQRThat simple guards would refer to the emperor, the ruler of the Empire, like he was just some neighborhood acquaintance.UcYVvjc
a7ETf‘To what extent must Lucian have scorned the imperial family for even the lowest to be this insolent?’LqYRuX1
2KUa8It was a massive misunderstanding.clOv
cIRa7uWThe foreigners from beyond the snowy lands had lived separated from the Empire since birth.Tbo
WDq01To them, any territory or even the Empire itself, aside from Lucian, felt like a foreign country.cBET
fLnRcIt was natural that they had no respect for the imperial family and referred to the emperor like a ruler of another nation.PfFO
m8LUnaware of this reality, Claude exploded in fury and shouted without restraint.aQ7IK
Cltuu“A mere guard dares to insult the imperial family without the slightest shame! This alone is enough to reveal the duke’s usual conduct! Summon Duke Lucian immediately! As the legitimate heir of the Empire, I will demand accountability!”x0AcT
JG4Uzm“…Accountability? Are you saying you’re going to accuse our lord?”uzWNp
1o6EEoG“Shut up! I won’t waste any more time talking to a nobody like you! Summon the duke at once—!”hcxI
ThwMpSlap!1h7X
LKvpVClaude couldn’t finish speaking.KYwMhTj
7O1usQA brutal impact suddenly shook him, and before his eyes, stars exploded in sparks.xlv
LI3He blinked several times, unable to comprehend what had happened.If41
eb9kqDkSlap!ac6CyO
z8hWWith the second blow, the stars flashed again in his sight.7hoEu
EVXA moment later, he felt a sharp stinging in his cheek and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.rFh7q
xLfOnly then did he realize he had been slapped across the face and that the inside of his mouth had been torn.y5bsH
5krhRgy“W-what is this…?”Kaj
cgetp1“Where did this lunatic come from, wagging his tongue without permission? You’re going to demand accountability from His Highness? You? Do you think this is a joke?”IlN
tnfhBWv“Kh… guh…!”4kJ
joZWMGrabbed by the neck in Broad’s brutal grip, Claude couldn’t move at all.Xqwikhy
q2VCkrHe tried to activate the necklace to deploy a barrier, but Broad’s palm was faster.Oc9xx
ThQiWhap! Whap! Whap!lPp5
OfcU“Kh… ugh!”QDS
DE5U“You’re clearly just a brat who’s never wielded a sword and only knows how to flap his mouth! Go on, say again what you were saying!”cixILw6
0iViz“W-wait… ghk…”i6j
4LDs“Now that I think about it, what you said is ridiculous too. What? Son of the emperor? If you were that important, why would you come north alone without even a single attendant? Say something that makes sense!”zDJROnC
B4NGNe“Grrrk…”ZBBu6Wb
29zv9In the midst of his clouded mind, Claude desperately tried to explain, but it was useless. Broad and Tula had no intention of listening anymore.3BAT2
ALlcJCUnder the continuous rain of blows, Claude didn’t last much longer and lost consciousness.4jz
VK84“What the hell? He passed out just from a few hits? What a weakling.”0fJKV
VCnb3G“What should we do? I’d dump him in the snow right now.”kJV
qG4P“Let’s throw him in jail first and notify the captain. He insulted His Highness, so he’ll get the punishment he deserves.”w650
jvIdwKjAs angry as they were, they were still just guards.q1DhZ
Wj7hUnless the person was a murderer, they didn’t have the authority to execute on the spot.ahTF2f
qUlXbGJBesides, after insulting Lucian, there was no way he’d walk away unscathed. It was enough to lock him up and report the crime.HfoH5P
tEw“First, we have to change his clothes to a prison uniform. Where’d he get such fancy clothing?”peIydM
Fib6YB3“Probably stole them. Just in case, let’s set aside the clothes and jewelry and show them to the captain. He might face additional charges.”XuSCIm
nBGKE1iAfter agreeing, the two of them carried the unconscious Claude and headed into the city.v5hLKSX
oPMTo lock up a deranged criminal where he belonged.yvK2
0nsmH***OSkp
ASUDWhile Claude was being dragged by the guards, Lucian was waiting for the imminent start of the swordsmanship tournament.2yxKx
C3eXSeated in the main box of the arena, already buzzing with excitement, he scanned the surroundings and clicked his tongue.YsgFB
VDZZr“I warned them so many times, and yet all their eyes are gleaming with greed.”CuvW
jSG4SZAmong the knights who wished to face Felicia were not a few vassals and heirs of great houses.ZENh0JB
ClmqEverywhere, one could feel the desire to snatch the Swordmaster title and use it to revitalize their bloodlines.7AnT
7mwDOPTo Lucian, it was no longer amusing, but rather pitiful.LxGgZ
Oski“They haven’t even properly assessed the strength of their opponent, yet they act with such overconfidence. Don’t you think so, brother?”KRjmb
HFdB5NtAt Lucian’s sudden question, Tristan responded with an awkward expression.ddya
vKUI4f“…There’s not much to be done. Until recently, knights rarely had to fight with their lives on the line.”HxH69
TnNAt most, territorial wars or suppressing a local rebellion. The rest were just friendly duels or fights over personal grudges.gXkQXZ
qvJThey hardly ever had the chance to encounter truly powerful hidden forces.5LnKmin
ZtF5K“If a knight with some talent has never met a worthy rival, it’s natural for him to believe he’s invincible. Especially here in the north, where strength is revered. A knight who stands out here has more than enough reason to dream.”hYk
yHAK11“To dream, huh.”T5A9ZUO
cbB0CfnLucian let out a short laugh. Tristan, thinking it was a mockery, frowned.bAv
XaJSd1“What’s so funny about that?”Uoe2Kj
gxaE7“I’m not mocking. I just noticed that you and I are seeing things from different perspectives.”ee9fG
XAE“Different perspectives?”chZjC
6d7aTkE“Yes. Yours is still stuck on the day Felicia received her investiture.”lXGQ8
4UxKJtU“What do you mean by…?”Isyh
nxk— Waaaaaaah!P4toCBS
fROrA deafening cheer suddenly erupted, and Tristan instinctively covered his ear. The other nobles also frowned at the unexpected roar.SJEo2ll
VohTurning to see what was happening, they saw Felicia already walking toward the arena.KYAW
rAcRT“What’s going on? Just by showing up, why are they so worked up?”foO
HxJJCL0“She may have been designated the next Swordmaster, but isn’t this a bit excessive?”xeqK
DSzThe fanatical reaction was incomprehensible. To receive such a cheer, simple curiosity wasn’t enough.9UrD
2ZJnOne would have to have performed heroic deeds or acts worthy of a savior that ignited people’s hearts.qMsBO
6R3JThe nobles’ doubts didn’t last long.PEMIbL7
5s9EU— Supreme warrior! Great warrior of the king!PEhZ0l
8qvD— Goddess of the sword! Right arm of the dragon!4yuwRqm
cPf— Receive our reverence! Receive our reverence!jnVAX
1a6pEp— Receive the reverence of all of us!oTdnR
QbotLL1“…!”FdcGdh
PnEjZAt the cheers that rang out loud enough to make their ears ring, the nobles froze in place.IZR9pjO
zduV0EiThe people of Asagrim were not worshiping heroic deeds or expressing gratitude to a savior.ufy
ZE0w49lThey were simply and purely worshiping the power that Felicia possessed.utaSgn
IJI3D9nUpon realizing that, a new question naturally arose in the minds of the nobles.4h05XXS
Bu7u‘…What kind of power must one show for a swordsman to be worshipped almost like a god?’557TSw
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Fernando
Qi RefinementIt looks like the silly prince is going to hand the MC a gift on a silver platter 🤣