Chapter 217: In the Continuous Flow (2)
cTkOFpIt was early in the morning.Ae9
wo2WvIn the distance, the sky near the horizon was tinged yellow with the rising sun, but the sky above was still shrouded in darkness.duDW
ejrInside a swaying carriage, Joseph was scribbling with a pen.RDG
uWdThe palm-sized notebook he held was filled with carefully written letters, and the pen he had just passed over had drawn a name that had been written there.xnvpv45
E1SJCE“…Baron Moldavir is out.”YBGu
0yB6A thick black vertical line was drawn where Joseph’s pen passed.S9TFe9Z
qKdIt wasn’t clear what that line meant, but Joseph’s notebook was full of names of nobles crossed out in a similar manner.5TTPeQy
3WSWpjP“I wanted to talk a bit more with him, it’s a shame.”rJl8AT
lYN7Q3z“There was no other choice.”ncm28
9WH5Qs2Jager, who was sitting across from Joseph, clicked his tongue in disappointment and opened his mouth.l0GjP
oDC“Vlad practically wrecked the Kisignor market. No wonder Baron Moldavir got furious and threw us out.”unrj
FUcGmAt the end of Jager’s gaze, as if asking him to take a look, was Vlad silently following behind the carriage.HAAWzU
yVBGOfVlad, mounted on a fiercely tempered black horse, smiled awkwardly when he noticed Joseph’s gaze.nt0wm
xO6a“I suppose I would have thrown him out too if I were the baron.”3RS
PJjXHowever, Joseph’s dark eyes were not on Vlad.DJDX
g4E9DHe was only observing the knights following him with a banner held high.0hfMtq8
ZnEKiD“The Imperial Guard.”DUhPBXl
fwQRTThe black banner with a distinctive white lightning bolt.0IpX
CtY2SAlthough its prestige had diminished compared to before, the Imperial Guard, responsible for the security of the imperial capital, was still one of the knightly bodies envied by knights across the continent.qg9
BpjBWy“You have quite an impressive banner behind you now, Vlad.”jKY
w5ZAK6Joseph smiled cheerfully at the sight of Vlad following the flames rising from behind.bObXHC
CAhAlthough the journey was bleak, the new wind brought by Vlad seemed to ease Joseph’s tension a bit.e6xnbP
LkT***HypbN
y4gPKaH“They say the successor of the Bayezid family is already decided and will be Rutiger.”EIDFG4
0ai“…”EP7XHx9
S7Bw“Well, I had already investigated your special relationship with Joseph Bayezid.”1qPFU
CdzeAn unwelcome voice sounded behind him as he walked silently.0GXFoq
XF4sCoThe voice belonged to the man who had been following Vlad since the city of Kisignor.fmCq
fRfF5mc“…Why the hell are you still following me?”3gobC
R6HqpAs soon as he heard the noise of the carriage window in front of him, Vlad immediately turned around and began to growl.jCvA
C74“I told you to find the real culprit behind Lord August’s death.”Wjbcc0
thFRZrNFor other knights, encountering the Imperial Guard would be an honor, but for Vlad, these men were not welcome.nvVclwU
TaHvwOrNot only had they accused him of being a criminal, but they had also caused his expulsion from Kisignor.ZU20OGc
j04o5mQ“I’m looking for you now.”CPUq
fiic4g“I told you it wasn’t me.”zbw3I
25aOE“I know, but the investigation procedure is like this.”qYbRr
Nueyl6KRodrigo, who was once full of fury, now showed himself as a cunning investigator.8HZHM
75CXFN“You were the last witness to be with Lord August. At the very least, I have to hear your testimony to make it right.”0xBd
3LO“Huff.”lujMv
5Q64HAfter hearing Rodrigo’s response, Vlad shook his head and let out a brief sigh.Uu8HYOP
xPzQQHPThere was nothing wrong with what Rodrigo said, but he knew his interest was something entirely different.Luh
48Yn“Don’t misunderstand this. I’m telling you this is not the Sword Master’s blade. It’s just my sword.”IC6cqHR
2kHDBuzz!kJQ
mGFRDVlad secretly showed the sword to the knights, who clearly misunderstood something, and revealed the truth, but the dragon-slaying sword that came out only screamed without warning, contrary to the owner’s thoughts.mQN33PU
KGXNpa“Oh, oh!”GLoNV
rhTz0T“The real Silver Knight!”s0sJS
1yx5G5kBeings who rejoiced at meeting because they came from the same metal.B2juCC
rPMFMDRThe imperial guard knights took out the coins they had and began to exclaim as if they were excited by the sound of the resonant metals.1yQA
asbLc“…It’s not like that.”6D0e
CGk“Even if it’s not, my subordinates have reasons to think so. The true silver coins only react to the true silver.”6yzt
8uJpS“I told you before. This happened because their coins melted and became this.”qI0mem
o3pThe silver coin was an honor price awarded only to knights who sacrificed themselves.wmWSJn6
CoeIt was a precious gift that no one but Ramund, who wandered the continent after retiring to train the next generation, the Iron Duke, the oath keeper, or the current knights who gave up their surnames to join the Imperial Guard, could receive. It was a precious coin.PgtoB3C
uLi“No, these coins cannot melt, Lord Vlad.”QW0S
cyzBecause it was such a rare coin, Vlad had no choice but to not know its inner history.5Wa
kTIIVNor how absurd his words sounded.57WA
tBIjb“True silver is an immutable metal. It doesn’t rust or break under pressure.”tMMcXC
HXWSmQi“…”DSI
vsn8w1yRodrigo responded softly, smiling at Vlad, who was furious and said no.1q61FRY
3rxwAX“It doesn’t melt with heat either. Even the latest dwarven forges could only persuade true silver.”rsVcHeS
IvB“But this blade was sharpened by a blacksmith…”JCnSfRp
sNG“Then that blacksmith must have persuaded the sword well.”b9f81A2
0g9Do what you have to do where you need to be.CKlFOz
3fCTrue silver was a noble metal that knew where it had to go.DcPkbA
SS9yU“Anyway, this is not the Founder’s sword. It is really my sword.”rkIr5
3Rk“Let’s say it is.”pFpvnE
5EiRodrigo, who had brought his horse closer, looked at the dragon-slaying sword, still buzzing, and continued speaking.0CLzy
DSylTMf“Anyway, you’ve been chosen by the true silver sword, that’s for sure.”laWa
58XrRWhat is inherited is not the form, but the name.qNO1cY
hQTQHdHThey didn’t know where it came from, but the royal court sword and the silver sword were blessed by the true silver.mgFTq
Cs9RcVlad had denied it for a long time, but Rodrigo was sure his will had been fulfilled.MFynqU
i2MJ“Was there a Sword Master’s blade in the elf forest? Lord August reported that someone had taken the sword.”K2Nx
hJTfNoO“…I really don’t know anything about that.”pvTEuf
2vxzymVlad could see that Rodrigo’s eyes, looking at him from before, were filled with a strange desire.84ni
oiRHGM4He knew that if he confessed to having taken the Silver Knight’s sword, that fervor would only increase.SpMDNrl
Ja2FX“Well, since we have plenty of time, let’s take our time and investigate. Now we’re also heading to the next city.”nSS0e
dC02f46“Do you plan to follow me there too?”bhEY
7Xe70OIThe city rising before Joseph’s carriage, which was ahead, began to appear.Be3P
xfyGAOIt was a city so large it was hard to compare it with Kisignor, the city we passed through earlier.TIwa7P
GBh“It would be better if you joined us until there. The city of La Valetta is for us like a supply base.”inbVk8D
RlgWGNhThe city of Valetta.cUYG
UnqLgA city with the strongest walls in the central region.IGwVwq
jq9x3And it is also the capital of the County of Arnstein.V9MQN
BUcQR“Count Arnstein, the owner of Valetta, is a close friend of the Crown Prince.”CQyt6l
aHqgRodrigo offered to reward the expulsion from Kisignor in Valetta, but Vlad was not interested.ZaYp8
BuT6E9“…Arnstein.”DOUQ
fO1The city of Valetta, getting closer, was surrounded by walls as high as those of Sturma in the north.EfAn
x3CVlad thought that the figure of Valetta, which seemed solid and without dents, resembled exactly a knight he had met before.FjsH3g
37e***tOQFHej
FJBrOn a night with a full moon, a carriage advanced in the darkness.Jyx
W9jThe carriage, escorted by headless knights, seemed displeased with the moonlight shining in the night sky and moved only through black shadows.qvwQM
kE7“As expected, you’re not running.”Q4ZP
xSUYwYrThe woman with hair that started green but ended black placed her hand on Frausen’s chest, who was sitting across from her, and smiled.V4xAW
CXK“When you face dragons, your heart beats strongly.”E6EP
of3“…”2lZ
W8hThe woman’s smile was so gentle that anyone would want to embrace her, but Frausen, who had lost all color, sat there like a corpse.fhD
naHIt was as if no smile could make Frausen’s heart beat.92M0E3
dA5SHvt“…How are your preparations going? You said you were looking for a place to put down roots.”BzwIlLI
ds3yBJ“Thank you for showing interest in me, Your Majesty.”NbRe
3M2Frausen frowned for a moment at the title given by the woman, but his expression soon returned to its rigid state.6ZMmV
BL4SS“It’s going well. This time I have found a good talent.”qPaZl
9lwxjCThe Fallen Saint, Lamashu, nodded gratefully, while her hands opened Frausen’s chest.o7Wb4xa
R9BItjXFor the revived Emperor to act according to his wishes, he needed the rituals Lamashu had inscribed in his heart.fe27
nK393aJ“Is it someone trustworthy?”DgQH
TkrcZ“I don’t know if they are trustworthy.”abIA
SiJM7l2Following her fingers that moved fluidly, red flakes began to flow over the blackened bloodstains.WqlZ
AJ2IIt was the beat of the most perfect piece that originated from the most perfect dragon, but had now become Frausen’s heart.5GDWawe
1r35bVC“But I believe everyone fears imminent death.”KSNVx
Vdr“…”G3vd
NmcFrausen’s focus gradually returned as his heart began to beat little by little.1y8hcP
cHlOToThe first thing he looked at was the jewelry box the woman had carefully kept.8Hm
bXZD“If we keep moving forward little by little, we will find a place for my children.”FtmYBy7
7FPaaXThe woman who fled from death was mad, and the emperor who returned from death was exhausted.yQj3yM
WMxHowever, there was only silence in the carriage where the two faced each other.BWnT
BN023“Unlike Moshiam, I hope this time you achieve what you set out to do.”Tgi
rukH5The jewelry box that Frausen was looking at was filled with tree tears, now cold.l7l2Bzb
W6iBThey came from fragments of the World Mother Tree that Frausen himself had transplanted long ago, when his heart was still beating.pgqxzl
3jC“…Only then will I be able to complete what I want to do.”tPH9
wCBUfbFor a world where children could laugh, without the pain and agony caused by adults.v73
THFnFor a world where possibility was not crushed by the most perfect dragon.JZdx
7dP“…”Rym8z
YQCaNTo create that world, Frausen looked away from the weeping jewelry box.aoUXID
UyQq5vThe young knight Kihano wouldn’t have done it, but the old emperor Frausen had learned to compromise.C8J
GsZ3lHThe carriage was on the move.qXt2Z
dZMEThe carriage, which did not tread on the world created by the gods, advanced smoothly towards somewhere in the central region.Sxv4kHC
lppnFrausen closed his eyes as he caressed the Silver Knight who no longer cried.y0qMCKp
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