Chapter 221: The aroma of the tea was bitter (2)
U19beA dark line was drawn on the dragon’s neck.B1p
WIjboO0The flag, which had a more powerful presence than the countless corpses beside it, now fell heavily, soaked in blood.5qS
lbnJfsd“…Who the hell are you?”E9C9K
geZThe question, asked with effort, lacked strength, probably because his lungs were filled with blood.1ig
7gJB2rHowever, the knight, slumped on the ground in a deplorable state, kept his eyes wide open, determined to get an answer.4bkzVTV
UVN“Did the… Grand Duke send you?”btkDx
ilVuf1Members of the Dragon Hunter Knights had been lured to this distant place with the body of a false dragon.U3Vgyy
9mW3dTheir leader uttered the most plausible name he could guess, but the listener’s face didn’t even flinch.TSJ
jNyR“Knights, when did I tell you to follow the words of a dragon?”TxYE
PnAVWith a cold voice, he raised his silver sword.dUVSr
4JOgThe man’s sword, which had already drunk much blood, was losing its color like the folded flag of the Dragon Hunter Knights in the distance.vgiTpB
sGfSplat!XHQEXwo
R5q“Didn’t I tell you to protect what must be protected?”FxDcMW
Pxs0With the sound of flesh being pierced, the trembling heart of the knight stopped.d4Nf
M9ggWith the death of the last man, the battlefield, which had been filled with fury, fell into a deep and gloomy silence, like a grave.tBqEA
8o0“Thank you for your effort.”gIjxL9p
ZMsAt0“The dragon has lived too long; its claws have grown too long.”ZekLi
8IzlA white hand handed a handkerchief to Frausen, who was unfortunate with the sword.yYXr
agrm7z4Perhaps because the clothes she wore were black, the white color was particularly noticeable.tZJsDu
PNAaj“First, we must cut those claws before we can stop its breath.”QsSmrK
fJUjM4LWhile wiping the blood from his face with the handkerchief, Frausen realized that the woman had something to say to him.tnn
J9i“What is it?”tt13
Eu2“One of my knights has not returned.”YIPr
3Gk“Why?”YSwRiVP
aMRA small question was forming on his face, which was gradually cooling like a corpse.4SOI32
fdQThis was because there was no reason why the Headless Knights, who were not bound by the laws of the world, could not return after escaping death.krrS9
bpcE“According to those who returned, he was caught by a dragon.”P3XSv4p
g0XhZTl“A dragon?”YVLk
PR51PfW“It’s the young dragon you released. That child.”LkoK
kzOV3SAlthough his heart raced at the word “dragon,” upon realizing they referred to Vlad, Frausen showed a strange expression.zK9VnE
39IHGD“…In that case, it is understandable. A dragon never loses its marked prey.”Olx6or1
xfg81Unlike the other Headless Knights, the knight who had been pierced by the Dragon Slayer Sword had not returned with Ramashut.0Fk2
Ac9uIt was a matter of rank and perfection that did not tolerate death.4WvPtz
B9UH0“I suppose I’ll have to go and find him myself.”5s7rzfl
bJpmZRnFrausen turned his head towards the distance, standing amidst the bloody and muddy disaster.ng2Mdd
duTsaUL“Besides, I am curious to see how much he has grown.”z1lEjSe
tRApmThat was the place where the Headless Knight had not returned, and where a strange creature resided, not knowing whether it was a dragon or a knight.wCWch6
i3eh***DBEU0
WjfLThe climate was different, the ceilings were high and the windows wide.pkG0hNm
eOrgFeEverything, from the vases to the patterns on the walls, reflected the vibrant atmosphere of the center, distinct from the north.qM13UNn
N7PKz“This room is quite good. With a living room, it seems they are treating us well.”2SdlmPZ
AfgsLO“…”ugnST
p1vAs long as that old man sitting in front of him, chewing noisily, wasn’t there. He seemed like an indigent old man, but he wasn’t a welcomed visitor.x0Mx
OOxjtVlad did not bother to hide his complicated expression when he saw Pedro, who had suddenly come to see him.Q2fxaS2
aAIt2“So, you still travel with that cat.”LNdk9
64URObF“My name is Nibelun, you know that.”Paz
J2MAU“I don’t care about the names of beast men. I only remember the names that God has given me.”aC92R28
HZ0KEDENibelun shook his head at Pedro’s disdainful attitude.FFj12t
35MeiIn Moshiam, which was filled with mist, they were like comrades, but to the devout Pedro, wizards were still a nuisance.Pv5YCVC
KIN“How did you find us here?”gnrRkt
JvjVlad’s mouth opened heavily as he watched Pedro carefully put down his spoon as if he had finished eating.A6R0x
nU2wDHe had waited patiently, following the unwritten rule of not disturbing someone while eating, but now he needed answers.035NL
319W“And who the hell is that old man you brought?”8I7Cq
453X“…Hmm.”TW01j
EsdFwVlad’s head turned towards the room.rx5CD
qSfWhile Pedro still had the strength to eat, the old man they brought was on the bed, in a sleep that seemed like death.UT3saZp
DAuqwX“That man is someone whose safety has been guaranteed by the Northern Union. To them, he is a valuable witness.”vwzO
C736“I asked who he is.”NMi5
nhzSensing something ominous, Vlad was more alert than usual.Pu7Xt
WVcbBut Pedro just smiled significantly as he looked at Vlad.Sz3A9L
WaBIO“His name is Radu. Radu Dragulia.”QA6uZ
Rhje“…”tVwuzw
JgulzOHearing the name come out of Pedro’s lips, Vlad’s hand, which was lifting a cup of tea, paused.H8Jk7
tkPpRAt the same time, the fact that the air in the room turned cold was probably not just an illusion to Nibelun.l1O
O2iI“And he is probably your half-brother.”I63fxzj
nBLAfter Pedro pronounced the name, a strange silence began to reign.pYY
vJlIGx3Radu Dragulia, a cursed name.sG7EU
mWgAfter hearing the identity of the old man from Pedro’s mouth, Vlad felt a strange emotion arise that was hard to explain with words.vBmzzI
WuZb“He would be more like my grandfather than my brother.”6fKopuY
PkYcMOne of Pedro’s names was causing a small ripple in his heart, but Vlad was trying to look indifferent.HCb
T7K5P2This was because he had learned from Joseph not to show weakness in a conversation.Nmhzk
ZxMOn0“It seems that the Dragulias do not treat people well. That man seems to have aged prematurely.”P9Jm8
SLsyQJkWith a smile, Vlad lifted the cup of tea.SbMeSG
uIwy67hHe was speaking with a smile, but his eyes contained a warning not to say that name in front of him again.3KXaFQg
LeYa“You can stay here until someone from the Northern Union arrives. Although this is not my house.”Nk1i1
exDp“…Thank you. I didn’t expect to depend on you.”ImHu
nBDThe appearance is blond and blue eyes.9VduzY
enbQBut with a silver sword at his side.6Vi
euHThe young Vlad had changed a lot since his youth.rmyYu1
haqo9TPedro clicked his tongue, lamenting the loss of Vlad’s youth.9Hob2R
8UBxNO***pcbbHpX
8gVhHVlad walked down the hallway of the mansion towards Rodrigo’s parlor.0rsLfDp
wxi2UAlthough it was someone else’s land, the knights of Arnstein he passed greeted Vlad with their gaze, and the servants showed him respect.zPi
Qq6bPTJ[You must be even more humble at times like this. No one will see you as an inexperienced knight now.]08YgY
nApsa“I know.”MXw
0dc4SDZ[But keep your head high. The foundation of a knight is dignity.]qwdXVC
KMP‘…I understand.’vIqe
IHelEcSince meeting Rodrigo, Khano’s reprimands had become constant.S7ww
bg7METhis was because he was aware that now was the time to pay attention not only to the sword but also to other areas.owZnjo7
02HXAlthough it was annoying that he interfered even in his attitude.MEiS
lU8S“Sir Rodrigo.”8im
CzgS3G“Oh, have you arrived?”oLM7VE
b64PUpon entering, he found the Imperial Guard knights gathered.ltkOe
SsLdAlthough it wasn’t intentional, the simultaneous gazes of the knights made Vlad feel a strange pressure.wTq
FFcsAOQThe knights sent by the Grand Duke to find August’s killer were not ordinary knights.euI
kdKL“Did you receive the guests well? It seems one of them is in poor condition.”YRGX0yl
R7dSPgI“You know everything, why do you ask?”og0x
lFfqMdl“It’s my habit to ask what I already know.”st8aH
A4uFzWhy were all the people he met today so cunning?aHQ7E
WXRDRodrigo, a competent investigator, had already grasped the identity of the old man but wanted to hear the situation from Vlad’s mouth.ZwY
KezV“I will protect them until someone from the Northern Union arrives. I am also a knight of the Northern Union.”Z8Mek
Z6i“Duties are important, as much as honor.”nVMrGDJ
XNeISRodrigo began to nod as if he liked Vlad’s attitude.F4k3
Fgz2wvHowever, when Vlad saw that, he didn’t hide his sullen expression.NwO
THzNTOOWhether good or bad, he didn’t like Rodrigo’s attitude of evaluating him without his permission.FTsdY
6B1BZeH“Once again, I have nothing to do with the founding king.”oThUpe
pBwRc[Oh…]U8a
bPMAkCv“And my sword is not his. So stop paying so much attention to me.”sVd
NdkO1AiFor Vlad, who was not used to receiving expectations from others, Rodrigo’s nodding was just a nuisance.8JfyIO
esxi5Vlad, who had a vague idea of what was expected of him, planned to use this opportunity to draw a clear line.viB
6hVPdS“Please don’t expect anything from me. I will live my life as I simply want to.”jJtmZ2
NKlgh“Of course, I don’t expect anything.”eOPWYB
C70XCBut even in Vlad’s rude attitude, Rodrigo showed no sign of displeasure.xlC
9i3HcE“Do as you wish, as you did chasing the Headless Knights last night.”nA5X
1sgqdrD“…”KO4Wh
SUpHezTBecause he was already satisfied.tU0v4c
82OniqAlthough he said no with his mouth, the image of Vlad trying to respect the rules of the Sword Master more than anyone was also the image that the imperial knights had portrayed for a long time.IXADt
MLRh“I plan to return to the palace now.”Z4Xe4XJ
mppUSXW“That’s good news.”OmaCpIi
IJnO“But before I leave, I wanted to give you some advice.”JkYM3R
Bwl9AVlad was happy to be away from his troublesome group, but Rodrigo’s eyes were serious as he looked at him.ksXeqP
HJu284“Don’t trust Joseph Bayezid too much.”l0g
s7WA high-ranking knight of the Imperial Guard, responsible for the security of the imperial capital.dgPbf
pgj41VHe, who sought the hidden truth with a keener sense than a hunting dog, was leaving a harsh warning for Vlad.UGh
T1qh8ZA“What is that…”URB
eYG8“The one who first got the eastern drug in the north was Joseph.”a6Q
1Y4z8There was a green drug that ravaged the imperial family and court nobles.oDBI
fwJURIt was an elven drug with wonderful effects but deadly poison.FVwLGOb
Z0YgCkjThe capital Brigantes still suffered the aftermath of that drug.hOtaIH
xlJ“The Vatican had reasons to target Joseph. Don’t forget that.”NYp
Pdr“…”t2Y5di
ssoUHe wanted to firmly shout that this wasn’t the case, but the energy Rodrigo emitted made Vlad keep his mouth shut.yqR26
lylHAlthough he had lived his whole life against someone, Rodrigo’s words, warning with the truth, were hard to dismiss.KeG2EK
35Qz***PvZQL
ifUA black powder fell into the green tea water.gvL
SB5It was clear tea water that had been carefully prepared according to the basics of the tea ceremony, but now it had turned completely black, as if the efforts were in vain.k1sSPMV
i35hi“He is locked in the basement. The territory’s priests have strictly sealed him.”4Tz
Z6Gdg“Really?”ELmP
1kWJoseph looked pained as if he had a headache.neYX
K0oUA6Joseph, who liked to follow a detailed plan, was disgusted by the unexpected situation.lrOK
1jPoAqK“Why didn’t he run away? They usually aren’t tied to one place.”9Tl
SBI8DoAlthough he asked, he didn’t expect an answer.c2G
a9fuh1Jager was a knight, not someone who understood sinister entities.g9ob
8uEGr6S“Is it because of Vlad?”luXqr
BhODE1mVlad of Soara is the only variable Joseph Bayezid is willing to have.34scwW
sLw5Joseph, thinking the guy probably did something, just smiled slightly and threw the medicine bag he was holding into the fireplace.MuO
0Iajf“We will receive news soon. Let’s wait.”u0QzJzS
HOXcM“Understood, Sir Joseph.”oRu8yj
s8VyThe black tea flowed down his throat.dWSz3
Azoa3With each sip, Joseph’s eyes regained their brightness, and the shadows under his eyes disappeared.GFM
AdfDNt“…I’ve tried many medicines, but this one is really bitter.”31rOiBd
NErNiQ4After emptying his cup of tea, Joseph squinted and complained.OF4J6
horAt some point, he had stopped coughing lightly.K1lDYL7
Yvy75I0It wasn’t known since when, but Joseph no longer showed signs of illness.XM8
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