Chapter 221: The aroma of the tea was bitter (2)
7A7NeA dark line was drawn on the dragon’s neck.4GG7DW
CDiWUThe flag, which had a more powerful presence than the countless corpses beside it, now fell heavily, soaked in blood.p7P
rJG96ql“…Who the hell are you?”zVHPlR
4RpbThe question, asked with effort, lacked strength, probably because his lungs were filled with blood.Kd4
LuFNA0However, the knight, slumped on the ground in a deplorable state, kept his eyes wide open, determined to get an answer.Ufrs5p
hCBj0G“Did the… Grand Duke send you?”oWXWWt
QLaejMembers of the Dragon Hunter Knights had been lured to this distant place with the body of a false dragon.98Rk0zW
o81kFTheir leader uttered the most plausible name he could guess, but the listener’s face didn’t even flinch.6mprSix
NYa“Knights, when did I tell you to follow the words of a dragon?”i5zbJE
tI45With a cold voice, he raised his silver sword.XXdn9ni
rWsfFKThe 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.5PMXZ
z0BBSplat!SLh
AyFpbIQ“Didn’t I tell you to protect what must be protected?”fgv
ZkZWith the sound of flesh being pierced, the trembling heart of the knight stopped.yyRLQ
ZK7With the death of the last man, the battlefield, which had been filled with fury, fell into a deep and gloomy silence, like a grave.mi1twp
hRV1i“Thank you for your effort.”OZg
SaSR7“The dragon has lived too long; its claws have grown too long.”SiAd
iphA white hand handed a handkerchief to Frausen, who was unfortunate with the sword.XZwM
nHTjIiPerhaps because the clothes she wore were black, the white color was particularly noticeable.kBqzk
MEQjU“First, we must cut those claws before we can stop its breath.”qa7eD
fuTWhile wiping the blood from his face with the handkerchief, Frausen realized that the woman had something to say to him.gAQCZHM
9Q6S“What is it?”0Dwu
9T178“One of my knights has not returned.”rA0
CK4H1As“Why?”zFy
BVXIA small question was forming on his face, which was gradually cooling like a corpse.tAqb
osXEThis 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.A6MP
HYshSs“According to those who returned, he was caught by a dragon.”aHIZeOV
gkrJg8L“A dragon?”MtY
UHM“It’s the young dragon you released. That child.”3HQJfG
qqH3JAlthough his heart raced at the word “dragon,” upon realizing they referred to Vlad, Frausen showed a strange expression.Pc9XuZg
52R“…In that case, it is understandable. A dragon never loses its marked prey.”yIl
wKOVUnlike the other Headless Knights, the knight who had been pierced by the Dragon Slayer Sword had not returned with Ramashut.5Db
ydXcV29It was a matter of rank and perfection that did not tolerate death.VQ3k
0nK“I suppose I’ll have to go and find him myself.”YlMai2
iOaK9Frausen turned his head towards the distance, standing amidst the bloody and muddy disaster.kjhn8
L1l“Besides, I am curious to see how much he has grown.”BdbE
icrZsYThat 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.fs9I
JmDNCl***09kiWW
v3d5The climate was different, the ceilings were high and the windows wide.OEUKs
Lmren14Everything, from the vases to the patterns on the walls, reflected the vibrant atmosphere of the center, distinct from the north.aAdE
3Yr84U“This room is quite good. With a living room, it seems they are treating us well.”yxK
bcFWM5l“…”3GYQ
iV98LWAs 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.ZhN7wG
Sq3LUisVlad did not bother to hide his complicated expression when he saw Pedro, who had suddenly come to see him.Du00F
iYip“So, you still travel with that cat.”YSFKq
qyRL“My name is Nibelun, you know that.”5Nl
TNpAUhX“I don’t care about the names of beast men. I only remember the names that God has given me.”WJl3Ic
ngYP5AVNibelun shook his head at Pedro’s disdainful attitude.JJgeG
N8jJ5xdIn Moshiam, which was filled with mist, they were like comrades, but to the devout Pedro, wizards were still a nuisance.8nJu
iNC“How did you find us here?”4pt4
1mjLdzVlad’s mouth opened heavily as he watched Pedro carefully put down his spoon as if he had finished eating.s6gzA
XDdpHe had waited patiently, following the unwritten rule of not disturbing someone while eating, but now he needed answers.VBY7lC
9biZObO“And who the hell is that old man you brought?”8Ne
9R1V“…Hmm.”DVA
72NEmVlad’s head turned towards the room.cuS
rZNZhWhile Pedro still had the strength to eat, the old man they brought was on the bed, in a sleep that seemed like death.I5lgmB
Mal3XI“That man is someone whose safety has been guaranteed by the Northern Union. To them, he is a valuable witness.”E1GEP00
jePd1eh“I asked who he is.”xmAGi
s8TPsSensing something ominous, Vlad was more alert than usual.Ek6J6
LNcuogJBut Pedro just smiled significantly as he looked at Vlad.RYYExl
yL7NtSh“His name is Radu. Radu Dragulia.”BftE
BmX3Du“…”Qi5eaZc
2GBcuHearing the name come out of Pedro’s lips, Vlad’s hand, which was lifting a cup of tea, paused.vFv
Oqg0osQAt the same time, the fact that the air in the room turned cold was probably not just an illusion to Nibelun.hnCmMHW
fZy4z“And he is probably your half-brother.”xx1JWx
uEOnhAfter Pedro pronounced the name, a strange silence began to reign.hPnUWw
6smco7Radu Dragulia, a cursed name.Jn6j
KFYpAfter hearing the identity of the old man from Pedro’s mouth, Vlad felt a strange emotion arise that was hard to explain with words.u9J
8aRP“He would be more like my grandfather than my brother.”nFSOumn
gYr9iVOne of Pedro’s names was causing a small ripple in his heart, but Vlad was trying to look indifferent.WHk7WZq
Rjv25vThis was because he had learned from Joseph not to show weakness in a conversation.Iy4FR
stMr“It seems that the Dragulias do not treat people well. That man seems to have aged prematurely.”SHm
HGzWith a smile, Vlad lifted the cup of tea.eI7
GXI5He was speaking with a smile, but his eyes contained a warning not to say that name in front of him again.mrDHOJs
ERRMChe“You can stay here until someone from the Northern Union arrives. Although this is not my house.”7cI8
UWx“…Thank you. I didn’t expect to depend on you.”QvUrxOt
e2PazThe appearance is blond and blue eyes.Vpj7qa
t0J8gBut with a silver sword at his side.ZA0nh9
l1KThe young Vlad had changed a lot since his youth.OXS
quqPedro clicked his tongue, lamenting the loss of Vlad’s youth.f8vA7hv
szNE***wNn5z4t
UcLVlad walked down the hallway of the mansion towards Rodrigo’s parlor.cwn
lD1Although it was someone else’s land, the knights of Arnstein he passed greeted Vlad with their gaze, and the servants showed him respect.oH3h
Gf8[You must be even more humble at times like this. No one will see you as an inexperienced knight now.]FmtLFCv
MhnN“I know.”qZh7eOA
EaZa1t[But keep your head high. The foundation of a knight is dignity.]AIu
nRP6‘…I understand.’pS4qq
wkImdSince meeting Rodrigo, Khano’s reprimands had become constant.slyeT4
XH4m0This was because he was aware that now was the time to pay attention not only to the sword but also to other areas.pO7
Ki2Although it was annoying that he interfered even in his attitude.OWFYY
kfeH0N“Sir Rodrigo.”ujovEu
f7mQU“Oh, have you arrived?”Tf5
imRUpon entering, he found the Imperial Guard knights gathered.5slJxK
u8yAlthough it wasn’t intentional, the simultaneous gazes of the knights made Vlad feel a strange pressure.f34
SLmpHThe knights sent by the Grand Duke to find August’s killer were not ordinary knights.hxYuKki
aIO3Rm5“Did you receive the guests well? It seems one of them is in poor condition.”rIk
bs5D“You know everything, why do you ask?”pRi
8hFGn“It’s my habit to ask what I already know.”mUe0
bS5Why were all the people he met today so cunning?at7Yr
JKIJFRodrigo, a competent investigator, had already grasped the identity of the old man but wanted to hear the situation from Vlad’s mouth.MET
nOMW4“I will protect them until someone from the Northern Union arrives. I am also a knight of the Northern Union.”OLMxpUl
RaWb0ZE“Duties are important, as much as honor.”oQ7E9DD
W4FRodrigo began to nod as if he liked Vlad’s attitude.mMuP
5RRQ7KvHowever, when Vlad saw that, he didn’t hide his sullen expression.MWOkuH
srue7Whether good or bad, he didn’t like Rodrigo’s attitude of evaluating him without his permission.IDF
QShm“Once again, I have nothing to do with the founding king.”csMQAOp
7WHrpQ[Oh…]6vAuhD8
sWrJWh“And my sword is not his. So stop paying so much attention to me.”55Bu2
ANF5aFor Vlad, who was not used to receiving expectations from others, Rodrigo’s nodding was just a nuisance.1fK
0R3Vlad, who had a vague idea of what was expected of him, planned to use this opportunity to draw a clear line.ASV
bYjZ5“Please don’t expect anything from me. I will live my life as I simply want to.”9APRt
0s2QLY“Of course, I don’t expect anything.”ETG
Pnl8dBut even in Vlad’s rude attitude, Rodrigo showed no sign of displeasure.5fAMj8R
HA7YPcn“Do as you wish, as you did chasing the Headless Knights last night.”p6tl86
kYLx“…”j9rINW
hlKNUFBecause he was already satisfied.qJzfS
Xy7Although 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.Yj0Eb
68Gl4“I plan to return to the palace now.”GxgCB0
Ci8RRz“That’s good news.”jqDs8d
ox0uFa“But before I leave, I wanted to give you some advice.”hmIv
zXpVlad was happy to be away from his troublesome group, but Rodrigo’s eyes were serious as he looked at him.rHa
iYKS“Don’t trust Joseph Bayezid too much.”1YvV
8kJXA high-ranking knight of the Imperial Guard, responsible for the security of the imperial capital.FHeMHS
cZLFdKHe, who sought the hidden truth with a keener sense than a hunting dog, was leaving a harsh warning for Vlad.3x9m5
sylIl“What is that…”dIHD9h
Si6VGmL“The one who first got the eastern drug in the north was Joseph.”A0fv18U
xSAg8TThere was a green drug that ravaged the imperial family and court nobles.ADZgLIr
Ecvw7wIt was an elven drug with wonderful effects but deadly poison.ghm
eWTuThe capital Brigantes still suffered the aftermath of that drug.OevLj
SF5SiT“The Vatican had reasons to target Joseph. Don’t forget that.”vFtd8EX
6qdIC“…”3oh
aRjdvG0He wanted to firmly shout that this wasn’t the case, but the energy Rodrigo emitted made Vlad keep his mouth shut.P0Brf1Y
z1rAlthough he had lived his whole life against someone, Rodrigo’s words, warning with the truth, were hard to dismiss.YA6pb
a27L***moUTR4U
U91rL7gA black powder fell into the green tea water.7qRQ
Lcs8Z2It 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.8I01JD
546R“He is locked in the basement. The territory’s priests have strictly sealed him.”fIc6
bvuwi“Really?”6qqgu
SC9Joseph looked pained as if he had a headache.D5sW
ygDPzsJoseph, who liked to follow a detailed plan, was disgusted by the unexpected situation.E9UdZ
JEl“Why didn’t he run away? They usually aren’t tied to one place.”tSEyAC
NY8IAlthough he asked, he didn’t expect an answer.PBMFE83
6xPN8Jager was a knight, not someone who understood sinister entities.F6A
gpB“Is it because of Vlad?”PWt
dw2EEsmVlad of Soara is the only variable Joseph Bayezid is willing to have.ljbWAQ
wZnrAJoseph, thinking the guy probably did something, just smiled slightly and threw the medicine bag he was holding into the fireplace.vMiv
EdowH6w“We will receive news soon. Let’s wait.”xb7yAyU
aTiXWk“Understood, Sir Joseph.”jeF
i5cDCzThe black tea flowed down his throat.rg9O
7OWIWith each sip, Joseph’s eyes regained their brightness, and the shadows under his eyes disappeared.f7Q
uLr“…I’ve tried many medicines, but this one is really bitter.”rPNVVlJ
qHy4Ex0After emptying his cup of tea, Joseph squinted and complained.Y8N
QOzELcAt some point, he had stopped coughing lightly.j3QTPv
7LYIt wasn’t known since when, but Joseph no longer showed signs of illness.HEogOm
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