Chapter 365: A Man Full of Sin (2)
6DDv73zSpeedweapon often tells me like a broken recorder that I’m the most insensitive person he’s ever met in his life.u5hXT0
kQXLfBDuring my first year at the academy, I couldn’t understand how I didn’t notice what Ryozo felt until almost the end of the second semester.hOHRNqS
Ruj6VtlBut Speedweapon is completely wrong.VOiin
2tse‘It’s not easy to have better intuition than me.’JP686qN
UxYDid you know this? The ability to read the atmosphere is a more important virtue than sword skills for a swordsman.o77
TZBAeSI was the best in the guild. I’m not saying it to boast; it’s simply a fact. An objective fact.Ci1
P1VcvDCAnyway.sRMptN2
eAoGhWhoooosh…Dih
iM2TuiThat’s exactly why I knew immediately, the moment I felt the piercing gazes of the imperial guards on my skin. Jealousy and envy.0n6gOA
Gf1mTwo negative emotions dominating their brains.wgKj
4ur93RWow, how suffocating.e09
TKmKuOwWith all those intimidating-looking men emitting hostility at once, I got chills. It’s like that officer who was dating a very popular female officer in the military. I’ve become exactly that kind of guy. The enemy of all men.yMa8CnY
qPcb‘Hmm.’ZmV
GXSoI came to this sweat-scented place accompanied by women.iaZF9MQ
FUGT7In the army, even an average woman can magically look like an idol.Iwgw
fccVq6And I came flanked by women even more beautiful than an actual idol.OMzNMCc
LKMxSr‘Unintentionally.’PMi
okRvI swallowed hard discreetly.o9eU
6qRIZ‘What can you do.’7sfOi
bLNnVSince they’ve painted me as a man full of sins, I might as well provoke them properly. In fact, this works in my favor. If I want to make the Guard slip up, this is the ideal setup.xXoFFu
CdF‘After all, those guys are nothing but enemies to me, right?’l1R7hB
hwaAQRI sat on the chair they had prepared. Then crossed my right leg over my left with total arrogance.gwGwv30
6Hf“I’m ready.”F5c
VjfS5“Now that I think about it, I believe it’s inappropriate to conduct a demonstration of the Imperial Guard’s training in front of outsiders…”6LNT
EoQgnOscar clenched his jaw tightly on the inside.tyzNt
MQhcIOf course. I respect that opinion.RVrs8HE
NLAkM3l“I’m also an outsider.”CZWDrCF
79cJSo I ignored it.NYu
qMVIJU“They’re acquaintances of mine.”CeZwiCB
6l3CI clasped my hands over my knees.An6
0dWYH0“Well then.”ZlD
8hTUcLI tilted my chin arrogantly toward the Guard. Shail and Choi Seol-Ah discreetly positioned themselves at either side behind me.MMRh
4yjeP51The gazes directed at me became even more intense.oyRt
aRhIk1j“Begin.”Q94NoVU
lcWbAnd for the record, I don’t get excited by things like this.YNSfIr
7VHN65Speedweapon also often tells me something else.S3E
KWQyuTf‘President, you simply are…’x1cYPK
6UkL***Lt4pDYu
hlJrGThe training parade of the Imperial Guard was so impressive it was astonishing to watch. I tried to detect any flaws but ended up forgetting my original purpose and just observed their formation.mv5q
Dmc6“Impressive.”vYb
aDRmVqIt was Shail’s brief but strong assessment.nA3kOG
pIrR03CMaybe her words reached the guards’ ears because the sweat on their foreheads grew even heavier.1yAc
yvt9However, Shail didn’t seem particularly impressed. She leaned forward slightly and murmured.P5SFoN
lGfyY“It’s not easy to see heroes line up this flawlessly. Each one has their own blessing.”63F
WCRIX“And still, there’s no conflict between their blessings. It’s like… a puzzle.”Ktkrhp
NbmVxs“Ah, ‘puzzle’. That’s a perfect comparison.”Nuzw9
QfxuewMost heroes are temperamental. Each one with a strong ego.VLzrM
b2QGUnless they face a high-ranking commander, like a supreme general, they all live by their own code. They lack any team spirit.Yv7
9WR“But here, their rough edges fit perfectly. It’s not just a matter of rigorous training, they must’ve had a tough time just with the team selection.”Qzu
26exusDI nodded.sRh
ppa6D“I guess it’s only possible because it’s the imperial family. Do you know the market capitalization of the East India Company, Shail?”ePaCs4
g0tIB“I know it’s astronomical, at least that.”GLucyu
VmPmc“They say it’s eleven gyeong.”4Nb4P
5tU3“That’s more than the stars. Suddenly I feel a kind of emptiness…”cw7Hos5
AvJ“Me too.”adVuQ7r
jfHe2pWhile we whispered, we felt gazes of protest again. It seemed the Royal Guard couldn’t stop paying attention to us. Their bodies were moving, but their eyes were fixed on us.GfS7Z8
prtOr9R“Hmm…”rOomff
LqPm8Choi Seol-Ah tilted her head with an unsure expression, so I asked her:v9L
RLp8pr“What’s wrong? Bathroom?”BO7B
gmMl“That too… but no, it’s not that!”TYLN
B36KiChoi Seol-Ah nearly jumped but quickly regained her composure. She covered her mouth with her hand and murmured softly:kG3TB
obhgT“It’s nothing weird, just that… I sense mana.”rM9
OJMHEe“Bah, these days everyone knows the world is in decline and that mana flows everywhere.”9jMzZ
B73hA“That’s not it…”S4a7
vpR2XaChoi Seol-Ah glanced at the Royal Guard, who were focused on their training. Some of them smiled faintly, as if their mood had improved.RI3
2hfEven if they seemed a little dumb, they were still part of the Royal Guard. It’s just that the military atmosphere tends to dull people.EWqC
MYamkO7“…I feel mana coming out of people,” Choi Seol-Ah explained.5KC
ufPR3I quickly turned to make eye contact with her.5Gxfo
xy7X“Are you saying there’s a villain among us?”A2W
AHTHChoi Seol-Ah had signed a contract with Agor, former Commander of the Fifth Corps. Then signed another with Horntail, and that one was still active.qcyYZ6
WH2ODwHer ability to detect mana was exceptional. In these times, when “villains” had been almost completely wiped out, she had no rival.rm21sb
Y9J4jh5“They seem like a villain… but not completely. Besides, you’re the one who wiped out the Villain Alliance, right? No one in their right mind would try to revive it. And even if they wanted to, there isn’t a suitable host to become a vessel.”H9i
Sdy8“And that’s also thanks to me?”JTs
fy46g“Thanks to you, yes.”Mb67IB
Vx1wwkWell, you didn’t mention any of this before.6XhAbw9
eRXot“See, there are two cases where a person might unintentionally release mana. First, when conflicting emotions mix. That is, when someone feels happy and sad at the same time, mana can leak out unknowingly. Because the emotions clash.”GNzujbS
OkE“And the second?”4WzhHca
SpG“…It sounds a bit weird, but… the scent comes from bodily fluids. In my case, it’s something specific…”rKqB
R7Immyr“Are you a succubus or what?”AO9J
GKvY“Don’t you remember that my teacher was Agor? The queen of succubi. Maybe that’s why.”iV8y9r7
vpskChoi Seol-Ah lowered her voice to the verge of tears. Then discreetly pointed to the side with her lips.O98FY
d8b“…”d7i4o
IOXpyVictoria was watching us sideways, with a look that said she was dying to know.pxr2WI
uOr‘Sorry, but I can’t say it yet.’Ov5D
hGM0Only after confirming the facts. Then I’ll explain. I pressed my lips together and focused back on the training. Victoria also turned away with a slight pout.kWDF6B0
o7OMk‘Are you listening?’YGivjZ5
Ns6Without turning my head, I spoke mentally.h1d4K
syF6kRC‘Are you there, Garyeon?’GmmNX
2ILN‘I know you’re listening to everything.’MWGaYnx
ydiRwFinally, Garyeon responded with a mental sigh.dRDo
JvzjUM— Even though direct reading is disabled, I can’t ignore whispers. Forgive my lack of discretion, Lord Heavenly Sword.OHCnW
LkK7fd‘Instead of apologies, give me your opinion.’owaREG4
66UQC— ……nMyUT
20UGaryeon swallowed nervously. And responded in a dry tone.dL0ErR
qmJVbW— It’s shocking…r2fjxq
eDhTpAt‘There’s someone in the Royal Guard who can manipulate charm. Within the same royalty you so deeply respect. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, I don’t think they’re possessed. If it were a mana vessel, even I would’ve noticed without needing Choi Seol-Ah to say it.’L01WoEI
1zBHnJb— If that is Lord Heavenly Sword’s opinion…jVGsk
2EC‘Do you already have a general idea of the plan?’vC3Q6R7
Fw1NQW— I’ll investigate it separately. I’ll also look into how to strengthen the legitimacy of your presence at this event.FMD
vFudWhat quick perception of the situation.fgpSkH8
A934teThe relationship between heroes and demons remains strictly forbidden.Afh77Zj
8A9UQQaIf discovered, it’s considered high treason. Therefore, if the Royal Guard or anyone in their circle has any ties to demons—eKN
78jf‘If a connection is revealed between them…’PJT1t3Z
dfUaHWxI already had legal grounds to interrogate those people. Garyeon let me know she would handle tracing the links from her position.Kcfjhe
DKu‘Choi Seol-Ah turns out to be more useful than I thought.’RfGfa
5KJBEven if she always shows up unexpectedly, she ends up offering crucial leads. Like catching a mouse while walking backward, but still. I guess it’s due to her “survival instinct.”ekJCd
jyGGGL4Seen this way, my team is solid. Shail has the Royal Guards enchanted, Choi Seol-Ah detects mana, and Garyeon reads their minds.RYf9x92
8EsMi‘I have good luck with people… though in a rather strange way.’oUEu9d
x70VA while later.vKyMvtZ
99uThBHuff, huff.kXlHqg
SH4pfvsHarsh, almost animalistic breathing filled the air. The ceremonial training, pushed to its limit, was finally over.i11YBi6
EbYeClap.A0It
qOQI applauded without thinking. Shail and Choi Seol-Ah joined in with soft claps.vaKlfIk
oTrClap, clap, clap.5jf
aVark0NA modest round of applause. The Royal Guard, slightly embarrassed, reformed their ranks.IEqSZ
6jRVpo“It was a poor performance, but thank you for your recognition.”cR53df
CJytpY2Oscar stepped forward, wiping his chin.d4JJ
CpZpANz“It was excellent. And at the same time, a shame. If warriors like these had participated in the Second Human-Demon War, casualties would have been much lower.”ge3L8a9
K4Gd79EOscar frowned with visible displeasure.jo3M
bbs3“The Royal Guard serves only the imperial bloodline.”fVTEd
Yn9sVrs“Yes. That’s clear just from watching your training.”PdVa
8YiqUt“…What do you mean?”k8jXK
PF5C3f6“I noticed your entire training seems centered on facing a single opponent. Doesn’t look like someone who uses magic.”GZFa
bBtOC“…”VWIan
ypYIn the silence, I stood up and walked toward the Royal Guard. Their eyes flickered—confused, unsure whether to attack or stay alert.H4w
ABDIMZ“Since we’re here, why don’t you train with me too?”aBPG1
jk0LPWhen we entered the training hall, Garyeon had already told me.Kgox
O1S— Mmm… it seems the Guard members want a sparring match against you as a finale. How shameless.QM78mh
mauBut it’s not shameless.VEd
GEvRwCb‘The Guard is planning to use me against you.’ciF
Jnm6s4rThey wanted to record how I struck them without restraint—to document that I’m a dangerous individual.mNbJ8
7rwbz— Why not just ignore them?fyhx8bG
VdDH‘If I do, they’ll say I chickened out.’rPnkS2
SKp8WCheckmate. They’re leveraging the fact that, as Heavenly Sword, I have much to lose.KfkzxUy
dFJ‘That’s how this works.’HkfXVL
9hU— So what are you planning to do?UwNdR
XCvI smirked faintly.U0I
GJ0‘I’ll play along.’Hf6
KvGu8L***YaPuN2E
j8ISBivBack in the present.LKZdj
P61“Watching you train made me want to move a bit.”GepC
Y9jp9Kang Geom-Ma pulled out two Daiso-brand sashimi knives. The Royal Guards exchanged brief looks. The second-in-command, with squinted eyes, gave Oscar a small nod.sGZOb40
tnGUrvUIt seemed they reached a silent agreement, because Oscar spoke.pkhUakf
wnq7pkR“If you wish…”0Yzgcm
MgMHe too raised his weapon, a double-handed longsword, to chest height. Kang Geom-Ma said,6RYXMki
FpKW3q5“What are you waiting for?”qs5vmM
yj5hr“…Huh?”lwR9c
26TOne of them let out a confused sound. Kang Geom-Ma frowned impatiently.bT8LdG
S64IznZ“I told you, all of you arm yourselves.”smib8G
JWkSDt“…?”5ZV1TGQ
PQzL“You really think one commander can stop me?”TakuPy
Ol0hOscar’s expression changed slightly, as if accepting the challenge.GbBso7Q
wJj1Snap.m51L97Z
hMI8XQIgnoring everything, Kang Geom-Ma snapped his fingers. In that instant, a soft-curved purple veil spread across the area.z6CEOX
tgtiQSEveryone froze, looking around in confusion.QPZWwI
uXkSaDN“It’s a temporary subspace barrier.”sSjG
LHTmOWKang Geom-Ma could use both the blessings of his sword and Lycan’s mana fluently.xLAAt9P
WbVmAlthough the environment wasn’t ideal, he could deploy subspace even outside Joaquin Academy. Granted, only temporarily.b3M3
DNoXewC“The timer’s set to one minute.”3GyMS
HSdXKang Geom-Ma did a couple of light jumps. He felt nimble today.grhy
dmqQs“I’ll focus on hand-to-hand combat, so come at me with everything. It’s been a while since I broke a sweat.”HO8Et5T
zT2DOscar responded.oZB
VbbFjQ“…Even so, this is—”ME6Ayc
ACHVZ5Shiiing—JndL0
Y4APA flash of light passed by him. Oscar turned clumsily toward the presence behind him.FbNGX
o6HA“Ghh, grrghhhgh!”ENA68
5YG4The second-in-command clutched at his throat. A red line coiled around his neck like a living rope, tightening.JhOA
ctVFkcIt was a thread of blood.m7XDS
HyJ0IThud.d7xLH5
awkHis head rolled on the floor with a dull thud. It didn’t stop until it hit the wall.91IwoE
broAll eyes turned to the new center of attention. Kang Geom-Ma calmly turned from his position.5RaV
zRgZ8p“I have a habit of starting with the squinty-eyed ones.”uo90
SQ59prHe said, pulling the sashimi knife from his arm.Ud3
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!