READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 103
“`html
“So, I had a little chat with the Emperor.”
Well, calling it a chat might be a stretch. It was mostly him rambling on about whatever.
“I just wanted to see your face, that’s all.”
“Thanks again for sending all the knights. Although some unpleasantness happened, let’s forget it and move on. Still, since the push happened so abruptly, I’m sure there are many who look at you with a cocked eyebrow. So, please understand…” and other similar sentiments.
As I listened, I realized the Emperor was more talkative than I’d expected. He didn’t come off as a dignified monarch but more like a chatty noble.
Listening to him, I thought, ‘…he’s like a damp raccoon.’
Of course, while getting into the carriage, I also gleaned some info about him from Shin Hanbyeol.
Seems he’s been quite prickly and gruff lately due to all the work piling up.
That was the complete opposite of the image I had just met.
If that rumor were true, it meant the Emperor was putting on a friendly act for me.
In other words, he was intentionally showing goodwill—for my sake as the wielder.
So what was the motive behind his actions?
Well… sadly, as someone who doesn’t know politics, I couldn’t figure that out for certain.
What is clear right now is that she supports me—regardless of any opposition around her.
“Alright, I’ve got a lot of work to do, so I should let you go. Plus, there are others who want to meet you, so let’s wrap this up. Someone, show them to the dining area.”
“Yes.”
With that, we followed a butler out from the meeting room.
Meanwhile, Hanbyeol, who had been awkwardly standing by, let out a small sigh.
“Phew… I can finally breathe.”
It must have been quite uncomfortable for her—not being able to say a word.
And I wasn’t exactly enjoying the situation either.
Sure, the Emperor was a bit daunting, but the presence of the knight behind him was incredibly intense.
A woman with silver hair and a perpetually emotionless face stood right behind the Emperor.
At first glance, she seemed almost invisible, but it was clear she was a formidable presence.
Magic surged around her like a tidal wave.
As I contemplated this, Hanbyeol whispered to me quietly.
“The knight behind him… I think she’s the First Knight Commander.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’ve never seen her in person, but she looks a lot like what I’ve heard.”
The First Knight Commander, Eve Makared.
Now that I think about it, I did hear that the First Knight Commander always protects the Emperor. Thus, she rarely goes to the front lines.
It was quite unexpected to meet another knight commander like this. Thank goodness we weren’t fighting again.
I’d rather not meet any more of them.
“This way, please.”
I entered the designated area the butler led us to.
Creeeak—
As the door opened, my eyes landed on a circular table in the center. Simple food was spread across it, along with two guests who were already present.
“Whoa.”
Seeing the two, Hanbyeol urgently whispered to me.
“That’s the Third Knight Commander Vivian and the Fifth Knight Commander Serena…”
Shit.
My mind unleashed a torrent of curses. What was this? Were they preparing some sort of trap? Had the Emperor’s friendly act just been a facade all along, intended to catch me off guard?
As I was wrapped up in those thoughts, the knight commanders began to speak.
“Wow, wow… he’s handsome…”
“Seriously, did he really beat Rayleigh?”
Those were the voices of the Third and Fifth Knight Commanders.
Upon entering the room, I decided to raise my demeanor. After all, they could charge at me with swords at any moment.
The atmosphere in the room became tense.
As a result, their expressions hardened for a moment, but no one drew a weapon.
“…Take a seat. We’re not calling you in here to fight. I just wanted to know who tarnished the honor of the Knight Order.”
“Right… If a fight breaks out in the palace, we’d be in trouble too…”
“…”
With that, I sitting down.
Having knights in front of me was unpleasant, but it seemed they weren’t interested in fighting.
Instead, I began to assess them.
I really didn’t expect to meet them, but I had heard some info about these two from Hanbyeol.
The woman with navy blue hair and a timid expression was the Third Knight Commander, Vivian Moonglow.
The brown-haired lady glaring at me was the Fifth Knight Commander, Serena Bright.
Sadly, I didn’t know much beyond that.
All I knew was that the Fifth Knight Commander had once defeated Andromalius—that’s about it since most of the knights’ info is shrouded in secrecy.
However, sitting across from them like this, I might learn some additional details.
“Speaking of which, where’s the Fourth Knight Commander? I don’t see him.”
“Hmph, someone got them seriously injured, you see. Writing the incident report and recovering, they can’t come to the palace right now.”
The Fifth Knight Commander didn’t seem particularly pleased with me. After all, I’m the one who hurt her comrade. Plus, there’s the fact that I’m the wielder.
I expected that reaction, so I wasn’t bothered.
The Third Knight Commander… was a mystery.
She glanced at me occasionally, but mostly kept her head down, making it hard to read her emotions.
Sometimes her ears would flush red, making me wonder if she was perhaps embarrassed…
‘Nah, can’t be.’
I forced myself to disregard that assumption. After all, she’s one of only five knight commanders, so there’s no way someone of her stature would shy away from simply meeting someone.
Who would make someone like that their commander, anyway?
Surely, my Empire couldn’t have fallen that far.
“Seriously, when’s that guy coming?”
As the uncomfortable silence lingered, the Fifth Knight Commander mumbled under her breath.
I’d soon find out who “that guy” was.
“Ugh, sorry, sorry. I drank a bit too much yesterday.”
Creeeak—
Another woman burst through the door.
She must’ve rushed here, given her messy red hair and casual clothes.
A deep V-neck revealed quite a bit of cleavage.
This woman was undeniably a beauty, at least enough to turn heads around here.
But I didn’t particularly feel any attraction.
I recognized who she was, after all.
In a way, she’s almost as famous as the Fourth Knight Commander.
Second Knight Commander, Odelia Pafnilah.
A spear—no, a Casanova, so exceptional that even Amducias couldn’t contain his rage.
I heard she enjoys “activities” with three different men a day.
“Wow, is this the guy? The one who tossed our Rayleigh around? I heard about him, but wow, he really is something.”
“Don’t call him ‘our Rayleigh!’”
“If Rayleigh hears this, he’ll definitely pull out his sword…”
Complaints buzzed from various corners, but she blatantly ignored them.
Finally, the Second Knight Commander approached me, her face filled with intrigue.
“Hmm, looks like you’ve never held a wielder before…?”
As I looked at her, I suddenly recalled a YouTube video I’d seen in the past about some scientific inquiry.
Could you cook meat by hitting it? A question that sparks some curiosity.
Whenever you hit something, heat is generated—could you cook the meat with that heat?
At first glance, it seems like a ridiculous experiment, but astonishingly, it worked.
After hitting the meat excessively, it surprisingly turned brown and appeared grilled.
As I looked at the Second Knight Commander, I couldn’t help but think of that video.
“So, wanna have some fun with me tonight?”
Could it be that her lower regions were no different from a well-cooked piece of meat?
Considering all the rumors I’ve heard, if you sum up the number of different men who’ve “visited” her, it must be plenty—surely in the realm of dozens.
Her “view” must be so thoroughly cooked that it could’ve charred by now.
In all seriousness, I could call it a true bulgogi view.
Hence, I swiftly slapped her hand away and politely declined.
“Sorry, I’m not a fan of medium-rare.”
“…Medium-rare?”
I expected her to react that way, but it seems she didn’t catch the joke.
She tilted her head blankly.
Not just her, Hanbyeol and the other knight commanders seemed just as clueless.
Ah, they’re not wise enough to grasp my highbrow humor yet.
“Hehehe…!”
“Uh, Vivian?”
“Hahaha…”
Correction: at least one person got it. That would be the Third Knight Commander, Vivian.
Seeing her desperately trying to suppress her laughter with her head bowed, it was clear she understood.
What kind of thoughts run through her mind to get her to understand this?
“Enough, but there’s something we need to discuss! Don’t we need to get into that first?”
The Second Knight Commander hastily interjected, perhaps sensing the moment had turned slightly awkward. Clearly, I hadn’t come just for some face time after all.
“Oh right.”
After hearing that, the Fifth Knight Commander seemed to recall something and abruptly stiffened her face.
Then she spoke.
“A demon… has descended.”
“Huh, again?”
At that, the Second Knight Commander grimaced.
It was news that wasn’t exactly welcome, even if it was familiar.
I frowned upon hearing it as well.
She asked, almost demanding to know.
“How did it come about this time? Did Lemegaton find another altar? Or did a mine appear somewhere? I thought we were finally getting some peace.”
“Well… there wasn’t a specific cause.”
“Huh?”
“This time, it wasn’t Lemegaton or a mine causing havoc.”
The Fifth Knight Commander, Serena, then spoke with a serious look on her face.
“This demon has descended naturally.”
That was quite disturbing news.
“`