Chapter 244. He who stays near vermilion becos red. (2)
A strong mind resides within a strong body.
This was a statent made by the Sword Saint during a lecture at Bayer Academy, attended by all.
Uruhar, present in the audience, looked up at the podium with sparkling silver eyes.
The pinnacle of swordsmanship.
The final destination of the star that illuminated the empire.
The Sword Saint was the very person Uruhar dread of, and thus he aspired to beco the Sword Saint's 'apprentice'.
However, the position of the apprentice went to 'Yulian', a person he disliked.
Though he trembled with anger at that fact, Uruhar eventually chose to accept it.
Yulian was strong, and his expertise in the sword was profound.
Even at Bayer Academy, he carried unfortunate labels such as being a collateral and having a dark heart, but he was not a bad person.
However, he changed.
Although it was strange to judge it with his own perspective, Uruhar realized the change when Yulian was expelled by the Sword Saint.
'Alongside the Sword Saint.'
After seeking asylum in the Holy Kingdom and returning to the capital, he died while investigating the 'Dawn Society'.
Words circulated like rumors that he sacrificed himself to kill their leader, but no one could know the truth.
Only the fact that 'the exiled Sword Saint returned to the capital and died' remained.
'What you see and reality are different.'
It was the sa for the 'Imperial Knights' to which he belonged.
They might not be the strongest knights, but they were the closest to the 'Emperor'.
Hence, Uruhar thought it was a position where they could assist noble blood, but as he saw the emperor increasingly influenced by the word of the 'diviner', he again ca to ponder, 'Ideals are just ideals.'
'What is nobility?'
At first, he thought it resided in the sword, but it was not.
Then he thought it resided in blood, but it was not.
So what did the Sword Saint an by 'a strong mind'?
'...... Hmm?'
As Uruhar lived pondering such questions, he ca across an article about an individual known as the 'Black Knight'.
'One who acts for the people and punishes nobles.......'
How could a newspaper run such an article? If I were a sponsor, I would have rooted out such a newspaper imdiately.
'The Black Knight.'
Putting his curt thoughts aside, Uruhar continued to read the article.
'A Black Knight active regardless of rank, even in the slums.'
There's no one else as strange as this.
Initially, he thought so, but curiosity soon got the better of him, and he began looking at locations where the Black Knight had appeared.
'No one would do this without so sort of reward.'
There had to be a reason, surely.
Feeling both curiosity and suspicion, Uruhar continued investigating the movents of the 'Black Knight'.
Why did they do this?
What was their reason?
Did they have to act this way?
As he continued his investigation, Uruhar ca to his senses.
'Gasp.'
He realized his room was plastered with 'Black Knight masks'.
'When did I gather so many?'
Looking at the rooms filled with 'Black Knight masks', Uruhar thought.
A strong mind resides within a strong body.
With the realization that the epito of this was not the 'Sword Saint', but the 'Black Knight'.
'...... Hm.'
The Black Knight was noble.
The sight of him silently performing his tasks without expecting any reward was almost like the ideal Uruhar dread of.
Savoring the bitter taste that lingered on his tongue, Uruhar shifted his gaze to the wall adorned with masks.
'Number one.'
The 'Mask Collection' began to be sold when the 'Black Knight' appeared.
Having beco a fan later, he clicked his tongue at the emptiness of his collection.
'If only I'd realized it sooner......!'
***
I couldn't hide my astonishnt.
Out of nowhere, Uruhar from the Imperial Knights thrust a scabbard at , asking for an autograph.
Moreover, I had approached Uruhar considering him an adversary, and I was tense to a certain degree.
That guy was from the Imperial Knights.
The Heavenly Guardians protecting the emperor are the elite of the empire's forces. Among these 'elite', the top-tier knights are the 'Imperial Knights'.
'In terms of martial prowess, they are among the top powerhouses.'
Every strong individual would know. The importance of a weapon.
Handing over such a weapon, Uruhar standing before
was demanding a signature.
'How could I not be flustered?'
If I were to take the scabbard under the guise of providing an autograph and not return it, Uruhar would beco defenseless.
In that case, it would be easy for
to handle him while he's without weaponry.
'...... That's not quite right.'
That wouldn't do.
Even though I am soone who values efficiency, I am not soone lacking humanity enough to beat a defenseless person.
'Hmm.'
Actually.
On second thought, it seems fine this way. There are tis when you just want to take it easy.
"You an a signature?"
Uruhar nodded at my question. I promptly reached for the scabbard in his hand.
Should he have said that with the intent of setting a trap, he would attack just before I could take the scabbard, but in that case, I would quickly react and counterattack.
'Hmm.'
But that wasn't the case. The scabbard was truly handed over to .
'Is he mad?'
Even if he trusts soone wholeheartedly, handing over a 'sword' so easily is a suicidal act.
Even if the Sword Saint had asked for the sword, one would question if they've gone mad.
"Are you in your right mind, handing over the scabbard?"
Hence, I couldn't help but voice my question.
Upon hearing my remark, a hint of realization montarily flashed across Uruhar's face, as though he realized sothing.
"Well, I'm sure that the Black Knight won't attack soone who's defenseless."
However, that feeling soon disappeared. He simply reiterated his request for an autograph on the scabbard.
"Unfortunately, I don't carry a pen."
I had co here half worried, half looking forward to confronting the Imperial Knights.
Within the narrative, the 'Imperial Knights' are described as a fearso group capable of rivaling the Sword Saint's power.
I was concerned that Yulian's battle-loving instincts for a 'strong opponent' might create complex situations.
"Well...... is that so?"
Watching Uruhar's disappointnt left
speechless.
"Anyway, do you have any idea why I might have co to this place?"
I quickly asked him in a serious tone, thinking that if this continued, the main topic might stray away.
"Though an enforcer of the imperial command, I have my doubts on what could bring a hero of the people here... uh."
After a brief mont of contemplation, he spoke.
"There are many possibilities, but I can't comprehend why you'd co personally."
He doesn't know?
"Your attack on Flugel, that's what brought
here."
"Lord Flugel was attacked...!?"
Uruhar looked at
with a truly astonished expression.
'Why is he shocked?'
I had believed the attack on Flugel was carried out by Uruhar on the emperor's decree.
I ca here thinking it was to keep things under wraps, yet he seed genuinely surprised, as if hearing about this for the first ti.
'Possibility of lies...'
None.
Judging by his trembling pupils and the 'Color of Negativity', he didn't seem to be lying.
"Who attacked Lord Flugel?"
"I ca here assuming it was you."
"!?"
He's still looking at
with astonished eyes.
"No! I swear, I never attacked Lord Flugel! In fact, I haven't even t him!"
"Then how do you explain the footage of you from the Magic Tower?"
"Footage? Oh......"
Uruhar, trailing off, seed to be recollecting his mories. He seed to be retracing his mories from back then.
"You an the footage from the tower's surveillance magic?"
"Yes."
"Well, of course, there would be footage. I did visit the Magic Tower to et Lord Flugel."
Visited the Magic Tower.
Footage of a crucial ti was captured.
Even so, he claid not to be the culprit, which sounded slightly odd.
Is this guy acting?
With such thoughts, I looked at Uruhar, and he shook his head.
"It's true that I was going to et Lord Flugel under the command of Emperor Adratan, but I didn't get to et him. I had to leave because he had a prior appointnt."
"Under the emperor's command?"
Without thinking, I was surprised by Uruhar's unintentional revelation. However, the mask and its unique 'Trait' ensured my emotions wouldn't leak out.
"By the command of Emperor Adratan?"
"...... Oops."
Realizing his slip of the tongue, Uruhar covered his mouth with one hand but soon returned to his usual expression.
"Well, since it's the Black Knight, it shouldn't be a problem even if you heard."
"What order did you have to visit Flugel?"
"I can't say more. I have a loose tongue, but I am a mber of the Imperial Knights after all."
Loose tongue.
I strongly agreed with that statent.
'...... Flugel, on the emperor's command.'
Hearing Uruhar's words, I began organizing my thoughts.
Sothing significant enough for the Imperial Knights to visit the Magic Tower under the emperor's command?
'It wouldn't be ordinary.'
Clearly, it was a covert matter. It was essential to clandestinely receive word of the aftermath of whatever they had done.
'Sothing the emperor needed to covertly listen to.'
Currently, 'Emperor Adratan's' mind isn't as clear-cut as before. Even in such a state, for him to mobilize the 'Imperial Knights' personally to keep tabs ant it must've been related to so desire.
'Desire.'
Immortality.
Or perhaps eternality.
With all wealth and honor in hand, that was the only thing lacking for the emperor.
'The remnants of the Demon God I saw before.'
What had co to mind.
'The Imperial Seal.'
In other words, the reason Uruhar of the Imperial Knights visited Flugel was because of...
'The Demon God's horn was...'
Flugel was in possession of it.
That made sense for why he hesitated and why Uruhar was sent under the emperor's command to the Magic Tower.
However, things have now beco more complicated.
'If it wasn't Uruhar, who attacked Flugel?'
Having reviewed the Magic Tower's surveillance footage with Aileen, when I had gone to et Flugel, it was only Uruhar who'd been seen entering the lab.
'Could an invisible entity have attacked Flugel?'
Oh.
The ntion of an invisible entity reminded
of sothing.
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