Children of the Holy Emperor - Chapter 365



Only Noblemtl

365. Enlistment (8)

“Ugh, it’s a sack… … .”

Seongjin, who was tossing and turning, let out a groan like his father without realizing it.

I didn’t know because I’ve never really gotten sick since becoming a hunter, but fever is not something to be taken lightly. There’s no part of my body that doesn’t hurt.

[Sniff! Lee Sung-jin. I… … .]

Then, in my head, I heard the unmistakable sound of the Demon King’s sobbing.

‘It’s getting more and more spectacular… … .’

Not only is he a problem himself, but the Demon King’s condition has been really strange lately.

Are you feeling intimidated by the main palace filled with divine power? Why is it that you’ve become less talkative and more depressed?

As I was anxiously assessing the Demon King’s condition, Masain once again became unusually upset, wondering how he had interpreted my worried expression.

“Your Majesty. Are you in pain again? Lie down quickly!”

“Oh, it’s okay. By the way, Sir Marsain, isn’t it past lunch time?”

“…yes?”

“Could you please tell the chef? I really want to eat bear meat today… … .”

Then, the color gradually drained from Martha’s face.

“You just… vomited up all the thin soup you had for lunch, what are you talking about?!”

“Huh? You threw up? When did I… …?”

“Ouch! His Majesty is talking nonsense again with a high fever! Doctor! Doctor!”

“… Huh?”

Come to think of it, it feels like things are spinning before my eyes.

“Mores!”

Fortunately, Seonghwang knew about it like a ghost and came to see Seongjin every time. Sometimes, he would come running with the documents he was working on in his hands in a hurry.

Hwaaak-

After bathing in the waterfall of divine power, your body will become refreshed and your mind will become clear.

Every time that happened, I felt sorry towards the king.

‘I’m already a busy gentleman, what kind of nuisance am I?’

As Sungjin was receiving treatment, Logan and Sir Marsain, who were by his side, also often received the baptism of divine power. The Holy Emperor also treated them as seriously ill patients and ordered them to stay in the temporary treatment room.

Logan and Marsain looked extremely apologetic every time.

“Abba Mama. I’m fine now, so let’s get back to work… … .”

Logan, unable to bear it any longer, attempted a small escape, but-

“Logan.”

“Yes, Abamama.”

“Which palace councilor dared to tell you the nonsense that your condition was fine?”

“Huh? That’s… … .”

“… … .”

“that…….”

Under the gaze of the Emperor who was looking at him intently, Logan eventually couldn’t endure it for long and immediately backed down.

“… I was wrong.”

“Okay, then I know.”

Hwaaak-

While Logan was receiving the pouring divine power with a resigned face, Sungjin was secretly thinking that he was relieved.

It was a good thing to have colleagues who were fighting the illness together. I didn’t have to spend time alone and bored, and sometimes it was fun to tease them.

“I want to practice… … .”

However, as he continued to be confined to the temporary treatment room, Sungjin’s feeling of suffocation grew more and more intense. In particular, the fact that he could not practice as he pleased was the most stressful.

Masain, who couldn’t stand to see Seongjin looking so discouraged, spoke to him as if to comfort him.

“Don’t be impatient, Your Majesty. Don’t you think that you will continue to practice binding the Aura for a while?”

“It’s too easy to just come and tie up. You’re saying that you can’t train.”

As Sungjin responds bluntly, Logan, who was meditating next to him, sneaks a glance.

“However, if you live with Aura tied up, it will be of great help in increasing at least your basic strength.”

“muscular strength?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

People who start out early in life naturally build up their muscles from a young age. That’s why they don’t have many opportunities to train their strength.

‘Come to think of it, that’s true.’

Even if you look at my father or Logan, they don’t have particularly prominent muscles.

On the other hand, what about the case of Sir Masain, who came late and entered the profession? Isn’t he quite a sturdy knight?

‘Maybe it’s worth a try… The reason why the swordsmanship of Sir Masain is so much more fierce than that of other palace knights is not just because he is skilled in using Aura.’

Obviously strength will help in some way.

Alright. Since we’ve come this far, let’s build up some strength!

“But even if I try hard to build muscle, when the aura comes back, won’t it just go back to the beginning?”

At least that was Sungjin’s common sense. Muscle volume would not be fully maintained unless adequate protein supply was provided and consistent load was maintained.

But there was one thing he overlooked: this was Delcross, not Earth.

“Once an Aura user builds up their muscles, they will naturally remain intact. With an Aura that always keeps your body in top condition, what are you worried about?”

“… … !”

Seongjin opened his mouth wide.

Wow! This place, Delcross, is definitely a paradise for hell-hunters!

* * *

In the end, my strength training ended in miserable failure.

As Sungjin tied up Aura and started to move his body slowly, the frequency of his fever also increased significantly.

If you think about it, it was an obvious result. The more you move your body, the more active your aura will be.

[Sniff, sniff. What on earth should I do… … .]

This guy is doing this again.

It was really difficult because I had to appease him quickly, but I couldn’t let him eat all the things he liked.

“Your Majesty. Are you awake? If you’re thirsty, shall I bring you a drink?”

Edith’s worried voice could be heard from nearby.

“No, it’s okay.”

“Then I will bring you a wet towel.”

Soon I felt a hand wiping my forehead with a damp towel. It felt unfamiliar yet nostalgic.

Come to think of it, when I first came here, Empress Lisabeth often wiped my face like this.

“Mother… … .”

How is Empress Elizabeth doing now?

Should I ask Dasha when she comes? The investigations I asked her to do are about to start showing results.

Seongjin blinked hard to overcome the falling sleep. But then, he began to hear the small voices of someone whispering in his ear.

[There are no signs of it dying down. It seems like even Seonghwang Dad’s power can only lower the temperature to a certain extent.]

[This is a fire that never goes out. That is its unique property. It is the power to rule over dimensions.]

[Could it have something to do with Red?]

[Yeah, the red one is a problem too.]

[Mores, what do we do now?]

[Mores, you’re really pitiful.]

Oh, twins. They’re still here.

As Seongjin struggled to pretend to understand, the guys’ voices suddenly became lively.

[Wow, Mores! Do you remember us now?]

[Is that true, Mores? Really? Really?]

Of course, that’s true.

There probably aren’t any other guys in the world with such annoying speech patterns.

[Okay. Listen, Mores! We think Red is… …!]

Seongjin dismissed the voices of the guys chattering at the same time with just one word.

That guy is fine. He has nothing to do with this.

[but…….]

That’s just as well. Listen. There was a place I wanted to go with you guys right now…

As Sungjin thought about that, a cold thought suddenly rang out from above his head.

[Stop your nonsense and stay quietly in the palace, my son.]

Oh, I see. I guess you heard me.

Hwaaak-

Feeling the familiar divine power pouring down upon his head once again, Sungjin fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

Even while I was sleeping, my fever would rise and fall frequently.

Seongjin, who would occasionally toss and turn in discomfort, would only find stability after divine power poured down from above his head.

While alternating between light and deep sleep, Sungjin had so many dreams that it was difficult to even remember them all.

Most of them have faded into oblivion, too scary to recognize, but some dreams leave a vivid impression as if they were experienced in reality.

One of them was the memory of a familiar woman screaming at him. An old memory, probably belonging to the young Mores.

-You shouldn’t have been born this way!

In the room that was now a mess, a woman with a disheveled appearance glared at Seongjin and cried.

-You ruined all my dreams! How am I supposed to live from now on?

String-

The reddened gaze glaring at him pierced deep into my heart like a knife cutting through my lungs.

-You should have been more like your father, more like you are now! Why on earth do you have to resemble the person I hate the most in the world! How could you do that!?

Seongjin let out a sigh of relief, feeling his eyes welling up with tears.

But, oh my.

The person you are talking about is… … .

“…Saranni, is that possible?”

“Of course. I dare not say empty words.”

“But as you know, Your Majesty… … .”

“What good would our conversation be? So, when Your Majesty wakes up, could you please ask for my opinion?”

Sungjin slowly came to his senses at the irritating voice that sounded like scraping iron.

When I turned my head, I saw Masain standing at the entrance to the treatment room, talking to someone with a serious expression on his face.

“… Sir Marsain. Who is here?”

At Seongjin’s question, Masain flinched and turned around. At the same time, the visitor who had been hidden by his body revealed himself and bowed respectfully to Seongjin.

“Your Majesty, Your Excellency Mores.”

Sir Leander. The leader of the Exorcists, who exudes a sinister aura like a dry, old tree.

Seongjin slowly got up from the bed, looking into his dark eyes that had a strange reddish tint to them.

‘What’s that guy doing here all of a sudden?’

Even now, when his senses were duller than usual, Sungjin felt something strange about him, just like the last time they met.

“I apologize for disturbing your rest. I have come to ask Your Majesty’s permission for something.”

“leave?”

“Yes, I will soon be leaving for the western region under Your Majesty’s command. Therefore, if I do not hurry now, I will not have time to handle the matter, so I have no choice but to be rude to Your Majesty.”

The story that Sir Leander told next was surprising.

He even asked Sungjin to officially join the Knights of St. Terbachia.

Seongjin was dumbfounded.

“A knight? Me?”

I don’t even have a single bit of divine power, so how can I do that?

However, Sir Leander, who made such a shocking statement, had a calm expression.

“Your Majesty has already proven sufficient [Evil Destruction] ability. Moreover, at a young age, you have acquired military powers that surpass those of the Imperial Knights, and even now, you are developing rapidly day by day. So how could you not seek Your Majesty’s help?”

“hmm…….”

“The Knights of St. Terbachia would like to request that you act as a full member of the Order of the Knights, rather than simply as an advisor to the Demon Task Force.”

Seongjin quickly figured out the situation and secretly winked at Masain.

‘Don’t the others know yet?’

Then, Sir Marsain nodded his head as if he was embarrassed.

‘Yes, I don’t know.’

‘I see.’

Seongjin rested his chin on his hand and sat deep in thought.

Perhaps it is natural. There is no way the Prince could openly announce that the Aura user has lost his abilities.

It is clear that the position of the Third Prince, who has only just begun to gain a reputation, will collapse in an instant, and it could even lead to doubts about the omnipotence of the God’s representative.

However, Leandros, who felt the subtle current flowing between Seongjin and Masain, added a little anxiously.

“Please reconsider positively. If Your Majesty so desires, I can promise you a position as a lieutenant in our order, just like Sisley, who recently joined the Knights of St. Marsyas.”

‘Oh, is that so?’

As soon as the judgment was made, the answer came out.

“I will do it!”

“Also, the active cooperation of the exorcists in the work of the lower class… Yes?”

“I will do it. Isn’t that an excellent plan for me and the Knights of St. Terbachia to coexist? You have thought very well, Sir Leander.”

“… … .”

Then Sir Leander’s expression becomes gloomy.

Since he was known to place great importance on his personal training time, it was thought that it would take quite a bit of persuasion to burden him with work outside of the Demon Investigation Team.

But Sir Leander soon regained his composure and silently bowed his head.

“I appreciate your decision. Since Your Majesty has given permission, I, Leander, will prepare for your entrance without any problems, putting my honor on the line.”

Shudder-

Then Logan, who had been listening silently from the side, looked back at Seongjin in great bewilderment.

The commander of one of the five knightly orders of the Empire has staked his honor on it. The burden is by no means light.

But what if it were revealed to the world that the prince he had enlisted could no longer use Aura… …!

‘Oh my!’

But before Logan could even open his mouth, Sungjin glared.

Don’t disturb me, Logan.

It has been said since ancient times that health insurance is only valid if you get it before being diagnosed with cancer!

Now, someone has come to me on his own two feet and is offering me enormous public power. What fool in the world would turn that down? Huh?