Children of the Holy Emperor - Chapter 413



Only Noblemtl

413. Lee Seong-jin’s Exploration Journal (2)

While I was doing that, the day of departure arrived without me even realizing it.

“Thank you for the gift, Sister. The… fire fairy is also very happy. I will cherish it during my trip.”

Mores wanders around with an unexpectedly bright face, holding a small lamp he received from Amelia.

Owen thought as he looked at the sight.

‘Yeah, Mores isn’t a newbie. He’s always been a calm and dignified guy, isn’t he? He doesn’t let go easily in front of people.’

As he left the palace, Mores stood up straight and rode his horse expertly. He looked unexpectedly ‘calm and dignified’.

Then Owen thought again.

‘Yeah, no matter how much I think about it, that guy isn’t that cute newbie. He was just a mountain goat that looked too cute even when he was slaughtering players with a sword.’

Above all, if Mores was really a newbie, he wouldn’t have pretended not to know Owen even after meeting him. The various adversities he overcame together with Lee Seong-jin must have had that much weight.

Owen, who had thought that far, suddenly felt a strange sense of discomfort.

‘… Wait a minute. When did I ever tell a newbie my name?’

At first, he introduced himself as ‘Owen Lockwood’. But in Delcross, Owen is officially the First Prince of the Empire, ‘Owen Klein’.

‘No! But there’s no way Mores wouldn’t know. He knows my real name, right? That’s why he’s been calling me Lockwood for so long… … !’

Hmm? But didn’t that guy Mores say he has no memories of the past at all?

‘… Huh? Huh?’

Owen broke out in a cold sweat on his horse as he thought of an unexpected possibility.

‘Come to think of it, the newbie said that the graphics were broken back then and he couldn’t see anything. So he was using a cheap kids’ skin… … !’

So, is there a chance that even if a newbie sees me, he won’t recognize me right away…?

‘…no way!’

Owen was in deep confusion and floundered for a while. What brought him back to his senses was the loud shouts of the people he heard as soon as he entered the Imperial Highway.

“Your Majesty, Mores!”

“Savior of Bathurst!”

“Look over there! You said you were blessed by an ancient fairy, and there really is a little fire fairy hovering around you!”

Surrounded by cheers, Mores looked like a prince, no matter who saw him.

The impeccable uniform and the strong prayer that is secretly pouring out despite being well-groomed. The light golden hair that we see every day shines with a splendid platinum color as if it has a divine halo.

“… … .”

Owen, who was momentarily distracted by Mores’ appearance, suddenly realized that the people were also enthusiastically chanting his name.

“Owen!”

“The undefeated knight guarding the southern front!”

Perhaps swept up in the atmosphere, I even heard compliments like this here and there.

“Wow, it’s really bright! It seems like the divine light is shining down from the two princes!”

“Why not! You are a member of the Seonghwang family who is loved by the Lord!”

“It’s truly a blessing that people like that are protecting our empire!”

Yes, so that there is not even the slightest blemish on Seonghwangga’s reputation.

Owen quickly shook off his distracting thoughts and straightened his posture, hoping that at least in the eyes of his subjects, he would appear to be a dignified and upright prince like Mores.

So he didn’t know that this conversation was going on right behind him.

“Hmm? Mr. Coachman. Did you see that just now? The box in the hold over there shook.”

“What the heck?”

“Plus, there’s a strange light coming out of it.”

“Oh my, Miss Edith! Don’t be so scary! It looks like a coffin, and it gives me the creeps every time I look at it!”

“But, it really did move… … .”

* * *

Having spent so many years on the Southern Front, Owen had become accustomed to moving about on his own.

So, unlike Mores, she didn’t even have a maid accompany her. Carrie was too old to go on a long journey together.

The only companion he had to bring was Bartoja, who had fled from the old fox of Karazhan. He was the one carrying a huge load behind him and crying loudly.

“Gasp! Gasp! Owen of Delcross! Could you please slow down a little?”

“It’s not something I can do as I please, Bartoza.”

“Why is that? Aren’t you the eldest son of the Delcross tribe?”

“The person responsible for this incident is my brother. He said he should arrive in Regina today.”

Owen responded like that, then slowly slowed down his speech and approached Bartoza.

“I told you it was impossible. Why do you insist on bringing it?”

By the way, Bartoja was carrying a heavy warhammer on his back. It was a spoil that Owen had once taken from killing the chieftain of Purma.

“Huh! Huh! This weapon is a symbol of our tribe’s legitimacy! I, as the chieftain, must keep it safe!”

“Then wouldn’t it have been better if you had just quietly remained in the zodiac with it?”

“No, Owen! Are you planning to throw me into the hands of these cruel, incompetent imperialists and just turn a blind eye?”

What on earth do you want me to do?

“Then try a little harder.”

“Ugh! No way!”

Completely frustrated, Bartoza finally began to lament and drag his precious warhammer along the ground.

“I knew that my people were different inside and out, but I didn’t know that even you, the son of the chieftain, would be like that! As expected of a Delcross person… The chieftain is not like that… How did this happen to me… I swear by the spirits of that… ancestor… If I don’t… This… is… the same… … .”

“Hey, hey… … .”

Owen was a little taken aback when his speech began to get faster and faster.

The language of the Purma tribe is very similar to that of the Volanta tribe, so simple communication had been possible up until now. However, even Owen had difficulty understanding the dialect that was spoken so quickly.

“Tell the heavens… Rise from the earth… Forever… Unforgive… … .”

“Bartoza? What are you talking about now?”

Judging by the look on his face, which was twisted with anger, it definitely wasn’t meant well.

Owen was wondering what on earth to do with this guy.

“Stop! Let’s take a break.”

Mores, who was ahead, suddenly declared.

“…yes?”

“But, damn it. If you stop now, your schedule will… … .”

“Why don’t we have an early lunch while we’re at it?”

Everyone looked bewildered as this was an unexpected event. However, the group soon began to prepare for rest as the prince had commanded.

Meanwhile, Mores turned around and slowly approached Owen.

Multifaceted, multifaceted.

“Huh… …!”

Perhaps sensing something unusual, Bartoza immediately shuts his mouth.

Owen could see it too. His already fierce eyes had become sharper, so it seemed that Mores’ expression was not ordinary.

“Owen.”

Owen stuttered without realizing it, hearing the voice that was as cold as frost.

“Uh, yeah?”

“Tell that bastard to put his luggage in my carriage and shut his mouth right now.”

At first glance, Mores seemed to be speaking to Owen, but his cold gaze was clearly directed at Bartoza’s terrified face.

“And tell him not to open his mouth until this is over. Tell him clearly that if I hear him curse Delcross or Seonghwangga with his old spells one more time, I will personally cut off his head and lighten the load.”

What? Old sorcery?

Owen looks around in confusion, and Bartoza hurriedly averts his gaze, looking very intimidated. It is unclear how Mores could have detected the unknown Barsha dialect, but it seems that he is indeed trying to do something bad.

“You punk, tell me the truth. Did you really curse Seonghwangga?”

“Huh? How, how did you do that… …!”

“…Was it real?”

Before I got angry, I was dumbfounded. What kind of courage is this in the land of an enemy country where there is not a single compatriot.

“Bartoza. Don’t ever do something so stupid again. My brother told me to tell you not to let your mouth get loose in front of him again.”

“That…! How could that guy know the old sorcery… .”

“It’s not a matter of whether someone understands or not. Do you understand? If you do something like that one more time, I won’t leave you alone before my brother comes out.”

Even while such conversation was going on, Mores was standing still and glaring at Bartoza. Judging from the look of it, he really seemed to be listening to their conversation.

Only after hearing the words that he would cut off his neck and seeing Bartoza’s face turn pale did Mores finally turn his head and leave.

“Your Majesty. How about food… … .”

“Don’t worry, Edith. Isn’t it too early to have lunch?”

“Huh? But just now Your Majesty clearly… …!”

Pretending to listen to her maid, Mores got off her horse and got locked in the carriage. As she had said when she left, now that she had left the capital, she seemed to be planning to travel by carriage from now on.

The guy’s maid looked momentarily embarrassed. But as if this wasn’t the first or second time this had happened, she soon shrugged her shoulders, collected Mores’ words, and disappeared.

‘Mores… … .’

Owen was lost in thought as he took in the series of scenes. Although not as much as Bartoza, what had just happened had come as quite a shock to him as well.

‘It was just for a moment, but that guy Mores really looked like my father.’

Seems familiar, yet unfamiliar.

After returning home and spending every day with him, Owen thought he had a pretty good grasp of Mores.

But even putting aside whether or not he is a newbie, the more I look into him, the more I feel like I don’t know him.

‘And besides, that guy Mores, how on earth does he understand Barça?’

Just then, from afar, he heard the voices of Masain and his knights calling him.

“Owen!”

“Come here and have a meal!”

“Ah, yeah!”

Well, we’ll be together for a while. I’ll ask you later when I get the chance.

Owen, who had made up his mind, pointed to the carriage to Bartoza, who was still trembling with fear.

“What are you doing? Why don’t you hurry up and put your luggage down?”

* * *

Knock knock. Knock knock… … .

‘The second son of the Delcross tribe chief… was that what you said?’

Dragging his legs, which still had no strength left, Bartoza dragged the warhammer with difficulty.

‘I can’t believe it! What kind of person can exude such inhuman aura at such a young age!’

Although he is now branded as a symbol of traitor throughout Barsha, Bartoja was originally a rival for the position of chieftain of Purma. Not only has he fought in countless battles, he is also a strong warrior who does not blink at the slightest murderous intent.

He, who was like that, felt a chilling fear just from receiving the gaze of a young boy for a moment.

‘I swear I’ve never been this nervous before, not even in front of that cruel chieftain, Wakana Tousai.’

My heart froze and my vision became blurry in an instant. If I had been stared at just a little longer, I might have collapsed on the floor in an awkward manner.

The pressure was something more than mere fear. It was like a shock that crushed the soul.

‘I’m scared. I’m really scared! I never want to look that boy in the eye again.’

So from now on, I will try my best to keep my mouth shut and not offend him. That is what Bartoza decided.

Ddddddd… … .

Bartoza, who had finally reached the carriage, looked at the luggage compartment which was completely filled with luggage and sighed for a moment.

Where on earth should I put this heavy burden?

Then, at one point, in a corner of the cargo area, I noticed a long box that looked like it would be perfect for putting a hammer in.

“hmm…….”

Bartoza hesitated for a moment, but no matter how much he looked, there seemed to be no other viable alternative.

So he mustered up the last of his strength and lifted the warhammer over the box.

“Hey!”

Kuung!

As the heavy hammer falls, the box shakes precariously as if it could break at any moment. However, it appears to be sturdier than it looks, as it does not break or crack.

‘It’s just right.’

Still feeling uneasy, Bartoza picked up the rope next to him and tied his precious warhammer tightly to the box. This was to prevent it from easily falling out of the box even if the carriage shook violently.

‘Okay. I feel a little better now.’

Finally free from this heavy burden!

Bartoza left the carriage with a slightly relieved step, so that after a while he did not notice the slight movement of the box.

“Huh? Mr. Coachman! Didn’t you hear me clearly this time?”

“What are you talking about now?”

“I just heard something knocking inside that box… … .”

“Eek? Miss Edith! Please stop!”