Imperial Guard - Chapter 14



Only Noblemtl

Episode 14

butterfly effect

Ding-ding-ding

Rael pushed open the door to a quiet bar in District 4.

This place is doing worse business than Miss Sarah’s inn.

“Huh? Is it Rael?”

As he entered the bar, a kind-looking man wiping a glass with a cloth greeted Rael.

“It’s been a while, Uncle Eric.”

Eric.

One of the few sane people in this fucking medieval fantasy.

He is a kind man who runs a bar that is not doing well, but occasionally supports a daycare center and gives food and drinks to children passing by.

“Hey. It’s been a while. That troublemaker even ran away to be the captain of the guard, so I thought he’d forgotten about me.”

“What are you talking about, sir? You can see me anytime you want by stopping by the daycare center.”

“I’ve been busy lately. My side job is busier than the bar.”

Rael sat down at the bar, grinning.

Uncle Eric’s bar isn’t just a place to come for a drink.

‘What should I say? A human resources office?’

Originally, a fantasy bar didn’t just sell alcohol.

Uncle Eric, who had been living in District 4 for a long time and had become a local boss, would bring good criminals to us through his connections.

He also helped me find materials to use in the Gaksital mask dance, so I stopped by with a hopeful mind.

Rael got straight to the point.

“Uncle Eric. Can you also get a branch of the World Tree?”

“Are you saying that since it’s been a long time since you came here, you want to get me some prohibited items?”

“Hey. Do we need to say hello?”

“Huh. Why do you need a branch of the World Tree? A lot of people are looking for it these days.”

“I need a place to use it urgently. Can you help me with it? If not, I need to find somewhere else quickly.”

Eric, who seemed troubled by Rael’s words and swallowed his breath, soon nodded.

“I’ve turned down other people’s requests many times… but if you need one, I can get one for you. Just wait a few days.”

“Oh, really? Honestly, I thought it would be difficult.”

Rael’s eyes opened wide at the unexpected answer.

The branches of the World Tree are valuable items that are not even sold on the black market, so who would have thought that they could be obtained?

“There’s nothing that isn’t there on the rooftop. If you ask a friend on the rooftop, he’ll probably get you something.”

“Do you have any friends at the top? Anyway, thank you. I’ll pay the price.”

“Yeah. Come to think of it, are you selling to that sucker too?”

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m talking about the traitor elf. He’s famous for giving you whatever you ask for if you bring him a branch of the World Tree.”

“···.”

Rael swallowed the bitter taste as he recalled Reina’s face.

Why is he being treated like a fool here too?

“Please treat him well, mister. He’s a nicer kid than he looks.”

“I’ve only heard rumors. I’ve never seen it. If he’s someone close to you, send him over here. Even if he can’t get you the World Tree branch, I’ll do a good job with everything else.”

“thank you.”

I thought Reina’s life was hard because of the butterfly effect I created, but it seems she was just everyone’s fool.

Rael sighed and got up from his seat.

*

Snip- snip-

The sound of pruning trees in Ghent brings peace to the mind.

One of its advantages is that it is so tall that it can unintentionally block sunlight.

Lael lay in his hammock, staring blankly at the pruning of Ghent.

“Rael. Aren’t you going out today? You seem quite busy lately.”

“Yeah. I finished all my work. I’m going to rest today.”

Several days passed by while Uncle Eric was retrieving the branches of the World Tree.

Although spending time doing nothing is Rael’s specialty, the thought of soon encountering the villain from the novel made him have a lot of random thoughts.

‘There are so many new things happening these days, so I’m reminded of the old days.’

When I first became obsessed with this novel, I was trying to somehow get into the academy and make connections with the main characters.

Back then, I lived a very hard life.

“If it weren’t for those racist bastards, my life wouldn’t have been this messed up. Isn’t that right? Gent.”

“I see. I’ll throw away the branches and come back, so you can reflect on life. Rael.”

“He’s a guy who doesn’t have any true affection whatsoever.”

Are all giants like that?

Or maybe that kid is special.

‘Tsk. I’m the thoughtful one who should understand.’

Rael closed his eyes and laid back in the hammock.

The hammock you are lying in now is a hammock filled with the blessings of the forest that Reina herself made.

It is said that the magic of nature gives off good energy to the body.

Now that Reina is in the forest, I need to have this nice hammock to myself.

‘It’s amazing how peaceful it is.’

After beating up a noble, he was dragged in by the special guards and met a monster called the Ghost King.

Perhaps Rael is the closest thing to the fall of the Empire.

A strange sense that a future known only to him was drawing nearer and nearer took over Rael’s mind.

Snip- snip-

How many minutes had I had my eyes closed?

The sound of pruning was heard again.

“Ghent. By the way, I have a question. When can I see the Thousand-Year Sword Master and the Dragon… Huh?”

Rael turned his head and blinked at the unexpected sight.

In front of the tree stood an old man I had never seen before, holding a pair of pruning shears.

Snip- snip-

Every time the scissors in the old man’s hands moved, fresh branches were cut off.

No matter how you look at it, it wasn’t a branch that deserved to be pruned.

‘That old man is so bad at pruning?’

He was chewing on the tree so much that I was afraid that Gent, who loves nature, would get angry if he saw him.

No, before that, who the hell is that old man and why is he here?

“Grandpa. Who are you here···.”

“this!”

As Rael was talking to the old man, Gent, who was walking towards him with a trowel and seeds, opened his eyes wide, threw down what he was holding in his hand, and ran towards the old man.

Knowing how much Ghent loved nature, Rael was worried that he might beat up someone.

“Hey, Gent. Don’t abuse the elders.”

“How did you come all the way here, Master of the Thousand-Sale Sword!”

“uh?”

After hearing Gent’s words, Lael stopped awkwardly as he was about to get up from his hammock.

Rael looked again at the old man holding the pruning shears.

‘··· Is this person the Thousand-Year Sword Master?’

Rael opened his eyes wide and examined the old man’s appearance.

In fact, if you were to see an old man for the first time in the special guard, it would be natural to think of the existence of a dragon or a thousand-kill sword master.

“Ghent. Is this the Rael you were talking about?”

However, there is only one reason why Rael could not remember the existence of the Thousand-Year Sword Pearl even after seeing it.

‘I don’t feel anything.’

I couldn’t feel anything from the old man in front of me.

Lael’s keen senses couldn’t get any information from the Thousand-Sale Sword Master.

Feeling nothing means there are no gaps.

Rael looked at the Thousand-Year Sword Master with tension.

“That’s right. This is the new guard I was talking about.”

“Hmm… This is really amazing. This is my first time seeing something like this.”

A gaze that seemed to see through everything swept over Rael.

It felt similar to the King of Demons’s murder, but different.

“Nice to meet you. Thousand-Sal Sword···.”

Rael, who had risen from the hammock and lowered his head, opened his eyes wide as he felt the magical power surrounding him.

‘When did this old man do something like this…’

Could it be because the special guards are full of demons and magic?

Rael realized belatedly that he had entered the ‘territory’ of the Thousand-Slayer Sword Master.

“···.”

Interest filled the Thousand-Year Sword Master’s eyes.

The inspector in front of him felt the pressure of the Sword Master with his whole body, but he did not fall or kneel.

It was a feat that no one from the Imperial Knights could accomplish.

‘I can’t move.’

Rael didn’t let his guard down as he looked at the Thousand-Year Sword Master looking at him.

Now Rael was standing on the line.

If he tries to cut it, he dies.

That was the Sword Master’s domain.

“While peeking into the realm of the Sword Master, his swordsmanship lacks substance, and judging by his pure magical power, he probably didn’t make a contract with the Demons, yet he is incredibly strong for his age.”

At the words of the Thousand-Sale Sword Master, Rael bit his lip.

The old man in front of him understood everything about Rael in an instant.

“You are truly a mysterious being.”

“···.”

Rael swallowed at his sudden words.

It’s true that his swordsmanship is baseless, but he couldn’t understand the flow of the conversation.

“I would like to teach you, but there is still hesitation at the tip of my sword.”

“··· I never said I was learning, and I haven’t even pulled out the sword yet.”

“I see. I can’t find a reason to become stronger. Are you afraid of the flow of time? However, the Thousand-Slayer Sword is a sword that cannot be used by those who are not prepared…”

“···.”

Rael looked at the Thousand-Year Sword Master quietly.

His deep eyes were only looking at Rael, but it felt as if all his thoughts were being read.

“Don’t worry. My eyes are not wrong when I’m looking at the test. I’ll see you again soon, Rael.”

The Thousand-Year Sword Master glanced at Rael’s scabbard and then turned around.

“Ghent. Let’s go today. It was a pleasant experience.”

“Ah, yes. Thousand-Year Sword Lord.”

Ghent bowed his head and saw him off.

Although he was older than Ghent, he was a strong man worthy of being called a warrior of the giants.

“···.”

After the Thousand-Year Sword disappeared, Rael slowly took a deep breath and clenched and unclenched his fist.

Fortunately, my senses were intact.

“Ghent. Is that old man’s personality like that?”

Lael, sitting on the hammock, said in disbelief.

He came out of nowhere and pressured me, then just criticized me and disappeared.

Even if he wasn’t strong, he would have received Rael’s old man attack punch.

“It was a very interesting experience to see the conversation between high-level inspectors firsthand. Rael. What did you talk about with the Thousand-Sale Sword Lord?”

“··· What the hell are you talking about, Ghent.”

Did you just have a conversation with a high-level inspector?

I feel like I’m listening to an old person’s small talk.

“Why didn’t you learn the swordsmanship of the Thousand-Year-Old Sword Master? Is hesitation a story about the enlightenment of the sword?”

“I just didn’t learn it.”

“what?!”

Gent looked at Rael in surprise.

“I’m not a hero who will save the world, nor am I the commander of an imperial knight. Why do I need to become stronger? Even the old man said he didn’t want to teach me, so I gave in to him.”

“Rael, what are you talking about! The Thousand-Year Sword Lord is a great warrior! I may never get another chance to learn from someone like him!”

Gent opened his eyes wide and approached Rael.

No matter how much Rael was his friend, what he just said was something he could not ignore as a warrior of the giant tribe.

“Calm down.”

It was quite strange to see Ghent’s excited face for the first time.

Even if you love nature, giants are still giants.

I don’t understand why Rael missed his chance to become stronger.

“Rael! This is something to be serious about···!”

“Ghent. With power comes unwanted responsibilities.”

Rael recalled when he first created his sword when he was 10 years old.

To be honest, I was still full of hope at that time.

I knew the story of the original novel perfectly, and I thought that when I became an adult, I would enter the academy and become successful.

‘But the reality was cold.’

The fact that the protagonist, a lower-class noble of the empire, saves the world is possible because it is a novel.

No matter how talented Rael, an orphan from the streets, was, he was limited to being an excellent soldier for the Knights Templar.

Even if you were born with the talent of a sword master with astronomical odds, you would still only be a lowly sword master.

‘I won’t even let you live until then.’

The malice of wanting to destroy something if you can’t have it.

Rael has seen too much of the dirty side of the medieval fantasy world.

That was the reason he started wearing a mask while bounty hunting.

“It’s hard to protect what I have now, so what if I become stronger?”

“···.”

Ghent, who read Rael’s expression, suppressed his excitement.

He had the face of a warrior, not a coward.

But it was still difficult to understand.

“It’s hard to believe. Even if you learn the sword from the Thousand-Year Sword Master and become stronger, wouldn’t it be okay if you don’t tell others?”

“Gent. Have you ever told the old man about me? ‘I wish you would teach me the excellent prosecutor-‘ something like that.”

“As a warrior, I would not have done such a thing. I only told you that your name is Rael and that you are a new guard.”

“But what was the first thing that old man said when he saw me?”

“···!”

Rael didn’t show any magical powers, nor did he take out his sword.

However, the Thousand-Year Sword Master instantly read his swordsmanship and figured out his strength.

“Isn’t that because… the Thousand-Year Sword Lord is an overwhelmingly strong being? From his perspective, we might just be like passing ants.”

“Haa. Why do you and Reina have to explain so much?”

Lael got down from the hammock and squatted down in front of the garden.

As I looked out into the surrounding grass, I saw a group of ants passing by.

Rael said, pointing at the ants with his finger.

“As you said, there aren’t many psychopaths who would step on an ant passing by right in front of them. But what if it’s not an ant, but a mosquito? A wasp? Something that could possibly harm you in the slightest?”

“···.”

Only then did Gent understand Rael’s thoughts.

Rael is a truly exceptional warrior.

But, if you ask if that talent has reached the heavens…

‘Not sure.’

Hiding one’s strength doesn’t work on the truly strong.

No one knows how strong Rael will become in his final moments.

“This is enough. Just enough to protect myself and my people.”

Rael knows his talents well.

To be honest… Rael’s body is pretty usable.

If you’re lucky, you might even reach the level of what people call a sword master.

But will that really have a positive effect on this world where a happy ending is expected?

Rael couldn’t figure it out.

“Rael. … What on earth are you looking at?”

“···.”

Rael knows.

I know that a great war will break out someday, and that countless demons will invade the continent.

It is not Rael who must stop them, but the warrior, the saint, and the characters in the novel.

‘··· The eyes of an old person are good.’

As the Thousand-Sal Sword Master said, Rael did not want to get involved in the flow of this world.

I didn’t want to cause a butterfly effect because of my existence.

All he wanted was to protect his treasure.

“If you have to become strong… you have to jump over the sky. Otherwise, it’s meaningless.”

Although he was lucky enough to join the guard, Rael knows the monsters of this world.

Rael thought he would never be able to reach them.

*

There’s not much meat left in the freezer.

Reina felt that it was time to start looking for work.

“Are you trying to save the branches of the World Tree again this time?”

“··· No. I need information on wanted criminals.”

Reina went to the mercenary group in District 4.

The mask covering her face was enchanted with a perception-impairing spell, hiding her elf identity.

Of course, the mercenary in front of us who provided the information knew about Reina.

“I see. Oh, the next World Tree branch will be even more expensive. It’s really hard to get it now.”

“This rascal is like a robber… Should I really report him to the police?”

ha.

Reina sighed and checked the information on the wanted criminals.

No matter what they say, these guys will raise the price of the World Tree.

In this vast capital, this was the only place that would accept Reina, so she couldn’t go anywhere else.

The conversation that had been repeated so many times was now familiar.

“This time, there’s really nothing I can do. There’s a demand for me other than you.”

“Don’t lie! What kind of idiot would try to save a branch of the World Tree?”

The branches of the World Tree are extremely important to the elves.

The spirit of the elves that allows blessings to continue even to elves who live far away from the forest.

Anyone who touches it will never be forgiven by the elves.

“It’s true. There was a guy who recently bought up all the branches of the World Tree that were on the black market.”

“What? Could it be another elf? No… That can’t be true.”

If I were an elf, I would have turned the black market upside down instead of buying branches from the World Tree.

“No, not an elf. What did he say? He said he was a sorcerer.”

“Witch doctor…? What’s that guy’s name?”

“It’s Bennett. It’s written here too. He embezzled funds from the Academy and ran away, but the Academy asked him to handle it quietly, so the general public won’t know.”

The sorcerer Bennett.

Reina stared at the wanted criminals’ information, memorizing their names in her head.