Imperial Guard - Chapter 2



Only Noblemtl

Episode 2

Imperial Special Guard

“These fucking kids···.”

Thump-. Thump-.

I walked down the street weakly.

The paper in my hand was still the same even after I read it again.

——————————

[Command for department transfer]

3rd Guard Captain Rael is transferred to the Imperial Special Guard.

——————————

Imperial Special Guard.

A hell where you are a target of fear for the guards and once you are taken away you are left as a cripple.

A good captain like me is being transferred to a special guard unit.

I thought back to the night a few days ago that had created this situation.

‘That doesn’t make sense. How can that pig be a noble?’

It is common sense for the nobility of this world to worship power and handle weapons.

Self-care is essential for the aristocracy.

A fat pig was acting up, so I thought he was the son of a rich merchant and hit him a few times, but I was completely wrong.

He was just a worthless bastard that the Count had thrown away.

‘No, and if you’re a noble, then speak up. Ha… I feel uneasy for some reason.’

The kid was drunk and didn’t say anything until he got beaten and ran away.

If you had told me then, I wouldn’t have hit you.

‘I can’t even beat up the guards, damn it.’

The Imperial Guard is similar to the knighthood.

You are not swearing allegiance to a specific person, but to the empire.

That is, you can’t just quit whenever you want.

As it is an iron rice bowl, there is a price to pay.

“The empire has finally betrayed me.”

Was it that the redistribution of wealth did not appeal to the higher-ups?

Maybe the beggar who took the fairy tale was a nobleman’s lackey.

I opened the door to the inn where I was staying, seriously contemplating the future of the empire.

“Rael-! Are you here?”

As I entered the inn, Sarah, with her hair tied back, approached me as if she were welcoming her husband back from work.

She was quite beautiful when she was young, but recently wrinkles have started to appear around her eyes.

This person is not my wife… but my teacher at the orphanage when I was young.

She is a true woman of this era, running an inn and a bar at night and volunteering at a daycare center during the day.

Because of that connection, I ended up staying at this inn for a long time.

“Yes, Miss Sarah···.”

“What’s with your expression? Did something bad happen while you were on patrol? Wait a moment, I’ll heat up some stew for you.”

“Thank you. Please put in a lot of meat.”

I slumped down into the corner.

To be honest, it’s not a particularly good or special inn, but the atmosphere is good and you can see the teachers.

The orphanage and this inn are the only comfortable places in this dog-like world.

‘The kids come here often too.’

I grew up in an orphanage.

Since I was very strong since I was little, I was in charge of the orphanage’s leader, and thanks to that, there are a lot of children who like me.

widely-

A stew with warm steam came out.

I picked up the spoon right away.

I liked that they had more meat than what other inns sold. With this amount, you can eat a piece of meat in one bite.

“So, Lael, what’s going on?”

“A few days ago, I beat up a guy who was drunk and causing trouble. He was the son of a nobleman.”

“What? Then isn’t that a big deal?”

“Yes. That’s why I was transferred.”

I handed over the department transfer order to Ms. Sarah.

Sarah read the department transfer order diligently, but put it back down as if she didn’t quite understand it.

It was the reading ability of an ordinary citizen in a medieval fantasy.

“Transfer to the Special Guard? I don’t really know what that means. I’ll buy you a cold cup of tea.”

“Yes. By floating ice cubes.”

I turned my head and watched the back of Teacher Sarah as she entered the kitchen.

There were a lot of customers on the first floor today.

To be honest, it wasn’t an inn that was particularly better than other places, and most of the guests were mercenaries who came to flirt with Teacher Sara, so it was quite unusual.

‘As expected, they’re mercenaries. Are those guys from Zaid’s group?’

The capital’s guard captain and mercenaries are inseparable.

These kids live hand to mouth, so they get into a lot of trouble.

Judging from the pattern on the scabbard, it looks like the Zaid gang. They are the guys I often take care of.

I looked at the mercenaries who were bursting out in laughter.

“Sister. I want to believe in God. But since I haven’t learned anything, it’s hard for me to believe. So I want to learn some methods- that’s it.”

“God is always with us. We just have to practice our faith in our own way.”

Among the fierce mercenaries sat a beautiful woman.

She is a person who comes all the way to this inn because she is close to Ms. Sarah, just like me.

“Here. Rael, here’s your favorite honey tea. There’s not much left, so drink it slowly.”

widely-

At that moment, Ms. Sarah brought out the tea.

I lifted my teacup, my gaze fixed on the mercenaries.

The guys continued talking, still giggling.

“That’s true, but I wish you could come to our hideout and give us some more specific examples… Like the posture when praying. Like the feeling when welcoming God. Okay?”

“Aha, then shall we do that? When would be a good time for you?”

If someone were to look at it, it might look like hunting, but there is no such thing as hunting in this world.

If I had to say, I would say it’s bossam or kidnapping.

You can’t expect any common sense from these guys.

“No matter how much you clean up, more trash comes out.”

“huh?”

“Look over there. The Zaid gang is flirting with the priest.”

I said this while sipping the tea the teacher handed me.

Although it is called honey tea, it is actually sugar water and it seems like there is almost no honey in it.

Well, the honey-flavored snacks I ate in my past life were just lumps of sugar.

“Eh, eh? Rael. Rael! This is not the time to leisurely drink tea! Go and save me!”

“That’s right.”

I took a sip of tea and got up from my seat.

Luckily, as an elite guard captain, I know how to deal with guys like that.

“I don’t know about other places… but I definitely told Zaid to stay quiet at this inn. Are you lacking in education and have poor memory?”

I sighed and walked slowly among the mercenaries.

The eyes of the guys who were laughing at the woman were focused on me.

A few ill-tempered mercenaries jumped up from their seats.

“What? This kid···!”

Is it because I’m really drunk?

Or is it a male pride that only pops out in front of women?

The pups who usually turn a blind eye put their hands on their swords as if they are about to attack at any moment.

“Pick it, kids.”

“This kid! Who the hell thought I couldn’t pull it out?!”

Among the mercenaries who were about to draw their swords, I slowly placed my hand on the hilt of my sword.

At the same time, the mercenaries’ bodies stood still.

“What, what is this···.”

“Living, living… is so hard.”

The mercenaries’ shoulders began to tremble.

After a while, the one closest to me started to kneel on the floor.

As I looked at that sight, I felt like my level of association with these guys was also lowering.

“Tsk tsk. Be a jerk. Be a jerk. If someone saw you, they’d think you met a dragon. Seriously.”

I chuckled and patted the heads of the mercenaries who were shaking their hands.

“Ahh!”

Only then did the mercenaries relax and fall to the ground.

Some of them blushed and drew their swords, as if their pride had been hurt, but the mercenary who had been staring at my face from behind grabbed their shoulders.

“Hey, hey. Are you crazy?! Don’t attack the captain of the guards again···!”

“Damn it! If this was the inn that the Captain of the Guard was occupying, you should have said something a long time ago!”

“Are you planning to monopolize all the women in this inn? Ugh. I have to notify the Mercenary Guild immediately!”

I glared at the kid who had just opened his mouth, laughing hysterically.

“So you guys are the ones spreading rumors?”

I wondered why a good captain like me was called a rascal, but it was clear that these guys were the problem.

‘That’s why I can’t have a conversation with kids who haven’t even received compulsory education.’

From my perspective as a high school graduate with an overwhelming educational background, the people of the Middle Ages were extremely uncivilized.

Since I was dropped into the special guard, I won’t be able to see you anymore.

I immediately swung my fist in the face at the guy who was going straight to the mercenary guild.

“Kuaaaak···!”

The bastard couldn’t even make an excuse, so he rolled his eyes and passed out.

I waved my hand and winked at the fallen mercenary.

“Take that kid and get out of here right now. I remember his face, so next time we meet around here, I’ll know how to beat him up. Oh, and pay him before you go.”

The chattering mercenaries took out their pockets, placed them on the table, and slowly left the inn while keeping an eye on me.

As expected, beasts only listen when hit.

“Thank you, Lael, for saving me.”

“No, Father Cecilia.”

I belatedly bowed my head to Cecilia, who was among the mercenaries, with a sense of courtesy.

She smiled without even blinking an eye at the violent acts taking place before her eyes.

Cecilia. She is a low-ranking priestess of the Gaia Cult, the state religion of the Empire and the largest religion on the continent.

We became close friends when she came to volunteer at the orphanage.

‘And he’s a character with the highest level of importance in the original work.’

There is only one reason why I am polite even to a common lower priest.

Because she is a character in the original novel.

She was a mere lower priestess, but soon after she received a prophecy and was venerated as a saint.

‘Is this the Bitcoin of medieval fantasy?’

Since we know the future will be bright, we are starting to get to know each other now.

I continued speaking with a faint smile.

“Isn’t it also written in Chapter 10, Verse 2 of the Teachings of the Church? Believers should not turn away from sheep in need.”

“Oh my… I didn’t know you had memorized the teachings of the church. Your faith is greater than I thought!”

This is a phrase I memorized to create a favorable impression as soon as I saw the saintess, who was of the highest importance, visiting the orphanage.

I don’t know the other phrases.

I spoke cautiously, looking around the quiet first-floor inn.

“··· And don’t get involved with those guys. You know they don’t care about God anyway.”

“No. There are many people in the world who lie to others, but I believe in a ray of hope that maybe they need my help.”

Seeing her upright faith and warm smile, I feel like I’m a bad person for being so friendly and seeing her bright future.

“Come to think of it, I overheard you talking to Sarah. I heard you were transferred to the special guard unit.”

“··· Yes. That’s what happened.”

A captain of the guard who was demoted to the special guard for beating up a nobleman.

It wasn’t something to brag about, so I just smiled awkwardly.

“Lael can do it. He is the kindest captain I know. If you have a hard time, come to me and I can give you some advice.”

“Thank you. I’ll come to you if I ever feel suicidal.”

I have no intention of giving up right now.

I can’t run away right now anyway, and if I do, the first ones to get hurt will be the daycare and Ms. Sarah.

“If you’re that worried, I’ll give you a light blessing. I heard that many people who come out of there have mental problems.”

“No. There’s no need to do that…”

“It’s okay. It’s not difficult.”

Cecilia breathed blessings into my body without even listening to what I said.

As soon as I felt the light entering my body, I opened my eyes wide.

“Oh, I feel refreshed. Thank you, Cecilia.”

“Huh? It seems like the blessing wasn’t given properly···.”

“This is a blessing from the church. Wow. You are truly amazing. I should increase the amount of donations I make to the church in the future.”

I moved my body exaggeratedly and showed off my muscles.

Cecilia blinked at the sight.

“No, Rael. That’s a placebo…”

“Leave it alone, Father. Rael is happy.”

“···. Oh, I see. I understand. If the lamb is happy, then that is fine.”

I laughed heartily, thanking Ms. Sarah for interjecting at the perfect time.

“Hahaha. My head feels refreshed and I feel good! I’m going to go to bed first. Have a good night, both of you.”

Cecilia turned around before she could sense anything strange.

I hoped she wouldn’t notice how special my body was.

“It’s strange that blessings don’t settle in your soul… Should I pray more?”

I tried to ignore Cecilia’s muttering behind me and went up to the second floor.

*

The next morning.

I left the inn and walked unsteadily.

The location of the special guards marked on the map was a place I had never seen before.

‘From Zone 2 to Zone 5? What an unbelievable drop.’

I usually patrol districts 2 and 3, so this is a ridiculous demotion.

Unlike districts 2 and 3, where low-ranking nobles and wealthy commoners live, most of the residents of district 5 are beggars and commoners.

The crime rate in District 5 is also high, so life as a security guard becomes even more difficult.

“A precious gift from Gaia. This book is the soul purification book that will purify your soul that has been defiled by the sins you have committed. If you wish to forgive your sins and purify your soul, please make a donation to this soul purification book right now…”

The voice of a lower priest heard on the street.

To some, it may look like they are selling something, but it is actually a product sold by the church.

Soul Purification Department.

I don’t know why they use Chinese characters instead of English.

This world itself simply has no foundation.

When I first heard about the soul purification department, I thought it was some kind of nonsense, but to put it simply, it’s like an indulgence.

‘There are always religious swindlers in every age.’

Looking at the Soul Purification Department, I suddenly remember the blessing I received from Cecilia last night.

You said that the blessing did not enter your soul.

‘I almost got branded a heretic by the next saint.’

soul.

From my modern perspective, it is an abstract and conceptual word, but in this world, it is common sense.

All living creatures in this world have souls.

Being born and living is a grace from Gaia, and in the process, the soul is infused into the body.

But I wasn’t. Unlike the humans in this world, I didn’t have a soul in my body.

I first learned about my body type a few years ago when I happened to meet a shaman.

A sorcerer who curses the soul to rot and cause the body to rot.

Although I needed the protection of a high priest to kill the bastard, I cut off his head without any resistance.

‘Something was strange from then on.’

While everyone else was rotting away and groaning, I went to see a cheap priest because I was the only one who was okay.

Because even curses can have an incubation period.

But when I saw that the priest’s blessing was not working, I realized that there was something wrong with my body.

‘Well, it’s nothing special. There aren’t many sorcerers who curse the soul rather than the body.’

I’ve heard that the demons and devils beyond the demon realm will devour your soul if you just encounter them, but that has nothing to do with me, a mere guard captain.

I passed the priest selling soul purification tablets and stuck my face into the map.

“Damn, the roads are so complicated.”

The destination shown on the map is located in a corner of District 5.

I was going crazy just going to the special guard, and the road was so complicated that I was starting to get annoyed.

‘··· No. Let’s think positively.’

I sighed and thought back to the story about the special guard.

It’s a place where it’s rumored that most of the transferred guards go crazy, but I’ve heard that not all of them go crazy.

The members who founded the Special Guard remain the same, and only the newly transferred soldiers go crazy.

‘Chris was taken away a while ago, but… I heard there are still people left.’

The two most recently transferred soldiers are said to have been holding out for over half a year.

Once you become friends with those two, you can learn anything.

As I was thinking that, two soldiers on a stretcher passed by.

“Damn it! It’s an emergency! Find the priest!”

“You were just here distributing the soul purification pills! If I told you that two people from the special guards had come, you’d understand immediately!”

“Is this the worst condition I’ve ever seen?”

“This is the first time in half a year. Maybe you held out for it?”

I scanned the faces of the men being carried out on stretchers.

The sight of him with his mouth open and his eyes rolled back made me look like I had seen a ghost.

Perhaps… they are the two soldiers I was trying to find.

‘··· What the fuck.’

How could you destroy my hopes in one second?

It’s such a fucked up world.

“Still, since you came running from that direction, I guess you’re on your way there….”

Sigh.

Since I can’t run away now, I have no choice but to go.

I headed to the special guard unit with as positive a mindset as possible.