Imperial Guard - Chapter 23



Only Noblemtl

Episode 23

The chain letter is carefully

The only dragon lair on the continent contained many strange magical tools.

Among them were tools that revealed phenomena other than curses or blessings.

“Hmm, the reason it took the form of a letter… Aha?”

Of course, Tia’s eyes, which have accumulated knowledge for thousands of years, have already surpassed magic tools.

Tia began to read the magical flow of the letter Rael had brought.

“Ah …

The magic tool was used by Rael.

Rael was sitting in what looked like a dentist’s chair from his past life, having his blood drawn.

The mad dragon demanded blood if he wanted information, so I had no choice.

“Rael. This is definitely a curious item. I didn’t bother reading the one Reina gave me. Where did you get it?”

“··· It’s a letter that has been circulating in the lower districts of the Imperial Capital since last night. I don’t know the source either.”

“Well, I think I understand the structure. It’s quite an interesting device.”

“Lady Tia. Before you speak, could you stop drawing blood? My head is starting to hurt…”

“Your body is strong, so you won’t die from this… I understand.”

Ssuk-

As Tia waved her hand, the magic needle stuck in Rael’s arm melted.

Does this crazy dragon think that people are the same as long as they don’t die?

Rael got up from his seat with a headache.

“··· So what is the identity of that letter? Since you took the blood, you should tell me properly.”

“I can sense a very subtle magic in the letter. It’s a letter written by an elf, but if I can sense magic… I can think of the letter itself as some kind of magic circle.”

“A magic circle?”

Doesn’t the magic circle use magical power?

Why do I feel like I have magic?

“The magic circle is something you can easily understand, and to be exact, it’s a device that calls upon the surrounding magic. At first, I thought it was something magical, but it’s not a spell or a curse, is it?”

Tia looked at the letter curiously.

What was contained in this letter was the forbidden technology of Alheim.

“This is a technique of the demons… It’s closer to a religious ceremony than sorcery. The word you would understand is, um… If I say it’s a sacrifice or a ritual, you would understand?”

“A ritual or ceremony···?”

“Because it’s the way of the Demons, there’s no word that fits the human language. Now, Rael, look at this letter.”

Rael checked the letter Tia gave him.

The letter, forcibly disintegrated by the dragon’s magic, had turned into a faint stream of magic energy.

“The contents of this letter are actually a simple magic spell to summon magic. It is so easy that even someone without any ability could write the letter and use it, but it is a spell that is not very efficient.”

In reality, the magic contained in the letter Tia showed was very small.

It was easy to recognize because its shape was visible, but it was so faint that it felt like it would fly away if you blew on it.

“Then, what is the person who wrote this letter trying to do with such little magic?”

“I told you. This is a ritual. The magic contained in each letter is small, but the moment this letter is distributed to the entire city by the thousands, or tens of thousands of copies… the ritual targeting the entire city will be completed. It’s a clever method.”

“Is that possible? Just because the pieces of magic gather together, you become conscious.”

“Of course there must be a mastermind to complete the ritual. Rael, are you perhaps only physically fit but lacking in brains?”

“···.”

Lael, who had the incredible education of a high school graduate, felt a little hurt by Tia’s words… but he didn’t bother to refute her.

Because I didn’t have the confidence to win a knowledge battle with Tia.

Rael opened his mouth again to change the subject.

“So what is the purpose of consciousness?”

“It’s target tracking.”

“···Target tracking? No, you spread chain letters throughout the capital, but that’s all you got?”

“The amount of magic is sufficient, but the quality of the magic gathered through simple methods is poor. So, I can’t do anything too great.”

Tia placed the letter on the table and sprinkled some of Rael’s blood from the beaker.

As smoke rose with a hiss, Tia sent out her magical power again.

“What are you doing? Why are you pouring my blood into the magic pot?”

“You said you felt uneasy when you saw the letter earlier.”

“Yes, that was the case.”

The moment he finished reading the letter, an inexplicable sense of unease enveloped Rael.

It was thanks to that feeling that I came to Tia.

“But I read the letter too, but I didn’t feel any sense of uneasiness. Even if your body and senses are dragon-level, I’m a real dragon, right? That’s where I felt something strange.”

Slurp-

The magic that had been imbued with Tia’s magic rose into the air, trembling.

After a while, something flowing out of the magic stuck to Rael’s blood.

Tia nodded as expected.

“Just in case, I compared your blood to the target of the search… and it’s an exact match. The goal of this ritual is to find your existence, Rael.”

“··· Me? You did such crazy things just to find that one?”

Rael frowned.

What on earth is it? I thought it could be Fermat, but there’s no way he, a wizard, would use magic.

“You are a target, but it’s not just because of you.”

Taak-

As Tia snapped her fingers, a glass ball flew out.

It was a magical tool containing the spirit of the Demon King.

“I told you this is the Demon’s way. Of course they are chasing away the ghosts too.”

“If you’re a ghost… Are you really chasing the Ghost King?”

“Yes. In fact, the moment I learned that it was the Demon’s way, I expected it… But why are you chasing me? Are you perhaps an enemy of the Demon?”

Tia tilted her head as she looked at Rael.

This human is incredibly mysterious, but even if he is a demon, it would be difficult for him to recognize his existence in the forbidden realm.

“··· I have no idea either.”

Rael frowned and looked back on his past life.

Recently, I trampled on one of the Demon’s servant horses… but that’s probably not it.

In the original novel, the servant horse is a being that dies countless times.

‘wait for a sec···.’

Suddenly, I remembered what happened in the special guard building.

Yuri also said that she clearly felt uneasy.

Rael told Tia about Yuri.

“Yuri? Oh, you mean that princess?

“Uh······ Yes. That person.”

Rael was slightly taken aback by Tia’s sudden words.

She still doesn’t know that Yuri is the princess.

But it was strange to explain the human situation in detail to a dragon… so I nodded for now.

“Yeah. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a human being who has filled their physical body to the limit with blessings, so I remember that.”

“··· To the limit?”

I heard from Reina that Yuri’s body was covered in blessings, but it seems that she didn’t receive many blessings simply because she was a member of the royal family.

‘··· If you think about it, the Second Princess said she would take the throne with overwhelming force.’

But now, Yuri, who was next to Rael, could be seen as just a good neighborhood girl.

It seems like the special guards are hiding a secret or two.

“Okay, have you asked everything you wanted to know?”

“Yes. In the end, we need to find the mastermind to solve the case.”

We must find the mastermind and deal with him.

Then, no matter how much the letter spreads, the ritual will never be completed.

“Yeah. Cheer up.”

“··· Aren’t you going to help me?”

“In exchange for being allowed to research the Demon King, I was asked not to go outside the special guard unit.”

“Without Tia’s help, the Demon King could be kidnapped and the empire could be put in danger.”

Lael stimulated Tia’s emotions with his sad eyes.

But the dragon that was thousands of years old did not know human emotions.

“Then we can tell the Empire. If they can’t handle this, then humanity will perish.”

“······.”

What kind of heartless dragon is this?

I guess I won’t be able to ask for Tia’s help anymore.

Rael stood up from his seat with a look of regret.

‘To the beggars… no, there’s no way beggars can catch magic.’

I felt like I was getting a little bit of a break thanks to the beggars recently, but now it seems like it’s time to start having a hard time.

It’s time to jump on Rael’s heels.

*

“··· But do I really have to run on my own feet?”

An afternoon where the hot sunlight beats down as if burning my whole body.

Rael sighed as he walked through the alleys of District 4.

When I actually start moving, I feel bothered and don’t know what to do.

Letters were seen scattered all over the alley.

The foolish humans were directly spreading magic throughout the capital.

“I think I can just wait since I already told Yuri-ssi… but I’m feeling anxious for no reason.”

There was nothing better than quietly dealing with it with the power of the Second Princess, so I relayed Tia’s words only to Yuri.

As soon as Yuri heard Rael’s story, she said she would report it to her superiors.

Rael said that things would progress if he just stayed still, but until then, he didn’t want to stay still, so he came out for now.

If the butterfly effect was caused by me, I had to deal with it as quickly as possible.

‘Lucky Letter… Was there an incident like this in the original?’

Even if I think back, it wasn’t in the original.

The problem is that the chain letter tracks Rael, although it may not have been stated simply.

‘There’s definitely something wrong with me… but I can’t imagine where it got messed up.’

In fact, the fact that Rael is involved in the incident means that it is different from the original.

It was clearly related to me… but I couldn’t figure out why this butterfly effect happened this time either.

“Captain!”

“··· huh?”

As Rael was walking along, thinking, the man on the other side waved his hand.

Looking at his bearded face, it was Len, the fruit vendor from District 4.

“What are you doing here! Would you like an apple?”

“Okay. I was just taking a walk.”

“Ah, Captain Lael!?”

When Ren started making a fuss, the people around him also came to Rael.

Everyone had seen this face somewhere before.

“Long time no see! Brother Rael!”

“Would you like to receive a lucky letter?”

In fact, Rael knew more people in District 4 than in Districts 2 and 3.

Because I stopped by the daycare center every day, I naturally became familiar with their faces.

“Captain! Let’s have a drink after a long time!”

“That’s right! Hey, stop it now!”

“··· I came here today because I have work to do, so let’s eat later.”

Rael greeted the people who had gathered and left the alley.

As the surroundings became quiet, Rael looked back and sighed.

‘I guess I won’t be going to daycare for the time being.’

If you think about it, it’s an incredibly dangerous situation.

If anyone harbors any ill will toward Rael, it is all too easy to come across the fact that Rael cherishes the orphanage.

‘I should buy a lot of snacks today.’

If I tell the kids I won’t be able to come for a while, they’ll be sad.

I think I should also leave some Imperial gold coins for Miss Sarah and Sister Rayzel.

“Anyway, I did come out, but… there’s no answer if I keep going like this.”

Rael recalled his original purpose.

We had to find the mastermind who had spread the lucky letters.

But the only thing I learned in the blazing sun was that chain letters were spreading at a very fast rate.

‘Should I go to the church?’

Rael fundamentally distrusts the church, but the only time the church becomes trustworthy is when it comes to the Demons.

Besides, since I am friendly with the next saint, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to visit her once.

Jerk- Jerk-

“···?”

At that moment, Rael glanced up at the guards walking in front of him.

His face seemed strangely familiar, and I thought I had seen it at least once while going back and forth with the special guard unit.

“Aren’t you a member of the Outer Guard? I see you here.”

“Ah, Captain Rael. Hello.”

“Yeah. I guess they’re on patrol?”

Rael spoke, looking the guard up and down.

“That’s right. I was on a routine patrol, but my colleague went out to take care of some business for a while.”

I exchanged a few greetings with him since I had seen his face a few times at the Outer Guard.

Rael smiled and took out the letter he had received on the street earlier.

“Here, this. It’s a popular letter these days. Take one.”

“Ah… It’s okay. I’ve already finished chapter 7.”

At the guard’s answer, Rael chuckled and patted the man on the shoulder.

“Oh really? Now that I think about it, there’s something I want to ask.”

“Yes. What the… kekekeke!”

Taang-!

A fist filled with magical power struck the guard’s forehead.

The guard who was suddenly attacked was startled and stepped back, and Rael quickly drew his sword and pushed the guard against the wall.

Rael, holding the cold blade to his neck, glared at the guard.

“Ugh, ugh···. Go, why are you suddenly like this···.”

Lael’s eyes sank coldly.

His sharp senses took in all the information about the other person.

My heartbeat quickened, my pupils dilated, and a drop of cold sweat ran down my cheek.

Strangely enough, his reaction when we first met and when I thrust the sword at him was the same.

The guy was nervous from the moment he encountered Rael.

“The rule for the outer guard is that no matter what, there should be two people per team. If there’s only one person walking around during work hours, it’s a disciplinary action.”

Ssuk-

Rael’s blade dug into the guard’s neck.

As red blood gushed out, the guard’s body trembled.

“Besides… what kind of punk carries around hundreds of these things, let alone a postman?”

Crackle-

As I ripped off the guard’s uniform with one hand, hundreds of lucky letters from his inner pockets fell out.

The old saying that you have to move first and see is not wrong.

Only Rael can detect such subtle magic.

“Guide to the head. If you don’t want to get left behind.”

Rael looked straight into the guard’s eyes and said.

It’s time to take action to protect the security of the empire.