Imperial Guard - Chapter 5



Only Noblemtl

Episode 5
Ghost King

A staircase leading to a basement, dimly lit.
Ghent, who had been sitting there, slowly got up.

“It’ll be eight hours soon. Rael will come out.”

“Wishful thinking, you stupid Gent.”

“Rael would have said it was different.”

“Yes. Rael. Rael! Haa, because of you, I ended up memorizing that human’s name. Now, it’ll be bittersweet to move the crazy Rael. It’s a waste of time and energy.”

Reina had no intention of ever remembering Rael’s name.
Because I didn’t want to take him to heart since he was a person who would go crazy anyway.
But thanks to that stupid giant, I eventually memorized the name.

“I know how you feel, Ms. Reina, but you’re wasting my time. Don’t say things like that.”

Yuri, who had been looking serious from the side, opened her mouth.
Reina frowned and turned around after seeing her expression.

“··· It’s not that I want to see Rael go crazy. It’s just that it annoys me.”

Sigh.
Reina sighed and looked into the darkness underground.
And then I felt an unpleasant force coming from below and my shoulders shook.

Demon King Yaksha.
Her powers are beyond common sense.
Even though she is bound by chains of adamantium and iron, she still feels this much of a ghost.

Reina and Ghent, who are confident that they are quite strong, and Yuri, who has received all the blessings of the church since childhood, are in this state, so it goes without saying that Rael, a mere human, is in this state.
It seems like they have a pretty good feeling about finding themselves in the midst of the distorted magic, but that alone is not enough to withstand the spirit of the Demon King.

‘This makes me feel like a bad girl.’

Reina, who had been licking her lips, looked at the glass next to her and said.

“Why did you come in the first place, Yuri? We’re in charge of moving Rael.”

“What are you talking about, Miss Reina? It’s my turn next, Mr. Rael.”

“So there’s no need to do that… ahhh.”

Reina swallowed her useless words.
Of course I know why Yuri is waiting here.

If Rael fails to complete his duties properly, he will immediately throw himself into the mix.
There was only one responsibility that Reina could not possibly keep up with.

“Yuri. Do you honestly think he wouldn’t be able to endure it?”

“Yes. I don’t think Mr. Rael will come back. He’ll most likely be unconscious and lying in front of the door like everyone else.”

“But what···.”

“But still, I hope Mr. Rael comes back.”

The chances are low.
Although Rael showed outstanding performance, I am not sure if he can withstand the Demon King.
Nevertheless, Yuri sincerely prayed for Rael to return.

“··· You’re so kind. Really.”

Reina hates people like this, but Yuri is different.
Her goodness was natural and pure.
Knowing that, Reina is also standing by Yuri’s side.

Squeak-

At that moment, a noise was felt from below.
Reina and Ghent habitually lifted the stretcher.
Just the guards they’ve handed over to the Outer Guard so far should be enough to get one wagon out.
So this behavior was instinctive.
In this state, you just have to run away to the Ghost King and pick up the guy who collapsed in front of the door.

“··· uh?”

But what Reina saw was a different sight than she had expected.
Lael, his shoulders shaking, was walking up the stairs on his own two feet.
He quickly found this side, blinked at the stretcher that Reina and Ghent were carrying, and then climbed back up the stairs.
Rael stood before them with a confident gait.

“Are you here to pick me up?”

Rael smirked and looked at the three faces.
The three of them stood with their mouths wide open as if they had seen a ghost.
It’s the look on someone’s face when they see a hero who has just returned from hell.

“La, Mr. Rael! Are you okay?”

“Yes. As you can see, I survived. I almost died.”

“Thank goodness! I’m so thankful···!”

Yuri came over with an expression of emotion and took Rael’s hand, shaking it up and down.

‘I didn’t know I would be welcomed this much.’

I almost felt a little sad about being left alone in a place like that, but the corners of my mouth went up.

That’s right, the next emperor.
I am Rael, your friend and confidant…

“··· That’s ridiculous! Did you really meet the Demon King? Didn’t you just hide in front of him for eight hours?”

However, an oblivious rascal interfered with Yuri and Rael’s reunion.
Reina quickly grabbed Rael’s shoulder and hung on.

“Hey, hey. Why are you like this···!”

“Raina. Stop making ugly excuses.”

Ghent, who was standing next to her, tried to stop Reina, but Reina did not stop.

“No. I don’t believe it. Human! The appearance of the Demon King, no… There’s no way you could have seen the face of the Demon King properly from the beginning. Do you remember the things engraved on the prison walls?!”

“··· Are you talking about the prayer of the church? It’s engraved on the restraints as well.”

“Oh, this can’t be happening.”

Slurp-

The hand that was holding Rael’s shoulder loosened, and Reina collapsed to the floor.
It was as if he had lost the world.

‘You didn’t say anything until now, so why are you doing this?’

Actually, I saw the appearance of the Ghost King properly, but I decided to keep my mouth shut because I thought I would faint if I talked about it.

“Thank you for your hard work, Rael.”

“Thank you, Ghent.”

“From now on, you are truly my colleague. I ask for your help in the future.”

“··· It’s really hard to be colleagues.”

No, how many times is this kid going to test me?
I shook his hand with a slightly disgruntled expression.
It’s clear that something is missing from both Reyna and Ghent.

“Raina. Come here. Shouldn’t you keep your promise?”

At that moment, Gent called Reina with an expression he had never seen before.
His face looked as if he was holding back a laugh.

“promise?”

Rael was unaware of the promise between Ghent and Reina.
The elf’s face was flushed red as he approached, timidly.

*

Gulp.

Yuri, standing in front of the prison where the Demon King was sealed, took a deep breath and straightened her clothes.
This won’t diminish her malice, but it will strengthen Yuri’s own will.

‘It’s something I have to do.’

The evil of the Demon King comes from humans.
That is why even after sealing, periodic visits by the intelligent being are necessary.
Because only an intelligent being can accept the evil that is leaking out.

‘I hope Mr. Rael is okay?’

As soon as Yuri checked Rael’s condition, he came down.
Since we have Reina, an expert on curses, she will be able to determine Rael’s condition.
He had to do his own thing.
As a citizen of the Empire, as a member of the Imperial Special Guard, and as the Second Princess.

Squeak-

As I opened the iron door made of metal from the demon’s sword, a terrible malice covered the glass.
Although Yuri had received many blessings from the imperial family, this malice was still difficult for her to adapt to.
Yuri stepped toward the unfamiliar prison.

Thump- thump-

As soon as you step inside, your whole body’s senses become distorted.
It felt like I was riding in a carriage on an unpaved road.
I started to feel unbearable motion sickness and nausea.

“Ugh, ugh···. Phew. Haa. Big.”

It was hard to breathe, and there were slight twitches in the tips of his fingers. A ghostly energy enveloped Yuri’s body, making it impossible for him to control his own body properly.

[It’s you.]

Words that seem to dig into your head.
Every single word drains my mental strength to the limit.

Demon King Yaksha.
Even with the iron and adamantium chains wrapped around her entire body, the pressure on her was still there.

“Yes···. Your Majesty. Ugh, ugh···.”

She wants to talk to the intelligent being.
But neither Reyna, Ghent, nor Yuri could have a proper conversation with her.
Yuri concentrated until the end, knowing that if this situation continued, that malice would explode one day.

[Hmm… It’s not like my hearing has weakened…]

The evil that was squeezing my whole body felt like it was hitting me in the head with human malice.

– Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die. Die.

My head feels dizzy and my vision becomes blurry.

Supporting- Supporting-

The King’s words could no longer be heard due to the ringing in his ears.
The glass’ blessing blocks out information that the brain cannot accept.
Even the ghost king kept his mouth shut when he saw that sight.
Only then did Yuri’s face feel a little more at ease.

‘He’s a funny person.’

The Demon King took his attention away from Yuri and thought of the human he had seen a moment ago.
A human who accepts all of her ghosts? It was a being that was beyond her common sense.

‘Come to think of it, I haven’t heard your name.’

The ghost king felt interested for the first time in a long time.
He was a new interest that emerged from a long period of boredom.

‘Until now, no human has ever endured my gaze as much as I have.’

He can know because he is a demon king who knows humans well.
Humans are weak.
No matter how powerful a knight is, there is a limit to how much he can train.
It is not easy for even a high-ranking priest to maintain one’s sanity in front of the Demon King.

Is that man as full of evil as he is, or does he have a goodness that is even stronger than the Demon King?

‘It’s not even worth thinking about.’

The demon king himself is the product of human malice.
On the other hand, if goodness gathers together, can it become an angel? But that human was ordinary.

The Ghost King knows best that both are nonsense.
So, there is only one conclusion.

‘He has a mental power that transcends the human species.’

The ghost king was amazed by that fact.
The fact that there was a human being strong enough to stand up to her, a monster made up of all human malice, touched her heart.

*

The faces of the special guards were not all ordinary.

First, the next emperor, Yuri.
She needs no further explanation.
Knowing that she has a future as the next emperor, I must look good to her.

Next is the giant’s shame, Ghent.
He is Yuri’s confidant and a descendant of the giants.
Unlike other giants who are true to their instincts, they are a special species that loves nature.

Lastly, Reina, the traitor of the elves.
I haven’t spoken to her for three weeks.
Honestly, I had no idea when we would become close.

okay.
Past tense means not now.

“··· Here is some cool water.”

“Well, thanks, Reina.”

Numerous hammocks on the special guard premises.
I was lying in the hammock that was almost like Reina’s exclusive property.
Next to her, Reina was standing quietly with her hands clasped together.

“······Yes, brother.”

Crunch. Crunch.

The expression on the elf’s face as he calls him “Brother” is terrifyingly distorted.
I’m scared that I might get hit if I keep doing this.
The reason he’s acting like that all of a sudden is because of a bet he made with Gent. Gent bet that I would come back alive, while Reina bet the opposite.

‘I appreciate you trusting me, but… is this okay?’

I felt a chill for no reason and looked back at Ghent.
He was holding a pair of scissors and pruning with a kind smile on his face.
Giants pruning? It’s a very strange sight.
He opened his mouth as if he knew my worries.

“Don’t worry. It was a fair bet, so I won’t be able to attack you.”

“No, I’m just saying that because it’s too burdensome.”

“It’s not that I don’t think about it. I’m only planning on keeping it that way for a month. I need to fix this habit.”

Gent. I thought you were a nice person, but you’re a scary person.
I kind of expected it from the moment they recognized me as an ace.

“··· Brother. Then I will go and rest. And you giant scum! I told you to stop pruning! Trees are living things too! Does it make sense to cut down a living thing just because it is weak? If you are going to be that picky, then you should kill all the weak ones among the giants!”

“I was only going to do it for a month, but it seems like it’ll take about half a year.”

“I’m sorry, Gent. I finished what I was doing…”

Reina stared at me and Ghent until the end, then turned around with her shoulders slumped.
You have to go into the forest and feel the energy of nature or something like that.
I sighed and glared at Ghent.

“Hey. Reina hates me because of you. How can I be friends with her now?”

“Don’t worry. Reina is simpler than she looks, so you’ll forget about her soon.”

“What kind of irresponsible thing is that, you punk?”

I couldn’t hold it in any longer and blurted out some rude words.
No matter how I think about it, these guys are not normal.

“That’s strange. I know human men like being addressed like that.”

“It wouldn’t be good to hear it from an elf who is several times older than me.”

Ghent was pruning, seemingly oblivious to what I was saying.
He looked relaxed, as if he were a god, despite being a stupid giant.

“··· Haa. Gent. You said you recognized me as a colleague. Can I ask you something?”

“Ask me anything you want.”

“I don’t know about Yuri, but you and Reina seem incredibly strong. Why are you two stuck in this special guard unit?”

“It’s a contract.”

“contract?”

“Yes. Reina and I made a contract with Yuri. She can do what we want.”

“Even if I ask you what that is, you won’t tell me, right?”

“Of course. The giant’s mouth is heavy. The elf’s mouth is light, but she also knows how to distinguish between right and wrong.”

Their circumstances were not mentioned in the novel either.
I’m curious, but I can’t ask right now.
I changed the subject.

“I heard that there are two more people guarding the special guard besides the Demon King. Who are they?”

“I can tell you that much. Rael. Do you know the name Thousand-Sale Sword Master?”

“Of course I know. He was a hero who died in the great war against the demons.”

The strongest human Thousand-Slayer Sword Master on the continent.
The sword of the Thousand-Sale Sword Master, the swordsmanship of the Thousand-Sale Sword Master, etc.
I’ve often seen the main character taking care of things by chance.
In the original novel, the only thing that remains is the name of someone who died in the great war.

“There’s no way the strongest person would die like that. He lives in a special guard unit under the protection of the Empire. I sometimes chat with him.”

“What? Does that make sense?”

“Why doesn’t it work?”

I kept my mouth shut.
That’s because the Thousand-Sale Sword Master didn’t appear in the original novel.
It’s just so awkward that the continent’s strongest prosecutor doesn’t appear until the end of the novel.

“··· Then what about the remaining one?”

“He is the last dragon who survived the great war. He often swims in the lake on the other side of the Demon King. I only know his face, but he seems to be quite close with Reina.”

“···.”

Ghost King. Thousand-year-old Sword Master. Dragon.
They are all giants of a world view that has nothing to do with me, a mere guard.
I was also an ace of the Imperial Guard, but it felt like I was an ace of the Early Bird Football Association suddenly called up to the Premier League.
I frowned and pondered before those great names.

‘The Ghost King appears in the original novel, but the Thousand-Sale Sword Master and the Dragon do not appear.’

And then the giant before your eyes, the crazy elf, and the three next emperors appear.
I vaguely remembered the story of the novel.

[The Demon King Yasha, who appeared while destroying the Empire’s slums, advanced toward Sector 1 while annihilating all living things in the vicinity. Since all humans who confirmed her existence went mad, it was quite some time before they noticed the Demon King’s appearance.
If it weren’t for Princess Yuriel, who happened to encounter the Demon King in District 4, the Empire would have suffered much greater damage. Fortunately, right after the Demon King’s seal was released, the poor in the slums were the ones most exposed to the evil, so the nobles suffered little damage.]

If you think about the characters that pop out of the slums and the ghost king that doesn’t, a natural situation is drawn.
The demon queen, who was imprisoned by the Imperial Special Guard, goes berserk, and the dragon and the Thousand-Slayer Sword Master are killed while trying to stop her.
And the princess and her entourage, who barely escaped, reported to the imperial family.
I felt a pounding headache as I had anticipated the predictable course of events.

“Ah, shit. I don’t think I should be here···.”

I let out a deep sigh that came instinctively.
I was, unintentionally, standing in the eye of the storm.