Lee Hwan snapped out of his reminiscence and faced the present. Deep blue eyes were staring directly at him..
“Lee Hwan?”
Absalom doesn’t know. On the day he gave his real name, his fist, which he clenched tightly under the table, was soaked with sweat. He was relieved that his real name was unknown, but he also had mixed feelings on that day. Yet, today, he realized that it was all unnecessary. Lee Hwan forced a rigid smile through his anger.
“No way. I’ve only had two drinks now.”
Two glasses of beer were placed on the table. Lee Hwan snatched one, and due to his slightly rough movements, the beer overflowed. He clicked his tongue in frustration.
“Oh, darn….”
He set the glass down again, drying his wet hand. As Absalom stood up, a handkerchief in his hand hinted at his intention.
For a brief moment, Lee Hwan hesitated. He didn’t want to surrender even a single strand of hair to Absalom, let alone his hand. However, the Lee Hwan from before would have simply stood still and let Absalom do as he pleased. As he pondered what to do, white fingers touched Lee Hwan’s rough hand.
Slap!
Instinct was honest. After striking away Absalom’s hand, Lee Hwan came to his senses. The faint red mark on his pale palm revealed the force of the blow. Lee Hwan forced his unmoving lips open to apologize.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, it’s my fault for suddenly getting too close.”
Absalom’s gaze twisted as if about to cry. Lee Hwan swiftly swallowed the surging resentment.
The moment Absalom confessed, Lee Hwan precisely grasped the situation. Since last year, when Absalom admitted liking him, it seemed he was now diligently mimicking unrequited love.
From when and how meticulously planned was this? Lee Hwan wanted to shake off his past self who once mumbled, ‘I don’t want to lose you as a friend.’
Lee Hwan received a handkerchief from Absalom and wiped his hands. In return for the handkerchief, Absalom extended his hand. Calming his mind to avoid any mistakes, Lee Hwan neatly folded the handkerchief and tucked it into his pocket.
“I’ll wash it and return it next time we meet.”
“Sure.”
Absalom squinted his eyes, wearing an expression as if beholding something dazzling. Afraid that staring any longer might prompt him to throw even the beer glass in front of him, Lee Hwan cast his gaze downward.
Absalom, with an inscrutable mood, continued to engage in conversation with his handsome face and a soft tone that complemented it well.
“Lee Hwan, what brings you here? Where are you staying? May I ask how long you plan to be here? I’m leaving for Marselin tomorrow morning. Is it a similar direction?”
Lee Hwan, who had been responding appropriately, finally lifted his head as the one-sided questions tapered off. When their eyes met, Absalom smiled warmly. Lee Hwan locked eyes, and then Absalom blinked shyly, revealing elegantly long, silver eyelashes.
“Why are you acting like this?”
“There’s something I’d like you to know.”
A momentary tension flickered across Absalom’s face. It was a fleeting occurrence. Lee Hwan pretended not to notice and spoke.
“The locations of relics. At least five.”
Relics refer to items touched by the hand of the divine. Lee Hwan recalled information he had acquired at some point.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Why… would you ask something like that?”
“I need to go somewhere, even if it means using it. Why? Is it impossible?”
Lee Hwan twisted his lips into a smile. Despite the eerie expression, Absalom persisted in questioning without showing any concern.
“Where do you intend to go?”
Lee Hwan chose a life in this world for the love of Lucian. Even after acquiring the means, he never considered going back. However, that sentiment was treated as if it were filth.
At the time, he didn’t think twice. But now, it was different.
The title Lee Hwan held was crucial for propaganda. His presence assured victory for humanity, leading to a sense of hope.
It didn’t stop there. Many boys who admired Lee Hwan volunteered as knights. Traders who lost trade routes due to monsters expressed support through the royal family. Numerous construction projects were carried out under the name of Alexander, and citizens mobilized enthusiastically, considering it as the will of the divine.
Being a studious student, Lee Hwan was well aware that all these events were connected to the reinforcement of imperial power. He also knew the risks involved if he were to fail in that situation.
Try to do well without me.
“Home.”
It’s been nine years since coming to this world. Now, he couldn’t even remember the faces of his family. Going back held the risk of not adapting to society.
However, staying like this meant walking the same path again. That was not an option. So, Lee Hwan decided to step toward an unexplored path.
“…I’ll find out.”
Absalom, who hesitated for a moment, answered slowly. It was a peculiar expression.
Well, it would feel strange, wouldn’t it? There couldn’t be a normal feeling when your archenemy promises to disappear on their own. Lee Hwan was confident in Absalom’s response for that reason.
After all, Absalom was Lee Hwan’s ultimate foe, the only dragon in this world.
***
Lee Hwan parted ways with Absalom only after darkness had deepened. Not wanting to encounter anyone, he entered the mansion as if sneaking in.
The uniform he had carelessly taken off before leaving was neatly placed on the wooden chair. Probably the work of a servant. Lee Hwan struggled to suppress the momentary surge of anger and the violence stemming from it.
Opening his bag, Lee Hwan carefully reached between the clothes and pulled out a reasonably large package. It was an item he received before departing for the palace. Having been preoccupied until now, he had never opened it before, so he laid his hands on it.
The package was meticulously wrapped in oil-treated paper and leather straps for waterproofing. Unwrapping them revealed a flint, first aid supplies, and a map.
Lee Hwan unfolded the map. Red and blue lines were drawn on the terrain outlined in black. His gaze stopped at one point. With his lips slightly twisted, he let out a wry smile.
“Absalom…”
The destination clearly marked in red was Marselin. Lee Hwan, unknowingly clenching his teeth, released the tension from his jaw.
It was something he already knew. Barely a week had passed since he felt the betrayal. He couldn’t forget it, nor did he want to.
Absalom was one of the two solid straps that tightly held Lee Hwan’s wandering heart, like a buoy in the vast sea of the unfamiliar world. He had pushed Lee Hwan, who was drifting like a flatboat, to the edge when he felt disillusioned by Lucian’s betrayal. Although Lee Hwan had chosen to fall off on the cliff, Absalom had taken away the place to land.
Lee Hwan shook his head, expelling Absalom from his thoughts. Now wasn’t the time to dwell on memories.
Having been absent-minded for the past few days, the reason for going to Marselin had slipped Lee Hwan’s mind. However, even without hearing it, he could guess. The only thing ever given to Lee Hwan was battles.
Looking back, he had acted foolishly. He easily yielded to the words of the nobles, willingly taking up arms and fighting as they desired. By the time he started to doubt, he had naively believed and fallen in love with Lucian, who approached him. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say he was blinded.
Even now, they probably thought they could manipulate Lee Hwan as they pleased. As he tried to steady his quickened breath, he contemplated several options in his mind.
What would happen if he were to leave the knighthood now? It was the most tempting choice for the current Lee Hwan. However, he wasn’t just an ordinary knight. It was certain that without any plan, numerous pursuers would follow even if he tried to hide his identity.
Lee Hwan recalled a few significant events. Rather than poorly disguising himself, it was better to seize an opportunity. Conveniently, there was also a suitable incident.
At the time when Lee Hwan had wounds on his back, he had truly been on the brink of death. However, he survived. It was for the sake of the powerless Fifth Prince, Lucian, who would have become a puppet if Lee Hwan were absent.
Back then, everyone thought Lee Hwan was dead, and they didn’t bother to look for him, making it a perfect opportunity for escape. The timing was perfect.
Just endure a little longer. Lee Hwan lay on the makeshift bed, comforting himself.
***
A voluminous cloak covered the wide shoulders. On the cloak, embroidered in golden thread, was the symbol of Yela– a hand holding an olive branch. It was a cloak exclusively worn by the chosen members of the Funeer Knights, specially selected to resist monsters.
Those who discerned the identity and purpose of the knights made way. It was an era where people united against a common enemy, monsters. The path of these knights in the cloak should not be obstructed no matter what happened. Thanks to this, they could expedite their journey.
Marselin was a sizable fortress erected in the middle of a plain. The knight order, stationed on nearby hills, sent scouts ahead to assess the situation.
Arrows were scattered across the plain. Beyond the range of the arrows, there was a group of minotaurs. They remained silent, yet to be discovered.
After a while, the scouts arrived. They would soon send a person to the watchtower to convey the signal. Shortly after, a small light flashed at the top of the tower.
“Now!”
Lee Hwan shouted lowly and swept his sword across the horse’s flank. The blinded centaur fiercely stomped the ground.
Leading thirty-two knights, Lee Hwan descended the hill like a rapid torrent. Each of them held a weapon in their hands. Simultaneously, the castle gates swung open, and soldiers poured out.
As the hooves of the horses began to beat the plain, the monsters started to move. Lee Hwan was the first to strike, bringing down his sword towards the approaching minotaur. The elegant divine sword swiftly passed over the massive minotaur’s head.
Squelch!
The minotaur, with its head slantingly severed from the neck, staggered. However, a monster doesn’t die just from having its head and neck separated. Lee Hwan reversed his sword and thrust it into the minotaur’s left chest.
The thick pectoral muscles, part human and part beast, split as the blade broke through the sternum and ribs, charging into the chest. In the place where a human’s heart should be, only a fist-sized core was revealed.
Lee Hwan exerted force on his arm. The solid core resisted. As he moved the blade between the gold, the core shattered into pieces, emitting black smoke.
Lee Hwan leaped back into the midst of the minotaurs. Suddenly, his eyes met with a fellow knight, but he pretended not to notice and averted his gaze.
“Ughh!”
From behind, the knight’s exclamation echoed.
The numbers of the minotaurs rapidly decreased. Thanks to the knight order skilled in combating monsters, the surrounded minotaurs were thrown into confusion, making it much easier to handle.
The battle concluded as Lee Hwan’s sword shattered the last minotaur’s core. While soldiers from the castle cleared the minotaur corpses, Lee Hwan dismounted and surveyed the knights. There were a total of twenty-nine knights who had entered the castle.
Lee Hwan recalled the knight he had made eye contact with earlier – Gustav Maritim. Lee Hwan was acquainted with him from a time when Gustav was older than he is now.
Perhaps Gustav’s fate today was to be saved by Lee Hwan. Lee Hwan wiped his cheek, as even though he wore a helmet designed to protect the top of his head, it couldn’t prevent blood from splattering onto his cheek. As he scratched the area that had been bothering him, he noticed a small red stain on his fingertips.
Lee Hwan clenched his fist, feeling the sensation of ending a life by defeating the monstrous creature and cutting off its breath until life vanished forever. If this were just a dream, how bitter would reality be?
“Sir Alexander?”
Ducre approached the silent Lee Hwan, wondering about his unusual demeanor. Lee Hwan turned his back to him as Ducre drew near.
“Check on the condition of the knight order. I will go in first.”
“Alright?”
Unfazed by Ducre’s perplexity or attempt to speak at his unusual demeanor, Lee Hwan exchanged casual greetings with the welcoming lord and headed towards his chambers. Despite Ducre calling out from behind, Lee Hwan feigned deafness.
The one guiding him appeared to be a young man serving as a servant. His shoulders leading the way were noticeably stiff, a common demeanor displayed by most people in Lee Hwan’s presence.
In the past, he had endured considerable hardships trying to assimilate into this world. Yet, to these individuals, he remained an alien.
Lee Hwan had once shared this story with Lucian. He referred to it as awe. If the words contained a sense of fear, knowing that, it could indeed be an apt expression.
Lost in thought, he arrived at the room. It was the moment when the servant, having completed his duties, was about to leave. Lee Hwan called him and, as the servant was about to withdraw, he halted him. When Lee Hwan began speaking, the servant widened his eyes.
“… What did you say, sir?”
It wasn’t that he couldn’t hear; it was a look of suspicion from the servant. Lee Hwan repeated with a slightly mischievous mood.
“Prepare for me to bathe in my room. Make sure the water is warm.”
With a sly grin, Lee Hwan turned away from the servant and entered the room. It was a splendid and beautiful space, likely given with the intention of catering to his taste.
As he was about to almost take off his armor, a few figures approached the room. The first one to enter was a man holding a bathing tub. They placed the tub in a corner of the wooden room. Following them, women entered and filled the tub with water.
To bathe in warm water, such effort was required. While the supply of hot water wasn’t challenging in the imperial palace, it was not the case outside. So, when Lee Hwan wanted to wash, he often used cold lake water. Looking back, it was a rather futile consideration.
The steam rising from the hot water spread throughout the room as they went through the process. Lee Hwan observed their labor without lifting a finger. They all had faces that showed signs of hard work.
“The Bath is…?”
An older servant woman asked, her tense expression eliciting a sense of unpleasantness.
Devout followers of Yela considered cleansing their bodies with water hypocritical. It was due to the doctrine that suggested those with impure hearts tended to maintain cleanliness in appearance. Therefore, they lived for days without bathing.
When Lee Hwan first learned about this lifestyle, he chuckled. However, he couldn’t afford to laugh even during the public trial because bathing, along with a letter, was mentioned as crucial evidence branding him a heretic.
Minotaur is one of the creatures in Greek Mythology, a fabulous monster from Crete that had the body of a man and the head of a bull.
Yes yes yes, let them try to survive without you! Make them suffer! It’s the best!
Imagine trying to bathe and people stay hating loool