After moving Abel to another location without attracting attention, the commanders gathered where lmond was staying to discuss. Being at the far end of the unit, they had no worries about being noticed even if the King’s Heart would arrive soon.
However, it wasn’t a ti for introductions among unfamiliar faces, those who they had t for the first ti were not in the mood to introduce themselves nor greet each other. One person, Nani, in particular, was especially tense. It was natural for him to feel nervous with the four highest-ranking commanders, second only to the emperor, gathered before him.
Nevertheless, knowing that an important discussion was about to take place, he listened quietly while under the pretense of taking care of the bedridden butler. Ashler was the first to speak. After reminding the other two to strictly maintain secrecy regarding Abel’s identity. After receiving a thorough request from both of them to keep the secret, which was not to reveal Abel’s true identity, only then did he finally open his mouth.
“His Majesty has taken an interest in Young Master Lil, who ca with Mr. lmond. It seems he’s attracted to him because his personality was similar to Abel, who was his forr Regas.”
Roster had a suspicious look that there might be sothing more, but the Commander of the Royal Guards believed it right away.
“Damn it, I’ve got a good personality too.”
The three people’s hands twitched simultaneously at the deep sigh. To lmond, who didn’t know the situation, it seed as if the three of them were trying to draw their swords at the sa ti, but he soon turned his attention after Ashler continued his explanation.
“But it’s not just because of his personality. It’s only natural that His Majesty has taken an interest in Young Master Lil for a very good reason.”
“What reason?”
Ashler turned his dark eyes to Roster, who asked the question.
“Because Young Master Lil is the real Regas who served by His Majesty’s side twelve years ago.”
“What are you talking about? The appearance of this Young Master Lil, even at a glance, looked completely different from the old Regas.”
“Yes. Their appearance is different. But it’s him. Um, he was reincarnated.”
He knew how the word “reincarnated” would sound to them. Even if their faces didn’t show it, he could guess that they didn’t believe it at all. Everyone felt that way. Especially Roster, who looked at Ashler with suspicious look, scrutinizing him as if he’d lost his mind, then turned to Kin.
“Sir Kin, do you agree with this?”
Ashler and lmond looked at him with tense eyes. However, Kin remained silent for a long ti and answered slowly.
“I don’t know. I don’t know the forr Regas. However, I can see that Young Master Lil has beco the most important person to His Majesty now. Just like the real Regas.”
A heavy silence fell. Roster and the Commander of the Royal Guards couldn’t refute Kin’s opinion, which was more trustworthy than anyone else’s. However, the question of why both of them collapsed still remained. When Roster asked about this, lmond opened his mouth.
“Abel did not originally reveal his identity to His Majesty. Everyone kept it a secret. So, His Majesty never suspected Abel’s true identity.”
lmond’s story continued until it stopped on the night the two disappeared.
“But Abel found out about Karas’ true identity. However, as I ntioned earlier, Abel is currently in a very weak state, so even a small shock...”
“Wait a mont.”
Roster interrupted lmond’s words and casually asked.
“How did Abel find out His Majesty’s true identity?”
“......”
Instead of answering, lmond only glanced at Kin. Kin maintained silence with an expressionless face, making it difficult for lmond to explain. Although it was his fault, it was not intentional, so in a way, he could also be considered a victim. Thus, he tried to let it go, but the oblivious Commander of the Royal Guards stopped lmond.
“That’s right. I’m curious too. How did soone who couldn’t recognize His Majesty for such a long ti suddenly find out?”
“Well, you see.”
This ti, lmond sent a pleading look to Ashler. Ashler also tried to avoid exposing Kin’s mistake unnecessarily and tried to evade the question. However, Kin opened his mouth first, blocking Ashler.
“It’s alright. I’ll say it. Abel found out His Majesty’s true identity because of ...”
“It’s all your fault!”
A sudden voice replaced Kin’s words. As if being splashed with cold water, everyone inside turned their gaze in one direction. The butler, who regained his consciousness through the power of anger, opened his eyes like a warrior returning from hell. He pointed his finger directly at Kin with his burning eyes.
“This person blurted it out to our Young Master! You slutty pig!”
It was shocking that Kin, known as the most tight-lipped person in the unit, would be accused of this. However, Ashler, Roster, and the Commander of the Royal Guards were shocked for a different reason.
Pig?
All three simultaneously turned their eyes to Kin. Kin glared back at the butler with eyes as fierce as his.
“You bastard! How dare you!”
“Not only are you a pervert, but you also have a foul mouth. You should be ashad, pig!”
...Pervert?
The stern faces of the three commanders turned into astonishnt. However, the butler’s revelation was not over yet. As the enraged Kin tried to stand up, he raised his voice even louder.
“Why? Are you trying to grope again?! You perverted pig!”
A butler who hunts pigs was born. ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) The three commanders, now beyond astonishnt, simultaneously moved their upper bodies backward. The Commander of the Royal Guards actually pushed his chair back far away.
Was it perhaps because of the thought that the symbol of abstinence within their unit for the past six years was actually a castrated pervert? The terrifying thought swirled in their heads, distracting them from the fact that Kin had drawn his sword and was rushing towards the butler.
“I’ll cut off that bastard’s head right now!”
Fortunately, thanks to lmond grabbing Kin’s waist as he tried to run away, the butler’s neck was not imdiately cut off. However, in the process of trying to stop the suddenly rampaging Kin, even Ashler, who was trying to calm him down, turned the interior into a ss in an instant.
If Roster and the Commander of the Royal Guards had stepped forward to stop Kin, things would have cald down easily. However, the two were barely holding back their laughter over the pig hunt. All they could do was turn their heads, clenching their teeth and suppressing their laughter. Thus, only Ashler was struggling.
“Calm down, Sir Kin! Let such words go in one ear and out the other. Let’s pretend we didn’t hear it either. I will ensure that no one speaks of this again.”
As Ashler was persuading him, he caught a glimpse of soone sitting next to the butler. It was Nani, the unit’s biggest gossiper. Nani’s eyes were already sparkling like stars with joy to spread this news to people all over the world. Kin’s future looked bleak.
Ashler hesitated for a mont. Should he just let Kin go? While he was montarily pondering, fortunately, soone else stepped in to stop Kin’s rampage.
“Commander!”
A soldier who rushed into the tent called out to Kin urgently and looked for him. When Kin turned around with an angry face, realizing that he was a soldier from the 1st Battalion, the soldier whispered sothing in his ear. Then Kin’s face instantly turned cold. He didn’t even look back and rushed out of the tent, and Ashler grabbed the soldier and asked:
“What on earth is going on?”
“Our unit’s officer has been seriously injured.”
“Why?”
The soldier clenched his lower lip and spat out angrily.
“The person from the King’s Heart trampled on our unit officer with his horse. Just because he didn’t like him.”
****
Norhox had heard interesting news from his subordinates who had thoroughly investigated the unit.
“The emperor is sick and lying down?”
“Yes. Currently, all the commanders have gathered together because of that incident. Although we don’t know where he is sick, there are rumors that he was brought in from sowhere else. The only thing we are certain of is that the emperor is lying down in his quarters and hasn’t woken up.”
“Hasn’t woken up...”
Could it be that he was injured by the fake sent to eliminate Karas?
That must be it. He wouldn’t have been able to fight properly, having co out from the protection of hundreds or thousands of his soldiers. Honestly, he had a strong desire to take advantage of this opportunity to completely eliminate him.
However, on the other hand, he was also needed. The emperor is a being who can be removed and manipulated at any ti. Right now, the biggest enemy is Truyde, so it wouldn’t be too late to use up the weakened emperor and then kill him after. Otherwise, one never knows when a thorn-like war profiteer will rise and challenge his position.
For Norhox, recovering his wealth was an urgent task. He had to release the mortgaged land and take back the sold forest. And he had to reclaim the local mansions in the provinces that had been passed down through generations. All of this was in the hands of the war profiteer who had been collecting exorbitant interest. Even if Norhox managed to avoid bankruptcy, he was still in a situation no different from being a beggar.
That’s why tonight, he planned to clearly reveal his position to the war profiteer. He had to show his true colors to the lowly ones who were trying to climb up without knowing their place. Moreover, if he could effectively use the weakened emperor, the impact would be even greater. Smirking, Norhox let out a laugh and gave orders to his subordinates.
“Go to the war profiteer and tell him. Since he has taken on the responsibility of leading the Regas’, he should imdiately send a Regas to serve the king and fulfill his duty as a subject. As long as a Regas is here, it is only natural that he should protect the king. If he can’t even do this basic task, tell him to step aside.”
The war profiteer won’t be the only one surprised by this order. Norhox was certain that the emperor’s subordinates, who were desperately trying to hide the fact that the emperor was ill, would also be in a state of confusion. Norhox leaned back comfortably in his chair and gave one more command to his subordinates, who raised their heads.
“Send soone to the emperor. I, as the King’s Heart, want to see him imdiately.”
****
Karas’ quarters were worn out and faded for an emperor’s residence. To the point where one wouldn’t believe the emperor was inside if it weren’t for the high-rising imperial flag. However, in the past six years, this had never been an issue to them.
During the war, luxury and extravagance were actually detrintal when considering the morale of the soldiers. But why didn’t he realize that it would be a factor to be disregarded by the enemy he now had to face?
As Ashler looked at Karas’ quarters, he turned his head. In the distance, there was Norhox, shining brightly as broad as the daylight.
In his quarters, so splendid that one wouldn’t know who the emperor was, the golden embroidered King’s Heart emblem shimred. Moreover, the escort brought by Norhox even had trumpeters, making it seem like they were the army marching toward victory. However, none of this was the problem at hand. Just a while ago, Norhox said sothing inside those quarters:
‘Why won’t His Majesty et ? If you can’t give a good reason, I can only assu that the emperor is ignoring the King’s Heart. If so, I can’t just sit still either. Although His Majesty is the ruler of the country, it is the law that governs the country. According to the law, our King’s Heart is clearly stated as the emperor’s advisor and the representative of the people. Disregarding us is an act of disrespecting the people, and furthermore, disrespecting His Majesty’s country. Tell , is it really so? It ans that His Majesty disrespects his own people and country!’
Norhox’s eyes were full of mockery as he shouted. It was obvious that he knew Karas’ condition and deliberately tried to put the emperor in a difficult situation. Ashler released his grip on his clenched fist.
Today, he had let it slide, claiming it was too late, however, in the coming morning, Norhox would shout again about the King’s Heart. He didn’t mind confronting Norhox. The problem was when Karas would wake up.
No—will he ever wake up?
The doctor said it seed like he was just asleep, but his uneasiness did not go away. Karas’ body was different from that of an ordinary person. What if even just sleeping had a negative effect on him, who had the power of a dragon?
Moreover, there was another person who hadn’t woken up yet.
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