Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Empire Bastard

‘He won’t do some strange shit again.’

Gilbert suddenly felt worry while looking at the annex Adrianne had entered.

“Umm, shall I cut the neck, or dig out the heart.”

Then, a small woman with hair braided in two parts nodded her head irritably. It was Mardian who was pathologically obsessed with Adrianne.

“No, I will smash the head.”

The huge man Hermun who was as big as a bear muttered low. The air around him seemed to become heavy.

“Get lost, I will dig out the guts and spread them on bread and eat them.”

“You get lost. Handling the guy who insulted Adrianne is my job.”

At the meaningless fight Gilbert clicked his tongue softly.

“Galahad, what kind of person is he?”

Lunavern asked in a calm voice. The gaze focused on Gilbert.

“Yes! Gilbert! I clearly told you to kill him on the way of bringing him! Say he was roughly torn and eaten by bandits or wolves!”

Mardian scolded in a sharp voice. Mardian’s obsession with Adrianne was famous. It was not for nothing that she was ‘crazy’ Mardian.

“What kind of guy is he.”

If what kind of person Galahad was—.

“A fraud.”

Galahad made idle jokes and bragged that he was an outstanding mage.

But seeing that he struggled against a lord who only had a little demon race blood mixed in, it was clear he was a fraud full of bluff.

“I have to kill him! He will definitely deceive the innocent Lady Adrianne with a wicked tongue! I have to pull it out!”

“A fraud. A guy of no particular interest.”

Savage conversation poured again.

‘It seemed like there was something.’

Every time he saw him he was a man who was unpleasant as if a thorn was stuck in the neck. Gilbert swallowed the later words.

The door of the annex opened and Adrianne came out. Mardian twitched exactly like a dog that needed to shit.

“What did the guy do? I will cut the neck right away. Or at least the arm—.”

Adrianne stealthily hid one hand behind. At that subtle reaction Mardian’s face stiffened.

“He held the hand.”

Adrianne made an expression she had never seen for a very short moment. However, as if it had never been, she soon returned to the usual expressionless face.

The atmosphere sharpened in an instant, but Adrianne showed no sign of caring.

From the beginning Adrianne did not place interest on things that were not the front line.

“But wasn’t he a mage? Then it would be more painful—.”

At Lunavern’s question Adrianne nodded.

That Adrianne burns mana was a fact known to everyone here.

Even those who were not mages often fainted from terrible pain the moment they even slightly touched Adrianne.

And that pain became more severe the greater the mana. Yet a mage held the hand—.

“He must have screamed because it was very painful! Ahaha! Idiot! So why did you dare touch Lady Adrianne!”

“He must have pissed and shit! Stupid guy! It’s a shame I couldn’t see that sight.”

Everyone raised their voices and mocked the stupid mage.

Because they knew that pain, no one raised a question.

When the story gradually inflated and the word came out that the mage died biting his tongue from the pain, Adrianne opened her mouth.

“He interlocked fingers. Saying he was curious about the principle—.”

At Adrianne’s plain voice those who had been noisily chattering until just now became quiet.

Even crazy Mardian had only held very slightly.

Yet a mage interlocked fingers—.

On everyone’s faces different expressions rose. Anger, irritation, distrust—. The expressions were different, but the root was astonishment.

Even Mardian only opened and closed her mouth.

‘A really crazy guy.’

Even when killing the lord a bizarre atmosphere formed, and this time he interlocked fingers saying he was curious about the principle—.

Gilbert laughed out loud without realizing it.

Adrianne’s gaze headed toward Gilbert.

“Gilbert, you stay here and protect him.”

It was an unexpected order.

Adrianne always thought of the front line as the top priority. Even she herself did not leave the front line. Yet to place Gilbert who was a main force as escort—. It was an arrangement unlike her.

“······Yes, understood.”

There was a question, but Gilbert nodded without asking.

“The rest return immediately.”

“Are you not meeting the Grand Duke and going?”

“A report came in that the movements of the demon race are suspicious. Return immediately.”

At Lunavern’s question Adrianne shook her head.

“Isn’t Lady Adrianne’s energy weakened? There is no way he endured that pain!”

Then, Mardian shouted with eyes full of distrust.

Adrianne shook her head, but it was useless to Mardian whose eyes had rolled. Mardian’s hand was already placed on the back of Adrianne’s hand.

Everyone had similar thoughts. How would a person endure that pain. Even a mage—. There was credibility that Adrianne had weakened.

“I will show that my love is greater than such a guy······.”

Kyaak! Mardian let out a sharp scream and fainted. Eyes rolled back and even saliva flowed from the mouth.

Lunavern let out a sigh and took care of Mardian.

‘How crazy a guy is that guy.’

Gilbert stuck out his tongue softly.

“Because recovery is not yet complete, I will stay a little more and go.”

Then, Hermun said with a savage face that anyone looking would think he would do something. That face was full of anger.

Hermun who was sturdy like a demon race, yet recovery is not complete—. It was a clear excuse. He did not even seem to have the thought of hiding it.

However, Adrianne as always did not care.

To her Hermun was not important.

“Understood. Fully recover and return. The body is the top priority.”

‘It will become troublesome.’

Gilbert clicked his tongue while looking at Hermun who was adjusting his axe.

Then suddenly the thought came that it would be good to see Galahad get hit once.

One hit would be okay, wouldn’t it.

Hmm, it seemed okay.

***

‘···Mana burns in fire.’

Galahad sighed while looking at the tingling hand.

Mana burning was truly terrible to an indescribable degree. It was the feeling of carefully grilling each and every blood vessel with a torch.

‘Burns mana just by touching. Does this make sense?’

It was not a description, the mana really burned.

Even Galahad who had gone to the Academy and then the Intelligence Bureau was hearing the story for the first time.

If he brought this story out to a mage in the capital he would clearly be beaten with a staff.

In magicology mana was unchanging. Magic was only humans adding that nature through formulas or spells, it was not transforming mana itself.

Because pure mana was noble and sacred and unchanging.

But Adrianne literally burned pure mana.

This was a historical discovery. As a mage Galahad had no choice but to hold Adrianne’s hand.

‘There is something.’

With a trembling hand he took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. He habitually flicked his finger, but there was no reaction at all.

‘There is no mana. If I had held a little longer I might have died.’

Galahad smiled bitterly.

“Is anyone there?”

“What do you need?”

The answer was heard from behind. Raising his head, Gilbert was looking down with a pathetic gaze.

Since when was he there? The alarm magic did not work—. Ah, there is no mana.

“Do you not know how to knock?”

“I did though.”

It seemed he did not hear because he was too immersed in magic.

It was Galahad’s chronic disease. When only magic was involved he rarely became the subject. It was a weakness and at the same time the driving force that allowed Galahad to come this far.

“Is there fire?”

“Doesn’t fire come out of the finger?”

“Because the mana all burned.”

Gilbert who clicked his tongue softly took something out. It was a small flint.

“How ignorant—. Is there no lighter or match?”

“This is the North.”

Ignorant. At Gilbert’s answer he clicked his tongue softly. Gilbert struck the flint in front of Galahad.

Tak tak, it was a little dangerous, but the fire attached excellently. The refreshing lemon scent fully spread.

“You have a lot of cigarettes.”

“Because it is mana tobacco.”

It seemed he did not understand, but Galahad did not bother to explain. From the beginning it was a concept difficult to explain to those who were not mages. There was no need to. Gilbert also did not ask more.

“How was it?”

“What are you talking about.”

“Lady Adrianne.”

At Gilbert’s question Galahad’s thoughts headed to Adrianne again. The nature of burning mana—. Ahh···. Thoughts accelerated again.

“I asked how it was.”

At Gilbert’s reluctant voice the thoughts broke. The fire of the cigarette had cut off in the middle. Galahad clicked his tongue and took out one more cigarette and put it in his mouth.

Gilbert held out the flint again. Galahad shook his head and flicked his finger. A weak fire blazed at the tip of the finger.

“Didn’t you say there is no mana?”

“So I smoked the mana tobacco.”

Gilbert squinted his eyes. Galahad deeply drank the cigarette.

“So how was it?”

He is urging. Galahad clicked his tongue and answered.

“She was fucking pretty.”

“I said she is the continent’s number one.”

“Yes, prettier than the princess.”

“······Have you met the princess?”

“Somehow. If you meet the princess you will unconditionally avoid her, she is a crazy woman.”

“The bluff—.”

Gilbert clicked his tongue softly. It seemed he did not believe. Galahad did not bother to explain.

“So is that the end?”

As if there was a desired answer Gilbert asked again.

Galahad pondered for a moment. Adrianne was an appearance that was certain to be the continent’s number one, but what Galahad was interested in was not her appearance.

It was the nature of burning mana.

“I want to touch her again. This time a little longer—.”

“······.”

Gilbert’s face immediately furrowed. At the disgust that rose on Gilbert’s face Galahad realized his own words were a little strange.

However, because Gilbert’s reaction was fun he did not correct it.

Galahad slowly exhaled the cigarette smoke. The dizzy spirit gradually sank.

‘Burns mana—.’

Galahad took out the leather notebook and confirmed its contents. Gilbert stuck out his head crookedly, but it did not matter.

“What language is that?”

“It is the language used in my hometown.”

“Wasn’t the hometown the capital?”

“It is the capital.”

“······?”

He roughly answered and confirmed the notebook.

[The Demon King greatly staggered while burning in fire.]

‘This was Adrianne.’

It was the one most emphasized among the three crises the Demon King experienced. Probably—. It was not accurate.

There was also a time when he thought the Demon King was weak to fire and devoted himself to fire-type magic. Even now Galahad’s main was fire-type.

‘I came to the North well.’

Even while rolling so much in the Intelligence Bureau there was nothing salvaged, yet as soon as he came to the North he obtained such a big clue—. He grinned as if a tooth he had been suffering from for a long time had come out.

Adrianne was the key. Somehow he had to stick beside Adrianne to research her—.

‘Is there a problem? He is the fiancé.’

Galahad laughed while clapping softly.

“I want to touch the fiancée, will you guide me?”

“···?”

“Ah, it was that I was going to say I want to see her. The words came out wrong.”

At the sense of disgust that rose on Gilbert’s face Galahad changed the words.

“······Lady Adrianne has returned to the front line.”

Already returned? Is this push and pull.

Galahad abruptly stood up from his seat.

“Good! Then let’s go to the front line. I was curious about the front line.”

“Do you think the front line is some backyard? And right now are you not in a state of being imprisoned by the Grand Duke’s order.”

“Was it imprisonment?”

“Do not pretend you did not know.”

“Hmm, then to lift the outing ban, I should meet the Grand Duke first. Guide me to the Grand Duke.”

“······The Grand Duke is busy. If you make an appointment now you will be able to meet in about a year.”

Gilbert stared at Galahad with eyes of ‘Is this bastard an idiot?’

It did not seem like a joke. A year is too long—.

‘Should I overturn it.’

He seriously pondered while looking at the wall beside. On the way he had already seen all the routes. There were about five methods to overturn. Overturning was Galahad’s specialty.

Knock knock.

Someone knocked on the door. Seeing it was polite it was not Gwen. Gilbert opened the door.

The person who knocked on the door was a middle-aged man who had grown a goat beard stylishly.

“Empire bastard! The Grand Duke calls!”

The goat-beard man said in rough imperial language.

At that Galahad looked at Gilbert and grinned.

“Ah, actually I made a reservation a year ago.”

Gilbert’s face furrowed.

As expected, a guy with a flavor of teasing.

“Ah, but I am not an empire bastard, I am Galahad.”

“Empire bastard! Follow!”

This time Gilbert laughed gleefully.

***

‘Why did the Grand Duke call me?’

Galahad tidied his appearance while looking in the mirror. Because he could not sleep the under-eyes were dark. To wake the hazy spirit he put a cigarette, and the goat man hastily stopped him.

“Cigarette! Empire bastard! Have you lost your mind?!”

It was imperial language close to translation style.

“It is not a cigarette but mana tobacco. It is a very fragrant lemon scent so the Grand Duke will like it too. Because there is no one who dislikes lemon scent.”

“It is not allowed! That! Please endure!”

At the firm refusal Galahad sucked the remaining cigarette at once and extinguished the fire.

The Grand Duke’s call was unexpected. Having locked him up all along and suddenly calling—. The likely reason was again Adrianne’s visit.

‘She said she visited secretly, but he knows everything.’

Unlike that perfect and cold appearance is the head a little lacking.

“Empire bastard! Hair! Brush it back!”

“Not empire bastard. Galahad—.”

At the goat-beard’s shout he clicked his tongue and applied oil and brushed the hair back. The handsome face was coolly revealed.

He winked one eye while looking in the mirror. Gilbert who was behind made a small “wek—” sound. Ugly jealousy.

He headed to the Grand Duke following the goat-beard.

The Grand Duke’s mansion was huge to the extent that walking did not end. It was to the extent that the nickname of the king of the North was understood.

The interior of the mansion was full of soldiers and knights. It was to the extent that it was hard to distinguish whether this was a mansion or a military training ground.

Wherever one went stinging gazes followed. There were also guys who poured curses.

“Gilbert, those guys just cursed me. Go and scold them a bit.”

“Son of a bitch.”

“Not to me, to that side.”

“A guy whose mouth is the only thing alive.”

“Hmm, enough. It seems those guys are also reflecting at your merciless curses.”

“Greasy bastard.”

The military strength was higher than the information received from the Intelligence Bureau. Even here was not the front line but the Grand Duke’s mansion. It was clear there would be far more troops on the front line.

There is a hole in the Intelligence Bureau too. Galahad admired softly.

Soon he reached a huge door. In front of it there were even two armed knights.

“Wait.”

A man with eyes as fierce as a hawk blocked. The beard was white yet the build and momentum were fierce. A veteran.

The goat man explained, but the white-haired knight did not listen and gestured to Galahad.

“Do you have a weapon?”

At that question Galahad smiled faintly. Asking a mage if he has a weapon—. Certainly the Northern guys do not know about mages.

Still because it seemed it would be awkward to just pass, he held out the cigarette butt that was in his bosom. The knight’s face fully furrowed.

The knight held out thick handcuffs. Those handcuffs were familiar. They were mana-suppressing handcuffs.

‘There is this?’

Mana-suppressing handcuffs were items with the property of obstructing the flow of mana. It was something made by applying the properties of high-rank demon race, and it was something he saw only in the new recruit days of the Intelligence Bureau.

Seeing it here the feelings were new.

“Empire bastard! Mage bastard! Wear it! Handcuffs!”

At the goat-beard’s rough translation Galahad wore the handcuffs.

‘It has been a long time.’

The new recruit days of the Intelligence Bureau suddenly came to mind. It was not a particularly nostalgic memory. Tak tak, the finger tapped the handcuffs.

“From here! Alone! Go! Empire bastard!”

“That··· It is not empire bastard but Galahad. Already closed.”

At the roughly closed door he clicked his tongue softly.

The room was large and splendid. That splendor was not due to luxury goods like jewels.

There were swords and spears in places and on the wall the corpses of terrible monsters were displayed. If there was a demon race taxidermy museum it would be here—.

‘This is how the demon race looks.’

Anyway because there were few demon race in the empire, there was almost no opportunity to see the demon race.

From the beginning the Intelligence Bureau’s opponents were mainly humans.

Very occasionally a demon race popped out, but the handling of the demon race was in charge of another department. Galahad’s department—.

At a presence the thoughts broke. At the end of the front a man was sitting as if lying on a huge chair.

From the atmosphere it was clear it was the Grand Duke. If not that, it was a little strange.

Whether it was a coat made of demon race leather, on both shoulders there was one large head each revealing sharp molars. It looked quite warm.

He looked not like a noble but like a very famous demon race hunter. Even though he wore a thick coat the solid muscles below were felt.

Along with that thick features exactly like a tiger and a gleaming gaze—.

The ruler of the North, the Grand Duke.

‘He doesn’t look busy?’

Galahad hid his true feelings and paid respects.

“I greet the eternal shield of the empire.”

The sound of the Grand Duke standing up was heard. The heavy footsteps mixed with metal sounds felt exactly like an executioner.

Galahad forcefully suppressed the urge to scratch his neck.

There was no reason for the Grand Duke to cut Galahad’s neck.

It was not because Galahad’s neck was heavy. On the contrary it was because it was too light.

Compared to the political problems entangled enough to be engaged to Adrianne, Galahad’s neck was infinitely light.

If the Grand Duke was an incompetent person who did not even know that much, the northern front line would have collapsed long ago. Eaten by the empire, or invaded by the demon race—.

Having finished the calculation Galahad slowly raised his head.

Blue eyes were looking down at Galahad. Facing him it felt exactly as if the eyes were burning.

‘He does not resemble the father at all.’

If that fierce face was mixed even a little, that appearance could not have come out.

Galahad forcefully raised the corners of his mouth.

Then, the Grand Duke’s shoulder moved. The moment he saw it the calculation in the head disappeared and the trained instinct moved Galahad.

Galahad’s wrist turned smoothly. The hands grazed as if crossing each other.

The Grand Duke’s huge hand stopped beside Galahad’s head. A stinging coolness tickled the temple.

“A wolf-like guy.”

The Grand Duke laughed while looking at Galahad’s hand pointed at his own neck. In that hand an already condensed ice knife was held.

“Occupational disease.”

Galahad answered while forcefully suppressing the tension.

Thud, the mana-suppressing handcuffs rolled on the floor.

“I heard most mages become cripples. It was trash.”

The Grand Duke clicked his tongue while looking at the broken handcuffs.

“Because I am not most mages.”

At Galahad’s answer the Grand Duke’s laughter deepened.

“Arrogant.”

He said it as humbly as possible—.

Galahad forcefully swallowed the later words.