Chapter 70 - Milky Way rising to the sky

“Ruel, to be honest…”

—It’s Cassion! Ganien lied!

At Leo’s sudden words, Ganien bowed his head.

Ruel grinned at him.

Yeah, Cassion needs to win.

“Were you watching?”

—No, this body heard a sound while sleeping.

“Sound?”

—The wind whispered the man with black hair won.

Ruel patted Leo on the head.

It was strange that Leo, the spirit, had not heard the sound of nature so far.

It was a good change.

“I didn’t lose. Well, how can I say, I just let my guard down for a while.”

“The leader of the Blue Knights has his tongue-in-his-cheek.”

“… Anyway, it was great. It was a short time, but I could see the way.”

Ganien’s eyes were filled with fighting spirit, as if recalling yesterday’s confrontation.

Finding the way is something to celebrate, but Ruel felt impatient with them.

It’s been a few days since the black blooded man appeared.

“What I can’t do, you do, and I do what you can’t do. So, work around it moderately.”

“That’s what I’m supposed to say…”

“Ganien, promise me one thing here.”

“What?”

Ganien began to look uneasy for no reason.

“Don’t covet anything I pick up. Don’t tell me you forgot, right? The sword that you broke.”

“How can I forget? I promised.”

Ruel raised the corner of his mouth, biting Breath.

That’s it.

Ganien didn’t pick it up first, so he should pick it up himself.

“Young master!”

Then, the butler rushed in.

Ruel pictured in his head what was urgently happening around this time in the novel.

‘…I don’t think so.’

“What’s going on here?”

“Sien Lupiros is here…”

Ganien ran out as the butler announced it, without listening to the rest.

“I’m sorry, Lord Setiria.”

The butler bowed his head in shame.

“Did Ganien do something wrong?”

“I think it was last night.”

“Ah…”

You’re going to get in a lot of trouble.

Ruel took it easy and inhaled Breath.

“Lord Setiria, Mr. Lupiros said he had something to talk to you about.”

“Me?”

“Yes, I’ll show you the way.”

The butler walked ahead first.

‘Is there any reason why Sien wants to see me?’

Ruel walked after the butler, questioning.

Anyway, he was glad to meet Sien again.

Ttak.

The sound of a cane rang.

***

“Sorry for calling you out of the blue.”

Sien bowed his head and apologized.

Ganien was seen standing behind him in a squat position with only his arms outstretched in front of him.

He desperately asked for help using all his facial muscles.

“You don’t have to worry about it because it’s the perfect punishment for a child who doesn’t know position or rank and is just excited about fighting.”

“Teacher, it wasn’t just a match. Cassion is a very strong…”

“Oh, I forgot one thing.”

Sien took two stones from his pocket and placed them on Ganien’s lap.

“Keep trying to flap that mouth that doesn’t know the shame of distracting the guard of your precious guest.”

Only then did Ganien shut up.

“Now, please sit over here.”

The landlord was Ganien, but Sien guided Ruel as if it were his own house.

“Cough, cough.”

Ruel sat down in the seat led by Sien, ignoring Ganien’s eyes begging for help.

“I came to meet that child, and I heard that you were here, so I called to tell you a story that I had not gotten the chance to before.”

“Did you have anything to talk to me about?”

“You don’t have to be so wary. I heard it all through that child.”

“Ganien’s mouth seems lighter than I thought.”

“I think that’s imprudent, too. If there are many people who know a secret, there are many places for it to leak from.”

Ruel nodded with satisfaction.

Everything Sien said was right.

“Anyway, apart from that fact, I called you here because I thought Lord Setiria should know.”

However, despite Sien being my favorite character, my life depends on his choices. 

He still had to check something.

“Don’t you need to prove to me that Lord Lupiros is not a member of the Red Ash?”

“I guarantee it!” cried Ganien in a fit of anger.

Sien laughed as if he liked it.

“You’re a fighter, contrary to what I see.”

“There’s just a lot of doubt.”

“What do you want? I heard that my disciple owes you a lot.”

“Please make an oath with Mana. What is more certain than this?”

Ruel smiled and stroked Leo.

“There’s certainly nothing more reliable than that. But don’t be too blind. There’s a loophole in everything.”

Ruel agreed just by looking at Cassion’s example as someone who had also taken the oath and previously planned to assassinate him.

It seemed that the standard that he was loyal to was the standard he considered himself to be.

Sien smiled slightly and moved his mouth.

“I, Sien Lupiros, will not be a part of the Red Ash now and in the future. I swear on the mana I’ve had since I was born.”

Sien’s cobalt-colored mana appeared and poured into his heart.

Sien looked at Ganien.

He spoke with discontent, “The oath is made.”

Ruel was relieved to hear that.

He didn’t know how Sien would change later, whether he came out as Ganien’s helper or whatever. Sien asked leisurely.

“Do you mind if we continue the conversation?”

“Of course.”

“First of all, I would like to thank you for your trust in my disciple. You can’t tell how surprised I was to hear that there was an immortal man called the black blooded man.”

‘You really told him everything.’

Ruel looked at Ganien with an exasperated face.

One corner of Ruel’s mouth went up as he slightly looked away.

“We are now investigating what is called ‘Black Water,’ given by Lord Setiria.”

“What do you want to tell me?”

A useless story was added.

Ruel didn’t know where Sien was leading the conversation, but it gave him enough time to take a deep breath.

“We saw movement in the Tonisk Empire.”

“…!”

Ruel was too surprised to blink.

‘The Tonisk Empire is a country that abolished itself, so why is a country that was never mentioned active all of a sudden?’

“Are you alright? You look pale.”

“That’s all right. But what does it mean to show movement? Does that mean that the empire came out of the abolitionist country?”

“Once the door opened and closed. The conclusion I made is that it is not immediate, but it seems to be moving to reestablish the country soon.”

The empire is moving.

Ruel felt dizzy.

In the novel, it was written that the empire was so powerful that the three countries could not win even if they combined.

Ruel asked, frowning.

“…that’s why you proposed an alliance?”

“You’re right. Please pass this news on to the King of Leponia. Since we do not know who the Red Ash colluded with, for now, only Lord Setiria, who is the representative of the delegation, is the most reliable person.”

“Alright, I have a reason to hurry back.”

Sien wiggled his fingers as if he was ashamed.

“I heard that you are going to go sightseeing. I don’t know if I made your heart heavy for no reason.”

“Knowing is better than not knowing. You need to know to prepare.”

What changed and caused the empire to open it’s doors?

Ruel inhaled Breath.

“Lord Setiria, may I increase your escort?”

As soon as Sien knew that Ruel was the target of the Red Ash, Ruel has been on his mind.

As a representative of the delegation, he had a good escort, but when viewed as a must-protect object, he was far too vulnerable.

“Are you sure that an increased number of escorts can save my life, Lord Lupiros?”

“I made a slip of the tongue. Please pretend you didn’t hear it.”

“No, thank you for your concern.”

It could not be guaranteed that the Red Ash would not be mixed in the increased escort.

In such a situation, it would be better to have people you can trust by your side.

Ruel did not bother to mention the shadows that still protect him.

Knock. Knock.

To the sound of knocking on the door from outside, Sien answered, “Come in.”

The butler didn’t say anything when he saw Ganien’s appearance.

Perhaps this situation was familiar.

The butler carefully placed the tea down. bowed and exited the room.

—This body wants to eat that.

It was an apple tea that Leo particularly liked.

He reacted quickly.

“I’d like to stop talking about difficult things and talk about personal things. Would that be all right?”

Sien smiled softly.

Soon his eyes focused on the fox sticking his tongue out from Ruel’s lap toward the tea.

Ruel grabbed Leo’s mouth.

“Yes, it’s a sightseeing tour. I can leave tomorrow.”

There was nothing bad about getting close to Sien.

Rather, he wanted to be close.

“Teacher, I’m fully reflecting on myself…”

“Shut up, Ganien.”

As if a scene from the novel had been recreated, Ruel sipped his tea and watched the two of them like spectators.

Sien soon smiled awkwardly and opened his mouth.

“He’s that kind of guy, but he’s a pretty good guy. Feel free to use it during your stay in Cyronian.”

“Yes, I’ll work him comfortably.”

I was going to work him to death anyway. Afterall, shouldn’t I give you a chance to pay off the debt?

***

Ruel had a pretty good time with Sien and went back to the palace.

The sun was already setting.

Looking at the sunset, Ruel inhaled Breath.

The door to the Empire is opening.

‘… it’s not because of me, is it?’

When the empire closed its doors, there was no such thing as Ruel Setiria.

A sharp sound came from his side.

At the repeated noise, Ruel looked at Cassion and asked.

“Do you like it that much?”

While Ruel was lying down after taking the new medication, Cassion repeatedly sharpened the newly obtained sword.

“I’m very upset that this sword was stored among the other low-grade swords.”

“What’s that sword?”

“Given the blade, the drawing line, and the small pattern carved on the edge of the blade, it is clearly the work of the blacksmith known in the legends as Lione! Lione’s reputation was buried because of her descendants, but the swords she made contained their own souls…”

Cassion’s words continued endlessly to the point where Ruel thought he had asked for no reason.

Leo, who had been sulking because he couldn’t drink apple tea at Ganien’s villa, returned here and was drinking apple tea as much as he wanted.

‘Doesn’t your tail hurt when you shake it like that?’

By the time Ruel reached out and grabbed Leo’s tail, Cassion came back to himself.

“Ruel-nim, this is Bianne.”

Cassion sheathed the sword and took out the communication device.

‘How long has it been since I gave the communication device? I already got a call?’

Coming from Ganien’s villa to the palace, he met Bianne briefly and handed over the communication device.

“Connect.”

The communication device lit up.

-Lo, Lord, I’m sorry to contact you so suddenly.

Bianne’s voice sounded very unsettling.

“What’s going on?”

-I’m contacting you because I heard that the Red Ash will leave the temporary hideout soon. You’d better hurry.

“Where?”

-…I don’t understand.

“What’s the order that came to you? How did you obtain that news?”

-If I left the temporary hideout, I was ordered to destroy it.

Ruel raised the corners of his mouth.

In order to completely destroy it, it was necessary to have a blueprint or related data.

“You must have data related to the hideout in your hands. Isn’t that right?”

-Well, that’s right.

“Put all the data on your desk quietly.”

-On the desk? Alright.

“I’ll hand you a copy soon.”

Ruel cut off the communication and glanced meaningfully at Cassion.

He resumed polishing his sword while Ruel spoke with Bianne.

Cassion’s hand paused at Ruel’s gaze.

“Hina…”

“You’re faster.”

Cassion’s face was wrinkled for a moment, but he soon sighed and replied.

“I’ll be right back.”

Cassion quietly hid himself in the shadows.

—Ruel, Ruel!

Leo, who had been licking the rice bowl several times, came up to the bed with a grin.

“What?”

—Dirty things have risen! This body just ate something sweet and sour right now, so it’s very appetizing! Now, this body can’t wait to eat something dirty!

“Eat when Cassion comes back.”

Leo looked shocked and saw that Cassion had left.

—If you eat something dirty after eating sweet and sour things, your stomach will be happy. So, this body ate something sweet and sour…

“Cough, cough.”

Ruel patted Leo on the head, who burst into tears.

‘What does it taste like?’

Then, while inhaling Breath with the other hand, he secretly raised the corner of his mouth.

There’s no Cassion, isn’t there?

After purifying, the shadow had never moved.

Since the power of resistance has grown, shouldn’t we check how big the shadow was now?

“Hina, if you pretend you didn’t see me, I’ll let you pet Leo.”

In the corner, Hina slightly stuck out her head.

Her eyes were shining brightly, “Really?”

“Yes.”

“You must not work too hard, not enough to vomit blood.”

“Yes.”

Hina smiled and sank back into the shadows.

Ruel sat his upper body up.

Then he cycled the Mana through his body.

After confirming that it was rolling smoothly, he moved the shadows.

One, two, three…

Ruel pulled out shadows as much as he could.

Despite the increase of five, Ruel was still unaffected.

‘It’s worth throwing up blood.’

Leo, cried with a ‘EEEP,’ raised his head when he saw the shadows. Still in tears, he asked.

—Are you playing hide and seek in a circle?

“Do you want to do it?”

—This body is sad now.

“Let’s use this room as a whole then, not within the circle like we did before.”

Leo’s tail wagged slowly.

—It would be more fun, but what should this body do because this body is so sad?

Leo’s eyes shook greatly at the sound of fun.

Ruel tickled Leo with one of the shadows.

—Puhaha, don’t do it. This body is very ticklish… Hehehe!

If you tell me not to, I won’t.

Ruel quit suddenly.

Leo giggled and looked as if he had lost his country as the shadow disappeared.

—…why not?

“If you run away from my shadow, I’ll tickle you again.”

—Really! Ahem. This body is sad, but I will run away for Ruel.

The slowly wobbling tail moved vigorously.

“Start.”

With Ruel’s words, Leo went up to the table with a triumphant face.

His short legs moved as Ruel’s hand quietly protruding from Leo’s shadow tried to grab his tail.

‘He doesn’t get caught by the same trick anymore. Did he get smarter?’

But there are more shadows than before.

Just as there are no rules in hand-to-hand battles, Ruel will win again if he used numbers to his advantage.

Each time Leo’s legs moved, the shadows secretly waited and spread out quickly as if aiming to enclose their prey.

—Close!

Ruel frowned.

Swish.

Leo escaped from the shadow’s hand narrowly.

After repeating it several times, Ruel’s breathing became erratic.

It was harder than he thought to inject and maintain a certain amount of mana.

He bit Breath into his mouth.

‘Well, then.’