Chapter 90 – Chapter 90 ― Decision (1)
Episode 90 ― Decision (1)
With Roan’s threat, the negotiations ended safely.
When one of the concerns disappeared, the West Blood Lord began to ask Roan for training.
Even at the age of 60, the Centaur had the appearance of a man in his 40s, and had stamina and strength comparable to those of his heyday.
The word sparring did not suit the image of the great lord running at full speed with a spear pointed at Roan.
“… Could this be a duel?”
“It can’t be, Your Majesty!”
The blade of the spear that was pierced at a bloody speed. Roan deflected the attack with Fiora wrapped in sword energy and quickly adjusted her stance for a counterattack.
[This is a heavy attack! Now!]
With Fiora’s plain admiration, Roan stabbed her sword. He can’t break the West Blood Command Spell with moderate care.
Besides, no matter how sparring it is, the human heart does not want to lose. It is not common for Roan to have a sparring opponent that he can face with all his skills.
The tip of the sword loaded with Roan’s power strangely avoided the spear of the West Blood Lord and aimed at the waist where the horse and human torso were connected. The part that is difficult to block with a spear blade.
Urgently, the Seohyeol Lord tried to take a big step back.
However, it is not easy to move the four legs delicately.
The Grand Duke’s special skill is to rush while wielding a spear of enormous weight.
The strong legs of a horse can withstand heavy and fast attacks, but it is not suitable for the footwork of a humanoid swordsman like Roan who changes his posture and center of gravity while swinging a sword.
In the end, the Daelord stumbled on his own feet and fell. It was the fifth today.
“… Lost your majesty.”
“Hmm.”
The great lord, who had struggled on his legs several times lying on his side, quickly regained his balance and got up.
“It is not easy either. We must defeat His Majesty at least once before He leaves Zeno.”
“It won’t be easy. Grandee.”
“Haha, if I could easily defeat Your Majesty, wouldn’t I become the emperor?”
“Hmm.”
The high lord, who straightened his body, slung his long spear over his shoulder and said,
“I know that if I don’t do my best like this, my chances of defeating Your Majesty will be slimmer, but that’s not easy either.”
“Why?”
“Hmm. Because you have to go against your instincts.”
“Instinct?”
A cold winter wind blew, but hot steam was rising from the body of Seohyeolryeongju.
The Grand Duke wiped away a sweat and answered.
“It’s a bit difficult to express, but… Should I say that I shrink when I meet an overwhelmingly strong person? I feel like my limbs are moving differently than usual.”
Roan tilted his head slightly.
‘Overwhelm’ is a state of control.
Then the grand duke saw the action and smiled.
“It is separate from Your Majesty’s special power. When I meet the Grand Duke of the Dark Souls of the South, I feel something similar. You can tell by this. How much power is there in front of my eyes?”
“Then the baron who challenged me last time didn’t feel it?”
“Ah. It’s because that kid hasn’t reached my level. The ability to understand the opponent cannot be obtained without training.”
Roan nodded his head after recalling the ‘detection’ ability.
“Right. Understood.”
Taking the towel handed to him by the attendant, the great lord wiped away the sweat from his body.
Clear sweat flowed from parts of the human body, and frothy sweat oozes from the horse’s body.
After wiping all the sweat from the horse’s body with the help of an attendant, the Grand Duke thanked the emperor for his consideration.
“Thank you for waiting. Your majesty. Did you say you were going out of the castle today?”
“Hmm. I plan to go to the dark forest.”
“… Is it the Dark Forest?”
The grand duke stopped following Roan into the castle.
“The Grand Duke.”
“You know that this is the border with the Forest Fairy, Your Majesty.”
“Yes.”
“Then is it okay if I accompany you?”
“Hmm… ?”
Roan studied the Grand Duke’s face.
The Archduke had a slightly irritated face.
“There is a forest fairy in charge of guiding the way. Do not worry.”
Grand Duke Jeokru made a slightly surprised expression when he remembered Grunent and the forest fairy beside her among the party that had followed Roan.
“… It was surprising that forest fairies acted together with humans, but…”
“Hmm. Grunent’s escort. She is kind to us It’s okay to believe.”
Hearing the emperor’s assertion, a feeling of relief appeared on the grand duke’s face. But he doesn’t seem to have been able to break his heart.
“I am not trying to go into the woods. Your majesty. However, that area is still close to the border between the Forest Fairy and us. It’s just in case, so I and some of the soldiers will guard the forest until His Majesty returns.”
Ah. Are there regular conflicts?
“Do you often collide?”
“Forest fairies are stubborn. I do not know concessions. They trust only their magic and dare to disobey your majesty. And everyone will die. And things will grow.”
Roan laughed bitterly.
He’s not trying to protect me, but to protect the unknowing forest fairy and the people around the Dark Forest.
Finally, Roan nodded his head.
But soon Roan had to admit that he had taken it easy on the matter.
The West Blood Lord, who saw the forest fairy, was very nervous, and Lauca, who had to enter the forest soon, could not afford to respond moderately to him.
Even right before the forest exploration, Roan released Lauca’s magic restraints with Grunent based on his liking. She can now use 80% of her power.
That made the lord’s heart even more uncomfortable.
“Are you sure you want to go that deep alone? Accompanying the knights will be useful in many ways.”
A dense forest of evergreen trees.
Even in winter, it did not lose its green color.
Although it is collectively called the huge dark forest, in reality, it is a terrain that encompasses all of the borders, from the coniferous forest of Evirzio to the broad-leaved forest of Merde where the leaves are falling.
The vast dark forest
It exudes a noble aura.
Both humans and demons. A place that is inaccessible.
Both knights and soldiers were at a loss for words due to tension.
The only faces that looked the same as usual were the emperor, Roan, the West Blood Lord, and Lauca.
Suggestion of Seohyeolyeongju.
However, it was not yet at the stage of opening the waypoint to the lord or knights.
Roan muttered moderately.
“I heard that there is a tombstone where there were traces of the past. They say that there are elements that will help with farming in the future, so I’m thinking of taking a look at it.”
“…”
West Blood Lingju shut her mouth.
It occurred to him that his emperor was desperately clinging to farming and clearing to the extent that he had to find ancient records and do something.
The next thing that came to mind was the figure of the Sun Emperor.
At the very least, he didn’t want to say anything that would shatter his son’s hopes, so the West Blood Lord simply followed him into the deepening forest without saying anything.
After walking for a long time, Seohyeolryeongju’s steps suddenly stopped, and as a result, the entire party following the emperor stopped in an empty lot.
Before Roan could ask anything, the Highlord spoke first.
“Your majesty. We will be here.”
“Hmm.”
Roan looked around. Even in the winter, the thick, thick snow-covered forest.
Previously, there were roads suitable for people to walk, but now only roads suitable for animals remain. You can’t even see the sky above the dense branches.
And Roan knows this way.
We know that the road to the waypoint gets darker and narrower.
So Roan nodded his head.
It was a narrow alley that could not be of any help even if they led knights and soldiers.
“Let it be.”
“Your majesty. Are you embarrassed?”
The centaur looked at the forest nymph with an unfavorable glance.
“Please be careful. Just because there is a forest fairy, they won’t treat you with caution.”
At those words, Lauca, who had been silent until now, opened her ax eyes and looked at the high lord.
However, the Grand Duke put on a laughable expression.
“Fortunately, forest fairies didn’t come around here. Our soldiers can’t go, but they don’t come either. However, please do not go too deep. Your majesty.”
“I am very worried.”
“God only wants His Majesty to be safe. Besides, I know how selfish the Forest Fairy is.”
“You.”
Lauca’s eyes sparkled with life.
“Do it in moderation.”
“Do you think you’ve become anything just because you’re close to His Majesty? Forest fairy.”
The West Blood Spirit Lord glared at Lauca with her open eyes. Roan was a little surprised at how different he looked from Dalian.
A hideous face and voice that Roan had never seen before.
“There are countless cases in which the people of this land went into the forest to find a handful of food and were killed by forest fairies. The forest fairies I know are such a species. No matter how much you follow His Majesty, you are also a forest fairy who killed the demons.”
Even if you are an honest person who follows the emperor and prioritizes military force, a great lord is a great lord.
It is not a position that can be climbed just by swinging a spear with ignorance.
The centaur, who had completed her background investigation of Lauca, glared at her as the great lord who ruled over her West Blood Spirit.
“Original forest fairies are a race that does not move or help others unless it is for their own benefit. Your majesty. His Majesty is merciful, so he said that he brought Lee out of prison and appeased him, but I honestly find it hard to believe.”
Roan sighed lightly.
“I understand. Grand duke. But Lauca decided to help me and I believe him.”
“Your lord believes in me, so what is your complaint? Half man, half horse.”
When Lauca grinned, the West Blood Lord, who was about to turn around after hearing Roan’s words, looked at Lauca with a lethal breath.
“Lauka. Stop…”
“How can you trust a murderer who was slaughtering demons looking for food? Do you mean to say that it is wrong not to trust an untrustworthy enemy, forest elf?”
Lauca’s complexion turned blue.
Roan involuntarily rubbed his forehead and sighed.
It was the first time Seohyeol Ryeongju, who usually didn’t talk much unless it was about the previous emperor, and didn’t show his emotions violently, talked to this extent.
While staying in Zeno as the high lord, there must have been encounters with forest fairies.
Because Lauca was also a case of committing a crime somewhere in West Blood and was repatriated to Basel.
“You must know that if you try to clear this place for farming, forest fairies come out and run amok. Because the demons who were slaughtered while trying to clear the land were not alone.
At least not a few people go missing after finding even a handful of fruits or vegetables, but are caught or killed in the forest.
Do you know why? Forest fairies are a race that only they know about.”
The great lord was pouring out his anger on Lauca.
“Is the forest fairy the owner of that forest? Did you grow all of this dark forest? What an arrogant thought. If you lived in this forest, you would know. It was time and nature that nurtured this forest, not you.”
“Grand Duke. Stop it.”
“… I’m sorry. Your majesty.”
The West Blood Lord, who had vomited anguish to Lauca for a long time, couldn’t even hide her frown and apologized to Roan.
The pale-faced Lauca was staring at the high lord in silence. Roan licked his lips bitterly and spoke to Lauca.
“Lauka. Don’t take it too far As the great lord, he must have been at odds with the tribes of the forest for a long time. But I know what kind of person you are, how and what he was thinking about.”
Lauca looked at Roan.
Her expression was strangely distorted as she glared at the West Blood Lord with her eyes wide open.
“How can His Majesty understand?”
“… Lauca?”
And in an instant, the forest fairy started running.
“Ah… !”
Truly a flurry of speed.
It wasn’t a lie to say that forest fairies run faster in the woods than on the plains.
Roan bit his lip and hurriedly turned the ‘detection’. Lauca’s presence was moving away at an unbelievable speed.
The Seohyeol Ryeongju finally bowed her head deeply with a surprised face.
“… I’m sorry, Your Majesty. God stop…”
“I’ll hear you later. If I’m late, wait at the place I told you in advance.”
Roan shook his hand and started running, following signs of detection. The forest started to get darker.
