SELECTED (1)
CHAPTER 160
Even after the first day of sightseeing in the Imperial Capital, Speira continued to seek out Ray.
Since it was difficult for Ray to outright refuse Speira, he eventually accepted her invitation to accompany her.
The Imperial Capital was vast, and properly exploring it required walking long distances over several days.
During their time together, Speira frequently conversed with Ray but showed particular interest in Johanna.
At a glance, it seemed like Speira was chasing after Johanna, calling her “Sister, Sister.”
Of course, due to the significant difference in status, Johanna couldn’t laugh as freely as Speira could.
Nevertheless, Johanna and Speira engaged in many conversations, and Speira revealed a keen curiosity about Johanna’s background.
In response to Speira’s request, Johanna recounted how she had lived her life so far, and as she told her story, Ray’s name kept coming up, whether she wanted it to or not.
As Johanna spoke, Speira often tilted her head in disbelief.
“You collected—or rather, personally took care of—orphans around you before you even turned five?”
“Yes. And apparently, Jimy really disliked that.”
“At nine years old, you subdued multiple gang members…?”
“Handling gangs was Ray’s job.”
“…And you didn’t receive formal training from knights until afterward?”
Johanna nodded.
She tactfully omitted details about how Ray, at thirteen, had skillfully taken on three knights.
Rather than probing too deeply, Speira confirmed one key fact.
“Johanna, is Ray stronger than you?”
Johanna muttered to herself for a moment before nodding.
“He’s incredibly strong.”
Meanwhile, Alesya occasionally growled at Speira while walking with the group.
It seemed her cooldown period was over because she started growling again, prompting Ray to firmly press his fingers against her lips.
While calming Alesya, Ray suddenly asked curiously,
“Miss, are you doing this on purpose because you find it amusing when I try to stop you?”
“Hmm, I suppose this kind of playacting isn’t bad at all!”
Ray recalled something.
He remembered the female protagonist from one of the novels Alesya had read—a character who enjoyed being treated like a dog.
With an awkward expression, Ray lightly tapped Alesya’s head.
Smack!
“Aiya!”
Alesya, holding her throbbing head, shouted indignantly.
“My knight! Where has a knight ever struck their master?”
Despite all the commotion, they soon arrived at an auction house frequented by nobles or wealthy individuals of similar standing.
It was a legitimate establishment, and most of the items for sale boasted prices that would be unimaginable for commoners.
Speira, too, lacked the funds to participate in such auctions in the Imperial Capital, but she tried to liven up the atmosphere by asking casually,
“Is there anything you’d absolutely want if it were to appear in the auction?”
“Not right now.”
Shaking his head, Ray glanced at the guards trailing behind Speira. There were more of them than there had been a few days ago.
Given that Ernst wouldn’t have increased the number of bodyguards for no reason, Ray felt a slight unease.
On the other hand, Speira turned to Johanna and asked,
“Do you need anything?”
“…Something good for men.”
Suddenly, all surrounding conversations ceased.
In the ensuing silence, Speira blinked repeatedly before cautiously rephrasing her question.
“Good… for men, you say…”
“It’s because someone I know mentioned that they don’t function well down there.”
Ray felt his collar being forcefully pulled as he turned to look at Johanna.
Johanna met his gaze squarely before smirking coyly.
“Why, does it bother you?”
Everyone nearby turned their attention to Ray.
Their gazes carried a mix of disappointment, worry, and pity.
Ray nervously chuckled as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
‘Shit.’
Lately, he’d been constantly giving Johanna a hard time.
Seeing her eyes turn red made him feel guilty enough to reconsider his actions.
But now, here came the retaliation.
Lost in confusion, Ray attempted to compose himself, but it was already too late.
Throughout their visit to the auction house, Ray remained under strange scrutiny.
As they left the auction house and Speira asked,
“Hmm… where should we go next?”
Speira briefly explained what kinds of establishments lay along their current route.
After hearing her explanation, Ray, still under peculiar stares, responded,
“The bathhouse.”
“The bathhouse?”
“Yes, the bathhouse.”
*
Though high-ranking nobles rarely use public bathhouses for safety reasons, those without titles or knighthoods often frequented the Imperial Capital’s communal baths.
Not only were the facilities convenient, but bathing together and engaging in casual conversation afterward had become a sort of cultural tradition.
Delun, Ian, and Luca were already soaking in the bath.
They usually wouldn’t have access to such a facility, but thanks to Speira’s intervention, they managed to slip in unnoticed.
Most men using the communal bathhouse submerged themselves freely, unashamed of their bodies, proud of their physique as befitting nobility.
Male servants accompanying Speira also engaged in conversation within the bath.
A serious discussion unfolded about whether the man destined to marry their young mistress would be adequately endowed.
At that moment, Ray entered the bathhouse, having taken longer to undress due to his armor.
Shoulders back, he strutted into the bathhouse entrance with bravado, jokingly shouting to Delun and the others,
“Hey, small ones!”
“Damn bastard…”
While Delun silently cursed under his breath,
Everyone else who heard Ray’s voice involuntarily tensed and turned their heads.
Among them was Sebas, who had come to the bathhouse with a friend.
Sebas stared intently at Ray, then glanced down at himself before shaking his head.
“I’ll have to give up on this love affair.”
As Sebas submerged deeper into the bath,
Ray walked resolutely across the tiled floor and stepped into the bathwater despite everyone’s stares.
The nearby servants of Speira flinched and instinctively created some distance.
Delun watched Ray contentedly and asked,
“Master.”
“What is it?”
“That… your greatness is evident, but simply being in that state doesn’t prove functionality, does it?”
“…Shall I demonstrate, then?”
“Don’t say such frightening things.”
Delun chuckled and leaned back against the edge of the bath.
If showing off could boost Ray’s pride, Delun didn’t particularly care.
Afterward, the following day,
Shay erupted in anger upon hearing scandalous rumors in front of Speira.
“That son of a bitch…!!”
The rumor claimed that Speira selected her partners based on physical attributes below the waist.
Watching Shay’s fury, Speira giggled.
Such rumors tend to flare up quickly but fade just as fast beneath newer gossip.
“Ah… This is amusing.”
“I will kill that bastard.”
“Shay, how long has it been since you last got scolded by Great-grandfather? Don’t say such things.”
After pacifying the fuming Shay and sending her away, Speira continued giggling quietly before pressing her finger lightly against the area just below her navel.
“Hmm…”
Well, it wasn’t an immediate concern.
*
Mohamed’s schedule was nearing its conclusion.
Once Mohamed’s business concluded, the Philips family entourage would return to their baronial territory.
Ray wondered if he could make it back without interference, but regardless, most of their itinerary was indeed approaching its end.
That day, Speira visited the mansion and requested a sparring session with Ray.
Naturally, Ray refused outright.
“I can’t do that.”
Speira offered to meet any conditions Ray desired if he reconsidered.
Scratching his head, Ray suggested they could duel privately somewhere inaccessible to others.
Thus, Speira led Ray to the basement of a property owned by the Prizzran clan.
Surrounded by thick walls and doors, the center of the basement provided ample space for sparring.
“Here should be fine, right? Even Great-grandfather can’t see through this basement clearly.”
“…Just a moment.”
Ray tapped his bracelet.
Aptel confirmed there were no surveillance artifacts present.
Exhaling deeply, Ray drew his sword.
“Isn’t that a bit reckless? What if I harm you, why come here alone without guards?”
“Well, we’ll inevitably end up alone together often in the future anyway, so why worry?”
Smiling mischievously, Speira unsheathed her sword and charged forward.
Ray casually parried her attacks with a single blade.
Speira instinctively sensed that the sword style Ray used wasn’t his primary one.
Still, Ray’s technique was highly advanced and sharp.
After swinging her sword to her satisfaction, Speira caught her breath and pleaded,
“Could you show me your full strength just once?”
Ray paused to look at Speira before extending his sword sideways.
After Ernst had already exposed much of his foundation, revealing a bit more to Speira wouldn’t change anything.
As Ray’s aura shifted dramatically, Speira eagerly charged forward.
Swish!!
A Sword Aura-infused slash from Speira’s greatsword swung through the air.
In the blink of an eye, Ray’s Sword Energy countered effortlessly.
KABOOM!!!
Overpowered by the backlash, Speira lost her grip on her greatsword.
Spinning uncontrollably, the sword embedded itself into the wall.
“Ughhh…”
Letting out a prolonged groan, Speira collapsed onto the ground laughing.
“Amazing.”
Speira struggled to find words to describe the awe-inspiring experience.
Reflecting on the utterly one-sided sparring match, she realized she had overestimated her own abilities.
Looking back up at Ray, Speira asked,
“Ray, do you know why my Great-grandfather killed the Crown Prince?”
“I’m quite ignorant when it comes to political matters.”
“It was for me.”
“What?”
Speira chuckled softly before her expression turned serious.
“It was for me. The Crown Prince didn’t want more Lord-level individuals in the Empire.”
The Crown Prince wasn’t directly hostile toward Ernst.
He merely believed the Empire didn’t need more Lord-level experts.
Had the Crown Prince ascended to the throne, and if Ernst retired before Speira reached Master level,
The Crown Prince might have acted preemptively to prevent Speira from reaching Master level.
Whether by framing her for a crime or pushing her into a fatal situation, there were numerous ways to accomplish this.
“So, Great-grandfather… made a very risky decision.”
Ultimately, everything worked out, but had the Emperor insisted on executing Ernst for the Crown Prince’s murder, no one could have stopped him.
“Great-grandfather hoped that the sword techniques he developed and perfected would continue to evolve and grow greater through the generations. His desire for this was as strong as his love for the Empire. That I am loved by Great-grandfather… well.”
Trailing off, Speira revealed a faint hint of bittersweet emotion before continuing.
“We… well, though it feels embarrassing to group you with either me or Johanna, we can be sources of strength for each other.”
“Forgive me for saying so, but doesn’t mingling with people of our humble status cause discomfort for someone like you?”
“Ray, being born with the talent to reach Lord level is both a blessing and a lonely path. You must always endure the watchful eyes of suspicion and find it nearly impossible to share equal swordplay and camaraderie with anyone. So…”
Speira smiled warmly at Ray.
“I was happy to meet you and Johanna. It’s wonderful to have found friends and companions who can walk alongside each other. Of course, you’re far ahead of us, but…”
Stepping closer, Speira placed her hand on Ray’s face and shrugged.
“And your face suits my taste too.”
“Your sword skills are commendable, but your seduction skills leave much to be desired.”
“I’m sixteen years old. I can’t excel at everything.”
Pretending to be annoyed, Speira turned around but paused briefly before speaking again.
“You resemble my Great-grandfather.”
For a moment, Ray lost control of his expression.
“Pardon?”
“You’re strong like my Great-grandfather, wise, and willing to take risks for the people you care about. Though our meeting may have been forced, I hope we can become ‘people’ to each other.”
Listening to Speira’s heartfelt confession, Ray sighed, a mix of emotions swirling within him.
Not long afterward,
The Emperor began his official purge.
