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Mohamed drew his sword.
Despite the extremely confusing situation, Mohamed tried to stay calm.
However, the moment the magical runes engraved all around activated, Mohamed’s vision began to blur.
“Ugh…!”
A spell designed to disrupt human consciousness was unleashed upon Mohamed.
An ordinary person would have already collapsed, bleeding from their eyes and ears.
But Mohamed was a knight.
Even if his limbs were torn apart, as long as he still breathed, he must fulfill his duty by biting his sword – that was the code of a knight.
With a powerful stomp of his right foot on the ground, Mohamed looked ahead.
Due to the overwhelming power of the magic circle, even though he used mana to create a protective barrier around his body, his head still spun.
Nevertheless, with his firmly established willpower, Mohamed managed to regain minimal rationality.
Step. Step.
The Royal Guard emitting Sword Energy approached, exuding killing intent.
If he stayed still, death was inevitable.
Mohamed had to die beside Count Philip, not fall meaninglessly here.
Thus, Mohamed lifted his sword.
“ROAAARR!!”
With a roar, Mohamed charged at the Royal Guard.
Inside the Imperial Palace, two knights unleashing Sword Energy clashed.
KWAHNG!!
The Royal Guard’s sword strike aimed menacingly for the neck.
Mohamed rapidly retreated five steps.
Though it seemed like he was pushed back, the swordsmanship of the House of Philip was originally based on stable defense followed by counterattacks.
After enduring relentless attacks, a small opening appeared in the Royal Guard’s stance.
Mohamed immediately adjusted his grip and swung his sword horizontally.
CHIICK!!
The Royal Guard jumped back significantly to evade Mohamed’s horizontal slash.
Immediately afterward, several bursts of Sword Aura erupted from the Royal Guard’s sword.
Dozens of Sword Auras scattered widely, each changing direction to converge on Mohamed.
One of the empire’s renowned sword techniques: Alang Swordplay.
Unfazed by the downpour of Sword Aura like rain, Mohamed remained calm.
He had faced Sword Auras that could tear through space; responding to something like this was no challenge.
BOOM!!
Mohamed surged forward.
The Sword Auras surrounding him tracked his movement and blocked his path.
Mohamed regulated his breathing.
‘Don’t break it; deflect it.’
Minimizing recoil was necessary for swift advancement.
What Mohamed needed to emulate was Jimmy’s sword.
Among the hundreds of flows in the space, he entrusted himself to one and moved forward.
Although achieving perfect imitation was impossible without attaining ‘No Self,’ he could mimic it to some extent.
KWANGH!!
Dozens of Sword Auras grazed past Mohamed’s sword, colliding with the wall instead.
Receiving almost no resistance, Mohamed accelerated further.
Startled by Mohamed’s unexpected speed, the Royal Guard hastily unleashed another Sword Energy.
KWAHNG!!
When facing a knight who uses unique Sword Aura projection like Alang Swordplay, it’s crucial not to give them distance.
Mohamed successfully closed the gap, but the Royal Guard was also accustomed to close-range combat.
KACHA KACHA!!
The Royal Guard’s sword strikes created afterimages.
Alang Swordplay accelerates with every swing, aiming precisely for the opponent’s vital points.
However, Mohamed refused to let the battle flow according to the Royal Guard’s intentions.
CRACK!!
At the moment their swords collided, Mohamed applied reverse rotation to the flow of the Sword Aura.
The mana currents surrounding their swords violently intertwined, causing the swinging swords to abruptly stop.
Though his shoulder muscles nearly tore from the backlash, Mohamed pressed on relentlessly.
Without momentum, Alang Swordplay couldn’t pose a proper threat.
Now, it was Mohamed’s turn to savagely tear into the Royal Guard.
Faced with an unforeseen situation, the Royal Guard silently grew furious.
KA CHAK!!!
Spinning his body momentarily, the Royal Guard deflected Mohamed’s sword upward before using a technique he shouldn’t have.
Claws Between Fangs.
A secret art used to hunt enemies who approach too closely to suppress Alang Swordplay’s aura projection.
Without knowing when it was drawn, a dagger appeared in the Royal Guard’s left hand, aiming for Mohamed’s vital points.
It had approached stealthily beneath the longsword in the Royal Guard’s right hand, leaving Mohamed no time to react.
As the dagger neared, stopping just a finger’s breadth from piercing his chest, Mohamed prepared his final move.
TSZT!
Mana concentrated between the joints.
Not Overdrive…
Mohamed couldn’t use that technique.
Even if he exploded mana to accelerate his body, how could he control it delicately?
It was an impossible task by normal standards.
Precisely controlling the energy exploded between the joints to execute precise movements…
Yes, only an ‘extremely rare genius’ could achieve such extraordinary skill beyond common sense.
Thus, Mohamed’s final move was absolutely not Overdrive.
This was merely a gamble borrowing the principle of Overdrive.
KRACK!
The mana concentrated between the joints exploded.
The explosive force converted into kinetic energy, accelerating his body.
Mohamed had no idea where the trajectory of his sword would lead.
It might cleave the enemy’s head or miss entirely, striking empty air.
TSZT!
In a fight to kill or be killed, their final moves collided.
KWAHGAJAG!!
With a thunderous sound, the two knights slid in opposite directions.
Rolling across the floor, Mohamed barely managed to stop, clutching his side.
“GRGHH…!”
The dagger intended for his chest had pierced his side instead.
Pulling out the dagger, Mohamed groaned as he stood up.
As the thick dust settled on the opposite end of the corridor, the Royal Guard also came into view.
Blood gushed profusely from a deep gash in the Royal Guard’s left shoulder.
“…”
Though it was a serious wound requiring immediate treatment, the Royal Guard rose without hesitation.
Despite a headache so severe it felt like his head would split, Mohamed once again pointed his sword at the Royal Guard.
At that moment, a deep voice echoed through the space.
“Enough.”
TSZZZZZT!
As the voice resonated, the space transformed.
The golden-lit corridor receded, the imperial banners flowed down the walls, and dozens of heavily armed knights lined up, revealing their imposing presence.
And then, the eternal symbol of imperial power—the throne—appeared before Mohamed.
Only after meeting the emperor’s gaze seated on the throne did Mohamed finally recall exactly where he was and why he had come.
Mohamed sheathed his sword and placed it on the ground.
Then, advancing five steps toward the emperor, Mohamed paid his respects to the absolute authority of the empire.
“A humble knight greets Your Majesty the Emperor.”
*
“Could you explain it in more detail?”
Ray slightly bent his waist to ask Diorica a question.
However, Saria grabbed Ray’s shoulder and pulled him back into her embrace.
Ray’s buttocks slid down along Saria’s thighs until they reached her knees.
In this awkward lying position, Ray glanced upward with a wry expression.
He had a clear view of Saria’s face looking down at him like a concerned aunt.
“Geez, Auntie, I’m already 18 years old…”
Saria pinched Ray’s cheeks with both hands.
She continued rubbing until Ray’s cheeks became smooth, then carefully examined his face.
“Did you erase it? The scar?”
“Yeah. Got the chance recently.”
“Our nephew has become even cuter.”
“…”
Ray seriously considered whether increasing the frequency of meetings with Saria would weaken the intensity of her affectionate expressions.
As Ray lay there deprived of bodily autonomy, Diorica cleared her throat.
“Hmm. Dear nephew, you may not know this, but matters concerning the royal family are extremely sensitive topics.”
“Yes, I’ll be sure to exercise caution with my words.”
“I trust you will. But how much do you actually know about the royal family?”
“What could someone like me, a country bumpkin, possibly know?”
While fidgeting in Saria’s embrace, Ray feigned ignorance while subtly probing.
“I’ve heard rumors about implanting a Dragonheart into the hearts of the royal family.”
Diorica’s left hand trembled slightly.
It was a fleeting moment, but she quickly regained composure, realizing she had made a mistake.
Given her reaction, any competent knight would definitely notice.
After a brief awkward silence,
Diorica sighed deeply.
“I let my guard down. What you’ve heard isn’t entirely rumor.”
“That’s… truly astonishing.”
Ray feigned shock, struggling to find words.
Straightening his posture, Diorica continued.
“It’s a fact known to some extent within the upper echelons of the empire, but please keep it confidential. Auntie, I ask for your discretion as well.”
Saria nodded.
Ray’s crown bumped against Saria’s chin as she nodded.
Relieved by the confirmation, Diorica’s expression relaxed slightly.
“The reason for implanting a Dragonheart into the hearts of the royal family is to control dragon blood.”
“You mentioned dragon blood just now, didn’t you?!”
Ray acted surprised, and Diorica subtly enjoyed Ray’s reaction while continuing the explanation.
After a brief introduction to the history of the progenitor dragon and the royal family, information unknown to Ray started to emerge.
“The life span of the royal lineage isn’t very long. Even with the help of the Dragonheart, containing dragon blood within a human body is no easy feat.”
Most members of the royal family reach their physical limits around the age of 60.
With intensive care from the empire, their expected lifespan is roughly around 65, which is quite short considering their privileged status.
To surpass this limit, one would need to reach Lord-level strength, but even for royals with exceptional innate potential, achieving such transcendence isn’t easy.
“Moreover, the Dragon Heart left behind by the empire’s progenitor dragon isn’t sufficient to be shared among dozens of royals.”
Therefore, historically, the number of royals has been maintained at around 15.
Royals who don’t ascend to the throne can’t have children freely, and even the emperor can’t raise numerous heirs indiscriminately.
If someone not destined for the throne has a child without permission, they must commit suicide before the child turns three if they wish to save the child.
“This isn’t a pleasant story.”
“The dark side of the royal family wielding absolute power.”
Diorica chuckled bitterly and nodded.
Because his first love was a princess now resting in eternal peace, he tended to be emotionally sensitive regarding matters related to the royal family.
“Recently, due to a series of incidents, the number of royals, excluding His Majesty the Emperor, has decreased to seven. Actually, the real problem lies elsewhere…”
“Legitimacy?”
“Yes.”
Given the short lifespans and limited numbers, maintaining order was crucial, hence succession to the throne placed great emphasis on legitimacy.
If a prince with questionable legitimacy were to inherit the throne, all royals with greater legitimacy would need to be eliminated.
“But currently, the legitimacy of the royals who could succeed His Majesty the Emperor… has some flaws. Or they’re simply too old.”
Ray massaged his temples.
Even Lea, who was currently roaming around the Phillip’s County, had numerous issues with her legitimacy.
Fundamentally, she was a bastard child whose father was the Crown Prince but lost his title as the First Prince, and her mother Bella was of low birth.
If a prince with unshakable legitimacy ascended the throne, the situation would have been better.
Lea wouldn’t have posed any threat to such a legitimate emperor, and even if her true identity were revealed, she might have only been confined.
‘But if someone with questionable legitimacy ascends the throne… Lea herself becomes a factor threatening the throne.’
The moment Lea’s true identity is revealed, the empire’s elite forces will move immediately to capture and eliminate her.
After swallowing his sigh, Ray decided he needed to knock some sense into Lea when he returned to the county.
While Ray was internally agonizing, Diorica tilted her cold tea cup.
“Our house supports Lord Poibos.”
“You mean the emperor’s illegitimate son?”
“Yes. And Lord Poibos is engaged to one of Lady Ernst’s granddaughters. Though they don’t have children yet, word is that their relationship is harmonious.”
Here we go again with the interwoven bloodlines.
Muttering under his breath, Ray asked with frustration.
“I know about the First Prince, but what happened to the Second Prince?”
“A string of misfortunes befell him.”
“Diorica, please just tell me honestly that you can’t share the details.”
The Second Prince wasn’t someone who could meet an untimely death due to a bit of bad luck.
After looking at Ray for a moment, Diorica set down her teacup.
“Lord Ernst was involved.”
“…!”
Ray’s expression crumpled instantly.
Casually sipping tea while discussing how Ernst took down the Second Prince was tantamount to saying the empire had completely fractured.
“Is the emperor and the empire’s Swordmaster at odds?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Diorica answered immediately.
“Lord Ernst still loves the empire and remains loyal to His Majesty. His Majesty still values Lord Ernst and will soon decide on the successor. That’s my opinion.”
“…Does that make any sense?”
No matter how positively one tries to interpret it, it doesn’t make sense.
As Ray openly displayed distrust, Diorica chuckled wryly.
“The story is complicated. No, it’s not really complicated… There are just various nuances.”
Considering it might get too personal, Diorica hesitated briefly before adding:
“I don’t know how His Majesty, Lord Ernst, or myself appear from your perspective… But being at the center of power doesn’t make us always as cold as ice. We’re ultimately ordinary humans swayed by emotions. That’s my belief.”
That ended the conversation.
Diorica didn’t seem inclined to elaborate further.
After expressing his thanks, Ray remained alone in the room for a while, pondering.
There were hardly any high-ranking figures in the empire who would welcome Lea.
“It’s ironic that the only person worth expecting anything from is the emperor who directly ordered the execution of the First Prince’s wife.”
Even if the emperor somehow miraculously accepted Lea due to senility, the emperor’s remaining lifespan, having surpassed 60, is limited.
Once the throne is passed to someone else, Lea, who lacks any base of support, will surely be purged.
“Lea, you really need to live quietly and die quietly.”
If that’s not possible, either you’ll die by my hand…
Or your existence will kill me.
*
Speira Prizzran chuckled wryly as she removed her armor with the help of a servant.
“Engagement?”
Speira’s gaze turned toward Shay, her personal knight.
“Not a rumor?”
“There are many testimonies from reputable knights.”
“…”
Recalling how merciless or lenient people could become depending on their inherent qualities, Speira slowly chewed her lips thinking of Ernst.
For Ernst to propose an engagement to someone without noble lineage meant he saw great potential in the individual.
However, one couldn’t simply accept an unknown man as a fiancé.
“Prepare for an outing.”
She wanted to see the face of whoever had so captivated her great-grandfather.
Imperial Capital (3)
