In the honorary priesthood system of the Kingdom of Delos, mental illnesses were not viewed as occupational hazards. In the event of death caused by mental illness, it was not recognized as a death in the line of duty.
This was because the world still lacked an understanding of the dangers posed by mental illness.
Dien had already sought consultation from experts regarding the dangers of post-traumatic stress to prepare a request for a revision to this policy. He was exhausted from several days of preparing documents.
Nevertheless, thanks to his efforts, the paperwork for the reconsideration of Dante’s honorary priesthood was finally complete. It was perfect enough to leave even him feeling satisfied.
Unaware of how Dien felt, Oren was busy pouring out exhaustive reminders, worried that his son might make a mistake during his audience with the King.
“Dien, if His Majesty asks you something, you must always begin with ‘I am humbled to speak before you, Your Majesty.’ Also, keep your eyes on His Majesty’s feet at all times; you must never make eye contact with him carelessly. Do you understand?”
“Father… if I keep my gaze lowered like that, how am I supposed to eat?”
“What I just said was assuming His Majesty is sitting on his throne. I already explained the dining etiquette, didn’t I? Should I do it again?”
“No, thank you.”
It was the day of the luncheon with King Lonas. Dien had been counting down the days until this moment.
‘Finally, it’s over…’
The request for the revision of the honorary priest system and the petition for the line-of-duty recognition — what had been more taxing for Dien than those was Oren’s non-stop education on palace etiquette.
“No. It’s better to hear it often so you remember! I’ll explain it again! When putting food in your mouth, always cover it with your hand. If you make chewing sounds or put your hands on the table…”
*Sigh.*
Oren’s endless list of precautions continued. Dien had heard them so many times he could practically recite them by heart. He wondered if he might collapse from exhaustion before even meeting King Lonas.
However, knowing that Oren’s heart was filled with nothing but love and concern for him, Dien simply chose to endure it in silence.
“Also… when you express your opinion before His Majesty, you must always take a humble stance and refer to yourself as ‘this humble servant.’ Do you understand?”
“Yes, Father…”
Oren was terrified that Dien might commit even the smallest rudeness before Lonas. If he slipped up, what would happen? What would become of his son’s future?
Because of those fears, Oren couldn’t stop talking, even though he knew Dien was struggling.
“Hah… what else was there…”
Oren paced around, biting his nails. Seeing him so incredibly tense, Dien could feel that this private meeting with the King was indeed a momentous event for the family.
And then, the time finally came.
“Father, I’m leaving now.”
Dien quickly put on his shoes and opened the door to the House of Portran.
“Dien! You must do well! The reputation of the House of Portran rests on your shoulders!”
“I’ll do well, so don’t worry.”
Dien remained suspicious until the very end whether this private audience with the King was a reward or a punishment.
‘If I have to take another etiquette lesson from Father, my mind might actually break.’
Recalling Oren’s fuss over the past few days, Dien shuddered as he boarded the carriage.
‘The King… I didn’t expect to meet him this soon.’
He was the undisputed number one in the kingdom. His other title was the kingdom’s sole Sword Master.
King Lonas was a ruler who had already achieved feats comparable to the previous king. Ever since his coronation, the people had called the Kingdom of Delos a wonderful place to live, so there was no doubt why they referred to him as a sage king.
His political philosophy was distinct from the previous king. Rather than conceptual rule through virtue, Lonas believed that an exceptional system would make Delos flourish.
For that reason, he always strove to care for the people through good systems, which was why many scholars followed him.
“If it’s His Majesty, surely…”
Dien double-checked the documents in his hand. His heart was pounding harder than it had on his first day of heir training. He felt even more nervous because he was entering the palace not as a student, but as a guest of the King.
The carriage carrying Dien entered the palace through the main gate instead of the western gate he usually used.
‘Is this the same path I take every day?’
It was his first time entering the inner palace by carriage. Thanks to that, he was able to see the central heart of the Royal Castle, which he usually never glimpsed.
The carriage continued toward the Crystal Palace, the very heart of the Royal Castle.
*Whinny.*
“We have arrived.”
The coachman said as he pulled the reins. Stepping out of the carriage, Dien gasped at the majestic sight of the Crystal Palace, which radiated an emerald glow.
“Wow… I’ve heard stories… but I didn’t expect it to be this much.”
The area of the Royal Castle was truly immense. Even a twenty-year veteran of palace life would occasionally get lost, so it was clear that seeing the entire place would require a vast amount of time and effort.
Furthermore, even palace officials were strictly controlled when it came to the Crystal Palace, so it was natural that Dien, who was only receiving heir training, was seeing it for the first time.
While Dien was busy admiring the dreamlike architectural beauty of the Crystal Palace, the Head Chamberlain and the Captain of the Royal Guard approached him.
“Greetings. I am Dien Portran.”
“Oho! So you’re the Dien that Persian wouldn’t stop praising until his mouth went dry!”
Dressed in the golden chainmail that symbolized the Royal Guard, it was Talmon, the Captain of the Royal Guard and Persian’s swordsmanship rival.
Talmon, who already had a positive impression of Dien through rumors, greeted him with a bright smile despite it being their first meeting.
“Guardian of Delos. It is an honor to meet the Captain of the Royal Guard.”
“The honor is mine, to see the new sprout of the Chancellor’s office.”
A light laugh followed, one that didn’t seem to match the title of Captain of the Royal Guard. For the leader of the kingdom’s finest knight order, his voice was surprisingly high-pitched.
As Talmon shook hands with Dien, he noticed the callouses on the boy’s hand, and a strange light flickered in his eyes.
“You’re learning swordsmanship?”
“Yes. I’m still very lacking, but I’m training hard.”
“Aha! A true man indeed!”
‘What is this sense of dissonance…’
With his long black hair fluttering and his cheerful laughter, Talmon was far from the image of a Captain of the Royal Guard that Dien had imagined. Usually, people expected the Captain of the Royal Guard to be uncompromising and stiff.
Dien’s stereotypes were being shattered by Talmon’s boisterous behavior.
“You must have a hard time under Persian! Is that fellow still walking around with his body all stiff and tense these days?”
“Haha.”
“I need to become a Sword Master soon so I can kick his butt… The day I kick that guy’s butt, I’ll treat you to a nice drink! Do you happen to like rum?”
“Hahaha… I have not yet reached the age of twenty.”
“Hahaha, what does that matter!”
Right. In Delos, there were no youth protection laws forbidding alcohol under the age of 20.
Talmon continued to gossip about Persian, who wasn’t even there. They seemed incredibly close. He listed Persian’s flaws without hesitation, and Dien could only offer a neutral response.
“Actually, I asked Persian for a duel a while back, but he refused, saying he was busy. Do you know what that means? It means Persian is scared of me! Just because we’re both High Knights doesn’t mean we’re the same level… that’s what I’m saying!”
“Hahaha…”
But Dien could tell that Talmon felt a strange sense of inferiority toward Persian. Persian had once mentioned that Talmon’s level was below his own, and looking at Talmon now, that seemed to be the truth.
Inferiority, after all, was just another word for envy and jealousy.
Even though Dien only gave awkward smiles, Talmon’s mouth didn’t stop.
“Oh, and! I heard you’ve enchanted my niece, Dorothy? Ha! If you want to marry Dorothy, you’ll have to get my permission before Persian’s. I cherish Dorothy even more than that fellow does. I have no idea how a beautiful child like Dorothy was born to someone who looks like a mudskipper like Persian… This is what they call the blessing of Panthera.”
“That is enough idle chatter, Count.”
When it seemed like Talmon’s talking would never end, the Head Chamberlain stepped in and stopped him.
“Ahem… I understand.”
Talmon smacked his lips as if he were disappointed. Dien found Talmon’s behavior amusing and let a small smile play on his lips. Listening to the man’s cheerful stories had helped him relax quite a bit.
“His Majesty is waiting. Let us go.”
“Yes.”
Dien followed the Head Chamberlain’s lead.
After walking for quite a while, the Head Chamberlain led Dien to a training ground located inside the Crystal Palace.
“This is His Majesty’s training ground. You may enter.”
“The training ground?”
“Yes. His Majesty instructed me to lead the Young Lord here.”
“I… I understand.”
Dien stood before the large iron gates.
‘Why did he call me to the training ground?’
No matter how much he pondered it, he couldn’t guess Lonas’s intentions, so he simply opened the door as instructed.
*Creeeak.*
The thick iron gates swung open, revealing marble floors and a high ceiling. In the center of the training ground stood Lonas, motionless. The colorful light streaming through the stained-glass windows enveloped him.
“Your Majesty.”
Dien knelt on one knee and bowed his head, just as Oren had taught him.
However, Lonas did not react. He surely must have seen Dien arrive.
Should he approach Lonas and greet him?
In those few seconds, tens of thousands of thoughts raced through Dien’s mind.
And then.
Lonas’s body, which had been perfectly still, began to move along with his long robe.
*Shriiing.*
Lonas’s sword was drawn from his belt, and soon, a golden, tangible energy began to wrap around the blade.
‘…!’
“A perfected aura!”
The hallmark of a Sword Master made manifest — a perfected aura. The aura clearly revealed golden crystals, and it radiated a brilliant golden light like a massive topaz.
Then, Lonas’s form began to move as if he were fluttering along with the sword.
“The kingdom’s secret technique… it’s the Meganom Swordsmanship!”
It was a sword dance of a Sword Master, something not easily seen. The Meganom Swordsmanship was grand and domineering. Lonas’s sword dance soon began to sound like a piece of music in Dien’s ears.
‘What a magnificent song.’
It was a perfected composition that could only be heard from a master swordsman. Furthermore, his movements were so extraordinary that one couldn’t look away. It was an intense display of swordsmanship, enough to justify his title as the greatest war god of Delos.
Dien could finally feel why Lonas’s moniker was the “Swordsman of the Storm.”
“Wow…”
Dien let out a long gasp of admiration at Lonas’s sword dance. Lonas was weaving a story within the dance, and that story flowed steadily from a calm beginning to a moving conclusion.
*Rattle, rattle!*
The wind generated by Lonas’s sword shook the windows violently. Dien bowed his head slightly against the rising wind that made it difficult to keep his eyes open.
‘There are no openings in his swordsmanship… It’s a domineering, direct style pushed to the absolute limit. Ugh…’
A small groan escaped Dien’s lips as the pressure from the wind Lonas unleashed began to press down on him.
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