Chapter 84: The Price of Insolence

He had expected the envoy to be someone with considerable experience.

He never imagined someone this young.

…He doesn’t seem like an ordinary person.

This was an envoy from Gardion, one of the Ten Great Magic Towers.

Moreover, the man’s aura was anything but common.

He couldn’t be of ordinary status.

Perhaps a scion of a renowned family or a disciple of someone high-ranking within the tower.

Huh?

Lost in thought, the defense captain flinched.

Why…?

The man was approaching.

And Luna was hurriedly following behind.

With an utterly flustered expression.

From Luna’s reaction, the defense captain could be certain.

The man’s status was extraordinarily high.

Otherwise, Luna wouldn’t act so intimidated just because he was an envoy.

So he grew anxious.

Why was he approaching?

STEP!

Soon, the man—Gaon—stopped.

And he asked the defense captain.

“Tell me why you blocked entry.”

“This is the royal palace. Not just anyone can enter. Of course, I don’t mean the envoy from Gardion Magic Tower is just anyone…”

“How truly strange.”

Gaon cut off the defense captain’s words.

And he asked Luna.

“Have you ever had trouble because you vouched for someone’s identity?”

Among the Varta royal family’s laws was one stating that if someone vouched for by royalty caused trouble, that royal could no longer vouch for identities.

Could Luna have vouched for someone before and caused an issue?

Was that why the defense captain blocked entry despite her vouching?

“No.”

“Then why do you think this fellow is blocking entry when you’ve vouched for me?”

“…I’m sorry.”

Instead of answering the question, Luna expressed apology.

If this were another kingdom?

The defense captain’s current actions would be a grave crime worthy of beheading.

Yet Luna couldn’t punish him.

Not because the defense captain was strong.

But because of the nobles backing him.

The moment she punished him, the nobles would tear into the royal family.

That was why she apologized to Gaon.

Because the royal family’s authority had fallen to the point where even punishing the defense captain required caution.

At Luna’s answer, Gaon continued.

“Remember the emotion you feel right now. What happens when authority is absent or power is weak.”

“I will keep it in mind.”

Luna replied with a resolute expression, and Gaon smiled brightly.

And the defense captain, listening to their conversation, swallowed hard.

An envoy saying such things…?

He couldn’t understand the situation.

Why would an envoy from Gardion Magic Tower say such things to the princess?

And why was the princess accepting it as if it were natural?

The defense captain’s reaction wasn’t strange.

From his perspective, unaware of Gaon’s true identity, it was an entirely natural response.

SWISH—

Then Gaon turned his head and looked at the defense captain again.

The defense captain flinched as their eyes met and snapped back to attention.

And Gaon said.

“You know well the crime you’ve committed.”

The defense captain slightly frowned at the words “you fellow” and opened his mouth.

“I think the envoy’s words are too harsh…”

But he had to stop mid-sentence.

CRACK!!

Because of the sound coming from below.

The sound of something freezing.

The defense captain looked down at his feet.

Thick ice had risen up to his knees.

“ARRGH!”

Then, feeling the cold and pain, the defense captain screamed.

But that was only for a moment.

The defense captain’s scream vanished.

Not because he stopped screaming.

He was still screaming now.

But Gaon’s silence magic prevented it from escaping his mouth.

And a few seconds later.

HUM!

The soldiers, who had been dazed by the sudden situation, snapped back to reality—one rang the emergency bell, while the others aimed spears at Gaon.

That was all.

They didn’t move.

They didn’t open their mouths.

They simply stared at Gaon and the defense captain with tense faces.

Gaon smiled with satisfaction at the soldiers’ response.

They have courage.

The soldiers knew too.

That no matter what they did, they couldn’t resolve this situation.

Yet aiming their spears was admirable.

Of course, it wasn’t just admirable.

There was one very serious issue.

“Do you know who your spears are pointed at right now?”

Gaon was currently with Luna.

The soldiers had aimed at Gaon for attacking the defense captain, but that also meant aiming at Luna.

At Gaon’s words, the soldiers flinched in shock and lowered their spears.

Good.

If they had forgotten their duty like the defense captain?

He had planned to give them the same punishment.

But judging by their reaction, punishment wouldn’t be necessary.

Then Gaon looked inside the castle gate.

Was it because the emergency bell had rung?

Countless people were rushing over.

Of course, it wasn’t just because of the bell.

There had been people approaching even before it rang.

Soon, a group arrived.

The first to arrive were knights clad in white armor.

Each knight’s armor bore the emblem of a black wolf’s head.

Gaon recognized their identity from the engraved symbol.

They were undoubtedly the Black Wolf Knights, one of the few direct knight orders of the Varta royal family.

“What is…!”

One knight, whose aura was particularly strong, began to speak but stopped with a shocked face.

And he stared blankly at the defense captain.

Of course, the dazed state didn’t last long.

Soon regaining his senses, the knight opened his mouth again.

“Just who…!”

But he stopped again this time.

Because he had spotted Luna.

“P-Princess?”

Standing before the defense captain was Second Princess Luna, who had left for Gardion Academy.

Why was Luna here?

And she wasn’t alone.

Who is he…?

While the knight was lost in thought, a new group arrived.

This time, everyone wore gray robes.

And on the robes was the emblem of a blood-red staff.

Gaon’s eyes flashed at the sight of the emblem.

The reason Gaon’s eyes flashed was because the group using that emblem was the War Magic Corps.

The War Magic Corps was a magic unit Gaon had personally founded during his time as emperor.

As the name suggested, a magic corps created for war.

The level is higher than I heard.

Gaon had heard about the War Magic Corps from Luna.

The corps commander and vice-commander were 5th Circle, and the members were between 2nd and 4th Circle.

Yet the mage at the front was concealing his aura.

Including the hidden aura, he was by no means 5th Circle.

Whether he actually had six circles was unknown, but even with five, he wouldn’t be pushed back by a 6th Circle mage.

Why hide his power?

Gaon was curious.

Why conceal his strength?

There was no prohibition spell.

The chance of being Abyss was low.

I can confirm through an oath.

While Gaon was lost in thought.

“What in the world…”

Vice-Commander Pio of the War Magic Corps trailed off as he looked at the defense captain.

Then he looked at Luna and Gaon.

Then, adjusting his expression, he stepped forward.

“I greet the princess.”

Soon stopping, Pio bowed politely and greeted Luna.

“Vice-Commander, it’s been a while.”

Luna returned the greeting and then said to Gaon.

“This is Sir Pio, Vice-Commander of the War Magic Corps.”

“Vice-Commander…”

Gaon trailed off with an intrigued expression.

He had naturally assumed the man was the commander due to his level.

Yet he was the vice-commander?

Right then, Pio cautiously asked.

“Princess, may I ask who this person is…”

Luna didn’t answer Pio’s question.

Instead, she looked at Gaon.

And Gaon opened his mouth.

“Why did you hide your realm?”

“…!”

Pio couldn’t help but be shocked at Gaon’s question.

H-How did he know?

The only ones who knew Pio had hidden his realm were King Lepra and War Magic Corps Commander Morca.

How did Gaon know?

Pio looked at Gaon with a bewildered expression.

And Gaon shifted his gaze to look inside the castle gate.

Because a new group had arrived.

This group had been approaching even before the emergency bell rang.

Of course, they had moved together but weren’t a single unit.

One group was mages, the other knights.

That had made him even more curious.

What kind of groups they were.

And with his curiosity resolved, Gaon slightly frowned.

The Court Magic Corps and the Hongik Knights moving together?

Shockingly, the two groups that arrived together were the Court Magic Corps and the Hongik Knights.

The Court Magic Corps was, as the name suggested, the royal family’s direct magic unit.

And the Hongik Knights were the knight order of the Meliad Ducal Family.

Have they switched sides?

He had heard from Luna.

The Court Magic Corps was maintaining neutrality.

But looking at the situation, it seemed they had either switched or were about to.

These bastards.

He had already found it displeasing.

Hearing that the royal family’s direct magic corps was staying neutral.

But now, instead of returning to the royal family, they were switching to the nobles?

Gaon’s eyes grew colder as he looked at the Court Magic Corps.

And right then.

“What the—! Who dares do this to the defense captain!”

Hongik Knights Commander Jed shouted in a voice full of rage and disbelief.

“Surely not you, Sir Pio?”

Jed glared at Pio with eyes full of hostility and asked.

Pio frowned and replied.

“No. But pointing fingers at me out of nowhere is quite rude, don’t you think?”

“Hmph, then who? Who turned the defense captain into that…”

Jed snorted and continued, but trailed off upon spotting Luna.

And looking at Gaon, he continued.

“Don’t tell me you did this filthy deed?”

At Jed’s words, Luna cried out in shock.

“Hongik Knights Commander! Watch your words! This person is…”

“I know he’s Gardion’s envoy!”

“…!”

Luna couldn’t help but be shocked.

Not because Jed cut her off.

Gaon’s public identity was Gardion’s envoy.

And this information had been secretly conveyed to Lepra through the communication network.

How did Jed know Gaon’s public identity?

Something’s wrong.

There was clearly a problem with the communication network they thought was safe.

Otherwise, the current situation made no sense.

“So what if he’s an envoy? Does that mean he can do this kind of filth? How much do you look down on our Varta Kingdom to do such a thing!”

Jed spewed rage at Gaon and thought.

Heh heh, perfect.

The reason Jed was cornering Gaon was because of orders from Smich.

Whether through insult or fight, he was to leave a bad impression on Gardion’s envoy.

He had been wondering how to do it when this perfect situation arose?

It felt like the heavens were helping.

Right then.

“This kind of filth…”

Gaon opened his mouth.

“Insulting royalty, and ending it at this level is fortunate, isn’t it?”

“W-What? Insulting royalty! What nonsense!”

At the unexpected words, Jed stammered and shouted.

He had thought the defense captain might have done something wrong.

But he thought it wouldn’t be a big deal.

Insulting royalty?

“And now you’ve insulted royalty too.”

“What are you talking about! Me, insulting royalty!”

“Not admitting fault.”

Gaon shook his head.

SWOOSH…

And the wind blew.

At the same time, a line of blood appeared on Jed’s neck.

“Huh?”

Jed let out a bewildered sound.

And then Jed’s head fell to the ground.

Silence descended in the blink of an eye.

But only for a moment.

SPLURT!

Blood gushed from Jed’s neck, and those nearby cried out in shock and backed away.

Especially Court Magic Corps Commander Violet, who was right beside him, swallowed hard.

I-It was definitely magic.

What cut Jed’s neck was a wind blade.

It appeared in an instant, severed his neck, and vanished—but it was clear.

That made it even harder to believe.

Even as a 6th Circle mage, Violet couldn’t do such magic.

In other words, a Great Mage who had crossed the wall.

Violet looked at Gaon.

And couldn’t help but flinch.

Because their eyes met.

The problem was the gaze.

It was endlessly cold.

Right then, Gaon opened his mouth.