Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
“Is it all gold?”
“Check it yourself.”
At Clavis’ question, Lynn remained silent.
The priests opened the sack. Gold and precious stones poured out. If the nobles remaining in the main palace saw it, this sight might make them drool and their eyes turned upside down.
Having checked the loot, Clavis shifted his gaze to the North.
“Now all that’s left is the North.”
The Marquis’ heart sank at Clavis’ call..
“What did the North bring?”
“… The Northern army reached the castle of The King Who Swallowed the First Cry by following the traces of the Representative.”
“So?”
“We fought a long battle, and we saw the castle fall. So we searched for 5 days.”
“I asked what you brought, Sir Ruber.”
As the Marquis’ words got longer, Clavis asked with a smile. The Marquis confessed helplessly to the cold intervention.
“… We brought nothing. We were left with only a black swamp. We stayed around the castle, but we had never encountered the Eastern Knights, nor did we see the Southern Representative entering the castle.”
“Hmm. I’m confused. So, you’re saying they’re lying?”
Clavis slyly threw the bait. The Marquis knew it was a trap, but had no choice but to swallow it.
“I’d like to check the heart brought by the Southern Representative.”
It was hard to believe that Rena had returned unharmed, but it was even more unbelievable that she had brought the King’s heart.
So the Marquis demanded verification, and Clavis nodded willingly.
“If you must.”
When the Cardinal’s permission was granted, a priest came out carrying something in silk.
But there was nothing that could be called a heart on it. What was placed on the silk was nothing but a signet ring engraved with an unfamiliar letter instead of a small jewel.
“This…”
“This is the heart of the King brought by Sir Rena.”
Clavis explained as the Marquis looked at him in bewilderment.
Thanks to this, the Marquis was thrilled. He had wondered if it was possible to tear off the King’s heart. But this was not a heart, it was just a ring.
“This thing is the heart?”
“Sir Ruber didn’t read Her Majesty’s biography properly?”
The Cardinal laughed and teased, and the Marquis flashed back a passage from Nihil’s biography.
— A tiny heart slipped out of his shredded body.
— The King quickly put his heart in his finger and ran away.
Sure, there was such a verse. But wasn’t that a reasonably contrived story?
The ring is the heart, the absurd bullshit is real.
The Marquis was now on the verge of anger.
“… Even if the King’s heart is a ring, we need to confirm whether it is that ring.”
“Fine. Then I’ll show Her Majesty the ring, and she will recognize it.”
As the Marquis bit persistently, the Cardinal pretended to let him win and sent the priests away.
The priests who had gone to the Emperor with the ring returned soon after. But when they returned, they had a silver key in their hand instead of a signet ring.
The priest returned, handed the key to the Cardinal and said:
“Her Majesty said that the heart is right. She praised that it was brought well, and told us to give the key to the one who brought the heart.”
The Marquis’ face hardened at the words.
Clavis laughed at the Marquis, asking if everything is alright now, and Rubid, who was watching, glared at the Marquis as if wanting to eat him alive.
“As such, the conclusion is made. Go to the main palace and ring the victory bell. In the name of the Southern region and Sir Rena.”
With the Emperor’s judgment and the Cardinal’s proclamation, the first expedition ended, and a sound that was loud enough to shake the sky resounded throughout the Imperial Palace.
The outcome of the expedition was unexpected for everyone. Numerous suspicions were aroused as the result defied common sense and failed the people’s prediction.
However, Rena Ruber, the Emperor’s knight and representative of the Southern Duke, was only smiling innocently as if she knew nothing of their wild doubts.
***
On the night the Tomb was first conquered, a shadow rested on the lakeside of the Imperial Palace again.
The result of the expedition today was unexpected for everyone. But for Rena, today only meant that it had been 2 days since she last met Lynn.
However, Lynn, who had spent 10 days at the Tomb, had different thoughts about her.
Unlike Rena, who was the same as usual, he was somewhat nervous. And that feeling was clearly revealed the moment he met Rena.
“Can I touch you?”
Rena’s eyes quickly turned cold at Lynn’s reckless remarks. But Lynn continued to explain.
“I heard you’re dead.”
“Who said such a terrible thing?”
“I thought you really died.”
Rena laughed lightly, but Lynn’s voice was still serious, making Rena couldn’t even laugh anymore.
“So you were very surprised?”
Rena asked, looking at Lynn’s pale face.
Lynn looked at Rena and nodded silently.
He actually nodded his head, and only realized later that he was indeed surprised.
Lynn heard of Rena’s death through Deca he rejoined him back in the Tomb.
He said that the Marquis had pushed her from the wall. Sir Rena rescued the Marquis from falling, he said, but later was pushed and killed by him.
Deca didn’t know Rena personally, but he mourned her death and was angry with the Marquis.
However, Lynn did not even feel such a normal feeling. All he felt was an unknown confusion.
In that confusion, Lynn tried to connect the two words ‘Rena’ and ‘death’. But he could not digest them, and they kept floating around in his head.
When he returned to Doom Palace, something came up the moment he saw the Marquis. And when he found Rena, his heart sank.
After that, he stayed like this until nightfall.
Lynn did not know the identity of these waving emotions, and barely found out through Rena’s expression: That he was very surprised when hearing about Rena’s news.
Rena read his expression carefully and said playfully.
“What kind of confirmation do you need to make you feel reassured?”
When one checks for life or death, they’d usually hear the heartbeat. But Lynn couldn’t do it, so he quietly compromised.
“… Hand.”
“Alright, here.”
Rena reached out her hand, raising her palm. Lynn hesitated, and then gently placed his own hand on top of it.
As she reminisced about something at the touch, Rena asked with a smile.
“Are you reassured now?”
Lynn smiled weakly and grabbed Rena’s hand with his hand.
They often went for a walk, but it was the first time he held her hand. And the first time he held Rena’s hand, he found that it was surprisingly small.
Lynn curled up Rena’s fingers and moved his thumb slowly. His fingers ran down Rena’s palms and wrapped gently around her wrist.
As he squeezed her wrist, he felt her pulse. It was proof that Rena was alive.
Lynn, who checked the warmth, asked.
“What happened back then?”
“Mr. Lynn, please tell me first.”
Rena responded calmly. Her hand was still held.
“I will have to talk about myself in front of people anyway. So right now, I want to hear from Lynn.”
This was because they did not know each other’s steps after they greeted each other among the dead.
In particular, Rena wondered how Lynn interpreted her advice.
“I saw the number of knights and thought you weren’t listening to me.”
“Because your advice was too vague to follow it unconditionally.”
When asked, Lynn answered meekly.
“I needed a safety device for the part that was directly related to survival.”
“So they’re your safety device.”
“… In the sense of being cautious.”
“You need a safety device.”
“Yes.”
“Safety device…”
“Let’s just move on. Please…”
As Rena persistently teased him about the safety device, Lynn suffered from shame.
Rena smiled and apologized only after Lynn’s face changed. Lynn cursed his own remark and spoke again.
.
.
.
Rena declared that she’s the only one who can conquer the castle of the King Who Swallowed the First Cry.
Instead, she told Lynn where the treasure was located.
The castle would fall if she conquered it, so she told him to dig inside and get the treasure.
Lynn followed Rena’s words, still thinking is it worth the trouble.
But then, before a day had passed, the castle had collapsed, revealing a cavernous underpass beneath it.
The process of going down the underpass was difficult. It took three days to get all the way down, and a week to scoop out the treasures inside.
While acting as a tomb robber, he only ate salt, following Rena’s words. He had some of the knights eat dry food for comparison.
The difference soon came to fruition. Those with salt did not feel fatigued. They didn’t sleep, and they didn’t want water.
Those who ate food, on the other hand, needed rest. They had to sleep and drink water, and they had to do chores as much as they ate.
For those who ate salt, such a cumbersome physiological phenomenon disappeared. In terms of efficiency, it was definitely advantageous, but it was difficult to say that it was just as good.
Day and night, under the red sky, the tireless body forgot time. A strange drowsiness covered the body, and they felt a gentle suffocation.
Lynn had to hold his consciousness several times to avoid being buried in the mood.
At the end of such a process, the East returned with enormous wealth. The achievements of conquering the castle went exclusively to the South, but the East was also rewarded.
“I’ve been through it all, and everything you said makes sense. But I still don’t know you know all of this.””
Lynn looked at the little hand in his hand.
Then he smiled softly and asked.
“Is there no use in asking this?”
Rena also responded with a smile. Lynn nodded his head as if he had known the answer.
“In any case, you’ve been a huge help.”
The outcome of the expedition was ideal. However, Lynn acknowledged this not after the expedition was over, but after confirming Rena’s survival.
Lynn said to her with his heart.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
And Rena replied with an even answer.
Lynn was grateful, but he thought it shouldn’t end with just a few words.
So he said again.
“So I have a suggestion.”
“What kind of suggestion?”
“I want to form an alliance.”
“If it’s an alliance…”
“I want to formally cooperate with you to conquer the Tomb, as the Master of the East.”
Rena’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
Rena pondered over Lynn’s words with a puzzled expression on her face, and then she tilted her head and answered.
“I appreciate the suggestion, but wouldn’t it be enough to help each other in small ways like now?”
“Small ways are not enough.”
“Not enough for who?”
“For both of us.”
At Lynn’s answer, Rena smiled awkwardly.
“Well, I wonder if there is any help I can get from the East.”
Rena didn’t say euphemism on purpose.
Rena knew more about the Tomb, even more than everyone else. She was also aware of the value of the secrets she monopolized.
She likes Lynn quite a bit, but she’s not willing to share it with him. Her advice before the first expedition was nothing but a whim.
Therefore, she drew a line. But Lynn did not back down.
“Perhaps not many in the Tomb, but it will be different outside.”
Not only did he not back down, but he spoke as if he had prepared ahead of time.
“The Imperial Palace is a battlefield no less than the Tomb, you are fighting against the powers of the North, and the Southern Duke has no power. Not to mention the Southern Knights.”
In a different voice than usual, Lynn listed each of Rena’s weaknesses one by one.
Rena was a bit perplexed at that decisiveness. However, Lynn instead pulled Rena’s hand and whispered.
“So, no matter how active you are in the Tomb, once you come out, you are a stranger.”
“… Isn’t that the same for Mr. Lynn?”
“I have power.”
“Even so…”
“The only one capable of confronting the mainstream of the Empire.”
Lynn’s voice was low and subtle, and it seemed to seep into the skin.
“If you think so, is there really no help you can get from the East?”
Lynn asked the same question using Rena’s previous words, but it sounded much more rude and provocative.
So Rena blinked and smiled.
“Of course it would help, but shouldn’t we be asking if that’s a fair deal?”
“Do you think it’s unfair?”
“It’s not that I think it’s unfair, I’m just curious if I really need the help.”
“Yes, you can do everything on your own.”
Lynn obediently accepted Rena’s argument. Yet he added.
“But that doesn’t mean that it’s best to be alone. If it really was, you wouldn’t have had a meeting with the knights in the first place.”
Lynn’s words were correct, there was nothing wrong with them. This made Rena speechless for a moment.
When Rena was silent, Lynn tugged at her hand and whispered.
“I’ll be honest. I need your help, and I want to help you that much.”
The gentle pressing of the hand was comfortable.
“I don’t want to just watch you do it alone.”
The quiet voice was sweet.
“Let’s fight together.”
Rena looked quietly at Lynn’s face, which was one span closer than before.
‘What is this…’
Although she did not express it, Rena was somewhat embarrassed.
She was unfamiliar with his subtle appeal. She thought he was just a demure puppy, but he was very cunning when it came to pushing the board.
‘If it stays like this, I’ll fall for it.’
Thinking like that, Rena also took a peek at his expression. Lynn didn’t know yet, but Rena didn’t like it when the initiative was taken over.
Rena thought for a moment before she opened her mouth.
“Are you serious about wanting to help me?”
“I’m serious.”
“Then how far can you help?”
“Whatever you want, I will give you the best answer.”
Rena’s eyes narrowed at the sweet and cold reply.
I will give you the best answer. Rena thought that he would listen to everything, but leave a corner to escape.
‘Well, alright then.’ Rena continued, thinking she was such a terrible person.
“Then…”
“Then?”
Lynn asked like an echo.
So Rena whispered in the sweetest voice with the best smile.
“Why don’t we get engaged?”
Translated by Wook
Edited by Wook
“Is it all gold?”
“Check it yourself.”
At Clavis’ question, Lynn remained silent.
The priests opened the sack. Gold and precious stones poured out. If the nobles remaining in the main palace saw it, this sight might make them drool and their eyes turned upside down.
Having checked the loot, Clavis shifted his gaze to the North.
“Now all that’s left is the North.”
The Marquis’ heart sank at Clavis’ call..
“What did the North bring?”
“… The Northern army reached the castle of The King Who Swallowed the First Cry by following the traces of the Representative.”
“So?”
“We fought a long battle, and we saw the castle fall. So we searched for 5 days.”
“I asked what you brought, Sir Ruber.”
As the Marquis’ words got longer, Clavis asked with a smile. The Marquis confessed helplessly to the cold intervention.
“… We brought nothing. We were left with only a black swamp. We stayed around the castle, but we had never encountered the Eastern Knights, nor did we see the Southern Representative entering the castle.”
“Hmm. I’m confused. So, you’re saying they’re lying?”
Clavis slyly threw the bait. The Marquis knew it was a trap, but had no choice but to swallow it.
“I’d like to check the heart brought by the Southern Representative.”
It was hard to believe that Rena had returned unharmed, but it was even more unbelievable that she had brought the King’s heart.
So the Marquis demanded verification, and Clavis nodded willingly.
“If you must.”
When the Cardinal’s permission was granted, a priest came out carrying something in silk.
But there was nothing that could be called a heart on it. What was placed on the silk was nothing but a signet ring engraved with an unfamiliar letter instead of a small jewel.
“This…”
“This is the heart of the King brought by Sir Rena.”
Clavis explained as the Marquis looked at him in bewilderment.
Thanks to this, the Marquis was thrilled. He had wondered if it was possible to tear off the King’s heart. But this was not a heart, it was just a ring.
“This thing is the heart?”
“Sir Ruber didn’t read Her Majesty’s biography properly?”
The Cardinal laughed and teased, and the Marquis flashed back a passage from Nihil’s biography.
— A tiny heart slipped out of his shredded body.
— The King quickly put his heart in his finger and ran away.
Sure, there was such a verse. But wasn’t that a reasonably contrived story?
The ring is the heart, the absurd bullshit is real.
The Marquis was now on the verge of anger.
“… Even if the King’s heart is a ring, we need to confirm whether it is that ring.”
“Fine. Then I’ll show Her Majesty the ring, and she will recognize it.”
As the Marquis bit persistently, the Cardinal pretended to let him win and sent the priests away.
The priests who had gone to the Emperor with the ring returned soon after. But when they returned, they had a silver key in their hand instead of a signet ring.
The priest returned, handed the key to the Cardinal and said:
“Her Majesty said that the heart is right. She praised that it was brought well, and told us to give the key to the one who brought the heart.”
The Marquis’ face hardened at the words.
Clavis laughed at the Marquis, asking if everything is alright now, and Rubid, who was watching, glared at the Marquis as if wanting to eat him alive.
“As such, the conclusion is made. Go to the main palace and ring the victory bell. In the name of the Southern region and Sir Rena.”
With the Emperor’s judgment and the Cardinal’s proclamation, the first expedition ended, and a sound that was loud enough to shake the sky resounded throughout the Imperial Palace.
The outcome of the expedition was unexpected for everyone. Numerous suspicions were aroused as the result defied common sense and failed the people’s prediction.
However, Rena Ruber, the Emperor’s knight and representative of the Southern Duke, was only smiling innocently as if she knew nothing of their wild doubts.
***
On the night the Tomb was first conquered, a shadow rested on the lakeside of the Imperial Palace again.
The result of the expedition today was unexpected for everyone. But for Rena, today only meant that it had been 2 days since she last met Lynn.
However, Lynn, who had spent 10 days at the Tomb, had different thoughts about her.
Unlike Rena, who was the same as usual, he was somewhat nervous. And that feeling was clearly revealed the moment he met Rena.
“Can I touch you?”
Rena’s eyes quickly turned cold at Lynn’s reckless remarks. But Lynn continued to explain.
“I heard you’re dead.”
“Who said such a terrible thing?”
“I thought you really died.”
Rena laughed lightly, but Lynn’s voice was still serious, making Rena couldn’t even laugh anymore.
“So you were very surprised?”
Rena asked, looking at Lynn’s pale face.
Lynn looked at Rena and nodded silently.
He actually nodded his head, and only realized later that he was indeed surprised.
Lynn heard of Rena’s death through Deca he rejoined him back in the Tomb.
He said that the Marquis had pushed her from the wall. Sir Rena rescued the Marquis from falling, he said, but later was pushed and killed by him.
Deca didn’t know Rena personally, but he mourned her death and was angry with the Marquis.
However, Lynn did not even feel such a normal feeling. All he felt was an unknown confusion.
In that confusion, Lynn tried to connect the two words ‘Rena’ and ‘death’. But he could not digest them, and they kept floating around in his head.
When he returned to Doom Palace, something came up the moment he saw the Marquis. And when he found Rena, his heart sank.
After that, he stayed like this until nightfall.
Lynn did not know the identity of these waving emotions, and barely found out through Rena’s expression: That he was very surprised when hearing about Rena’s news.
Rena read his expression carefully and said playfully.
“What kind of confirmation do you need to make you feel reassured?”
When one checks for life or death, they’d usually hear the heartbeat. But Lynn couldn’t do it, so he quietly compromised.
“… Hand.”
“Alright, here.”
Rena reached out her hand, raising her palm. Lynn hesitated, and then gently placed his own hand on top of it.
As she reminisced about something at the touch, Rena asked with a smile.
“Are you reassured now?”
Lynn smiled weakly and grabbed Rena’s hand with his hand.
They often went for a walk, but it was the first time he held her hand. And the first time he held Rena’s hand, he found that it was surprisingly small.
Lynn curled up Rena’s fingers and moved his thumb slowly. His fingers ran down Rena’s palms and wrapped gently around her wrist.
As he squeezed her wrist, he felt her pulse. It was proof that Rena was alive.
Lynn, who checked the warmth, asked.
“What happened back then?”
“Mr. Lynn, please tell me first.”
Rena responded calmly. Her hand was still held.
“I will have to talk about myself in front of people anyway. So right now, I want to hear from Lynn.”
This was because they did not know each other’s steps after they greeted each other among the dead.
In particular, Rena wondered how Lynn interpreted her advice.
“I saw the number of knights and thought you weren’t listening to me.”
“Because your advice was too vague to follow it unconditionally.”
When asked, Lynn answered meekly.
“I needed a safety device for the part that was directly related to survival.”
“So they’re your safety device.”
“… In the sense of being cautious.”
“You need a safety device.”
“Yes.”
“Safety device…”
“Let’s just move on. Please…”
As Rena persistently teased him about the safety device, Lynn suffered from shame.
Rena smiled and apologized only after Lynn’s face changed. Lynn cursed his own remark and spoke again.
.
.
.
Rena declared that she’s the only one who can conquer the castle of the King Who Swallowed the First Cry.
Instead, she told Lynn where the treasure was located.
The castle would fall if she conquered it, so she told him to dig inside and get the treasure.
Lynn followed Rena’s words, still thinking is it worth the trouble.
But then, before a day had passed, the castle had collapsed, revealing a cavernous underpass beneath it.
The process of going down the underpass was difficult. It took three days to get all the way down, and a week to scoop out the treasures inside.
While acting as a tomb robber, he only ate salt, following Rena’s words. He had some of the knights eat dry food for comparison.
The difference soon came to fruition. Those with salt did not feel fatigued. They didn’t sleep, and they didn’t want water.
Those who ate food, on the other hand, needed rest. They had to sleep and drink water, and they had to do chores as much as they ate.
For those who ate salt, such a cumbersome physiological phenomenon disappeared. In terms of efficiency, it was definitely advantageous, but it was difficult to say that it was just as good.
Day and night, under the red sky, the tireless body forgot time. A strange drowsiness covered the body, and they felt a gentle suffocation.
Lynn had to hold his consciousness several times to avoid being buried in the mood.
At the end of such a process, the East returned with enormous wealth. The achievements of conquering the castle went exclusively to the South, but the East was also rewarded.
“I’ve been through it all, and everything you said makes sense. But I still don’t know you know all of this.””
Lynn looked at the little hand in his hand.
Then he smiled softly and asked.
“Is there no use in asking this?”
Rena also responded with a smile. Lynn nodded his head as if he had known the answer.
“In any case, you’ve been a huge help.”
The outcome of the expedition was ideal. However, Lynn acknowledged this not after the expedition was over, but after confirming Rena’s survival.
Lynn said to her with his heart.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
And Rena replied with an even answer.
Lynn was grateful, but he thought it shouldn’t end with just a few words.
So he said again.
“So I have a suggestion.”
“What kind of suggestion?”
“I want to form an alliance.”
“If it’s an alliance…”
“I want to formally cooperate with you to conquer the Tomb, as the Master of the East.”
Rena’s eyes widened at the unexpected words.
Rena pondered over Lynn’s words with a puzzled expression on her face, and then she tilted her head and answered.
“I appreciate the suggestion, but wouldn’t it be enough to help each other in small ways like now?”
“Small ways are not enough.”
“Not enough for who?”
“For both of us.”
At Lynn’s answer, Rena smiled awkwardly.
“Well, I wonder if there is any help I can get from the East.”
Rena didn’t say euphemism on purpose.
Rena knew more about the Tomb, even more than everyone else. She was also aware of the value of the secrets she monopolized.
She likes Lynn quite a bit, but she’s not willing to share it with him. Her advice before the first expedition was nothing but a whim.
Therefore, she drew a line. But Lynn did not back down.
“Perhaps not many in the Tomb, but it will be different outside.”
Not only did he not back down, but he spoke as if he had prepared ahead of time.
“The Imperial Palace is a battlefield no less than the Tomb, you are fighting against the powers of the North, and the Southern Duke has no power. Not to mention the Southern Knights.”
In a different voice than usual, Lynn listed each of Rena’s weaknesses one by one.
Rena was a bit perplexed at that decisiveness. However, Lynn instead pulled Rena’s hand and whispered.
“So, no matter how active you are in the Tomb, once you come out, you are a stranger.”
“… Isn’t that the same for Mr. Lynn?”
“I have power.”
“Even so…”
“The only one capable of confronting the mainstream of the Empire.”
Lynn’s voice was low and subtle, and it seemed to seep into the skin.
“If you think so, is there really no help you can get from the East?”
Lynn asked the same question using Rena’s previous words, but it sounded much more rude and provocative.
So Rena blinked and smiled.
“Of course it would help, but shouldn’t we be asking if that’s a fair deal?”
“Do you think it’s unfair?”
“It’s not that I think it’s unfair, I’m just curious if I really need the help.”
“Yes, you can do everything on your own.”
Lynn obediently accepted Rena’s argument. Yet he added.
“But that doesn’t mean that it’s best to be alone. If it really was, you wouldn’t have had a meeting with the knights in the first place.”
Lynn’s words were correct, there was nothing wrong with them. This made Rena speechless for a moment.
When Rena was silent, Lynn tugged at her hand and whispered.
“I’ll be honest. I need your help, and I want to help you that much.”
The gentle pressing of the hand was comfortable.
“I don’t want to just watch you do it alone.”
The quiet voice was sweet.
“Let’s fight together.”
Rena looked quietly at Lynn’s face, which was one span closer than before.
‘What is this…’
Although she did not express it, Rena was somewhat embarrassed.
She was unfamiliar with his subtle appeal. She thought he was just a demure puppy, but he was very cunning when it came to pushing the board.
‘If it stays like this, I’ll fall for it.’
Thinking like that, Rena also took a peek at his expression. Lynn didn’t know yet, but Rena didn’t like it when the initiative was taken over.
Rena thought for a moment before she opened her mouth.
“Are you serious about wanting to help me?”
“I’m serious.”
“Then how far can you help?”
“Whatever you want, I will give you the best answer.”
Rena’s eyes narrowed at the sweet and cold reply.
I will give you the best answer. Rena thought that he would listen to everything, but leave a corner to escape.
‘Well, alright then.’ Rena continued, thinking she was such a terrible person.
“Then…”
“Then?”
Lynn asked like an echo.
So Rena whispered in the sweetest voice with the best smile.
“Why don’t we get engaged?”
