RGS Volume 4 Part 4

“…What do you mean it’s the same for our household?”

Truyde asked, responding to the Marquis’ words after a long time. However, the smile had already disappeared from his face and his eyes were shining ominously. The Marquis twisted his mouth in response as he looked at him.

“Are you asking because you truly don’t know? Your household has also been cursed.”

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Yeah, it’s ridiculous. It’s absurd that your ancestors are all obsessed with someone who looks just like the king’s Regas’.”

“….”

“I couldn’t believe it at first either. But my ancestors, like yours, didn’t neglect their surveillance. And they left detailed records. Some of your ancestors tried to hide it, but in the end, they were all the same. Obsessed with the king’s Regas to a pitiable extent.”

Truyde could no longer argue and kept his mouth shut. He glared fiercely at the Marquis, but the Marquis only responded with cold words.

“But your ancestors, no matter how much they found someone who resembled them, couldn’t quench their thirst and eventually went mad. You can’t escape it either. If this isn’t a curse, then what is it?”

“Not me.”

Truyde, despite his fierce eyes, spoke in a casual voice as he looked down at his fallen plaything.

“What makes you think this appearance resembles the Regas who died 12 years ago?”

However, Truyde, who had confidently spoken, froze as soon as he looked at the other person’s expression. The Marquis wore a silent smile on his face.

“Yes, that’s it. Thanks to your cursed taste, what I suspected became more certain. The true Regas of the emperor has not yet appeared. The one who takes the form you are so obsessed with.”

The Marquis headed towards the door and gave a final farewell to the frozen Truyde.

“I wonder who will find the real Regas first. Now I’m more curious about the secret of the black potion.”

                                                                         ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖            

Abel’s heart sank as he looked at Kin covered in someone else’s blood. So, someone had really been chasing them. His gaze turned back to the forest where Karas had disappeared.

“The Commander-in-Chief went that way.”

Abel rushed towards Kin and urgently pointed to the forest. He thought Kin would chase after him if he spoke, but Kin just nodded without any particular expression.

“It seems they are attacking from behind as well.”

“Attacking? Who?”

Surprised, Abel asked, and Kin replied briefly.

“The fakes.”

It was clear that those people were fakes pretending to be the emperor and the 1st Battalion Commander.

But why were they attacking them? If they wanted to attack, shouldn’t Karas and Kin, the Emperor’s subjects, be the ones doing it?

Abel stuttered in confusion.

“But it’s strange, isn’t it? Why are they attacking us?”

Kin looked at the forest where Karas had disappeared and then turned his eyes to Abel. Melmond and the butler were snoring loudly on the ground, leaving only the two of them awake. They had agreed to disguise themselves under Karas’ orders but would soon join the main forces once the morning sun rose.

After pondering for a moment, Kin spoke to Abel, who was worried.

“Probably because they knew we’re real.”

“…Real?”

“Yes, real.”

Kin added slowly, pointing at the forest.

“Because Karas is the true Emperor of this country.”

“….”

Kin didn’t think his explanation was insufficient. Anyone could understand that they were being attacked because they were real and not fake. However, there was no response from the other person. He could have just ignored it and sat down, but seeing the doll-like frozen expression on his face, Kin decided to be a little more courteous.

Didn’t he understand?

“It seems that the King’s Heart is behind those fakes. They’re the only ones who would spread malicious rumors deliberately as His Majesty is returning to the capital. Of course, there may also be an intention to attack His Majesty without attracting too much attention.”

“….”

“As you may know, there are people planted by the King’s Heart within the army. They probably found out that His Majesty was leaving the troops and moving separately shortly after we set off. They must have thoroughly searched this area.”

As Kin spoke, his gaze turned to the direction where he had come from and his anger rose again.

“This is an example that shows how arrogant those enslaved by power can be. They forgot that they shouldn’t dare to touch the person who should not be touched in order to maintain their power. They are the ones who know better than anyone that this country was established by a dragon.”

He let out his anger that he had never shown even during the war. When fighting with other countries, it was easier to express his emotions because they were visible enemies. All he just had to do was charge at them with his sword. But the fight against the King’s Heart didn’t suit his straightforward personality.

To become a subject and try to kill the king. Moreover, to come to the point where they’ll kill the real emperor with such dirty tactics of sending fakes just to spread malicious rumors. But what made him feel worse was the people he had fought against just now. They were soldiers from his homeland who had never supported him once during the six years of war.

Apart from the inconvenience of not receiving proper war supplies, for the first two years, even if there were not enough soldiers, they did not receive any support. Even if they came, they were cowards who ran away peeing and crying. It was only after winning several victories in difficult situations that support began to come, starting with the local lords.

When those who received new territories through war were sent to the capital as examples, everyone wanted to become like them, everyone also wanted to become war profiteers.

Thus, sometimes questions come up. Some ask how unfair it is that they became rich after fighting for only one or two years.

But those who experienced the first year of war and the following two years themselves never asked such questions. At that time, it was a period of fear and worry that they might have been abandoned in their own country, darker than the grim fight without victory. Because anyone who endured that period wouldn’t leave the emperor, no matter what.

Except for the war profiteer deliberately sent out to restrain the King’s Heart.

Although there are some suspicions that he might have joined the King’s Heart’s side to seize power now that he had learned the taste of money, Kin did not care. The war profiteer he knew had no reason to betray them.

Kin believed that he would lead everything in the direction that Karas wanted, so he had no doubts. On the contrary, what Kin was worried about was Karas’ thoughts.

Why leave the fake as it is?

Surely, rumors about the emperor had already spread among the people, and that wouldn’t benefit Karas at all.

Kin turned his head away from his long thoughts and looked at the forest where Karas had disappeared. And only then did he realize that he was talking to someone. And the other person was so silent that it seemed as if he had forgotten his existence.

“Still, now that His Majesty has returned, he will soon get everything back…”

Kin thought he had said something unnecessary. So, he turned his head, trying to end the conversation on a positive note, but his words vanished. The thought a while ago the other person looked frozen like a doll was a misconception. Rather, it was closer to a dead body, completely drained of life, with a pale face and a breath that seemed to have stopped altogether. If he wasn’t standing, one could have doubted if he was really alive.

Kin frowned and took a step closer to the other person.

“Are you okay?”

“…Eyes.”

He heard a murmuring sound from him, so faint that he had to strain his ears to hear it.

“Eyes?”

He asked again, but the other person turned silent for a while and then asked a question softly.

“Eyes, different. When young, his, his, eyes, injured. But, how.”

The stuttering words sounded as unclear as if spoken by a child who had just learned to speak. However, Kin soon realized that he was talking about Karas. He had heard about it before. Karas had injured his eyes when he was young and had become completely blind.

Of course, he miraculously regained his eyesight. It was a famous incident when the emperor opened his eyes at the coronation ceremony. It became evidence that he inherited the power of the dragon.

It was a story known to everyone in this country, so how could he not know?

“Are you talking about His Majesty’s eyes? It was a miracle that he opened his eyes at the coronation ceremony. He had not been able to see, but he took off the bandage and opened his eyes. Um, are you alright?”

Instead of continuing his explanation, Kin was rather surprised at the expression of the other person. He hadn’t paid much attention to the fact that he looked pale, just thinking that his body wasn’t feeling well again. It seems like he would faint at any moment.

That’s probably why Melmond and the butler who were with him took care of him akin to a newborn baby.

At first, Kin frowned at the thought that having a weak body as a man was embarrassing, but that thought soon disappeared as they spent time together.

He was trying in his own way.

Even when confined to the narrow quarters of the ship, he would walk in place saying he was trying to build up his stamina. Rather, it was the two people next to him who stopped him from making such efforts. Whenever he showed a little sign of exhaustion, they stopped him, but the fairy always persuaded them with a smile, and without getting angry, saying it was fine.

Still, he felt as if he was being suppressed several times just from his expression. Later, he learned that the person who never complained throughout the journey was more frustrated with his own situation than anyone else. Now he felt sorry for him because he couldn’t do what he wanted to do because of his weak body.

So, although he only forgave him 1/10th of the insult for calling him a pig, he still wanted to prevent him from collapsing before his eyes. However, his eyes were getting bigger and bigger as if they were going to tear apart and his breathing which sounded unstable was not a good sign. Kin was flustered because he had never seen such a sight before.

“Are you feeling unwell?”

“Then, his eyes, can he see?”

“Of course. Didn’t you keep seeing his gray eyes? I heard that the color of his eyes has changed since he was a child.”

“……”

“You should sit down. Your complexion doesn’t look good right now.”

Thud.

As Kin reached out to seat the staggering fairy, the other person grabbed his arm first. Although it didn’t hurt as there wasn’t much force, Kin looked at his hand. He was trembling so much that even his arm that was being held shook. Even his thin voice that came out was shaking.

“His Highness, no, His Majesty… He fought directly in the war, didn’t he?”

What kind of question is that?

If the other person had been in good condition, Kin would have burst into laughter. Even after witnessing Karas’ skills throughout the journey, to ask such a question. But as Kin looked into the other person’s eyes, his laughter disappeared. Large green eyes glistened. Kin understood the reason and he answered.

“Yes, of course, he fought himself. There are many false rumors about His Majesty, but in the past six years of war, the person who killed the most enemies and fought bravely than anyone else in the war is His Majesty. Those six years were a turning point between life and death for him.”

After speaking, Kin realized he had been trembling since a while ago. It was due to the weight of unshed tears gathering from his eyes.

Huh? Tears?

Kin was surprised, as he had been only focused on the other person fainting due to his poor health.

“Are you alright?”

Once again, there was no response. However, the hand that had been holding Kin loosened its grip and slowly slid down, followed by his body collapsing weakly. He crouched down as if he was sinking, and even his head fell down on his knees. Kin quickly turned around, as it was evident at a glance that he was not feeling well.

When the fairy was unwell, Kin remembered what medicine the butler and Melmond had given him. The problem was that there were so many bottles of different colors. By the bonfire in the back, Melmond and the butler were still sleeping side by side, snoring loudly. Kin hurriedly approached them and first shook Melmond’s shoulder.

“Hey.”

However, no matter how much he shook him, Melmond, who was deeply asleep, only opened his mouth wider and made a louder snoring sound. Helpless, Kin approached the butler this time and forcefully shook his shoulder.

“Hey, butler! Wake up. Butler!”

Even though his head was shaken so much in all directions, the accumulated fatigue prevented the butler from easily opening his eyes. Kin looked at the butler and Melmond alternately with a troubled expression. Then, as if determined, he sat next to the butler and took off his outer garment.

Kin had seen the butler fill a leather belt with bottles of medicine and tie it around his waist. So, he forcefully removed the butler’s outer garment, but there were no bottles of medicine visible on his body.

Maybe it was tied to his waist?

Kin felt around the butler’s waist with his hand.

Starting from the front and moving down to the side, there was still nothing, so out of curiosity, he put his hand into the space between the floor and the butler’s back. Putting his arm under the butler’s body made his upper body bend forward. As a result, his face was almost close to the butler’s lower abdomen.

Where the heck is the medicine?

Just as he was about to withdraw his hand in frustration, it slipped out easily, not meeting any resistance.

That wasn’t the only strange thing.

The butler’s stomach was pressed against his face.

Pressed?

It was only then that Kin turned his face and met the astonished face of the butler as if he had seen a ghost. And he realized. His own posture. He had removed the sleeping man’s outer garment and had his head bowed towards his lower body, hugging his waist with his arms.

“Hey, I was just…”

“Aaah! Get away from my body right now, you pig!”

Of course, Kin immediately moved away. At the sound of the word “pig,” his sanity also left him.

“Shut up! If you call me by that title again, I won’t forgive you!”

Kin growled and threatened, but the butler whose chastity was almost in danger was no pushover.

“I’m calling you a pig ’cause you are a pig, then what do I call you then?! You pervert pig!”

Swish!

Kin drew his sword.

“Pervert? You b*stard!”

Swish!

As Kin swung his sword, it made a swooshing sound through the air. Taken aback by the sudden attack, the butler stepped back, stumbling and falling to the ground.

“Ouch! The pervert pig is trying to kill me!”

“Shut up! I’ll cut off your head!”

Enraged, Kin tried to swing his sword again, fortunately, someone grabbed his arm from behind just in time.

“Stop it! What on earth is going on here?!”

Melmond, awakened by the noise, began to calm Kin down with a puzzled look on his face.

“Calm down! What are you doing swinging a sword at someone in the middle of the night?”

Melmond tried to pull Kin’s arm, but he didn’t try to bring down the sword in the air.

“Let go. If I don’t kill that human who insulted me, I’m not qualified to be a 1st Battalion Commander anymore.”

“Insult? Haa, wait a minute. Butler, why did you do that all of a sudden?”

This time, Melmond asked the butler, who looked at Kin with teary eyes like a child seeking an adult’s help.

“Because, that guy, in this world, while I was sleeping, he not only removed my clothes but also groped my body and brought his face close to my gen1tals!”