#357
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357
Of course, Elaga and Igrel greeted Helmut and Area when they returned to their home.
[Helmut, it seems you are not as weak as you think.]
I don’t know where or how the confrontation was observed, but the white cat on the sofa was staring at Helmut. It was a somewhat unpleasant look.
Elaga immediately nodded.
[Hmm, you grew up well. Yes, I raised him well.]
“… … .”
Helmut looked at Elaga in bewilderment for a moment.
They said he was a weak guy and that he had grown up well now that he was always mistreating him. But his whim lasted only for a day or two.
Ygrel said something unexpected.
[You’ve become quite strong. So I don’t have to protect you.]
This time too, it was ridiculous. Aside from Elaga, Ygrel is on the same level as Helmut.
Not only did Helmut have no need to receive protection from Ygrel, they were not in a relationship where protection could be exchanged.
Ygrel quickly concluded.
[So I want to go my own way. Just as the original goal was.]
Freely roaming the skies outside the forest of Pahe. To the ends of the world.
Ygrel just wanted it. As a bird, this is something to hope for.
Area came out as negative right away.
“It would be difficult if a monster like you caught the attention of the temple.”
Especially at this point. It would have been nice for Ygrel to stay with Helmut a little longer until he achieved his goal.
Area was a thorough person and did not want to take even the slightest risk.
[You can descend and change your appearance into an artifact before entering human sight.]
[Rather than that, do you know what kind of accident you might cause?]
Elaga reacted crookedly. This Grell flapped her wings.
[I am a free monster, and I have the right to do what I want. You could have stayed quiet until now, right? I’ve shown enough that I won’t cause an accident.]
That sounded right. It caused a bit of a commotion in Xi’an’s village, but it was minor.
Ygrel is a monster that originally does not eat humans. They actively cooperated in escaping from the forest of digging, but they cannot just be held captive.
In fact, Ygrel could have taken out Heike’s artifact as much as he wanted. Just because she’s Elaga doesn’t mean she’s watching him all the time.
[That wizard named Heike placed a tracking spell on this artifact, right? You’ll know where I’m going.]
“That’s right.”
Area nodded impatiently. Helmut did not express any particular opinion.
There were two things he could choose. Either cut down and stop Ygrel here, or let him go.
And since Ygrel had helped Helmut anyway, it was clear that he could not choose the former.
Elaga snorted and said.
[Well, your presence is only noisy and not helpful, so disappear quickly!]
Helmut stared intently at Elaga’s white head.
Ygrel wasn’t the only one who was noisy and unhelpful.
But this one is very difficult to drop.
Ygrel flapped his wings and sat down on the window sill. He turned his head back and said before leaving.
[Don’t miss me too much. If I get bored while traveling, I’ll tell you again.]
[Who is missing? Don’t fall asleep while falling!]
[I’m Elaga, not you, right?]
Igrel, who spat it out as if taking medicine, flew away. He will change form at the right altitude and soar into the sky above the clouds beyond human sight.
Flying towards the sun, the flight of Igrelman alone. Rather than being lonely, I would be brilliant and free.
[But where do we go now?]
A little while after Igrel left, Elaga asked, flicking her tail. Helmut and Area looked at each other.
The work to be done in Bashor is done. Now the question was their next destination.
Area opened her mouth.
“No matter what decision is made, Asuka will not be able to escape the empire for the time being.”
There is no reason to go all the way to the Empire to see him.
Even if Asuka wanted to escape from Archduke Farnese, she was in no position to help him by pretending to be with the empire. Even if you owe him money.
“We should go to Baden.”
“No matter what happens to Asuka, at least Xian can get there. “Because Archduke Farnese won’t just keep him captive.”
Green Cana’s draft. There is no way Archduke Farnese does not know him. And maybe this one too.
Suddenly, I became alarmed by that fact. Since Helmut stopped studying and disappeared four years ago, Archduke Farnese may not have recognized him until then.
However, regarding Area, it was a matter that could not be guaranteed.
‘I took Asuka and Xian to Antiol’s residence, and as an imperial wizard, I wouldn’t have been able to trace them.’
There are a limited number of wizards who use magic that the imperial wizard cannot trace.
Moreover, there are very few wizards who use magical powers that are not recorded by the Wizards Association.
In any case, it is not an entirely unknown fact that Area and Asuka are close friends.
If Archduke Farnese had done a little research, he would have been able to discover the existence of Area.
There was already a secret rumor that Area was the greatest genius in the history of Greta Academy.
This means that he is already well-known within the academy.
Even her skills must have reached a level higher than that of the imperial mage.
This is Archduke Farnese, who went all the way to Xian to capture Asuka. Will he really ignore the existence of Area, who stole Asuka?
‘Though he doesn’t know where I am. If you find out about me, it could be a problem later.’
Just in case, I didn’t tell Xian and Asuka about my whereabouts.
It wouldn’t be impossible to use mental magic to find out where Asuka went, but even the toughest father wouldn’t go that far.
In any case, Archduke Farnese is also a person who can be persuaded.
Helmut said decisively.
“Then we must do our job. “Because there is someone I need to meet in Baden.”
Area nodded gently.
Next destination: Baden. Although variables arose, they had to move as planned.
*
Asuka was adjusting quite well to the Imperial Knights.
In fact, it was not much different from life in the swordsmanship department at Greta Academy, except that the rules were a bit stricter.
Train, attend Templar events, train again. Knights don’t do chores.
Even though I patrol often, the security at the imperial palace is so tight that it’s almost like a walk.
Occasionally, faces I had seen would glance at Asuka, but they passed by without notice. As if she had already heard what she said.
These were the knights who were tasked with capturing Asuka. Of course, he was Asuka’s senior in the Imperial Knights.
However, because of her resentment, Asuka was unable to obediently treat them as her senior, so she maintained courtesy by not attacking them. While grinding my teeth.
“How on earth is your head so stiff?”
Niall bowed his head to the senior driver and asked in awe.
Ralph and Gannon had similar looks in their eyes.
What on earth is he doing that he behaves so arbitrarily even after joining the knights?
“It’s not that I’m stiff-headed, it’s just that I don’t bow down to people who are weaker than me.”
Asuka spoke confidently. After saying it, it seemed plausible.
Even at Greta Academy, he had never bowed before a senior.
Gannon crossed his arms.
“I guess you’ve lived like that all your life?”
“It did.”
“I hope you like it. “Because he is a great person, there is no need to take responsibility and he can act as he pleases.”
This kind of treatment was still unfamiliar. However, Asuka was unable to refute it even for a moment.
It is also true that the Imperial Knights can show this attitude because they are members of the royal family.
‘But when I lived as a commoner, I took responsibility for my actions.’
So it was unfair. During her first year at Greta Academy, there were countless people trying to stab Asuka, and Asuka fought them all off.
No matter how despicable the opponent was, he never once whined at Archduke Farnese.
It seems that a report was made to Archduke Farnese, but he also never intervened.
“There is a reason for everything I do.”
“Are you saying that you do whatever you feel like?”
In response to Niall’s rebuttal, Asuka raised the corners of her mouth fiercely.
“If you tease me, try to beat me.”
That means Niall, Gannon, and Ralph. All three had no choice but to keep their mouths shut.
Already on the first day, Asuka had proven her skills to them in person. By sparring.
He is a top graduate of Greta Academy. Even without Helmut, he had already surpassed his older counterpart’s performance in his junior years.
Each of them may have achieved excellent grades at the academy or been recognized for their skills and entered the Imperial Knights, but in front of Asuka, they were like a scarecrow.
Asuka proved that she has the skills to be a special recruit.
However, imperial knights are not selected solely based on skill. Asuka also proved that she was a mess in areas other than her skills.
Niall pointed out with a furrowed brow.
“Do not try to justify yourself with superiority or inferiority in strength.”
“When you have time to talk loudly, make an effort to stay on your toes. “So when will you start following my toes?”
Asuka watched with amusement as the face of the guy who pretended to be noble became distorted.
It has the taste of being stepped on.
Ralph interceded with a perplexed look on his face.
“Stop it and let’s go. The knight commander will be waiting. “If you’re late, you’ll be in trouble.”
Asuka glanced at his face and nodded.
“Sure.”
For some reason, Asuka felt weak in front of this real commoner.
It’s already been ten days since I’ve been with my three colleagues, Niall, Gannon, and Ralph. There is not much time left until the date promised to the Archduke.
Surprisingly, the three colleagues did not try to tease or harass Asuka. As if that’s something only children do.
They were upset that Asuka had proven her skills in sparring, but they seemed to understand it to some extent.
They actually tried to tolerate Asuka’s foul temper.
Although they argued just as before, the conflict did not intensify further than that. There was always Ralph’s intervention. It hasn’t been very smooth, but it’s been okay.
Xiando, who is living a limited life, seems to be satisfied because he can use the imperial library.
‘But why did the knight commander suddenly call us?’
I felt like something troublesome was going to happen.
Asuka furrowed her brows and walked away.
Anyway, he is currently a member of the Imperial Knights and cannot refuse the call of the Knight Commander.
