Desire

Earl Galpagos was greatly humiliated, and it became a far-off rumor without him having to share it. That day, Pride's party. It's because the nobles left the party on their own.

Gossip. Joyful gossip with a special person in a particular position is no different from Jinn, Gracie, and reality. They did not hide anything about what happened at the party that day, the story of Azin, who became Hermione's escort knight, and how Earl Galpagos was humiliated by the escort knight.

“.. I didn't know you were going to do that. ”

Hermione mutters, two days after Azin came to the party. Azin receives a sudden summon from Hermione and enters Verzola in response.

“I was insulted. ”

Ajin puts down his cup of tea.

“I thought it was better to show action than to acknowledge it. Am I wrong, or are you offended by it? ”

“No, that's not it. I think it was a bit excessive... but it was better than admitting it. ”

Earl Galpagos supports the Second Crown Prince. Not only that, he was the center of the Pride, a strong presence in the social world. There are many nobles whose breath he can reach, and such nobles naturally become the basis for the support of the two princes.

“Earl Galpagos has suffered great harm because of what he has done. Consecutive Duel Losses, Insults and Apologies. The biggest blow was that he couldn't control the party. And now that he's been beaten by the man he despised...”

By the way, he's not guilty of anything. It's not like he died. Of course, even if the death does come out, the penalty does not come back to Ajin. The violence he drank was always from the duel, and even if the opponent dies in the duel, it will not be a sin.

“I heard you punched Earl Galpagos yourself. ”

“I was ignorant of the laws of duel. ”

“.. he doesn't want to make a big deal out of it either. I hear you've been insulted enough. ”

Hermione clutches her chin with her hands.

“Rather than appeal to the extraordinary. An Earl of the Galpagos ritual. Were you aiming for it?”

“.. I didn't come here to ruin the party. As far as I'm concerned, I just went because I was invited to a party. ”

You know enough about the appearance of Earl Galpagos at the party.

“How is the prince? Three days after I became an escort knight. Did you notice any change?”

“He's got a sharp eye. They were my blood relatives. They say we didn't come from one mother's ship, but we shared the Emperor's blood. The beastly flesh of my ancestors scratches me. ”

Hermione smiles low.

“I think it's a good change. He didn't even notice me before that. Especially, my second brother wants to eat me so badly. Earl Galpagos, who supported him, must be very angry at his humiliation. ”

“Do you think I did something wrong? ”

“No, I'm satisfied. ”

Hermione shakes her head.

“I just know there's no reason to be passive. If I have a weapon and I don't wield it, there's no reason to hold it. I've sent word to Lord Echina as well. ”

“.. are the Steel Knights officially supporting you? ”

“It will be. That will completely change the situation. Even if my other brothers didn't care that much about me when I first became an escort knight, if one of the Imperial Knights officially supports me. My brothers can never ignore me. ”

“But the supporters are still poor. ”

“I'm going to take it step by step. There's still time. What the Crown Prince has, what kind of man he will be, what kind of emperor he will be. What do you think is the first thing you need? ”

“Empathetic.”

“Of course. I need someone who can empathize. That empathy will lead to support. Fortunately, there are still a lot of nobles who remain neutral during the Imperial Capture. ”

What if the Imperial Declaration has not yet been properly declared, and the prince has not yet gained his succession without first stepping forward? Careful people are still watching the situation a few steps back.

“I'll take care of them... but they'll be more resistant as long as they move. I'll ask him then. ”

Azin lowers his head, smiling gladly. Hermione sighs a little as she looks at that pain.

“.. it is my honor to call upon you here today. ”

Hermione's mouth opens. He looked reluctant.

“The Emperor wishes to see His Majesty in person. ”

At that moment, his expression disappears from his face. The accident stopped lightly. “Yes?” Then I asked myself a question. It was sudden and incomprehensible. Why would the emperor, the pinnacle of Gracia, suddenly want to meet Azin?

“You said it was just an interest. ”

Hermione hurriedly remarked as if Azin knew how to make that face.

“It's not compulsory. This is very unusual. The emperor himself sent me... to see Sir Ear-rik, the escort knight. ”

Hermione was also hard to convince.

“And he asked the ear doctor, and if he refused, he said he didn't need to see him. ”

No prince was treated like that by the emperor. If the Emperor wishes to meet, it has become a simple command. If anyone summoned the Emperor, he immediately had to enter the heart of El Cast, where the Emperor resides.

“... the Emperor. ”

Azin mutters in surprise. Although surprised at first, he immediately understood the situation. The architect of Gracia, the supreme authority, the emperor of Gracia, is here to see Azin. Is it because you beat the hell out of Earl Galpagos and ruined his party? No, it can't be. Or because you defeated Jinwol, the death squad? No way, that's how the emperor moves.

‘I see.'

Azin nods slowly.

“I understand.”

Ajin replied.

El Cast, the heart of Verzola. Where the Emperor lives. The Grand Chamberlain dresses up as a forced outfit, and Azin heads there. The only thing the emperor wanted to see was Azin, not Hermione, so there was only an old man by his side, Behas, the Grand Chamberlain of El Cast.

“Do you understand?”

Behar opens his mouth. How many times have I heard you come all the way here?

“If you see His Majesty, do nothing. Just keep your head down. And just stand there and do nothing. ”

“Yes.”

“If the Emperor asks you to come here, first take a step forward. Next time Emperor Peha comes closer, if you say so... look at the ground and walk. ”

Behas stretches out his hand. Two fingers are raised.

“Twenty steps. Take twenty steps and stop. And kneel down where you stand. Raise your head if you want the Emperor to raise his head, and answer if you want to ask him something. Never ask the Emperor something of yourself. ”

On his way here, Behas said that several times. I only repeated what to do when I met the Emperor.

“I know. ”

Azin's feet stopped. A big, tightly closed door. Two knights stand in the way of that door. Behas stares at Azin.

“... if I were to meet the Emperor? ”

Asin smiles heavily at the question. He raised his index finger and placed it on his lips.

“Keep your mouth shut. ”

Behaz's eyes twitch with words. “In the presence of the Emperor...!” He stops shouting, and Azin shakes his head.

“Yes, yes. ”

Azin turns away. The knights who blocked the door didn't make much of a point about Ajin's words. They are merely gatekeepers. A gatekeeper that opens the door when invited. I don't ask guests for courtesy.

Asking for the guest's manners is an invitation.

The door opens. Asin reaches over the open door. The air changes. He walks through the door, and Azin feels it for sure. Air moves. Heavy movement. This is a feeling of intimidation.

‘Magic group.’

You look at the floor. A magic jewel filled with floors. You hear a creak closing the door. Listen to him.

I'm supposed to keep my eyes down here. The door closes. With a thump, Pain hears his gaze. He looked far away. A giant hall filled with magical factions. a circular pillar in the middle of it;

The emperor of Gracia, sitting there.

“Haven't you heard from Behas? ”

The emperor stared at Azin and asked. “I heard.” Azin looks at the Emperor and replies.

“What did you hear? ”

“When I meet the Emperor, I hear his head bowed. ”

“Then get down. ”

The emperor immediately replied. You gave the order. I'll bow down, then. Azin bows his head. I needed to see it for myself.

So I saw.

My hands were slightly wet with cold sweat. It's been a long time. He clenches his trembling fist. How many times have you felt that? When I first saw Master, And then, when I met Thousand Horses, When I met the dragon in the Bully Saleh Desert. When I met the Alcadion after I became a knight.

And now.

‘Strong.’

I was sure I'd run into him. The emperor of Gracia is strong. The air that surrounds him and the enormous magic that wields him. The massive pressure.

“Come closer. ”

The emperor opened his mouth. Azin took a step forward. And I stopped walking. “Come closer, come closer.” The emperor has fallen again. One, two, three.

And twenty.

“Raise your head. ”

The emperor told Azin. Azin raises his head slowly. The eyes of the emperor and Azin collided in the air. After facing my eyes, I became more confident. The emperor's power was so great that it was hard to know the end.

What is that? ’

Azin's eyes narrowed. I can see what bothers me behind the Emperor's back. Four shadows floating. The Emperor's gaze opened.

“You see it?”

The emperor asks. Azin nods slowly. In response, the emperor laughed low.

“It's been a long time since anyone's said yes. ”

The emperor rises up. The commander of the security guard stepped back a little. Huaa! A huge magical force is engulfing around the emperor. Azin's admiration is low.

Fiery sparks and running water. Raging dirt and wind.

The four figures stand behind the back of the emperor. Azin's lips are wide open.

“.. the Spirit. ”

“Their king. ”

The power of Gladiolus, the Creator, to the emperor of Gracia. Absolute power to make an emperor descend from generation to generation.

“I wanted to ask you myself. ”

The mouth of the emperor rises.

“Why is the owner of the Jinsun Moor doing such a cruel thing here? I wonder.”