The head of the Prient family, Glen Prient.
Tangled red hair. Shabby clothes. At first glance, one might mistake him for a beggar, but upon closer inspection, no one could associate the word ‘beggar’ with him.
Golden eyes that seemed inhuman.
His gentle eyes might give the impression of being friendly, but the longer one faced him, the more one felt like prey before a predator.
Glen Prient was having a private audience with the Emperor for that very reason.
Even Victor, the supreme ruler of the Empire, felt a chill down her spine when meeting Glen’s gaze. One could only imagine how the guards who confronted him at the front gate must have felt.
…However, this was largely thanks to her two childhood friends. Glen’s golden eyes were familiar because they resembled Lucia’s, and his bold eyes were similar to the man Victor cherished the most, making it impossible for her to dislike him.
“Hmm, it suits you well.”
Victor looked at Glen with a satisfied smile. Until a moment ago, he was kneeling and fumbling with his chest, and each time the emblem symbolizing the imperial family gleamed with a blue light.
“Really?”“Indeed. As expected, it looks much better because of your good looks.”
“Hmm…”
Glen, dressed in a uniform, inspected his body. He rotated his shoulders broadly, repeatedly sitting and standing. His actions seemed more like he was checking if it was suitable for future activities rather than checking the fit of the clothes.
“…One swing of the sword and it will burst.”
Glen said, looking down at the much smaller Emperor.
“Do the Empire’s knights fight wearing such clothes?”
“Of course, they wear armor in battles.”
“Hmm, but the guards who were exuding hostility earlier were wearing similar clothes.”
“Aren’t they just guards? In case of emergency, the captain of the guards will move. He is prepared for proper combat. Didn’t you see him?”
“Indeed, it seemed so.”
Glen stroked his now-clean chin and chuckled.
“I thought my brother also fought wearing such cumbersome clothes. It’s a relief to hear that’s not the case.”
“Of course not.”
Victor chuckled and stepped back to look at Glen’s appearance.
‘It would suit Shiron well too.’
Except for the hair color and eyes, Glen looked exactly like Shiron. Or was it the other way around? It would be more accurate to say that Shiron resembled Glen.
“So, what’s next?”
Glen adjusted the holy sword, Rigil, which he had placed on the floor.
“After grooming and changing into the uniform, the knighthood ceremony is completed.”
“Hmm, should I try some perfume? There are a few in the imperial collection…”
“If applying perfume were a knight’s duty, I would quit immediately.”
Despite asking to be made a knight, he was now decisively stating he wanted to quit. It was a rather capricious statement. It’s quite rude to say such things in front of the Emperor, but Victor seemed unfazed and nodded.
“Do you want to be sent to the battlefield?”
“Yes. But it doesn’t have to be the battlefield. Any place where I can use my power will suffice. And it would be even better if it is something ‘only I’ can do.”
“Something only you can do…”
“In simpler terms, there is probably no swordsman stronger than me on the continent. I’ve never lost once in a sword fight.”
“It’s ironic for such a talented person to work under someone else.”
Glen looked at Victor, who burst into laughter, tilting his head.
“Why are you laughing? If you think I’m lying, I can prove it right away.”
“It’s not that.”
“Then what?”
“It’s just hard to understand why someone so talented would willingly decide to work under someone else.”
“…But I heard my brother is also part of the Empire. On the way here, I heard rumors about the best swordsman in the Empire. It’s not so strange.”
More than 20 years ago, the story of his brother, who ran away during the head-of-family appointment ceremony and hardly showed his face, was heard repeatedly on the way to the Imperial Palace.
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Then?”
“When His Majesty made Sir Hugo his man, Sir Hugo was known to bow to no one.”
“…”
“He didn’t enter under someone else’s command of his own will.”
“…I just needed someone to guide me. It’s not that I particularly wanted to work under someone else.”
Glen sighed and unclenched his fist. His palms bore deep nail marks from gripping too tightly.
‘Interesting. He looks exactly like Shiron, but his inner self is more like Lucia.’
Victor clearly saw those marks. The outward mental confusion gave her many thoughts.
“Then. I’d like you to take care of the man who’s coming here now.”
Among his thoughts was the treatment of Glen. When the best swordsman on the continent begged to be used, could he ignore it? Victor waved his hand toward the open door of the Alhyeon Room without giving a separate order.
‘There are many casual visitors today.’
Shiron Prient, his friend with black hair, approached with measured steps. Glen raised an eyebrow at the emperor’s suddenly changed attitude.
“You came sooner than I thought? I thought you would rest at home for a few days.”
“Can we talk about work later? I’m a bit busy.”
“…Of course.”
Shiron, who looked exactly like Glen, passed by Victor. Victor, who took a step back, felt that the reunion of the family was not very harmonious.
“Head of the family.”
Shiron did not call Glen ‘father.’
“Let’s go home. The family is waiting.”
“…Family? If you mean my brother, that’s enough. I can’t say we have a good relationship.”
“Isn’t Yuma family? What about the guardians of Dawn Castle?”
“You…”
“I’m also… part of Father’s family!”
“…”
“Let’s go. Victor is a busy person with a lot to do. He doesn’t have time to deal with an uncle.”
Shiron pulled Glen’s hand and looked at Victor.
“Right? Victor.”
“No, I’m fine…”
“What? I can’t hear you.”
“…Ahem. Come to think of it, I might be busy? Since your father came during my afternoon lecture, it seems you came at the right time.”
“Right? Then I’ll come back later. Sorry for the trouble today.”
Shiron hurried his steps after patting Victor on the shoulder. Victor sighed as he watched Shiron roughly leave the Alhyeon Room.
Victor was aware of the existence of the Dawn Castle of Prient through minimal documents, but with her first and second brothers deposed, the related department was completely wiped out. Knowing her friend’s personality, Victor had not made any special efforts to investigate.
However, the complex family matters that were revealed on the surface could not be ignored.
‘Is it because he grew up under Sir Hugo, that he hesitated to call him father?’
It might seem like unnecessary meddling, but Victor also had an extraordinary family background. So, it was inevitable to be interested in the strained father-son relationship.
“Did Yuma ask you?”
In the running carriage, Glen spoke, fixing his gaze outside the window. Shiron sighed deeply and looked at Glen, resting his chin on his hand.
“What’s with the sharp reaction? Did you fight with Yuma?”
“…If leaving the castle and not returning is considered fighting, then you could say we fought.”
“You didn’t fight.”
“…”
“Yuma didn’t ask me. She even told me not to go fetch you.”
In short, it was Shiron’s unilateral decision.
As soon as Shiron heard Glen’s location, he prepared to head to the imperial palace. Yuma was horrified and advised him to reconsider, but knowing where he was, Shiron didn’t see any reason why he couldn’t go fetch a runaway middle-aged man.
Glen’s eyes widened as if he had heard an unexpected answer.
“Why? Do you think I’m lying?”
“…Yuma must have had a reason to find you. She’s someone who didn’t leave the castle to avoid interfering with the world’s order. She wouldn’t have left the castle just to see your face.”
“I’ll tell you straight.”
Shiron straightened his back and looked at Glen.
“Yuma was worried about you.”
“Worried about me?”
“Yes. She said you skipped meals… and even went to the demon realm several times.”
Yuma shared many stories while trying to dissuade Shiron. She said it was painful to see him wandering aimlessly as if he had lost his purpose, like she once did. She said that now that he seemed to have found a signpost after his wandering, she couldn’t stand in his way.
Yuma’s voice had a hint of tears when she spoke of Glen.
A demon worried about a human’s well-being and shed tears.
It didn’t make sense.
Especially for a human she had raised all her life as a tool for her revenge.
“Why did you run away?”
Knowing roughly about Yuma’s situation, Shiron couldn’t help but act immediately. There was no hesitation in his question to Glen.
“Was it shocking to learn that Prient is not a descendant of the hero?”
He didn’t hesitate to lay his cards on the table. Glen’s eyes widened, and he sat up.
“The power of prophecy?”
“Of course not.”
“Then…”
“Yuma told me. While making a once-in-a-lifetime request to me.”
The one-horned demon.
The woman he saw before leaving the house couldn’t be called a demon. Though she hid her horn to act in the human world, Yuma, to Shiron, seemed to possess a warm maternal love more than anyone else.
“What request…”
Glen couldn’t meet Shiron’s eyes. He had never played the role of a father and had barely spoken to him. Glen felt more estranged from Shiron than from Lucia.
“Find the meaning of life.”
“…”
“For Father and for everyone in Dawn Castle.”
The carriage jolted to a stop. He personally opened the door and looked at the mansion’s main gate. Eldrina and… Lucia were there. Lucia hid behind Eldrina when she saw Glen get off the carriage.
“I don’t know if such a request is even worth mentioning, but let’s at least have a meal together?”
“Hmm…”
Glen’s eyes were filled with reluctance as he looked at Lucia.
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter