Chapter 247: Reunion (4)

Guiltian looked down at Adjest with a grimace.

“That was incredibly rude.”

Facing Guiltian, Adjest felt overwhelming pressure from his aura. While her outward composure didn’t reveal it, internally she began to crumble slightly.

‘I shouldn’t step back down here. No, I _can’t_ step down here.’

Adjest stood upright. She bit her lips and looked at Guiltian without avoiding his gaze.

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty. However… … ”

A strange emotion began to appear in Adjest’s normally impassive eyes. She stared at Guiltian with a gaze filled with flames of passion.

“For the sake of our Empire, Desir’s plan must be realized. And in order for that plan to come true, the Spear of Longinus and my royal blood are required.”

After rebelling openly against the Emperor, it wouldn’t be surprising for anyone else to be beheaded immediately. Even a First Princess would not be able to escape severe consequences for such an action.

Despite knowing this, Adjest refused to step down.

“Are you saying that you will ignore my order and go anyway?”

“… In the end, if you don’t permit me, I will do what I must.”

It was a precarious atmosphere akin to one walking on thin ice. The slightest miss-step could cause it to shatter.

“Hahahaha!”

Guiltian, who had been harshly staring at Adjest, burst into a hearty laugh. Something was off; the laugh completely broke the tense atmosphere.

“That boy is something else. You must believe in him too.”

Adjest couldn’t understand what had happened. Her face revealed her desire to ask what had happened.

“If you join, Desir’s plan will surely succeed.”

Guiltian got up from the throne and began pacing down the royal hall.

“You don’t have to worry. From the beginning, I intended to accept Desir’s request.”

“What do you… ”

“It was by my command that Raphaello told you.”

Adjest’s eyes widened.

“Before I accepted, I wanted to know what you truly thought. Seeing that you came here within a day, and how strongly you fought just now, I can tell that you definitely want to join him.”

Step by step, Guiltian finally stood in front of Adjest.

“I know your skills are excellent. But after what happened to Swan Katarina, I realized that I had taken this situation too lightly. So I summoned you to the Imperial Palace, to make sure you were safe.”

Suddenly, Guiltian knelt down and reached eye level with Adjest.

“But you don’t understand this father’s heart, and continue to struggle. Heaven has bestowed you with talents so great that you have no choice but to go on the battlefield.”

Adjest had prodigious talent in both magic and the sword, as well as significant talent as a commander, having an uncanny knack for military strategy. It was no exaggeration to say that she had the best potential amongst the entirety of mankind.

Furthermore, this talent had been refined by Desir. In the near future there was no doubt she would be the strongest human, past and present.

Guiltian knew her talent better than anyone else.

However, who could watch their own daughter throw themselves into life and death situations without making a fuss? Guiltian couldn’t tolerate the thought of Adjest putting her life at risk on dangerous battlefields. Thus, he brought her back to the Imperial Palace.

“But now that I think about it… I’m glad you grew up like this. I feel grateful to Desir for changing you in this manner.”

Guiltian definitely knew the importance of Desir’s plan. Such a person like him couldn’t be ignorant to such a fact. However, he contrived this situation to make the decision one that Adjest made, rather than one he forced onto her. She had to choose her own path.

Having reached such a conclusion, he dismissed her.

“You can go, Adjest. Go and prove that your choice was right.”

Adjest noticed the warmth that Guiltian showed through his actions, even if he was too prideful to express them directly.

She bowed in gratitude.

“I will accept this Imperial order.”

* * *

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“We have almost arrived, Your Highness.”

As Adjest looked out the window of the wagon at Raphaello’s announcement, a citadel had begun to appear in the distance.

There were just two occupants of the wagon clattering along the road, Adjest and Raphaello. Though Adjest wasn’t initially aware of it, Desir’s request included not two, but three things: herself, the Spear of Longinus, and Raphaello Cheriger.

The shield of the Royal Guard took in the scenery. As it was his duty to guard the Emperor, he didn’t get to venture outside Leonhardt Palace often. Finally, his eyes rest on the citadel.

“Everyone is already gathered. We are the last to arrive.”

“I see.”

Despite being still hundreds of miles away from the citadel, Raphaello could clearly sense who was inside. However, the demonstration of this amazing technique was nothing new to Adjest. Instead of being surprised, she began to think.

‘Everyone is here.’

Adjest slowly recalled her parting words. At that moment, her heart shook.

‘I’m finally seeing you.’

To her, the past half year had been forever. As soon as she realized that she was about to meet them soon, her heart swelled with anticipation.

‘But… … ’

One problem remained with Adjest. It was a problem that couldn’t be solved, no matter how much she agonized over it.

“You are nervous.”

Raphaello stated matter of factly.

“Are you afraid that you’re not going to be helpful to Desir?”

Adjest, whose feelings were easily identified, turned to Raphaello in surprise.

The moment their eyes met, Raphaello bowed his head lightly.

“Please forgive me for my rudeness.”

“It’s okay, Sir Raphaello. What you said is indeed correct.”

Adjest nervously kept touching the Center of Ice that she wore at her waist.

“I’m not sure if I can be helpful to him. I’m scared that I may end up holding him down.”

“That will never happen.”

Raphaello shook his head firmly.

“Be confident in yourself. You’re a powerful magician, and you studied swordcraft with tutelage from a member of the Royal Guard.”

Jean Euremrin.

The best swordsman of the Empire, someone acknowledged by the Emperor himself and given the position of sword amongst the Royal Guard.

While Raphaello held the title of Sword Grand Master, a title only given to the greatest swordsman of their generation, Guiltian had recognized Jean as the greatest swordsman in the Empire. In terms of pure swordsmanship, Jean surpassed Raphaello.

There was a common misconception that Jean was too old to carry the title of Sword Grand Master, and that Raphaello had gotten it by that luck. However, that was far from the case; Raphaello was certainly deserving of his title.

“I can only say that my sword is immature in front of him. You’ve studied under the best swordsman of the continent.”

Adjest nodded.

During her half-year in the Imperial Palace, she was able to train in swordcraft under Jean Euremrin in her spare time. It was an opportunity that she only gained because he had returned home to deal with the sudden appearance of Shadow Worlds in the Hebrion Empire.

*Rattle*

The wagon shook once.

“No one else has ever managed to train under him. His sword skills are enigmatic, something only a genius amongst geniuses could conceive. But you managed. There will be few people on this continent who are able overpower the current you.”

Adjest knew that his words weren’t exaggerated or made in an attempt to flatter her. Raphaello Cheriger was a man that never told lies.

“Thank you, Sir Raphaello.”

“You’re welcome.”

Raphaello smiled at Adjest.

“Ah. I guess someone came out to meet Your Highness.”

At the same time he finished speaking, the wagon reached the main gate of the citadel.

The horseman out front of the carriage knocked on the window twice. It was the signal that they had arrived.

The wagon’s door opened and Adjest got out. Looking for the one Raphaello had mentioned, her gaze stopped on a figure.

“It’s been a while, Adjest.”

She had found Desir.

Adjest’s head emptied. Her heart stopped. Obviously, she had thought about what to say upon encountering him all this time, but nothing came to mind.

She continued to vacillate between hesitation and something perfunctory.

“I missed you.”

Desir spoke with a gentle smile.

At that moment, Adjest realized that her worries had been meaningless.

There was no need to worry. She had just heard what she had longed for, for what had felt like an eternity.

“I missed you too.”

Adjest replied with a smile toward Desir.

At that time, she heard the whining voice of Romantica as she approached.

“Really, why are you so late!?”

Adjest was pleased to see that she had not changed at all since she had last seen her half a year ago.

“It’s been a long time, Adjest!”

“It’s been a long time, sister!”

Pram and Fizzlebang followed behind Romantica. Subsequently, the members of the Starling Party gathered one after another.

Adjest smiled.

“Nice to see you again, everyone.”

It was the long awaited reunion after six months of separation. They talked about how they had been doing and spent some time catching up.

However, time wasn’t a luxury they could afford to waste.

When Raphaello eventually emerged from the wagon after waiting for a while, the Starling Party members who saw his face were surprised.

Raphaello, the Sword Grand Master of this generation, the strongest knight on the continent. Let alone the Hebrion Empire, nearly every citizen of every developed nation knew his name. He was especially popular amongst the budding students at Hebrion Academy, as a result of their close proximity to the capital. It was impossible to find someone that had not heard of him.

“The Emperor let Raphaello mobilize as well?”

“Yes, Desir called him.”

Since Pram became a leader of the Side Guard, he had a lot of chances to talk with Raphaello. Rather than be surprised to see him, as everyone else was, he was shocked that Raphaello had been allowed to leave His Majesty’s side.

Raphaello, who just got out of the wagon, approached Desir.

“It’s been a long time, Desir. It’s been two months since we last cleared that Shadow World in Dresden.”

They shook hands.

“It’s been a long time, Sir Raphaello. Again, I hope you can show off your ability to your heart’s content.”

“Let’s do our best. I want you to tell me your plan in more detail.”

“Good timing, then. Since everyone is gathered, I was planning on going over the operation. Let’s head inside, shall we?”

Desir took the lead and headed for the citadel while guiding Adjest and Raphaello.

‘All of the actors are gathered now.’

In the citadel were the people hand-selected by Desir. This group was complete now with the arrival of Adjest and Raphaello.

Des1r smiled while taking in the sight of all the people gathered. There were very few other people he trusted that were not present. These were the strongest people on the continent, maybe not now, but definitely the strongest several years from now in the Shadow Labyrinth. They were his comrades in arms, his friends… even if they didn’t know it yet.

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