Chapter 262: Side Story 8

“I think we lost them.”

“Yeah, I can’t sense them at all.”

The two Ghost survivors carefully emerged from the waters as they looked around. Although they had used rugged forests and mountains to erase their tracks and lose their pursuers, they had still used the river to make doubly sure. No matter how good a person was at tracking, there was no way they’d be able to track someone through the water. 

“Let’s hurry. It’s later than I thought.”

“But we’ll still be able to get to the rendezvous point within the agreed-upon date.”

The two of them moved diligently.

Now all they had to do was join their comrades at the agreed-upon location.

***

The place they were heading to wasn’t a place without any people, instead, it was in the middle of a city with people living in it.  Since it was always darkest under the candlestick, it was better for them to hide where there were people living. Not to mention, it was easier for them to obtain information.

The two of them headed towards a hidden bar in the back alley and knocked at the back door of the bar that hadn’t even opened yet.

Knock~ knockknock~ knock~

When they knocked a unique rhythm, the door opened silently.

At that moment…

“Damn!”

“Run!”

The two Ghosts turned around and tried to run away. However, armed troops sprang out from all directions at the same time they moved. 

“Don’t let them escape.”

“We must capture them!”

Elite soldiers and knights had been secretly waiting for them.

The two Ghosts pulled out a shortsword and began fighting in order to escape.

‘Damn it… How did this happen?’

‘Our comrades… What happened to the hostage then?’

They realized that things had gone drastically wrong. Originally, when they knocked, the people inside should have asked for a password.

They had worked hard all week to get rid of their pursuers and even at the last moment, they had tried to be safe. It seemed like an excessive amount, but through this, they had been able to survive even after being soundly defeated during the war.

But for the door to have opened without asking for the password meant that things had gone terribly wrong. They didn’t know the reason, but now that things had gone wrong, the important thing was for them to survive. 

They’d only be able to look for another opportunity if they were alive.

***

“Keugh!”

“Ack!”

Screams rang out as blood sprayed out on the floor.

There were only two opponents, but the two were surviving members of the Ghost Force, the strongest elite soldiers of the Republic in the last war. Although they had aged a bit, their skills weren’t rusty. Even though the elixir wasn’t available any longer, their natural ability was too much for the ordinary knights to handle. 

“Don’t let them escape!”

“There are only two enemies!”

The knights tried their best to fight the Ghosts as they encircled them, but things didn’t get any better. As the Ghosts took advantage of the narrow alley and fought steadily against them, their numbers began to decrease.

And finally…

Smack!

“Keugh!”

One of the Ghosts kicked the chest of the knight who was blocking the street. At the same time the knight stumbled and stepped back, the knights’ line became weaker. The Ghosts’ used that chance and swiftly swung their short-swords.

“Ack!”

“Keu…”

“Gu… guhh…”

One had his eye slashed, and another was stabbed in his abdomen. And another was stabbed in the neck and losing blood. Three elite knights died in an instant.

“Now’s our chance!”

“Good!”

The moment there was a gap, the two boldly broke through the encirclement.

“No!”

“Stop them! No matter what it takes, we have to capture them!”

The knights shouted out in panic, but it was too late, the two Ghosts were halfway out of the encirclement.

But at that moment…

“Oof!”

“Guh...”

The Ghosts who were running out of the encirclement were stopped.

Something was blocking them. Except for a few insignificant soldiers, it was empty in front of them, but their instincts were clearly warning them - you can’t continue forward like this.

It was telling them that if they continued, they would die. Maybe this ability to sense savageness was trained into them as warriors? They couldn’t bring themselves to continue forward.

And then...

“You have good instincts.”

Speaking quietly, someone appeared in front of them. 

That person appeared from around the corner of the alleyway that the Ghosts were heading towards after escaping the encirclement. He looked to be a mature middle-aged gentleman. He wasn’t wearing armor or a helmet and was only dressed in normal attire with only a long sword at his waist. 

But the moment that man appeared, the two Ghosts felt their backs growing damp. They knew who the middle-aged man standing in front of them was. How could they not know?

“Jerome Taker…”

He was the living legend of the Lester Empire and the right-hand man of the Grand Duke Milton Forrest. 

Jerome Taker had appeared. 

***

Jerome slowly strolled forward as he spoke to them.

“Seeing how you know my face, there’s no doubt about it. You really are Ghosts.”

“......”

“......”

The two didn’t respond. Instead, they looked at each other and tried to signal with their eyes.

Their opponent was Jerome Taker.  Could they escape? If they couldn’t, then could one person at least buy some time as the other escaped?

As they quickly calculated possibilities and signalled each other, Jerome spoke. 

“Give it up.”

Just that one sentence.

When Jerome said that one sentence as if he was a teacher scolding disobedient students, the Ghosts realized something. 

‘It’ll be too difficult.’

‘So this is the end.’

If one wanted to be a bait and buy some time so that the other could succeed in escaping, then the difference in ability must be at least that of a fox and a wolf. Although the two of them were amongst the strongest within the Ghosts, and they had fought fiercely and hadn’t let their skills dull, the power gap between them and the man in front of their eyes was hopelessly big. 

No matter what they did, no matter what tricks they tried, it wouldn’t have worked. 

‘That monster…’

‘He’s become even stronger than before. At this rate… Ah!’

Although it was difficult, there was still something they could try. One of the Ghost survivors began talking to Jerome.

“The Imperial Princess Elizabeth is in our hands…”

“I’m right here.”

Elizabeth appeared from behind Jerome before he could finish talking. 

Tommy and Rick were guarding her vigilantly by her side. 

‘Damn it…’

‘So she really did escape?’

For the Ghosts, their faint hope disappeared.

Jerome responded first as he let out a sigh.

“Your Imperial Highness, I told you not to come out because it was dangerous.”

“No, in this scene, I had to come out for it to be…”

When Elizabeth began her lame excuse, Jerome cut her off as if it wasn’t worth listening to.

“Rick, Tommy, lead Her Highness away.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Yes, Master.”

Then, Rick and Tommy grabbed Elizabeth’s arms on either side and lifted her up slightly.

Although she wasn’t hurt, she lost her dignity as she dangled in the air.

“Huh? Wait a minute. Rick, Tommy, let me go.”

“No, Your Imperial Highness.”

“It’s the Master’s order.”

“But I’m the Imperial Princess?! I’m higher than him.”

“Still, no, Your Highness.”

No matter what Elizabeth said, it didn’t work.

And in Jerome’s case, his official title was nothing more than a duke, but with his actual authority, he might as well be the third in command of the Empire. In a sense, even Empress Leila couldn’t treat him rashly. Of course, with his dignified, noble and well-mannered behavior, there was no reason for Leila to act rashly against him. And while Elizabeth had her rank, she couldn’t do much against him either when she remembered how in her childhood, he had carried her around on his shoulders.

In the end, she could only be dragged out of there without much dignity. 

Having sent off the Imperial Princess, Jerome to speak to the two Ghosts in front of him.

“So, what’re you going to do now? Do you have other tricks you want to try?”

“No, there isn’t.”

With that said, the Ghosts threw down their shortswords and picked up the longswords of the fallen knights. 

“Then what are you going to do? Will you surrender?”

As soon as Jerome said that...

Whoosh!

The surrounding people could feel a murderous intent so strong that it felt like pinpricks.

“Surrender?”

“Don’t underestimate us, Jerome Taker.”

An unbeatable opponent. A situation where their retreat was blocked. There was only one option for the Ghosts to choose from in this situation.

“Long live Fuhrer Sigfried!”

“The Republic forever!”

With that cry, the two charged towards Jerome.”

“Right…”

Jerome slowly reached for his sword.

“I knew this would happen.”

The moment Jerome pulled out his sword, it was both the beginning and the last moment.

***

Jerome spoke as he looked down at the cold bodies of the two Ghosts.

“Tell Jake I said hello.”

After ordering his men to clean up the aftermath, Jerome left.

***

This is what had happened.

Two of the five Ghosts survivors left for negotiations while the remaining three moved to transport Imperial Princess Elizabeth to a secret location.

But then...

“Will you keep your promise, Imperial Princess Elizabeth?”

“Of course, but are you sure you’re alright?”

The Ghosts who were approaching the cell to transport Elizabeth overheard an odd conversation.

Yushin and Elizabeth seemed to be making some kind of a deal.

One of the Ghosts held a weapon in his hand and pointed it at the two of them.

“You better not try any nonsense. Especially you over there. Keep in mind that the people who handed you over said we could kill you if you escaped.”

The blade touched Yushin’s throat as he threatened him.

However, Yushin didn’t bat an eye and spoke to Elizabeth. 

“You don’t have to worry about my promise. I can immediately fulfill it right now.”

“Then prove it to me.”

The Ghosts were furious when they saw the two people continuing to talk to each other while ignoring them.

‘How dare they…’

Since Elizabeth was the only important hostage right now, the Ghost raised his sword with the intention of killing the unidentified Southerner.

But at the moment…

“Huh?!”

His sword wouldn’t move. He couldn’t push it or pull it back. As if it was fixed on the wall, his sword didn’t move at all.

The reason for that was…

“Is that it?”

Yushin’s right hand. He was holding his opponent’s sword with his right hand. It didn’t seem like he was holding it with all his might, but his opponent couldn’t move it at all.

“You…? Who are you?”

“You don’t need to know. And… My plan’s changed.”

“What?”

“Since you’re not convinced of your defeat and only harming the world, I have no reason to feel guilty about it. I’ll kill you.”

Having said that, Yushin pulled the sword towards him while supporting his foot on the foothold in front of him.

Then…

“Huh?!”

His opponent felt himself lifting forward without his intention.

The moment both feet floated above the ground and he lost his freedom of movement…

“Hup!”

With a short exhale, Yushin dropped his elbow vertically.

Crack!

“Keughhh!”

With the sound of breaking vertebrae, the Ghost who was holding onto the sword crumpled.