Chapter 76

Chapter 76

Leonhard frowned as he stood in front of the Bernoulli family’s dilapidated villa, which had not been visited by anyone for the past three years.

‘…I didn’t know it would be like this. If I had brought Celine, it would have been in trouble.’

Weeds that grew up to a short soldier’s head swayed in the wind, and thorny vines covered the door, requiring Rashir to cut it down. If Celine had come here, she would have been horrified, thinking that it was just another cursed mansion.

“This is where ghosts are more likely to appear… I’m sorry.”

“No…! Some weeds have grown. Isn’t that possible? We will pick it out for you if you want.”

“No. You don’t have to do that. You guys are our guests.”

“Lord Leonhard…!”

Leonhard swallowed a sigh inside as he looked at Bart, who was so moved that he was about to shed tears.

‘I hope the inside is fine.’

Fortunately, the inside of the mansion was not much different from when the Bernoulli family last withdrew from the Capital, except it was full of dust. However, it felt like a palace to the knights who had been living in a place much worse than that.

Leonhard was still content with checking out the neat outdoor and indoor training grounds.

“I will give you exactly one hour. Unpack and gather here, and then it’s time to train.”

“…Lord Leonhard, are you training us yourself?”

The vice-commander asked with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

“Yes. You will be tired, so those who don’t want to train may continue to rest.”

Bart and the vice-commander, as well as the other members, stomped their feet and shouted.

“No!”

“No way…!”

“I will drag all of those halfwits and bring them.”

Hearing that, Leonhard smiled softly at him.

“Then, I look forward to your kind cooperation.”

‘They’re holding up better than I thought?’

He admired, trying not to show it outwardly.

Even their lunch was not a proper meal, but the Paradiso Knights, who had roughly filled themselves up with combat rations, all attacked him vigorously as one. Leonhard felt satisfaction as he dealt with them with his practice sword while keeping Rashir calmly in the scabbard.

The one with the best swordsmanship skills was Daniel, a member who had just turned twenty.

Nonetheless, the Paradiso Knights became the scariest when they moved under Bart’s command. He was able to deal with dozens of dubious people with a single practice sword though those who moved under his command were never dubious.

“…I surrender.”

The dull sword fell from Leonhard’s hand.

The Paradiso Knights cheered. There were even those who collapsed halfway, saying it was the glory of the family.

“Lord, Lord Leonhard…”

However, there was only one of them, someone who smiled awkwardly and looked at Leonhard.

It was Bart

“Are you okay?”

Leonhard laughed.

“I am not weak enough to put unnecessary feelings on these things. Be honest and happy.”

“No, because it looks like you got hit badly earlier.”

“Ah.”

At that, he rubbed his left arm, which had been badly beaten by Daniel.

“Nothing. This is nothing. More than that, I’m really impressed. You raised them well, Commander Bart.”

“It’s, it’s an honor…”

Bart’s voice trembled with emotion that was never made up.

“Then, shall we go again?”

After a few hours.

When the sun had already set, no one in the Paradiso Knights could cheer or laugh. Regardless, Leonhard still raised his practice sword without a hint of tiredness, and the Paradiso Knights jumped up and attacked him.

“Lord Leonhardt, with all due respect…”

“What is going on?”

Leonhard, who was swinging his sword in a half-trance state, flinched at Bart’s words and blinked his eyes.

“Our members are so tired. I think there will be no injuries if we let them rest.”

“Ah. Yes, that’s right.”

He nodded his head and checked the condition of the members.

“…I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were struggling this much.”

Leonhard spoke slowly.

“Still, it’s the first time I’ve met knights with this level of skill… I got a little excited. I hope there are no misunderstandings.”

“Lord Leonhard…!”

Bart’s eyes turned red.

Most of the members also stumbled up from their seats and bowed to him even though they were so exhausted that they could hardly move properly.

“Then, everyone, go in and rest.”

“Yes…!”

Leonhard was the first to leave the training ground. Before dinner, there was work to be done.

‘They’re not just a one-time Carpathian.’

They were the knights representing the empire, and they had enough qualities to go down in history.

‘…I shouldn’t have brought them.’

Until he checked their skills properly today, he only considered them to be those with a few qualities among the knights belonging to the imperial family. However, not only did they have outstanding individual qualities, but they also possessed an outstanding commander.

If they were hated by the Imperial Family because of his hasty actions…

‘…I couldn’t just leave them there.’

Leonhard muttered, dissatisfied to himself.

If these people had a lot of money, he would have let them find accommodation in the Imperial Capital, but he couldn’t pretend to not know the situation.

Fortunately, he knew how to deal with this situation.

After the sun goes down, he would avoid people’s attention and have an audience with the Emperor to explain the situation. Although he had already made a brief report through a messenger, it had to have a different weight if he personally came forward and spoke for them.

‘Celine… I’m glad she is with the other wizards.’

He thought of Celine, who was with the wizards belonging to the Imperial Family.

Leonhard smiled bitterly.

He didn’t like wizards in general… even more so, the wizardsbelongedg to the Imperial Family. Of course, insisting on the cause, it would be on himself.

Despite that, the depth of the grove over the past nine years has rendered the cause meaningless. There was only one reason why he sent Celine to the wizards belonging to the imperial family… it was the only place where she could become strong while being protected from the warlocks.

Over the past few months, Leonhard had learned to accept his limitations. Celine could and should have gotten help from other people, not him.

Right before meeting the Emperor, Leonhard took a deep breath to clear his mind.

He wasn’t here to report the achievements of his mission.

He was here to protect those who swore allegiance to him.

At that moment, he could feel a cold sweat on his palms.

‘…I can do well.’

As he slowly stepped into the throne room, the Emperor sat down on his throne and looked down at him.

Leonhard respectfully knelt down.

“Frederick’s son Leonhard meets the Emperor.”

The Emperor went straight to the point.

“I saw and heard that you came in person means that there are things that cannot be said through a messenger, right?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me.”

“Your Majesty, that is…”

Leonhard’s explanation was over after about ten minutes. It was because the Emperor interrupted in the middle and persistently asked for details.

‘Why did he go this far?’

Cold sweat formed not only on Leonhard’s palms but also on his forehead.

He had a bad feeling.

“Looks like you liked them quite a bit… the Paradiso Knights.”

“Yes. One of the best knights I’ve ever met. I think they will grow into the best knights if they are faithful to their training and receive sufficient support like they are now.”

“Is it?”

The Emperor neither affirmed nor denied.

“Seeing that you care so much, it is clear that they are exceptional people. You’ve never been inspired by any knights you’ve seen?”

“That is…”

The corner of the Emperor’s mouth went up.

“Sooner or later, I will give them a new building, so until then, they are allowed to stay at Bernoulli.”

“I will be grateful…!”

Leonhard lowered his head again.

He expected the Emperor’s decree to be written, but nothing was heard. So, he kept on kneeling down and waiting for the Emperor to speak, feeling the tight tension.

“If you and Ricardo collide in the future, I will raise your hand.”

“….?”

At those words, Leonhard looked up at the Emperor with a bewildered face.

“Your Majesty, what is that…”

“Leonhard, your actions today will be taken by Ricardo as treason against him.”

“….!”

“And I have no intention of stopping that.”

The Emperor frowned.

“Stand up, Leonhard Bernoulli.”

Leonhard staggered and rose. The words that came out of the Emperor’s mouth seemed to punch hard at his head.

“I will say it clearly now. I do not want Ricardo to succeed me.”

“Your Majesty…!”

Leonhard exclaimed in amazement.

Under the Crown Prince, there were several younger siblings with a rather large age gap from him though none of them dared to aim for the throne.

The Empire was able to distribute enough power and wealth to all of the Emperor’s children and to go against the rightful heir, the eldest son, was to slit the duck that lays the golden eggs. Besides, the Emperor directly rejected his own successor…?

It was unprecedented in the history of the empire.

The Emperor waved his hand slowly.

“I know what you are thinking. I know the reality is Ricardo will succeed me.”

His cold eyes looked straight at Leonhard.

“However, it can’t go on like this. Ricardo needs a competitor to be a proper Emperor. He has a competitor strong enough to take his place… That is you.”

It was only then that Leonhard realized how the Emperor viewed him.

…He was the fertilizer to make Ricardo Unsolem into a perfect Emperor.

“Your Majesty, then our north…!”

Leonhard exclaimed urgently.

Even though it was good to keep the Crown Prince in check and stimulate him to become the perfect Emperor, after Prince Ricardo became Emperor, where was the guarantee that he would not retaliate against the North?

“Hahahaha…!”

The Emperor let out a laugh that burst from the very depths of his heart.

“Have you not noticed yet? Why did I choose you?”

Leonhard, frozen in his seat, only opened his mouth.

“Leonhard, Ricardo can’t hurt you. If you disappear, who will cut the warlock?”

“….”

The Emperor smiled softly and licked his lips with his tongue.

For the first time in Leonhard’s life, he thought that the lord he had truly served was like a snake.

“So… live a long, healthy life. Ricardo will retaliate against the whole North if he thinks he doesn’t need you.”

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