CH 41

Chapter - 41 || The Knight With A Temper

We had met at the port as well.

His words reminded Youssef of Julius.

He was the knight who was with Alexander when he came to inspect.

—'Are you insulting the Saint?!'

When I asked him if the disaster had anything to do with the saint, he got angry before the King did.

He was the short-tempered Knight from that time.

"Hey, look at you. You're wearing different clothes than before. Where did you get them? What the hell are you doing?"

His sword had already been drawn.

His face was still young, with a hint of youth in it.

He didn't seem to be the type to accept a bribe.

Youssef, who had money but no weapons, was determined to protect Adrian.

"I'm flattered. You remembered me."

"You! Are you going to say what you were doing?"

"I never said that. I'm just saying it's an honour."

"You can stick that up your ass."

Julius raised his sword.

Youssef held up his hands, saying, "All right."

"Listen to me as I explain what I intend to do. You're a knight in the service of the King, aren't you?"

"Oh?"

Julius raised an eyebrow, but Youssef continued,

"The King is the ruler of this country. So, by protecting the king, you are protecting this country."

"That's why I'm doing this now, trying to get you!"

The tip of his sword moved even closer to Youssef.

"Don't get angry. I won't do anything, come on."

Youssef raised his hands even higher.

"I want to protect and care for my country. And just like you, I was working for my country today. Therefore, we are the same."

"Don't be silly..."

The tip of his sword grazed Youssef's neck.

"What will it take for me to tell you I'm not messing around?"

My neck got a slight cut and it started bleeding.

Of course it hurt, but I didn't show it on my face.

"Hey, if you're a Knight, you know about the disasters that are happening right now, right?"

I could have just ran away, but I knew that would do more harm than good. I wanted to clear his suspicion since our last encounter.

I was sure he was a serious man at heart.

He had a short temper due to his sense of justice.

"You want to eliminate disasters, right? You want to do something about it, and I do too."

"Not with a con man like you!"

The tip of his sword cut my neck deeper.

"...Guh!"

I couldn't help but shout.

My wound deepened, but I kept my eyes focused on Julius.

"The means are different, but the result is the same. The people and the country are already quite exhausted. Now is the time to stop it."　

Julius was silent.

'Good,' thought Youssef.

If he was silent here, it meant that he agreed with him.

"Don't mess with me... scammer."

Julius repeated the same line, but with less vigour.

"Then you can call me a fraud."

Let the negotiations begin.

"Catch me and throw me in jail. But do me one favour, will you?"

"Do you really think you're in a position to ask?"

Youssef did not answer, but pointed to the sack on the cart.

"Can you please let the old man in the sack go?"

...And send him home with his grandchildren.

"A bag? There's a man in the bag?"

Julius looked surprised. Youssef nodded.

Julius said, keeping the tip of his sword close to him,

"Open the bag slowly and let me see what's inside. Don't do anything unnecessary."

Youssef opened the entrance of the bag with a gulp.

Adrian appeared with frightened eyes.

Julius seemed to be convinced.

"You mean you were trying to let a sinner go?"

"Not a sinner. He didn't do anything."

"That's what they all say."

Youssef thought.

From now, whether we make it or not is all a gamble.

"If you were a Knight, you would have been at the saint's unveiling, right?"

Did he believe in the Saints, or in Lady Natalia?

"That doesn't matter."

It all depends on his belief.

"The 'Maiden Lily' that Natalia-sama was holding at that time was made by this old man."

"...You!"

Julius grabbed Youssef by his collar, and his blood was still dripping from his wound, but Youssef continued,

"The old man, who was the best craftsman in King's Landing, kept making forgeries because his legs were too sore to run away.

Strangely enough, the forgeries were broken as soon as they were made. That's why he was kept alive until now.

Then why was this unveiling from so far away? Because it would have been obvious from up close."

"...I heard it was for security reasons."

"You saw it from the side, didn't you? Didn't the petals look too stiff to be real lilies? Didn't they look unnatural?"

"I don't care! If His Majesty and Natalia-sama says it's real, it's real! The High Priestess was there too! Are you saying that they were all lying?"

"...Seven cards were made."

Adrian said in a faint voice.

Youssef and Julius involuntarily heard him.

"I was shown the Yellow Lily for... reference. But it had six petals..."

Youssef realized.

If the Yellow Lilies had six petals, then the Maiden Lily must have had six petals as well.

That was what seven cards meant.

"For Natalia-sama's lilies, I dare added a seventh. If you saw it closely under the sunlight, the white was darker there."

Adrian's voice was shaky.

"...You've seen it, haven't you...?"

Julius didn't say anything, but his expression spoke for him.

Julius had noticed the seventh petal that Adrian had made.

"You're lying!"

Julius suddenly let go of Youssef and tried to hit Adrian.

"Are you insulting the Saint?!"

Youssef panicked and held his foot down. Then he shouted,

"You're the ones insulting the Saints!"