Chapter 155 : Chapter 155

Chapter 155: The Way of Medicine (3)

‘……Wait a minute.’

Why am I clinging to this simple swing?

Am I able to cut magic because my swordsmanship is outstanding?

No. It’s thanks to the characteristic of the Curse of the Spectral Body.

And yet, I am now obsessed only with the trajectory of the sword's tip.

I am futilely repeating the motion as if I believe the answer lies in the sword's movement.

‘Why?’

Because I’m at a loss.

I was helplessly defeated by an unknown member of the Eight Demons.

No matter that it was a surprise attack, it was an indisputable defeat.

An opponent I will eventually have to meet again.

The pressure to find a clue, no matter what, is pushing me into a corner.

That’s why I’m struggling so recklessly.

‘The confident-sounding boast I made in front of Kuhn was, in fact, just a bluff.’

Impatience made me foolish.

I was trapped in the stupid delusion that the act of swinging a sword itself would lead to enlightenment.

‘I need to approach this from first principles.’

If cutting the Krause assassins and Valen's poison arts was possible simply because I identified their true nature with the Ghost Eye, then the Eight Demons' restraint should have been broken in the same way.

‘The Eight Demons' restraint was not visible with the Ghost Eye.’

I can’t just dismiss it as a difference in power between the Eight Demons and the Krause members.

If that were the case, it should be the same for magic.

But to me, a 1st circle mage’s fire arrow and an 8th circle high mage’s meteor are one and the same.

‘……What on earth could it be?’

I twisted my wrist while staring blankly into the air.

The Heavenly Demon rotated in a semicircle before sliding down into its sheath.

The sound of the sword being sheathed sounded particularly lonely.

“Um, brother Bihen……?”

“Ah.”

Suddenly, I heard Bolero's voice.

I snapped back to my senses.

Come to think of it, my physical body had been unconscious for quite some time.

As soon as I turned around, my expression soured.

“Noser?”

“……Look here, Bihen. I am still your elder and have a higher rank, isn’t it proper to use some form of honorifics?”

I ignored him and looked around.

‘Where is this?’

I had planned to open my eyes in time for the trial by combat.

That’s why I woke up now.

Since time in reality and the world of unconsciousness flows the same, I was able to focus on training during that time.

“We’re about a half-day’s walk from Aldenfort. I got you out of the Krause mansion while you were unconscious. Though we just got caught.”

Bolero said, as if he had read my mind.

Thanks to him, I grasped the situation.

I thought I also knew why Noser was acting that way.

“Did you come to catch me, Noser?”

“It seems my words are going in one ear and out the other……”

“Just answer.”

Noser let out a hollow laugh as if he was dumbfounded.

He clicked his tongue and then nodded his head up and down.

“Well, fine. Yes. I came to catch you.”

“You don’t seem to have much attachment to life, seeing how confident you are.”

Beside me, Bolero laughed loudly. A real roar of laughter.

“Hahahahat! Sir Noser! It seems the tables have turned, haven’t they? Didn’t I tell you? That it was preposterous.”

“……Enough.”

Noser’s gaze turned cold. His characteristic composure had evaporated.

“What do the two of you take us for? We are the Imperial Capital Knight Order.”

Noser placed a hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist.

My eyebrow twitched up before I knew it.

“Anything further will be considered an insult to all the knights of the Kingdom, and furthermore, sacrilege that defiles the dignity of His Majesty the King.”

Behind him, the soldiers also pulled their chins in tightly.

They looked ready to gladly give their lives following their superior.

I don't know if Noser's reputation was that strong, or if their loyalty to the king was that deep, but anyway. It was worthy of applause.

“I don't know how great your skills are, but that doesn't matter. I’ll make you pay dearly for the price of daring to look down on His Majesty the King.”

I took my eyes off Noser and finished looking around.

Horribly torn corpses were scattered about.

I glanced at Bolero. His condition was not good, even at a glance.

It seemed a lot had happened while I was unconscious.

“You’ve suffered a lot because of me, Bolero.”

“I appreciate you acknowledging it.”

It’s not necessarily for his sake.

I decided not to fight Noser.

“Seeing things to the end is good, but we need to be clear about this. Isn’t it mutual that a line was crossed?”

“……What are you talking about?”

I pushed back my long hair to reveal my left earlobe.

Although it was split by Draven's spear tip, the Outer Hoop that proved I was an Imperial noble was still in place.

“I am a noble who has received the grace of His Majesty, the holy Emperor of the Empire. If the Imperial Capital Knight Order dares to detain me, that would be a clear provocation by the Imperial Capital against the authority of the Empire.”

“……!”

“I won't avoid a life-or-death battle fought on each other's honor. But let's be clear about where the responsibility lies.”

It feels awkward to act like a noble after so long.

I don't really like it, but the shell of being an Imperial noble is useful in situations like this.

“……Do not forget that this is the Kingdom’s land, Bihen Benkou. If we must determine the order of events, you started it first.”

He’s subtly backing down.

This is enough to match my intentions.

Last time, Noser forced a trial by combat on a flimsy pretext, and this time, he tried to exaggerate a single word of mine to frame me with a crime.

If his method was to obscure the essence of the matter, then I had no choice but to confront him in the same way.

“Well, fine. So the conclusion is that we're both already prepared to die, but there's some ambiguity in determining who is at fault, right?”

“……What are you trying to say?”

“Are you planning to take me to the Imperial Capital?”

“For now, yes.”

“Fine. I’ll go along quietly.”

It wasn't just Noser. Bolero also turned his head sharply to look at me, as if he was surprised.

“Bihen! Have you lost your mind?!”

“No, I’m fine.”

“Then what are you talking about! To be captured so meekly! It’s somewhat manageable out here outside the Imperial Capital. But the moment you enter the capital, their authority is absolute. Then I truly cannot guarantee your life!”

“We’ll see when we get there.”

“What?”

I gave Bolero a slight glance.

Noser and his men were staring intently this way, so I lowered my voice.

“Since we decided to go to the Imperial Capital anyway, it's all the same. The fact that we're walking into the demonic beast's maw doesn't change.”

Next, I spoke only with the shape of my mouth, without a sound.

‘Zisair.’

Only then did Bolero’s raised eyes slowly calm down.

Since he’s a sharp fellow, he probably got the gist.

‘This isn’t a completely reckless gamble.’

Among the envoys from the Imperial Capital who came to the last coronation, there were three who I concluded were not Zisair’s pawns.

‘Chief Attendant Ternien, Knight Commander Ludsilla and the head of the Sharon Faction, Noser.’

Of course, he probably said what he did with his own agenda in mind…….

Just now, he mentioned the honor of his lord, the King.

In that moment, it felt like sincerity, not calculation, came through.

His expression was proof of that.

‘I can distinguish friend from foe as I go.’

It’s not that I’m particularly taking the King’s side, nor do I have a reason to.

But right now, the Imperial Capital is Zisair’s stronghold.

As I’m entering the enemy's den, it would be better to confirm in advance who can be an ally.

I won't be wrong this time either.

My intuition has always been right.

***

Inside the carriage, it was just me and Noser.

Bolero decided to ride a separate horse because of his size.

I had already agreed with Noser not to be bound.

Rustle-

The inside of the carriage was quiet.

Only the rattling of the wheels and the sound of a page turning echoed.

It was the book Bolero gave me before I got on the carriage.

He said it was found together with the split Remnant Orb.

‘The Way of Medicine.’

The footsteps that walked the path of medicine.

In short, it was the record of Karim’s life as a physician.

[The way of a physician is originally one with the heavenly principle . Saving people from peril is like the meritorious deeds of heaven and earth, thus I wish to atone for past transgressions with but a single sincere thought.]

‘…….’

The beginning of the Poison Demon’s life as Karim was encapsulated in this one sentence.

Rustle.

After carefully reading the introduction, I quickly skimmed through the overall content once.

It was a reading habit ingrained in me since I was young.

‘The Way of Medicine’ was not a simple compilation of knowledge.

It was a record of questioning the essence of medicine and writing down his own answers, and a medical text that encompassed practical advice like the treatment of various diseases and the preparation of medicinal herbs.

Furthermore, it was the life of a single person.

Within it, I could read Karim’s unwavering will towards medicine and his deep affection for people.

Rustle.

One question that arises here is…….

Why did Karim write this in the Imperial language?

If the purpose was to spread medical knowledge, he would have written it in the Kingdom’s language so that anyone could read it.

Rustle.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to me.

It was as if Karim was confessing his story.

……Only to me.

Rustle.

If another of the Eight Demons hadn't appeared then, what would I have done to him?

Would I have let him live?

Rustle.

No, I probably wouldn’t have.

I probably would have hastily swung my sword before the conflict grew larger and…….

Rustle.

……I’d probably be feeling bitter by myself right about now.

Rustle.

“Do you read often?”

The silence was broken after a long while.

I raised my eyes.

Noser shrugged as if he meant nothing by it.

“A hobby.”

“That’s unexpected. Do Imperial swordsmen generally keep books close, or are you just peculiar?”

“I don’t understand the intent of your question.”

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I’m asking out of pure curiosity.”

Noser continued right away.

“Knights of the Kingdom also read diligently. Just until right before their appointment. The majority of them fulfill their lifetime reading quota at that time. So how can I not be curious about how it is in the Empire.”

I closed The Way of Medicine and quietly stared at Noser.

“Speaking of which, I have many questions for you too.”

“That’s great. The road is long anyway, so while we’re on our way……”

“Did you know that the Krause family has ties to the Empire?”

Noser stroked his chin. He looked puzzled.

“Of course. The story that their founder came from the Empire is quite famous. It’s the same for the fact that the Krause family has maintained an Imperial style and that they swore to follow the precepts of the Sharon Faction during my great-grandfather’s generation. The fact that Aldenfort granted them hereditary knighthood is also an old fact.”

He continued immediately.

“I’m telling you just in case, but those backgrounds are separate from the issue at hand. It’s true that because the Krause family belongs to the Sharon Faction, my right to intervene and adjudicate is greater, but other than that, my judgment is based purely on procedure.”

It sounded like he meant that the history originating from the Empire was not important.

Well, I figured as much.

“You said the lord of Aldenfort requested mediation from the Imperial Capital.”

“I did.”

“Isn’t it rare for the Imperial Capital Knight Order to move so quickly? I’m asking if that’s related to the Krause family’s background.”

Noser’s eyes narrowed.

If I were to interpret his expression as it was, it was as if he was caught off guard?

Well, maybe not.

“Originally, the Imperial Capital Knight Order was slow to move, right? Rumor has it that they rarely even leave the Imperial Capital.”

It’s a rumor I just made up.

Whether it’s true or not doesn't matter.

What I really want to know is this.

Whether Noser’s persistent interference in this fight was his own decision, or because of pressure from Zisair.

‘If it’s Zisair’s will…….’

The suspicion that he is one of the Eight Demons solidifies into certainty.

Because he would have revealed his own connection to the Poison Demon.

“……”

Noser, who had been chattering away until now, kept his mouth shut.

I could see a flash of bewilderment in his eyes for a moment.

‘Is he wary of me?’

There’s no real basis for it. It just felt that way.

Kwa-ang!

Just then, the carriage shook violently with a loud roar.

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