The dark blue king's throne room.
Cheongyoon, who was rubbing her forehead with complicated thoughts, called the dark side's name in a low voice.
"The dark side."
As his voice spread, his knights, hidden in the shadows, knelt and waited for his words.
"They're still pretty reserved guys."
"..."
“I need a drinking buddy today….”
Knowing there was no answer to return, Cheongyoon washed his face dry and looked at the report in his hand.
[128 finalists, plus 1 more]
1. Blue Mask.
2. Knight of the Red Sword.
3. Old man Holly.
·
·
·
42. White Mask ('Death' by suicide and theft of the body)
43. Black Mask (Disqualified for interfering during the match)
It was a bracket that gave no answer at all.
I knew from the first match that the one wearing the blue mask was Seol-ah. Even if she hadn't brought the spear her father had gifted her, it was I, and no one else, who had taught her how to use it.
Although it was admirable that his daughter had participated in the game while hiding her identity due to a painful defeat in the past, she could not fool her father.
so.
Why are there so many people who are so nervous about this competition?
I've hosted countless competitions, and I've always been the one who wins them, but this time, it felt like a lot of suspicious people were competing.
This was the first time that more than 40% of the players who advanced to the finals were unknown.
At least the name of the sect was revealed.
For the Qing Dynasty, the throne competition was a competition to show off the country's prestige and the number of excellent warriors.
The reason for allowing participation of those of unknown affiliation was to show that the Qing people were stronger than outsiders.
There was no other way to show off the power of the Qing Dynasty, which spared no expense in raising a single soldier, than through war.
"This tournament seems to have a lot of flies."
[The eldest son of the Hong Sword Family, defeated by participant number 131 (wielder of the magic sword), was transferred to the hospital but died.]
[A martial arts school scholarship student who dueled with participant number 312 (a holy knight) had both arms cut off and died.]
[Senior knight 'Merta Yake', who dueled with participant number 423 (the wizard), suffered a relapse of divorce trauma after being told during a duel, 'Your wife doesn't love you! She loves money!']
"This isn't the reason we have this contest to make you do cute things like this."
-Plop.
I don't know why I get on your nerves so much.
The situation must be serious since I even got advice on state affairs from a guy I just met.
-It seems that Seongguk is targeting Cheongguk.
It wasn't a pleasant thing to hear advice from someone you'd just met, but accepting the crisis humbly was also a mindset a king could adopt, so Cheongyoon smiled bitterly.
"I need to come to my senses."
Because the previous king was so arrogant that he almost lost his throne to another country.
Cheongyoon smiled dizzily as he recalled the past relationship in which he had lost both politics and diplomacy due to his pride in relying solely on the Sword Master's body.
-You dare to challenge me…?
-Yes, if you had just talked it out, I would have kept quiet, but if things continue like this, I don't think we'll end up like this, so I'll take this opportunity to say it.
-How dare you... I treated you like a little brother, yet you insist on rebelling against me!!
-It's not a protest, it's a legal procedure.
I should have let the country fall then.
Cheongyun sighed bitterly, sighing at the thought of his life, which had once been a loyal subject but now ended up as a slave to the country.
-Plop.
"What happened to the report from the spy you sent to the Holy Land?"
"They said there was nothing wrong."
"under...?"
The Qing King sighed at the dark report and smiled as if he found this situation amusing and asked.
"It seems like living abroad is really fun."
The situation in the country was not good, but I was angry at the reports of loyal subjects who were spouting out calm words saying that everything was fine.
Cheongyoon, who was highly regarded for his contribution in carrying out missions in foreign countries, and for the enormous amount of money he sent to his remaining family and them, had lost the sense of purpose in spending money on spies who rewarded him with unsolicited information.
brainwashing.
Or corruption.
After Cheongyun, who was certain which of the two situations was true, instructed the dark side to find out the situation, he began to give instructions on the actual work.
Because we need to fix this before things go their way.
"Tell the referees, if they feel that any bodily harm beyond a certain level is imminent, stop the match immediately."
"All right."
"Also, if it is determined that further fighting is no longer possible, stop immediately."
"..."
"It is a stop even if you raise your sword towards the body of a fallen opponent."
"..."
"Tell the referee who breaks my word that I'll have his salary reduced and his position removed. Anyone who can't make that kind of judgment isn't qualified to be a referee."
Although the unmanned ones tend to achieve greater growth in dramatic moments, this time they wanted to set clear limits.
"I don't want to see any more weird guys messing up the game."
It's annoying.
It's been a while since I've felt this way. Every time the throne match was held, I felt dirty, but this tournament had so many elements that were irritating.
Cheongyoon frowned, feeling anger for the first time since her daughter was almost killed by a man with a magic sword.
Because that day, I almost killed a participant, forgetting my title as king.
-Catch it.
-...
-Catch that guy somehow and bring him to me.
-...
-I'll find out who's behind it.
Come to think of it.
Cheongyoon asked the dark side as memories of the past flashed through his mind.
I checked once, but I was worried that the guy from back then might have shown up again.
"Did the guy who beat Seol-ah participate in this competition?"
Naturally, the dark side shook its head.
Cheongyoon, who had tried to kill the guy who traumatized her daughter, drank from her glass, hoping that the guy would still be alive.
"The problem is that I'm weak."
The only thing a small country can do to a large country is yell at them, so Cheongyun gritted his teeth and frowned.
“It’s not something I can ask the Empress to ally with… and the Empire doesn’t seem to be in a good situation because of the pagans.”
The Qing king, who needed a breakthrough, was at a loss.
in fact.
"Everything will be fine, Your Majesty."
Not knowing that there is an enemy nearby.
Kjar, who was bowing his head before the throne, offered comfort to the troubled-looking Cheongyun. He assured her that everything would be alright.
He was able to give presumptuous advice because he was a blacksmith who had spent his youth with Cheongyun and whom Cheongyun cherished like a son.
"..."
At the words of Kjar, who was like a child to her, Cheongyun nodded with a smile that had let go of her anger.
"If you say so, then so be it."
"..."
"You have never been wrong in your words, having dedicated yourself to this country for so long."
Kjar, who had received Cheongyun's trust, lowered his head even more and smiled.
"I am grateful for Your Majesty's trust."
Silence flows.
Time passes in the audience room long enough for Cheongyoon's discomfort to subside.
Cheongyoon, who had a dry cough, looked at Kjar and asked.
"Are you finished cleaning your weapon?"
He asked if he had finished polishing his weapon, which he thought he would need soon.
Kjar, who had created Cheongyun's beloved weapon, held out a spear wrapped in white cloth, respectfully holding it in both hands.
"It's sharpened very sharply."
Cheongyoon, who was holding out the spear that Kjar held out, smiled and answered with satisfaction.
"As expected, your skills are the best."
"You are too kind, Your Majesty."
"I was sad to hear that the blacksmith stopped polishing weapons, but seeing the spear you've polished makes me forget his face."
"..."
The giant was smiling.
I don't know if that smile came from the king's trust or from the king's downfall.
"..."
Kjar just smiled, avoiding Cheongyun.
*
Same time.
"chest…."
I watched the girl's antics as she desperately tried to take off her clothes to see Elicia's breasts, and I let out a hollow laugh to hide my dizzying feelings.
I thought Elicia was not young.
"Saint!!!"
In her 30s... no, Elicia's beauty seemed to have reached the peak of her looks, and for a moment I forgot her age.
"Your Majesty, you can't do this!"
"Chest...! Let's become close through chests!"
"Saint!"
"This is how you make friends!"
"Who said that?!"
"book!!!"
Elicia, who could neither easily shake off nor push away, was looking at me while the young lady held her by the collar.
With a look that makes you feel guilty.
'miss...!'
Covering my eyes with my palms, which were full of holes, I nodded and gave a mental thumbs up to the girl's passionate appearance.
Honestly, I don't really like this.
"Saint! Saint, take my clothes... Saint!"
"HOEEEE!!! King JJJJ!"
"Gyaaaak!"
There is a crisis that seems to be causing my tastes to change.
Before the young lady's mischievous antics could get any worse, I grabbed her face and looked at Elicia with an awkward smile.
"How did this happen?"
Elicia, who was breathing heavily, spoke to me with trembling eyes, seductively tucking her sweat-soaked hair behind her ear.
“The saint suddenly said she wanted to call me ‘sister’….”
"yes."
"So I sat down next to him and told him to talk."
"ah..."
I smiled at the girl who was snorting like a female general.
'miss….'
'Hehehe!!!'
I think I raised my daughter well.
Unable to praise the young lady, I bowed my head toward Elicia and spat out an apology.
"sorry."
“No… I was so surprised….”
"...It's all my fault for having bad habits."
I had nothing to say.
I was able to have a good time because I was taught from a young age that the way to make friends is through money or looks.
"Eeeeek!!!"
"Was it good?"
"yes!"
I chuckled and patted her head as she looked at me with her bright eyes and smiled.
"But there is something. Ricardo."
The girl looking at Elicia's black underwear said to me.
"A strange person keeps coming to me."
Words that are not easy to get over.
“It keeps annoying me….”
He said it carefully.
"Take a look."