453. Kaya’s Breath (2)
Before the fall of Ortona, Greta was born into a commoner family in the capital Brindisi. Perhaps thanks to her diligent parents, her family was not very poor when she was young.
Thanks to this, instead of being forced to work from an early age like other children, she was able to find time to open a book. With just a little effort, she was talented enough to be selected as a scholarship student at the academy.
-Well done, Greta! As long as you graduate from the academy, you will definitely get a good job!
-My family will feel better now!
The day she entered the academy, leaving her happy parents behind, she met Prince Benicio and General Gael for the first time. The two people who will not only change her life but also the fate of the country in the future.
-You’re the commoner who received the scholarship? Welcome to school! I believe that you will become a strong person who will support Ortona in the future! So what is it like? Would you like to join our healthy group where we discuss day and night for the future of Ortona?
Prince Benicio, whose clear, dreamy eyes shine. and-
-Did you say Greta? There is no need to take the prince’s words seriously yet. You’re a freshman who just entered school, right? So, for now, it would be okay to focus on your studies and find a better group that will help you in the future.
-Wait a minute, Gael! Are you hindering the recruitment of new students now?
– But isn’t it true? Even if the prince leaves him alone, this friend’s future is bright and bright. Noble families will be competing to get you high wages, and even if you just become a palace administrator, you will be able to rise to a fairly high position.
A senior with thoughtful eyes and a greater presence than Prince Benicio.
-So, don’t worry about the prince’s flashy words and make the choice for yourself, Greta.
-Hey, hey! Gael! Are you really like this?
Gael Bertrand. From the day she met that person she admired, Greta’s life became entirely for him.
I tried to follow the direction he was looking in and feel the passion he had. I wanted to become his hands and feet and follow his steps forever. His every action and every word seemed to her like a doctrine more sacred than the sermons of a priest or a priest.
In this way, Greta’s life was caught up in a turbulent time. Her later years must have been easier thanks to her successful daughter. She lost her parents, who had such simple dreams, to the hands of the royalists, and yet she fulfilled her duties as a staff member of the republican faction until the last moment.
After a long time had passed, Greta often thought about this. Did he really care about the values of the republican government at that time? Perhaps, in reality, he was simply mesmerized by the brilliance of Gael Bertran, a rare hero who would bring a new wind to Ortona?
-Actually, it’s okay if you don’t become the spiritual leader of the republican faction. just… Help this friend get on with the rest of her life.
That day, as he left Prince Benicio and his party in the hands of the mercenaries, General Gael gave Greta his last words. The reason for secretly stealing Benicio, a key figure of the republican faction, was the excuse that he should become a leading spirit that would support the republican faction in the future.
However, it was not until the very end that the giant tree, which had been supporting the front line alone for a long time, finally revealed its serious feelings to her.
-Tell them that there is no need to deliberately take on the impossible goal of rebuilding the country.
-General… … !
-And you too, Greta. Don’t try to remain a ghost of the republic for no reason, but really live a life for yourself from now on.
But the life she truly wanted was a life that fulfilled Gael Bertrand’s will. Therefore, even after his death, Greta is still trying to carry on his will.
That was the reason why he worked so hard to reach a key position in the guild. To look after Prince Benicio, a close friend whom General Gael wanted to protect more than anyone else. And to achieve the reconstruction of Ortona, the homeland that Gael loved more than anything.
‘however… … .’
Absurdly, now, Ortona’s future, who must continue General Gael’s will, is asking this of her.
“No way, guild leader. In the end, the empire… Have you decided to completely turn your back on His Majesty the Holy Emperor?”
Looking at No. 21, who was feeling vain as if she had been betrayed, Greta suddenly let out a bitter smile. Does that child know what kind of expression he is making right now?
“… That’s a very new question, No. 21. “We didn’t commit ourselves to the guild for the sake of the empire in the first place, right?”
“That’s true, but… … .”
“And wasn’t it the same for you? “The reason you stay by the Holy Emperor’s side is so that you can avenge Ortona by cutting off his head whenever the opportunity arises.”
“… … .”
Number 21 purses his lips and makes a slightly complicated expression.
“And let me be clear. What I am doing now is not particularly against the will of the Holy Emperor. The guild completely handed over the northern information network to the Free Underground, but that doesn’t mean it gave up on management altogether. Therefore, my involvement in Benicio’s activities is nothing more than coordination of forces, which is what a guild leader should do.”
“… “But you probably won’t properly report that ‘coordination’ to His Majesty.”
“Hehe, that’s an innocent question, No. 21. Do you really think that Seonghwang doesn’t know what I’m doing?”
Greta scoffed and looked at No. 21’s stiff, stiff face.
“It was I, Seonghwang, who appointed me as guild leader, not anyone else.”
There was no way that Seonghwang didn’t know about Greta’s origins. Wasn’t he the one who persuaded the Astros mercenaries who were planning to head south in the first place and stole Prince Benicio and his party out of the civil war?
“And he granted relatively free rein to the guild’s activities. “Just think of the ‘Monkey Watchtower’, which manages the imperial family’s information, being separated from the guild and made completely affiliated with the Central Intelligence Agency.”
okay. Through that incident, Greta was convinced that Seonghwang had drawn a line with the guild to some extent. So, his occasional anti-imperial activities would already be under his expectations.
It was not a baseless speculation. If there had been no tacit permission from the Emperor, would the Jayu Underground really have been able to expand its power in such a short period of time?
“So rest assured, No. 21. “This Greta hasn’t crossed the line yet.”
“… … .”
“And as the current leader of the guild, I came here only to help guild members who are in trouble.”
Greta slowly raised her arm and pointed somewhere beyond the cabin.
Number 21 concentrated his eyesight as much as possible in the direction she instructed. And soon, in a field a little distance away, she noticed a small wagon pulled by a pair of mules.
“If you understand, I recommend you get on that and leave Tere right now.”
“Why?”
“Benicio already knows that you are Seonghwang’s exclusive informant. “Wouldn’t you be able to guess who you are protecting now that you have left the imperial capital?”
And the situation is likely to be the same for the northern assassination group ‘Kaya’s Breath’ that Benicio is currently operating under his personal control.
“Neither I nor Mr. Benicio want to cause a big commotion between the two groups. “I just want to maintain the balance of power and build a stable foundation for rebuilding Ortona.”
After speaking up to that point, Greta’s eyes immediately darkened.
“But I can’t be sure whether ‘Kaya’s Breath’ will think that way too.”
“… … !”
* * *
Number 21 ran like crazy towards the inn.
‘shit! ‘I couldn’t leave that person’s side even for a moment!’
Because Masain, a high-ranking knight, and princes with outstanding military strength were with him, he let his guard down for a moment. After spending a day at the inn like this, I thought I could get a carriage and get out of here safely.
However, he had to realize that Prince Mores had already attracted too much of their attention.
‘Senior number 13, who was supposed to be by the prince’s side, was out of sight all day. I should have thought that was strange a long time ago!’
Number 21, who had already thought of the worst possibility in his head, was praying earnestly in his heart without even realizing it.
‘Please, please stay safe until I arrive, Your Majesty!’
However, when No. 21, who was in a state of contemplation, arrived at the inn, what unfolded before his eyes was an unexpected sight.
Three assassins rolling around on the floor, moaning softly –
“… … !”
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A neat boy looking down at them with an indifferent gaze.
“You’re late.”
The boy, Prince Mores, slowly looked back. The boy’s eyes, with his back to the pale moon, shine coldly as if they were a pair of small moons.
“If you are going to escort someone, pay attention and do it properly.”
Just by looking at them, the assassins’ skills did not seem that easy. But the young prince very naturally placed them at his feet.
Number 21 asked, trying to hide the agitation in his heart.
“I wonder if they made the assassins like this… “Are you my Majesty?”
“huh.”
“You alone, all of them?”
“Do you think it’s too much? are you okay. Still, I didn’t hit him to the point of death. “If I carelessly take their lives, my father won’t be very pleased.”
Only then did No. 21 realize. The fact that that sly prince knew the true identity of the Holy Emperor from the beginning.
“Cheet-!”
It was right then. The assassins who were crawling on the floor suddenly got up and launched themselves in one direction.
They skipped across the roof and disappeared into the darkness in an instant.
“… … !”
When No. 21 hurriedly tried to run after them, Prince Mores lightly raised one arm and stopped him.
“Just leave it alone.”
“yes? but-”
“I was planning on letting you go soon.”
As No. 21 blinked blankly, Prince Mores kindly explained.
“I was waiting to see when they would attempt suicide, but they were persistently looking for an opportunity to escape. In other words, doesn’t that mean that there is a way to survive if I just get out of this place?”
“… yes?”
“Yes, you. “He looks pretty smart, but he doesn’t really understand what I’m saying.”
Still, when No. 21 did not understand, Prince Mores slightly furrowed his eyebrows as if he was displeased.
“That means there are other trustworthy gang members around here. “The manpower that we believe is sufficient to annihilate our group.”
“… yes?”
“Even if I am tortured into revealing some information, I am confident that I will silence all of us here within today.”
Number 21’s face, which pondered the prince’s words for a moment, gradually became pale.
“Yes?”
“Well, for an informant from the Monkey Watchtower, he’s quite a fussy guy.”
Prince Mores shook his head and sharpened his sword.
“No, wait a minute, sir! “If that’s true, then isn’t that really a big problem?!”
“are you okay. “Because there is a way.”
Whick!
Seeing the nutcracker being lightly shaken and blood spattering, No. 21 suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
‘I always thought they were father and son who looked nothing alike… … .’
The current appearance of Prince Mores reminded him of the mercenary he once admired and followed deep in his heart. A boy who was like a mythical hero, full of extraordinaryness and wonder.
“So, I’m going to follow those guys from now on.”
“… yes?”
When No. 21 didn’t understand right away and asked again, the prince clicked his tongue with a sullen expression.
“Tsk! So what are you going to do? “Are you going to come with me?”
“yes?”
Number 21, who asked again with a dumbfounded expression, was shocked and had to ask again.
“Yesss?”
Are you doing this in your right mind?
No. 21 quickly erased the previous thought from his mind at the suggestion that was so thoughtless.
Well then! There is no way that worldly bastard could even resemble His Majesty Seonghwang at all!
fantasy,
