Chapter 237

Chapter 238. I Will Kill You (5)

The night deepens. The wind grows cold.

Especially, this place now felt like it was covered in thin ice.

The old nobles of the Goshikyeonro Association glared at Keter. Their wrinkled faces were proof that they had survived countless battles and schemes.

“You seem quite drunk and excited. Why don’t you go inside and rest?”

Gerald, the second-in-command of the Goshikyeonro Association, showed the tolerance of an elder.

But—

Thud!

Keter picked up his wine glass and spoke.

“Do you know what I find hardest to adapt to in this country? The idea that you have to respect and treat the elderly well. I can’t understand it, but since it’s the culture, I’m trying. So, this is my consideration for you.”

Swish.

Keter directly offered the wine glass to Gerald.

“Drink. Don’t regret it later.”

Bang!

At that moment, one of the watching old nobles stood up and pointed at Keter.

“Since Lord Gerald is being lenient, I can’t stand your arrogance! Just because you’re from a prestigious family and became the Southern Sword, you think you can look down on us! Do you even know who we are? With just one word from us, your Sephira family could be shaken!”

“Oh?”

Keter, who had put down his wine glass, approached the shouting old noble.

“So, if you flap your greasy mouth, Sephira is in danger?”

“You insolent brat! Fine. I’ll show you. With just one word from me, the royal inspection team will—”

“The royal family is too far away, isn’t it? My fist is right here.”

Wham!

Keter’s fist sank into the face of the old noble who was shouting with veins popping on his neck.

The expressions of the old nobles turned pale. They never imagined Keter would actually punch them, and without holding back.

The Goshikyeonro Association is a group with such prestige and history. They are even said to be the group responsible for the kingdom’s future.

But whether Keter didn’t know that or simply didn’t care, he threw punches without hesitation, naturally shocking the old nobles.

“Have you ever seen such a madman! Do you know who you just hit!”

Another old noble stood up and shouted—

“Do you know who you’re shouting at?”

The old noble who stood up to argue also ended up in a deep relationship with Keter’s fist.

In the blink of an eye, two were half-crippled and trembling, making the old nobles cautious even about turning their gaze.

“Do you know that the nickname ‘madman’ is surprisingly common?”

Gerald, who had been watching, finally spoke.

“Those born into good families with outstanding talents often lack humility. When people treat them like gods and easily forgive their mistakes, they start to believe they can do anything. You’re not the only one. But in the end, over time, they all disappear. Do you know why? Either they realize their place and become humble, or they die.”

Will you become humble, or will you die—

Gerald was asking Keter that.

His words were not empty threats. If the royal inspection team, known for making dust out of nothing, gets involved, Sephira will be thoroughly investigated down to their underwear.

Not only that.

The Goshikyeonro Association can even privately use the knight order that includes the Grandmaster. If things get really serious, they can mobilize even the Prime, and with their influence rooted throughout the kingdom, no matter how prestigious a family head is, they don’t treat the Goshikyeonro Association as mere old men in the back room.

However, Keter dug his ear and then suddenly grabbed Gerald by the collar. Despite that, Gerald remained composed and said,

“If you kneel and apologize now, we can end this with just compensation. But if you assault me, Sephira will not only lose the opportunity they just gained but will also suffer trials that will make them shed tears of blood.”

“Anyone would think I’m the criminal here. You tried to feed me loneliness.”

Keter had clearly eaten the loneliness hidden in the wine. But the loneliness melted before reaching his stomach, turning into protein.

Thanks to the effect of the ‘strong acidic fluid’ obtained from eating the Rock Ant Queen’s inner core.

“Loneliness? What’s that? You’re talking nonsense.”

“Arthur, that old man confessed everything.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It seems you’ve been greatly deceived or misled—”

Wham!

Keter’s fist also landed on Gerald’s face.

Others would have fainted from just one punch, but Gerald didn’t. Not because Gerald was strong, but because Keter deliberately controlled his strength.

“From the moment you tried to feed me loneliness, the Goshikyeonro Association became Sephira’s enemy. You are now in the heart of the enemy.”

“Mad talk! Even if it’s true that Arthur tried to feed you that loneliness, why are you associating it with our Goshikyeonro Association?”

“No, I mean—Arthur already confessed everything. He said the head of the Goshikyeonro Association ordered it.”

Whack!

At the same time, Keter’s second punch flew. Gerald felt like his soul was about to leave his body.

“W-wait. We really, or at least I, didn’t know about this. I swear!”

“That might be true. But what difference does it make?”

“……?!”

“If you all return alive, we’ll meet as enemies next time. As old and cunning as you are, you’ll hide and cause trouble for Sephira. So, I’ll just finish you off now.”

“……!”

“I’ll give you a chance to explain.”

“That’s baseless speculation…!”

“Disqualified.”

Whack!

A flick landed on Gerald’s forehead. It shouldn’t be stronger than a punch, but with just that one flick, Gerald’s eyes rolled back, and he fainted.

“Sephira’s madman has finally gone crazy!”

One of the old nobles of the Goshikyeonro Association shouted and pulled out a communicator. The other old nobles also took out their communicators to send a distress signal, but—

Crack!

The Baeklin shot from Keter’s hand shattered all the communicators.

Snap!

Keter, who retrieved the Baeklin, held it like a whip and smiled coldly.

“Having fun so far? Trampling on budding sprouts and kicking away rising talents, all while relying on power and backing.”

“Are you out of your mind, Keter? Nobles from all over the kingdom are watching. If you kill us, you and Sephira will become traitors!”

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. I’m crazy, not stupid. I’ll just beat you up and throw you in jail. Until those who see the Goshikyeonro Association as a thorn in their side can fully act.”

“……!”

“Then the Goshikyeonro Association won’t dare to touch Sephira lightly. Their power will be greatly reduced.”

“Y-you thought that far ahead? Since when?!”

Whoosh.

Keter spread his palm and showed the number five.

“Five days ago?!”

“No, five minutes ago.”

As they talked, the surrounding nobles gathered, wondering what was happening.

The Goshikyeonro Association looked relieved. No matter how crazy Keter was, they thought he wouldn’t beat them in front of everyone.

“Well, the audience is here. Time to get beaten.”

“Huh?”

The nobles, who had gathered without thinking, witnessed the once-powerful old nobles of the Goshikyeonro Association being beaten to a pulp.

* * *

Who would refuse to watch the old nobles of the Goshikyeonro Association being beaten to a pulp?

But Bolos, the branch house lord of Baydant, couldn’t just watch.

“Tch, all failures?”

If things had gone according to plan, the emergency bell would have rung. But Sephira was quiet.

‘Assassins, spies, and the Goshikyeonro Association all failed.’

Despite the trials Bolos hadn’t prepared for, Keter and Sephira handled them well.

Of course, he didn’t expect much, but he never imagined they would be completely ineffective.

‘Sephira… No matter how weak, a prestigious family is still a prestigious family.’

Bolos acknowledged what needed to be acknowledged. Sephira was a much tougher opponent than he had thought.

‘I need to press harder and more meticulously.’

As Bolos glanced towards Keter’s direction and tried to leave the party venue—

“Where are you off to in such a hurry? Branch House Lord of Baydant.”

Hisop, who had been watching him, approached and spoke. Bolos smiled and responded.

“Something urgent came up. I need to return to the family.”

“Didn’t you enjoy the party?”

“No, I enjoyed it enough.”

“There’s something I want to ask.”

Bolos felt a twinge in the back of his neck. He wanted to leave as soon as possible, but Hisop’s annoying persistence irritated him.

But showing displeasure here would be amateurish.

“Go ahead.”

“Can’t we get along with our Sephira?”

“…….”

“If Baydant apologizes, Sephira will forgive. Branch House Lord of Baydant, that is the path for the future of our two families. Let’s forget the past and grow together in harmony.”

Swish.

Hisop extended his hand for a handshake.

Baydant struck first, but Sephira is offering reconciliation first. This is no easy feat. Hisop is trying to embrace Bolos with immense courage and tolerance.

But such tolerance only shattered Bolos’s pride. Something inside him crumbled, and his expression changed instantly.

“Don’t get carried away. Just because you threw a good party and overcame one crisis, you think you’ve beaten us?”

“…….”

Hisop simply watched Bolos, who had revealed his true feelings.

“Apologize? Forgive? Reconcile? Typical weak talk from Sephira. I’ll propose this: Sephira should become a subordinate of Baydant. Then true peace will come.”

“…So, you want to end it, Bolos.”

As Hisop made a sad expression, Bolos grabbed Hisop by the collar.

“Hisop. You’re looking at me with that face again.”

“As fellow students and classmates, I wanted to be friends with you. I don’t know how we ended up like this.”

“Stop pretending to be friends.”

Thud!

Bolos, who released the collar, took a deep breath and spoke with a calm face as if nothing had happened.

“Well then, I’ll be off.”

With that, Bolos left the party venue, and Hisop didn’t stop him.

Bolos, who left the party venue, didn’t go to the carriage storage. Instead, he took out a scroll from his pocket.

A teleportation scroll.

Not trusting Sephira and wanting to leave this place as soon as possible, Bolos was about to tear the scroll without hesitation when—

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

Keter walked out of the darkness.

* * *

As soon as Bolos saw Keter, he hurriedly tore the teleportation scroll.

Instinctively, he realized. Keter appearing before him meant he had no intention of letting him go!

“That’s why I hate quick-witted guys.”

Whoosh!

Keter disappeared before Bolos’s eyes. The next moment, only a fist filling his vision was seen.

The feeling of ‘I’m going to die’ filled Bolos’s mind at that moment—

Swoosh!

Keter’s fist was blocked by something right in front of Bolos’s nose.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzz!

It was a shield.

A 6th-circle defensive magic, Second Shield.

Bolos, who had slightly wet himself, started laughing as he saw Keter’s fist being blocked.

“Ha, hahaha! Fool! Did you think I came to Sephira without any preparation? Keter! You’re as ignorant as a lowly person!”

To cast a 6th-circle defensive magic, Second Shield, without any preparation, Bolos must be a great sorcerer, right?

No. Bolos doesn’t know how to use magic.

Instead, he wore a magical tool.

A level 5 magical tool, the Ring of Survival. The wearer is protected in any extreme environment.

It provides warmth in the cold, coolness in the heat, and allows breathing underwater. It also has a solid countermeasure against attacks, as defensive magic automatically activates when an attack is detected.

Originally worn by the head of Baydant, a treasure worth 3 million gold. Experiencing its effect for the first time, Bolos was overwhelmed.

‘This is the power of a level 5 magical tool! Hehehe. Even the mighty Keter can’t do anything.’

Sizzle!

Bolos tore the teleportation scroll completely. Soon, a blue light enveloped him.

Of course, teleportation doesn’t happen immediately after tearing. It requires a bit of preparation time, but with the Second Shield blocking Keter, it should be enough.

“You, that looks nice.”

Keter, who noticed where the magic blocking his fist came from, spoke, and Bolos sneered.

“It’s a treasure that a poor family like Sephira can only dream of, hehehe.”

Bolos tried to taunt Keter by showing the ring in front of him.

But—

“Then hand it over and go.”

Whoosh!

Keter’s hand pierced through the shield. Bolos, startled, pulled his hand back, but it was too late.

Snap!

Keter tore off Bolos’s ring finger with brute force.

“Kyaaaaaaah!”

As Bolos screamed, the teleportation magic completed. His body was swallowed by a blue light.

Left alone, Keter took the ring from Bolos’s finger.

“Maknun has a gift now.”

There was no regret in Keter for not killing Bolos.

Because he could have killed him but chose not to.

Letting him go alive was Keter’s will.

“Baydant. How should I eat you to make the rumor spread?”

Simply having families fight each other leaves no benefit for either side. The vacant territory doesn’t go to the victorious family but becomes the royal family’s.

So, Bolos must be let go without killing him. Bolos will want to take everything from Sephira. He won’t be satisfied with just winning.

To take everything, he will start a scheme.

“I’m just speeding it up a bit. Waiting is boring.”

Crunch!

Keter crushed Bolos’s finger underfoot and returned to the party venue.

* * *

Keter, who had disciplined Bolos and even obtained a level 5 magical tool, returned to the party venue with a pleased expression. Two people approached him.

The Lord of the West and a spacetime mage, Krona, and Princess Iris.

Krona spoke first.

“Seems like you’ve enjoyed the party enough?”

“Thanks to you, I had a great time, sister.”

“Hoho, then will you choose now? Me or Iris. Who will you talk to first?”

“Well, of course…”

Keter hesitated. The nobles, seeing the two women together again, gathered around, staring at Keter’s mouth.

Krona and Iris also waited for Keter’s answer.

“Let’s all talk together?”

“……?”

Krona’s eyes blinked rapidly. She couldn’t understand Keter’s words for a moment.

Instead, Iris asked Keter.

“Do you think we want that?”

The princess’s words were full of thorns.

But Keter shrugged and said.

“Those who don’t like it can leave.”

“……?!”

“W-what, have you seen such a madman?!”

“He’s gone completely mad!”

The watching nobles cursed Keter on behalf of Krona and Iris.

Regardless, Keter gulped down the Kwonhwang’s wine. His face turned red from continuously drinking the wine that would make others drunk with just one glass. It was clear to anyone that he was drunk.

In other words, Keter is making mistakes because he’s drunk. The nobles thought that beating up the old nobles of the Goshikyeonro Association and sending them to jail was also due to that.

But Krona and Iris knew well. Keter was completely sober right now.

“…….”

“…….”

The lord and princess, neither made a choice. Keter had turned the choice given to him back to them. Against the lord and princess.

Not siding with either, he could become an enemy to both. A crazy decision made without hesitation. That was Keter.

The reactions of the two women looking at him were different.

Krona licked her lower lip—

And the princess’s eyes showed a determined glint.