Novel Full Chapter 182 : Chapter 182
Chapter 182. Was It You? (3)
‘Hoooh….’
Patrick looked around.
Though few in number and their equipment old, the level of the knights seemed considerable.
They appeared to be at least 4-star class.
Moreover, the knight who had guided them here clearly seemed to be at a fairly high level among 7-stars.
The man who had perfectly controlled them with a single word was none other than….
“It’s been a while. Is this the first time since Arcana?”
“That’s right. Do you remember me?”
“Of course, you said you were Siperio Paisun Yusef, right?”
“…It’s Cierion Baisus Yusef.”
“Ah, sorry, your name is just too long.”
Cierion Baisus Yusef.
A rising powerhouse who had appeared in Arcana as the prince of the Yusef Kingdom and defeated the formidable Antorius of the Holy Theocracy.
Although he was largely overshadowed by Patrick and Garcia’s clash in the finals, he too was a supreme swordsman who had forged a sword of light with his Aura Blade.
And now….
“I heard the rumors. So, you became king?”
“It turned out that way.”
“Should I congratulate you?”
“If it’s a congratulation from the great Double Dragon, I suppose I must accept it with a glad heart.”
“……”
Patrick wore a peculiar expression.
He actually remembered this guy clearly.
At Arcana, among the squabbling brats, only this man had remained in Patrick’s memory as a martial artist.
That evaluation wasn’t based solely on the level of his power.
This man…
‘Is different. He is different.’
He couldn’t define it precisely.
But this man named Cierion had something different from ordinary people.
In Patrick’s experience, such a person should not be taken lightly, even if they were an ordinary person without the strength to wring a chicken’s neck.
Because they calmly carried out actions that defied common sense.
Look at him now.
The Yusef Kingdom was currently in a civil war.
Yet Cierion, a key figure in that civil war, was out of the kingdom and here.
Was this a sensible thing to do?
‘He’s a madman.’
It was a bit much for you to say that, but….
Well, it wasn’t wrong.
Cierion smiled gently and gestured for Patrick to take a seat.
“First, please sit. I have prepared a seat for you.”
“For me, you say.”
Patrick let out a smirk.
Present here were the royal Isabella and Riman Ciera, the talent said to be responsible for the future of the Tower of Truth.
Even Matthew, though belittled by Patrick, was originally the precious son of the Elbador Merchant Guild.
Yet, only one seat was prepared.
And offering that seat to Patrick conveyed Cierion’s intention.
‘A one-on-one, you say? Fine by me.’
Patrick confidently sat in the opposite chair.
Behind him, his companions stood by, watching Cierion.
At their gazes that warned they wouldn’t stand for any funny business, Cierion smirked and said.
“First, I must treat you as a guest. I hear you enjoy alcohol quite a bit?”
“Well, a little.”
Hearing their conversation, Patrick’s companions looked dumbfounded.
How could a man, from whom alcohol would likely flow instead of blood if pricked with a needle, be so pretentious?
Cierion smiled brightly and said.
“Excellent. It seems my preparations were worthwhile.”
“Hoh, you must have prepared some fine liquor?”
“I have prepared the world’s finest vintage.”
“You exaggerate.”
“You’ll know when you drink it.”
Then Cierion gestured to his knight.
The knight brought a box sealed with great care.
He then unlocked and opened the box, revealing a bottle wrapped in luxurious black silk.
“You’ve taken great care to store it so preciously.”
“That is because it is a precious item.”
“How expensive is it?”
“At the very least… it would be worth as much as a large fiefdom.”
“…Huh?”
Patrick was slightly taken aback.
Hey, that’s an exaggeration.
No matter how expensive liquor was, it was still just liquor.
How could it be worth a whole fiefdom?
But the moment the black silk wrapping the bottle was removed and the label was revealed….
“Black Rose!”
A shocked voice erupted from behind Patrick.
It was Riman Ciera, shouting with a level of astonishment unlike his usual self.
“You recognize it?”
“Is it really genuine? Is it truly the Black Rose?”
“Of course. I am not foolish enough to bring out a fake here.”
“Good heavens….”
Seeing the astonished Riman, Patrick asked.
“What is that?”
Riman, with the face of a researcher seeing a rare artifact, gazed at the bottle and said.
“It is a national treasure, said to have been gifted to the first emperor of the Roman Empire by a Dragon Lord.”
“The Roman Empire?”
Then this liquor was at least a thousand years old.
No, wait.
He said the first emperor, so it could be over fifteen hundred years old.
Riman spoke with a face of sincere admiration.
“It is a precious liquor that even the successive emperors of the Roman Empire were said to have drunk only on national holidays. This is something that cannot be measured by price.”
“…Really?”
“Yes. As far as I know, the bottle drunk by the emperor of the Venator Empire 200 years ago was thought to be the last one….”
Damn, he thought it was an exaggeration, but it was a genuinely expensive liquor.
At this point, it wasn’t just liquor but a cultural heritage.
No, it was a precious liquor that wouldn’t be strange to call a relic.
That liquor….
“Fortunately, there was exactly one bottle left in our country.”
Saying so, Cierion popped the cork.
Pop!
“Ah… no.”
Riman was dismayed, but Cierion calmly filled the glass before him and said.
“No matter how good a liquor is, it only has meaning when it is drunk.”
“But what kind of liquor that is…. No, beyond being a liquor, what a precious cultural heritage it is….”
Seeing Riman muttering with a dazed expression, Matthew sighed.
‘Tsk tsk, his mental training is still lacking.’
To be with Patrick Schneider, of all people, meant to be completely detached from the world’s common sense and order.
One couldn’t be surprised by every little thing like this.
No matter how precious that liquor was, Patrick’s reaction would just be to drool….
Huh?
Matthew finally looked at Patrick with a surprised expression.
Normally, Patrick should have been greedily staring at the Black Rose, drooling like a dog that smelled grilling meat, but….
“……”
He was composed.
Like that of a seasoned gambler at a gambling table, not even a twitch showed on his face.
And his expression was focused solely on Cierion in front of him.
‘What is it? Why is he like that?’
Matthew had been with Patrick for three years, but he had never seen him like this.
Did this situation have to be that serious?
More so than the Arcana finals or when they were surrounded by the Kaisar Kingdom?
Soon, the filled glass was offered, and Cierion said.
“I opened the national treasury to bring this to treat you. Please, have a drink.”
Patrick lifted the glass and looked at its contents.
It was a jet-black liquor that seemed to have a faint purple glow when looked at closely.
Under everyone’s attention, Patrick lifted the glass.
Then, from behind, Riman said.
“First, you must sufficiently enjoy the color and aroma….”
But before he could finish, Patrick downed the liquor in one go.
“Whoa!”
“That, that, that….”
“Crazy….”
Riman was horrified.
And consequently, the knights of the Yusef Kingdom were also appalled.
To drink such a precious liquor like that.
A liquor that should be savored, sip by sip, after fully appreciating its aroma and color, to be imprinted in memory for a lifetime, and he just chugged it like that?
‘What a waste.’
‘Damn it.’
Patrick, who had just one-shotted another country’s national treasure, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and said.
“An excellent liquor.”
For a man who had just one-shotted the world’s finest vintage, it was an incredibly meager comment.
“I am glad you enjoyed it.”
But Cierion was not the least bit displeased.
Was it that Cierion’s demeanor twisted his mood?
Patrick continued, one corner of his mouth raised.
“If there’s one drawback….”
“What is it?”
“Is it that my drinking partner isn’t a sane man?”
“……”
“Thanks to that, the liquor tastes foul.”
Clang! Ch-chang!
The sound of swords being drawn came from all directions.
The knights of the Yusef Kingdom drew their swords in unison, and at the same time, Matthew and Isabella, who were behind Patrick, also drew their swords.
April did not draw her sword, but her gaze was fixed on the middle-aged knight who had guided them here and did not waver.
If he so much as lifted a finger, she would respond immediately.
At her gaze, the middle-aged knight also stared intently at April.
A touch-and-go situation.
“Wai… wait, everyone, let’s calm down. Calm down.”
Riman Ciera, the only one who had refrained from drawing a weapon, intervened.
Although he was accompanying Patrick, as a member of the Tower of Truth, he could not carelessly draw his weapon here.
So he tried to calm the situation down somehow.
“Everyone, please calm down. This is the Kaisar Kingdom. If you all fight recklessly in another country, it could become a serious diplomatic provocation.”
It was a logically sound argument.
However.
For a knight, there are things more important than logic.
A knight of the Yusef Kingdom, with a resolute expression, aimed his sword and said.
“The Double Dragon has dared to insult our Highness.”
‘Damn it.’
Riman clicked his tongue and swore inwardly.
No knight would tolerate their lord being insulted.
It wasn’t a matter of not being able to tolerate it; it was something they must not tolerate.
The knight slowly closed the distance and said.
“He must pay the price for his insult.”
“Step aside! Magic swordsman.”
The one who stopped the bloodshot knights was….
“Everyone, stop.”
Cierion himself.
At his single word, the knights stopped in their tracks and calmed their killing intent.
And Cierion, turning to Patrick, said with a bitter smile.
“It is a shame the liquor did not suit your taste.”
“Hmm….”
“Shall we take a walk? I would like to speak with you alone.”
“Sure.”
Then Patrick and Cierion stood up.
April tried to follow Patrick, but….
“Wait.”
“Young Master.”
“Stay here.”
At Patrick’s words, she made a disappointed face but stayed put.
Then Cierion and Patrick walked a short distance, just the two of them.
Once they were some distance from the group, Cierion spoke first.
“My apologies. I did warn them beforehand, but they are such loyal men.”
“It doesn’t matter. More importantly….”
Patrick looked at Cierion with a sharp gaze and said.
“Stop beating around the bush and get to the point.”
At those words, Cierion let out a small sigh and said.
“Patrick Schneider.”
“Speak.”
“Please, become my man.”
“……”
Well, he had a feeling it would be something like this.
Coming all this way like that big-eared fellow obsessed with Zhuge Liang, serving him an incredibly expensive liquor, and his attitude of patiently accepting whatever he said without retorting….
He had an inkling.
He had an inkling it would be like this.
Therefore, Patrick’s answer was also decided.
“I refuse.”
“……”
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
As Patrick turned his back, Cierion hastily grabbed him.
And he pleaded desperately.
“Please, hear me out.”
“Nothing will change even if I listen.”
“Still….”
“……”
“Please, I beg you.”
At Cierion’s repeated pleas, Patrick scratched his head and said bluntly.
“I’ll listen for as long as it’s worth the liquor I just drank.”
“Thank you.”
To be granted a little of Patrick’s time, Cierion had in effect used a national treasure of his kingdom.
But he did not think this was at all expensive.
He began to calmly lay out his words to Patrick.
“You, being from the East as well, must know that the four kingdoms of the East are being thoroughly exploited.”
“I know.”
A breakwater to block the Great Forest.
A buffer zone that protects humanity with blood.
How could he not know?
It was to change that very thing that Patrick had planned the pioneering of the Great Forest.
But Cierion’s plan seemed to be different.
“I will change this reality.”
“How?”
“First, I must become the king of my own country.”
“You’ve succeeded. Congratulations again.”
“And after that, I will unify the four kingdoms of the East.”
“Your dreams are ambitious.”
“And I will also conquer the three kingdoms of the Central region, Kaisar, Magellan, and Harbor.”
“……”
“Finally, I will bring down the Venator Empire and the Saint Louis Holy Theocracy.”
Unification of the continent.
Cierion had just declared that he would unify the entire continent with his own hands.
Even hearing such grandiose words, Patrick did not scoff.
Instead, he pointed out the core of the problem.
“What does you swallowing the entire continent and ascending to the throne of an emperor have to do with the suffering the people of the four Eastern kingdoms are experiencing now?”
“The unification of the continent is just a necessary process. After unification, I plan to distribute the suffering that the East is currently shouldering equally.”
“…Keep talking.”
As Patrick seemed to show interest, Cierion continued.
“In the first place, the existence of the Great Forest is a common disaster that threatens humanity. The current reality where the weakest nations of the continent block it with their blood is not right. All of humanity across the continent should join forces to deal with it.”
“……”
Patrick remained silent.
But Cierion looked him straight in the eye and continued his explanation.
“If I unify the entire continent and possess absolute authority like the Roman Empire of the past, everyone can join forces to block the Great Forest. If that happens, the days when people pay the price with blood and death like now will disappear. No, at the very least, it will be reduced.”
“……”
“For that, I need power. The power to unify the continent. Overwhelming power to shed as little blood as possible in that process.”
“……”
“I thought so from the moment I first saw you at Arcana. That you are the very person I need most.”
“……”
“Patrick Schneider. Please lend me your strength. Not for me. But for the suffering weak of the East, for a better future, lend me your strength.”
Saying so, Cierion bowed his head to Patrick.
He, who had become the king of a nation, had bowed his head to Patrick, even if it was in an unofficial setting.
Patrick was not one to be ignorant of how great a meaning this held.
Patrick, who had been completely silent, looked at the top of Cierion’s head and opened his mouth for the first time.
“Your words sound plausible.”
Cierion, raising his head, looked at Patrick with blazing eyes and said.
“If I am a man of mere words, you may strike my neck with your sword at any time.”
He was probably being sincere.
There seemed to be not a hint of falsehood in his eyes.
‘Right. There are guys like this.’
The ones who succeed.
The ones who attempt what others say is impossible and call them crazy, and in the end, somehow, manage to pull it off.
In fact, the Radiant Dragon Great Master Jin Cheon was also such a man.
And the world in the future would usually call such people….
‘Heroes.’
Patrick let out a deep sigh.
Alright, fine.
The intention to save people is good, and his own firm will is also good.
Above all, the way he, a monarch of a nation, lowers himself to recruit talent is also to his liking.
Right.
Good.
It’s all good, but….
“Let me ask you one thing.”
“What is it?”
“A great human who harbors such a grand cause for the sake of the people and intends to practice justice….”
“……”
“Why did you dabble in black magic?”
Cierion’s expression crumpled violently.