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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Heading to the Capital (2)
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3.
Another day passed, and the day of Karron and Leo's departure for the capital finally arrived.
As a result, the morning at Azure Castle was incredibly busy.
"Have the young masters' tailcoats been checked?"
"Yes."
"What about the ceremonial attire for their audience with His Majesty the Emperor?"
"Checked and double-checked!"
The Grand Duke's grandsons were visiting the capital. An immense amount of luggage, including their attire, would accompany them.
An invitation from the Imperial Family to visit the palace demanded ample gifts.
For that reason, the family's servants would also be joining the trip to the capital.
They needed people to transport the clothes and presents. And in that same vein.
"Young Master! Thank you so much for changing your mind. I will do my utmost to serve you."
Urhan, the new servant of Azure Castle, was coming along as well.
He was, after all, a man of considerable strength.
Karron replied to Urhan's passionate cry in a listless voice.
"Do you know why I'm taking you to the capital?"
"I'm not sure, sir!"
"I plan on throwing you in a capital prison."
"...Y-Young Master!"
"Tsk. What a boring reaction. Forget it. Go help the others. You have to earn your keep, don't you?"
At those words, Urhan rushed toward the other servants as if he'd been waiting for the command.
"You're a real piece of work, you know that?"
Leo, who had been watching Karron torment Urhan, said with a shake of his head. Karron nonchalantly averted his gaze.
"Aren't you grateful, though?"
"For what?"
"Thanks to Urhan, I've been tormenting you less."
Leo's mouth snapped shut.
*'What a devil.'*
Now that he mentioned it, Leo did feel a little grateful to Urhan. He'd have to sneak him some jerky later when Karron wasn't looking.
While the young masters were chatting and waiting, a man in armor approached them.
"Are you not nervous?"
It was Hans, the leader of the 2nd Squad, who was tasked with escorting the two ducal grandsons on this trip to the capital.
A small bruise marred Hans's cheek—an injury from Karron the day before.
Karron smirked at the sight of Hans's bruise.
"What's there to be nervous about? One look at your face, and all my tension just melts away."
"How many times do I have to tell you I went easy on you yesterday? Honestly, you're frustrating."
"You should put some makeup on it. It'll be a disaster if you show up in front of those Imperial guys with a bruised face."
"Seeing how sharp your tongue is, you certainly don't seem nervous. Excellent."
Hans smiled as he observed the young masters before him.
This was his first assignment since his last injury.
A mission to protect the young masters on their trip to the capital—an escort mission, of sorts.
Since they were traveling by train, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Their main duty would likely be to detect and eliminate any threats in the capital ahead of time.
Unfortunately, the enemies of the Leston Ducal Family were countless.
For that reason, Hans dropped his playful demeanor for a moment. He spoke to Karron and Leo in a serious tone.
"Before we depart, please make one promise to me. If a crisis arises, the priority is always your lives, young masters. This is, after all, our duty. Do you understand?"
Though they trained alongside the knights, Karron and Leo were direct blood relatives of the Leston Ducal Family.
No one would dare bare their fangs at the Leston Ducal Family. However, a mission must always prepare for the worst-case scenario.
It was a lesson drilled into them time and time again.
Hans was making that point clear.
On this mission, Karron and Leo were to be protected.
The weight in Hans's words was by no means light. Karron understood that weight.
"I get it, Hans. Even if the 2nd Squad is on the brink of annihilation, I'll run without a second glance."
"I appreciate you saying so, Lord Karron. You must keep that in mind."
"Even if you beg and cry for me to save you, I just have to run away."
"...That's exactly right."
"I understand perfectly."
He didn't think anything would happen.
In the past, they would have had to travel by carriage, exposing them to various threats, but now they were taking a train.
The railways the trains ran on were, by law, the property of the Imperial Family.
Therefore, attacking a train or its tracks was tantamount to treason.
Karron took a piece of jerky from his right pocket and popped it into his mouth.
"When are we leaving already? With all this time, I could've swung my sword a few more times in the training grounds."
"The third son is approaching. It seems he's here to see you off, Lord Karron."
Just as Hans said, Peil was walking toward them from a distance.
Karron had thought Halo would see them off personally, but it seemed the seat of the family head was a heavy one.
Karron greeted Peil with a bright smile.
"You're here?"
"Yes. Have you packed everything?"
To the voice filled with affection, Karron replied by lightly shaking the scabbard of Guillotine.
"The only thing I need to pack myself is my sword."
"The others will have prepared everything else. Heinrich checked three times."
Peil smiled and stroked Karron's head.
No matter what others said, Karron was still his beloved son.
"I've already spoken to your maternal grandfather in the capital."
"What did grandfather say?"
"I got an earful from him, saying I should have told him at least a month in advance. Haha... You know how much he dotes on you. He's probably busy preparing gifts for his grandson as we speak."
Karron hadn't seen his maternal grandfather once since coming to Azure Castle.
He pictured his grandfather's face and smiled softly.
A man who, like his parents, gave him unconditional love.
The thought of seeing his grandfather after so long naturally lifted his spirits.
"Just return safely."
"Nothing will happen."
"And try to stay out of trouble."
"Hmm, that might be a bit difficult... but I'll do my best."
He had originally planned to turn the capital upside down, but hearing Peil's request made his heart soften.
*'I should probably limit myself to just three major incidents.'*
This would be the moment Karron officially revealed himself to the world of nobles. Three major incidents should be enough to leave a strong impression on them.
"I'll contact you when I get to the capital!"
Karron beamed.
A short while later, Heinrich, having finished his final checks, approached them and said.
"The cargo has been fully loaded. You may depart when ready."
It was finally time to head to the capital.
4.
The train to the capital was composed of four cars.
Karron, Leo, and Hans boarded the first car, while the 2nd Squad of the Sea Wolf Knights boarded the second.
The remaining cars were for the servants who would attend to Karron and Leo in the capital and for the cargo.
*Vroooom.*
The resonating hum of the train's mana engine filled the cabin.
And over that rhythmic sound.
*Snooore—.*
Leo's snoring was laid on top.
Karron glanced at the dozing Leo without a second thought and clicked his tongue.
"Tsk."
"You may sleep as well, Lord Karron."
"I'm fine. You should get some sleep, Hans."
"Are you trying to get me reported to the Commander for dereliction of duty?"
"Wow, Hans. You've gotten so smart. You're so different from my first impression of you."
"Now that you mention it, I'm a bit curious about my first impression."
"You'd be hurt if I told you."
Exchanging jokes like this was one of the ways the Sea Wolf Knights relieved tension.
It was always best to maintain a moderate level of alertness.
All accidents happened when one's guard was down, but there was no need to be overly tense either.
"You'll be very busy once we arrive in the capital. There are several banquets you are required to attend."
"Anyone would think you were a secretary, Hans."
"Who else will look after our young masters if not me? Your schedule might leave you short on sleep. It's a good idea to rest up in advance."
"No matter how I think about it, this schedule is too harsh for a growing boy."
"It is also a duty you must perform as the grandson of a great hero."
He had already been briefed on the banquets he had to attend in the capital.
The most prominent was the palace banquet hosted by the Emperor in Karron and Leo's honor.
All the influential nobles of the capital would be there, and most of the real powers of the empire would be in attendance. That would likely be Karron and Leo's debut stage.
*'I really don't want to go.'*
Karron recalled the palace banquet he had attended in his past life. It had been a dreadfully boring experience back then.
The only person who spoke to him at that banquet was Halo. The rest wouldn't even talk to him, calling him a former slave.
Of course, it would be different this time.
Now, he wasn't a knight of slave origin but a member of the great Leston Ducal Family.
"It would be more productive to cross swords with each other than to waste time at a banquet."
Still, he detested banquets.
"Are you not interested in the young ladies of noble families? Thirteen is usually the age when one starts to take an interest in the opposite sex."
"Not particularly."
The gazes of the noble ladies who had looked at him as if he were an insect were still vivid in his mind.
It was not a pleasant memory.
Instead of laughing and chatting to build friendships, wouldn't it be better to swing a sword one more time or read a book in the academy library?
"Hmm. Wasn't your dream to become a hellion, young master?"
He must have casually mentioned his goal to Hans once when they were drinking together.
Karron nodded.
"What does that have to do with banquets?"
"A truly great hellion is always entangled in complicated affairs with women."
It was a rather persuasive argument.
"That's excellent advice, Hans. Come to think of it, I heard my grandfather was quite the man in his teens."
"...I will refrain from commenting."
"I'll give it some positive consideration."
As the two exchanged jokes against a backdrop of snoring, the conductor's voice echoed through the car.
—We will soon be entering the Tebe Autonomous Region.
Three hours had passed since their departure from the duchy.
The train was now entering the Tebe Autonomous Region.
"I've been to this area once before."
The topic of conversation naturally shifted.
Beyond the window, vast fields stretched out. Unlike Baron Belus's territory, which was full of mountainous terrain, this was quite a prosperous land.
As summer approached, it seemed the harvest season was drawing near as well.
"It's a bountiful place, incomparable to Baron Belus's territory. The autonomous region is also vast. It's known more for its developed commerce and industry than for agriculture."
"The place where the most money circulates in the Empire."
"Correct. It's a place where money is status. They sometimes commission the Sea Wolf Knights for sizable requests."
The Sea Wolf Knights didn't operate on money alone. There had to be a plausible reason, like a threat to the Empire—justifications like black mages or monsters.
The lords of other territories were always wary of the Tebe Autonomous Region. Many corrupt lords fretted that their subjects would flee there.
Yet, the region was maintained for one reason.
"At the same time, the Tebe Autonomous Region pays the most taxes to the Imperial Family. They also exert influence on the central political stage through their immense financial power."
"And they're on friendly terms with us."
"That's right. The Grand Duke is quite popular with the common folk, isn't he?"
"After our schedule is done, you and I should sneak out and vis—"
*Vrrrrrrrmmmm.*
Before Karron could finish his sentence, Guillotine, which had been propped up against the train window, vibrated intensely.
Karron furrowed his brow and stared at the sword.
*'Suddenly?'*
He had gotten a rough idea of Guillotine's abilities during his first mission.
A reaction from that thing was as good as a prophecy that an incident was about to occur.
"Why did you stop mid-sentence?"
"Hans, tell the squad members to be on alert. Brother Leo, wake up. Brother Leo."
*Smack!*
Karron slapped Leo across the cheek, and Leo's eyes shot open in surprise.
As soon as he woke up, Leo looked around frantically.
"What's going on? Are we there already?"
"Just wipe the drool from your mouth."
He had to assess the situation.
They were on a train.
Before they boarded, the old butler Heinrich had checked it meticulously, and mages had swept for threats multiple times with detection magic.
*'It's not betrayal.'*
The knights and servants accompanying a direct blood relative were required to have their families reside in Azure Castle. With their families' lives on the line, no one would dare do anything foolish.
He briefly considered that followers of his first or second uncles might be behind this, but Karron quickly shook his head.
*'...No, that's going too far.'*
No matter how wary they were of him, they weren't the type to act so recklessly as to tamper with a train.
Therefore, he could rule out the possibility of an internal threat.
In that case.
*'External?'*
It was highly likely that the threat was coming from outside the train.
Having reached a conclusion, Karron immediately spoke to Hans.
"Tell the conductor to stop the train right now. And quickly, contact the Tebe Autonomous Regi—"
Before Karron could finish his sentence.
*Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaash!*
A deafening roar erupted, and everything was overturned.