Today is Christmas Eve. I don't think I'll be able to post this evening, so I'm posting it a bit
early.
The progress of *Dark Mage* is a bit boring, isn't it? I feel the same way. Even looking at it
myself, I still think it's not very good. Honestly, I've worried a lot about it. If I made the
progress fast and concise, the settings seemed crude or lacking; but if I tried to explain in
detail, it seemed like it would be very boring. But to get readers' feedback and advice, I boldly
chose the latter path. So even if it's frustrating, please continue to watch over it steadily. I
also ask for much criticism together.
And thank you for giving good evaluations for *Sword Emperor* side story volumes 15 and 16.
Especially [Young Unnie] from the cafe, your excessive evaluation really put me in a difficult
position. Honestly, I don't know what to do with myself. Sincere thanks.
Many people seem disappointed that Han Seong didn't take the Four Emperors and the women with
him, but I don't think you need to worry. I really like happy endings. I won't say any more about
the content. And *Sword Emperor* concludes in volume 17.
Today I think we'll be able to have a harmonious time alone as a couple for the first time in a
while. My mother said she would take care of Eunseo, so floating on hope, I'm making many plans
with my wife. I'm a bad dad, right?^^ But it can't be helped.
Well then, everyone, goodbye.^^
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While waiting for an answer, Sergei examined the other person's face thoroughly.
His face scrunched up on its own.
'What an ugly appearance. To the extent that one couldn't even think of it as a human face…….
This is troubling. To find a woman who wouldn't refuse that bastard, I'd inevitably have no
choice but to prowl around the slave market.'
His thoughts were mercilessly shattered by the other party's cold answer.
"You are a man far inferior to the previous Schrekheimer in every aspect."
Sergei's eyes widened abruptly.
"W-what did you say?"
Dokgo Seong's tone was detached.
"At least Schrekheimer was a man who could sufficiently move people's hearts. He was completely
different from you, who evaluates people by mere monetary logic. My answer is only one. There is
not even a bit of ability left in my body to help you people now. Even if there were, I refuse.
Even if it were simply because I don't like your face, I cannot help you."
At the completely unexpected insult, Sergei's mind went blank. Given the lofty status he had
possessed as the Prime Minister of Icarot, could there have been even the slightest opportunity
for him to hear such vicious insults? Insults continuously burst from the opponent's mouth.
"Seeing a bastard who calls himself a prime minister of a nation, I fully understand how this
place ended up like this. You fool. If you have time for that, risk your life and cross over to
Arcadia. And kneel at the feet of the Great Emperor Crosen and beg. Say, please save the lives
of our citizens."
"What?"
"Why? Are you angry at my words?"
Dokgo Seong continued to taunt Sergei, whose face was flushed purple and red with anger boiling
to the top of his head.
Eventually, Benites, unable to stand watching anymore, stepped in, and the situation was settled
for the moment.
"Sleep."
Under the sleep spell cast by Benites, Dokgo Seong collapsed onto the bed and fell straight
into a deep sleep.
"This bastard?"
Benites was fully occupied with soothing the trembling Sergei.
"Please endure it. It seems this man deliberately insulted Your Excellency the Duke."
"Deliberately?"
"That's right. Just before we rescued him, he was surrounded by numerous swordsmen there. Upon
that, he unhesitatingly decided his own fate."
"What did he do?"
"He immediately went to a cliff and jumped off. In other words, he is not a man who easily
bends his will. Inferring from such circumstances, it seems this man deliberately angered Your
Excellency the Duke to achieve his purpose."
"Hmm! That may be so."
Sergei barely suppressed his anger. However, as if his anger had not yet subsided, he glared at
Dokgo Seong, who had fallen into a deep sleep, with fierce eyes.
"I shall test him."
"Yes? What do you mean?"
Sergei glared at Dokgo Seong's face and smiled a chilling smile.
"Throw this bastard into the sturdiest place in the underground prison. And put captured orcs
or trolls in there with him. Fully armed and alive, at that. Depending on the situation, ogres
are fine too. Since he'll have to show his skills somehow to avoid dying, it will soon be
revealed whether he's hiding his abilities."
Looking once more at the collapsed Dokgo Seong, the smile on Sergei's face deepened even
further.
"Even if what he says is true, it doesn't matter. The monsters will handle the cleanup……."
Unaware that his fate was being decided, Dokgo Seong had fallen into a deep sleep. His
consciousness was returning to the past of the Central Plains, separated by an unimaginable
distance from this place.
Bong. Bong. Bong.
In the serene mountain temple, the heavy sound of bells announcing evening prayer resonated
deeply.
Monks were busily flocking to the Grand Hall, and incense-burning visitors were hurrying their
steps to descend the mountain.
From the endlessly stretching line of halls, so classical they could not be more so, one could
guess that the temple's history was extremely ancient. Of course, even without revealing that
this was the famous Shaolin Temple of Mount Song.
As the monks disappeared into the halls for prayer, the mountain temple was once again
submerged in silence.
However, in the rear garden of the mountain temple, on a grassy field not so wide, something
that should never occur in a temple was taking place…….
It was clearly the sound of fists striking flesh. There, about six figures were currently
engaged in a brawl.
That a brawl was taking place in a mountain temple was, of course, unimaginable even at the
Shaolin Temple. But the problem was that those engaging in the brawl were all boys around ten
years old…….
Moreover, the brawl taking place there was a one-against-many fistfight. Five boys had
surrounded one boy and were committing ruthless group violence.
Thud, thud.
Despite being subjected to countless punches and kicks, the boy was not intimidated at all. He
was merely watching for some opportunity with eyes emitting strands of venom. Taking the
continuously pouring punches and kicks head-on, that is.
Looking closely, the boy's appearance was unusual. Narrow, slitted eyes and a hooked nose so
curved that it couldn't be seen as belonging to a young boy. On top of that, the boy was a
hunchback who couldn't straighten his waist. Since he was still young, it didn't show
particularly, but it was clear that when he became an adult, his back would protrude severely.
Thud.
The hunchback boy, struck squarely on the jaw, fell sprawling. Coincidentally, his body tumbled
in front of one boy. Then that boy flashed a triumphant smile and tried to deliver a kick. At
that moment, an urgent warning rang out.
"Be careful. Before he bites you……."
The boy who was about to kick the hunchback boy flinched and stepped back. But his reaction
was slightly delayed by a hair's breadth.
"Ack."
The boy stepping back suddenly let out a miserable scream. Because the fallen hunchback boy
had rushed forward and bitten his shin. Blood began to seep from the corners of his mouth from
how hard he bit. The boys rushed without delay, trying to pry open the hunchback boy's mouth.
"Y-you vicious bastard."
The boys tried with all their might to open the hunchback boy's mouth. They struck him wildly
and stomped on him repeatedly, but it was no use. The hunchback boy was exerting his utmost
dying strength.
"Krrrgh……."
The bitten boy was nearly losing consciousness from the pain.
Unable to bear watching, one boy dressed in blue drew the precious sword hanging at his waist.
It was exactly the boy who had issued the warning. From the appearance of the precious sword,
so splendid it couldn't be more so and crafted to fit his physique, one could tell the boy's
status was no ordinary matter.
"Get out of the way. I'll cut off his jaw……."
At those words, the boys' faces turned ashen.
"B-but is it r-really okay?"
"It's fine. He's the son of a demon head. Even if we cut off an arm or a leg, no one will
care."
The blue-clad boy answered confidently and aimed his sword at the hunchback boy's jaw.
"If you don't let go, I'll cut off your jaw."
But the hunchback boy didn't care at all. As if telling him to do as he pleased, he closed his
eyes and put even more strength into his mouth biting the leg. The boy being bitten fainted on
the spot from the pain. A flash of killing intent crossed the blue-clad boy's eyes in an
instant.
"This bastard."
He shoved the sword into the hunchback boy's mouth. His lips were torn, and blood gushed
profusely. Nevertheless, the hunchback boy didn't loosen his jaw. As if saying, kill me if you
dare.
In the end, it was the blue-clad boy who was at a loss. Though he had boasted he would cut off
the jaw, it wasn't something he could so easily carry out. If he did so, the strict rules of
the Shaolin Temple would not let it pass easily. Having hardly managed to enter the Shaolin
Temple, he didn't know if he might be expelled, so for a moment he didn't know what to do.
At that moment, the hunchback boy's eyes shot open. His mouth opened, and he spat the pooled
blood in his mouth directly onto the blue-clad boy's face.
"Huk."
At the unexpected baptism of fresh blood, the blue-clad boy turned deathly pale. How could he,
raised delicately as the son of a prestigious martial arts family, have experienced such a
situation? He hastily stepped back and wiped his face with his hand. In doing so, the precious
sword fell from his hand. In that fleeting moment, the hunchback boy released the leg he had
been biting and quickly raised himself up.
The precious sword that had been in the blue-clad boy's hand mere moments ago was now in the
hunchback boy's hand, emitting light.
"I'll kill you."
With a voice spewing strands of killing intent, the hunchback boy charged at the blue-clad boy.
Thud.
Pushed over by the hunchback boy, the blue-clad boy turned ashen. The precious sword, wrapped
in strands of sword energy, was flashing right before his eyes…….
The hunchback boy tried to ruthlessly plunge the sword into the boy's chest. Having suffered
countless times at the hands of the blue-clad boy, there wasn't the slightest hesitation in his
actions. The faces of the surrounding boys turned pitch-black in an instant.
"Stop."
Deep voices were heard from somewhere. Judging by the tone, they were definitely not from the
boys.
Figures revealing themselves and running from a short distance away. Seeing the clear circular
scars on their heads, they were clearly Shaolin Temple monks.
They were none other than the monks of the Shaolin Temple's Disciplinary Court. They were also
nominally the ones who protected the hunchback boy. They had merely been watching the
hunchback boy being beaten, but when the situation reversed, they ruthlessly stepped in.
However, looking at the situation, there was no denying that their intervention was remarkably
late. The precious sword was already touching the blue-clad boy's chest.
Yet the monks' faces overflowed with composure, as if there was nothing particularly urgent.
Following that, a miserable scream rang out.
"Aaaack."
Surprisingly, the one who screamed was not the blue-clad boy. It was the hunchback boy who had
tried to stab with the sword, instead screaming in agony. The precious sword fell powerlessly,
and the hunchback boy clasped his head and began rolling around on the spot. Seeing him scream
incessantly, one could tell extreme pain was being inflicted on the boy.
The blue-clad boy, having barely saved his life, let out a long sigh. Soon anger began to surge
in his eyes. The boys surrounding them. The blue-clad boy had secretly been acting as their
leader, so he was furious at having allowed such a ridiculous surprise attack. That anger was
soon vented onto the hunchback boy.
The blue-clad boy, using a breakfall technique to raise himself, approached the hunchback boy
without delay. A ruthless beating began against the hunchback boy, who was rolling on the
ground. The boys, who had been utterly terrified, also began joining in one by one. The
guardian monks had already all arrived at the scene.