Chapter 223

Chapter 223

***

As you live, you often experience absurd situations, and one of them was when you encounter an unexpected person in an unexpected place.

Encountering your parents in a place they told you not to go, or a husband or wife encountering each other in an inappropriate place, etc.

Crech was absurd right now no less than those cases. Namely, encountering Rickart in the Master's Federation Intelligence Bureau Director's office. This shouldn't be a place just anyone can enter right?

People were bound to try to understand what they cannot understand somehow. They even deliberately create illusions themselves and believe them. Looking at the world, aren't there many people with absurd beliefs.

To somehow understand the current situation, Crech fitted it into his framework of common sense.

While the awkward silence flowed his head spun quickly, and that head deduced a single conclusion.

He said he's from Beringen Academy right? Ah, they hatched a plot, such a thought brushed his mind exactly like a flash.

Since Regina was from Beringen Academy, and Rickart also said he was from Beringen Academy at the inn where the fight happened, he took it as their ulterior motive for the two of them to put him in a difficult position.

"I see. Now I understand. The Inner Circle? A nice excuse. You must give an explanation, Director. If it is an explanation hard to accept, not my individual self but the clan level will step up."

"What are you talking about?"

Rickart, who newly entered the Director's office, didn't know the reasoning and asked while looking at him blankly.

Then Crech scanned Rickart up and down with hostile eyes and answered.

"I couldn't understand what on earth made a mere wandering swordsman overflow with confidence like that, but I mean I understand now. That there is Beringen Academy behind you, and even helpers within the Federation."

"What sound are you making?"

This time Rickart looked back at Regina and asked. Regina shrugged her shoulders and answered.

"He says he wants to know about the King. But the Circle blocked access to information about the King you see. But that person keeps asking me to let him know. Even if it's not the King, it's an abuse of authority, Mr. Crech."

"......King?"

Crech frowned and tilted his head. On the other hand, Rickart looked at the two alternately and understood what the situation was.

"Yeah, so in the end you tried to dig behind me. I said you'd regret it. Whether it's fortunate or unfortunate you didn't die."

While Rickart understood, Crech barely understood the current situation then again couldn't understand.

Because in the first place his understanding's premise was wrong. The premise that Beringen Academy had his back and there were helpers within the Federation.

Anyway King? There were exactly only five Kings in the Empire. Beings under one person and above ten thousand, especially there were Kings who boasted stronger power than the Emperor depending on the era.

So where on earth was such a King here right now? Was it some metaphorical meaning? Crech couldn't understand at all.

However soon the calm voice that flowed from Rickart's mouth struck his head exactly like a hammer.

"I am the King. King of Adelorn."

"......"

During a short time Crech's expression changed several times. He frowned heavily, then opened his eyes roundly, frowned again, and ultimately became blank.

He moved his mouth several times but no sound came out. Rickart, who was looking at him, had somewhat pitiful eyes.

"Let me ask one thing. Do you know where Bolka, the head of the Viola Clan, is from?"

Even though Crech had a mouth he couldn't answer anything exactly like he lost its function. Actually his ears were also in a state of failing to exert their proper function.

"When the Viola Clan first formed, the place was in the backyard of the Beringen Academy women's dormitory. Back then there were only me, Bolka, Delphi, and Bori. But why are you so anxious to eat Beringen Academy alive? I'm truly curious so I want to hear the answer once."

Saying people's field of vision differs depending on their position, Crech and other Viola Clan people were immersed only in the competition and power struggle itself within the Federation, but Rickart wasn't.

Especially from the position of a person who cultivated it one by one exactly like headbutting the bare ground from the beginning, it was something he couldn't understand at all.

Crech was almost at the point of shedding cold sweat, and couldn't give any answer. However Rickart raising questions wasn't over.

"When the Viola Clan gained an autonomous territory achieving independence from the Beringen Adventurers Guild, that was probably after the Cult of Condemnation incident. I heard they bickered with Beringen Academy since then. Back then because the kids were at a hot-blooded age I thought they wouldn't do so when they aged. But what is this. Fully grown adults sword fighting without any meaning, and doing such actions for the purpose of completely occupying power within the Federation?"

"......"

"While I was in the Council of Six I heard reports that casualties from sword fighting are increasing every year. Geographically I am a swordsman too. I understand fighting risking lives because of pride. You can duel between the parties without causing harm to civilians. But fighting collectively and organizationally is an entirely different matter, isn't it? Planning to fight a war or something? Let me ask once. Why do you do that?"

Crech was now almost at the point of having breathing difficulties beyond just shedding cold sweat. It wasn't simply a problem of ramming into the Director of Intelligence, because the size of the problem he could handle had far exceeded.

And Rickart expected from the beginning that Crech couldn't give a proper answer. So he just looked back at Regina and gave an order.

"Convene the whole Council of Six. I will attend the Grand Assembly. Inform the Emperor too. Since Marie is a member of the Council of Six too. Gather the Inner Circle completely too. Just tell them to entirely come. Propagate that on the day of the Grand Assembly if Beringen Academy and Viola Clan both have complaints, they should say it all that day. And I will also say what I have to say. If our intentions don't align I will guarantee they can leave freely, and if they disobey my sword will answer."

"......Understood."

Regina answered quietly. Rickart entered the Director's office and left without even sitting down.

Silence flowed once again. leaning deeply against the back of her chair, Regina looked at Crech and said.

"It was funny for your people and us to be doing this at this age. I didn't like this trend from the beginning, so in the middle I only worked while reading the room. Taking sides as little as possible. And doing so I even heard sounds of being a traitor from Beringen Academy once. I hope you know that I at least didn't lie earlier."

Before she knew it Regina was also in her late 20s. It was her 10th year working in the Master's Federation, and that meant she was together with the birth of this organization. She had her own special affection for the Federation.

"Your side contact His Majesty the Emperor. Since I'm a bit scared."

Because she was slapped by Marie when she was young and had all her teeth broken, Regina was still scared of her.

Anyway what should he did about this matter. Crech had merely a bleak feeling.

In any case since it wasn't a matter he could handle, he thought he should report it to the Clan. Even if he did, the Clan Master was Bolka, and he too was a member of the Council of Six so what could he did though.

His oldest memory was looking at the field releasing the sheep. The blue sky and slowly floating clouds.

And spring, summer, autumn, winter. Each season had its respective charm and beauty.

Flowers fluttering in the wind, lushly grown grass, yellow ripe golden fields, and pure white snow-covered land.

And the sight of lightning striking at the horizon when it rained was marvelous.

Looking around the world, depending on the region there was its respective charm and beauty again. The only ugly thing was humans.

Frown-inducing sights, disappointment and frustration. However, isn't it because it's that ugly that we have no choice but to love it.

Rickart wondered looking at the colorful green field exactly like the Goddess of Spring throwing a festival sitting on a rock.

What formed in his hazel eyes was neither glory, ambition for power, nor hope and despair, but just contemplation towards the world and his inner self.

"It seems the whole city has turned upside down or something since yesterday and today. Everyone was whispering about the King of Adelorn."

The woman wearing a sword at her waist, Lena, said. The ones standing near Rickart completely looking at the field were not old friends, wife, or children but newly made colleagues.

"Saying in advance in case you feel sad, I didn't deceive you. I just treated you as myself exactly as I am."

"I know. You taught us the Codex right. I could understand coveting it but rather giving us teachings, how could I say you deceived us? If it wasn't for Mister, even if we got our hands on the Codex it would have only been dangerous."

"The one who gained enlightenment is you yourself. I didn't make you that way. I didn't do anything."

"You are modest."

"I am hearing the word modest for the first time in my lifetime right now."

He didn't boast, but didn't hide it either. That was Rickart. So it was a fact that he wasn't modest.

"Do you know that? After gaining enlightenment the world looks different."

"Yeah? How does it look different?"

"Should I say I become grateful for the things I complained about in the past, to speak concretely I originally hated the Master's Federation you see. But thinking about it coming now, because the Master's Federation at least existed I could enter the academy, and I could be safe going here and there, and because I hated them it seems I could work hard at anything as a single goal. So I don't hate them now."

"That's truly strange. I hate them."

It was definitely strange. The one who launched and ran the Master's Federation was Rickart, but Rickart himself ended up hating it, and conversely Lena felt the limits of success and hated the Master's Federation but now doesn't hate it, which was truly ironic.

"So are you continuing the adventure?"

"I told you. An adventurer should adventure, but because they always exactly sit at desks rolling pens everyone ended up having strange thoughts right?"

"That's the correct answer. You Graf still have the goal of making the ultimate underwear?"

"I tell you the quality of life changes. Please try wearing it just once."

"Actually I'm wearing it right now. The problem is it seems if you wear this once you can never wear the underwear you wore before twice."

"Hahaha, right?"

"Yeah, I admit my defeat. You Ravenna, what is your dream?"

"Actually I don't have a dream. Honestly, I like hanging out strictly together with these two. Pathetic right?"

"No, seems the wisest."

"When I converse with Mister I get the feeling of becoming comfortable somewhat."

Lena said. Rickart merely smiled faintly, and there were people approaching from afar. They were people wearing pitch-black cloaks unsuited for a spring day. It was none other than the Inner Circle.

Most of the swordsmen of the Inner Circle were people with personal connections. It was because having outstanding skills was basic, and above all they had to be trustworthy.

Caspar, Yulia, Roy's friend Les, Ice's direct disciples. They each had different backgrounds, but were beings who transcended factions. It was because to them, the people of the Council of Six were more important than their own backgrounds or such.

Every single one of them was one step above Lena. There were also a few figures who achieved Sword Master unofficially, and at minimum they were at the level of a master.

Because such people came swarming not just one or two, Lena and her two friends were quite nervous. However they seemed not to even have the three people in their sights.

Caspar confidently approached and delivered words.

"Our Clan Master's movement is uncomfortable so he will be a bit late coming in a carriage. Beringen Principal is also far away so he'll be somewhat late, and the Library Director and Grand Monk seem to arrive soon with Roy. And His Majesty...... couldn't come personally and sent this."

Caspar handed one document to Rickart. A document with entirely incredibly splendid decorations, it was a document issued by the Emperor exactly just looking at it.

The title of the document was 'Great Pardon Letter', and it was content guaranteeing in the name of the Emperor that all actions Rickart ddid, even if temporarily, were justified. Including massacre.

Of course Marie would have issued this explicitly trusting Rickart, but to carelessly issue such a thing without even hearing the story Rickart clicked his tongue inwardly. It's not like I'm some human butcher either. I intend to handle the work paying attention and being as meticulous as possible.

On the last line it was written like this completely lacking dignity. 'Sorry I couldn't go. Just let me know the result. Love you.'

Rickart tucked the document into his embrace, and stood up from where he sat. Even standing up he seemed immersed in some thought with his head bowed, but to Lena's party's eyes he looked completely different from before.

Because although they didn't necessarily ask Rickart's identity all this time, now they felt they somewhat knew. Seeing that all these many masters of the sword were polite to Rickart. A sense of distance was starkly felt.

"Gather all the Federation people currently in the city at the Investigation Bureau building right now and blockade the building. No one can leave without my permission. Kill those who disobey the order on the spot."

"Understood."

It was a terrifying order but Caspar answered exactly as if it was nothing.

Rickart raised his head and looked at Lena, Ravenna, and Graf, then turned his head back and looked at the colorful spring field.

There was not a single speck of murderous intent in his hazel eyes. In a way that was scarier.