The Emperor Has Returned - Chapter 47

Chapter 47 Ravens(1)

“Since when could the Hugin knights summon the undead?”
Juan asked in his normal tone, while looking at an undead knight in front of his eyes.
Only Heretia looked nervous as she continued biting her nails.
“That’s……. The rumours were true. But why now……”
“Rumours?”
“Those undead knights were once part of their order. The Hugin knights are well known for retrieving the bodies of their fallen knights. Some ridiculed them and said they were acting like Ravens, their emblem. But others said the purpose behind it was to summon them back as the undead. If they’d managed to bring all of them back as an undead knight then…….”
There was only a single undead knight that they could see for now, but they could feel the many presence in the darkness in front of them.
Juan continued to stay dead still and stare across at the undead knight.
From his memory, the Hugin knights was a group that acted secretive but never treacherous. Although their enemies would’ve thought differently.
And recalling the events surrounding Lars Laude, it was hard to imagine a world where he would join forces with those, he once condemned.
Especially if it meant to be associated with summoning.
“Talented knights, even if they were dead are good subjects to bring back as the undead….. Also considering the fact, they once fought alongside the emperor, you really can’t find anyone better. Knights of the emperor that can fight through death…..”
Heretia showed a scared expression. Seeing this, Juan made a step forward, putting himself in front.
In response, the undead knight moved as well.
It looked as if Heretia wanted to grab Juan and immediately get the hell out of here, but it felt like she was frozen in place due to the atmosphere around them being so tense.
Juan stepped onto the sewage floor and moved forward. The undead knight matched him. The gap between them closed.
The two stopped just before they were about to knock into each other. The dead knight looked down at him with empty, lifeless eyes.
Juan could feel a chill emanating from it, that could freeze upon touch.
“Lars Laude was an offering to the god of death, Nigrato.”
Juan whispered to the undead knight.
“He was buried alive and only survived by eating those that were buried with him. I was the one that discovered and helped him escape from his grave. And afterwards, I led a knight order to the desert in the southern lands and slaughtered Nigrato’s fanatics and followers. I’ve never seen an undead ever since.”
The knight of death didn’t reply.
“Where have you come from?”
A dagger was brought out in lighting speed. The knight of death lifted its sword and parried Juan’s attack.
The knight of death was able to move on par with Juan. Faster than Juan had expected.
As Juan backed off to create space between them, he checked if there were any other undead knights. He felt multiple presences beyond the dark, but wasn’t sure.
Juan clicked his tongue. The Hugin knights were very adept in concealment and it appeared this trait was kept when they’d been brought back as the undead.
The knight of death swung its sword as if it was testing Juan’s abilities.
Everytime it swung, a cold air swept over Juan, making him flinch.
Crossing blades was enough to be tainted with the repulsive energy emanating from it. An average knight would quickly find themself losing their strength just from this.
“How mettlesome….”
Juan sent out some flames towards the repulsive energy that was trying to enter his body.
Moments after, smoke came up from his body as if the flames burned through it.
Juan saw the undead knight flinch at seeing this unfold.
Juan made a light cut on his hand, spreading his blood onto Taltere’s dagger. His dagger lit up in bright red and a flame was set ablaze.
Instantly, a bright light enveloped the dark sewer.
Seeing the flames, the knight of death opened its mouth and let out a strange scream.
Juan lips twitched and murmured.
“You were able to escape death once but not again.”
As Juan swung his dagger, the undead knight quickly used its sword to block the attack.
But the moment the dagger clashed with the sword, the sword shattered into pieces.
And the pieces started to burn as if it was doused in oil.
Like fireworks, the flames dispersed.
As Juan began to swing at the unarmed knight of death, once more it let out an eerie scream. A scream so sinister that it made a person insides squirm.
Juan stood still, deciding not to move any closer. He then began to increase the heat running through his body.
The undead knight couldn’t but help move away from the sudden blast of heat.
And then.
“Stop this!”
A female voice was heard from deep inside the sewer.
The undead knight hesitated then stopped.
As the voice approached, the sound of footsteps splashing the shallow water could be heard.
The undead knight sharply stopped the fight by slowly backing away. Its body was quickly consumed by the surrounding darkness.
Juan could feel the owner of the voice approach close from beyond the dark where the undead knight disappeared.
Anya revealed herself. She went up to Juan while limping on one leg.
“Welcome Juan. Sorry I didn’t greet you before in the mansion.”
Instead of accepting her apology, Juan looked at her hand.
Her hand was clutching a weirdly shaped purple crystal.
*****
The undead knight was nowhere to be seen. However, the cold air in the sewers told him they were still there, somewhere in the darkness.
Anya and her companions had Juan and Heretia surrounded in a circle as they walked along the sewers.
Although Heretia wore a discomforting expression as it certainly felt to her as if they were being held like prisoners, she kept quiet.
“To be honest, I didn’t expect to see Juan there. (Mansion)”
Anya started a talk to relieve the tension. However, unlike her cheerful voice, her expression told a different story.
The cloth Anya wore was the same one she was wearing at Hannbon’s mansion but unlike then, it was ripped up and small cuts were apparent beneath her dress.
“Ah, don’t worry about it. Just a few cuts from going through a window.”
This told him of how Anya had acted with a certain amount of urgency.
“I never saw you as the type to be reckless about anything.”
Anya shrugged at Juan’s words.
“The situation called for it. I owe a debt to my knight order…….so I really want to repay it back.”
Knight order. From her words, Juan was even more sure that everyone around them were part of the Hugin knights.
Along with Anya, they were mostly young people that Juan didn’t know.
A long time had passed, so these looked like the 3rd or the 4th generation down from the Hugin knights he once knew.
“Why are the Hugin knights using summoning? From my knowledge, Lars in the past hated it.”
Anya had a surprised look. It seemed she didn’t expect Juan to know the smallest details.
“You’re right. Not many people in the order know that fact…… I think I know why Juan is saying this. But it’s different now. The person that taught summoning skill to us was none other than Lars Raude nim.”
“Lars did?”
Juan felt as if the concern he had was becoming real. How everyone around them wasn’t showing their true side, that they were lying and everything is a deception.
Juan tighten his grip on his dagger.
“Am I able to meet Lars?”
“Um, thats…..”
Anya wore an awkward expression.
Juan noticed the strong ill feeling arising around him. Amongst those here, it seemed Anya’s status was highly ranked, as everyone remained silent, content in letting Anya do the talking.
However, if Anya wasn’t here, the ill intent they were showing was enough to indicate that they would’ve already drawn out their knives by now.
“It appears your friends have a lot of complaints about me. Was it rude of me to ask if I could meet Lars?”
“Sorry Juan. To us Lars nim is our saviour and our master. If Juan would join us then maybe, but right now…….. And plus Lars nim isn’t in the best state at the moment…..”
“Anya nim.”
One of the other knights coughed and called out Anya’s name. Anya looked at him with cold eyes.
Eyes that hadn’t been seen since she’d met up with Juan.
“I make the decision whether to say something or not.”
“But, um. If Dilmond nim were to hear this…”
“Why. Let him listen if he wants. Actually no, he needs to hear this.”
Anya’s eyes turned to one side.
Through an underground passage next to the sewer, a elderly knight with white beard was approaching.
The cuts and injuries on his face told of the battles that he’d survived.
As soon as the elderly knight saw Anya, he shouted.
“Annabelle!”
Anya signed. She turned around and spoke to Juan.
“My real name. Though I had no intentions of revealing it in this manner.”
“Bringing in an outsider here, have you lost your mind! And also, summoning our sunbaes! Lars nim didn’t give you that power for you to abuse it!”
“Dilmond kyung. The power to relieve and summon our sunbaes rests with me. And plus, no one objected.”
“And I have the responsibility to uphold our internal discipline and make sure everyone follows regulations! For three months you suddenly disappear from the order then you bring an outsider here? Isn’t this a blatant violation of our disciplinary code?”
“This childs no ordinary child.”
Anya replied with a sigh.
“You’ll understand once I tell you what he’s done. He destroyed the Golem inside the Gray tower and eliminated an entire knight order by himself. Bringing him in would definitely help us out…..”
“I don’t care! I did hear he can control something similar to the emperor’s flames! Meaning he’s something similar to those paladin dogs. If he’s not the church’s dog then, he’s nothing but a thief that’s somehow got hold of the emperor’s power ….”
Dilmond pointed his finger and Juan and was about to shout at him. But then, he noticed the kid’s hair colour. Dilmond’s mouth sharply shut.
After staring at Juan for a few moments, Dilmond asked one of the knights with a confused face.
“Hey you. Did you say the child is able to control fire?”
“Uh, yes. I saw his sword erupting in fire once it touched his blood. And when that sword clashed with a sunbae’s sword, sunbae’s sword broke and disintegrated in flames. Just like what happens with something is enveloped by the emperor’s flame.
Dilmon contemplated for a while then opened his mouth.
“A black haired child that is able to control the emperor’s flame. I see an important guest has come from far away.”
“Dilmond?”
Anya called out to Dilmond with suspicion in her voice as he showed an unexpected reaction.
Dilmond shook his head as if he’d shook off some thoughts.
“It’s nothing. He reminded me of someone. Anyways! I still can’t overlook the fact that you violated our rules. At the very least you should have discussed with us before you set off and acted on your own. Even the newbies don’t make these mistakes.”
“Dilmond Debussy.”
Juan suddenly opened his mouth. Dilmond looked down at him with a surprised look.
Juan smiled and continued talking.
“Wasn’t a face that I saw too often, so it took some time to remember. If my memory is correct, at the time you were but a newbie that just entered the Hugin knight order….I see that you’ve climbed up enough to be shouting at commanders. Sunbaes must’ve not taught you properly.”
“How does this kid know my surname….”
“Who was it that was above you……I think it was Farel, no? There is a saying that a student receives the traits of the commanding officer above. You must’ve served underneath him for a long time. Even your beard looks similar to his. Although Farel’s was black.”
“Uh, you, what, huh…..?”
“You on the same level as Farel? If you’re half as skilled as Farel was, that would be an achievement. The way he swung his axe around on the battlefield was a sight to behold. Especially when he’d swing his axe at the enemy while having one stuck on the end of it, his enemies would all run away in fear. He was simply the best to place in the forward lines. Although, it would have suited him more to be part of the Surtur knights than the Hugin knights.”
“………..”
“Curious at what happened with him. It would be pleasant if I got to see him again.”
Dilmond stayed silent and looked down at Juan for a long time.
Juan returned his look and waited for a reply. Unable to stay silent any longer, Dilmond’s lips slowly parted.
“Farel kyung…..passed away on the battlefield.”
“Expected. It looked as if he wasn’t the type that would die of old age……”
“Yeah. He didn’t take care of his body. In the Laus ranges, he fought against the church’s dogs, and fell while dragging two of them with him. We looked for the body but never found it. Regrettably, one of the few sunbae’s that we lost forever.”
“Sounds like he met his end just the way he wanted, that wild pig.”
“I think so too. He’ll probably still be fighting in hell, not realising that he’d died.”
Dilmond looked down at Juan and then slowly backed off.
Anya, Heretia and everyone else was looking at the two of them, listening in on their conversation as if they were bewitched.