RGS Vol 7 Part 7

“Sir Ashler gave you a letter?”

“Ah, yes. That is…”

The Commander of the Royal Guards quickly handed over the letter he was holding and habitually stepped back. There was no benefit in being close to Kin. He had gone to war to escape his terrifying father, only to be bullied by Kin, who was even scarier than his father, for six years. While Kin was opening the letter, the Commander of the Royal Guards moved stealthily towards the door. Fortunately, Kin was too preoccupied with something else to notice his movements.

“What do you mean the situation inside the palace is not good?”

When Kin lifted his head, the Commander of the Royal Guards, stopped as if he had never moved and recounted him what had happened. As he did, Kin’s face instantly hardened.

“When you met Sir Ashler in the palace, didn’t he say anything unusual?”

“Yes, although he was trapped in the library at the time, he didn’t seem to be concerned with anything other than protecting Lord Abel.”

At the mention of Abel’s name, Kin’s hand, which was about to open the letter, paused. He glanced sideways and casually asked.

“Ahem, is Lord Abel doing well?”

“Sir Ashler has been protecting him well, so there haven’t been any issues. But he did seem somewhat dispirited. Yet, even in that state, he looked beautiful as ever. Ahem.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes, his skin looked even fairer, and he sparkled under the sunlight. Haa.”

“Ahem, I see.”

“Yes.”

A moment of silence passed as each was lost in their own fantasies. Kin, regaining his senses first, cleared his throat again and looked down at the letter he had just opened. The Commander of the Royal Guards watched him with eyes that seemed at ease for once. For a brief moment, as they talked about Abel, the Commander of the Royal Guards felt a sense of camaraderie with Kin. Thus, in a softer voice than usual, he asked.

“What did Sir Ashler write?”

“……”

“Sir Kin?”

“……”

“……Sir Kin?”

Shing.

“Ah! Sir Kin! Why did you draw your sword all of a sudden… Ugh!”

Whoosh—

Kin’s sword narrowly missed the Commander of the Royal Guards’ nose. Nearly facing death, the Commander of the Royal Guards couldn’t help but be angry, even if it was Kin.

“Why on earth are you doing this!”

Of course, his anger didn’t last more than three seconds. He saw Ashler’s letter on the ground, where Kin had dropped it. Normally, he wouldn’t have been able to recognize the small letters, but one word particularly stood out in his eyes.

Garasu.

Ahh!

The Commander started running towards the door for his life. From behind, Kin’s enraged voice shouted out his name.

“You wretch, Clara!!!!”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

“Are you suggesting we blame the emperor for all of this?”

One of the ministers asked in a displeased tone and Truyde nodded as he asked back.

“Didn’t you say that without someone taking responsibility and sacrificing themselves, a revolt would break out?”

“Well, yes, but…”

The minister who spoke glanced at the others before opening his mouth.

“The target of the people’s accumulated anger is the temple managed by the King’s Heart. We still haven’t found out why those who devoted their faith to the temple went mad. If we unconditionally blame the emperor for that, will the people believe it? The reason the temple is being attacked now is also because of the King’s Heart.”

“Then you should take responsibility.”

At Truyde’s words, the minister could no longer argue. Truyde looked around the others as if to see if anyone else would step forward. Naturally, no one opened their mouth. Truyde, who had immobilized the emperor with the black potion, now had no rivals. According to Truyde, once today was over and everything was settled, it would become his world.

“If anyone still opposes my opinion even now, you may take your leave. Otherwise.”

Truyde waited briefly as if giving them a chance to leave, but when no one stood up, he continued.

“Shut up and follow me to the palace to witness the emperor’s end.”

Truyde’s arrogant command spread discomfort across the ministers’ faces. Finally, one of them couldn’t hold back and asked.

“If we eliminate the emperor without any measures, it could create even bigger problems. This country was able to survive because of the bloodline inheriting the dragon’s power. If that bloodline is cut off, the King’s Heart, which existed because of the Regas, will also become unnecessary.”

Though he meant, ‘Wouldn’t it do you any good either if you kill him?’, Truyde gave an unexpected answer.

“Isn’t it enough to have someone with the dragon’s power? For example, someone who can enter the Dragon’s Forest. We can place that person on the throne.”

“Who is that?”

For the first time in this conversation, Truyde’s eyes narrowed in a smile.

“Me. I will ascend to the throne.”

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

As the sun passed its zenith and gradually set westward, Truyde, the ministers, and countless soldiers arrived in front of the closed palace gates in a long procession. People’s attention was drawn to this grand procession that was even more splendid than the emperor’s who had led them to victory after six years of war.

Why was the palace closed?

Was there something terrifying happening inside?

Had the emperor truly gone mad?

The sight of Truyde’s procession only increased their curiosity. Everything would be revealed once the gates opened. However, rumors of a curse spreading inside the closed palace had also spread, instilling more fear. Only Truyde confidently watched the gates opening.

He could fully predict the situation inside. It would be a hell of a shock, screams, and chaos. The once sacred Dragon’s Forest had turned into a cursed land that devoured people, but this became an opportunity for Truyde. Thus, the greater the people’s fear, the better. That way, when Truyde stepped foot into the blackened land of death, everyone would be in awe of him.

Boom.

With a heavy sound that resonated high in the sky, the gates, which had been closed for half a day, fully opened. Truyde, riding on a pristine white horse, was the first to enter, pushing past the fearful soldiers.

He expected the terrified people to soon rush and gather before him. He would then hear them crying and pleading for their lives. However, as he entered the palace, the only sound he heard was the clattering of his horse’s hooves.

Clip-clop, clip-clop, clip-clop.

The loud sound spread throughout the vast palace. It continued for a long while until it stopped as the smile disappeared from Truyde’s face. When he stopped his horse, silence once again filled inside. The expected screams and cries that should have replaced it were absent. Only then did he realize.

There were no people in sight. There was no one. There was no one to spread fear to the outsiders.

Where had everyone gone?

Truyde moved his horse again, trying to find the answer. Those following him also wore serious expressions, pondering the same question, but they couldn’t find the answer until they reached the center of the palace.

Only then did one thought cross people’s minds.

Could it be that everyone had disappeared?

However, not everyone was gone. In the center of the palace, when they went to the palace to see the emperor, they finally saw someone alive. In the large central hall, filled with burning torches all over the walls, there he was, sitting on the throne.

“What are you doing? If you’ve seen your master, you should prostrate yourselves like a dog.”

Their emperor commanded.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

Why is no one here?

Where did everyone go?

These questions kept swirling in Abel’s mind, but what truly weighed on his heart were fear and worry. The palace, which had been eerily quiet the entire way to the library, felt not just bizarre but also chilling.

Where could everyone be?

He wanted to leave the path and search, but Karas who was holding his hand and leading the way, showed no intention of stopping. Moreover, his words made the situation more concerning.

‘They were in the way, so I removed them.’

Removed them?

Did he mean he had gathered the people into one place?

The anxiety from that moment had not yet disappeared. Even though the fact that the emperor would soon face Truyde was a greater concern. And there was something urgent they needed to find immediately.

⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ⊹˚. ♡.𖥔 ݁ ˖

“Ugh! Here, these are the last of the books about dragons. Hah, hah.”

Nani, who had placed a heap of books on the floor, sat down, panting heavily from the exertion. There were already numerous other books piled up where he had placed them, and they were being sorted through by others.

Even the butler, who had been shocked to learn that Abel had thrown the precious wooden pendant to him, and Melmond, still reeling from the shock of the scribble on the wooden pendant, were all searching for the dragon’s name. However, no matter how many books they went through, they couldn’t find the real name of the dragon.

“But, Young Master, if His Majesty has figured out the ingredients of the black potion, isn’t it unnecessary to look into the past with the wooden pendant?”

When the butler asked cautiously, Nani, who was panting from carrying the books, quickly chimed in.

“Yes, that’s what I’m saying. All the trouble we’ve gone through so far has been because of the black potion, and if its secret has been revealed, it’s no longer necessary. Oh, do you think His Majesty was lying?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Abel shook his head and hesitated, lifting his eyes from the book he was reading, finding it difficult to answer. Then Melmond, who had been sparing his words due to not yet being fully recovered, finally spoke up.

“Is there something bothering you? But even if His Majesty has figured out the ingredients, he has already freed himself from the poison of the black potion. I’m curious about the reason for that too, though.”

As Melmond trailed off, Nani spoke up with a laugh.

“Ah, of course, it must be because of Sir Melmond’s medicine! Otherwise, how else could His Majesty have recovered so well?”

“But my medicine was all rendered useless by the Duke, so I couldn’t give any to His Majesty.”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

As Nani stammered, the butler offered another opinion this time.

“What if the medicine His Majesty took earlier finally showed its effects? If not, there’s no other explanation.”

“We couldn’t find it, but perhaps His Majesty might have found another way.”

“In any case, as long as His Majesty is fine, isn’t that all that matters?”

Nani nodded in agreement with the butler’s words as if he didn’t understand what the problem was. However, Melmond, whose face was still swollen, frowned slightly. He knew too. As long as Karas had broken free from the black potion, that should be enough. However, he still didn’t feel right.

“It might sound strange, but something’s bothering me. Even though we have a good result before us, I feel like we still need to verify its process. Abel, do you feel the same?”

Nodding, Abel lifted his eyes from the book he was reading and added a bit more.

“And I’m curious as well. Why is the hawk’s herb related to the black potion?”

Well, that is intriguing.

As Melmond responded, Nani asked, looking puzzled.

“Are we sure the hawk’s herb isn’t an ingredient? If not, what connection could it have?”

“That’s why I’m curious.”

Melmond replied gruffly and lowered his eyes back to the book he was reading.

“How did His Majesty figure out the ingredients right away by hearing the name of a seemingly unrelated herb…?”

“Ah! I’ve found it!”

Abel’s sudden shout cut off Melmond’s words. However, no one got angry; instead, they hurriedly gathered around him.

Did he find the dragon’s real name?

“What is it? Is it the dragon’s name?”

“Did you find the dragon’s real name, young master?”

“Wow― is there really a separate real name?

Abel, seeing the excited crowd, confidently showed them a spot in the book he was holding and pointed at it.

“It’s a book that collects folk tales and unofficial histories from the time the kingdom was founded. Here, it mentions a knight who saved the country and spoke about the dragon.”

At Abel’s excited voice, everyone else’s eyes sparkled with anticipation. Nani, representing the group, quickly read the part Abel gad pointed at.

“The brave knight was not afraid of the dragon at all. His courage was evident from the nickname he used for the dragon. He always called the dragon by this name. The untamable dog…Chaban.”

The people fell silent. Unlike those who were shocked, Abel held onto a faint hope.

“What do you think? It could have been called by a nickname instead of its real name, right?”

Melmond provided the definitive answer on behalf of everyone.

“Should I call you a Gechaban?”

[T/N: The name “개차반 (gechaban)” is a Korean term that could mean as “mongrel” or “an untamable dog.” In a figurative sense, it is often used pejoratively to describe someone as unruly, wild, or untamable. It can be used to insult someone by implying they are lowly or unworthy, akin to calling someone a “mutt” or “mongrel” in English. ]

Abel lowered his eyes to the book. Melmond, who had almost grabbed the back of his neck after just recovering from his injury, also returned his gaze to his book. However, after a while, Abel asked in a voice that couldn’t let go of his lingering regrets.

“Ah, could it be that the dragon’s real name was actually Gechaban?”

“Someone, throw that book away!”