Chapter 118 - Side Story 2-2

Chapter 118

Side Story 2-2

Elnos skillfully and wickedly killed all the princes. The Emperor tried to punish him, but there was no clear evidence. No one could stop him even though there was no doubt that he had done it.

The Emperor sent Elnos as a hostage to the Utran Empire to remove him from his sight. Elnos, who still had no support, had no choice but to follow the order.

He was able to relax after a long time by looking at the scenery from the carriage heading to Utran.

The Utran Empire was not bad in many ways. From their roots to their branches and leaves, the trees had a light green colour that made his mind and body comfortable.

When he closed his eyes, the sound of the leaves dancing in the wind and the deep scent of Utran flowed in, and he felt something blocked in his heart.

A nostalgic scent. It smelled like fresh grass that he could only smell when he was carried in his mother’s arms. Elnos shed the last tears of his life in the carriage.

The Utran people did not welcome Elnos. The Emperor and the Crown Prince, as well as the nobles, servants and maids, despised him. Everyone considered him like a toy.

But he did not despair. Elnos saw an opportunity in this crisis. First, he bought his servants with money and learned about the imperial sphere through various information sources at the Imperial Palace.

The next Emperor was the Crown Prince of Utran.

[The Crown Prince’s learning is a little insufficient, but his sword skills are excellent. He’s not comparable to a Harknon’s scarecrow like you.]

In other words, he was an ignorant but strong man. The rest of the princes, including the second, were just sidekicks, fools threatened with assassination.

Elnos offered more than half of Harknon’s jewels secretly brought to the Crown Prince as an excuse for his birthday present. After receiving the gift, the prince invited Elnos to have tea because he could not ignore the public gaze.

It was as planned. Elnos smiled and said to the Crown Prince, who was looking at him like a monkey in a zoo.

[Your Highness the Crown Prince. Aren’t you a bit bored?]

[Ahem.]

The Crown Prince coughed in vain. A man who was a fighter to the bone liked the training ground much better than this tea time place. Just sitting on a chair tickled him. He wanted to run outside and practice swordsmanship.

Elnos, who was like a fox, knew well his mind. He threw the bait in a quiet voice.

[I have been interested in Utran swordsmanship. It would be an honor if Your Highness the Crown Prince could teach me a lesson.]

[Good. I’ll teach you myself.]

The Utran Prince jumped up and headed for the training ground. And the outcome of the fight was, of course, the Crown Prince’s victory.

Elnos gave him the victory by controlling his strength as much as possible. Fortunately, Utran’s Crown Prince was a fool. Even after winning, the Crown Prince wanted the next fight right away.

That was why the relationship between the two became close. Elnos controlled the Crown Prince like water in a drizzle. The Crown Prince introduced the nobles to Elnos, who had excellent swordsmanship, and considered him as his younger brother.

He was taking drugs from the Yvette family manufactured by Elnos. Elnos sneaked the medicinal herbs into the walls of Utran’s Imperial Palace every late night. It was the same today. On a night when the moon was unusually clear, Elnos headed toward the wall. But then, he saw a disturber.

Who the hell is this guy? Elnos frowned. The weak green-haired boy muttered with a knife in his stomach.

[S-Save me…]

If he kept going like that, he would not be able to withstand a little more and die. Elnos, who was about to take out his sword, stopped moving and looked again at the wall.

But the sad green eyes turned at him. He was uncomfortable because it felt like they were calling him. Elnos approached him and bent his upper body.

The beautiful boy was revealed through the moonlight. Emerald hair, eyes of the same color, and a white face. His clothes were so colorful that he seemed to be a nameless prince.

But there was a faint black line on the wrist that stretched toward him. It was blurry, but evidence left only to the descendants of the Yvette family.

[This…]

[Sa… Save me… Please…]

Sandra Tel Yvette. Is that my aunt’s child? Elnos opened his eyes wide, recalling the name of the person his mother had longed for.

His mother had said her relationship with her sister was broken because of a marriage problem. Both had left the Cromus Empire disillusioned with love.

He had thought of Sandra Tel Yvette on his way to the Utran Empire, but had quickly forgotten. That was because she had already passed away.

But he never thought he would meet him. He was actually his cousin. A boy dying after losing his mother and being abandoned by his father. While Elnos was looking at him in surprise, Blix had already lost conscientiousness.

Elnos watched the dying Blix and felt a curious sense of connection. It was such a strange feeling that puzzled him.

Worried, Elnos took a small glass bottle out of his pocket. Blue holy water, which looked like melted sapphire, was sprayed on Blix’s stomach. Elnos’ kindness went that far.

After that, it did not take long for the two to meet again.

[You’re the one who saved my life a while ago.]

His brain was not quite bad. Elnos gave Blix a generous evaluation, as he was waiting for him at the wall.

So he decided to be even kinder. Elnos told the truth of the Yvette family to Blix, who was trembling as if frightened.

The hidden power of the Yvette family, the sisters who were thoroughly exploited by the Emperors of the Harknon and Utran Empires, and the two sons who were left behind like trash.

It was an unbelievable story. Shocked, Blix plunged to the floor. During all this time, he had believed that his parents had given birth to him because they loved him, and that he was safe from outside pressure. But it was all his father’s trick to use his mother’s power.

Elnos whispered devilishly at the despairing Blix.

[If you don’t want to die, sell your soul using the magic of the Yvette family.]

[What?…]

[This is the only way you can live. If you don’t like it, just die now. That would be less painful.]

Elnos threw a sword with a cold face. The sound of the iron hitting the floor sounded unusually cold.

There was no consolation. Elnos grabbed his own sword, glanced at Blix and walked away.

He had no choice. Blix, who could not die like this, summoned a demon in the way Elnos told him.

The process for Blix to gain new power was hellish. He had to cross the threshold of death thousands of times before he could be reborn.

Blix was also cursed in return for his strength. A young boy had a strong adult body but had to suffer from hunger all his life.

It was Elnos who helped him again. Elnos stole small magic earrings and gave them to Blix. The effect of the earrings allowed Blix to maintain his usual young appearance.

Also, Elnos secretly stole bread for Blix to soothe his hunger. He did so while keeping a normal relationship publicly.

Blix felt strange, although he was grateful to Elnos. He looked at Elnos sneaking into his bedroom and asked.

[Elnos. Why are you so nice to me?]

[My mother…)

Answering, Elnos’ voice was longing. His heart still ached when he remembered his mother. It ached even more to think of being alone in the Imperial Palace.

The place where his mother was buried was not even a proper tomb. That fact broke Elnos’ heart. He spoke in a low voice.

[My mother regretted it. She said that when she meets my aunt again, she wants to apologize and be nice to her.]

Blix looked at Elnos with strange eyes. He did not even know her face, but he thought he knew her. Because she had said the same thing as his mother.

[Now that she has disappeared, I should be nice to you.]

In his cousin’s words, Blix read many emotions. Blix was heartbroken when he saw Elnos’ black eyes. Obsession, solitude, and love seemed to be intertwined.

What Elnos wanted was revenge. To see the targets of his revenge kneel down and suffer.

Elnos, reflected in Blix’s eyes, was a boy holding out at the edge of a cliff. A boy who had to endure his fears alone and lift his sword.

[I’ll help you.]

[You?]

[Me.]

Blix tapped Elnos on the shoulder and laughed.

[Your older brother.]

What are you saying? Elnos looked at Blix with some bread in his mouth. The taste of the bread was better than usual, so it was okay.

*

*

Blix, who became Elnos’ partner, grew up playing an active part. Elnos found the heir of the blood swordsmanship and made him secretly taught Blix.

Many things changed. His view of the world widened, and his sword skills and physical strength were second only to Elnos’.

That made life a little less boring. Blix enjoyed his new hobby, betting with Elnos. Of course, he lost most of the time.

Blix wanted Elnos’ happiness more than his own. He could do anything for him if he wanted to.

[It’s about time.]

He felt joy that seemed to burst from Elnos’ voice. In the meantime, he had paved the way for his revenge and sowed seeds. He had looked forward to that day without a break, not even a moment.

Blix clearly remembered some of the documents on the table. There was a list of people to deal with as soon as they entered the Harknon Empire.

[What do I do after killing them?]

[Hang out near the Imperial Palace for a while.]

[Good.]

Blix packed a precious wooden sword on the table. It contained the sweat, tears, and memories of the two.