Chapter 54

Reincarnated as the Sword Emperor in the Sword Saint Family (54)

At this, Francis and Marian turned to the direction of the voice with looks of annoyance.

Leonard's expressionless face was no different.

The man who approached, disregarding the glares from the three, had a striking appearance with his copper-toned skin and fiery red hair. He spoke with an attitude that was even rude.

"It's been a while, can't you at least show a happy face? I'm feeling embarrassed!"

"You don't even have the decency, so stop making unnecessary noise."

Marian stepped forward, blocking the man's gaze from Francis.

As if to say that someone like him had no right to speak to her.

The red-haired man approached with a fierce expression, seemingly enraged by her attitude.

"Why is a dog butting in when I'm talking to the master? Are you a mad dog that can't tell the difference between where you should and shouldn't interfere?"

"Huh?"

The woman, once known as 'Mad Dog Marian,' smiled with a bloodthirsty grin. Though she usually restrained herself when near Francis, she had never been outmatched in a battle of words.

Marian, with her hand on the hilt of her sword, sneered.

"Since you can communicate with dogs, it seems we're on the same level. Wasn't there a famous stray dog from some family, by any chance?"

"You bitch...!?"

"I'm not a bastard like you, so when I hear that curse, it might sound like self-harm. You should be careful; if your father hears it, he might beat you again."

Feeling he couldn't match her in wordplay, the red-haired man clenched his teeth and insulted Francis.

Marian's anger was not for herself but for Francis.

"Thinking that just because you hold your father's excessive treasures, you can inherit his position? When I offer to buy this ship, it would be better to hand it over willingly! The Aquamarine should not remain as a relic of a fallen royal family!"

"Shut up!"

In the end, Marian drew her sword and pressed it to his neck, but the man continued to speak without stopping.

"Even if you try to run away like this, there's no place for you! If you don't want to end up like your father, who died a pleasant death...!"

"Luciano Peterson——!"

Aurora from Marian's blade touched his neck, and a trickle of blood flowed down.

Only then did Luciano, the red-haired man, stop talking.

If he had said a few more words, his head would have really fallen off. He stopped because he faced that murderous intent. Still, his eyes remained fixed on Francis, trying to corner her.

But.

"Let's go. We've wasted enough time."

Francis, without batting an eyelid, pulled on Marian's sleeve. Her demeanor was noble and intimidating, as if she felt nothing from Luciano's insults.

Feeling inferior, Luciano glared.

"...Understood, Miss."

It was strange that Marian was angry on her behalf when she herself seemed unaffected. The sword that had cut Luciano's neck returned to her waist, and the tense atmosphere cooled down.

Even Luciano's gang, who seemed ready to attack, looked relieved.

Fighting Marian was a burden for them too.

Clack, clack.

The sound of their footsteps echoed in the silent dock.

Francis and Marian, followed by Leonard.

Only then did Luciano notice Leonard, and his lips twisted into a sinister smile.

"Ha! You, who declared to restore your father's honor, are enjoying yourself with a half-decent faggot? No wonder you show no reaction to my face! I don't know where he's been rolling around, but if you sell him to the pederasts, you could get a thousand gold coins—."

It happened in an instant.

Francis, who was looking back in shock, and Marian, who was watching with a "here we go again" expression, and even Luciano's gang, could neither predict nor react.

A light burst from Leonard's waist and darted forward.

Pfft!

From the elbow, his right arm was cleanly severed, and the arm he had been gesturing with fell to the ground, blood gushing out.

So sharp was the cut that Luciano didn't feel pain for a moment, even with his arm missing. He stared blankly at the blood spurting from the cut, then began to scream and thrash.

"Ahhhhhh!"

"Bro, that madman!"

"Get a potion and reattach the arm! If the young master becomes a cripple, we're all dead!"

Looking at the chaotic dock, Leonard, with a sword that hadn't a single drop of blood on it, asked Francis.

"Francis, is it okay to kill them all?"

"Hmm."

Francis, who had just come to her senses, replied.

"T, the others don't matter. It's best to let this one live. He has a lot of backing, so it's troublesome. If he's just alive, I can handle it from here."

"Understood."

"Marian? With Leonard—"

Leonard shook his head, cutting her off.

"It's fine. It won't take long."

Luciano's gang, mostly focused on reattaching his arm, didn't even notice, and only a few of the lower-ranking members were approaching.

He thought about using his fists, but to instill more fear, a clean cut was more effective.

And.

"Ahhhhh!"

"Keh, gurgle, cough..."

"Choke."

As if walking on a flat, obstacle-free path, Leonard moved without hesitation. With each step, he stabbed someone in the neck, sliced open a belly, and cleanly cut off arms and legs.

The once pristine and white dock, like marble, was now stained with blood, and decorated with severed limbs and entrails.

Dock 37 had turned into a slaughterhouse in just a few seconds.

"That guy! Kill that guy first!"

"Take care of the young master later! The bleeding has stopped, so he won't die!"

Even those who had been involved in dirty work for a long time were stunned.

Marian understood why her instincts had warned her about Leonard. His cuts were not just to inflict pain but to break the spirit of his opponents.

It was more like a venting of frustration than a show of force.

Though his face was expressionless, it was clear somehow.

For some reason, Leonard was angry.

"..."

Francis also realized this.

The scene was so terrifying that she wanted to look away, but she couldn't take her eyes off Leonard's back as he cut through the crowd.

When did it start?

When did she stop shedding a tear or trembling with anger at insults to her proud father?

She had to endure because she was weak.

She had to look forward to the future rather than the present.

For years, she had painted over her heart with excuses, and now a man like a sword had pierced through.

'Is it because of me? Are you angry on my behalf?'

If he really was a castaway from Arcadia, he wouldn't know anything about Francis herself.

Or about her father.

Or the stories hidden behind this Atlantis.

Yet, for Francis, whom he had known for only a few days, he was angrier and more intense than anyone else.

"Ah."

Francis, surprised by the moisture in her eyes, wiped it away when no one was looking.

It wasn't a mask that could crumble like this.

Only Marian noticed and her expression became complicated.

Not knowing that it was all an illusion, they just watched Leonard's furious swordplay.

"Phew..."

Though it had only been a minute, the rough breathing from the venting of frustration made it feel longer.

Leonard returned to his usual self with a deep breath.

He then looked at the scene he had created.

Except for Luciano, who had fainted from blood loss, the rest of his gang had been reduced to the byproducts of a slaughterhouse. The last one he had cut was just stopping his twitching.

'I was swayed by my blood again. Was it because the opponents were too weak?'

If it had been a formidable enemy, he would have remained calm, but the lack of real challenge broke his patience.

At 15, his body was much more impulsive than in his later years. Leonard, realizing this again, stroked the hilt of his sword to calm himself.

At that moment.

"Leonard, that's enough now."

Francis, who had approached him at some point, was gently holding his hand that was touching the hilt.

"Francis."

"Are you calm now?"

Feeling his heartbeat through his hand, Francis noticed it had returned to a peaceful rhythm and let go of her hand.

Then, trying to meet his eyes, she turned away and said,

"...Thank you for getting angry on my behalf."

"It wasn't a big deal."

Leonard thought Francis was scared because he had been too brutal this time.

On the contrary, Francis, who had realized something from Leonard's words, smiled faintly.

"You're right. It wasn't a big deal."

Just enduring silently wouldn't change anything. Pretending to be noble and broad-minded wouldn't bring her closer to her goal.

She should have spat in the face of that annoying guy and shed a few tears in private.

Her heart, which had been rotting without her realizing it, now felt refreshingly open.

'Well, it's not like I'm in shock or anything, right?'

Of course, Leonard, who didn't know her inner thoughts, was having very disrespectful thoughts.

If Marian hadn't approached at that moment, the atmosphere between them would have become even more awkward.

Marian, looking at the blood-soaked dock, grumbled.

"You really went overboard. It's going to be a hassle to clean up. There was a reason I didn't step in."

Though she scolded Leonard, her tone softened when she realized he had comforted Francis in a way she hadn't seen.

Marian then checked Luciano's arm and pulse, realizing he was not in mortal danger.

"We can leave this fool behind. His arm is well-reattached, and knowing his subordinates have been wiped out will make him more cautious."

Leonard, watching her for a moment, asked a question that had been on his mind.

"Is his father such a significant figure? Significant enough to be cautious about touching a bastard?"

"Yes, he is. Extremely so."

It was Francis, not Marian, who answered the question.

She stared at the distant tower of Atlantis, where the Sectoral Congress was held, and said,

"The Maritime Alliance of Atlantis is governed by the Congress, as its name suggests. From the designation of each sea area to the approval of exploration permits for adventure teams. They are the ones who actually rule the sea."

Francis's blue eyes were filled with nostalgia.

Once, her father had stood in that tower.

He was one of the leaders guiding the sea correctly, and he had even held the position of Speaker, the highest in the Congress. He was a man who proved that even after the fall of the Oceania Kingdom, his lineage had not lost its luster.

Before the sudden tragedy and destruction, he was a man loved and honored by many.

"The Congress always has 13 members, and no new member is elected until a seat is vacant. And Luciano's biological father, Councilor Pablo, is one of the top five powerhouses within the Congress."

Francis enunciated the name as if spitting it out.

"Pablo El Orlando Peterson."

He was the captain of the A-rank adventure team 'Moby Dick,' operating in the 5th Sea Area, and one of the most powerful figures in Atlantis.