Chapter 27

"Guard! Seize the ruffian!"

Prime Minister Lockwood Marcel, while rushing to the fallen king, sharply commanded.

The royal knights, who had been frozen in shock at the sudden abnormal situation in the audience chamber, reflexively obeyed the order.

Three royal knights simultaneously pounced on Raidor from the left, right, and behind.

"Hah! Too slow, too slow!"

"Ugh...!?"

Raidor grabbed the arm of the knight who had leaped from the right and used his momentum to throw him. The knight he threw landed on another knight who was trying to restrain Raidor from the opposite side.

The two knights were blown away, overlapping each other.

"Huff!"

Only one knight remained. Raidor turned around and delivered a backhand strike to the knight who was trying to choke him from behind. The sharp blow, enhanced by the rotation of his waist, struck the knight's jaw, violently shaking his brain.

"Guh... Sir..."

"Stay down."

"Ugh!"

The knight, who had fallen forward, still tried to get up to capture the ruffian who had harmed the king.

Raidor mercilessly stomped on the loyal knight's head, finally knocking him unconscious.

The three knights, who had been defeated in a matter of seconds, were all elite warriors chosen to be part of the royal guard in the Kingdom of Zain.

Looking down at the fallen knights, Raidor covered his face with his hand, seemingly lamenting.

"To think the royal knights who protect the king are this weak. It's no wonder the country is on the verge of collapse."

"Your Highness! Please cease any further resistance!"

While helping Granado to his feet, Lockwood issued a warning.

Soldiers, having heard the commotion in the audience chamber, rushed in through the door and surrounded Raidor from a distance.

"What have you done to His Majesty! This is a serious act of treason!"

"Treason...? I just made a contract, that's all."

"If you don't intend to answer seriously, I will have you restrained! After causing such a commotion, you will not be treated as royalty!"

No matter how strong Raidor was, he was outnumbered in this situation. If the soldiers attacked all at once, he would eventually be captured. And what awaited him after that was the treatment of a prisoner.

Despite being faced with such a future, Raidor did not lose his sarcastic smile.

He looked at Lockwood, who was supporting Granado, with a mocking gaze and moistened his lips with his tongue.

"Do your worst if you can. But only if you're prepared to lose your lord."

"What...!"

"Condition one: King Granado shall guarantee Raidor's safety within the Kingdom of Zain."

"Is that... the wording from the oath just now?"

"Yes."

Raidor nodded at the puzzled Lockwood.

"The contract has already been made. If you break it, there will be a penalty."

"Surely... you didn't..."

Raidor's mocking words. Lockwood, realizing what the rebel was implying, paled.

"Did you... place a contract curse on me?"

"King Granado..."

Granado, who had risen to his feet, glared strongly at Raidor.

Though Granado was dressed in luxurious clothing befitting a king, his chest was open as if burned.

On his exposed skin, a red emblem like a brand was etched. It was a sinister pattern of a snake coiled around a sword.

"That's right. Both of us."

Raidor also pulled open his coat to reveal the same emblem on his well-muscled chest.

"Foolish... To place a curse on me, the king, do you not understand the meaning of what you have done?"

Granado's voice contained not only anger but also a sense of doubt and pity for his foolish brother.

The 'contract curse,' which forces specific actions, is a widely known form of magic used to punish criminals or to subordinate slaves. Its compulsion is strong, and breaking it can even lead to death.

However, the curse is not permanent. It can be removed by following the appropriate procedures.

"I don't know what kind of curse you placed, but the court magicians will remove it quickly. All that will remain is the crime you have committed, Raidor!"

"Maybe. But I can't trust you unless I do something like this, brother."

"That's..."

"Do you have any idea why I lost trust? It wasn't me who betrayed you, it was you who betrayed me."

There was no point in holding back anymore. Raidor directed his words like a blade at his real brother.

Granado, openly criticized for exiling him from the capital to the frontier, narrowed his eyes and truly lamented Raidor's foolishness.

"... If you had just followed my orders, I would have kept you alive despite how much you annoyed me. Are you getting cocky because you became the wielder of the holy sword? Did you think you surpassed me as king?"

"Well, what do you think? I have no obligation to explain it to you."

Raidor whistled, as if to show he wasn't listening. Granado was beyond anger, feeling utterly exasperated and even a sense of pity.

To Granado, Raidor was a loathsome existence chosen by the holy sword 'Dainsleif.' A threat to his throne, and even the fact that they were blood-related brothers was infuriating.

However, Granado did not want to kill his brother.

If he truly despised Raidor, he could have had him assassinated instead of exiling him to the frontier.

"... Very well. I will honor the contract. You can do as you please with what you took from the empire. I will also provide funds for the frontier city. But I will never forgive you for placing a curse on me. When the empire is defeated, be prepared for the appropriate punishment!"

"Alright then. I'll fight the empire seriously. I'll save this country, so just sit back and relax."

Raidor waved his hand and started to leave the audience chamber. The surrounding soldiers naturally opened a path for him.

(Prepare yourself? That's my line, Granado.)

The declaration of war was already made. There was no need to hide his enmity or his will to rebel.

I will take back what was taken. I will crush those who took it.

I will never let anyone take it from me again.

This was Raidor's belief, his unyielding pride after being exiled to the frontier and losing his place.

"... Exiling you to the frontier was the right decision! The first king, the previous wielder of Dainsleif, also killed his brother to found the kingdom!"

"..."

Hearing Granado's voice from behind, Raidor left the throne room without looking back.

It was the moment when the two brothers of the Zain royal family decisively parted ways.

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