Chapter 41

As Latil muttered chillingly, the attackers gritted their teeth and swung their swords. It seemed they thought attacking the emperor was better than being captured or killed.

‘They should just run away, how stupid.’

However, in Latil's eyes, their judgment was pitiful.

‘Too slow.’

The fact that Latil was sparring with five people was not because he was weak, but because he could only fully engage with that many. Yet, strangely, even those who knew that Latil had learned swordsmanship by following the knights were convinced that his skills were not good. This belief would change if they saw Latil sparring with five people. Most royals learned swordsmanship only as a form of exercise and for self-defense, and since Prince Lea had no interest in sports, it was natural to assume that Latil was at a similar level. However, the attackers' complacency was slightly annoying, and in a real fight, it was advantageous for Latil. -Clang! As the sound of metal clashing rang out and the attacker's sword flew away, the enemies finally realized something was wrong.

‘Too late.’

Latil grinned and struck the man's back, and almost simultaneously, he turned to the side and kicked another enemy's sword far away.

‘Is it all over?’

But at that moment, he thought, ‘It seems I’ve dealt with as many as I saw on the balcony…’

A voice from behind shouted, [Die!]

‘Is there one more?’

Latil turned sharply and raised his sword. He was not worried about himself, but about the robed person who had been floating and might be attacked while he was dealing with the attackers. However, what he saw was not an attack scene. Or rather, it was an attack scene, but not the one Latil had expected. The attacker was the muscular man who was presumably the one in the robe, and he was breaking the enemy's neck.

‘Is that the High Priest?’

Latil, who had come running thinking the robed person was the High Priest, opened his eyes wide.

“Dare to attack me.”

The man growled like a beast in a low, deep voice, making Latil's eyes widen even more. Meanwhile, the muscular man shouted as he plunged the enemy into the ground.

“This is the wrath of God!”

‘No, that’s not the wrath of God! It’s clearly your own anger!’

It seemed like the High Priest, but... Latil's mouth twitched, and he stepped forward to grab the man's arm. The man, who had been ferociously subduing the enemy, finally let go, and Latil also released his arm. The arm he had held was even thicker and firmer than it looked.

‘He doesn’t seem to be the High Priest. Then, is he the High Priest's bodyguard? A secret bodyguard?’

Regardless of Latil's confusion, the man kicked the fallen enemy to the side and bowed politely to Latil.

“Thank you for saving my life, Your Majesty. I am grateful for your grace.”

‘I did save you, but the life of the assassin you were about to kill.’

It seems the grace was on his side... Staring at the man for a moment, who seemed capable of handling the situation and escaping on his own, Latil suddenly came to his senses. This was not the time. He needed to call for help and have these people locked up. But just as Latil was about to speak,

“Your Majesty.”

The man suddenly knelt and grabbed Latil.

“Please wait a moment, Your Majesty. As you might have guessed, I cannot reveal my identity.”

Latil, who had no idea about the man's identity, asked in confusion.

“What is your identity? A fighter?”

Looking at him, it seemed more like a mercenary king rather than a Kalan.

The man smiled sheepishly in response to the question.

“To be so considerate... Your Majesty is even more kind-hearted than the rumors suggest. But you don’t have to pretend not to know.”

‘No, I really don’t know.’

“I am the High Priest, Your Majesty.”

As the man declared himself the High Priest, the angelic image of the High Priest in Latil's mind shattered.

‘I thought the High Priest would look like an angel in a painting. ...Is it because he received God’s love that his muscles are so bulging?’

Shaking his head to clear his mind, Latil regained his imperial dignity and asked.

“There is one enemy who hasn’t fainted yet. Is it okay to reveal your identity? Of course, they attacked you because they knew your identity.”

The High Priest smiled and answered smoothly.

“I can erase their memory. It’s fine.”

‘Can the High Priest erase memories?’

Latil, surprised, quickly gave his permission. The ability to erase memories seemed dangerous, but he was also curious to see it. The man, having received Latil's permission, replied, “Yes.” Latil watched with a racing heart as the High Priest touched his wrist. At that moment,

“Hap!”

The High Priest clenched his fist and struck the enemy's head, and the enemy, who had been conscious, fainted with one punch. As the High Priest clenched his fist again, Latil, startled, stopped him.

“Wait!”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Just what is the principle of this? It seems like the person will die before their memory is erased.”

“Yes. It’s about burying the truth in the ground.”

‘You’re just killing them to keep them quiet!’

But is this man really the High Priest? His appearance might be, but his ideology is not at all that of a High Priest. Latil's mouth twitched, and he waved his hand at the High Priest.

“Don’t kill them. We need to find out why they attacked you.”

“I wouldn’t kill anyone. God, the High Priest, would never harm a person.”

“...At least don’t hit them.”

Latil's firm command made the High Priest step back obediently.

“I will call my subordinates, so hide for a moment.”

Since the High Priest wanted to hide his identity, Latil ordered him to hide and called his subordinates again. The guards, seeing the fallen attackers, turned pale. They remembered the incident where the tomb was desecrated, and the involved people were pushed to the brink of collapse for a week. Seeing the fallen attackers, they realized that their future would be the same.

“Your Majesty, are you hurt anywhere?”

“Your Majesty, are you alright?”

“I’m fine, don’t cause a commotion.”

“Yes.”

“And these people. Take them to the dungeon without being seen by the guests. Make sure no one can enter that dungeon.”

One of the guards, glancing at the attacker the High Priest had plunged into the ground, asked.

“This person seems to be a noble, is it okay?”

“He tried to attack me. Don’t show mercy, lock them all up.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The guards, in pairs, grabbed the heads and legs of the fallen and quickly moved them to the palace side where guests did not enter. Once the guards were gone, Latil looked around and called the self-proclaimed High Priest.

“High Priest.”

The High Priest, who had been hiding behind a large flower tree, quickly approached. As he came closer, the scent of the flower tree reached Latil. Moving to a brighter area, Latil was slightly surprised to see the High Priest's appearance, which had been hidden by his muscles. His face was truly like an angel in his imagination.

“Are you really the High Priest?”

The High Priest smiled gently and extended a hand toward Latil. To Latil's surprise, a sparkling light, as if sprinkled with stardust, appeared in his hand.

“What is that...?”

As Latil watched in amazement, the High Priest approached and knelt before him. Confused, Latil looked down to see the High Priest applying the light to the scratch on his calf, which he had gotten from a branch when he jumped from the balcony. The wound healed instantly upon contact with the light.

“Will this make you believe me?”

“...I believe.”

As Latil nodded, the High Priest slowly stood up. His posture was as beautiful as a calm lake reflecting the moonlight, and Latil marveled again. But now was not the time to be amazed by the High Priest.

“Do you know why I’m looking for you?”

“Hitra has passed away. It must be related to that.”

Latil told the High Priest about the self-proclaimed emperor assassin, the sudden death of the suspect, the suspect's last words, the confirmation of the curse by another priest, and then asked.

“Seeing that Hitra, the old High Priest, died and you were attacked, it seems the enemies using curses are not easily subdued. We need a way to counter them. Do you know this method?”

Please know, please know. Latil silently pleaded, but the High Priest shook his head.

“I do not know the method to exorcise curses.”

This can't be. Latil clenched his fist.

“This is troublesome.”

The enemy had already once brought a cursed person into the prison. What if they kill a cursed person in a public place like a square? What if zombies or ghouls appear?

“Do you know anything at all? About black magic?”

The High Priest shook his head again.

“I don’t know much. But... the Great Sage might know something.”

“The Great Sage?”

“Yes. And although I don’t know the method to exorcise curses, my very existence can suppress black magic. If what Your Majesty said is true, perhaps the enemies using curses are trying to kill me because of this.”

The High Priest added after a moment of thought.

“Actually, the frequency of attacks has increased significantly since Your Majesty ascended the throne.”

“Really?”

“Yes. That’s why I immediately responded when I heard that Your Majesty was looking for me.”

So, the assassination of his father and the current events are indeed connected. Latil recalled the fake emperor assassin saying ‘Tlara’ just before dying.

‘I didn’t think he was that despicable... But is there a possibility that Tlara assassinated my father? Then it would all connect.’

At that moment,

“Your Majesty.”

The High Priest, who had been silent while Latil was thinking, suddenly called out in a quiet voice and knelt again.

“Please accept me into the harem.”

Latil, trying to help him stand, was startled.

“The harem?”

It was an unexpected request. Suddenly, the High Priest wanted to join the harem.

‘Ah. Maybe he wants to work in the temple if there’s one in the harem?’

Just as Latil thought this,

“I want to enter the harem as a concubine.”

The High Priest negated Latil's guess. Looking up at the surprised Latil, he had a sad expression.

“As I mentioned earlier, there are many who target me. But seeing Your Majesty, I believe you can protect me.”

No, I think you can handle it on your own. Latil almost said this but held back. No, if you are outnumbered, even you could be overwhelmed.

“But the High Priest in the harem... Isn’t that a bit strange?”

“That’s the point.”

“The point?”

“Because no one would think the High Priest is in the harem. If I pretend to be an ordinary concubine, no one will suspect I am the High Priest.”

It was a bold idea, but it made sense. No one would connect the sacred High Priest with the secret harem. If Latil just claimed he found a man he liked and put him in the harem, everyone would think, ‘That’s the emperor’s taste,’ and not suspect ‘Maybe it’s the High Priest?’ Especially since this High Priest doesn’t look like one at all. Moreover, if the High Priest’s mere existence can suppress black magic, his presence alone would be helpful.

“Alright.”

‘The number of concubines has exceeded five, so I won’t be recorded as a romantic emperor, but...’

* * *

In a stone castle where all windows were blocked and no light entered, a man sat on a cold underground throne.

“The attack failed?”

The man with a fox mask answered the question.

“Yes. The connection was severed. It seems the High Priest noticed the bead in his head and destroyed it.”

The man clicked his tongue.

“Unexpectedly troublesome. Then what about the High Priest? Did he meet the emperor?”

“I don’t know what happened after the bead was destroyed.”

The fox mask’s answer was not pleasant news, but a smile appeared on the man’s lips. The fox mask tilted its head.

“You seem pleased?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

The man’s smile deepened.

“My beloved brother is handling things well. If he were easily defeated, it would be a pity for my head to be cut off.”

The man rubbed his neck, and a faint trickle of blood appeared from a red line that ran like a dotted line down his neck. The fox mask’s shoulders twitched slightly. The man wiped the blood with a handkerchief and asked.

“What about Haeum? Has he awakened?”