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Translator: Kell | Editor: Weasalopes
Silver Face and the Beastman King
Security doubled ever since the day an intruder snuck into the king’s chambers, and five times more men were guarding the king closely. Even the women who would usually be Gerhardt’s side, serving him, were kept at a distance, which annoyed him.
「Ah, damn it. This is just too sad. Why am I surrounded by a bunch of filthy men?」
「It had to be done. They’re all elite soldiers, capable of protecting you.」the old man from the turtle clan said as he gathered documents.
Gerhardt had finished eating dinner. Up until now, he had been doing nothing but paperwork. Two soldiers stood by the room’s only entrance and one on each of the three windows.
「So, how are preparations going?」Gerhardt asked as they stepped out of the office.
TOP ARTICLES1/5Mercenaries in Apocalypse Volume 1Chapter 29
「Oh… Hasty, aren’t we? We can make our move during spring.」
「Spring? You didn’t say anything about this, you old bag. That’s too far away. We’ll launch our attack right after New Years.」
「Surely, you’re not serious, my King. Ponsonia is much colder and it might even snow.」
「A little snow is nothing to our army.」
「We should secure a sure victory. We of the turtle clan don’t do well in the cold.」
「I don’t care! We’re going anyway!」
「Oh, dear. You are a handful.」the old man said.「What’s wrong?」
Gerhardt stopped all of a sudden. They were in the most innermost part of the palace. Beyond this point was the king’s chambers and the dining room, and across the courtyard was where the throne room was located.
「Y-Your Majesty?」the old man asked timidly.
He rarely lost his nerve, if at all. The terror he felt at the moment was an indication of just how much Gerhardt was seething with rage. Even the four soldiers guarding him were terrified, their teeth rattling.
What’s strange was Gerhardt wasn’t looking at the old man, but beyond the moonlit courtyard.
「He’s really mocking me… 」
「What’s the matter, Your Majesty?」
「He’s here.」
「Who?」
「Most likely the guy who entered my chambers.」
「What?! Where—」
「In the throne room.」
「Wh-What?!」
Before the old man could say anything, Gerhardt started walking in huge strides, crossing the courtyard. The turtle man followed him in a trot, but still couldn’t catch up. Ignoring the guards’ warnings, Gerhardt pushed the door to the throne room open.
Someone was inside.
「Not a bad seat at all. Quite comfortable.」
A black hood hung low over his eyes, silver mask covering his eyes down to the tip of his nose and his right cheek. Save for the design carved into the edges, it was overall a simple silver-colored mask.
His physique and voice suggested he was a young boy. A ray of moonlight cast down from a high window, shining on him and the throne.
「That’s no seat for the likes of you…」Gerhardt muttered in a low, terrifyingly icy voice that made the old turtle man shiver.
Even the guards turned pale as a sheet. The boy pissed the king off, the strongest man in Einbeast who won the king selection tournament three times in a row. The old man was taken aback.
「That mask… Are you the one who stole Rising Falls’ weapon?」Gerhardt asked.
Rising Falls—a rank A adventurers party that participated in the war against Ponsonia. But they withdrew from the upcoming fight, claiming they were betrayed when their weapon got stolen by a masked man.
The intruder’s mouth curved into a smile.「Stole? You hurt my feelings. I just returned it to its rightful owner.」
By “return,” he meant freeing the white drakon sealed inside the Drakon Ball. Gerhardt knew nothing about this, of course.
The boy chuckled, took eight daggers from his pockets and tossed them onto the floor, a declaration that it was him who snuck into the king’s chambers.
「I decided to stop playing around.」he said.
「What do you want? Us to stop the war?」
「Yup. I don’t plan to work for free—」
「Bullshit! You’ll pay for your mockery!」
A sound echoed, like something bursting open. Gerhardt had kicked the floor and dashed forward, reaching his top speed in just a few steps. He was surprisingly keen and nimble for his huge frame.
Gerhardt quickly closed the distance. He was only ten meters away from the boy now. Clicking his tongue, the boy produced something out of his pocket. Immediately after, a huge fireball appeared out of nowhere.
The king groaned as he knocked the fireball away with his right arm, causing it to burst, scattering embers into the air. Flames licked at the carpet and the decors hanging by the walls. The sudden increase in temperature resulted in an uneven air pressure inside and outside the room, triggering strong winds.
But Gerhardt couldn’t care less about any of that. The boy perched on the throne had vanished.
「At least listen to what I have to say.」
The voice came from behind Gerhardt. He turned around to find no one. Once again, he lost sight of the boy.
At this point, the king finally realized his mistake. Gerhardt assumed that this masked boy was simply lucky he didn’t get close while he was asleep. But what happened just now proved him wrong. The intruder could easily get close to him, about two meters away.
Gerhardt’s right arm stung, inflamed from knocking the fireball away. His skin suffered a serious burn. He had no idea what kind of attack that was just now. It looked like magic without incantation. But he’d never heard of anything like that before.
「Your Majesty! Guards, protect the king!」
「Yes, Sir!」
The men quickly surrounding the king. The sounds of running footsteps echoed in the distance—soldiers who heard the sounds of fighting rushing to the scene.
「I told you to listen.」the masked stranger said.
「Bastard!」
The boy was sitting on the throne once more.
「I know where the Blade of Severance is.」
What the boy said caught Gerhardt completely off guard. The king was at a loss for words.
The Blade of Severance—a weapon that was enshrined in the treasure house. It disappeared a few years into Gerhardt’s term. Everyone knew that the weapon’s disappearance—most likely a case of theft—troubled the king deeply. While Gerhardt may appear to be self-centered, he harbored profound respect for the past rulers of Einbeast.
「I can take it back for you if you want.」
「Ha! You’re probably the one who stole it in the first place.」
「Nah. Holy mana items call for each other. That’s how I found it.」
「What do you mean?」
「You got a taste of my own holy mana weapon, right?」
That fireball he let loose just now, Gerhardt thought, grinding his teeth in anger. He has a holy mana weapon and knows how to use it. The thought only fueled his frustration.
「I go by the name Silver Face.」the boy said, standing up from the throne as though lording over his vassals.「I’ll get the Blade of Severance back for you.」
「I never said I wanted it back!」
Silver Face scoffed.「Once you learn the truth, you will carefully consider what you should do. Look at your citizens. Think of this country’s future. You might not win the next king selection tournament.」
「What did you just say?!」
「Now, then. Like I said, I don’t plan to work for free. You already know what I want, right?」
Silver Face turned around and disappeared behind the throne.
「What’s going on, Your Majesty?!」
A platoon of soldiers came barging into the throne room. Their eyes widened in surprise as soon as they saw the fire.
The soldiers wasted no time in going after Silver Face. No one was behind the throne, however.