Clip-clop, clip-clop, flutter.

The sound of horse hooves faded, and with a joyful jingle, it seemed they had finally arrived. The coachman, having worked hard, patted the horse and said to the passenger,

“We’ve arrived at the Imperial Capital, Crown Hall.”

“Thank you. Your driving skills are quite impressive; it was a comfortable ride.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Was that the tone of an old soul?

The passenger spoke in a somewhat peculiar manner. Was he from some distant place, or was it the etiquette of a higher world unknown to a commoner like myself? There was no way to know.

But one thing was certain: this passenger, who lay somewhere between a boy and a young man, was a master of martial arts.

It wasn’t that the coachman recognized him as a disguised swordmaster. It was simply that, along the way, the passenger had demonstrated a sublime move.

A wild boar, hasty in nature, leapt in front of the speeding carriage.

The passenger, who had been sitting in the carriage, sprang forward in an instant with the sound of something bursting. And as he swung his arms, the boar was flung almost vertically off course.

Such was the surprise.

“Those who have mastered martial arts to the extreme, their movements appear magical,” said a regular at the tavern the coachman often visited.

Had the coachman not heard that tiresome repertoire from the drunken, retired knight, he might have thought the passenger a magician.

At such a young age, to have such skill. It was reasonable to assume that, whatever path he chose, word of him would soon spread throughout Crownhall. The capital’s residents were always starved for tales of heroes.

That must be why even that bizarre woman called ‘Pure Night’ was gaining popularity.

By the time the passenger’s name, along with his fame, roamed the capital, the coachman would have one more story to share over drinks. “Once, I had this strange young man as a passenger—”

—

“…Ssshh.”

Enbus grimaced, letting out a hiss through his teeth from the pain in his left arm. He had taken damage in the process of deflecting the wild boar on his way.

Not wanting to look pitiful after boldly stepping forward, he had refrained from administering first aid in front of the coachman, pretending to be unharmed.

He should have just used a forceful expulsion technique instead of trying out a fancy grafting move.

His proficiency in delicate movements was still lacking. Regretting it now wouldn’t heal his injury, so Enbus decided to consider it a practice run.

The capital looked quite different from Enbus’s memory.

The broad avenues that offered a refreshing view, and the magic lamps installed at regular intervals. The unparalleled sewage system, unseen anywhere else in the world, remained the same.

The imperial capital, Crownhall, was still at the forefront of innovation.

So, what was different?

Specifically, it was the cleanliness. In the past, if one peered into the inconspicuous alleys, they might catch a glimpse of blood or vomit belonging to no one in particular—a clear sign of violence.

No matter how splendid and brilliant the imperial capital was, it had its shadows, and the residents living in the bright world were too busy pretending not to see them.

If children tried to enter a dark alley, parents would pinch their ears and extract a promise never to go there again.

Even when Enbus occasionally ventured into the shallow alleys, he saw no such traces.

“It’s clean…”

Was this the work of Prince Irid Crown, known for his interest in the people’s welfare? It might be different deep inside, but at least within the living quarters of the ordinary citizens, nothing ominous was in sight.

It had become a better place to live.

Enbus looked around Crownhall, retracing his memories. It had been a long time since he returned, and he intended to bring gifts.

His brother Roderus hated sweets. Whenever sweet cookies were distributed, he would grumble that such things were for little girls, claiming he ate them only to replenish his energy.

So, I was thinking of buying some bland-tasting hardtack rather than the sweet stuff. There’s a store that makes tasteless hardtack in bulk for penniless adventurers and mercenaries. It was definitely around here somewhere…

“…I can’t seem to find it.”

Had it moved? Or had I simply taken a wrong turn? Enverus looked around, searching for someone to ask for directions.

Among the passersby, a scene caught Enverus’s eye.

On the open balcony of the second floor of a dessert cafe, two beautiful women were enjoying a pleasant time.

“Daesoo, this is really delicious.”

“You just like anything that’s loaded with sugar. I find it too much, it’s like gaining side fat with every bite.”

Yet, even as she complained, her fork didn’t stop moving towards the cake.

“Hey, Daesoo, you care about belly fat too? That’s a deception, a deception! You’re so slim… where, where.”

“…Don’t just shove your hand inside my clothes!”

One was a petite woman with red hair tinged with pink and ruby-like sparkling crimson eyes. She was clinging tightly to the woman sitting opposite her.

The other had long auburn hair down to her waist and a foxy look in her eyes, which also held a captivating aura that seized Enverus’s attention.

“I’ve got someone to worry about, so don’t worry! I really just wanted to ask about the road. Do you know where the King of the Whales bread shop went?”

“……”

Deep breath. Deep breath.

Rodules calmed down slightly, then quickly provided accurate information to his long-lost brother, who had been searching for a snack.

“The King of the Whales bread shop has moved to a building next to the mercenary guild, officially partnering with them…”

“That’s right. I came to visit after a long time, and I thought I’d bring a snack as a gift to my brother who I haven’t seen in a while. Thanks for telling me.”

“…come on, hurry, hurry… hurry…!”

Rodules felt a sense of unease, but thought it was better to pretend to be unaware than to reveal his true feelings.

As he saw her, Kim Ruru’s eyes lit up with jealousy.

It was because her high-performance brain had come up with a cold, logical conclusion.

1. He had hidden his face and been embarrassed the moment he saw a man he had never met before.

2. He had used a feminine tone of speech that he had never used before.

This was, after all, the green light…

For Kim Ruru, it was a crimson light. She couldn’t bear the thought of being stolen away by the rough-looking man who had appeared before her.

Oda and Kim Ruru had maintained a pure relationship so far. One of them knew but didn’t say anything, and the other didn’t know and was embarrassed.

To put it simply, it was just a brief, fleeting moment when they had accidentally touched hands on a rainy day. However, with the external enemy appearing now, Kim Ruru’s desire for exclusivity was boiling over in her heart.

This was the moment to muster her courage.

“There you are!”

“What’s going on?”

“Yeah, Oda is mine, so don’t even think about it! I’ll show you clearly!!”

Kim Ruru wrapped her arms around Oda’s wrist like a wild animal, pressing her face deeply into his neck.

“What, wait, Kim Ruru! Ahh!!”

And, still kissing, she left a deep kiss mark on his neck. Oda was shocked, his head spinning like it had been hit by a hammer. What’s going on here?

The initial physical attack left Oda’s mind in a blue screen.

“Ssss…”

“A, no, stop!!”

“……”

The scene was witnessed by Enver, who was directly in front of them, and he thought that the Crown Holiness had become quite open lately. He coughed awkwardly.

“Mm, may you find beautiful love. I shall not disturb you further.”

“Stop it, Kim Lulu…!!”

“Say that you only like me!”

“……..”

I hastily fled from the scene where lilies bloomed.

Enbus was able to successfully purchase hardtack at the mercenary guild building. He also bought a dagger and a bottle of wine while he was at it.

If the chance arose, he wanted to share a drink with Brother Roderus and have a heart-to-heart conversation.

He walks.

The closer he gets to that mansion, the more darkness shrouds his heart. Past wounds flit by one after another, blackening the sky of his mind.

But in the pitch-black night, the moon is bound to rise. Enbus’s steps did not falter or hesitate.

And after a long journey, he arrived in front of the mansion. The Redburn mansion had not changed at all. Flags on the rooftop, roses in the garden, guards at the main gate.

“There are no guests expected today. Who are you?”

“I am Enbus Redburn. As one who carries the blood of the Redburns, I have the right to enter.”

And in the guard’s eyes, there was a look of disdain.

“Enbus… the young master, I see. Now I recognize your face. Do you really think you have the right, with a body that can’t even wield magic properly?”

“……..”

“If you ran away like a sick dog, you should have just lived that way. If it were me, I would have been too ashamed to even think of returning.”

Ting.

The guard tossed a coin to the ground.

“If you’ve come begging because you’re out of money, take this and be on your way, young master. The Redburn ducal house has no place for the incompetent.”

“……..Hoo.”

Yes, that’s right. This was such a place.

Enbus bent down to pick up the coin. Then, the guard stretched out his leg and stepped on Enbus’s hand. The back of his hand was pressed against the greave.

Laughter echoed above his bowed head. This place did not respect mere lineage. The hierarchy was determined by strength and how much one devoted to the family with that strength.

It was like a cult. They say the cult follows the law of the survival of the fittest.

“Then, it is you who should bow your head.”

“Hmm.”

“The guard is the face of the family. By failing to fulfill your duty as a guard and insulting a guest, you are harming the Redburn ducal house. And…”

Crunch.

The foot on Enbus’s hand lifted ever so slowly.

The guard was flustered, putting all his weight into it, but still, Enver’s hand slowly rose. And at one moment.

From noble mtl dot come

Boom-!

The world turned upside down.

It happened in an instant. The guard’s body spun half a circle, drawing an arc. His legs were up, and his head was down.

He couldn’t understand what had happened. It was a martial art form he had never seen before, and he only vaguely realized that his own strength had been used against him.

Before the guard could catch on to what had just happened, Enver’s kick flew towards his face.

Whack-!! Thud thud!!

Struck by the heavy impact, the guard flew forward, flinging open the main gate of the Redburn estate. Creak. The broken gate made a ghastly noise.

“I am stronger, so you should be prostrating yourself, commoner.”

Through the gate, Enver Redburn, Namgung Cheonghwi, walked past with dignity.

It was a return.