Chapter 89: To the Imperial Capital (2)

"Ahhh, you're the groom from the rumors. It's nice to meet you. I'm Louis Leonhardt, Crown Prince of the Leonhardt Empire."

A handsome blond-haired man who looked like a sculpture held out his hand with a smile that made anyone feel refreshed just by looking at him.

At the sensation that was transmitted to me even more vividly, I realized...

'This guy... Did he awaken his godly bloodline?'

I knew as soon as I saw him. I had prior experience of awakening my godly bloodline, albeit not now, so it was a matter of course. I held out my hand while facing him.

"I'm Kwan Dae-ha."

I wasn't intimidated by him just because he awakened his godly bloodline. Although the unique Aura of the godly bloodline was spreading, even so, it was only slightly comparable to the transcendents I had met so far. I came face to face several times with Cheong Won who possessed an Intermediate-rank Status of God and Hawa who possessed a High-rank Status of God, so it wasn't something new that I would be startled about.

However, the moment I tried to shake his hand, a sharp Aura rose from Louis' body.

Shinggggg!

I was blinded by the instant flash. My ability allowed me to perceive and analyze anything, but because my thought process was at the level of an ordinary person, I wasn't able to respond in time to the things that happened in a flash.

Baaang!

My vision returned with the sound of the air bursting. As I came to my senses, I could see Dong-min's well-trained back.

Kriekkkkk!

The balls of light that pierced through like thorns were blocked by Bo-ram's barrier. Louis was slightly taken by surprise, but he maintained an expression that was relaxed as ever and said, "Despite coming from a shabby inferior civilization, you're both pretty good guards. I can't believe you managed to completely block it."

Louis praised Dong-min and Bo-ram while looking at them, and Celestia pointed her pistol at Louis' temple. She exuded a menacing Aura, but he didn't even bat an eyelid.

"Haha, sister. With a gun like this, do you think you can..."

Bang!

However, at that moment, Louis' body staggered along with a noise that sounded like an iron plate being hammered. He had been laid-back thus far, but his expression stiffened.

"Holy shit, I heard that you were an outstanding Magic Gunner, but it was to this extent?"

"You're the one who's… What happened? Did you get your hands on a good Artifact?"

"Artifact? Pffthahaha!"

He burst out laughing as if it was really funny. At the scene that unfolded before my eyes, I realized that Celestia was not aware of the status he had obtained. He most probably succeeded in awakening the godly bloodline only recently.

'Maybe that was why he coveted Celestia's earrings… Simply put, the Divine Spirit Fragment. However, he ended up figuring out a different way huh.'

Through training, an ability could be advanced to a higher level, but the awakening of the godly bloodline was completely different. It wasn't something that could be achieved by learning something, nor could it be achieved by stacking up numerous abilities. It was about awakening the inherent power imbued in the bloodline that one was born with.

It might seem extremely unfair for others who had to build their abilities from ground zero, but in actual fact, it wasn't such a simple thing to achieve. I had the rare cheat-item Key, so I succeeded in the Full Awakening of the godly bloodline just by turning it. However, Louis wouldn't have had the great fortune of possessing a key.

"What's so funny?"

"Haha. It's funny how you think of something like Artifacts when you see this power. But then again, how would you know the true power of our Imperial family when you paid no attention to the Imperial family's bloodline and went around flippantly?"

Whooooosh---

A golden light rose up like smoke from Louis' body. The golden light that surrounded his whole body was completely different from the golden Aura that Celestia released. The Aura was much denser and it was squirming like a living creature.

"No way. This is…"

Celestia finally recognized the Aura that Louis acquired and her face stiffened. Even though Louis' current strength was not strong enough that he could do whatever he wanted to us, Celestia's flustered reaction upon realization made it seem like there was some sort of symbolism behind the fact that he was able to awaken the godly bloodline.

"But what a pity. How good would it be if I could just handle this with my own strength… Adjutant!"

"Yes, Crown Prince-nim."

Louis did not give any particular order. However, as if he was briefed about it beforehand, the man standing behind him assumed a praying gesture by bringing his hands together and then separated his hands right after. Then, a crack formed in the air and a man wearing golden armor appeared. Celestia groaned.

"Great General Norrington, are you perhaps...?"

"Oh, dear… I'm really sorry for seeing you in this way, Imperial Princess-nim. But isn't it also an important matter for us transcendents to pick the right side?"

He had the nasty smile of a third-rate gangster, but the power that came from him was the real deal. I knew immediately that he was a transcendent.

"The Seven Great Generals…" I murmured nonchalantly. This was because I knew that it wasn't a good sign for a Great General to show up here without warning.

There were a total of 19 transcendents that existed in the Leonhardt Empire, but not all of them swore allegiance to the Empire. There was no need to look far, just looking at Major General Chun Hyun-il was enough. Major General Chun Hyun-il was only affiliated with the Leonhardt Empire for the time being, and he could leave the Empire whenever he wanted to (In return, he would not be able to hold important positions); and Celestia's crazy fan who came to find her (he was a transcendent, an old man, and a half-blood…). There were also transcendents like Voltermone who were treated as a guest by the Leonhardt Empire. They were all transcendents that did not swear allegiance to the Empire.

Moreover, even if they were affiliated with the Leonhardt Empire, they would only act at their own discretion. Although it may seem like a small number, each and everyone one of them were transcendents who transcended their own fate. Hence, it was not that easy to utilize them.

However, the Seven Great Generals were different.

They were either people who were born and raised in the Leonhardt Empire, or they became transcendent through the strength of the Leonhardt Empire, or they were the backbones of the Leonhardt Empire and were connected by blood relations to the Imperial family. Unlike in the past, there weren't any Emperor-class beings in the Leonhardt Empire, so it wasn't possible to have complete control over them. However, even so, there was no change in the fact that they were people who followed the orders of the Imperial family.

"Norrington."

"Yes, Crown Prince-nim. Should I capture the Imperial Princess?"

Louis' face turned grim as the Great General bowed his head in an attitude that was unbecoming of his position and stature.

"You dare lay your hands on a member of the Imperial family?"

"I've gone too far, Crown Prince-nim."

He bowed again. As he lowered his head, Louis scoffed and looked at me with a big smile.

"For starters… Get rid of that bastard."

"Oppa, are you crazy?"

Celestia frowned and stood in front of me to stop them. A golden Aura rose from her body as well.

"I have already informed the Imperial family of his existence. But are you going to resort to violence here?"

"That's right. Unfortunately, I couldn't stop the message from coming through, but… He still has not entered the Imperial family, so this is the last chance I will ever have. Norrington."

"Yes, Crown Prince-nim," the Great General answered calmly.

Louis spoke to the Great General in a tone that sounded as if it was a hassle to speak any further, "Do it."

"Yes."

The moment the Great General answered, the space was distorted. Dong-min and Bo-ram stepped in front of me and I saw Celestia firing her pistol.

However, it was all useless. Great General Norrington passed through everyone like a phantom, and he swung a pitch-black sword around my neck.

Then…

Booom!

The upper body was blasted away and the lower body fell down on the floor.

The one who collapsed was… Norrington, one of the Seven Great Generals of the Empire as well as a transcendent.

"What?!"

"Huh?"

"Crazy fu-…?"

Everyone looked at the lower body lying on the floor with a blank expression, unable to comprehend the situation. Norrington was a transcendent with remarkable vitality, but there were no signs of resurrection coming from his remaining body.

"Cel, as expected, wouldn't it be better to kill that Crown Prince bastard too?"

I was the only one who remained calm as everyone was in the midst of confusion. Upon hearing my voice, Celestia's expression changed. She was in confusion for a while, but she quickly fixed her expression as if she had quickly grasped the current situation.

"Hmm. But Oppa is the Crown Prince. Wouldn't there be repercussions if he is killed?"

"What's the difference? Even if you kill me, there would be repercussions too. I think they've taken countermeasures to keep information from being recorded around here."

Needless to say, it was all bullshit. Because it wasn't certain if we could catch him without losing him with the power we currently had."

Celestia shot a glance at me as if she was asking with her eyes.

Was it her?

I nodded in response to her subtle glance.

That's right. When the Crown Prince came and threatened my life, I wasn't actually very worried about it. Because I remembered...

At the very least, I'll protect your life from any danger whatsoever.

The promise of Hawa, who possessed a High-rank Status of God, wasn't just empty words. Her words contained power and they must be kept once they were spoken.

I instantly understood the exact boundaries of her promise.

'She will only intervene in life-threatening situations.'

She wouldn't step in if a street thug beat me up. She would treat it as something that didn't matter.

However, if someone tried to kill me, she would stop it even if the opponent was a transcendent. No, in the first place, there wasn't any difference between an ordinary person or a transcendent to her.

'Everyone trembled when they saw her for a reason.'

Even Major General Chun Hyun-il, a powerful Martial Arts transcendent, let out a groan when he first saw Hawa. Although he seemed as if he had a screw loose, Voltermone, who was treated as an elder of the Imperial family, also trembled when he saw Hawa.

Actually, even though I understood it back then, I didn't exactly feel it. However, I think I kind of understand it now.

"You... Ugh... This, what the hell is this? You're completely insane!! Did you just kill the Great General? One of the Seven Great Generals who swore allegiance to the Empire?"

I saw the Crown Prince shouting with a pale face at the unexpected, no, to be exact, the unimaginable situation. He was still a cool and handsome man, but the sounds that were uttered from his beautiful mouth was incomparably pathetic.

I looked back at Celestia.

"What is this idiot saying?"

I was baffled. Of course, the death of one of the Seven Great Generals of the Leonhardt Empire was a huge incident, but wasn't he being a little too shameless despite the fact that he gave an order for me to be killed just a while ago?

Celestia replied as she saw me flabbergasted, "I don't know. He must be a little out of his mind."