Chapter 145. Cut My Belly Open
The duel of the Lord of Lorutel.
A space made entirely of iron, without any decoration. A desolate landscape where not a trace of warmth could be found.
The Lord, Muhad, was a single blade of steel. No, he was steel itself.
And before that steel stood a lone magician. Compared to Muhad, his presence was fragile, infinitely frail.
Sitting upon a throne of forged iron, the Lord Muhad fixed his weary gaze upon the magician.
“Go back.”
His colorless, odorless eyes carried not a hint of emotion.
“I will spare your neck in acknowledgment of your effort.”
With that, Muhad turned his gaze away from Aster.
Aster’s lips parted right then.
“…I beg your pardon?”
“I said you were below expectations. Since you fought well, I’ll let you live, so leave.”
Muhad’s eyes returned to Aster.
“The Tower and the Sword Garden were quite interesting. Their intelligence network caught my attention. But if the master of the Tower is like this…”
There was no contempt, no disappointment, only indifference in those eyes.
Though he did not finish his sentence, it wasn’t hard to infer the rest.
In other words… yes.
‘Unqualified.’
Right now, Muhad had judged the ability of the Tower and the Sword Garden based on Aster himself. It was an insult of the highest order, yet Aster’s lips twisted into a crooked grin.
“So what, I should be thankful you’re letting me live and crawl away?”
A discourteous remark for anyone to utter before the Lord of Lorutel, but Muhad didn’t care.
He never felt insulted by worms or insects.
He merely confirmed it with silence, that was when Aster burst out laughing.
“Ha! What the hell… all these so-called noble Lords are just thieves in fancy clothes, huh?”
It happened at that instant.
Ching! Clang! Clang!
Dozens of blades shot out from the darkness!
The Shadow Knights had leapt forth, unable to bear their lord’s insult any longer, it was a perilous sight indeed. No matter how dull one’s senses became from internal injuries, how could he fail to detect dozens hiding in this open space?
But…Aster watched the storm of blades with a listless gaze.
Just as the Shadow Knights were about to cut him to pieces…
Muhad’s lips parted.
“Enough.”
At that single command, every blade halted mid-swing.
Aster smirked as he looked at the razor-sharp edges before him.
“Must be nice, huh? Some folks get their noses cut off and can’t even complain, while others get one little insult and their men draw swords for them, eh?”
“He’s insane.”
“How else can you live, huh? The world’s gone to hell!”
Kahk, spit!
The Shadow Knights’ blades trembled with killing intent at his insolence.
But…
“Wow, that’s sharp. Careful now, you might actually slice me. Oh, what a pity. Your master said stop, remember? Come on, aren’t you gonna lower that thing?”
Aster pressed his fingertip against the nearest blade. Crimson drops fell from the cut, but he didn’t care. He simply looked straight at Muhad.
“Forget it. Cut my belly open.”
He sprawled on the floor, arms wide.
“I can take a lot, but being cheated ain’t one of ’em. Go ahead, cut me open. Kill me if you want, spare me if you want. Huh?”
Even for Lorutel, this was crossing the line.
‘Rotten bastards. A deal’s a deal, isn’t it?’
Now they wanted to go back on their word?
He’d already handed over the magic armor Kalium, leaked intel on the Impir family, and even had a fistfight with the First Sword.
He’d done more than enough.
“Anyway, I’m not leaving until I get Infinite Chain, so do as you please.”
Thus, Aster lay flat on his back.
Muhad’s expression didn’t change in the slightest.
Indeed, Muhad was formidable. Anyone else would have either recoiled or burst out laughing in disbelief by now. But no emotion flickered on his face.
He simply…
“…”
…remained silent, as though observing a specimen.
Then a voice whispered into Muhad’s ear.
[Please give the order.]
The captain of the Shadow Knights stood behind him, eyes sharp upon Aster.
[Say the word and we’ll cut him down immediately.]
In truth, the knights had drawn their blades on the Lord’s command. It had been a test, to see whether this man truly deserved the First Sword’s acknowledgment.
Of course, after Muhad’s verdict of “disappointing,” the test had lost all meaning.
Still…As the captain waited for orders, Muhad finally spoke.
“Master of the Tower, will you not regret this?”
The captain tilted his head slightly.
‘…What?’
Normally, if the Lord had decided to kill someone, he would’ve done so without question, not asked for confirmation.
Why now?
‘Could it be that his interest has been piqued?’
It was possible.
Madness pushed to extremes could become brilliance, and the Tower Master’s behavior had long since crossed into the extraordinary.
Perhaps this was another test?
If the Tower Master showed resolve here, perhaps… That was what the captain was thinking when…
Swish!
Muhad gave the faintest flick of his finger.
‘……’
No words, just a simple motion, but the captain, who had long served him, understood instantly.
‘…So it’s not a test.’
That signal could only mean one thing.
Cut his neck.
If he claimed he had no regrets, then grant him his wish.
A fleeting curiosity, nothing more.
The captain began to signal his men when the Tower Master suddenly sprang up.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re really gonna cut me open?”
“Didn’t you say you wanted to die?”
“No, that was… you know, just an expression.”
Grumbling, the Tower Master dusted himself off and stood.
He straightened his clothes and clicked his tongue.
“On second thought, being a sucker’s better than being dead.”
“And so?”
“I’ll be heading home in one piece.”
The captain frowned deeply.
‘…What the hell is this guy?’
To be honest, a moment ago, the Tower Master’s attitude had been enough to stir admiration, even in him.
Though enraged by the disrespect shown to his Lord, the man’s brazenness before a great noble house had been undeniable.
But this?
‘This clown is the head of an organization?’
Still, his confusion was brief.
The captain turned again to his Lord.
[…I will cut him down.]
Not “Shall I cut him?”, he wanted to.
But then…
“Hm.”
Muhad rested his chin on his hand and hummed lowly.
The captain’s eyes widened.
‘The Lord… smiled?’
His face remained stone-still, but the captain knew.
The Lord was smiling.
By the time that realization sank in…Muhad spoke.
“Everyone, leave us.”
What?
“I will speak privately with the Tower Master.”
That meant he intended to treat him as the leader of an equal faction.
[…As you command.]
The captain quietly withdrew from the hall. The other knights followed suit.
Meanwhile…He couldn’t stop wondering.
‘Why…?’
He was perplexed. And truthfully, Aster was just as confused.
‘…Shit, what now?’
Had he changed his mind? Was he going to kill him after all?
Most people would’ve kept that thought to themselves. But Aster was not “most people.”
“You gonna kill me? Or… planning to?”
That was when Muhad’s lips curved.
A faint, chilling smile.
Aster knew at once.
‘…Damn it, he is.’
…A complete misunderstanding.
* * *
“Hey.”
As the captain exited the hall in confusion, a voice stopped him.
He froze. Someone had seen through his concealment—an old knight.
“…First Sword.”
“How was it?”
“What do you mean?”
The captain’s tone was curt. Not because of Aster, but because he disliked the way Hamellan looked at him.
Since all his titles as the First Sword, Hamellan was far too frivolous for his taste.
Still, the captain’s irritation didn’t faze Hamellan.
“The Tower Master. Since you’re out here, I assume the Lord found him interesting?”
“You guessed right.”
“Strange. I heard His Lordship called him disappointing. What made him change his mind?”
Ah. So that’s what he wanted to know. Only then did the captain realize why Hamellan had stopped him. He too had heard the Lord’s words before the doors closed.
But as for why the Lord changed his mind…
‘Why, indeed?’
He didn’t know either. From his point of view, there was no reason to reconsider that judgment.
‘He did seem to have some backbone…’
But that was all.
No, not even backbone.
How should he put it?
‘True, when the knights attacked, he didn’t flinch. His gaze was steady, not the eyes of one afraid to die.’
He had stared calmly at the blades pointed at him.
Had the Lord not stopped them, he would’ve been torn to shreds.
Yet he never wavered. Even when lying flat before the Lord, defiant and insolent, he’d meant it as if daring them to really open his belly.
So no, it wasn’t bluffing.
And yet…
— “Are you out of your mind? You’re really gonna cut me open?”
— “Didn’t you say you wanted to die?”
— “No, that was just a saying. On second thought, being a sucker’s better than being dead.”
That attitude…
Yes, it was exactly that, he’d simply changed his mind.
Too foolish to be bold, too brazen to be humble.
Was he extraordinary or just absurd? And was he cowardly?
‘…No, not even that.’
The captain tried to fathom Muhad’s reasoning, but no answer came.
His face hardened, and Hamellan, misreading the look, prodded again.
“I’m not asking for state secrets, you know. Just tell me what you saw.”
“Hm.”
Hamellan watched him silently.
He was genuinely curious, after all, Muhad rarely retracted a judgment. Especially not after calling someone “disappointing.”
But…
“I don’t know. Ask him yourself if you get the chance.”
With that curt reply, the captain vanished without another word.
Left alone, Hamellan let out a dry laugh.
“Ha. That brat…”
Maybe I didn’t beat enough sense into him as a kid.
‘Me and his master were close, you know… damn brat.’
Sure, such arrogance was probably why he led the Shadow Knights, but still, it grated on him.
“Oh well.”
Hamellan plopped down right in front of the great hall, propriety forgotten.
Asking the Lord himself was out of the question. He’d have to wait and ask the Tower Master directly.
And so time passed.
Creeeeak!
The heavy iron doors opened, and the Tower Master appeared.
Hamellan jumped to his feet and strode toward him, eager to ask.
“Hey there, could I have a—huh?”
He stopped after a few steps.
Because…
“…”
Unlike when he entered, the Tower Master’s face was pale, ashen, even frozen stiff.
He had clearly suffered a great shock.
As Hamellan watched in confusion…
“Are you the Tower Master? The Young Lord requests your presence.”
An attendant from the Young Lord led the Tower Master away.
And then…
“First Sword, come inside.”
“……”
The Lord’s voice summoned him from within.
But oddly enough…
“Let’s have a drink.”
The Lord sounded… almost cheerful. A rarity.
‘What in the world… happened in there?’
No one could say.
