Those Who Live Without the Law

Chapter 203

A Momentary ClashThe broadcast tower was smashed to pieces, and everywhere that had been receiving telegrams through that tower fell into chaos.

But the Emperor was still showing no particular movement. As if he were enjoying getting beaten.

Or as if something like that did not matter to him at all.

When Kairus arrived at the camp, he went to find Simid Kellogg.

“It’s getting closer.”

“We’ve been continuing forward.”

We were gradually getting closer to the Imperial Capital. After pondering for a moment, Simid Kellogg made a proposal to Kairus.

“Originally, we had planned to eliminate more knight captains and bring down key facilities.”

The fact that the Emperor was showing no movement at all was grating on Simid’s nerves.

“That was the plan?”

“How about we join up entirely instead? Looking only at the current situation, it seems we just need to suppress the Capital Security Corps and the Guardian of the Nation in the Imperial Capital.”

The Order of Knights and the Valorn Imperial Army were, following the Emperor’s orders, not moving from the places to which they had been dispatched and were guarding their respective regions.

What Simid Kellogg could infer was that the Emperor appeared confident in his ability to defend the Imperial Capital in this situation.

“I agree.”

Even though everything would be over if the Imperial Capital fell, he did not seem to have any intention of recalling the Imperial Army or the Order of Knights. By spreading the Imperial Army out across major points like that, he could suppress public unrest to some extent.

“On top of that, we withdrew all the hired mercenaries and those who shared our cause and had them join us here…”

And yet, despite that, the Emperor still was not moving his own army or the Order of Knights.

“As if he’s confident he can defend the Imperial Capital.”

“We plan to commit the maximum force we can mobilize and break through the Imperial Capital.”

The result was what mattered. There was a stand-in prepared to replace the Emperor. If the Imperial Capital fell and the Emperor died, the substitute Simid Kellogg had prepared would inherit the throne.

Then the Order of Knights and the Imperial Army would no longer have any justification to continue fighting. They would instead become rebels themselves.

“The Emperor looks confident he can stop us.”

That was why they needed Kairus in order to break through.

“Is the Capital Security Corps really that formidable?”

At Kairus’s question, Simid Kellogg showed a complicated expression and presented various documents and maps to him.

“They’re outstanding, but… if we assume the Capital Security Corps alone as the enemy.”

“It looks like a fight worth trying.”

If the Capital Security Corps and the rebel forces clashed, the outcome would be a coin toss. With Kairus added to the equation, it would become an overwhelming victory.

There was no way the Emperor would fail to realize something that even Kairus could easily see.

“If he’s confident he can stop us in the Imperial Capital, then his lack of movement isn’t unreasonable.”

Once this fight was over, what the Emperor would need to focus on immediately would be restoring the shaken public sentiment and rebuilding the administrative system and communication networks.

If Imperial Army units and the Order of Knights were stationed in advance at major strongholds, suppressing the rebellion and handling the aftermath would become far easier.

“No matter how I look at it, it doesn’t seem to be on that level.”

The problem was that such a move was only possible under the absolute conviction that the Imperial Capital would never fall and that he himself would never die.

“I’m worried about the Guardian of the Nation, Denver Hudson.”

“Yeah, if there’s a variable, it’s that bastard alone.”

The Emperor’s dog. They called him the Guardian of the Nation, but if the one he protected had not been the Emperor, he would have been derisively called nothing more than a guard dog.

“He’s the Empire’s greatest swordsman.”

A title like that was not given lightly.

“There’s no one who can deal with him except you. Originally, you were supposed to suffer a bit more and take care of more of the Empire’s limbs for us.”

I let out a small laugh and drank my coffee.

“You don’t want to inherit a house that’s been burned down, is that it?”

Even the rebels, if possible, wanted to claim the Empire in as intact a state as they could. They wanted to reduce the amount of cleanup work afterward as much as possible.

“That’s why we plan to focus on seizing the Imperial Capital. We’ll also increase the marching speed.”

The Emperor’s attitude was as if he were declaring, You cannot kill me.

The rebels advanced toward the Imperial Capital as if to say, we’ll see about that. During the days of marching that followed, I repeatedly took to the skies to scout the surroundings and examined the Imperial Capital from high above.

And I reached a conclusion.

“There’s none?”

“There’s no Security Corps in the Imperial Capital. Are we certain the Emperor is there?”

At my words, Simid answered.

“The Emperor cannot abandon the Imperial Capital. You’re from the Empire as well, aren’t you? You know that.”

It would be like declaring that he was relinquishing his qualification to be Emperor.

An Emperor who fled after abandoning the Imperial Palace could no longer be called Emperor. No one would consider a man who ran away from his house to still be its owner.

“…I’ll go confirm it once more.”

It was just a check. If Denver Hudson was still guarding the underground entrance of the Imperial Palace, then the Emperor would also be underground.

An empty Imperial Capital, with not even troops assigned to guard it.

For me, who could take flight at any time, confirming the state of the Imperial Palace and pulling back would be easy.

“Can you do that?”

“What else would you do if I didn’t? It’s not like you can send someone else.”

Unlike me, if they sent anyone else, they would die. Among all these countless people, there was only one who could remain alive before the blade of the Guardian of the Nation.

“I’ll be back.”

Once I had decided, there was no reason to delay any longer. I shot toward the empty Imperial Capital like an arrow.

And immediately plunged down toward the Imperial Palace.

With a heavy thud as I landed, I swept my gaze around and let out a long whistle.

“The Imperial Palace, huh.”

Though there was not a single person in the Imperial Palace, it was dazzlingly splendid. Even a single statue was an astonishing object—marble plated with gold leaf and embedded here and there with jewels.

Even if someone tore off just one of those, most men would be able to change their fate.

“It has nothing to do with me.”

The Imperial Palace was largely divided into five districts. Of those, the places I needed to go were the Sun Palace, the inner palace where the Emperor resided, and the Jade Palace, where he gathered his ministers to deliberate on state affairs.

‘One of the two must have a path leading underground.’

Since I was here anyway, I decided to visit the Jade Palace first. There was something I had always wanted to try.

The doors of the Jade Palace were tightly shut. Massive doors made of ebony stood before me.

I swung my sword, shattered the doors in their entirety, and stepped inside. The interior of the palace was dark, the lights extinguished.

Far in the distance, I could see 150 steps adorned with gold and jade. At the top of those steps stood the jade throne where the Emperor sat.

“Let’s see how comfortable it really is.”

With light steps, I bounded up the stairs and examined the throne. A massive chair carved entirely from jade. Normally, not only was sitting on it forbidden, even entering this hall with a weapon was not permitted.

But well, there was no owner now. I casually perched myself on the throne.

“It’s hard. I’d better stop sitting.”

Whether it had been made that way intentionally or not, it was far too hard for the Emperor’s seat. Resting my arms on the armrests, I sat still for a moment, then let out a scoff and rose to my feet.

If it were up to me, I would have smashed it to pieces, but this was the seat where the stand-in for Philip IV would sit. I couldn’t break it.

“Hello, doggy.”

Beyond the shattered doors stood a man gripping a long wooden stake. I recognized him at a glance.

That was the proud guardian of the Emperor, the Guardian of the Nation, Denver Hudson.

“Step down from the throne. I don’t wish to break it.”

I stared at Denver for a moment, then rose from the seat and drew my sword.

The true battle would begin after the rebels reached the Imperial Capital, but before that, I needed to gauge his strength.

The sound of turbines spread through the hall, and Denver gave a faint smile.

“Even seeing it again, it is a splendid sword. Beautiful.”

He was not looking at me, but at Veil of Plumed Mist.

It had once belonged to the head of House Featherwing, who held the position of the Empire’s greatest swordsman. There was no way Denver wouldn’t recognize it.

With a thunderous roar, I shot forward, and my blade collided with Denver Hudson’s stake.

‘He’s definitely… strong.’

As the air exploded outward, the massive palace trembled in its entirety, unable to withstand the shockwave. The two who had created the impact, however, paid it no mind.

Denver Hudson was certainly strong. I could feel skill that overwhelmed other knight captains.

“But even so, he’s guarding the Imperial Palace alone? The Security Corps even withdrew without fighting.”

“They say he’s immortal.”

Was it possible he truly did not die? Instead of answering, the tip of the stake brushed past me.

“The whining of worms who lack the skill to wound me. If you’re curious, try killing me.”

I swung my sword. Denver Hudson blocked the strike, but the five pillars of the Imperial Palace standing behind him were all sliced clean through.

“True enough.”

If you wanted to confirm a rumor, you just had to kill him and see whether he came back to life. There was no need to politely ask, Are you truly immortal?

“You speak as if you have the skill.”

The stake came crashing down toward my head, as if to punish arrogance.

The blade of Veil of Plumed Mist deflected the stake. As the stake struck the floor and shattered it, I lashed out with a kick aimed at Denver’s temple.

He knocked away my incoming heel with his forearm. Our forces clashed for a brief instant, and both our bodies lifted slightly into the air.

In the short span before we landed again, attacks like a raging storm were exchanged.

The only things being mercilessly destroyed were the countless ornaments, pillars, windows, and chandeliers of the innocent Jade Palace. As fierce winds howled and clouds surged inward, the roof of the Jade Palace was torn off entirely and hurled into the sky.

“Still.”

Denver’s expression as he continued the fight was far from bright.

‘He’s prioritizing Moonwalk.’

What the Emperor wanted from me was Cloud Seizing Art. But I was focusing on Moonwalk instead. And…

Denver’s gaze tracked me as I shot toward him. It was supersonic speed that an ordinary person could not follow even as a shadow, yet his eyes could see it.

‘Not much longer now.’

I had grown accustomed to it in that time. With just a little more progress, I would be completely free to handle Moonwalk and Swift Blade even while flying.

“You cannot even properly use Cloud Seizing Art, yet you divert your attention to Moonwalk? If the elders of your fallen house saw this, they would lament.”

I did not answer. Mastering Moonwalk came first. I was certain of it.

‘Because Moonwalk is the beginning.’

While flying high above, I had reached that conclusion.

Moonwalk had been created first, and after that, Cloud Seizing Art and Swift Blade had been developed.

Even the heads of House Featherwing had not considered attempting Moonwalk first. To be precise, the members of the house believed that if one could not properly wield Cloud Seizing Art, one was not qualified to learn Moonwalk.

‘There’s no one left now.’

But I had no reason to heed tradition or the eyes of the house members.

I was certain that the path I was taking was the right one.

In fact, I even found myself thinking it might have been better if I had mastered Moonwalk before learning Swift Blade.

“You must learn Cloud Seizing Art.”

Of course, such personal realizations of mine were none of Denver’s concern.

The proper order of mastering Featherwing swordsmanship did not matter to the Emperor or to Denver.

If there were a way, they would probably want to force me to repeat Cloud Seizing Art training endlessly.

“That’s for me to decide, so stop barking.”

After finishing my retort, I accelerated, slid across the shattered floor, and slashed upward at Denver. As he blocked, a descending gale slammed down and crushed his body.

‘It’s the same method as Irena’s, but on a different level.’

Where hers only momentarily pressed down on something like a wrist, mine was like smashing the entire body with a hammer.

For an instant, Denver’s body wavered greatly. And the tip of my blade grazed his cheek.