2 Chapter 02, Celestine

Translator: Lay

Raw Provider: Lay

Early in the morning. Selena stepped slowly out of the gate. In the crowd, she continues her slow pace. Her eyes were as if they had let go. Her firm mouth seemed to be breathing out.

Last night, it had been this way since the discovery of Celestine's letter. She had no choice but to do this. Celestine's escape is an immature act of pushing everyone to death. Under the Imperial Law, men over 18 were required to join the army. If this is violated, not only the person concerned but also the entire family will be subject to summary execution.

"... Son of a bitch." Selena bite her teeth. She have grown Celestine too well than she thought. Throwing away your family for love. What kind of drama-like development is this? Selena shoots arrows of anger at her twin brother, vomiting a harsh breath.

There were three ways to overcome this situation.

First, they pay 300,000 gold coins as a fine.

Since the capital's annual expenditure is 1.2 million gold coins, the fine was ridiculous. In addition, it was unreasonable for the poorly torn Evan family.

Wouldn't it have been okay if their mother hadn't even blown her pension through gambling?

Selena frowned with a vague imagination.

Second, another male relative enlists instead.

They have no paternal family, and their maternal family has been insulated since her mother's debt.

Isn't it just insulation?

They were just like spit just when they ran into each other.

Announcing that Celestine has run away from this situation?

They will walk with arms and start with the report¹.

Third, the immediate family-father-re-enlists.

It's usually said that this method is common, but... Selena wiped her face with her dry palm. Her face is full of unpleasant emotions.

Her father, Simon Evan, was a dementia patient. The outbreak occurred five years ago. She called a skilled doctor for his treatment, but it was all in vain, and now he is a serious patient who doesn't even recognize Selena.

What do you mean, a father like this re-enlisted?

That was nonsense. There's no way left. To be exact, known methods cannot overcome this situation.

"Let's get it together." Selena murmured her breath loudly. She can't die just because of this. It is a life that is not rich but not destitute. It was the first time she could feel the affection between her family. She couldn't give up this kind of life. She couldn't let go of the happiness she had gained.

She could see the Royal 3rd Order of the Imperial Household in the distance. There were also people standing around for a long time. Selena turned her foot over there and took a quick step.

Selena and Celestine were fraternal twin siblings who really looked alike. Their face, voice, body shape, and speech are all the same, and even their father couldn't tell them apart when they were young. So it was clear that others would not be able to tell apart.

Selena lightened her shoulders and strengthened her steps. Every time she walked, there was a crackling shoe sound. The line at the reception desk quickly shrunk. The next time Selena stood up in front of the knight checking the documents.

"What's your name?" Selena took a deep breath. Her hair, short enough to reveal her shoulders, made her awkward. But she couldn't back down here.

"Celestine Evan." She put her ID card on the table as if to show it to him. "I am the eldest son of the Evan family." Selena became Celestine like that.

* * *

After more than 200 years of continental war, the country that won the victory was the Hilton Kingdom. The Kingdom of Hilton became the Patus Empire, and Knox de Hilton became Knox Lee Patus and called himself the First Emperor.

It was founded after a long war, so the Patus Empire was able to achieve a strong imperial power. But it was not a permanent power. The crown prince was weak and the nobles were not loyal enough to support him, and there were many rebels who dreamed of reviving the fallen country.

The Crown Prince needed a powerful force to take his place. And the power was an army that could move under the control of the Emperor.

[A man over 18 must join the army. I give you the glory of being a soldier who gives allegiance to the imperial family.]

The unexpected conscription.

The nobles protested violently, but the emperor carried out the execution of all his opponents. As a result, Cross Lee Patus, the second emperor, was able to maintain the imperial power based on a conscripted army.

So, more than a hundred years later...

"0 defectors, 0 injured. A total of 116 applicants for Unit 3 entered without any problems."

Rwan Gauer said, raising his glasses that came down to the tip of his nose. While busy flipping over the heavy papers he was holding, he took out a few pieces of paper and handed it over to the person sitting across from him.

"I thought it was a young vain this time, but there are a few stand out." It was Ignis Von Patus, the Prince of the Patus Empire, who received the documents. He consciously rummaged through the few documents.

Occasionally, among the trainees, people with extraordinary talents appeared. Although the majority of the talented were nobles, their status in the training camp meant nothing, so the Empire oppressed them into the imperial knights.

How many talents did he get that way?

The Patus Empire never intended to miss these opportunities. That's why Prince Ignis is in the training camp. He made a personal step to select talented people with his own eyes.

"Not even five?" But it's not a good idea. He threw down the papers and looked away.

"We can't help it. The noblemen's children refused to join the army with money. Most of them are ordinary people. Well, we'll see. If they trained enough, they could be a good knight." His machinator ², Rwan, replied with a shrug.

"What about the training center review?"

"It's under way now."

"Let's go and watch."

"Sure." Ignis raised himself lightly. His silver hair was scattered in his movement. A dazzlingly chilly, figidly cold energy was filled with him. His white and smooth skin was aggravating that energy.

"Letio... Is this a commoner?"

"Because he has no surname, hr would be a commoner."

"His place of birth is not written."

"Look at the note. He said he wrote that he didn't know. Well, maybe he was from a slum." Ignis nodded.

"The eldest son of Viscount Kazen, the eldest son of Baron Epharos, the eldest son of his Viscount Tyro... They're all just the same."

"The high nobility pays money and does not enlist. What should I do?"

"I have to increase the fine."

"How long are you going to be sworn by that? Are you intend to live long?" At Rwan's remarks, Ignis giggled. "They're still very strong. You'd better take a good look at them."

"No way." They walked a little faster. Yet Ignis did not take his eyes off the papers. "By the way..." He turned over the papers, and he paused. "Evan?" His head snooped. Rwan clicked his tongue as he saw him narrowing his eyebrows.

"Up to 15 years ago, he was the head of the 2nd Imperial Knights Division."

"Ah!" Ignis raised his head in a sigh.

"He suddenly retired. They went to catch him many times, but he was the one who disappointed His Imperial Majesty the Emperor because he was beaten. Do you remember?"

"Yes. No way I can't remember. Are you saying that Evan's eldest son enlisted?" Ignis asked again, rejoicing.

"Yes, this is Celestin Evan. He must have been taught by Sir Evan. Then you can guarantee his swordsmanship."

"I'm looking forward to it."

"So do I."

Then Ignis curled up his lips. It is thanks to a little bit of tension. A body that has not yet received the title of a Crown Prince. This is because he was under the burden of increasing his limbs³ and receiving approval from the emperor. He has to increase his people by even one more. Ignis thought so, repressing his impatience.

"They are gathered there." Ignis turned his eyes toward where Rwan had pointed. A hundred or so trainees were taking tests to cut down logs in a row.

"Do you know the face?"

"It says fifth in row three. Please look at the documents properly..."

""Then you should mark them. If you make it so hard to recognize..."

"There it is." Rwan cut off Ignis' words. Ignis narrowed his eyebrows for a while, but soon turned his eyes toward him, taking lightly as if he was familiar.

"... what the heck." As soon as Ignis saw Celestine, he frowned again. It was because he was so different from his imagination.

Shouldn't an excellent swordsman have to have wide open shoulders, a large torso, and thick forearms?

But the Celestine in front of me...

"He's skinny." He was a man with a skeleton that was thin enough to hold two wrists in one hand. "Can he lift a sword with such a body?" Rwan said, pressing his eyebrows firmly.

"You don't know. Evan wasn't too big either." Ignis thought that it's in their family just in case. No, it was also hope.

"Yeah... it's Evan's son, we don't know."

Simon Evan.

He was a hero of the Knights who had a legend of destroying a dragon with an old longsword. Evan's son must have excellent abilities. Ignis had hope together and calmed his beating heart.

"It's Evan's turn." At Rwan's words, Ignis focused again. Celestine slowly lifted his sword. The form with the sword looked unusual. Lift the sword as it is and cut the cross section of the log...!

Chenglang!

The sword fell from Celestine's hand. It seems that he could not withstand a heavy sword. He shrieked his arm and made a painful sound. He didn't even think about picking up the fallen sword. Rwan's face was wrinkled.

"It would be better for Evan to do what he was good at alone." Rwan said, clicking his tongue as if it would be heard outside. He Iook away without any hesitation. It meant that he was out of the picture now⁴. "Let's go see the others. There's nothing more to see."

Ignis, who hadn't taken his eyes off Celestine until then, nodded slowly. He barely took off his footsteps that did not fall, and stood up in line with Rwan's steps. Then soon, he turns his head again.

'I thought I missed the sword on purpose.'

Was he wrong?

Ignis moved on with a suspicious heart.

×××

Footnotes:

[1] They will walk with arms and start with the report: They will hurry and tell that Celestine ran away.

[2] machinator: One who machinates, or forms a scheme with evil designs; a plotter or artful schemer.

[3] increasing his limbs: increasing his power

[4] he was out of the picture: he is no longer relevant or he is no longer a consideration