Mark of the Executioner

"...so this puppeteer was killing our knights because of a grudge from the past? And you killed him?" Elvin asked as he listened towards the newly arrived man sitting on top of the castle wall.

"Yes. His head was burned so I don't think you'll be able to recognize him. " Hans replied.

After several hours of travel, he successfully returned to the empire. Fortunately, he did not encounter any mishaps along the way aside from a few wild beasts and animal scouts from other empires.

With the mission completed, Hans hurriedly went towards the training camp of the Royal knights only to find out that the place was empty.

Shortly after asking the elite knights, he bumped into, he found Elvin standing proudly atop the castle wall.

When he asked why they were here, he told him that an assassin managed to sneak in yesterday and tried to kidnap the Emperor's family.

Luckily, they managed to kill them on time, or else, the enemies might have taken a valuable hostage enough to shift this war in an unknown direction.

"Have you asked his name or this particular grudge he has?"

Hans pulled out a cigarette stick from his chest pocket and set his jaw. "I got his name but for his grudge, I don't know much about it. He didn't speak either."

"Name?"

Hans lit the cigarette and puffed a large amount of smoke. He stared at the setting sun as he spoke.

"Casopi."

Elvin scoffed and chuckled at his answer.

"Casopi? What a weird name."

"Yeah, but it's probably a made-up name. Who knows?"

The two enjoyed the landscape view from above. The silence this time wasn't as awkward as supposed to be. Both men relinquished this view of this peaceful empire, which might not exist anymore in the future.

Elvin smiled bitterly as he glanced at a particular place. Hans noticed this but decided to ignore it.

"The war is currently in a stalemate. But that won't last long. Soon, we'll be on the battlefield again; a place where we don't have any assurance if we could still go back to our families or not."

"I don't have someone to lose anymore." Hans nonchalantly said. His grandmother seemingly vanished from existence leaving behind this sister of his that he didn't even know if he still considered her as one.

Aside from bearing the same surname, his relationship with Hannah was pretty much the same as strangers.

"Really?" Elvin raised his eyebrows. "That's a good thing too but you won't be able to get past your limits without inspiration."

"..."

Inspiration?

Hans doesn't need someone to inspire him to keep going. He'd rather pursue his goal alone without involving others.

"I have a family to protect and it gives me the strength to carry on, the strength to surpass my own self and go back to them safe and sound. As a father, I cannot leave my child without his father beside her. Which is why, I'm much stronger than when I was at the peak of my age."

"Desire to protect? But I don't have someone to protect. They are…" Hans lowered his head as unpleasant memories surged inside his head. "...already gone."

He had no idea who his parents were; his grandmother vanished from existence and his little sister had gone astray.

Perhaps, he's just really that unlucky when it comes to family. They all left him. Of course, he's not angry at them, but rather, he blamed himself for everything that had happened.

Elvin looked at Hans and sighed. "I see. But their will remain in your heart, right?"

"I guess?"

"Then, you're still protecting them."

Due to Elvin's confusing answer, Hans' eyebrows furrowed and he looked at the burly man beside him with a puzzled gaze.

Elvin smiled, "Although they are gone, they still live inside your heart. Through living, you're protecting your memories of them so they wouldn't die out. They lived inside you while you lived for them. Isn't that the same as protecting someone?"

Protecting someone.

When Hans was a child, he dreamt of becoming an Awakened so he could fight the evil monsters. It was a childish dream but almost all children thought the same.

But with the passing of time, he hadn't even wished to protect someone. As he grew old, he realized that not all people were not worthy of being protected at all.

However, he also realized that he had been protecting someone from the start.

He worked tirelessly so he could afford his grandmother's hospital bills while at the same time, providing Hannah a better education opportunity when she still wasn't Awakened.

Thinking about it all, tears formed in his eyes. He managed to do it because he knew he had someone waiting for his return.

"You…" Hans raised his head as he suppressed the tears forming in his eyes, "...truly has a way with words."

Only…

[I… approve of his teachings!]

The voice inside his head annoyed him once again.

...…

After exchanging many words, Elvin invited Hans back to the General's room where he would receive the reward for completing the trial.

However, the moment they entered the room, Hans' eyes perked up as his eyes caught a glimpse of a woman sitting on the couch as she viewed the outside through the window.

Even with her back towards him, he could tell the elegance and the glamourous presence this woman emitted was on par with someone like the Emperor.

But at the same time, he could sense the overwhelming but serene beasts sleeping inside her.

Unknowingly, sweats formed on his forehead, sliding down to his cheek.

'She's dangerous.'

If his guess was right, this woman should be a noble and a warrior at the very least. Not just an ordinary warrior, but a powerful one at that.

At that moment, Elvin who was beside, stretched his hand blocking Hans' path as if signaling him to stop.

Then, after seeing him nod, Elvin gave a salute to the woman. He also nudged Hans to give a respectful salute as well which Hans complied.

"General!"

"I told you not to call me that anymore when you're already in that position."

"I'm afraid, I can't, General. My respect for you is endless."

The woman stood up from her seat and turned towards them. As her face entered his vision, Hans' eyes narrowed.

"Elvin, it's good to see that you're still alive." She looked at Hans and smiled, "...the same to you as well, young man."

Hans bowed slightly in gratitude as he observed her appearance secretly.

[Perv… hihi~]

The woman emitted a presence of maturity and experience. She's probably in her late 40s but her face remained devoid of time as it was as if she was stuck at 30 years old.

Her curly auburn hair waved as she walked. Partnered with her tantalizing red eyes and round-shaped face, she could seduce many men with just her looks alone. Her mature aura and lovable air around her made her look like a saintess.

Also, she's showing too much skin. This made him a little red. It's not because he's attracted to it but rather, the voice in his head pushed him into that.

[Hoh, I approve of this creature! She's a wife material, Hans.]

[Look at that fat..]

[Hmm… 98. Good, good. If she was 106, she would have been perfect.]

[Does she have a husband? Ask her!!]

[Hans, you must not miss this chance! Go for this MIL—!]

'Fucking bastard, shut up!!!'

If not for his self-restraint, he could have burst out into rage.

And what's up with Plundy?

'What's wrong with you?'

However, before Plundy could respond, Hans heard his name being called.

"Ha… Han… Hans!! Why are you standing in a daze?"

"Huh?"

"General is talking to you."

Hans immediately gazed at the woman as his muscles tensed up. She gave him a slight nod before proceeding to continue.

"Congratulations on completing your mission. It's our honor to have you as our knight."

Hans smiled and bowed. "The honor is mine, General?"

"Hahaha, that's all in the past. I'm just a retired old hag now." The woman then invited them to take a seat. She continued, "Just call me madam."

"Yes, madam."

She sipped a tea before her expression quickly turned serious, "I heard from Elvin that another executioner candidate accepted the mission. What's your name?"

"Hans Goodrich. I have no surname as I don't know my parents so I made one."

"I see. I'm Claudia, a former General of the Royal Knights." She looked at Elvin and giggled, "Well, he's in that position now so don't call him Elvin anymore. He's your superior."

"Yes, madam."

Hans spoke politely. At the same time, he was surprised that Elvin was actually the general of the Royal Knights. He glanced at him but Elvin only gave him a wink.

"Anyways, Hans, since you accomplished the trial, you'll be an executioner from now on."

At that moment, Claudia raised her hand and a green rune floated on her palm. The mana in the air suddenly became denser and the ground cracked from the sheer amount of force that green rune has.

"This is the Executioner's Mark. An exclusive rune for the royal knights who had passed the trial. This… is your reward."

The green rune floated towards Hans' left cheek. As it touched his skin, the rune embedded itself before the light gradually died down.

Tri-ring—!

A familiar mechanical voice sounded inside his head.

[You have received the title 'Executioner'.]

[Title: Executioner

— Enhances all stats by 10% when fighting an enemy of the Harisan Empire.

— Agility is doubled after you're 5 seconds out of combat.

— There is a 1% chance that your attacks will trigger the 'Execution State' which would drastically reduce the enemy's stats.

Note: The Executioner title would only work if you're a royal knight of the Harisan Empire. If you decide to run or escape somewhere, the title will lose its effect.]

"This is…!!!" Hans' eyes bawled out.

[Oh, interesting. What a pity, you can only use it for less than a month.]

'Yeah, I will leave by then so I have to use this to my advantage.'

There are only 25 days after the [Trial Of Heart] ends. Meaning, he only had 25 days to take down the other 4 Great Empires.

That seemed impossible but Hans already had an idea of how he'll execute that.

"It seems like you like it."

Hans was jolted awake from his dazedness after hearing Claudia's voice.

He smiled and nodded. "It's a huge boost. Thank you, madam."

"It's your reward. You deserved it."

Then, Claudia explained the perks of being an Executioner. Despite having already heard it, Hans remained silent and listened attentively.

Claudia wasn't as strict as he thought. She looks like a mother looking out for her child.

A few minutes later, Claudia exited the room leaving behind Elvin and Hans.

Hans stood up from his seat and bowed directly toward Elvin.

"I apologize for my rudeness. I didn't know you're the royal knight General."

"Hahaha! Don't worry. I don't want to be called a General so the others just call me by my name. Anyways, how's the mark?"

Hans walked toward the mirror and touch the green tattoo that looks like veins on his cheek.

"I like it."

"Really? Good, good…"

However, as Hans heard Elvin's words, he sensed an ominous premonition. He looked behind him and saw Elvin's face smiling at him mischievously.

"I-Is there a problem?" Hans hesitantly asked with a smile.

"Hehehe, are you ready for your first task?"

"What?"

At that moment, Hans' smile slowly turned into frown.