Chapter 62

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Usphere was beautiful, even dressed as a man.

He had no taste for men, and had never once looked at a man and thought he was beautiful, but Usphere was beautiful dressed as a man.

‘Only if it wasn’t for that man.’

As time went on, Kwanach’s anger toward Roman only grew stronger.

If Roman hadn’t slipped away like a loach, he wouldn’t have caused Usphere so much pain. However, she didn’t seem to think it was a hardship.

Unlike him, who was in the same space but struggling to speak to her, Usphere was very cheerful. In fact, she seemed to be more lively than usual.

It was then that Oslin, who had finished his meal, approached Kwanach, who was alone.

“Your Majesty, do you still have no appetite?”

“I’m dying.”

Jaxor was practicing after dinner with the knights in the distance. He looked very jovial, not unlike a man who had teamed up with Roman.

Kwanach confirmed that Jaxor was not interested in this side, lowered his voice and asked Oslin.

“…… How is she doing?”

He hadn’t made the subject clear, but Kwanach’s question was clear.

Oslin smiled sarcastically as he fiddled with his glasses. Kwanach was annoyed with Oslin.

He couldn’t even talk to Usphere himself, but Oslin was freely interacting with her because he was her superior, and it made him sick to his stomach.

Oslin smiled and said,

“You seem to be doing well. It seems that the Imperial Palace was quite stuffy. Well, that was possible, too.”

Kwanach flinched.

For a moment, what Oslin had pointed out was the incident where Kwanach had tried to restrain Usphere.

From the beginning, Oslin had accused Kwanach of taking the ban too far. Oslin’s idea of Usphere was a woman who, unlike her frail appearance, was quite strong-willed and had a clear sense of her own subjectivity.

He also warned Kwanach that confining her would obviously complicate their relationship. After all, it really was going to turn out the way Oslin had predicted.

Kwanach mumbled with a darkened complexion.

“How is she? I feel like I’ve been sitting on a cushion of thorns. I can’t believe she’s in such a poor environment. It’s terrible.”

“Yes, it is. Ordinary royalty and nobility would never be able to endure such a situation. But isn’t she extraordinary?”

“…….”

“Don’t worry too much. Why is Your Majesty in the phase of dying alone when the person concerned says she is fine?”

“I feel like I’m committing Buddhist scriptures. It’s not enough to just give her silk clothes. What’s that with food?”

Oslin looked a little bored.

“Don’t worry about the food. I’ll take better care of her later separately.”

“But……”

“Please be patient for a few more days. Does it make sense that Your Majesty is having a harder time than her?”

“I can’t talk to her, I can’t touch her, it’s driving me crazy. Oh, did she talk about me? Did she leave a message?”

“Nothing, Your Majesty.”

Kwanach wrinkled his brow and waved his hand.

“Leave.”

After sending Oslin away, Kwanach pondered.

He wondered if Usphere was really okay with this situation. She was like that since the first time they met. A Princess crouched casually in that shabby stable.

But she looked more like a Princess than anyone else.

Usphere looked just like the image that Kwanach had faintly imagined when he was a child, thinking of princesses in fairy tales. He had never seen anyone more beautiful and noble than her.

Something dirty and dingy did not suit her. Just having something like that by her side was enough to make him feel angry.

However, when it came down to it, Usphere was very friendly, not suitable for her status. That was probably why she was able to suddenly hand her handkerchief to that dirty and shabby slave.

She still was. She looked good without the soft bedding and soft silk clothes. She seemed to be enjoying her meal even without the well-cooked meat and the fine champagne.

The one who was anxious to surround her with something more noble was always Kwanach.

Kwanach glanced at where Usphere was, but quickly averted his gaze. Usphere was wearing her hat so tightly that it obscured his view of her face.

His fingers were crooked. He was worn out by nervousness.

How could he pretend he didn’t know her when she was right in front of him? It was like torture.

While Kwanach was sighing so heavily, he heard someone behind him.

“What are you sighing about? Is Your Majesty in trouble?”

It was Jaxor, smiling impishly as usual.

“Nothing.”

Kwanach looked at Jaxor with his usual smirk. One part of his chest tingled uncomfortably, but he played it off well as if he was fine.

“Just for digestion’s sake, why don’t you play a game with bare hands with me?”

“Not bad…….”

Kwanach readily accepted. When they saw the signs that the two of them were going to do it bare-handed, the knights and soldiers made room for them, buzzing with anticipation.

Kwanach was the first to spot Usphere standing in the corner, even in the fast moving waves of people.

‘Did you see me?’

Oh, if he could only speak a word with her.

His heart was boiling. She must be wearing gloves at the moment, but if he could just hold her soft hands under that shabby gloves just for a few moments…

Even though they were in the same space, the nostalgia only grew.

He was used to not being able to get close to Usphere because she was so noble, but now that the situation was the opposite, he felt even more desperate.

Suppressing his own emotions, Kwanach stared into the purple eyes of Jaxor, who stood before him.

‘Is he really betrayed me?’

Actually, Kwanach was still skeptical. There was no reason for that, was there?

Jaxor was one of the few men that Kwanach truly cared about. In this lifetime, he’d been even more prized.

‘Before the regression…..because he died during the war.’

The war with the North that happened after Usphere was assassinated. Shortly after the war broke out, Jaxor lost his life on the battlefield.

Then returning, Kwanach took better care of his friend who had died in the war before.

‘But if I was fooled….’

The unpleasant speculation that Jaxor may have deceived him in a previous life as well shook Kwanach’s head.

If so….

If Jaxor had betrayed him and involved in poisoning Usphere….

It was a chilling feeling in his heart. He was like a brother to him, but he would never forgive him. No one was more important to Kwanach than Usphere.

Kwanach said to Jaxor as he warmed up his wrist.

“Shall we face off?”

“Hahahaha. I’m looking forward to it.”

Jaxor chuckled. The two men fought in bare-knuckle combat, without swords.

It was proof that they were from slavery. The noble young masters who grew up nicely did not learn boxing. Swordsmanship was the foundation of their lives. But the slaves rolling around at the bottom of society did not have access to systematic sword fighting lessons.

Crude miscellaneous skills that mercenaries could use. Extreme martial arts where they used their whole body to push the opponents. That was all Kwanach learned. Rather than honor or style, he would only focused on killing his opponents somehow.

Poof, Kwanach thrust out his fist with all his strength. The fists made a sharp sound as it cut through the air.

Jaxor’s eyelids fluttered .

“Oh. You’re serious, aren’t you? I’m scared.”

“You should be serious, too. Don’t be silly.”

“Yes, yes.”

Pow, pow. When the opponent attacked, blocked and dropped him, Kwanach strike out with his foot or fist to create an opening.

A few breaths came and went in a hurry. All the people around watched them with nervous glances. It wasn’t sophisticated, but it was a fight with tremendous power.

These were people who had crawled up from the bottom in battle to live. One by one, the people around them were overwhelmed by their strength.

Kwanach made eye contact with Jaxor, blocking his fists. Jaxor was also quite powerful, so Kwanach’s arm that received Jaxor’s fist tingled.

Kwanach had known Jaxor since he was young. No matter what memories he searched, Jaxor had always shared the scene with him. He was somewhat of a screwball, but he had no hesitation in letting Kwanach have his back.

Until now, that was.

‘Why on earth?’

He couldn’t find any reason why Jaxor would betray him.

‘Why all of a sudden?’

In fact, Jaxor didn’t care much about revolutionary ideals from the beginning. He had no complaints about living as a slave. It was miserable and painful, but that was all. From the beginning, he was a person who did not feel any raw will or unfulfilled desire.

Therefore, he didn’t even think about wanting to get better.

Such was the case with Jaxor, who helped Kwanach to achieve the revolution. Jaxor wasn’t interested, but that was what Kwanach to do. For that simple reason, Jaxor sacrificed his life to help with the great work.

‘I hope not.’

If Jaxor was really a spy, Kwanach had to cut off his head with his own hands.

While feeling mixed feelings, Kwanach did not miss Jaxor’s gap and rushed in. Jaxor’s defense was one tempo behind. Right before Kwanach’s big fist plunged into the middle of his face.

Kwanach said as he barely stopped his outstretched arm.

“It’s over.”

If he had punched Jaxor in the face with the force he was putting into it, Jaxor could have had a broken nose, or even a broken jaw.

Jaxor took a tentative step back and laughed.

“I knew I’d lost. Same old, same old.”

“You’ve never beaten me.”

“It’s because you’re inhumanly strong. I don’t lose in a fight anywhere. But I thought you’d forgotten about the fights.”

“I can’t forget. This is my root.”

A desperate, fundamental battle in which he threw his whole body away. That was Kwanach’s way of survival.

At the end of the battle, the soldiers, who had been quiet for some time, erupted in cheers. Kwanach nodded absent-mindedly.

“Let’s continue the journey.”

Jaxor shrugged his shoulders and moved to line up.

Kwanach was heading toward the front, but he quickly turned around. He saw a small figure running toward the wagon. It was Usphere.

Teary, hot emotions tickled his throat and then went down.

He just hoped it would all be over soon. All he wanted was to go back to their palace that he had built so solidly with Usphere as soon as possible.