Star-Embracing Swordmaster (Full)

"Stop... ouch."

With a cry of helplessness, the barbarian's eyes began to roll back.

Even the last red tears he shed along with his screams were frozen by his cold breath.

Intense red color scattered over a field of pure white snow.

And above them lay heaps of barbarian shackles.

No, they had not yet become corpses and were desperately trying to move away from the white dragon, but their pathetic struggles were in vain.

The arms and legs that were supposed to move were cut off and rolling in the snow.

Crunch- clang- clang-

The dragon, whose mouth was covered in bright red blood, raised its head as if satisfied.

It's different from oak, which has a tough taste.

It's different from monsters that smell like fun.

Lindworm, the white dragon.

The dragon, with the taste of humans engraved on its tongue by someone's intent, opened its mouth wide and roared.

It was a loud sound that not even the scattering snow mist could hide.

***

"Mr. Rutiger has arrived!"

"Open the gates!"

With the shouts of the gatekeepers, the door hanging from thick chains began to lower.

Rutiger placed his hand on the hilt of his sword as he watched the castle gate slowly descend before him.

Whether invited or uninvited, the Dragon Slayer Knights had arrived.

There must have been a good reason why they, who had shown no interest in the North until now, suddenly came to this northernmost place in the country.

And there must have been a good reason why they raised their flag atop the fortress without permission.

"Mr. Rutiger!"

"Report to me."

Rutiger crossed the castle gate over the moat with an unusually stern expression and quick steps.

A knight ran towards him and began informing him of the situation.

"The Dragon Slayer Knights sent from the center arrived about two days ago."

"The reason?"

Seeing Rutiger's momentum change in an instant, the knight unconsciously swallowed and spoke up.

"They say it's for the subjugation of Lindworm."

"…They got information quickly."

Rutiger clicked his tongue in response to the knight's report and made a fierce expression.

Sending an armed group to another territory was not only rude, it was an act close to a declaration of war. However, the Dragon Slayer Knights currently in Fort Bernhem came with a good justification.

"It's too quick."

Dragon Slayer Knights

As the name suggests, they were created to kill dragons and were a group led by the central nobility, the Dragon Blood Dukes, with the guarantee of the imperial emperor.

In other words, if it was related to dragons, it also meant that activities were guaranteed according to imperial law along with the emperor's guarantee.

Since they came with a banner and a cause, not even the knights of the fortress would have been able to do anything about it.

"…"

Vlad followed Rutiger as he ran and sniffed around here and there as was his usual habit.

Fort Bernhem was built of stone because there were no trees around, the stairs were narrow, and the corridors winding. It was built in such an obvious manner that its purpose could be seen at a glance.

"Fort Bernhem is also called Bayezid's beacon tower."

"Is there a beacon tower up here?"

When asked if there was such a large beacon tower that could be seen from afar, Ramund simply shrugged.

"This in itself is a beacon tower. When it's ablaze, it's visible from afar."

"Ah..."

Vlad looked again at the surrounding walls upon Ramund's hinted words.

Although they had tried to cover it with lime paste, there were blackened traces here and there.

Taken down and put back up.

Rebuilt again from the charred fortress.

Fort Bernhem was a huge wall for barbarians and monsters, and an indomitable will for the people of Bayezid.

"I'll be waiting outside."

"…"

Rutiger had no reason to try to hide his boiling anger, as they had raised their flag in a place that was Bayezid's pride without anyone's permission.

"Finally, you've arrived. I've been waiting for you."

Although the corridors were narrow, the hall was built wide so that the knights could gather.

Step by step, there was a man standing at the highest point of the place built with Bayezid's blood, greeting the group.

"Finally, we meet. I am Mirshea, leader of the Dragon Slayer Knights."

A man clad in gleaming silver armor looked at the group that had arrived in the hall with a relaxed smile, as if this were his home.

"...A precious person has come to visit me without my knowledge."

At the moment he made eye contact with Mirshea, who was looking at him, Rutiger's heart skipped a beat.

This was because he was angered by Mirshea's attitude of daring to take over this place.

"Rutiger Bayezid. I am the temporary commander of Fort Bernhem."

Mirshea's smile deepened as he looked into Rutiger's black eyes without the slightest hesitation.

Thump-

And Vlad, who was looking at the man named Mirshea, also felt his heart pounding.

Because he felt the same sensation from the man above him as when he saw the Death Worm.

The heartbeat was something that couldn't be controlled with willpower.

Because it only moved by instinct.

"…!"

Forcing his heart to calm down, Vlad lifted his head and was surprised to see Mirshea in front of him.

The boy wasn't the only one carried away by instinct.

"Were the corpses of the barbarians outside created by the Dragon Slayer Order?"

"Exactly. It was necessary."

Mirshea, who naturally adjusted his expression in response to Rutiger's question, answered his question with a relaxed smile.

There were corpses of barbarians rolling in the snow with terrible wounds, and their deaths were not caused by ferocious teeth but by sharp swords.

"Lindworm is the swiftest remnant of the fallen dragon. It means you can't catch up to it and take it down."

Joseph tried to convey information about Lindworm to Rutiger through Agge, however, Mirshea in front of him was someone who already had information about Lindworm even without Agge.

The Dragon Slayer Knights, created with the permission of the founding king Frausen, had accumulated their own experience over hundreds of years.

"I can't keep up, so I have no choice but to incorporate it. The corpses outside are bait for that."

"Son of a bitch!"

Before Mirshea finished speaking, Agge was letting out an angry roar and was about to lunge forward.

"Bastards of the Empire! You won't care even if I chew you to death!"

As a prisoner, he would have unsheathed his sword if he hadn't retrieved it beforehand.

If Ramund, who was watching him, hadn't taken a step, he would have already jumped towards Mirshea.

"Stop! Get out of the way, old man!"

"...If you say another word, I'll cut your head off."

Agge's anger was justified.

Who wouldn't be enraged by the idea of their own people being used as bait?

However, as justified as the anger was, it had to have some power to be justified.

The rage of powerless barbarians was nothing more than an insignificant being rolling on the ground like Agge was now.

"The son of Bayezid is raising a spoiled dog."

Mirshea looked at Agge, who was yelling at him with cold eyes.

"You're also raising a cat."

Dorothea quickly lowered her head upon seeing the cold gaze upon her.

It wasn't because she was afraid of Mirshea's eyes, but because she feared her presence would be a bother to Rutiger.

"I don't know if you trained well. Humble things sometimes forget their duty."

"…"

Rutiger remained silent in the face of Mirshea's words.

Central nobles and lords.

Those who believed they were the center of the world often mocked those outside in this manner.

Not only for the barbarians and beastmen, but also for the people of the North.

"…But aren't they still standing in their seats?"

Rutiger nodded and exhaled as if he had made a decision.

Whether it was intentional or not.

The noble in front of him had crossed the line, and Rutiger was the representative of all those from the North here.

The anger deep in his heart, which he always hid behind a poised smile, was slowly seeping out.

Rutiger's world was a deep red, like an active volcano.

A thick anger like lava began to flow towards Mirshea, who was standing where Bayezid should have been.

"So you should find a place for yourself too. Director Mirshea."

One step at a time.

Rutiger ascended to the highest point by stepping on the stairs made by Bayezid.

As he approached Mirshea with the confident steps of a qualified person, the members of the Dragon Slayer Knights around him began to place their hands on the handles of their swords, one by one.

"Who gave permission to raise the flag?"

Rutiger finally came close enough for their foreheads to touch, and he looked into Mirshea's blue eyes without moving an inch.

"I requested it. My men raised it because no one else was moving."

He didn't growl like Agge or press the other person with a smile like Mirshea, he just stood still.

"From whom did you get permission to come here?"

"...Ha."

It wasn't unexpected, but Mirshea smiled coldly upon seeing Rutiger openly attempting a power struggle.

"The Dragon Slayer Knights, who deal with dragons that appear as disasters, have the right to properly use all facilities and personnel in imperial territory according to imperial law."

"Assuming you get permission from the owner."

Rutiger and Mirshea slowly turned their bodies according to the momentum they found.

Rutiger's deserved momentum was pushing Mirshea towards the stairs.

"Does this mean you won't cooperate?"

"I plan to cooperate."

Rutiger's finger pointed towards the hall below.

"As long as you follow the proper procedures."

The knights of Bayezid, who understood Rutiger's intentions, hastily opened the hall door and began to run towards the highest point of the fortress.

"Ask them to lower the flag. Knight Mirshea."

"..."

The highest point of the fortress.

The dragon waving alongside the Bayezid flag carved into the solid wall lowered its head.

"Please help me kill the dragon in Bayezid's land."

Their worthy, just, and loyal masters bared their teeth at the dragon hunters.

"No one move."

"The owner of this place didn't allow it."

The knights of Bayezid, who had issued a stern warning, had already surrounded the Dragon Slayer Knights and were blocking their path.

Rutiger and Mirshea.

The Knights of Bayezid and the Dragon Slayer Knights.

The keen force they created enveloped the hall with a coldness worse than the cold northern wind.

"Let's start over from there."

Mirshea turned his head and looked in the direction Rutger pointed.

Center of the hall.

A position where one had to crane their neck to look up at Rutiger.

"You will regret this."

"Anyway, no matter what you choose in life, you'll only regret it."

Rutiger only smiled gently at Mirshea's low threat.

"And if you're going to regret it anyway, you should do what you have to do and repent."

The black eyes flowing through the veins of Bayezid looked at the man in front of him with a thick aura oozing out like lava.

Blond hair and blue eyes.

And an aristocratic appearance.

Towards a man of cold heart who even uses living people as bait for the dragon.