The Count's Gun-Shooting Scoundrel

“What’s wrong?”

Arthur tilted his head.

Millerf stared at the brightly shining blood-red light for a long time.

Then, as the light faded, he asked Arthur.

“What on earth has happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“Young Master, you have the blood of the House of Count Julius…!”

In that instant, a flash of lightning went off in Millerf’s mind, and something long forgotten came to him.

The color red signified the destiny to become an emperor.

But Arthur’s light went beyond that, tinged with a deep, blood-red color.

The blood-red color signified the ‘path of supremacy’—in other words, a ‘Supreme Emperor’.

In the history of the Oscar Empire, only two individuals had possessed the light of a Supreme Emperor.

One was Emperor Goldon Barotas, who unified the five empires into the current Oscar Empire.

And the other was ‘him’.

Seeing Millerf's grave expression, Arthur began to worry inwardly that something was wrong.

‘What’s with him?’

He waited silently for him to speak.

After a few minutes had passed.

Millerf opened his mouth, his words heavy.

“Young Master, have you ever thought of becoming a king?”

“What are you suddenly talking about?”

Arthur furrowed his brow.

“What kind of life do you desire?”

Faced with Millerf’s serious expression, Arthur paused in thought. Then, he pointed to the children playing in the meadow.

“I… want to stand here without any worries, watch that scene, and if there's something I want to do, just go and do it. I want to live like that.”

“Is that all?”

“Were you expecting some special answer?”

“Given your innate disposition…”

“Being a king doesn’t suit me.”

“Hmm…”

He had heard from Madeline and Skevin about Arthur’s changed demeanor, and he had confirmed it himself.

Moreover, given the nature of his disposition, he would have naturally accepted it even if Arthur had said he would become a king.

Just as Millerf was about to speak his mind, Arthur spoke.

“But it won't go the way I want. Because the world won't just leave me alone.”

“...?”

“I will sweep away all the bastards who get in my way. Then I’ll be able to watch that scene in peace, just like now, won’t I?”

“But the war will continue.”

“It’s fine. I’m satisfied just being able to enjoy it for a little while. If a meddler appears, I'll just sweep them away again and enjoy it once more.”

Millerf swallowed hard and asked gravely.

“Does it matter to you who that might be?”

“Whoever it is, if they get in my way, I won't let them be.”

“Even if it is someone with absolute power? For instance, even the Emperor of the Empire?”

Arthur scoffed and replied.

“Not even a ‘god’ can touch me.”

He turned and continued.

“Stop with the useless questions and just tell me the Mana Training Method.”

Millerf watched his retreating back with a complicated and subtle gaze.

An individual with a blood-red disposition, just like Emperor Goldon Barotas.

Teheran Julius!

He was certain that Arthur had inherited his disposition.

It seemed he hadn't been able to recognize it properly because the image of the scoundrel had been so strong until now.

If not that, then perhaps he had only just awakened.

Just a brief conversation with him had made his heart pound.

Millerf looked up at the sky.

‘Master, finally…’

        *        *        *

“This way.”

“This is a tomb?”

“These are all the former heads of the House of Count Julius. The one over there is the tomb of Sir Malcom Julius.”

“I see.”

Having descended into the castle's basement, Arthur followed Millerf past the tombs to the innermost area.

A large golden coffin appeared.

At each corner of the coffin, dragon-shaped carvings glared with wide, menacing eyes.

Like the Four Heavenly Kings at the Cheonwangmun Gate of a temple, they seemed to be guarding the coffin.

“Who is it?”

“It is Count Teheran Julius.”

“The one who led the House of Count Julius to its golden age.”

Perhaps for that reason, it felt much grander and more special than the other tombs.

“But why did you bring me here when you said you’d teach me a Mana Training Method?”

“If you step up onto the dais, you will see a handprint in the center of the coffin.”

Arthur went up to where Millerf indicated and looked at the middle of the coffin.

Just as he said, there was a handprint.

“Should I place my hand here?”

“Yes. You must endure it even if you feel pain, and you must not lift your hand from the coffin or scream. If you endure it, the Mana Training Method will enter your mind.”

“The Mana Training Method will?”

“Since you, Young Master, were born with the same disposition as Sir Teheran Julius, you should be able to inherit his training method.”

“He had a blood-red light too, I take it?”

“Yes.”

Millerf moved a good distance away from the coffin.

Arthur was inwardly excited by the fact that he had the same disposition as the hero of the House of Count Julius.

The corners of his mouth turned up at the thought that he might gain some special power.

“I’m looking forward to this.”

He placed his hand on the handprint.

Simultaneously, his palm stuck fast to the coffin, and he felt as if he were being sucked inside.

‘What is this?’

Arthur resisted, putting strength into his hand.

But an even stronger force pulled at him, and suddenly, an immense pain wracked his body, as if all his bones were shattering.

Remembering he wasn't supposed to scream, he gritted his teeth and endured.

“Ugh…”

Following the excruciating pain of his bones shattering, the veins all over his body swelled as if they would burst.

Arthur screamed internally.

‘Aaaaaargh!’

-Who are you?

A deep, solemn voice echoed in his mind.

Arthur, his face contorted in a grimace, asked back in his mind.

‘Wh-who are you…?’

-I am Teheran Julius.

‘…!’

Arthur’s eyes shot open.

‘Is this… also magic?’

-This is a message I left for my successor.

As his words ended, the pain he had felt just moments before vanished as if it had been a lie.

“Hoo-.”

Arthur, who had been as good as dead and back, let out a long, deep breath.

-To inherit the legacy I have left behind, you must undo the restriction placed upon it. You have just passed that test.

Arthur shook his head vigorously to clear the lingering remnants of pain from his mind. Then he stared at the coffin with sharp eyes.

‘He must be talking about the pain I just went through.’

-You who have inherited my blood, what do you wish to become?

At the magnificent question that sounded as if it could grant anything, Arthur fell into thought for a moment.

Until now, he had only sought to become stronger to survive; he had never thought about what he wanted to become, aside from wanting to be a soldier when he was young.

But here, too, he had to become absolutely strong to live the life he wanted.

Only then would he not be hindered by anyone.

Arthur nodded as if he had made a decision.

‘I want to become an absolute being. And so, I want to possess absolute power rivaling that of a ‘god’.’

-How magnificent. But that is the answer I desired.

‘Can I get the Mana Training Method now?’

-It has already been passed on to you.

‘…?’

Just as Arthur tilted his head in confusion, he felt an unfamiliar sensation inside his body.

It was very subtle, but he guessed this was what was called ‘Mana’.

The Mana that erupted from his heart flowed down below his chest, swept through his internal organs, traveled to the tips of his toes, shot straight up to the crown of his head, and then returned to his heart.

‘…!’

Suddenly, he was overflowing with power.

-You have just achieved the 1st Star. As you grow stronger, your body will change. When you achieve the 4th Star, come find me. I will grant you absolute strength.

‘Magnificent.’

-My successor, I hope to see you again.

As his words ended, the unknown force that had been pressing down on his body disappeared.

At the same time, the force pulling on his hand also vanished.

Arthur took his hand off the coffin and looked at his palm.

A dragon imprint was stamped there, which also flashed and then disappeared.

It was a series of wonders.

Moreover, after the Mana had swept through his entire body once, he was overflowing with power. It wrapped around his body tightly, as if he were wearing solid armor.

‘If the 1st Star is this much…’

Arthur’s lips curled into a smile.

Millerf approached, his face full of anticipation.

“How was your conversation with him?”

“Not bad.”

Arthur continued as he stepped down from the dais.

“How strong was Teheran Julius?”

“You seem very curious.”

“I became curious after receiving the Mana Training Method.”

“I believe he reached the 8th Star.”

“8th Star, huh…”

“Once you train in Mana and achieve the 1st Star, you will be able to guess how strong he was.”

“He certainly deserved to be called a hero.”

“What do you mean by that…?”

“If the power I feel at the 1st Star is this much, how strong must he have been at the 8th?”

“By that, you mean… surely not?”

Arthur nodded silently.

“H-how can this be!”

Millerf was aghast.

Obtaining the Mana Training Method was only the beginning; to master it, one had to create a vessel to contain Mana.

The vessel obtained through tireless effort was the frame known as a ‘Star’.

He knew that it took at least a year to obtain it.

But he couldn't believe that Arthur had achieved the ‘1st Star’ as soon as he obtained the Mana Training Method.

“Would you show me your palm?”

“Here.”

Arthur held out the hand he had placed on the coffin.

Millerf placed his staff on Arthur’s palm and softly chanted in the runic language.

The head of the staff glowed brightly, simultaneously illuminating Arthur's palm.

Then, the dragon imprint that had disappeared reappeared.

It was the mark that appeared when a Star was formed.

“A ‘Circle’ has really…”

The dragon imprint became three-dimensional and moved as if it were alive. It then spread its two wings wide, and a golden light shone intensely.

Simultaneously, that light pierced through Millerf's mind.

-Successor of Mardoro! Do not forget your mission.

“Gasp!”

Millerf’s gaze wavered uncontrollably.

The mention of his master's name and mission meant…

It was undoubtedly Sir Teheran.

“Ah…”

He must have anticipated that a successor to his will would one day appear and had arranged everything.

It was truly surprising and amazing.

Millerf canceled the magic and lowered his staff.

After calming his startled heart, he looked at Arthur. Then, he bowed deeply toward him.

Arthur furrowed his brow slightly.

“What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“Millerf, Successor of the World Tree and disciple of Mardoro, will stand with you, Sir Arthur Julius.”

“I refuse.”

“...!”

Millerf wore a shocked expression.

He was a 6th-Class mage.

The reason he had refused even the Emperor's courtship and remained here was because of his master's last will: ‘Protect the House of Count Julius.’

He had been living here in deference to that will, but there was no one in the Count's family worthy of his service.

So his heart had always wandered elsewhere.

The incident a while ago would not have happened if he had paid just a little more attention.

But now, it was different.

An individual born with the disposition of a Supreme Emperor was by his side.

He would be more than worthy to serve as his lord. Moreover, he might be able to fulfill the dream his master could not.

“Why do you refuse?”

“I have no need for loyalty based on a contract.”

“Why are you suddenly saying that…”

“I will prove myself with my own abilities. Therefore, I have no intention of taking in someone who freeloads and does nothing of value in the castle.”

Arthur walked outside without a second thought.

Millerf stood there with a dazed expression, which soon turned into a smile.

‘I suppose I'll have to earn my keep first.’