Duke Pendragon

“Who is it!? How dare you act like this? Do you know where you are!? Knights! What are you doing?” Count Elven shouted as the banquet hall quickly devolved into chaos. Although he never excelled as a knight, Count Elven was a seasoned politician and a young, passionate high lord. The knights and nobles quickly came to their senses at his words.

Shing!

In an instant, guards and knights pulled out their halberds and swords before surrounding the invader.

“Hmm! Sol.”

“Yeah.”

Under normal circumstances, Raven would have explained himself. However, given the dire nature of the situation, he jumped off the ground while emitting his spirit alongside Soldrake.

Shiick! Pupupuk!

He leaped off the ground like the wind before striking the weapons of the soldiers and knights surrounding him.

“Keugh!”

It wasn’t only the guards who lost their weapons, but powerful knights capable of handling the spirit.

Papapat!

“Huh?”

“Y, your Excellency!”

The intruder neutralized the soldiers and knights in the blink of an eye, then rushed towards the head table of the banquet. Surprised shouts and screams resonated throughout the hall.

“Hmm!”

Count Elven expressed his dismay as the figure rushed towards him like a whirlwind. However, he quickly realized something strange. The assailant, who overpowered dozens of troops all too easily, was carrying someone on his back. It was…

“Your Excellency Elven!”

“W, what!?”

Count Elven was shocked when Raymond peeked over Raven’s shoulder and called out. He had seen the child two years ago but was able to recognize his face. Raymond had not changed much…

“Prince Raymond…!”

He exclaimed in a loud voice. The nobles were struck with shock as well.

“What…? How could this… Why is the prince…”

Count Elven was known for his intelligence and cool-headedness. However, even he could not help but be flabbergasted. Prince Raymond had been kidnapped, but the boy currently was shouting at him from a stranger’s back.

“Governor-general Edenfield. Where is Princess Mia?”

Raven asked, and Raymond hurriedly followed up.

“Your Excellency Elven! This man saved me! The people who kidnapped me are aiming for Aunt Mia!”

“What!?”

Count Elven shouted. He quickly recalled the strange conversation he shared with one of the knights and evaluated the situation in his head.

“Levido! Where is Levido! Princess Mia is in danger!”

“Here I am!”

“Hiek!”

The knight responsible for reporting to Count Elven shouted after grabbing onto another knight’s shoulders. He was also quick to pick up on things. After being told that Princess Mia wasn’t called by the governor, he immediately looked for the knight who had accompanied Princess Mia.

“Levido! Where is the princess! What is going on!”

“Hiek! Y, your Excellency! I just wanted to help out Sir Gerrard. H, he asked me to help him… He said he wanted to be alone with Princess Mia, just for a little while…”

“What did you say? You…”

Count Elven’s fury deepened after hearing that his younger cousin was involved in the manner.

“Keugh!”

Raven grabbed the knight named Levido by the collar.

“Kuagh! Kuaghh!”

Although the two figures were relatively similar in size, the knight coughed with pain when Raven grabbed him. The terrifying power contained in his grip and the extreme anger contained in his glare reflected the urgency of the situation.

“Where is Mia?”

“Cough! I, in the dawn room of the second floor… Kuagh!”

Raven easily tossed aside the knight in heavy armor, then spoke to Count Elven.

“Hurry up and guide us, Lord Elven.”

“Hmm!”

Count Elven felt a little bewildered that the man was addressing him without the proper formality, but he knew there was no time to waste. He hurriedly shouted to the knights.

“To the dawn room! Hurry!”

“Yes!”

***

“Ah…”

Mia moaned with a flushed face. Her body felt so itchy and hot. Although her vision was blurry, she also felt a severe thirst. She just wanted someone, anyone, to exhaust her heat.

“Princess, are you all right?”

She saw Gerard’s smiling face in front of her. The slithering, snake-like man. She felt repulsed just listening to her voice. She was forced to clench her eyes shut.

“Ha…!”

Gerard was lying at an angle while holding her body. Her ragged breath tickled his cheek.

“Kuha! I can’t stand it anymore. Uhuhu!”

Her sweet breath caused his desire to reach its peak. He slowly caressed her peachy cheek with his tongue. Simultaneously, one of his hands moved busily. He skillfully untied the knot of her dress, which had been tightened behind her back. Soon, the round tips of her breasts were revealed.

“Heu…”

Gerard’s eyes were already bloodshot with desire. He stroked her milky-white chest with his rough hand. His other hand pulled up her dress and dug deeply into her fully exposed thighs.

“Ahh…!”

Mia quivered with an agitated moan. However, it only served to excite the beast who was about to violate the body of a pure maiden in her unguarded state.

“Heu! Huahh!”

Gerard hurriedly loosened his belt. Then, he took out the symbol of his manhood…

Boom!

“Heuk!”

He jerked his head at the sudden roar. A man with black hair appeared in his field of view without warning.

“W, who are you! How dare you…”

Boom!

Gerard yelled while jumping out of bed with shock, but the man’s body became blurred.

“Heup!”

Gerard’s eyes filled with shock. He could not see the opponent’s movements.

And the moment he realized the man was moving...

Thuck!

“Kuagh!”

Gerard’s body was hurled into a wall. He sank to the ground as an intense pain struck his abdomen. It felt as if his stomach was being pierced.

“Kuaaagh! Buwegh!”

Gerard crawled on the floor while regurgitating everything he ate for lunch.

“Gerard! You…”

He heard the voice of someone he never wanted to hear at this moment, in this place.

“Uh, b, brother…”

Gerard stuttered while trembling. Traces of vomit was still visible around his mouth.

“You dare… How dare you…!”

Count Elven rushed towards Gerard with fury. His expression was distorted with anger.

Shiiing! Thuck!

Raven’s longsword pierced through the air and penetrated one of the walls of the room.

“Kuagh!”

Surprisingly, blood began to color the gray wall along with a short groan. A figure slowly appeared from nowhere as if they were coming out of fog.

“Cough!”

The identity of the man vomiting blood with a sword penetrating his abdomen was Number 3.

“Keugh!”

He grabbed the sword’s handle and attempted to pull it out. However, Raven charged at Number 3 at the speed of light.

Boom!

Kuagh!

The sword penetrated deeper into the wall with a loud roar. About half of the blade was embedded into the wall before, but now, only the handle was visible.

“Vampire.”

“Y, yes!”

Berna stepped forward while trembling. Raven was truly a monster – he had seen through Number 3’s camouflage and overpowered him in an instant.

“Both that guy and this guy. You take responsibility for both of them.”

“Yes!”

She responded quickly, then stood at attention after reaching Number 3. She was still carrying the drooping body of Number 2 across her shoulder.

Tap. Tap.

Everyone was overwhelmed with shock, but Raven simply started walking towards Mia.

“Hmm!”

The Knights of Pendragon had been protecting Mia as soon as they entered the room. They placed their hands on their weapons with anxious eyes when the mysterious man started approaching.

Although the stranger was responsible for saving the princess and also carrying the prince on his back, they could not let down their guards.

“Get out of my way.”

“Ugh!”

They flinched as a terrifying spirit encroached on them. It felt as if a thousand blades were threatening to pierce them. However, they were still Pendragon’s knights. They could not retreat with the princess standing behind them.

“Everyone, please move aside.”

“Honor.”

Raymond spoke from Raven’s back, and the knights bowed their heads before retreating.

“Auntie! Aunt Mia! Wake up!”

Raymond jumped off Raven’s back and rushed to Mia’s side while shedding tears. Raven took off his cape and covered her body, which was half bare. He remembered the young girl who sat on his lap and looked up at him while asking for a monster story. The little girl was no longer here.

“Mia…”

He saw his youngest sister for the first time in seven years. She was no longer a little girl, but a beautiful, elegant lady. However… she was almost violated by a man who was worse than wild beasts. Raven felt a mixture of relief and fury. He jerked around.

“Cough! Buwegh!”

Gerard was attempting to crawl away while vomiting. Anger flashed in Count Elven’s eyes when he witnessed the sight.

“Gerard! You bastard!”

The head of the prestigious Elven County jumped forward. His baton whipped through the air mercilessly. 

Thuck! Thud!

“U, uahg! Keugh! W, wait! I can explain! F, forgive! Keugh!”

“You bastard! You’re no better than a dog! You dare!”

“Uagh! Kuuagh!”

Gerard desperately covered his head, but his hands were soon smashed into a bloody mess. His head was struck as well, and blood spurted into the air. However, Count Elven showed no signs of stopping his barrage.

“How dare you!!!”

“Kuagh! Kuaagh!”

“Your Excellency!”

The knights rushed in and tried to dissuade Count Elven.

“Let go! Let go of me!”

Count Elven screamed with boundless fury. He showed no signs of calming down. However, the anger subsided at Raven’s subtle voice.

“Why don’t you stop?”

“Hmm!”

Count Elven flinched and turned around.

The man was responsible for saving the prince of the Pendragon Kingdom. Moreover, he saved Princess Mia from being almost kidnapped again and becoming greatly humiliated in Count Elven’s own residence.

‘Where have I…’

Although his anger still remained, Count Elven narrowed his eyes while feeling strange. It was definitely the first time he saw the man, but he was familiar with the man’s cold, but confident eyes. However, he would have surely remembered a man of such caliber and atmosphere. He stared at his opponent with deep suspicion.

It was then.

“Princess Mia!”

Someone rushed into the building without bothering to hide his monstrous spirit.”

“Keugh!”

“Your Majesty Isla…!”

Isla’s spirit was greatly aroused by his anger and anxiety. The nearby knights stumbled in cold sweat as the Knight King entered the room. However, Isla instantly withdrew his spirit after grasping the situation.

“Mister Isla!”

Isla hurriedly headed towards where the knights of Pendragon were standing, then stopped.

“Prince Raymond!”

He shouted with surprise and relief after discovering Raymond.

“Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere… Hmm!?”

Isla rushed towards Raymond, then suddenly stopped once more.

His eyes slowly grew bigger.

“…..!”

Perhaps no one else here could tell, but he knew. The figure was looking at him with quivering eyes, slowly easing his stiff face little by little…

How could he forget? Long ago, Isla had traveled along with him to the land of Sisak with the stars as their blanket, the ground as their bed, and the morning dew as their companion.

“Have you been well, Elkin?”

Isla’s shoulders shook greatly after hearing ‘his’ voice. Everyone noticed the Knight King’s reaction. Then, Isla’s trembling gaze turned to the person standing by the man’s side. They were slowly taking off their hood.

“Heuk…!”

At that moment, everyone was shocked. 

It wasn’t just because the unidentified addressed the Knight King of Valvas by his name, nor because he had rescued Prince Raymond and Princess Raymond. 

It wasn’t just because the revealed face of the hooded figure was enchantingly beautiful and unspeakably mysterious.

It was because the iron-blooded knight, the hero of the empire and Knight King of Valvas, was slowly kneeling on one knee with teary eyes.

“W, what… Your Majesty Isla…”

Count Elven attempted to stop him, but Isla interrupted and roared in a mighty voice.

“I, Elkin Medien Valencia Isla, Knight of Pendragon, see my only monarch, my king, King Alan Pendragon, and the Queen of All Dragons, Lord Soldrake!”

“…..!”

The unbelievable words of Isla swept through the room like a storm, and everyone was left with disbelief on their faces.