A King is Born on the Road

Iris felt her mouth go dry as she watched Hayer calmly lying to his subordinates.

She wanted to know why God couldn’t heal him, why Tilla gave such an ordeal to this righteous man who wanted to cut down the sacred tree even though he knew the pain he had to suffer for the people of this continent.

Hayer’s words that he knew the cure worked well for those who heard it for the first time, even though he made the hearts of those who knew the truth sink. The expression of the Knights, which had been dark, slowly returned to their true colours.

“Tilla has allowed me to cut down the sacred tree for Luwan, and furthermore for the people of this continent.”

And their blood was getting hotter and hotter.

“I will go to the desert, and if the sacred tree there is also giving power to the monsters, I will cut the sacred tree again. If you’re afraid of Tilla, you can leave anytime. If you think God didn’t mean to test me, but cursed me out of hatred, then feel free to leave.”

“……”

For a moment the Knights were silent.

“……”

“……”

No one moved for a while.

Then Annamaria walked over to Hayer and said, with a clang between her sword and armor.

“I’ll follow you, but I’m a little angry. How could you keep such a big wound a secret from me, your right-hand man?”

“I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t do that in the future. Because I’m upset.”

Annamaria grumbled and went back to her position.

After that, no one complained, and no one left.

Instead, they were giving Hayer a look of trust, more than loyalty.

“I’ll follow you anywhere, Captain!”

“You don’t have to ask questions, just go your way, and we’ll all follow you.”

Hayer smiled and went back to the Knights. And after the noisy Knights were quiet, he said to Hencke.

“Hencke Haywin, I’ll leave you as vice-captain.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Hencke answered politely. Hayer then said to Annamaria.

“Annamaria List, I’ll leave you as the marshal.”

Annamaria’s lips twitched with excitement at the words. She bowed her head.

“Yes. Please leave it to me.”

Finally, Hayer spoke to Ato, the Kawat captain.

“I’ll leave you as the vice-marshal.”

“…Yes, Captain. I will devote my life to carrying it out.”

The vice-captain was in charge of the administrative part of the Knights. It was the marshal’s job to command the Knights as the commander’s right-hand during battle and take charge of the training of his subordinates.

Both Hencke and Annamaria liked this arrangement very much because they were well aware of their own tendencies.

Ato, who took the position of vice-marshal without forming a separate Kawat unit, also accepted his position happily.

In that part, Iris knew that a big change had taken place in her life before the North Gate, which she had seen before.

According to Hencke and Annamaria during their journey to the North Gate, it was after the war that they became vice-captain and marshal. Until then, they seemed to have just stayed in Kawat and focused on defeating monsters.

And their going to the desert was something they had never done in their previous lives.

Iris followed Hayer, who disbanded the Knights, in uneasiness.

“Will the Knights of Tejas be all right in the desert?”

“It may be a little difficult to fight monsters, but it should be enough to get to the Traitor’s Labyrinth.”

“And you?”

“Yes?”

“Is it okay to enter the labyrinth with me?”

Iris asked anxiously.

Iris had heard of the Traitor’s Labyrinth in the game of saving Luwan during her journey with the Knights of Tejas.

It wasn’t often. Hayer did not bring up the labyrinth often, as he was bitter that he wasn’t born with the ability to navigate.

“The Traitor’s Labyrinth is the most complicated maze in the world, where only those born of the Lepos family can find their way.”

“In that maze, you don’t grow old, you don’t starve, you don’t sleep. In such a space, traitors are being punished. Maybe Sid Lepos hid there. Because no one will find him.”

“If I don’t find my way in it, I may never come out.”

At her words, Hayer paused for a moment.

After a short pause, he asked Iris.

“Wouldn’t you like to try it out? How much of your ability do you possess?”

At his question, Iris paused.

It was a voice in her mind. The desire to navigate this world with the ability to find one’s own path.

Iris nodded to Hayer’s question, who seemed to know how she felt.

“Try it out… I want to, of course.”

“I was informed of a report through the messenger* that you enter the Traitor’s Labyrinth, and just three months later, Kernin Lepos will also enter the labyrinth.”

“……”

The three strongest knights in Luwan that Iris and many people in Luwan know about.

One of them was Hayer, and the other two belonged to the Royal Knights. Meppo Behad, who fought Hayer last time, and Kernin Lepos.

Not only them, but the rest of the Royal Knights were strong.

The scariest thing was that the Royal Knights were not well known as to why they were so strong.

In fact, there were no survivors left where they passed, so it is not clear who belongs to the Royal Knights.

If you run into Kernin Lepos and the Royal Knights in that maze…

Iris didn’t even want to imagine the situation at that time.

Iris heard that the only thing that could find its way in the maze would be the king and their legitimate child.

If you’re going alone, getting lost is your responsibility, but it was a journey with Hayer.

Iris asked, overwhelmed by the fear of that fact.

“I’m not the king’s legitimate child, can I find the way?”

At her words, Hayer narrowed his eyes, which was rare.

“Iris, I’ve watched my brother for a long time.”

Hayer said firmly, this time without mixing jokes.

“You were born with a much stronger ability of the Lepos family than Sid Lepos.”

“……”

“If you get out of the Traitor’s Labyrinth safely, your ability will be tantamount to a king or a king’s legitimate child.”

Listening to Hayer, Iris remembered Luwan, which was in ruins when she was queen. She was running around trying not to see that terrible and painful scene again, but she honestly wasn’t confident.

In any case, as Hayer said, if she returns alive from this maze, she would climb one of the big steps to the throne. Or maybe Hayer Asheri will.

Is this right? Iris couldn’t be sure of anything.

In addition, there was growing anxiety in her mind that Hayer’s treatment for the wound might have been wrong.

If her treatment had done nothing to help, perhaps when Hayer cut the second tree, he might be killed on the spot. Just like he did in the north.

She was overcome with fear.

“You will find your way for sure.”

Nevertheless, Iris nodded at Hayer’s words.

He was prepared to die. So she was going to do that too.

The fear of what hasn’t happened yet is kept out of sight somewhere in her heart.

A week after that. On the eve of Iris’s departure, the Knights of Tejas were ready to head to the desert.

* * *

The day before leaving for the Traitor’s Labyrinth, a grand party was held in the royal palace.

King Eswa wanted to publicize that Iris Lepos was leaving for the maze.

Fortunately for him, the people of the capital were originally very interested in the rulers and liked to talk. Above all, they were all eagerly awaiting a new king.

Citizens cheered for Iris, who constantly caused interest, from the duel—which was the best thing in their lives not long ago—to entering the Traitor’s Labyrinth that no one had entered for decades.

After the party, King Eswa approached the Knights of Tejas, who were ready to leave the royal palace.

King Eswa said to Iris.

“It is said that after twenty years of wandering in the Traitor’s Labyrinth, the traitors will swear eternal loyalty to the Lepos family.”

“I see.”

“As proof that you found your way in the maze, bring out a traitor. They will be your eternal loyalist.”

After the king’s words, the citizens cheered again.

The cheers that King Eswa had never felt in his life were directed at Iris Lepos.

And Eswa was still discontented with the whole situation.

afterword

bro is discontented as if he could’ve just said no like be serious

messenger*: it’s technically translated as like… messenger/carrier bird administrator? manager? someone in charge of something basically, but i decided to leave it as messenger because anything else sounded awkward lol