I Became a Sick Nobleman

Fwiickk.

Then it melted like the black-blooded man that Cassion had just cut.

“…!”

Aris was surprised.

As Cassion said, the black-blooded man was not immortal. This had become something of certainty. When Ruel saw Leo, he shook his head.

—No purification.

If it’s not purification, what should he call it?

Never before had such a power been introduced.

Ruel coughed and watched the ice splitting apart.

“There’s a drop of black water on his body. It’s in a different in location, but if you cut it, it melts like that.”

The way Cassion described it proved how dangerous and difficult it was to defeat.

It wasn’t the method that just anyone could use.

When Ruel glanced back, Cassion followed his gaze.

And he spoke after seeing his gesture of making a X with his arms from a distance.

“There’s no more.”

“…Yes.”

Ruel took a step forward.

The number of black-blooded men left is five.

—This body will do it.

Leo hovered around Ruel, anxious.

“Cassion.”

“Yes.”

“Did you take care of all the monitors?”

Since they sent this many people, they must have attached an observer to clean things up.

“We’ve taken care of it.”

In response, Ruel took another step, inhaling Breath.

Ruel’s complexion grew bluer and bluer because of the fever, the cold, and the nausea.

“Ruel-nim.”

Cassion couldn’t wait to call Ruel.

He couldn’t help it, but unlike last time, there were many black-blooded men.

“Cassion, take care of what is left. And…”

Ruel glanced back and raised the corners of his mouth.

The target he had to pick up from Dotol would become indebted to him, so he would come after him on his own.

“What about the Knights?”

Jjeok.

“It is far gone.”

He was  relieved. Unlike before, it was night now.

A time when shadows fall all over the world.

Ruel’s eyes shone.

Aris shook his sword tightly at the sight.

—This body! This body will do it!

Leo was restless and almost clinging to Ruel’s feet.

“Don’t push yourself too hard.”

Ruel smiled briefly at Leo and moved his shadow.

Big enough to wrap all five of them.

—Ruel! This body…

“Go to sleep.”

Ruel ordered.

At first, he had moved the shadow as his instinct led him.

But not anymore.

“Darkness is not borrowing, but calling.”

Now he understood more of what Tyson said.

He was hoping that his shadow would eat away that black thing.

It was he who grabbed the reins.

He held it firmly and ordered it not to miss anything.

‘Eat it.’

The shadow silently rushed toward the black-blooded men.

Every time he ate the black substance through his power, there was a sensation of being stabbed.

Patter.

The power of resistance and reflection grew and endured quite a bit, but blood poured down from his mouth and nose.

Ruel held on tightly to his cane.

More.

He had to eat some more.

Wi-ing.

He was used to being sick.

Wi-ing.

He could bear this much.

Compared to the usual pain, it was just a little more painful.

—…Ruel.

Leo’s ears were drooping while looking at Ruel.

The blood spreading to the ground increased.

Finally, the cane fell from Ruel’s hand.

Cassion and Aris grabbed him as he stumbled.

A new darker color fell from his lips.

Ruel’s breath became rough.

He only managed to breathe by inhaling the Breath.

—This body, this body…

Leo’s eyes fluttered.

Leo soon turned his head and saw where the shadow was wrapped like a bundle.

And he ran.

Leo pulled out a silver bead in front of the shadow.

—Come out, this body is a great purifier.

The silver bead touched the shadow, but nothing happened.

—It’s not Ruel, but this body is a great purifier.

The silver beads touched the shadow again.

There was still no response.

Leo knew it, too.

This silver bead that he created shows that his power of purification is too weak.

But the black thing was growing too fast in Ruel’s body.

—Please, come out. Ruel is in big trouble. Ruel is sick because of this body. This body must be a great purifier.

After taking a look at Ruel, he pushed the silver bead back into the shadow.

—This body…

“Cough!”

Leo’s trembled at the sound of Ruel spilling blood again.

—No, Ruel, Ruel, stop now!

Leo shouted so urgently that he betrayed Ruel’s promise not to talk outside.

Ruel was at the limit. No more.

—This body!

Leo ran to Ruel.

—This body will do it!

Every time he blinked, tears covered his eyes.

“…!”

At that moment, Aris’ eyes turned to the silver beads that Leo had left behind.

Crack.

With the sound of the beads splitting, the silver light climbed up the shadow.

—This body doesn’t want to lose Ruel!

Cassion blocked Leo jumping into Ruel, but nothing was in his hand.

Leo fell into Ruel’s arms.

“Cough…”

When Leo’s feet touched him, his heavy body became lighter.

Instead of red blood, he poured out black blood.

Ruel cast a shadow.

It’s enough.

There was a silver beam soaring into the sky.

Unlike his own purification, the purification of the great purifier was so beautiful.

It was as if the Milky Way was rising into the sky.

‘…it’s pretty.’

Drip.

With Leo’s tears falling on his face, Ruel reached out and closed his eyes helplessly.

***

Flinch.

Ganien stopped walking with a warm feeling.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“No, I feel something.”

“I’ll check again to see if there are any hidden people.”

“No, you don’t have to. They’re all dead.”

Except for some of the Red Ash that have already fled.

If this was a temporary hideout, the only place they could escape to was a real hideout.

He let them go on purpose to spear them in the back one more time.

Following Ruel’s advice that he should slap the back of their head twice, not once.

‘Hmm.’

Contrary to expectations, the number of enemies was small when the hideout was attacked.

It bothered Ganien, but he ignored it because Ruel had enough escort to protect him.

However, because of the sensation he just felt, the number that had been dealt with caught his eye again.

Ganien walked to find Torto.

“Sir Torto.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Come here for a second.”

Since Ruel once said that Torto was a reliable person, he called him separately and quietly brought it up.

“Did you feel it?”

“It was not my delusion.”

“It bothers me a little. Would you like to go to Ruel first, if you don’t mind? I’ll clean this up and go back.”

No matter how reliable Torto is, Ruel left the task of the data to himself.

Torto thought for a moment and replied.

His real mission was to protect Ruel Setiria, although he had other duties.

“All right. It was something I was worried about too. Then I will go back first.”

Torto took his knights out.

Ganien finally went around the hideout once more quickly and put the materials he had secured in his pocket.

The follow-up will be done by the subordinates.

Ganien came out of the hideout.

In the meantime, the distance from the Red Ash was quite large, as if they had fled quickly.

Ganien stopped running and suddenly opened his mouth at a familiar sign.

“Why are you following me now?”

It was themselves who were cleaning up the hideout, but the shadows were supposed to break it down.

There was no reason to follow him.

“This is the message from the chief.”

“Cassion?”

Ganien stopped walking.

He can’t believe it’s a message.

“What happened to Ruel?”

“We will follow the Red Ash that ran away. Cassion’s message for you is to hurry up and organize the Red Ash hideout and join the village you stopped by before going to Dotol. I’ve already informed Sir Torto, so don’t worry.”

“What’s wrong with you all of a sudden?”

“A black-blooded man has appeared.”

Hina frowned after looking for a moment at the place where the silver rays had risen.

There was nothing they could do even if they came forward.

A sense of helplessness.

It was a feeling she hadn’t felt in a long time.

“…I see. How’s Ruel doing? Is anyone hurt?”

“The Knights are fine. Ruel’s condition isn’t as bad as I thought.”

Hina disappeared after lowering her head slightly.

‘It’s the worst situation.’

Ganien scratched the back of his head.

There was no telling what would have changed  if he went, but he frowned automatically as he imagined a situation where he would have leaned on the weakest Ruel.

‘Because of Ruel’s personality, he must have sent the knights away and handled everything himself.’

He would have acted the same way had he been in that situation himself.

But he had a body that could handle it, and Ruel didn’t.

‘…foolish fellow.’

Ganien ran faster back the way he had came.

***

“I’m going to disappear for a while.”

The condition was better than expected.

Of course, it meant it was better than expected, but not in good condition.

Ruel vomited black blood as soon as he finished talking.

“… what?”

Ganien asked back in a jubilant way.

“They released several black-blooded men.”

Ruel rinsed his mouth and inhaled Breath.

Still, the breathing sound was uneven.

“Cassion killed the monitors, they won’t know how things are going.”

“Then, see me and tell His Highness in advance?”

Ruel laughed hard.

“That’s right, Prince Banios will take care of me, so don’t worry.”

“Do you know how difficult the Cyronian position will be if you disappear now?”

“I’m not disappearing. To be exact, I went to Dotol…”

Ruel inhaled the Breath again.

Then he frowned and grabbed his head.

“I just stayed at your villa for recuperation and as a close friend because my illness got worse.”

“Yes, I will have to bear all the debts.”

“That’s right.”

Ganien sighed deeply at Ruel’s words, which seemed to be natural.

“Did you tell Sir Torto?”

“Before you came. I told him to stay quiet at your villa. It’s safe there.”

“It’s safe.”

Ganien gave a confident smile.

“…Cough!”

Cassion quickly put a handkerchief to Ruel’s mouth.

Leo’s ears are drooping. How many times has it already been?

Ruel patted Leo’s head with his trembling hand.

“Looking at you talking, I don’t think you’re going to come to get some rest. Where are you going?”

Cassion sighed.

“I was going to the Ice Castle…”

Leo was startled and covered his mouth. Ruel’s hand, which was patting his head, paused. Leo lay flat on the bed and looked up at his face with fierce eyes.

“You’re crazy!”

Ganien’s voice rose immediately.

It was such nonsense that he forgot that Ruel was sick.

Cassion laughed with satisfaction, and Aris watched nervously.

“You’re really… Ha. Yeah, I’m so sorry I made you come to Cyronian that I really have nothing to say, but this isn’t it, do you know what kind of place it is?”

“Yes.”

Ruel’s expression did not change with a short answer.

Ganien looked at Cassion with a stiff feeling. Cassion shook his head from side to side.

“Whoa.”

Ganien took a deep breath to calm down and dragged a chair around him and sat down in front of Ruel.

“Give me your hand.”

Ruel could be in better shape than he looked.

Because that happened a few times.

Ruel turned over his hand without hesitation.

“… crazy bastard.”

Ganien, who was examining him, broke his arrogance.

What a bummer.

He was only conscious, but he was ready to dance as the sicknesses were not running rampant like before.

“I came this far, but I have to go see the Ice Castle. I’m not feeling well enough to come again.”

“You…!”

“I wouldn’t be able to go if it is not now. Think carefully, Ganien.”

Ruel raised the corners of his mouth.

Author's Thoughts

Dear readers, Thank you for all your support in the past year. Special thanks to honey users and Ko-Fi users. Thank you for being there. Really! ❤! So, I hope the two chapters here bring you joy as you begin the new year. Happy New Year, 2023! May your new year be filled with new adventures, accomplishments, and learnings.