EMATEC Chapter 24

 

 

As I stood there, startled by the sight of the Crown Prince, my mother gently patted my head and whispered into my ear.

 

“Watch closely, my dear. If you become the Empire’s greatest knight, you will one day become that man’s sword, Cherry.”

 

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince… you mean his sword?”

 

“That’s right,”

 

She replied with a smile and a nod. My mother, seemingly overwhelmed with emotion at the moment of introducing me to the Crown Prince, spoke in a voice trembling with excitement.

 

“I am His Majesty’s sword. If you were to become the Crown Prince’s sword, then perhaps one day, at a royal event, mom and Cherry could walk side by side—just like that.”

 

“………”

 

Hearing what sounded like a cherished dream of hers, I looked at the Crown Prince again.

 

I rubbed my eyes and took another look. Blinked quickly, then slowly. Opened them wide—and squinted again.

 

But no matter how I looked, the Crown Prince’s condition remained unchanged.

 

“…Mom.”

 

I called her quietly.

 

“Hmm? What is it?”

 

Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she turned to me.

 

I knew exactly what she was expecting from me in this moment. But even if it ruined the mood, I had to ask.

 

“About His Majesty the Emperor…”

 

“What about him?”

 

“Is it really okay to bring someone who looks like they could drop dead any second out here? Is that really his biological son?”

 

At my question, my mother blinked slowly, her mouth agape.

 

“W-What are you talking about?”

 

She looked utterly dumbfounded that this was the impression I had upon meeting the Crown Prince for the first time.

 

But looking at his face, that was the only impression I could come away with.

 

“He looks like he’d snap a bone if someone even lightly tapped him right now.”

 

The more I looked at the Crown Prince, the more bewildered I became.

 

“How is someone who looks like they should be bedridden even walking around?”

 

His golden hair, inherited from the Emperor, drooped lifelessly. His golden eyes were dim, as if their light had gone out.

 

His cheeks were sunken, as if not an ounce of flesh remained, and dark circles were carved deep under his eyes.

 

Through the collar of his clothes, his bony wrists peeked out, and with every step he took, his unsteady legs wobbled like a newborn fawn’s.

 

I heard the Crown Prince was thirteen this year, but judging by his development, he could easily be mistaken for someone my age.

 

‘No wonder everyone looked so unsettled when they said the Crown Prince had arrived.’

 

Only now did I understand their reactions.

 

The Crown Prince shouldn’t be here. He should be lying in bed somewhere.

 

If I could, I genuinely wanted to invent a wheelchair and gift it to him.

 

“…He’s gotten a lot better, actually.”

 

“Wow.”

 

I replied flatly to my mother’s added comment, sighing inwardly.

 

‘This Empire’s future is seriously worrying.’

 

This boy was supposed to be the next Emperor? What a joke.

 

If I were ever to rise as the Empire’s greatest knight, and this boy became the one I swore my loyalty to—my lord—then perhaps all I could do was let out a weary sigh.

 

“Anyway, what you must aim for from now on is to grow strong enough to protect him against any danger. Always keep that in mind when you hold your sword.”

 

“Yeah… sounds like a nightmare.”

 

How much suffering would it take to protect that fragile Crown Prince? That thought now consumed my mind.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“Nothing.”

 

My mother looked at me like she’d misheard, but I just shrugged it off.

 

Before we knew it, the Emperor and Crown Prince had moved to the central seats of the hall.

 

The Emperor sat in the chair prepared for him and surveyed the room.

 

“I’m glad everyone could make it.”

 

There was an unmistakable authority in his voice, befitting the ruler of the Empire. With a confident, easy smile and striking good looks, he looked every bit the powerful sovereign.

 

Raising the wine glass handed to him by an attendant, he declared.

 

“This hunting competition exists to honor the divine grace granted to us long ago. When the gods intervened in the war between Celestials and Demons, they gave us strength to overcome the monsters the demons unleashed. May you all partake in this event with the resolve to protect humanity—and the Empire.”

 

The Emperor drained the wine in one bold motion. At that, the nobles cheered, raising their own glasses high.

 

“For Lutinas!”

 

“For His Majesty the Emperor!”

 

With the Emperor’s appearance, the atmosphere of the hall turned into a true celebration. Everyone’s face glowed with excitement for the upcoming hunting tournament.

 

Perhaps pleased with the festive mood, the Emperor continued speaking in a gentle tone.

 

“Even now, this continent faces threats from monsters sent by the Demon Tribe. Lutinas must not grow complacent in peace. We must always remember that there are those who protect Lutinas—and the entire continent—from the shadows.”

 

While everyone nodded solemnly to the Emperor’s words, I turned to my mother—who was quietly sipping her wine—and tugged at her sleeve.

 

“Mom, what is he talking about?”

 

“Ah… our little Cherry doesn’t know yet, does she? That’s the founding myth of the Lutinas Empire. This hunting tournament started with the first Emperor himself and has continued as a tradition ever since.”

 

“A founding myth… So the Celestial Tribe and Demon Tribe actually exist? And there’s really a god?”

 

“Of course! Your grandfather’s power as a Sword Master—that’s a blessing bestowed by the god for the sake of humanity.”

 

Wow. My mouth fell open. Seeing my expression, Mom poked my cheek playfully.

 

“If you visit the temple, you’ll see priests blessed by the god healing people. And the Archbishop—the god’s most beloved—can heal any wound as long as there’s still breath in the body.”

 

“No way…”

 

“That’s why we must never forget that the god watches over us. We have to live with upright beliefs and a strong sense of virtue.”

 

At her words, I found myself nodding without thinking.

 

In a world like this—with Celestials, Demons, monsters, and even gods—it would be impossible to stay non-religious.

 

It hit me again: I truly wasn’t in South Korea anymore. This was a completely different world.

 

“But… can’t the god fix the Crown Prince? He seriously looks like he might die any day now.”

 

“Shh!”

 

Mom quickly covered my mouth and looked around nervously. Thankfully, everyone else was too focused on the Emperor to have noticed.

 

After confirming that, she let out a small sigh of relief and whispered to me.

 

“Even the Archbishop can’t continuously use healing powers. After using a great deal of power, he needs time to recover through prayer.”

 

“So?”

 

Mom’s lips curled into a bitter smile. She gently stroked my head.

 

“Within that period, people exploit it. And so, the Crown Prince has to endure and keep enduring—waiting for the Archbishop’s power to return.”

 

“….…?”

 

What was that supposed to mean? I gave her a confused look, and she just shrugged like it was obvious.

 

“You don’t need to worry about it yet, Cherry. By the time you’re old enough to protect the Crown Prince, everything will already be resolved.”

 

From my mother’s words, I could tell there were things happening in the royal court that I wasn’t meant to know—things only adults were privy to.

 

Still…

 

“For the eternal glory of the Lutinas Empire!”

 

As the Emperor raised his glass, the Crown Prince shakily raised his own—his hand trembling.

 

Watching him, I felt a swirl of complicated emotions.

 

Unlike me, still a child who could afford to be shielded from the affairs of adults, the Crown Prince’s young face looked far too delicate for someone caught at the very heart of it all.