Chapter 236
After running for a while, Yan came to a halt.
He looked ahead and smiled slightly.
“I didn’t expect you to come out to greet me like this.”
“How could the lord stay idle when an outsider is causing a commotion in the territory?”
The speaker was none other than the Duke of the East.
He was an old man with long hair.
A faint smile appeared on Yan’s lips.
“Your manner of speaking has changed. The last time we met, you didn’t speak so nobly.”
The Duke of the East, Werner, who had maintained a relaxed attitude, raised an eyebrow at Yan’s question.
‘Could he possibly know my true identity?’
Werner had once disguised himself as the chief strategist of the revolutionary army and met Yan, but he thought it was impossible for Yan to recognize him.
Werner’s face was an image created by a special mask bestowed by His Majesty the Emperor.
Even the Sun Duke, who had met him before, couldn’t recognize him.
It was a special mask that even deceived a second-class superhuman.
And yet, Yan, known as a third-class superhuman, had noticed?
Werner’s eyes sharpened.
‘No way. He must be trying to test me.’
With that thought, Werner asked with a hollow laugh.
“What are you talking about? I couldn’t attend the court meeting due to personal reasons. But you speak as if you’ve seen me before?”
Yan raised the corners of his mouth.
“Come on, you personally guided me during the revolutionary army’s executive selection test not long ago. And also when I met the leader of the revolutionary army.”
“…”
Werner’s face hardened at Yan’s precise words.
If he was trying to test him, he wouldn’t ask so confidently.
Moreover, the words from Yan’s mouth were aimed precisely at ‘himself disguised as the chief strategist.’
Werner’s eyes darkened.
“Why do you think that?”
If there was evidence, he had to take it away and destroy it at all costs.
Of course, even if Yan spread the fact that he had infiltrated the revolutionary army, His Majesty the Emperor had the ability to easily dismiss it as a rumor…
‘But my neck wouldn’t be spared.’
Disappointing His Majesty the Emperor again would be directly linked to death.
Yan saw right through Werner’s thoughts.
“If I had evidence, I would have proudly shown it to you…”
“Would have shown it?”
Yan shrugged.
“Unfortunately, I don’t have any.”
“…”
At those words, a look of relief passed through Werner’s eyes.
Yan saw his relief but didn’t add any further words.
It didn’t matter anymore.
“Since you’ve come out to greet me, I assume you know why I’m here.”
“The knights reported that you came to challenge the martial proof?”
“Yes, my throat is on the line, so I can’t afford to consider your circumstances, Duke.”
Yan spoke as if he had already secured victory.
Werner gritted his teeth inwardly at Yan’s attitude but couldn’t easily accept the challenge.
He had heard from the Emperor that Yan was coming to challenge the martial proof.
‘I’m not fully prepared yet.’
It was known that Yan was a third-class superhuman, but the leader Aquinas was dead.
Others had promoted Theo, the grand duke of Beowulf, who had disappeared with Merriott, but Werner believed that Yan was the reason for his death.
If Aquinas had been caught by those two vermin who came out earlier, he wouldn’t have been able to take over the revolutionary army from Argon.
So, accepting Yan’s challenge now was something to avoid.
He needed to find out what Yan was holding and how he had defeated Aquinas.
‘I need to buy time.’
With that thought, Werner smiled broadly and said.
“I’d love to put you in your place, but unfortunately, the imperial law has recently changed.”
“…”
“To prevent anyone from challenging the martial proof, a notarizer of at least marquis rank is now required. Without notarization, even a fool or a passing beggar could challenge the martial proof, leading to ridiculous situations.”
Werner finished speaking and glanced around.
There was no one suitable for notarization.
Although Yan had connections with many bigwigs…
‘It would take at least a week for him to get notarization.’
The Crown Prince was currently confined to his palace in the imperial palace.
Even the head of the Royal Knights was guarding the door, so it was impenetrable.
Marquis Zion had foreseen the upcoming events and locked himself in his territory.
The timid Marquis Zion wouldn’t step forward without certainty.
Viscount Wigor had the support of many connections and heads of institutions, but he hadn’t received a title.
Although he was given a title befitting his position as a viscount, it was still ‘count’ level.
He couldn’t be a notarizer either.
The biggest problem was the Duke of Beowulf.
It was almost impossible to bind him, who had absolute influence in the north.
But this too was somehow resolved.
Instead of binding the Duke of Beowulf, he used the leader to inform him that Theo, whom he hated, was with Yan, shaking their relationship.
As a result, the Duke of Beowulf began to dig into Yan’s background using rangers, creating a rift between them.
‘And His Majesty the Emperor also said he would take measures to prevent him from stepping forward.’
Even the biggest obstacle, the Duke of Beowulf, was prevented from stepping forward.
With a smile, Werner said.
“It seems you are not fully prepared yet. Go back. I’ll wait until you bring a notarizer.”
Even if Yan had extraordinary skills, it would take him at least a week to bring a notarizer.
In that time, Werner could find out what Yan was hiding.
Confident of his victory, Werner heard a faint laugh.
He frowned.
‘Laughing?’
Did he intend to ignore the procedure and start a fight?
Werner’s eyes narrowed as he looked at Yan.
“Why are you laughing?”
“You’ve worked hard. Changing a law that didn’t exist since the founding of the empire in just a few days.”
“…Are you mocking me?”
“Think what you want. And don’t worry, I’ve brought someone to notarize.”
“What?”
He had already figured out the newly changed law and brought a notarizer?
Yan nodded at Werner’s disbelief.
“I’m a bit obsessively thorough.”
“I don’t see anyone to notarize. Where are they?”
“They’ll be here soon.”
At those words, a murderous intent appeared in Werner’s eyes.
If they hadn’t reached the territory yet, he could send a knight to kill the notarizer.
Just as Werner was about to send a message to the Knight of the Rose fighting ahead…
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A sonic boom pierced the air at tremendous speed from afar.
Werner also felt an unprecedentedly powerful force heading this way.
And he knew this aura well.
It was the same aura he had encountered not long ago.
His eyes widened.
“How did you…!”
Before he could finish his sentence…
Thud!
Someone landed on the ground where they stood.
A red cloak, golden hair, and a face as indifferent as a doll.
“Long time no see, Duke of the East.”
It was none other than the Sun Duke.
* * *
Werner’s face hardened.
How could the Sun Duke, who was known to be focused on healing, be here…?
He had personally witnessed the severity of the Sun Duke’s injuries, so he had completely ruled him out as one of Yan’s possible allies!
The Sun Duke had been slashed across the chest in his fight with the leader, but that wasn’t the worst of it.
Several critical mana roads, the pathways for mana, had been damaged.
If he didn’t focus on healing, the mana roads themselves could necrotize, leading to severe consequences.
Yet, here he was, appearing without having taken the time to recuperate!
Judging by his appearance, he hadn’t used a train or a gate from his territory, Cavalian, to get here. He had flown directly through the air.
The Sun Duke looked at Werner with cold, sunken eyes.
* * *
Three days ago.
In the Sun Duke’s office in the Cavalian territory.
Despite focusing on recovering his mana roads, the Sun Duke did not neglect his territorial duties.
Especially the letters that had piled up due to the war with the revolutionary army.
As he spent time reading and replying to various letters, two particular ones caught his eye.
It was because of the senders.
One was a letter from the royal family, elegantly adorned.
The other was a plain, unremarkable letter from Yan.
“Hmm.”
The letter from the royal family was long.
It was filled with various pleasantries, trying hard not to offend him, but the core message was clear: he was to cease all contact with Yan.
“Heh.”
The Sun Duke chuckled as he read it.
Through Yan, he had realized that the Emperor’s true identity was the Founder.
So, it was easy to see that this letter was the Founder’s attempt to pressure Yan, who had discovered his secret.
“How will you overcome this obstacle?”
At the same time, he suddenly thought of Yan, who had looked him straight in the eye.
Thinking of him made the Sun Duke curious about how Yan would navigate this blocked situation.
With the excitement of opening a gift, he read Yan’s letter.
He expected it to be a request for help in dealing with the Founder.
But there was always a chance it could contain something different.
As he read the letter, the Sun Duke couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
“Hahaha!”
It was the first time in over a decade that he laughed so heartily, and those around him were shocked, but the Sun Duke didn’t care.
The content of the letter was too amusing.
“To think he would use the martial proof to strike back at the Emperor.”
And the content below made it impossible for the Sun Duke to refuse to notarize.
* * *
“Not even going to greet me?”
The Sun Duke suddenly asked, looking at Werner.
Caught off guard, Werner flinched and nodded.
“My apologies. How is your health? I heard from the newspapers that you were severely injured in a fight with the leader of the revolutionary army.”
“Fortunately, I found some medicine and recovered quickly. But more importantly…”
The Sun Duke glanced between Yan and Werner.
A slight smile played on his lips.
“I intend to notarize the martial proof between you two. Is there any issue with that?”
“How could there be an issue with the great Sun Duke acting as the notary?”
Of course not.
If there were any issues, Werner would have seized upon them, but the opponent was the Sun Duke.
Any unnecessary tricks would only backfire.
Grinding his teeth, Werner forced a smile.
“Thanks to you, we can begin.”
“Make sure to teach the challenger a lesson.”
The Sun Duke teased Werner and then stepped back a few paces to observe the two.
He recalled the additional note Yan had included in his request for notarization.
I will prove that the Duke of the East is both a member of the revolutionary army and one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
The Duke of the East was one of the Seven Deadly Sins, causing chaos across the continent!
The Sun Duke’s eyes darkened as he prepared to document the duel between the two.