Chapter 321: Guest From Afar (2/2)

'A runic network of communication.' Arthur nodded in approval as knights flooded the streets. A hundred knights surrounded the three all of a sudden. 'A bit of an overreaction.'

”Let go of the artifact!” An old knight walked from within the crowd. ”I'm Captain Francis from The Knight Order! Surrender now or suffer the wrath of a thousand man!”

”... You're barely a hundred.” Arthur smiled as he threw the artifact to the knights. ”I was just curious. Stand back.”

”Reveal your identities!” Captain Francis shouted with furrowed brows. It seems Arthur's relaxed attitude either scared him or ticked him off.

”I'm a gardener, Riko.” Arthur introduced. ”This is a herbalist, Kiro.” He gestured toward Gala and then at Dia. ”This is my spoiled daughter, Roki.” Arthur introduced.

”Your names share the same four letters?” Captain Francis seemed unconvinced. Arthur shrugged. ”Reveal your faces.”

”That would be problematic.” Arthur sighed. ”My daughter suffers a terrible rash. It's highly contagious that even looking at it can transmit it. I fear for the lives of these young men.”

”Enough! Do you think I'm a fool?!” Captain Francis snapped. ”You've threatened to murder my knights and tried to steal their weapons! Surrender or die!” The Captain unsheathed his sword as well.

”Seia, I think you've made fun of him too much.” Gala sighed. ”Look at this man. He's about to kick the bucket out of anger.”

”Your words are more venomous than mine.” Arthur shrugged with a smile. ”How about we take them down first?”

”We can just reveal their identities,” Dia said, but Arthur raised his brows.

”I want to see their artifacts' strength.” His words made the two speechless, but Arthur meant every word he said.

He wanted to see the effect of the artifacts that Solomon created. If they were just as powerful as his artifacts, Arthur could very well be just another inheritor of Jizo.

The words Rega said still didn't make sense to him, but he couldn't take them at face value either. Even if the spirit didn't lie, it could be mistaken about his identity.

”Dia!” Arthur shouted, and Dia raised her hand. Ice shards appeared above every Knight and descended with frightening momentum.

”Shields!” Captain Francis shouted, and a barrier appeared after several knights stepped forward with their shields. The runes resonated with each other and amplified the strength of the circle.

”A runic resonance?” Arthur raised his brows. He waved his right hand, and a giant flaming sword appeared above him.

The knights looked on with fear at the sword that pointed toward the heavens. The flames raged on its surface as the fire blade descended on the knights.

”You might kill someone,” Gala muttered to Arthur, but he shook his head. He simply wanted to test his runes against theirs.

The flames collided with the barrier, and the world shook. The power of tens of runes contended against Arthur's fire until the barrier broke apart.

However, a large portion of Arthur's flames dissipated. The rest of the sword descended on the knights as they screamed in horror. Before the fire could burn the defenseless knights, it suddenly disappeared.

”Fascinating.” A voice said, making the knights snap out of their daze. They looked at the cloaked person who was walking toward them as he grabbed his hood.

”I'm sorry, Captain. I had to satisfy an itch I had. You understand, right?”

The Captain looked at the man who took down his hood. His appearance was quite ordinary, but there was a majestic air around him. As the man took down the hood, he revealed enough for the Captain to realize he was one-armed.

”Y-you are...” Captain Francis's eyes shook as he pointed at Arthur. ”Are you the guest from afar, the Seika of Living Beings?”

”Yes.” Arthur nodded. ”As I said, I'm the gardener.”

***

”The Seika was interested in seeing the life in the city, that's why...” The Knight of Courage was telling the Duke of Contracts and the rest of the nobles of the reason the Seika couldn't meet them at the moment. It was at that time that a knight apprentice entered the hall hurriedly.

”Your Grace!” The young Knight shouted, interrupting the Knight of Courage. She glared at him, but it seems the Knight was too preoccupied to notice.

”Speak.” The Duke of Contracts squinted his eyes. He was a dignified man with a stone, cold face with a thin mustache. He combed his hair neatly, but the scar on his eye made him look more scary than elegant.

”It's about the Seika! He kidnapped someone and fought against the Knights Order!”