30 Years after Reincarnation, it turns out to be a Romance Fantasy Novel

Chapter 194

Ihan had long been aware that someone was watching him with malevolent intent.

Still, he had deliberately not captured the spy, suspecting that any overt recognition would scare him into fleeing.

‘Quite impressive.’

Ihan examined the muscles of the man who had emerged from the woods, now lying wounded from his axe. Just by looking at his muscles and skeletal structure, it was evident he was a formidable 'expert.'

Acting had paid off. Had he not pretended, the man would have surely escaped.

“That man is…!” “Do you know him?” “…He is a senior inquisitor who transferred to the [Paladin Order]. Sir Turner is a much greater expert than I am, but why would such a person be hiding? Moreover, how did you down him in one hit…?" “Now paladins are falling down too?”

Ihan pressed his foot down on what's-his-name, the paladin’s abdomen.

Crunch!

“Aaaaah!”

Indeed, a significant expert. Despite the axe wound piercing his stomach, he was still alive—a testament to his robust vitality. Ihan pressed down harder.

“Uuuugh! Stop, please stop…!”

As Turner regained consciousness, he pleaded, but Ihan was unresponsive.

The typical script from these types was all too predictable. They'd start with threats like ‘the temple will not forgive this!’ If that didn’t work, they’d try to bribe, ‘We’ll pay you! Just cooperate with us!’ And when all else failed…

“Do you think the Light will forgive this kind of act?!”

“…Tiresome, really.”

Using the name of God as a bargaining chip…

Ihan was tired of dealing with these madmen. Why did they have to bother him when he was just trying to live quietly?

So.

“Sosim.” “Yes?” “Call some people over.” “Whom do you mean?” “Derek and the Chick’s dad.” “……” “Why?” “…Just thought the peace was over.”

“Peace? When was there ever peace—”

*****

Soon after the call was made, people began to gather around Ihan’s house.

“Good to see you, Sir Ihan.”

Galahad’s shadow.

“Pleased to meet you for the first time, Sir Turtle. I’ve heard much about you. It’s regrettable that our first meeting is under these circumstances.”

A knight from Lionel.

The two most powerful forces from the southern continent were now assembled, and they promptly set to work.

“Is this swine the one who insulted Galahad and the lady?” “The temple dares—!” “You will not die easily. No, let me correct that; you and all associated with you will learn there is a hell in this life…!”

Apparently, Galahad, already resentful towards religious forces, had completely lost their temper over Irene being insulted. Those associated with the unknown priest were about to start a life worse than death.

“I’ve always had many questions about the temple, now I get to resolve them.” “Don’t be too rough. The Duke insisted we bring them back alive.” “That’s true, but just in case they try to escape, let’s cut off their arms and legs. Oh, don’t worry Sir Turtle. There won’t be any bloodshed here.”

While Lionel seemed not too remorseful about the temple’s predicament, following orders with a sense of thoroughness, they were rather mechanical in carrying out their duties.

“Sir Ihan, might you turn over those inquisitors as well? They seem like they could betray us any moment. We could take them off your hands.” “Wouldn’t they be better off with us?” “You snow cats don’t know your place.” “Better than you sinister lot, you colts.” “……” “Stop staring and come at me, I’ll take you on anytime.”

“…If you’re going to fight, go elsewhere.”

Was calling both forces at once a mistake?

The tension was palpable, and Ihan just shrugged.

They're fighting among themselves without him having to give them anything; typical.

“Um, are you really thinking of turning us over?” “Sir Ihan! Please, I beg you, don’t turn us over!” “We didn’t know anything—!”

The inquisitors had been on tenterhooks since the arrival of Galahad and Lionel's knights, now trembling with pallid faces as they struggled to survive.

If Ihan truly handed them over, they might face a fate worse than death.

Thus, they clung to Ihan, their only lifeline.

“Anyone would think I'm about to kill you? Didn’t I just save you? I don’t really plan on killing you.”

“Ah, Sir Ihan!”

“…Well, only if you’re innocent.”

“…Yes?”

“Seems like he’s here.”

“??”

He gestured to a spot ahead, but nothing was visible there.

What had arrived?

“-Ha, excellent. Can you now sense my presence? That’s impressive progress.”

…How long had he been there?

People widened their eyes. It seemed as if a person had suddenly risen from the ground where no presence was felt before. It felt almost ghostly.

Yet, despite the focused attention of the knights, the old butler, dressed in butler’s attire, simply smiled kindly and walked leisurely.

“Long time, Butler.”

“Pleased as well.”

“…I didn’t say I was pleased.”

“Isn’t pleasure expressed not with words but with the look in your eyes? I sense pleasure in your eyes, Sir Ihan.”

“Maybe it’s fear and trembling, not pleasure?”

“You’ve developed a sense of humor, ahaha.”

“…If the Butler says so, then it must be.”

Ihan respectfully bowed his head, as if he had no choice but to submit.

Although Ihan always behaved politely toward adults older than himself (except for those who did not seem human), he was even more courteous than usual, and at some point, sweat began to bead on his brow.

He continued to sweat as if he had been caught in the rain, yet Ihan could not muster the courage to wipe it away and simply kept his head bowed.

...Though he had not realized it before, he seemed to understand a little more now.

This person is truly-

‘[A Superhuman].’

It was a fact he had already known, but it became a truth he felt with his entire body the moment he measured that power.

As he recognized once again that the opponent was a separate entity disguised as a human, Ihan gasped for breath.

Even though they had not fought, it seemed impossible for a person to become so exhausted, yet just being in this person’s presence made it hard to conserve any energy.

Just a few words exchanged felt as exhausting as running five consecutive full marathons.

To such an Ihan,

“You have grown too rapidly. That is why your senses and physical stamina are still clumsily distributed. If you just fix that, you’ll find it much easier to breathe.”

The butler did not hold back on his advice and patted Ihan’s shoulder as if to encourage him.

Afterward, the butler directed his gaze toward the inquisitors.

A gentle gaze when looking at Ihan, but one as cold as if it had glass beads embedded in it when directed at the others. The moment the inquisitors met his gaze, they were all rendered speechless, and none dared to open their mouths.

...It was instinctual.

The biological instinct that one must not rebel against such a person.

Thus,

“Follow me. I will guide you.”

He had simply ‘said’ to follow, and the inquisitors,

Thud, thud...

obeyed his words with the ‘certainty’ that they must not ‘disobey.’

...

“-As long as you are bold and speak only the truth, you should not die.”

Ihan nodded his head. It seemed like sending the letter was a good decision.

However,

‘I never expected the butler to come.’

He thought someone would be sent, but he never imagined it would be the butler himself.

“Albert, John Ray Albert...”

“I, Ihan Kyung, did you know him!?”

Immediately, the knights realized who the butler, no, Albert was. Naturally, they were not incompetent and understood he was a formidable being beyond their measure.

And the fact that a superhuman dressed as a butler was inadvertently famous made it not so difficult to discern his identity.

“It just so happens that we only know each other by face.” “It seemed like you were close from the way you talked?” “It’s not that we look close, but that I’m prostrating myself. On the contrary, would you be able to treat that gentleman rudely?” “...How could that possibly be?” “Right? That gentleman is like a forced politeness inducer.” “That, that gentleman, you must be close then.” “...It’s a misunderstanding.”

While it seemed an unnecessary misunderstanding had arisen, he did not vehemently deny it.

Above all,

‘Thanks to the butler, it seems like unnecessary conflicts have also disappeared, which is fortunate.’

He had thought about assigning the interns to Galahad or Lionel, but if he favored one side too much, a big accident might occur. Plus, siding with a particular noble family could lead to misunderstandings about himself.

So, he involved the royal family, or more precisely, his sister.

Sure enough, as soon as they made contact, manpower was sent, and thanks to that, the two families did not engage in a useless power struggle.

However,

‘I feel like a different misunderstanding is forming about me....’

The eyes of those alternating their gaze between Ihan and Albert hinted at a ‘maybe...’.

Clearly, countless misunderstandings were being formed in real-time, and Ihan swallowed a sigh.

Maybe,

‘That lady, could she have orchestrated all this?’

He had wondered why the butler was sent, but perhaps the princess was sending a warning to other powers.

[-It’s mine.]

It seemed like he could hear such words, and he grimly smiled.

It seemed like this was what they meant by a needless misunderstanding.

“Sigh...” “A sigh, how nice. It’s good for your mental health to breathe deeply, so I recommend doing it often.” “...Because fortune will run away otherwise?” “Why would fortune run away?” “...It was just nonsense.” “Hmm?”

Albert still had an unreadable smiling face.

He probably would answer whatever he asked, but he felt that the answers would be vague.

So,

“I’ll see you later. I’ll buy some decent wine and bring it over. Let’s have a drink then.” “Ho, a drink with Ihan Kyung, I’m already looking forward to it.”

Albert showed his anticipation in response to Ihan’s words, and there seemed to be a sense of excitement.

For the first time, it seemed he was showing genuine emotion, and Albert looked intently at Ihan for a moment.

Suddenly,

“Originally, I was just going to see your face and leave, but let me tell you something interesting before I go.” “Something interesting?” “Yes, about why the temple has suddenly gone mad and is bothering Miss Irene.” “...?”

...Wasn’t it just jockeying for power?

Blinking in surprise at the unexpected story, Albert continued,

“Miss Irene Windler seems to be the most likely ‘Saintess candidate’ after all. Therefore, the temple is determined to kidnap or persuade her, haha.” “?” “Interesting, isn’t it? After all, if they can secure the Saintess, the Patriarch is not a problem. If they can secure her, the temple could even reclaim the title of [Pope] that was stolen by the military god. There will probably be many aiming for the young lady for a while, quite interesting indeed.” “??” “Do not worry though. If they really try to cross the line, ‘I will’ pay the temple a visit, haha.” “......”

Ihan was known for his lack of manners, but he could make no response at all.

That’s because,

‘Wh, what did he say?’

...A Saintess?

That good-for-nothing-?

“......”

Swoosh.

With eyesight rivaling that of a prairie person, Ihan’s eyes turned toward the neighboring house.

“That is, ...a Saintess (candidate)?”

He saw a yellow chick, who was giggling while spying on his house with a telescope, and his distrust in the temple only grew.