The whole street was painted red.
Red lanterns lit red painted walls.
As he walked along the narrow red shadows, he came across several red doors.
When you open the door, a red pleasure spreads out.
This is the abandoned city that’s on the western border, of the Ibeden Empire.
The city was quickly abandoned by the Lords and became a lawless zone, and the brothels were established even faster than that.
Knock knock
“Sir, the goods have arrived”
“Oh, this way”
“Yes.”
Even in the brothels were all kinds of prostitution exist, there must be a special place. That was the door that was now open. The red lacquer was the same as the other doors, except there was a small mark under the handle. It was three black stars.
One star meant male prostitutes where offered. Two black stars I meant you could use tools. Three black stars meant anything was possible.
From the moment you enter this room, the prostitute belongs fully to the guest. The mind, body, and life. All!
“Go in.”
The pimp pushed the prostitute’s back. The Prostitute was naked except for a red cloth over his head, and chains on his wrist. It was a device for the safety of the guess and the entertainment area. The three-star guest quickly glanced up and down the prostitute who face was covered.
He looked young and had a skinny body with bones protruding. His skin was on the white side, and he looked pale at first glance. There were large and small scars all over him. Some were freshly-made, and others we’re old.
Most of the wounds looked as though they’d been made by leather whips. The customer seem to like this. His thick tongue came out and licked his lips.
“Wonderful. I like this one, he will do.”
The pimp nodded and stepped back. The widely opened door was closed.
There was only one small painted door, but it totally disconnected this space from the rest of world.
With that door closed, the room became a completely different world. It was a world where screams, cries, and even prayers are useless.
“Come closer.”
The guest that was sitting on a bed lined with red silk, waved his hand. The prostitute heard the sound and and shuffled his feet, it was the footsteps of a blind person.
“Show me your face.”
The prostitute took off the red cloth covering his head. The prostitute’s eyes were covered with a thick black cloth. The customer brought a glass of wine to his mouth and grin.
“You’re being meticulous. I wish it were uncovered.”
The customer liked the smooth face. The small white face didn’t look like a boy, it was strangely androgynous. He liked it even more when he realized that, and because of his small delicate features.
The customer drank a mouthful of wine, and loosened his robe. He was already naked beneath it. There was a leather strap wrapped around his ankle, and the key was threaded through the strap.
It was the key that unlocked the shackles that were on the prostitutes wrist. Of course the customer had no intention of quietly giving out the key.
“Come on. Crawl.”
The Prostitute crawled on all fours. It was an obedient attitude with no signs of resistance. The customer’s eyes lit up with excitement. The Prostitute came up to the customersfeet, and knelt down.
The customer put his feet on the prostitutes thighs.
“Lick it. If I like it, I will give you the key.”
“………”
The Prostitute bowed his head, and the shackled hand lifted the guests foot, uncomfortably. His full lips aproached and put two toes in his small mouth.
“Hmmm”
What he did wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special. The customer was angry.
“Work harder.”
Instead of answering, the wet sound grew louder. The lips that bit the toes ran up the instep. His wet tongue procrastinated then crawled over the feet.
“Hmm……, okay, now I’m feeling it a bit…, yes like that.”
His tongue tickled the ankle bone, as the customer shrugged and chuckled. And the next moment, nothing. The feeling of his tongue on the feet was gone.
The customer found that the prostitute had taken the key and opened his shackles. The customer was very displeased.
“Impudence… who said it was okay to open the shackles?”
The guest picked up the leather whip on the table, next to the bed. The cheeky prostitute had to be punished. He would drain some of his blood, and get rid of his cocky attitude.
“Take the rod!”
There was a wet smacking sound, customer swung the whip. The leather whip, that was wet with wine, wrapped around prostitutes naked body.
“………”
The prostitutes lips twisted slightly. However, he swallowed a moan, raised his hands and patted his face.
“What are you doing! Come down and beg.”
There was another smacking sound, and a small thump. The moment the whip hit his body, The prostitute lost his balance and fell.
But instead of standing up or trying to avoid the flying whip, the prostitute untied his blindfold.
“Come on, beg!”
It was another sound as the whip flew through the air and slapped the prostitute on the head. The satellite of his ear was torn and blood was gushing out. The prostitute raised his hand and grabbed the tip of the whip.
“What are you doing? How dare……! Let go now!”
The customer pulled back on the handle of the whip in a burst of anger. The Prostitute held onto the whip tightly, and walk toward the customer.
“What… …what are you doing!?”
The customer let go of the immobilized whip. Instead, he grabbed a blade that was laying next to him. It was a wide thick single-edged blade, that was more like a club or an axe than a sword.
“Damn it!”
The blade was a battlefield weapon. The continent was in the midst of war, and this area had been a battlefield for several years.
Count Custer was a general in Yveden Empire. He had stopped off at a nearby brothel to have some fun before he joined Prince Leshek’s Army, that was camped on the Western border.
The sword sharpened on the battlefield was fierce. The weapon created a threatening wind, that threatened to cut the prostitutes neck at any moment.
But then………the the prostitute opened his eyes.
“……….!”
His eyes were as blue as ice crystal’s. Cold and clear, only not just clear, they were transparent.
Count Custer fell dead to the floor with a thud. Count Custer’s eyes, who had just met the prostitute’s eyes, turned into a hideous pit, as though someone had dug them out.
“………”
The Prostitute quietly spit in front of the body. He didn’t mean to insult the body. It was only to clear away the taste the other person still remaining in his mouth.
The emotions hidden under his blank expression were mixed into his saliva and bile. The Prostitute, who spit so much that his lips were sore, and groaned in vain.
“Ugh, r..igh..t, ugh…….!
But time was short. The prostitutes scrubbed his lips and remove the cloak from Count Custer’s body. It was an absurdly large robe for his skinny body, but there was nothing else to cover his nakedness.
The prostitutes untied the string of the cloak and closed the black cloth over his eyes again. He fumbled against the wall and walked toward the door. The door marked with three black stars open with a creaking groan. The prostitute headed out into darkness, and disappeared onto the red street.
The red door concealed the corpse of Count Custer. It happened on the western border of the Ibeden Empire, already at war with five neighboring countries for the past seven years, in the brothels of Merv, also known as the floating city
“Look it’s empty. You would think I was looking for an ant cub!” It was the words of Prince Leshak.
“Yes, my Lord.”
Half of the twelve Guardian Knights, who were said to be like ‘one body’ with the Crown Prince, disappeared through the maze of alleys with the soldiers. The expression of the prince watching them from behind was ferocious. Cool anger was shown on of his perfect facial features. He is often criticized for looking too stern.
It was an evening of searching for the tardy Count Custer, who was trespassing in the red light district, against the Crown Prince’s orders.
The enraged Crown Prince personally led the Guardian Knights, and set out to find the Count. That was the reason for him standing on this red street. It is prohibited to the entire Army, including himself, from visiting the brothels.
“Hmmm, I’m sure you’re not going to cut off Count Custer’s head right here are you?” Asked Chief Knight Abadd.
“…..Of course not. I’ll punish him according to Military Law.
“Ah, yes. Well…That’s fortunate, at least you’re not that strict.”
Strict was a reference to the appearance of the Crown Prince. He was well known for his perfect facial features that seem to have been created by God personally. As though the creator was holding a ruler to heaven and calculating the golden ratio one-by-one and applying it to the Prince. It is said that’s why God must be strict.
Even the rather unusual combination of straight silver hair and black eyes was a perfect match on Leshek’s face. From the size of the head to the width of the shoulders, to the degree of roundness of the nails, and the length of the leg muscles, there was no place that the modifier of ‘Ideal’ was not suitable for the Crown Prince. But unfortunately, his personality was more stringent than his ideal appearance. Abadd laughed softly
It was a kind of concern. It has never been, and never will be said, that Crown Prince Leshak put his sage before fairness. That was the biggest reason that this huge Empire could run without any problems, even though it had been at war for seven years.
“Anyway, Custer is probably somewhere in the ally having fun. Even if we didn’t come here right now, we would have had to come back after finishing our duties anyway.”
It had only been a few days since Colonel Custer had joined up with the rest of the army. Abadd thought the that Count probably didn’t consider this excursion as anything more than a light night out.
If the Crown Prince hadn’t personally appeared leading the Guardian Knights, the Count’s excursion probably wouldn’t even have caused too much excitement.
That is to say, it wouldn’t nave been a good thing, but also nothing much would have come of it either. Putting aside military’s moral reputation, having the Count join would have been a benefit to the military might.
However, the wrath of the Crown Prince was a little different from Abadd’s would have estimated.
“So I want to find him before then.”
“………”
“Because I feel sorry for the prostitute who has to deal with that bloated body”
“Do you mean that?”
Abadd smiled mischievously and drew his arm to his chest.
“Oh my god. How can you have such a harsh human being as a superior? Please have mercy on Count Custer.”
“The mercy was enough.”
Prince Leshak twisted his lips.
“Sexuality isn’t the problem, I gave him permission to bring his lover to live in the barracks.”
“Wait, you mean a mistress? It’s definitely an unconventional treatment for Prince Leshak. So then, why is he trespassing?
“That’s the problem! But the thing that bothers me the most is coming to a place like this.” Leshak pointed to the red street that stretched out like a maze in the harsh red light. “Seven years ago, it was a commercial district that traded wheat and textiles. But now it’s like this.”
It was another face of war. Those who had lost their families and been plundered were dragged into this ditch, doing what was needed to survive. The men who made this sistren turned the Prince’s stomach, as he looked at the despair they created. Leshek was angry at the street it’s self.
After reading the princes displeasure, Abadd changed his expression and made a serious offer.
“If you will allow me, I will come back later alone and I will clear this entire street so that it will no longer be seen by Your Majesty.”
“Even if you do it will just move to another place.”
In order to get rid of the trash, the war had to end.
“There’s no more tolerance for Count Custer. I will enforce military discipline wherever I find it.”
“As intended.”
Abadd lowered his head in a modest motion. It may seem like he was too strict with the incompetence and intemperance of others. But in fact, Leshak was stricter on himself than anyone. So Abadd thought he was the luckiest Knight on the continent. Prince Leshak was a lord who was righteous and fair.
“It looks like it will take more time than I thought. “Said the Crown Prince, as he was chasing his after subordinates.
“Yes. It seems to be more complex terrain than it looks. Shall we move?”
“That’s what I was about to say.”
“Then I will take the lead. Come this way.” The Leshak and Abadd began to move.
It was easier than on a battlefield. The sound of footsteps disappeared as he held the weapon on his waist. The two knights of the empire seeped into the red shadow of the brothels. It was when they turn the corner of few steps, that suddenly nearly bumped into someone who had been in a blind spot, of the stonewall that had been patrolling.
“… …”
“Are you okay?”
Leshak quickly grabbed him.
“Ah…….”
The person who almost bumped into Leshak was a thin man. Leshak, who thought at first it was a woman because the wrist he held in one hand was so thin, frowned after checking the person. He had a black cloth wrapped around his eyes. It meant he was blind.
“So, the sound……… I can’t hear my feet……… Sir……”
His voice was small and his pronunciation was slurred.
“Oh, I guess ….didn’t know…someone is there………..”
His shoulders trembled as if he were bewildered. Leshek’s gazed at the blind man who was barely wearing a loose cloak, as his gaze gradually sunk to the to the ground. Blood was seeping down from under the robe. The long, thin, strangely curved lacerations evoked unpleasant images. Surprisingly, there was only one thing that could create such a wounds. It was a whip.
“Why is a blind man walking alone without a cane? Can no one guide you?” Asked Leshak
“I’m used to it.”
Blind, in the red district, perhaps naked underneath the robe, the identity of the young man was obvious, he a prostitute! He’s also male. It meant that he was at the bottom of the filthy and terrible cesspool.
Leshek, who was looking at the blind man with a rapidly changing expression, suddenly lowered himself and rolled up the man’s robe.
“Stay still. I don’t mean to do anything bad.”
“Oh, no……..”!
The blind man shrugged. Leshak held the blind man with one hand and examined the wound with the other. The roughly torn skin was painful to look at.
“Do you have medicine?”
Abadd shook his head. “No my Lord, sorry”.
“No big deal”.
Leshek ripped off the sleeve of his shirt. While Abadd twitched as though his own clothes had been torn. Leshak rolled the sleeve up and covered the blind man’s wound.
“The more blood you shed, the more dangerous it is. You have to apply medicine. Is there a herbalist nearby?”
“What…I don’t know. This, is done now……..
Abadd intervened, thinking this was too out of the ordinary
“Majesty, a prostitutes time is precious. If you keep him too long, the pimp will come looking.”
The blind man raised his head, surprised at the words he heard. He looked like a bird that had heard the sound of a bow. His shoulders were small and his skin was too pale. The parched lips were pitiful like unripe fruit. The continuous stream of blood drew his attention. It would be far more difficult, not to feel sympathy for the poor man. Leshak got up. He touched the blind man on his shoulder. The blind man could not see the serious expression he had on his face.
“Do you want to leave here?”
“……… yes?”
“I’ll give you another life if you want. Don’t worry about your pimp. You will live as a citizen of the Ibeden Empire.”
“Ah……!” The blind man other than in comprehensible sound.
Leshak watched as he clenched his hands. Even asking if he wanted to leave was in vain. It was a question that did not need to be asked in the first place. Having reached the conclusion, the Leshak grab the blind man’s arm.
“Guide me to your pimp”.
“Pardon………? …….Pardon?
The blind man opened his mouth with a surprised expression. Abad clicked his tongue silently behind Leshek’s back. Picking up a prostitute who got lost in the war wasn’t like Leshak, but he was worried about whether he should bring it up. There were plenty of poor people, and it was impossible to help them individually. However, the blind man shook off Leshek’s hand first. Leshak frowned as he looked at his empty hand.
“Why”?
A strange tension arose between Leshak and the blind man. The blind man spoke only after he took a deep breath.
“It’s okay, it’s okay…….. Allright…. My Lord”.
“What do you mean by okay”?
“I……….. go, family……..I, I can’t………. There is family”.
The blind man bent over and groveled on the ground as he abruptly bowed. Unfortunately, his face pointed in the wrong direction, and instead of Leshak, he pointed it Abad. So it made the situation even more pitiful, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to tolerate himself if he left the man like this.
“Ha, but thank you for the words……I will… never forget this”. The blind man leaned back.
Leshak exhaled Sharply.
“Don’t go. I don’t understand”.
“It doesn’t matter anymore………..huh…..”.
“Is already too late. I saw you.”
“”Oh, no……I…. it’s not possible”.
The blind man, raised up fully and disappeared behind the corner where he first appeared.
“Well?” Abad open his eyes.
“What is that? He’s so fast.”
“Dammit!”
Leshak turn the corner with a swear word. But the blind man had disappeared in the meantime. There were was only a handful of red shadows, and then…nothing, just the wet empty street.
” I think he was a bad dream your majesty. What kind of person………”
Abad muttered in a tone of disbelief. Leshak grinded his teeth slightly. Abad, who quickly noticed the masters feelings, spoke to him in a consoling tone.
“What we’re looking for Count Custer, shall we also look for the blind man? But if it’s like that, it doesn’t seem like there’s any use looking for him.”
“….. yes”.
Leshak punched the stonewall. Abad could see that his hand was sore. However, Leshak did not consider his hand as painful as his incompetence, or this incomprehensible situation.
“Let’s go. We need to find Count Custer before he harass him.”
“You are right”. The pace, which had been delayed for a few moments, continue to quickly.
It was exactly three hours later that Prince Leshak and his party found Count Custer. Unfortunately, the count was already a hardened corpse. The strange corpse had no signs left on his body except for the two eyes that had been turned into dark red pits.
“Hah hah……”
Radan pressed on his heart that was about to beat out of his chest. He stopped running and held his breath for a while, and then his breathing gradually improved.
“After……”.
Raden crouched under the red wall. The skin that was torn by the whip just a little while ago was now sore.
“You have to run away……… to do……”
His legs which had slumped down, refuse to listen anymore.
“Now when the body is found………. try to find……..I should…. ……”
Raden raised his trembling hand and forced it to touch the ground as his body trembled. Then, he remembered the big, warm hand that was holding his body when he had slumped down.
“Leshak…… he is the prince.
As far as he knew there was only one person in the Empire who is called his majesty. The touch he had left on the skin of Raden’s feet, lingered.
“Oh, no.”
Raden grabbed his head in clasped it, cradling himself like a child. The voice of the person who sent Raden to that place lingered in his head. It seemed to speak to him…’It’s Prince Leshak! No matter how many others you kill, the war will not be over. You must kill Leshak! If you get a opportunity, do it!’
Raden’s face was distorted. He wanted to throw away everything that it happened today cleanly beyond oblivion. In his mind the candy-like words of Prince Leshak lingered, saying that he would give him another life if he wanted it….But it was impossible! The next meeting between Raden and Prince leshek had already been scheduled.
The whole street was painted red.
Red lanterns lit red painted walls.
As he walked along the narrow red shadows, he came across several red doors.
When you open the door, a red pleasure spreads out.
This is the abandoned city that’s on the western border, of the Ibeden Empire.
The city was quickly abandoned by the Lords and became a lawless zone, and the brothels were established even faster than that.
Knock knock
“Sir, the goods have arrived”
“Oh, this way”
“Yes.”
Even in the brothels were all kinds of prostitution exist, there must be a special place. That was the door that was now open. The red lacquer was the same as the other doors, except there was a small mark under the handle. It was three black stars.
One star meant male prostitutes where offered. Two black stars I meant you could use tools. Three black stars meant anything was possible.
From the moment you enter this room, the prostitute belongs fully to the guest. The mind, body, and life. All!
“Go in.”
The pimp pushed the prostitute’s back. The Prostitute was naked except for a red cloth over his head, and chains on his wrist. It was a device for the safety of the guess and the entertainment area. The three-star guest quickly glanced up and down the prostitute who face was covered.
He looked young and had a skinny body with bones protruding. His skin was on the white side, and he looked pale at first glance. There were large and small scars all over him. Some were freshly-made, and others we’re old.
Most of the wounds looked as though they’d been made by leather whips. The customer seem to like this. His thick tongue came out and licked his lips.
“Wonderful. I like this one, he will do.”
The pimp nodded and stepped back. The widely opened door was closed.
There was only one small painted door, but it totally disconnected this space from the rest of world.
With that door closed, the room became a completely different world. It was a world where screams, cries, and even prayers are useless.
“Come closer.”
The guest that was sitting on a bed lined with red silk, waved his hand. The prostitute heard the sound and and shuffled his feet, it was the footsteps of a blind person.
“Show me your face.”
The prostitute took off the red cloth covering his head. The prostitute’s eyes were covered with a thick black cloth. The customer brought a glass of wine to his mouth and grin.
“You’re being meticulous. I wish it were uncovered.”
The customer liked the smooth face. The small white face didn’t look like a boy, it was strangely androgynous. He liked it even more when he realized that, and because of his small delicate features.
The customer drank a mouthful of wine, and loosened his robe. He was already naked beneath it. There was a leather strap wrapped around his ankle, and the key was threaded through the strap.
It was the key that unlocked the shackles that were on the prostitutes wrist. Of course the customer had no intention of quietly giving out the key.
“Come on. Crawl.”
The Prostitute crawled on all fours. It was an obedient attitude with no signs of resistance. The customer’s eyes lit up with excitement. The Prostitute came up to the customersfeet, and knelt down.
The customer put his feet on the prostitutes thighs.
“Lick it. If I like it, I will give you the key.”
“………”
The Prostitute bowed his head, and the shackled hand lifted the guests foot, uncomfortably. His full lips aproached and put two toes in his small mouth.
“Hmmm”
What he did wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t anything special. The customer was angry.
“Work harder.”
Instead of answering, the wet sound grew louder. The lips that bit the toes ran up the instep. His wet tongue procrastinated then crawled over the feet.
“Hmm……, okay, now I’m feeling it a bit…, yes like that.”
His tongue tickled the ankle bone, as the customer shrugged and chuckled. And the next moment, nothing. The feeling of his tongue on the feet was gone.
The customer found that the prostitute had taken the key and opened his shackles. The customer was very displeased.
“Impudence… who said it was okay to open the shackles?”
The guest picked up the leather whip on the table, next to the bed. The cheeky prostitute had to be punished. He would drain some of his blood, and get rid of his cocky attitude.
“Take the rod!”
There was a wet smacking sound, customer swung the whip. The leather whip, that was wet with wine, wrapped around prostitutes naked body.
“………”
The prostitutes lips twisted slightly. However, he swallowed a moan, raised his hands and patted his face.
“What are you doing! Come down and beg.”
There was another smacking sound, and a small thump. The moment the whip hit his body, The prostitute lost his balance and fell.
But instead of standing up or trying to avoid the flying whip, the prostitute untied his blindfold.
“Come on, beg!”
It was another sound as the whip flew through the air and slapped the prostitute on the head. The satellite of his ear was torn and blood was gushing out. The prostitute raised his hand and grabbed the tip of the whip.
“What are you doing? How dare……! Let go now!”
The customer pulled back on the handle of the whip in a burst of anger. The Prostitute held onto the whip tightly, and walk toward the customer.
“What… …what are you doing!?”
The customer let go of the immobilized whip. Instead, he grabbed a blade that was laying next to him. It was a wide thick single-edged blade, that was more like a club or an axe than a sword.
“Damn it!”
The blade was a battlefield weapon. The continent was in the midst of war, and this area had been a battlefield for several years.
Count Custer was a general in Yveden Empire. He had stopped off at a nearby brothel to have some fun before he joined Prince Leshek’s Army, that was camped on the Western border.
The sword sharpened on the battlefield was fierce. The weapon created a threatening wind, that threatened to cut the prostitutes neck at any moment.
But then………the the prostitute opened his eyes.
“……….!”
His eyes were as blue as ice crystal’s. Cold and clear, only not just clear, they were transparent.
Count Custer fell dead to the floor with a thud. Count Custer’s eyes, who had just met the prostitute’s eyes, turned into a hideous pit, as though someone had dug them out.
“………”
The Prostitute quietly spit in front of the body. He didn’t mean to insult the body. It was only to clear away the taste the other person still remaining in his mouth.
The emotions hidden under his blank expression were mixed into his saliva and bile. The Prostitute, who spit so much that his lips were sore, and groaned in vain.
“Ugh, r..igh..t, ugh…….!
But time was short. The prostitutes scrubbed his lips and remove the cloak from Count Custer’s body. It was an absurdly large robe for his skinny body, but there was nothing else to cover his nakedness.
The prostitutes untied the string of the cloak and closed the black cloth over his eyes again. He fumbled against the wall and walked toward the door. The door marked with three black stars open with a creaking groan. The prostitute headed out into darkness, and disappeared onto the red street.
The red door concealed the corpse of Count Custer. It happened on the western border of the Ibeden Empire, already at war with five neighboring countries for the past seven years, in the brothels of Merv, also known as the floating city
“Look it’s empty. You would think I was looking for an ant cub!” It was the words of Prince Leshak.
“Yes, my Lord.”
Half of the twelve Guardian Knights, who were said to be like ‘one body’ with the Crown Prince, disappeared through the maze of alleys with the soldiers. The expression of the prince watching them from behind was ferocious. Cool anger was shown on of his perfect facial features. He is often criticized for looking too stern.
It was an evening of searching for the tardy Count Custer, who was trespassing in the red light district, against the Crown Prince’s orders.
The enraged Crown Prince personally led the Guardian Knights, and set out to find the Count. That was the reason for him standing on this red street. It is prohibited to the entire Army, including himself, from visiting the brothels.
“Hmmm, I’m sure you’re not going to cut off Count Custer’s head right here are you?” Asked Chief Knight Abadd.
“…..Of course not. I’ll punish him according to Military Law.
“Ah, yes. Well…That’s fortunate, at least you’re not that strict.”
Strict was a reference to the appearance of the Crown Prince. He was well known for his perfect facial features that seem to have been created by God personally. As though the creator was holding a ruler to heaven and calculating the golden ratio one-by-one and applying it to the Prince. It is said that’s why God must be strict.
Even the rather unusual combination of straight silver hair and black eyes was a perfect match on Leshek’s face. From the size of the head to the width of the shoulders, to the degree of roundness of the nails, and the length of the leg muscles, there was no place that the modifier of ‘Ideal’ was not suitable for the Crown Prince. But unfortunately, his personality was more stringent than his ideal appearance. Abadd laughed softly
It was a kind of concern. It has never been, and never will be said, that Crown Prince Leshak put his sage before fairness. That was the biggest reason that this huge Empire could run without any problems, even though it had been at war for seven years.
“Anyway, Custer is probably somewhere in the ally having fun. Even if we didn’t come here right now, we would have had to come back after finishing our duties anyway.”
It had only been a few days since Colonel Custer had joined up with the rest of the army. Abadd thought the that Count probably didn’t consider this excursion as anything more than a light night out.
If the Crown Prince hadn’t personally appeared leading the Guardian Knights, the Count’s excursion probably wouldn’t even have caused too much excitement.
That is to say, it wouldn’t nave been a good thing, but also nothing much would have come of it either. Putting aside military’s moral reputation, having the Count join would have been a benefit to the military might.
However, the wrath of the Crown Prince was a little different from Abadd’s would have estimated.
“So I want to find him before then.”
“………”
“Because I feel sorry for the prostitute who has to deal with that bloated body”
“Do you mean that?”
Abadd smiled mischievously and drew his arm to his chest.
“Oh my god. How can you have such a harsh human being as a superior? Please have mercy on Count Custer.”
“The mercy was enough.”
Prince Leshak twisted his lips.
“Sexuality isn’t the problem, I gave him permission to bring his lover to live in the barracks.”
“Wait, you mean a mistress? It’s definitely an unconventional treatment for Prince Leshak. So then, why is he trespassing?
“That’s the problem! But the thing that bothers me the most is coming to a place like this.” Leshak pointed to the red street that stretched out like a maze in the harsh red light. “Seven years ago, it was a commercial district that traded wheat and textiles. But now it’s like this.”
It was another face of war. Those who had lost their families and been plundered were dragged into this ditch, doing what was needed to survive. The men who made this sistren turned the Prince’s stomach, as he looked at the despair they created. Leshek was angry at the street it’s self.
After reading the princes displeasure, Abadd changed his expression and made a serious offer.
“If you will allow me, I will come back later alone and I will clear this entire street so that it will no longer be seen by Your Majesty.”
“Even if you do it will just move to another place.”
In order to get rid of the trash, the war had to end.
“There’s no more tolerance for Count Custer. I will enforce military discipline wherever I find it.”
“As intended.”
Abadd lowered his head in a modest motion. It may seem like he was too strict with the incompetence and intemperance of others. But in fact, Leshak was stricter on himself than anyone. So Abadd thought he was the luckiest Knight on the continent. Prince Leshak was a lord who was righteous and fair.
“It looks like it will take more time than I thought. “Said the Crown Prince, as he was chasing his after subordinates.
“Yes. It seems to be more complex terrain than it looks. Shall we move?”
“That’s what I was about to say.”
“Then I will take the lead. Come this way.” The Leshak and Abadd began to move.
It was easier than on a battlefield. The sound of footsteps disappeared as he held the weapon on his waist. The two knights of the empire seeped into the red shadow of the brothels. It was when they turn the corner of few steps, that suddenly nearly bumped into someone who had been in a blind spot, of the stonewall that had been patrolling.
“… …”
“Are you okay?”
Leshak quickly grabbed him.
“Ah…….”
The person who almost bumped into Leshak was a thin man. Leshak, who thought at first it was a woman because the wrist he held in one hand was so thin, frowned after checking the person. He had a black cloth wrapped around his eyes. It meant he was blind.
“So, the sound……… I can’t hear my feet……… Sir……”
His voice was small and his pronunciation was slurred.
“Oh, I guess ….didn’t know…someone is there………..”
His shoulders trembled as if he were bewildered. Leshek’s gazed at the blind man who was barely wearing a loose cloak, as his gaze gradually sunk to the to the ground. Blood was seeping down from under the robe. The long, thin, strangely curved lacerations evoked unpleasant images. Surprisingly, there was only one thing that could create such a wounds. It was a whip.
“Why is a blind man walking alone without a cane? Can no one guide you?” Asked Leshak
“I’m used to it.”
Blind, in the red district, perhaps naked underneath the robe, the identity of the young man was obvious, he a prostitute! He’s also male. It meant that he was at the bottom of the filthy and terrible cesspool.
Leshek, who was looking at the blind man with a rapidly changing expression, suddenly lowered himself and rolled up the man’s robe.
“Stay still. I don’t mean to do anything bad.”
“Oh, no……..”!
The blind man shrugged. Leshak held the blind man with one hand and examined the wound with the other. The roughly torn skin was painful to look at.
“Do you have medicine?”
Abadd shook his head. “No my Lord, sorry”.
“No big deal”.
Leshek ripped off the sleeve of his shirt. While Abadd twitched as though his own clothes had been torn. Leshak rolled the sleeve up and covered the blind man’s wound.
“The more blood you shed, the more dangerous it is. You have to apply medicine. Is there a herbalist nearby?”
“What…I don’t know. This, is done now……..
Abadd intervened, thinking this was too out of the ordinary
“Majesty, a prostitutes time is precious. If you keep him too long, the pimp will come looking.”
The blind man raised his head, surprised at the words he heard. He looked like a bird that had heard the sound of a bow. His shoulders were small and his skin was too pale. The parched lips were pitiful like unripe fruit. The continuous stream of blood drew his attention. It would be far more difficult, not to feel sympathy for the poor man. Leshak got up. He touched the blind man on his shoulder. The blind man could not see the serious expression he had on his face.
“Do you want to leave here?”
“……… yes?”
“I’ll give you another life if you want. Don’t worry about your pimp. You will live as a citizen of the Ibeden Empire.”
“Ah……!” The blind man other than in comprehensible sound.
Leshak watched as he clenched his hands. Even asking if he wanted to leave was in vain. It was a question that did not need to be asked in the first place. Having reached the conclusion, the Leshak grab the blind man’s arm.
“Guide me to your pimp”.
“Pardon………? …….Pardon?
The blind man opened his mouth with a surprised expression. Abad clicked his tongue silently behind Leshek’s back. Picking up a prostitute who got lost in the war wasn’t like Leshak, but he was worried about whether he should bring it up. There were plenty of poor people, and it was impossible to help them individually. However, the blind man shook off Leshek’s hand first. Leshak frowned as he looked at his empty hand.
“Why”?
A strange tension arose between Leshak and the blind man. The blind man spoke only after he took a deep breath.
“It’s okay, it’s okay…….. Allright…. My Lord”.
“What do you mean by okay”?
“I……….. go, family……..I, I can’t………. There is family”.
The blind man bent over and groveled on the ground as he abruptly bowed. Unfortunately, his face pointed in the wrong direction, and instead of Leshak, he pointed it Abad. So it made the situation even more pitiful, he felt like he wouldn’t be able to tolerate himself if he left the man like this.
“Ha, but thank you for the words……I will… never forget this”. The blind man leaned back.
Leshak exhaled Sharply.
“Don’t go. I don’t understand”.
“It doesn’t matter anymore………..huh…..”.
“Is already too late. I saw you.”
“”Oh, no……I…. it’s not possible”.
The blind man, raised up fully and disappeared behind the corner where he first appeared.
“Well?” Abad open his eyes.
“What is that? He’s so fast.”
“Dammit!”
Leshak turn the corner with a swear word. But the blind man had disappeared in the meantime. There were was only a handful of red shadows, and then…nothing, just the wet empty street.
” I think he was a bad dream your majesty. What kind of person………”
Abad muttered in a tone of disbelief. Leshak grinded his teeth slightly. Abad, who quickly noticed the masters feelings, spoke to him in a consoling tone.
“What we’re looking for Count Custer, shall we also look for the blind man? But if it’s like that, it doesn’t seem like there’s any use looking for him.”
“….. yes”.
Leshak punched the stonewall. Abad could see that his hand was sore. However, Leshak did not consider his hand as painful as his incompetence, or this incomprehensible situation.
“Let’s go. We need to find Count Custer before he harass him.”
“You are right”. The pace, which had been delayed for a few moments, continue to quickly.
It was exactly three hours later that Prince Leshak and his party found Count Custer. Unfortunately, the count was already a hardened corpse. The strange corpse had no signs left on his body except for the two eyes that had been turned into dark red pits.
“Hah hah……”
Radan pressed on his heart that was about to beat out of his chest. He stopped running and held his breath for a while, and then his breathing gradually improved.
“After……”.
Raden crouched under the red wall. The skin that was torn by the whip just a little while ago was now sore.
“You have to run away……… to do……”
His legs which had slumped down, refuse to listen anymore.
“Now when the body is found………. try to find……..I should…. ……”
Raden raised his trembling hand and forced it to touch the ground as his body trembled. Then, he remembered the big, warm hand that was holding his body when he had slumped down.
“Leshak…… he is the prince.
As far as he knew there was only one person in the Empire who is called his majesty. The touch he had left on the skin of Raden’s feet, lingered.
“Oh, no.”
Raden grabbed his head in clasped it, cradling himself like a child. The voice of the person who sent Raden to that place lingered in his head. It seemed to speak to him…’It’s Prince Leshak! No matter how many others you kill, the war will not be over. You must kill Leshak! If you get a opportunity, do it!’
Raden’s face was distorted. He wanted to throw away everything that it happened today cleanly beyond oblivion. In his mind the candy-like words of Prince Leshak lingered, saying that he would give him another life if he wanted it….But it was impossible! The next meeting between Raden and Prince leshek had already been scheduled.
