Return of the Calamity-Class Death Knight - Chapter 219

———–

Chapter 219: Famous (2)

***

A few days later, an invitation from the emperor arrived at the mansion.

“Hey, brother! It’s here! It’s here!”

“Da, Damien! Clothes! You have the clothes I prepared ready, right?”

“Wow, this is a letter from the palace? It’s nothing special.”

The people around Damien were more excited than Damien himself. It was only natural, as it was an invitation from the emperor.

‘Finally, I can get Hemaera.’

Hemaera.

The armor that Damien used during his time as a Death Knight.

As far as Damien knew, there was no armor on the continent that was superior to Hemaera.

Even if you listed all the weapons and armor ever made, it would be so great that it would fit in the palm of your hand.

However, no one knew about Hemaera’s existence right now. This is because it was sealed as soon as it was created.

Even in a sealed state, Hemaera was strong enough to repel the aura and as light as a feather.

It was a far superior item compared to the armor made by others. It was so great that it was kept in the imperial treasury.

‘I wonder how Dorugo got Hemaera… I heard that Pandemonium got it after killing a knight.’

The empire gave the sealed Hemaera to a knight. Then, the knight was killed by Pandemonium while carrying out a mission.

Pandemonium investigated the fact that the armor the knight was wearing was unusual and eventually broke the seal.

After that, Hemaera was presented to Dorugo and worn by Damien.

‘Actually, I’d rather have a piece of Erebos.’

The empire had not only Hemaera but also a piece of Erebos.

However, Damien could not get it just because he wanted it.

This is because it was hidden inside the sword that the emperor had inherited from generation to generation.

‘I wonder how Dorugo got it in my previous life… Ah, I got it from the First Prince.’

I heard that when the First Prince went to the battlefield instead of the emperor, he received the sword as a symbol of authority.

The problem was that the First Prince made a series of mistakes and was eventually captured by Dorugo.

As a result, the piece of Erebos hidden inside the sword also fell into Dorugo’s hands.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

Damien prepared to go out and headed for the palace.

‘I’ll be back here again.’

Damien thought as he stood in front of the gate and looked up at the palace.

At the end of the War of Destruction.

After the death of the Imperial Supreme Sword, Damien and Dorugo marched into the capital.

And after slaughtering all the citizens of the capital, he captured the emperor.

It was on that day that Damien regained control of his body and took revenge on Dorugo.

“This is Damien Haksen. I have been invited by His Majesty.”

Damien said to the knights guarding the gate. The knights opened the gate without a word.

‘It’s still amazing to come back.’

Damien couldn’t help but gasp when he came in.

The imperial palace was protected by countless magic circles, as befitting the heart of the empire.

There were so many different kinds that even Damien had a hard time keeping track of them all.

‘Even Dorugo, who had attacked the capital, couldn’t break through the magic circles surrounding the palace.’

In the end, Dorugo had no choice but to use Damien to break through the palace’s magic circles.

“Welcome, Sir Damien.”

A middle-aged man greeted Damien as he went a little further inside.

“I am Chamberlain Balzak Jansen. I will guide you inside.”

Damien followed the chamberlain’s instructions and walked deeper into the palace.

“His Majesty is awaiting you inside.”

Damien walked down the corridor with the chamberlain. And he passed through a large door and arrived at the audience chamber.

The imperial audience chamber was so large that the word ‘magnificent’ was an understatement.

The ceilings were high and the space was wide. It was so vast that the word ‘sprawling’ came to mind.

The walls were decorated with tapestries of gold. The floor was paved with expensive amber.

A red carpet stretched from the entrance to the opposite side, and at the end of it sat the emperor on his throne.

The audience chamber was not empty. There were many nobles present.

“Summon Damien Haksen to the front.”

The emperor spoke. It was a low voice, but it echoed through the entire audience chamber. It seemed that the magical artifact was at work.

Damien walked along the long carpet on the floor and approached the emperor.

As he walked, he looked at the faces of the nobles in the audience chamber one by one.

Among them was the First Prince, Kael Adelard. Kael was staring at Damien with hostile graze.

‘I was told to stop where the knights are standing, right?’

Damien stopped where the knights were standing, following the etiquette Rachel had taught him. It was a place about 8 meters from where the emperor was.

Damien knelt on one knee and waited for the next word.

“…….”

But the emperor’s voice was not heard.

“……come closer.”

And then, suddenly, he gave an order.

Damien stood up hesitantly and walked forward. He stopped about 7 meters away.

“……closer.”

The emperor made the same demand. Damien had no choice but to get closer.

He stopped 5 meters away.

“……no, no. Come all the way to the front.”

A man who appeared to be a guard knight spoke to the emperor.

“Your Majesty, I do not doubt Sir Damien, but….”

“Damien Haksen, come to the front.”

Damien stood before the emperor. He was puzzled but obedient.

The emperor was a man of considerable stature. He probably would have been a great knight if he had trained with a sword.

Damien was observing the emperor when he suddenly rose from his throne. And he approached Damien.

“Your, Your Majesty!”

The guard knight exclaimed in surprise. But the emperor did not stop his movement. And he stopped at a distance where his breath could be heard.

‘What the heck, why is he doing this?’

Damien looked at the emperor with a bewildered expression.

The emperor slowly reached out his hand towards Damien. His fingertips were trembling, as if he was overcome with emotion.

Thump.

The emperor took Damien’s hand in his. Suddenly, tears streamed down his cheeks without warning.

“Your Majesty!”

“This insolent fellow! What has he done to Your Majesty?!”

The nobles shouted in alarm. Damien felt completely wronged. What had I done?

“Everyone… be quiet…”

As soon as the emperor uttered a word, the audience chamber fell silent again.

“No… nothing’s wrong… Sir Damien… has done nothing wrong…”

Even as he spoke, the emperor continued to weep.

“I too… I don’t know why tears are flowing… I don’t know… why… when I look at you… tears flow like this…”

In the next instant, everyone in the audience chamber was stunned.

The emperor had knelt before Damien.

“Your, Your Majesty!”

“H-how can he do such a thing…?”

For the emperor of the empire to kneel before another? It was an unthinkable, impossible thing.

But the emperor’s eyes were fixed solely on Damien.

“I… I hereby declare you the winner of the Helian Tournament and bestow upon you the title of ‘Heavenly Sword’.”

Heavenly Sword.

No matter how much of a Helian Tournament winner he was, it was an excessively extravagant title for Damien, who had just become a Master Class.

“Ah, yes…”

But Damien had no time to spare for the title. The emperor was kneeling before him.

“It is a principle to reward those who have been invited by me… tell me what you desire. I will have anything given to you.”

“Your Majesty!”

The guard knight cried out in alarm.

This was because, while Damien’s contributions were great, it was too much to not have any limits.

But the emperor didn’t even respond to the guard knight’s words. He only looked at Damien.

“Mmm… I’d like to receive a suit of armor.”

“Armor? I see. I will have the best one given to you.”

“I’d like to be able to go and choose it myself.”

“I see. I will make arrangements for that.”

The emperor granted Damien’s request without a second thought. Damien’s absurdity could only grow.

“You seem to be asking for something rather trivial. This does not make me feel at ease. Tell me if you need anything else.”

“Mmm, then…”

At this moment, Damien was conflicted.

He would like Hemaera, but he would rather have a piece of Erebos.

The problem was that the piece of Erebos was hidden inside the emperor’s sword.

So he tried not to be hasty and think of another way, but the situation was turning strange. Maybe? Just maybe?

“I would like to receive Your Majesty’s sword.”

Damien said it with a scream. As expected, the audience chamber turned upside down.

“Have you ever seen such a crazy man!”

The reaction of the First Prince, Kael Adelard, was particularly intense. The First Prince stood up abruptly and shouted.

“He’s gone mad! Your Majesty! You must not let this man live! Behead him immediately…”

“First Prince, be quiet.”

“I cannot! The sword is a symbol of the emperor’s authority! That man is mocking Your Majesty right now!”

The emperor looked back at the First Prince. His eyes were blazing with anger.

“It seems you don’t listen to my words! Do I have to cut off your tongue for you to come to your senses?!”

First Prince was startled by the emperor’s roar and shut his mouth.

“The sword… I don’t know why you would want such a thing…”

The emperor stood up. He drew the sword from his waist and held it out to Damien.

“It’s nothing special. Take it.”

At that moment, the audience chamber turned upside down once again.

***

After that, Damien went to the treasury and chose an armor before returning to the mansion.

“Brother!”

“Damien!”

As soon as he entered, Michael and Rachel rushed in, looking urgent. The two of them asked with anxious faces.

“Is it true that His Majesty kneeled to you?”

“Is it a lie?”

Damien replied, scratching his cheek, to their questions.

“It’s true.”

Damien’s answer left the two of them frozen in place.

“Brother, I’m sorry to ask, but… is it true that you’re the Emperor’s illegitimate child?”

“What the fuck?”

Damien furrowed his brow at the mention of the rumor. What was this nonsense about him being the Emperor’s child when his parents were alive and well?

“What kind of ridiculous rumor is that?”

“No… right now, there’s a rumor going around that you’re the Emperor’s illegitimate child, and that’s why the Emperor was so moved to tears.”

Damien looked at Michael with a disbelieving face.

“Don’t believe such an absurd rumor.”

“Then why did the Emperor… kneel to you?”

Damien felt his words getting stuck. He himself had no idea what was going on.

“Perhaps it’s just a misunderstanding.”

Damien chose his words carefully.

“There’s someone you need to meet, Damien. I left them waiting because you have to meet him yourself.”

Damien headed to the reception room with Rachel.

“Oh… Damien Hasson! The Knight of the Heavenly Sword!”

A drunk Sword Saint was waiting for Damien.

“What’s going on?”

The Sword Saint downed a drink before answering Damien’s question.

“I saw you looking interested in joining Extermination Squad last time.”

The Sword Saint’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.

“I’m going to go kill giant evil. Want to come with me?”

***

————