Haymand’s Blood - Chapter 2

‘What is this?!’

Hayad quickly grabbed his sword, which he had placed beside the bed, and searched for the source of the killing intent. To his disbelief, it was coming from inside the very walls of the room.

“…!”

Moments later, his eyes widened in shock. The solid stone wall was crumbling as if it had been sliced through like soft tofu.

His gaze, still reeling from the sight, locked onto the figure emerging from the broken wall. To his utter astonishment, it was a young girl. She was wielding a massive greatsword, as long and large as her own body.

Hayad’s eyes swiftly scanned her. She appeared to be about seventeen, breathtakingly beautiful, but the overwhelming aura radiating from her body was enough to put all of his senses on high alert. It was a power so immense that even his master, the emperor, and his closest companions—renowned for their strength—couldn’t compare.

‘Who on earth is this girl…?’

Just as he was frozen in disbelief, the girl’s voice, calm and lethargic, reached his ears.

“You reek of Haymand’s blood… Where is the blood of Haymand?”

Her lazy-sounding question caused Hayad to freeze once again. There was only one person in the imperial palace with the blood of Haymand—his master, his close friend, and the emperor of the empire, Kairas Luam Tedor Haymand.

Instinctively, he drew his sword. Though he could sense that he wasn’t a match for her, there was no choice. This girl was far too dangerous to let anywhere near his emperor.

As Hayad set his jaw and raised his sword, the girl’s face showed an expression of mild annoyance. Clearly, she didn’t intend to let him speak easily.

“Ah… what a troublesome child you are. It would be easier to just cut you down…”

She mumbled softly as she watched Hayad charge at her. Slowly, she raised her greatsword, and a sharp metallic clang echoed through the room as her blade effortlessly stopped the tip of his sword.

‘Damn it…’

Hayad gritted his teeth as she easily blocked his attack, but then froze again at her next words.

“The stench of Haymand’s blood clings to you, which means you must be close to him… I suppose I won’t kill you, then.”

Her crimson eyes, which met his, were darkened by a burning thirst.

‘There’s still a long way to go, but the start isn’t bad.’

***

Kairas lounged back in his throne, holding a wine goblet, watching the generals and ministers laughing and celebrating in the banquet hall below. He chuckled quietly at their elation over the recent victory and brought the wine to his lips.

Though the war had lasted longer than expected, the empire had triumphed, and the Khazar Kingdom had been returned to its status as a vassal state. The new king of Khazar had also sworn loyalty to him. The wine Kairas was drinking was a gift from the Khazar king, along with the princess, Luina.

Though wine wasn’t to his taste, it was fitting for the occasion, given that it was tribute from a vassal kingdom. As the wine flowed into his mouth, he was surprised by its quality—aromatic, with a dry finish that lingered pleasantly. Yet, despite the drink, he found his mind growing sharper, not clouded.

As he swirled the goblet, contemplating his next conquest, a voice from beside him caught his attention.

“By now, Hayad must be enjoying himself. That man has always had a taste for such things.”

It was Lloyd, the captain of the imperial guard, speaking casually. His tone, while somewhat insolent for addressing an emperor, didn’t bother Kairas, who was used to it.

Hayad Crowell, the White General; Lloyd Menster, the captain of the Imperial Guard; Asild Ormand, the Black General; and Lennox Luther, the Grand Magician—these four men were Kairas’s closest companions. To him, they were more than just allies; they were like brothers.

When Kairas had been held hostage in a foreign land, they had all risked their lives to come to his aid. Without their help, Kairas knew it would not have been easy, even for him, to sit on the throne.

Each of them was unique and strong-willed, but they were loyal to him, willing to sacrifice their lives for his sake.

“Of course,” Kairas replied, a hint of amusement in his voice. “I gave him a woman who would suit his tastes.”

Lloyd nodded in agreement to Kairas’ response but furrowed his brow slightly before asking again.

“But is it really fine? Even if she’s from a vassal state, treating a princess of an entire kingdom with such humiliation…”

“There’s no need to worry. It was at the Khazar king’s request,” Kairas replied coolly.

“The Khazar king himself?” Lloyd asked, surprised.

“Indeed. Apparently, that princess treated him quite cruelly and viciously. He confessed that he would have killed her if it weren’t for their blood ties and her royal status. Instead, he sent her to me as a war trophy, asking that she be treated like a common prostitute. According to him, that’s the treatment she deserves.”

Lloyd reflected on the princess Hayad had taken with him. From her appearance alone, it was hard to believe she was capable of such behavior, but he reminded himself that appearances could be deceiving. Casting a glance at the clock on the wall, he mused aloud, “Hayad should be back soon. He never spends more than an hour on one woman.”

“When he returns, I’ll send someone else,” Kairas remarked. Then, with a teasing tone, he added, “Lloyd, if you’d like a turn with the princess, let me know. I’ll give you the opportunity.”

Lloyd waved his hands in protest, grimacing. “I’ll pass, Your Majesty. You know I prefer someone more innocent, like a timid rabbit, not a fiery tigress like her. But what about you? It seemed like she was hoping you’d take her yourself.”

“I’m not interested. I’m not so starved that I’d entertain just any woman,” Kairas replied dryly.

Lloyd chuckled. “You are surprisingly picky about women, aren’t you, Your Majesty? Still, you should visit the harem now and then. I’ve heard that the concubines are growing anxious since it’s been two years since your last visit.”

“They came here for political reasons, knowing the arrangement. They can deal with it,” Kairas said with a sardonic smile.

Lloyd shook his head, thinking how even his sovereign, though stunning in appearance, was just as cold on the inside.

Suddenly, the hall’s doors burst open with a loud crash. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned toward the entrance.

“What’s going on?” Kairas asked, his tone tense.

Sensing the danger, Lloyd quickly stepped in front of Kairas, his hand instinctively moving to the hilt of his sword. The Imperial Guards, too, swiftly drew their weapons, forming a protective barrier in front of the emperor.

In the midst of the tension, a grating metallic sound, like steel dragging on the floor, could be heard from beyond the doors. The sound stopped just outside the entrance, and something was tossed into the hall like a discarded sack.

“Hayad?!”

Kairas leaped to his feet, eyes wide with shock. The bloodied form of Hayad, one of his closest confidants and most intelligent strategists, now lay sprawled across the floor. Though Hayad wasn’t known for his swordsmanship, he certainly wasn’t someone to be taken down easily.

“Who would dare…?” Kairas’ silver eyes flared with fury at the sight of his friend’s battered body. He signaled Lloyd to check on Hayad, but before Lloyd could move, the grating metallic sound echoed once more, drawing everyone’s gaze back to the doors.

Someone was entering the hall.

“No need to worry too much. He’s not dead,” a soft, emotionless voice announced.

Emerging from the shadows was a young girl.

Her long, silver hair cascaded down to her feet, shimmering with an ethereal glow. Her fiery red eyes gleamed like flames, and though her beauty was mesmerizing, the lazy smile on her lips exuded a dangerous allure.

The onlookers were first struck by her beauty, but soon their attention shifted to her unusual attire. A pale blue fabric draped over her shoulders and down to her knees, enveloping her body. It resembled a nightgown but was clearly made from a material and design far too elegant for such a purpose—like something out of an ancient text.

Kairas’ gaze lingered on the girl for a moment before shifting to the enormous sword she carried in her left hand. The greatsword was almost as long as she was tall, its tip dragging along the floor behind her. Kairas quickly realized that the grating sound they had heard earlier was caused by the sword scraping the ground as she walked.

“Who are you?”

Kairas’s voice, heavy with barely suppressed fury, broke the tense silence of the hall. The girl, who had been surveying the room, snapped her gaze toward the throne at the sound of his voice. A stunningly seductive smile spread across her lips, as if she had just found exactly what she had been looking for.

“Ah… there you are. The blood of Haymand.”

“What?”

Kairas’s body tensed as the girl’s piercing gaze locked onto him with an intensity that made him feel as if she would devour him at any moment. Her red eyes blazed with a ravenous desire, the kind of primal hunger that reminded him of a predator sizing up its prey.

‘How dare she…!’

No one had ever looked at him in such a way, and Kairas felt a wave of irritation rise within him. Noticing the emperor’s darkening expression, Lloyd swiftly motioned to the knights standing behind the throne. Three of them stepped forward with swords drawn, positioning themselves between the girl and Kairas, while two others rushed to check on Hayad, who still lay motionless on the ground.

A signal from the knights confirmed that Hayad’s life was not in danger, bringing a flicker of relief to Kairas and Lloyd. As the knights began moving Hayad out of the hall, Kairas turned his attention back to the mysterious girl, now surrounded by the remaining guards.

Despite having three swords pointed at her, the girl showed no signs of fear or agitation. Instead, she offered a lazy smile, her calm demeanor unsettling. Kairas’s thick eyebrows furrowed as he glared at her.

“How troublesome… just like every other Haymand,” she muttered, still smiling. “Let me make it clear—this is something you brought upon yourselves.”

Her gaze shifted from Kairas to the knights surrounding her. With a slow, deliberate motion, she raised her greatsword. Then, with a light swing, she brought it down toward the knights.

“Move!”

Kairas’s eyes widened as he shouted a warning, his voice urgent. Though the swing of the sword seemed slow, almost leisurely, the energy radiating from it was monstrous.

Slash!

The knights’ bodies were split cleanly in two, and a torrent of blood sprayed into the air, staining the walls and floor of the hall. The room was filled with the sound of horrified gasps and cries as the onlookers took in the gruesome scene. Even Kairas, normally composed, could not hide the flicker of unease in his silver eyes.

The bloodied tip of the girl’s sword fell to the ground with a dull thud. Unfazed, she began to walk toward the throne with slow, measured steps, dragging her crimson-stained sword behind her.

Lloyd and the remaining knights stood frozen, shocked by the brutal display they had just witnessed. Only when she was almost at the base of the throne did they scramble to block her path, their swords raised in haste.

“Stop right there!” Lloyd commanded, his voice trembling slightly.

But the girl paid no attention to him. Her gaze remained fixed solely on Kairas, as if nothing else in the room mattered. Her blood-red eyes met his cold, silver ones, and a look of satisfaction crept onto her face.

And then, in an instant, she disappeared.