Beric's eyes were still wide in shock. Did he just get his ear dragged? He looked at Yeon Jin, but couldn't get angry. His ear throbbed a bit. It was a new kind of pain. It didn't hurt and wasn't that painful but it was weird. He had never experienced this before.
He looked at Yeon Jin. This guy...
"Would you rather be a servant then?" Beric asked him and Yeon Jin turned to look at him. "That's the only option you have left, if you refuse to be my guard."
Yeon Jin gave it a thought. If he became his servant, would he be able to move freely?
"Plus, no one will dare mess with you once they find out that you are my guard." Beric added but that could not sway Yeon Jin's mind.
"Why don't I just go back to the holy empire and look around?" he asked and Beric's gaze turned heavy into a glare. Yeah, that wouldn't work. "Okay." He finally agreed. "But you can't just boss me around because I've become your guard. My job is to deceive the holy empire into thinking I am keeping a very close eye on you and intercept any messages coming from them, right? I'm not doing anything else."
Beric observed him. He really looked like he wasn't interested and was acting nonchalant, especially after finding out he couldn't die.
'He was the one who was bargaining for this at the beginning but now he's acting like he's being forced into it. He's a piece of work.'
"Alright. I'll be your guard." Yeon Jin said and stretched out his hand for a handshake.
"What's that? Do you want to arm wrestle?" Beric asked and Yeon Jin looked at his hand, shaking his head to that word.
"No, this isn't for an arm wrestle contest. It's setting our deal in stone."
"How does that work? Sorcery?"
"You're the sorcerer here." Yeon Jin said and sighed. "Just give me your hand. We'll shake hands and agree to each other's terms."
Beric brought out his left hand and Yeon Jin shook his head.
"Not that one. The other one." Beric took out his other hand and his mind immediately went to the courtesy men usually carried out with ladies. So as soon as Yeon Jin shook his hand, he drew his knuckles to his lips and kissed it.
Stunned, Yeon Jin immediately took back his hand.
"What was that for?" He looked flustered.
"Wasn't that what you wanted? If you wanted that as a condition to be my guard, you should've said that sooner." Beric said so nonchalantly but Yeon Jin was disturbed by it.
He looked from his left to right to make sure no one was looking but unfortunately there were maids who had already spotted them.
"Don't you have a problem with kissing a man's hand?" He asked Beric. 'Is he gay as well? It won't be a surprise since he's like Daniel but Daniel wasn't gay when I met him.'
"I don't mind." Beric said with a straight face. "After all, you're the first and going to be the last person I do that to."
"The first and last? How come?" Beric's gaze turned dangerous as he glared at the maids at the end of the hall. They immediately retreated and fled from his sight.
"No one dares to approach me like you do."
Yeon Jin understood his point but for him to suddenly kiss his hand... He decided to refrain from bringing up any custom that would seem weird to the people of this world.
"You know what? I just thought of the perfect position that fits me." He mentioned and Beric stayed silent to hear his words. "I could be your doctor. You said I have something like holy powers so I can just work my magic and heal you whenever you get injured."
"I can heal just fine without an aide." Beric said, dashing his hopes. "Besides, I'd like to see how you wield a sword."
Beric took Yeon Jin into the training ground and as soon as the knights saw him approaching, they all got in line and stood at attention.
"We greet the prince regent and our captain." They chorused before bowing their heads and resuming their erect positions.
Yeon Jin was surprised at how synched they were. Even when he went to serve in the army for one year, they were never this coordinated.
Beric gave a slight nod as he walked past them and at the end, he started scanning all the knights. He needed to find the weakest and though they were all strong compared to normal humans, he was sure he could pick out one out of them suitable enough for the task.
"You." Beric pointed at a guy at the back. Compared to the others, his physique, and aura was a level behind.
"What are you doing?" Yeon Jin asked in whispers.
"Knights have keen hearing senses." Beric said to him, reminding him not to try to say anything funny even if it were in whispers because they would certainly hear him.
"Got it." He moved away.
The knight walked out, trying to keep calm and confident but in front of Beric, he felt like a mouse facing a vicious predator and he couldn't raise his head.
"I greet the prince regent of our mighty empire and our captain." He greeted, bending his body over in a 90° bow.
He kept his head down while Beric observed him carefully. Yeon Jin looked at him and then looked back at Beric, wondering what he had in mind.
"What is your name?" Beric asked and immediately, he answered.
"Cyrus, your highness."
"Cyrus. How long have you been in this knight order?" Beric asked.
"Four years, your highness." Cyrus answered.
"Cyrus." Beric called again and Cyrus felt shivers run down his spine. "Raise your head."
Cyrus gulped and slowly lifted his head but he could not look Beric in the eye. He couldn't even look at his face.
"As a knight, you ought to stand with confidence, even when standing in front of a mighty foe. You die with pride, Cyrus." As he said this, his eyes glowed purple with a glint of red.
"Yes, your highness."
"Now, Cyrus, I want you to spar with this man standing next to me."
Cyrus looked over at Yeon Jin who had a blindfold on and appeared to be blind and Yeon Jin looked at Beric wondering what he was planning.
"Pardon me, your highness. You want me to fight with him?"
"Don't be deceived by the blindfold. He can see perfectly fine." Beric said. "Note that he has never wielded a sword, nor does he possess any amount of aura, so in this fight, give it your all."