episode_0016

The knightly order that protects the family.

The term “knightly order” referred to a group of individuals who had received the title of knight.

Indeed, they were a group of armed individuals.

Therefore, the leader and vice-leader of the knightly order had to be stronger than the members.

“When it comes to the relationship between the lord and the knights, the difference in strength is important for the knights to respect the senior knights.”

This widely spread saying.

In order to earn respect from the junior knights, one needed skills.

That’s why the leaders of the knightly order were usually at the intermediate to advanced level of sword expertise, and in the case of royal knightly orders, there were even those at the level of royal knights.

And the vice-leaders were similarly at the beginner to advanced levels.

“I am Sun, the vice-leader of the knightly order, Melung.”

The first opponent was Sun, the vice-leader of the knightly order, whom I had met when I was with Asia.

“Please take care of me.”

“Yes, I will do my best.”

Sun, the vice-leader of the knightly order, was at the intermediate level of sword expertise.

Just like Asia, he had reached the intermediate level.

“Here I come!!!”

Melung rushed towards me.

As he approached me, he swung his sword.

A systematic swordplay, not random.

“Too honest.”

He fought with honesty, without any tricks.

It was a characteristic of someone with little real combat experience.

“It can’t be helped.”

Sun’s knightly order was created for the future of Asia.

It was overall lower in level compared to the other two knightly orders.

I dodged his sword by a hair’s breadth and took advantage of a momentary opening to strike my sword.

“I have lost.”

Melung, with my sword at his throat, immediately declared his surrender.

Sun, Eunrang, and Eungang, the vice-leaders of the knightly orders, were defeated one by one.

Now, only the leaders remained.

The first leader to appear was Leader Letid.

I understood.

“Among those three, Leader Letid has the lowest level.”

Leader Letid was on the verge of becoming an advanced expert.

However, the other two leaders had already reached a level higher than advanced.

So, the current order was reasonable.

***

Tired Asia sat outside the sparring arena, watching Arthur’s sparring.

Arthur’s first opponent was Melung.

“Melung is strong. He has reached a similar level to me, but without any stamina consumption. So, that man won’t be easily defeated.”

As Asia watched the sparring, he soon realized that he had been mistaken.

Arthur and Melung didn’t exchange a single blow.

It ended with Arthur dodging Melung’s sword and pointing his sword at Melung’s throat.

A clear difference, enough to say it was overwhelming.

“…With this much difference, is it… advanced? No. That man couldn’t have reached that level…”

Asia changed his mind.

“He’s too young to be advanced.”

Not advanced, but close to advanced.

That’s how Asia judged.

“Then, he won’t be at the level of a leader.”

As Asia thought, all the vice-leaders suffered similar defeats to Melung.

Next up was Leader Letid.

“Leader Letid is on the verge of becoming advanced. So, he might be able to win.”

Leader Letid was a seasoned knight.

His greatest strength was his experience.

With that, even though he had reached a similar level, Asia thought Leader Letid could win.

But…

“He’s strong…!”

He knew he was strong, but didn’t expect this level of skill.

Asia couldn’t help but be amazed.

The techniques that Arthur showed while facing Leader Letid were almost miraculous.

“So that’s possible.”

Unlike the other vice-leaders, Arthur clashed with Leader Letid’s swordplay.

But when their swords clashed, neither of their swords broke.

Even though Leader Letid’s sword wasn’t imbued with mana, it should have broken.

Asia immediately realized.

At the moment of impact.

At that fleeting moment, Arthur imbued his sword with mana.

This was what happened.

In such a manner, Asia’s mood soured a bit.

‘…Disgusting.’

Asia thought that Asarth was showing off his skills.

Disregarding his opponent just like he did with her.

However, the reality was different.

Asarth was currently thinking like this.

‘Ugh, why is it so difficult to control my strength.’

Afraid that his throat sword might break, Asarth was not using his mana freely and was holding back.

***

Retired Commander was strong.

Not in terms of high rank.

But in the strength that comes from experience.

However-.

‘I can’t say that I lack experience either.’

Although there was a difference in the amount of experience, the quality was different.

My sparring partner was an old man known as Geomsung.

My experience in facing such a monster was unparalleled.

“I will finish this now!”

As the swords clashed, he also mastered the technique of infusing mana.

Retired Commander momentarily infused mana into his sword as it clashed with Asarth’s.

Stronger than before, but not enough to break the throat sword.

As the swords clashed, Retired Commander’s sword was knocked away.

At the same time, a clear opening was revealed.

Into that opening, he thrust his sword.

“I have lost.”

“Good job.”

Retired Commander’s defeat.

Two commanders remained.

“Wait!!!”

A sudden shout from Messiah Viscount.

My gaze naturally turned towards Messiah Viscount.

“You look quite tired.”

My current appearance was not at all tired.

Even my breathing was steady.

So, what Messiah Viscount wanted to say was…

‘He recognized my unique mana.’

He must have realized why I was doing this.

Well, it was natural.

In fact, not only Messiah Viscount but one of the remaining commanders also seemed to have realized it.

“For you, I have a good proposal.”

“A proposal?”

“I will allow a real duel.”

A real duel.

I looked at the sword at Asia’s waist.

White Flower Sword.

The sword that could withstand my unique mana was here.

“I will gladly accept.”

“I am also curious. What kind of monster did your father create?”

I immediately turned towards Asia.

“Asia, may I borrow your sword?”

“Why?”

Asia sharply raised her eyebrows.

It seemed like her anger from the previous duel had not yet subsided.

“Well… I can’t withstand a normal sword because of my unique mana.”

“…What?”

“It will break easily.”

“It will break?”

“Yes. And also, if it touches my mana, the opponent will be greatly injured.”

“…”

“Among the swords I know, only this White Flower Sword can perfectly withstand my mana.”

“Understood.”

Perhaps her anger had subsided a bit.

Asia handed me the White Flower Sword without any resistance.

‘But how did my sword become Asia’s without me realizing it?’

I didn’t voice this thought.

“Please don’t break it.”

“Don’t worry. This sword even withstood Geomsung’s power.”

In other words, it wouldn’t break just because I used it.

“Cough!!!”

A cough could be heard from afar.

The origin was Messiah Viscount.

It seemed like he didn’t like me talking to Asia.

“Alright, are you ready?”

“Yes.”

“Then, let’s proceed with the next duel immediately. Eunrang Commander!”

“Yes!”

The weaker of the two remaining commanders stepped forward.

She was the only woman among the three commanders.

In her early thirties.

Despite her young age, she was a skilled commander.

“I am Eunrang Knight Commander, Verthnia.”

“I look forward to it.”

***

Sword Expert, Advanced.

That was the level Verthnia had reached.

Verthnia saw the opponent she would soon have to fight.

‘He’s quite handsome.’

A handsome face and excellent sword skills.

And young, too.

If he wasn’t the lady’s fiancé, she might have had some thoughts.

But Verthnia was smart.

The knight who stole the master’s fiancée… It was clear that his body and mind were in conflict.

Therefore, he decided to erase such distracting thoughts and focus on the duel.

“I will yield, Hansu.”

Although he defeated the Retid commander, he couldn’t bring himself to take advantage of the opponent.

So, Bertnia conceded the initiative to Arthas.

Arthas did not refuse such a concession.

“I will go!”

Arthas swung his sword from below to above towards Bertnia.

“He’s skilled but arrogant.”

Attacking from below to above as the first move.

It was advantageous to simply defend by striking downwards.

It was a natural fact that attacking from above to below was stronger than attacking from below to above.

Bertnia faced Arthas’s downward attack head-on.

Bertnia thought this result was inevitable.

Unable to overcome the downward force, Arthas’s sword soon made contact.

However…

“Hmm…? Huh…!”

The moment Arthas’s sword touched hers.

Bertnia instinctively tried to retract her sword.

But it wasn’t Arthas who was watching her do that.

Clang!

A sound as if the sword edge was being sharpened.

No, the sword edge was being sharpened.

Not just the sword edge.

Bertnia’s entire sword was turning golden and shattering.

And so…

“I… I lost.”

Bertnia looked at her broken sword with a look of despair.

“It’s unfair.”

Unable to properly mix the sword, the duel ended due to a difference in mana.

Therefore, Bertnia wore a look of despair.

However…

“I understand the feeling when a precious sword breaks.”

Watching this duel, Teddy mistakenly empathized with Bertnia’s broken sword.

Therefore, he nodded his head, sympathizing with the shattered sword of Bertnia.