Ch.101Appointment (2)

“There it is. The 445th branch of the Relief Knights Order.”

Across this vast continent, the Relief Knights Order designated each branch with a number.

In truth, human creativity tends to have surprisingly low limits. If they named branches based on their location—like Riverside Branch for one by a river or Mountain Branch for one at the foot of a mountain—it would be impossible to keep track of them all.

After all, there’s hardly a place without a river. And mountains cover 30% of the vast Pater Continent.

“Hmm…”

I gazed at the knights’ fortress, clearly visible even from this high ground, while holding Laisha tightly in my arms.

It was somewhat ambiguous to call it merely a “branch,” as it resembled a compressed small city. They had crammed an urban district, various military facilities, and conveniences like the Adventurers’ Guild and hospitals into the smallest possible area.

The most distinctive feature was the moat, which contained no water. Instead, it was made incredibly long and deep so that ordinary people without aura would die instantly if they fell in.

Steel spikes embedded at 30-40 degree angles from the inside out created a savage atmosphere, like a palisade woven from thorny vines.

The 445th branch had only one entrance—a long drawbridge.

The bridge itself was a massive structure over 1km in length, with enormous chains and pulleys on the inside holding it firmly in place, so massive they could only be described as majestic.

At the end of the bridge, at the entrance, people and carriages were bustling back and forth.

“Brutal, isn’t it?”

“Is this the architectural style of the Relief Knights Order?”

“Yes. It’s a style passed down since the Age of Unity. Back then, anyone who wasn’t on your side was an enemy, so they built these savage fortresses.”

“Hmm…”

“At night, that drawbridge rises to block entry and exit. Have you seen it before?”

“No. I’ve heard about it, but this is my first time seeing one in person.”

Compared to the Adventurers’ Guild, the Relief Knights Order was a much more… worldly organization.

Unlike guild members, knights weren’t granted immunity or tax exemptions, so they couldn’t escape secular laws. Additionally, as an order of knights dedicated to relief efforts—a maddening combination—they were deeply connected to nobles and capitalists who sought to use them.

The stark difference from the Adventurers’ Guild was evident in the fact that 3-4 out of every 10 members of the Relief Knights Order were children of nobles or wealthy families.

This was precisely why the profession of Errant Knight emerged.

The Relief Knights Order despised adventurers who would steal candy from a sniffling child for money rather than help the weak, while adventurers often dismissed the knights as an anachronistic group of old fogeys.

Eventually, the free-spirited adventurers and the righteous knights experienced “a most unpleasant incident,” after which the position of Errant Knight was created as a higher rank of Battler to mediate conflicts and align their interests.

Notably, when the Adventurers’ Guild asked the gods, “Is it acceptable to admit knights?”, two gods voted in favor, one abstained, and one opposed—resulting in Errant Knight becoming an officially recognized profession within the guild.

The identities of the gods who cast these votes remain unknown.

Thus, Errant Knights became a bat-like profession affiliated with both the Adventurers’ Guild and the Relief Knights Order. Now, a thousand years later, the term “Errant Knight” is accepted as completely natural.

The Relief Knights Order harbored an obsessive grudge about being unable to save children due to political relationships, while many adventurers were frustrated by the unfortunate constraint of requiring at least one copper coin to intervene in a request.

With the creation of the Errant Knight profession, adventurers could now invoke chivalry for those without money and claim immunity privileges as adventurers for those unmoved by chivalry.

As they say, the ground hardens after rain.

The Errant Knights, fitting this saying perfectly, continue to deliver justice throughout the continent as direct descendants of ancient Questing Knights and the conscience of adventurers, praised as those who ride on horseback.

“Let’s get moving now. We need to arrive today for the investiture and wedding ceremony scheduled for this evening.”

Simon said this and rode ahead, while Laisha and I, along with Lucia and Casia, followed on horseback.

*

“Pass through.”

The stern guard let us in immediately after hearing our purpose for visiting.

It was much simpler than I had expected, and soon I understood why.

“Hnngh…”

The air. It’s heavy.

The very notion of feeling weight in the air was unrealistic, yet that was the only way to describe what I was experiencing.

Only then did I realize why the guard had let us in so easily.

This was a knights’ branch, and I was still an uninitiated seed, not yet a knight.

It felt like being a sailor tumbling about inside a ship caught in a torrential storm, and I feared I might stop breathing if I didn’t consciously focus on it.

“The knights’ power is pressing down on you…”

“Ugh… can you help me?”

Simon shook his head.

“How could arcane power handle the strength of body and soul? Endure it. It’s like lying in bed for days after getting a vaccine.”

“Hnngh!”

I breathed heavily.

It felt as if sandbags were crushing my lungs from both sides, but I continued breathing as he advised.

In truth, there wasn’t much else I could do.

“Are you alright?”

Laisha asked worriedly as she watched me dismount, and I barely managed to nod.

I struggled to look around for the knights’ headquarters, and upon spotting the massive building marked “445,” I headed straight for it.

“Huff… huff…”

I’m short of breath.

How could anyone get used to this familiar yet terribly uncomfortable sensation—like carrying 3.6 tons of water jugs all over my body?

As I staggered toward the knights’ headquarters, the guards waited patiently for me to regain my composure, as if this were a common occurrence, before accepting the certificate I pulled from my chest.

“Viktor. Requesting promotion to Metal rank and investiture as an Errant Knight… is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Follow me. And the woman beside you…”

“She’s my bride-to-be.”

The guard nodded, opened the door, and guided me in.

In that brief moment, I noticed another soldier who had been waiting slip outside to fill the security gap, and I realized that these men were also combat personnel with at least Flint-rank fighting ability.

Eventually, I arrived before an extremely thick and heavy door, and the guard knocked on a small window in the middle of the door rather than on the door itself.

Tap tap!

Rustle.

“Your business?”

“Investiture applicant. With his bride-to-be.”

“One moment…”

Rustle.

The window closed again, and after waiting about a minute, the massive door began to open with a soft scraping sound.

Inside stood a man in his mid-fifties wearing loose monastic robes who greeted me, while nuns led Laisha away somewhere.

“Where…are they…”

“Don’t worry, young warrior. They’re just dressing her appropriately and preparing her for the wedding.”

I was too exhausted to speak properly, but the middle-aged man reassured me before placing his hand on my heart.

“This place, filled with aura, must be difficult for you. Sit here. I’ll explain the basics.”

Scrape…

I barely managed to sit in the chair he provided.

“Close your eyes. Compose yourself and think back to when aura first awakened within you.”

“…”

“The moment when all your nerves awakened like lightning. Summon your aura and envelop your body with it.”

“Envelop…”

Following his instructions, I gradually awakened the aura sleeping deep within me.

I couldn’t help but frown at the sensation—like pulling seaweed floating on the ocean’s surface.

“Maintain is different from Blow. Once more. Slowly. And solemnly…”

I held my breath.

And recalled the moment I first manifested aura.

That moment when pain transformed into ecstasy…

When I heard the sun’s message…

Flash… BOOM!

“Haaah!”

Once again, aura enveloped my entire body, wrapping around me with fierce intensity, like fluoride coating teeth.

When the process finished, I could feel the pressure that had been crushing me disappear.

“There. Feels much more livable now, doesn’t it?”

“What… what is this?”

“Surge. A simple and fundamental technique for inducing Maintain.”

I nodded, and he helped me stand again.

“Not many people hold their investiture and wedding ceremonies together. What’s your name?”

“Viktor…”

“No family name?”

“No.”

“But you’ll have one now.”

I nodded once more.

The middle-aged man smiled and led me into a room filled with holy relics and parchments.

He put on a cross necklace symbolizing the Four Great Gods, positioned me in the center of the room, stepped onto a platform, and asked for my name again.

“State your name.”

“Viktor Walker.”

I have no father or mother.

Therefore, I naturally had no family name.

But now I will become a father and take a wife who will become a mother.

My steps shall never be forgotten.