Ch.195Revelation (9)

“The tournament to select the top 12 isn’t held often. Since anyone can become a White Blood Knight Commander candidate based solely on fighting ability, people of all ranks try to participate. Conversely, duels where one of the 12 puts their position on the line can happen anytime.

‘You want to leave? Then defeat me. I’ll throw in my position as a bonus!’

It wasn’t said out of simple competitiveness. The opponent was a Berserkr approaching his prime, while at that time, Chieftain Liliana was gentle-hearted and disliked fighting itself, so she was merely serving as a training partner for others.

Who would deliberately stub their toe on a threshold they knew was there? It’s the same situation. Sometimes people deliberately disrespect others, but in this case, there wasn’t even awareness of it. In fact, almost everyone predicted the opponent’s victory.

The event was a mounted duel. Unlike regular jousting where unseating the opponent is sufficient, this battle was to select the top 12, so the opponent had to be completely incapacitated.

The opponent brought out the late Knight Commander’s warhorse. It wasn’t his favorite mount, but close to it. The beast was notorious for its ferocity, causing every horse Liliana rode to cower in fear. Eventually, she walked to her position on foot.

The duel horn sounded. The opponent charged aggressively as always. But Liliana held her halberd at an angle, standing firm in a defensive stance without dodging.

You all know the result, don’t you?”

“…How did Lily win?” Maria’s eyes widened in disbelief. Genealogist Huber smiled with satisfaction.

“The movement itself was simple. ‘Step aside and strike upward with the halberd.’ It’s a basic attack method everyone knows. But doing it with a clear mind, especially against a heavily armored knight charging with a lance, is difficult.

But Liliana did exactly that. The opponent held a lance in his right hand and a shield in his left. So she stepped toward his shield side, angled her halberd cleverly, and split the horse in half.

The opponent was not only thrown off but completely shattered. Liliana was injured too, but thanks to her excellent posture, technique, strength, and proper armor, the wounds weren’t severe.”

– She split a horse with a halberd. At sixteen.

– That was an accident.

– I hurt my brother.

Kain thought he knew who Lily’s opponent was. Huber nodded as well.

“As you might have guessed, the opponent who challenged Liliana was her brother, once a Berserkr and the current Knight Commander, Atli.

The fall that day broke bones throughout his body, leaving him unable to walk and mentally unsound. All that remains is hatred, resentment, and pain.

Since transferring the position among the 12 was part of the duel’s terms, Liliana became a Valkyrja. I believe you already know that male warriors are called Berserkr and females Valkyrja.”

“Wait. Hold on. I’m confused—doesn’t that mean this Atli person isn’t a top warrior anymore?” Maria’s eyes grew round.

“That’s correct. He surrendered his position after a fair duel.”

“Then how did he become Knight Commander? I thought only the top knights could attain that position?” Kain asked, prompting a deep sigh from the genealogist.

The problem lay in the incompleteness of the rules. Of course, when the rules were created, it wasn’t an issue.

It was common sense and obvious that the Knight Commander should be the strongest warrior.

The rulebook simply stated: “The person designated by the previous Knight Commander becomes the new Commander. If the predecessor dies without naming a successor, a tournament is held.”

This meant there was no regulation requiring the Knight Commander or designee to be among the top 12.

Previous Knight Commanders generally passed their position to their children, or to the strongest knight if they had none. If they judged their children inadequate, they wouldn’t pass it on, so this clause had never caused problems before, nor had anyone anticipated it would.

But now? Knight Commander Atli is in no condition to exercise command, yet he still lives and breathes. His body is broken and his mind damaged.

The genealogist lamented that this had split the White Blood into several factions.

Since the Knight Commander was incapacitated, it was essentially a vacancy. Some argued a tournament should be held.

Others claimed that holding a tournament while the Knight Commander still lived would be treason. Their logic was that it could set a bad precedent. If people could hold tournaments whenever they disliked the Commander, what would become of the knightly order?

Some wanted to revise and refine the regulations, but traditionalists opposed this. Their reasoning was that the ancestors had established these rules for clear reasons, and tampering with them would destroy the ancestral spirit.

Even if they agreed to amend the regulations, everyone would try to include favorable clauses and remove unfavorable ones based on their interests. In such cases, the conclusion typically involves “everyone bearing discomfort equally.”

“The White Blood isn’t a political group. It’s a warrior group. And warrior groups don’t resolve conflicts by persuading opponents—they split their opponents’ heads open.”

The genealogist shook his head.

“Is that why High Executioner Astrid summoned everyone?”

“Because the knightly order was about to shatter. Order needed to be maintained. She’s the current Knight Commander’s aunt, head of the Execution Corps, and considered an elder.

Of course, she’s not as old as typical Imperial nobles, but she commands the same respect and reverence. Things are manageable because the High Executioner is acting as a regent of sorts.

However, the High Executioner emphasizes sharing opinions and reaching conclusions ‘without cutting each other’s throats,’ rather than saying ‘do this right now!’

Since it’s just us here, I’ll tell you—that’s also why training is kept close to wartime conditions. When the body is comfortable, people tend to get heated about unnecessary things, so the policy is to exhaust the body to ensure only necessary words are spoken.”

So this wasn’t the White Blood’s normal state. Kain finally understood why everyone was wandering around with tired eyes. He thought this approach was typical of Astrid.

“They seem to listen well to the Execution Corps.”

This was unfamiliar to Maria. People in the Order often dawdled even when the Pope himself spoke, so this forceful, structured approach felt somewhat strange to her.

“That’s generally true. The Execution Corps prioritizes maintaining order. They need to be strong enough to subdue White Blood knights who cause trouble while drunk. They may not be among the top 12, but they’re extremely powerful elite forces. The same goes for Astrid’s personal combat skills.”

Kain recalled what he’d seen in the cave. The Execution Corps made no sound. They quietly approached from behind, covered mouths, and thrust in their swords. They were quiet, disciplined, and lethal. Literal “executioners.”

“Without the High Executioner, the White Blood would have fractured. So, do you now understand why Liliana is needed in the White Blood?”

Huber looked at the two with pleading eyes.

“She’s the legitimate heir of the Brynhildr family, a Valkyrja, an unparalleled knight, a graduate of the Imperial Capital Academy, and even worked as an Imperial official.

She’s already proven herself at Emmaus. Didn’t she charge at monsters that seemed to exist only in books?

The only issue is that the previous Knight Commander didn’t designate her as successor, but that’s trivial. She just needs to win the tournament.”

Hope filled Huber’s eyes.

“Liliana needs to become Knight Commander as soon as possible and govern the White Blood.”

* * * * *

The day was ending.

They had only managed about an hour of investigation. They had arrived late and spent much time navigating the complex castle.

There were also many documents to read. The White Blood’s documents were more like daily logs without weekly or monthly summaries. Kain doubted whether the White Blood Knights even had a concept of financial settlement.

The White Blood’s assets were closer to “just enough not to be impoverished.” Their expenditures were large because they used the knightly order’s budget for things that should have been purchased privately. Looking at the outgoing amounts alone, it would be strange if they weren’t miserly.

However, the sparseness of the dining hall seemed more like a regional characteristic than a financial issue. Each table had only well-roasted meat, mashed raspberries, mashed potatoes, and black whole wheat bread. It was mass cooking in the literal sense—just grilling, steaming, and mashing.

The food was quite greasy, designed to help withstand the cold and high-intensity training. The beverage was fermented bread with dried berries, offering both a nutty flavor and a tangy taste that nicely cleansed the palate from the greasy food.

Kain and Maria were guided to houses outside the fortress. Fortunately, these weren’t maze-like as the fortress interior had been, but rather ordinary wooden cabins where guests or merchants could rest. The two expressed their gratitude, relieved they wouldn’t get lost trying to find the bathroom.

Kain and Maria were each assigned a separate cabin. They were greatly surprised, having expected just a room each. The genealogist explained that a group of merchants had visited recently, so there wouldn’t be guests for a while.

“Still, a whole cabin each—what luxury!”

Maria purred happily.

“Even so, please don’t wander around at night. The sentries are on edge because their seniors have been playing pranks on them for not maintaining proper vigilance. I’ll send someone around 8 AM tomorrow, so please rest well.”

The genealogist left. Kain and Maria each put their belongings in their rooms and sat on a bench outside their lodgings. The sun had already set, and though the air was chilly, the twinkling moon and stars seemed close enough to touch.

“I think we can find what we need in about three days. Once we get the hang of it, it should be quick. At least if he really was a White Blood squire.”

Maria murmured, looking up at the sky.

“Kain, it might be premature, but when we find it, we’ll go to Laios’s hometown, right?”

“Yes. Then we’ll find Günther of Patience and hear the whole story.”

“What about Lily?”

Kain paused briefly.

“I’d like to get her out of here right away. But I can’t speak carelessly without knowing what she thinks. If Lily decides she needs to stay, I’ll respect that. If she wants to leave, I’ll do whatever it takes to get her out.”

After hearing Kain’s answer, Maria exhaled deeply.

“Something seems backward. There are many stories of knights rescuing lovers trapped in castles, but I’ve never heard of a lover needing to rescue a knight trapped in a castle.”

It’s a strange world.

Heroes and Demon Kings have become indistinguishable in their wickedness, the Empire and its people turn their backs on each other, and the Order, which should receive everyone’s love and respect, instead tries to use everyone.

The knightly order that should protect the Empire can’t even protect itself and fights internally, while the strongest knight is bound in a castle not because of enemies, but because of allies.

And Kain himself is here, feeling the cold wind.

“Indeed.”

After talking for a long time, the two returned to their respective rooms. But Kain’s day didn’t seem to be over yet. Just as he was falling asleep, he heard someone knocking on his door.

Wondering who it could be, he opened the door, and the visitor pushed past him into the room. Kain, shoved aside, looked at the intruder.

“Lily?”

It was Lily with her hood pulled low. She wore a sword at her waist and leather armor. Her face was flushed from the cold wind.

“I’m, I’m sorry. I’m on patrol, and I shouldn’t be here, but I just couldn’t bear it anymore…”

Before Lily could finish speaking, Kain approached and kissed her.