Ch.360EP.76 – The Knight Leaves the Stage (1)

The banquet ended in chaos.

That was to be expected.

Not only had the king been assaulted, but it was revealed that the assaulted king was none other than the one who had supported and even resurrected subversive forces.

There was even suspicion that he might have been involved in all the terrorist attacks that occurred over the past year.

In reality, it would have been impossible for such a banquet to end well.

Of course, there were quite a few who tried to use the crisis as an opportunity to scheme…

“You’d better stop.”

“No, why?!”

“I understand your feelings, and I admit this is a good time to make a move. But… I don’t have the confidence to handle it.”

“What don’t you have confidence to handle?!”

“That knight…”

“…”

“I’m afraid of that knight. What if he comes looking for me?”

“W-well…”

Even those who were plotting began to shudder at the thought of ‘that knight.’

That knight had clearly stated he was no hero and acted recklessly, but those who had actually experienced him firsthand felt differently.

And for good reason…

“It felt like John Ray Albert had returned…”

Inquisitor John Ray Albert.

The older generation who remembered him trembled.

They recalled the noble families the Inquisitor had annihilated, and those who remembered how he executed people were on the verge of developing nightmares and early symptoms of mental illness.

However, that was already a story from decades ago, and Albert was also semi-retired, so they thought they could finally escape the nightmare. But the knight they saw at the banquet gave them the terrifying feeling that John Ray Albert had been reincarnated.

– [Executioner John.]

…That man.

“I remember him. The one who annihilated seventeen noble families involved in crimes overnight…”

“S-stop…”

“You know what’s even more chilling? That knight’s demeanor, expression, and thoughts were similar to that executioner. Starting with not considering himself justice, his relentless and cruel methods! If that already frighteningly strong knight were to learn execution techniques as well, then…!”

“Aaaagh!”

“He might become the second executioner following in his footsteps.”

“!!?”

The nobles were having seizures just imagining it, and those who had been plotting quickly lowered their heads.

Fearing that their actions might cause that frighteningly strong knight to break out of prison and come after them, feeling the burden that they might be responsible for the birth of a second executioner…

The nobles of the past suffered from collective PTSD-induced breathing difficulties.

…And this knight who showed the potential to be a new executioner was…

“M-Master! T-this won’t do! Being in such a dark, damp, and dirty place will make you sick…!”

“Levi, calm down.”

“Hnngh!”

“Please, stop crying.”

…Unlike the nobles who felt fear, the knight was struggling in front of a small girl’s tears.

The girl’s tears were powerful.

…Also.

“…”

“…Lady Irene.”

“…”

“Please put down your staff and calm your magical power. Everything will collapse at this rate.”

“…Is that wrong?”

“…Y-yes, it would be very wrong.”

“Hmm, then I’ll just commit a crime and ask to be put in the same prison as the instructor! Would destroying the royal palace be enough?”

“…Please calm down, I beg you.”

The students were sweating profusely as they tried to stop the young sorceress who was planning to cause trouble for a different reason.

* * *

Unlike the girls’ dramatic reactions, Ihan was in a fairly decent environment.

Of course, the prison environment was naturally dark and smelly, but everything else was fine.

A little sunlight came in, and they provided food.

The menu consisted only of carrots and celery without any dressing, and rock-hard rye bread, but Ihan actually liked it.

He had eaten like this plenty of times when he was short on money.

The lack of protein and fat was a drawback, but expecting that would be unconscionable.

There was even a reasonably worn bed for sleeping, so he was doing relatively well.

…However.

“How can you stay in a place like this?!”

“That’s right!”

“What did you do wrong, Instructor?!!”

“Well, I did do something wrong…”

His disciples who came to visit were horrified.

Especially the chicks.

Of course, for noble young ladies, such an environment would be unbearably terrible.

The young masters weren’t showing it, but they silently agreed.

This is why rich kids…

“Wow, this is harsh.”

“It’s worse than our storage room.”

“Instructor, can you actually sleep here?”

…What? Is it really that serious?

Even the bald bears were saying such things, making Ihan realize that the one-pyeong prison was indeed a serious environment, and he wondered why he had considered it acceptable…

‘Ah, I thought it was fine because it’s better than the studio apartment I lived in.’

Ihan realized that the prison environment was much better than where he had lived in his previous life, which explained his generosity, but this realization brought both relief and depression.

Somehow, it seemed like he had no proper memories from his previous life.

As he was about to feel gloomy…

“M-Master, please come out even now. You could easily escape if you wanted to…”

Levi, still with moist eyes, pleaded with Ihan.

To stop this and come out.

It was an uncharacteristic statement from the usually quiet and smart child, and Ihan smiled slightly as he sensed that the girl’s eyes were clouded with worry for him.

It wasn’t a sneer. It was just a warm smile that came from a new sense of appreciation.

‘There are many.’

Many had come.

There were disciples who came to visit out of concern for him. Besides them, just yesterday, representatives from Ophen and Modred had also visited…

– Sir Ihan, just say the word. Ophen will do whatever it takes to get you out of this prison.

– Do you know, Sir Ihan? That the name ‘Modred’ carries the meaning of ‘treason’? And that it was none other than the Knight King who gave us this name. The Knight King said: if he was going astray, we should gladly commit treason. It seems like now is that time.

…No, they weren’t touching so much as alarming.

Because they seemed like they would actually do something.

In any case, he didn’t feel like he had lived his life wrongly.

If he had, these people wouldn’t have come to visit him.

…Still.

“Don’t say strange things, and stop worrying.”

“Master…”

“And don’t come to visit for a while. No, pretend you don’t know me at all.”

“!!”

“The same goes for all of you.”

“…Instructor…”

“There must be chaos outside, right? They’re surely cursing me and making me out to be someone who deserves to die.”

“…”

…They didn’t deny it.

Five days had passed since Ihan, their instructor, was imprisoned, and during those five days, the kingdom had been in turmoil.

Of course, it was an unprecedented situation where the king had been assaulted, and the crown princess herself had testified that the king had betrayed the kingdom.

It was naturally confusing and chaotic.

However, despite these truths being revealed, only the crown princess was being praised by the kingdom’s people.

As for the instructor…

[The knight who assaulted the king? Who is he?]

[Even if it’s for a just cause, is violence justified?]

[He is a disgrace to the name of knighthood.]

The newspapers, as if coordinated, began to vilify the instructor and portray him as a bad person.

“…It’s the work of the noble council. Edmund’s crimes have already been exposed, but they’re using you to disperse the shock. Those filthy people…”

Levi gritted her teeth and cursed the noble council for being detestable.

“I expected as much.”

In contrast, Ihan just nodded as if he had anticipated this all along.

Even in his previous life, when politicians or conglomerates caused trouble, didn’t they use famous celebrities or entertainers as sacrificial lambs to divert focus?

In other words…

“They’re focusing more on the act of assaulting the king than on the king’s crimes, trying to somehow maintain the crumbling trust in the royal family.”

“Yes, exactly.”

“Hmm, but it won’t last long, given the nature of the issue.”

“Yes, those who should know already know. No matter how much they struggle, the people will find out. It won’t be long before everyone knows the truth. No, I will make sure everyone knows what the truth is!”

“…Why are you acting so strange?”

Although politicians might specialize in fabrication and agitation, they cannot hide the pure truth indefinitely.

Well, if…

“If major nobles like Galahad, Lionel, or Tristan were to side with the royal family, they might be able to fabricate and agitate…”

They could even hide the truth.

“That won’t happen. At least not Tristan.”

“Nor Galahad!”

“…That’s reassuring, but still, be careful. Try not to reveal your relationship with me. I don’t want your families to suffer.”

“Instructor…”

“…”

Seeing Ihan prioritizing their concerns until the end, the students looked dejected, and as they were about to speak again…

“-Don’t worry unnecessarily. As the child said, we will never side with the Pendragons.”

“Indeed. What a strange concern, heh heh.”

…Two men appeared, and the students’ faces quickly hardened.

They knew who these two prominent figures were.

“I apologize for interrupting your conversation with your teacher. However, I’m afraid I must apologize a bit more, please…”

─Could you give us some privacy for a moment?

…The students would have liked to see anyone who could refuse the ‘request’ of Duke Galahad and Marquis Jeminia.

* * *

“Hahaha! You madman!”

After the students withdrew and the three were left alone, that was the first thing Jeminia said as he stared at Ihan.

He was laughing so hard that tears were welling up in his eyes.

“I truly wonder if such a thing has ever happened in the history of the kingdom, no, the continent! Beating up the king, and in the middle of a banquet no less?! I really can’t- hahaha!”

“Is it that funny?”

“Of course. It’s hilarious, haha!”

“…That’s strange? I thought you’d be angry.”

“Why would I be?”

“I thought I heard that you and the king were friends.”

He had vaguely heard that Marquis Tristan and the king were friends.

But he found it odd that the marquis was laughing so much when his friend had been beaten up.

“Ha, friends? We haven’t met in a private setting for over 40 years. We did hang out when we were young, but our connection was severed long ago after the late king passed away. If there’s anyone I would call a friend, it would be the Sword Duke or that pedantic old man who serves as the dean of the Academy.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, so don’t worry. I’m not angry at all.”

“That’s a relief, but what about you, Duke? Are you upset because he’s your blood relative?”

“…”

“I thought you might be angry.”

“…What nonsense.”

Duke Blake snorted.

“Edmund and I are less than strangers. No, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call us enemies. So it’s unfortunate. If I had such evidence, I would have ended Edmund with my own hands.”

“Wow, were you planning to change the country’s name to Galahad?”

“…Not to that extent.”

“…”

Just now, he hesitated a bit.

Perhaps he had such a plan but abandoned it?

Recognizing anew what a frightening man he was, Ihan clicked his tongue, but then…

“Well, enough small talk, why did you come? You must be busy men?”

He decided to get straight to the point.

There was also an underlying intention to send them away quickly, as they were the kind of people who tired him out just by being face to face.

“Haha, it seems we’re bothering you, Your Highness.”

“Isn’t that amusing?”

“I quite agree.”

“Hey, gentlemen. I’m not an animal. And this isn’t a zoo.”

“Hehe, understood.”

“I should come again tomorrow.”

“…”

“Haha, don’t be angry. Yes, for your rest, I should quickly state my purpose.”

Woong.

Blake suddenly spread his power, preventing any sound from escaping the vicinity.

He was ensuring that no one could eavesdrop, indicating he was about to ask a sensitive question.

Sure enough.

“First, I have many questions, but let me ask just this one for now.”

“Do you think I’ll answer willingly?”

“I’ll provide you with food. Would 10kg of steak be sufficient compensation?”

“…Can you add seafood, specifically crustaceans?”

“That can be arranged.”

Having paid an appropriate price, he indicated he would provide an answer, and Duke Blake shook his head once, remarking that he’d like to see where else one could find someone who would behave so rudely in front of him, before asking in a serious tone.

“…Where has the Sword God, Baltar, gone?”

The guardian of the Pendragons.

Blake was asking where the man who had always protected the king had disappeared to.

“That superhuman has always protected Edmund for some reason. But five days ago, he vanished, and on the very day he disappeared, you and my niece conveniently staged that incident. I don’t think this is a coincidence.”

“…”

“Where did he go? No, how did you make him disappear?”

Blake was genuinely curious.

About the strategy that had made a superhuman, an invincible knight whom even Blake, called the strongest Galahad in history, would not dare to confront carelessly, disappear.

To such a question…

“…It wasn’t really a strategy.”

“?”

“Hmm, to be precise, it wasn’t something I did. It was my sister who did it.”

“Isis, that child?”

“Yes, she did something quite reckless.”

“…?”

“It’s a simple principle.”

…What can stop a superhuman?

“Only another superhuman, right?”

“…”

“…No way!”

He shrugged as he answered, and quickly realizing the truth from his response, the two nobles widened their eyes.

*

*

*

Thud, thud-.

The white-haired old man sighed as he walked with a light step.

As if truly exhausted.

“Haah, would you believe me if I said I didn’t want to fight you if possible?”

“I feel the same way. Honestly, fighting at this age is quite unseemly.”

“Indeed. So how about we stop here?”

“Hmm, rather than that, why don’t you just give up and enjoy a leisurely vacation?”

“…I’d rather not.”

“Heh heh, my goodness. Still stubborn as ever, Baltar.”

“You’re one to talk, John.”

The expressions of the two old men were infinitely serene.

They appeared peaceful, almost like sages, and seemed as if they had no desire for worldly things.

…In reality, the two old men had faint feelings of greed.

No, not just greed, but all emotions were faint in them?

They truly seemed like saints or bodhisattvas, and this wasn’t simply because they had lived for so many years.

If anything, it was because they had transcended such desires long ago.

Nevertheless, if there was one emotion the two men…

No, the two ‘superhumans’ hadn’t forgotten, it was none other than…

“Still, it’s fun. Besides you, there’s no one who can face me.”

“Haha, isn’t there also Felishia?”

“Not now. She suddenly became younger, so it seems she’ll only recover her original skills in about 10 years.”

The spirit of competition.

The only desire they hadn’t forgotten.

And, for the first time in a very long time, they showed a hint of joy at facing opponents who could draw out their competitive spirit.

“Last time, we fought for about 5 years without rest, didn’t we?”

“We did.”

“I hope this ends a bit faster this time.”

“Indeed, it should…”

Click!

“…I need to quickly finish this so I can discipline the princess who played such a cute prank.”

The Sword God drew his sword, and the butler who had returned to being an Inquisitor took out chains and an awl.

And so.

Whoosh!!

Without any signal, they clashed.

Because they were more accustomed to subduing their opponents with ‘power’ than engaging in conversation.

Baltar and Albert.

The two aura users began their ‘war.’

A war that might never end, but one they needed to finish as quickly as possible.

…Five days later.

Six mountains in the central continent disappeared, creating a new river system.