Ch.73EP.20 – After He Falls Asleep (1)

“…it’s over.”

Relief – somehow it didn’t come.

No joy at surviving, not even the thrill of victory.

Just the feeling that a difficult task he’d been forced to do was finally finished.

It was an admittedly bleak sentiment for having defeated a legendary monster, but what could he do?

After all.

“I lost…”

If he had won by his own hands, he might have felt some sense of accomplishment, but in the end, he had to borrow someone else’s strength.

Despite giving his best, no, his absolute all, he had lost.

Thoroughly, without even room for excuses.

So what lingered in his mouth was not refreshment but bitterness, like after chewing a mouthful of medicinal herbs.

…However.

“Heh, as long as the kids survived, that’s what matters.”

He felt no sense of powerlessness or self-loathing.

His disciples, his children, had survived.

That single fact seemed like the only thing he could be proud of.

-For Pendragon! For Lionel…!

-Waaaaaah!

Victory cheers echoed from the distance.

They must have succeeded in completely annihilating the troll horde inside the Colosseum.

Remarkably, despite being mixed with countless crowd cheers, his disciples’ voices were clearly distinguishable, confirming that everyone was safe.

“Those kids.”

He, Ihan, could finally wear a satisfied smile.

“Hoho, I suppose teaching suited you after all. Or perhaps I just didn’t know, and you were unexpectedly sentimental all along.”

“…I’m trying to enjoy the moment, so just leave me be.”

“That insolent mouth remains the same…. You’d be perfect if you just knew how to respect your elders.”

“I respect elders worthy of respect. You just don’t happen to be one.”

“…This guy, should I have just left you to die?”

Baltar Grace clicked his tongue as if wondering what kind of person this was.

Despite being limp like boiled spinach, his mouth was working just fine.

He was definitely the type whose mouth would float even if he fell into a river.

“Who told you to come so late? How nice it would have been if you’d come when I asked.”

But Ihan wasn’t just grumbling without reason.

– Help me out, old man.

When he realized a dangerous monster had appeared, the first person he had asked for help was none other than that gentleman.

But that gentleman-.

“I cannot move based on uncertain information.”

“And you’d say that even after an accident? I’d like to see you make that excuse if people had died, ha!”

“…Ahem.”

Baltar averted his gaze, seemingly at a loss for words on this point.

It was certainly his own judgment not to trust Ihan.

“W-well, I rushed over as soon as I sensed something ominous, so let’s move past this now.”

The distance between the Academy and the royal palace was about 30km.

He had covered that distance in one breath, so of course he had made an effort in his own way.

However, conversely:

“If the kids and I couldn’t hold out, we’d all be dead.”

“Hmm, I have nothing to say to that.”

Their efforts, or rather Ihan’s endurance, was what made Baltar’s effort meaningful.

Acknowledging that everyone in the royal capital indeed owed Ihan a debt for this incident, Baltar nodded.

After all, he had prepared alone when no one else would move, preventing a ‘catastrophe.’

“I don’t know about the mongrel horde, but if that thing had rampaged through the royal capital, it would certainly have been disastrous.”

Grrr…mble…grrr…mble…!

Baltar turned his gaze to the Demon King, completely dismantled like a puzzle.

Despite clearly being dead, it was still trying to regenerate.

A terrifying trait that perfectly matched its alias of “immortal.”

“…If that thing had consumed food, even I would have had difficulty.”

“Thankfully it was stupid.”

Ihan didn’t deny his own merit.

If that monster hadn’t been fixated on him and had consumed other food instead, the situation would have ended right there.

Once it consumed prey, it would have regained some of its prime strength.

Even an Aura user probably wouldn’t easily-.

“Still, it’s a bit disappointing. Fighting it in its prime would have been fun, heh heh.”

“…What a senile old man.”

Ihan suddenly thought that even if the Demon King hadn’t been at 30% but at 100% full strength, Baltar would likely have had the higher chance of winning if he fought it.

As far as he knew, the knight Baltar Grace was truly:

‘If that troll is a Demon King, then this old man is a “Battle God.”‘

A giant of an era who couldn’t be imagined losing.

He doubted whether even completing the Plum Blossom Sword technique would allow him to properly damage Baltar.

Anyway.

“I’m sick of it, so sick.”

The mountain he wished to climb seemed to not even show its ridge yet.

* * *

Afterward, the situation was quickly resolved as royal soldiers and reinforcements belatedly arrived.

Me?

I just stayed still.

“Rest. I’ll handle the rest.”

Since that gentleman rarely showed consideration, I could trust him and leave it to him.

However.

“Make sure to get rid of that quickly, there might be people trying to pull something with it.”

“I know that, stop nagging.”

Baltar, understanding perfectly what Ihan wanted destroyed, readily agreed to burn the Demon King’s corpse.

Surely nobles, mages, or various others would try to claim ownership of that corpse.

This wasn’t a prediction but a certainty, and he could already see what sinister things they might do with that ominous thing.

‘After all the trouble catching it, I can’t stand seeing people mess with it.’

If Ihan were to witness such a thing, he would go berserk and tear off the heads of all those who coveted the corpse.

Knowing this, Baltar complied without resistance.

There might be some who would complain later, but…

…who could possibly say anything to him?

Without the return of the War God, there was no one who could give orders to Baltar.

Whoosh!

The Aura burned the Demon King’s corpse like fire.

Aura, the knight’s mystery that only superhumans could obtain.

The goal all knights aspired to reach, and its mysterious power was an unknown that even magic couldn’t comprehend.

And the moment that unknown power touched it, the Demon King’s corpse burst into flames.

Normally, burning monsters releases death energy, and burning something like the Demon King should produce enough smoke to cover the entire royal capital, but the Aura “erased” all impurities.

The purest and most powerful purifying force in the world.

Before Aura, impurities, curses, and grudges had no chance of resistance.

‘With Aura, there’d be no environmental problems.’

If there were Aura users in the modern world, they might have made a fortune.

If they wanted, they could clean up such things without any adverse effects on the ecosystem.

‘…I must be tired.’

These random thoughts.

Ihan smiled bitterly, self-deprecatingly acknowledging that his condition wasn’t normal.

Then:

“…The old man can handle the rest.”

“Where are you going?”

“I want to rest.”

“Cheeky brat, planning to dump all the work on this old man?”

“You should do that much. Or should the one who did all the hard work worry about the cleanup too?”

Why should he explain everything to those who dawdled and only arrived now?

“Hoho, kid. You really have a way with words.”

Though the content was sarcastic, his tone was refreshing.

As if he had no intention of stopping him from leaving.

And then,

“Things will get busy from now on. You’ve made yourself too noticeable with this incident.”

“…”

“Until now, I might have somehow hidden all your achievements, but this time it’s difficult. You’ll probably be summoned to the royal palace within days.”

“…”

“Don’t openly show your distaste. It’s an honor some people would wish for their entire lives.”

“Aish! I don’t care about any of that right now, I’m leaving.”

Ihan waved his hand dismissively.

As if saying his head already hurt, so please don’t say more.

Knowing his temperament, Baltar just snickered without saying anything further.

Instead:

“Kid. Take this with you.”

“What is it?”

“Take it to a reliable alchemist or mage. You might get something worthwhile.”

“…Hmm.”

He gave him a gift.

The only byproduct from the Demon King’s corpse that had been completely burned by Aura.

Something that looked like a jewel but was unusually grotesque.

It was:

“Is this…?”

“The heart. Somehow it remained unburned.”

A monster’s heart.

Not just any monster, but the Demon King’s heart.

Considering that even a troll’s heart could be traded for the price of an entire castle, the value of the Demon King’s heart was immeasurable.

Priceless treasure.

A treasure whose value was impossible to measure.

Ihan looked at Baltar with an expression difficult to describe.

Wondering why he wouldn’t confiscate such a treasure but instead give it to him.

“The one who worked hard should get the reward, not the worms who did nothing. Just take it. After all, this is just between you and me.”

“…I’ll consider it hush money.”

“You brat, try speaking nicely for once.”

“Should I act cute?”

“Not that.”

“Make up your mind.”

Ihan firmly grasped the Demon King’s heart placed in his hand.

He didn’t indulge in the well-fed worry of whether he deserved to receive it.

‘I’ll put it to good use.’

Squeeze.

Feeling powerless once was enough.

Even though he was tired enough to collapse at any moment, his eyes shone brightly.

Confirming that he had gained a stepping stone toward the future.

“…No gratitude at all.”

Grumbling as he watched the guy disappear without even a proper goodbye.

Still, he had no manners whatsoever.

But even so:

“Looking at how he takes care of the children, he’s really changed a lot, huh.”

Taking care of a fallen girl and boy—something unimaginable for someone who once tried to live in solitude.

Baltar was newly satisfied.

But what satisfied him wasn’t just the rounded change in personality.

“His back has broadened while I wasn’t looking.”

His strength had also changed beyond recognition.

It was certain.

He had grown significantly since his time in the knighthood.

Even then, none in the Silver Lion could match him except for the captain-level knights, but now it was beyond comparison.

Now, excluding himself, none among the Silver Lions could defeat that guy.

Perhaps the only ones in the royal capital’s knighthood who could face him now would be the legendary knights of Pendragon, personally selected by the War God:

The <White Dragon Knights>.

Baltar Grace, the former captain of the White Dragon Knights, felt a strange satisfaction.

“If only he were a bit more diligent, he might be entrusted with it…”

Though it was unclear what he meant to entrust, Baltar decided not to bind him.

Left free, he was growing on his own.

Even when they sparred daily, he wasn’t this good.

So he would leave him be.

That guy would find his path in freedom.

“I look forward to the next time.”

The next time they meet, how much will he have grown?

The old man smiled, anticipating the young man’s growth.

…However.

“But why didn’t he take care of this old man?”

While he took care of all the others, strangely, Ihan didn’t take care of the mage, and seeing this, Baltar clicked his tongue.

That guy.

“He doesn’t know how to respect the elderly.”

Baltar misunderstood the exhausted and unconscious mage, Odwal Bernard (28 years old), as someone older than himself and criticized Ihan.

Still failing in character, he thought.

* * *

Ihan’s back quickly lightened.

In Taechang’s case:

-Thank you for bringing him back safely.

The purple-haired girl he had seen at the debate the day before rushed over and took care of him.

She tended to the boy with affectionate hands, and suddenly his stomach hurt a little.

That kid had denied it so strongly, but they were clearly not in an ordinary relationship.

Irene Windler’s case was similar.

-I will take care of her.

Someone who appeared to be a female knight from the Duke’s family appeared, and Ihan entrusted Irene to her.

It might have been suspicious, but…

‘Is she that guy’s sister?’

He could see the face of that annoying Lac fellow he had met the day before in her face.

Probably his younger sister, he thought, and deemed her worthy of trust.

Moreover, just looking at her blood-soaked body, she must have cut down dozens of trolls alone.

That alone was reason enough to trust her.

-…Thank you for trusting me. And thank you for taking care of the young lady.

-Whatever. Tell your brother I’ll turn his face into a rag next time.

-That would be… welcome news.

…She seemed to have a decent character too.

Somehow finding himself empty-handed, he searched for a place to rest with a lightened body, and at some point:

“…Ah.”

He realized he was standing in front of his own house.

He could have lain down anywhere, but somehow he had returned home?

He wasn’t a migratory bird.

Just as he was thinking how foolish he was:

“Welcome back, Sir Knight.”

“…”

“Hehe, you worked hard.”

“Since when…”

“Hmm, I’ve just been waiting all along?”

“…”

There was a woman warmly welcoming him.

How long had she been waiting?

He was momentarily dazed at the sight of Leira Winter, who seemed to have been waiting until he returned.

Thud.

“Miss Maid?”

“Yes?”

The moment he called her, Leira approached him.

Just as he wondered why she was coming so close:

‘Ah, I’m collapsing.’

Realizing it wasn’t her approaching but him collapsing, Ihan tried to stand up again.

But Leira:

Grab.

“You can rest with ease. Just lean on me comfortably.”

“…”

“Sleep, they say sleep is a cure-all!”

“…That’s quite an educated statement for a maid.”

“Huh?”

“Haha…”

Ihan found himself embraced in her arms, unable to escape.

The very comfortable scent—not of stimulating perfume but of fragrant soap and warm sunshine.

And:

‘Ah, this is comfortable.’

A gentle touch like that of a mother.

Falling into an irresistible coziness, he quickly succumbed to sleep.

So defenseless.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

But Leira gently lent her lap like a pillow and stroked his head, as if protecting his defenseless form.

As if saying he needed no worries or concerns.

Rustle.

Under the sky where dark clouds gathered and the evening glow set, a cool breeze gently swept through the yard.

“You worked hard.”

The maid simply embraced the knight warmly, worried he might catch a cold.

Endlessly.