He was moving.
A silver glow traced lines in the air.
With a single movement, the monsters were swept away in one blow.
A deadly field, full of creatures everywhere.
But every time he took a step, a path of life opened up.
When he danced, the monsters were cut to pieces.
As fluid as flowing water, but for his enemies, it was a raging storm.
Aint watched his back, absorbed.
“…That is a Royal Knight.”
The pinnacle of knights in this world.
The path he himself had to follow.
Aint focused all his attention on every movement of the Royal Knight’s hands and feet, engraving in his eyes and on his skin every sword trajectory.
An inevitable admiration surged. He could only watch, overwhelmed.
— He is worthy of the title of Royal Knight.
Even Gardner Alfenparsen, the first Royal Knight, recognized him as an opponent.
— Is it your first time seeing a Royal Knight fight in person?
Aint nodded.
He had fought demons, yes, but had never seen a Royal Knight in combat up close.
It was truly beautiful. Every movement, every swing of the sword, it was as if the weapon was alive, an unreal spectacle.
At the same time, a strong ambition was born within him.
‘I will too.’
I want to get there.
I want to reach that level.
— Don’t say I want to get there. Say I will get there. And not just get there—you’ll surpass that.
Gardner was right.
Aint wanted to rebuild his house. And for that, he had to become a hero.
Being a Royal Knight was not enough—he had to be something even greater.
That back was the path he had to follow—but sooner or later, he would have to surpass it.
With his eyes wide open, Aint raised his aura. Rays of brilliant light illuminated the darkness. He advanced, piercing the head of a monster charging at him.
“Leave one of the Rahnas to me!”
He didn’t wait for a response and launched into the battlefield.
Verian followed immediately.
“How was it in Alprosen, senior? Is it true you saved the crown prince’s life?”
“Yes.”
“Wow—to have the crown prince of Alprosen owe you his life. I wish I had been there. And with Sir Hakon Kaelin and Senior Rob here—Fernan, you really are incredible.”
Aria curled her lips with irony.
“Seems I grabbed the right rope. I’ll go first!”
She summoned the spirits of the wind and dashed forward. A gust swept the monsters from her path.
“…Sure, since you’ve never been blackmailed, you can talk like that.”
Ert Gismond let out a sigh.
His situation wasn’t like Aint’s or Aria’s.
Although, thinking about it, except for that time he was caught reading the prophecy book or when the First Emperor’s treasure appeared, he’d hardly ever been blackmailed directly.
His eyes fixed on Aint and the Royal Knight beyond. A level so high he didn’t even dare dream of it.
But since he’d ended up possessed, wasn’t it worth seeing how far he could go?
He knew his shortcomings well, and so far, he’d left everything in Aint’s hands.
But, if the opportunity existed—
“…Could I become like that too?”
It was impossible not to desire it. He raised his aura.
Although, seeing the fierce monsters, fear once again took hold of him.
Maybe the best thing wasn’t to be a Royal Knight or anything like that, but simply to live in peace.
“…Art is explosion.”
He forced himself to recite his spell, gripped his sword, and charged forward.
***
“So you are the Rahnas. I’ve heard a lot about you.”
Rather, he had read about them.
They were said to be generals of the demonic armies.
And yes, the pressure they emitted far exceeded that of any ordinary knight.
The problem was that this strength came from repugnant demonic magic, not aura.
Hakon Kaelin, knight of Alprosen, slowly raised his sword.
A single slash split into hundreds, enveloping the two Rahnas.
───!
A storm of slashes roared. Everything was cut and torn, but the Rahnas endured.
Groarrr!
They roared, showing all their ferocity, and charged with swords black as night.
Claang!
The swords clashed. The force they transmitted was crushing, but nothing he couldn’t withstand. Threatening, yes, but not invincible.
─!
──!
The two Rahnas surrounded him, attacking in unison. In just a few moments, they had exchanged dozens of blows.
The clash was so violent that nearby monsters were swept away, screaming as they were torn apart by the shockwave.
“They’re at Rob’s level.”
His grandson, whom he had personally trained since childhood.
A genius who far surpassed the talent of his father.
A knight who would shine in any corner of the continent.
Until recently, he was convinced that he would become the youngest Royal Knight in history.
“If you’re like this, I can’t imagine what real demons are like.”
“Leave one of the Rahnas to me!”
At that moment, someone interrupted the battle.
The same one who had shattered his grandson’s dream of becoming the youngest Royal Knight had entered the field.
A torrent of light crashed into the Rahnas.
The demonic magic stirred. The monsters howled in pain, and Hakon Kaelin, crossing swords once again, finally understood why Aint Armian was called the natural enemy of demons.
“I see—so you’re Aint Armian.”
“Yes, I beg your pardon for my disrespect.”
“There is no disrespect when it comes to exterminating the corrupt. This is not an honorable duel.”
He chuckled. Was that really an Armian? Aint’s face seemed to radiate light.
‘Was the First Emperor like this? It’s incredible to think someone so young has reached this level.’
“May I leave one of the Rahnas to you?”
“If you grant me that honor, I can only be grateful.”
“Good, then this will be a little more manageable.”
Though he had been fighting without rest, the sharpened senses of the Royal Knight allowed him to read everything on the battlefield.
The monsters going wild, the third prince of Esrin moving nervously, the corrupt trying to flee, and Fernan along with Luina keeping them in check, plus his own grandson.
“The corrupt will be caught by those youngsters…”
I’ll take care of the other traitors.
The two knights surged forward at the same time, as if they had agreed on a signal.
───!
“…This can’t be.”
Tulwin Esrin brushed aside falling chunks of earth with a swipe of his hand as he muttered.
Nothing seemed real.
Why did those monsters that once seemed so imposing now look so insignificant?
Why was a Royal Knight of Alprosen here?
“Why the hell is a Royal Knight of Alprosen in this place?! Why!?”
If not for that Royal Knight, everything would have gone as planned. He would have regained his position and everything would have proceeded as expected.
And to confirm his fears, the confrontation that until just a moment ago had seemed even between the Royal Knight and the two Rahnas turned one-sided once Aint joined the battle.
“Your Highness, you must retreat. We’ll buy time.”
“Retreat? And where to, exactly?”
The monsters were fighting. His knights could risk their lives to buy him a moment and open an escape route.
But after that?
Aint Armian, Fernan Pellenberg, and the Royal Knight Hakon Kaelin were there.
He had already confessed with his own mouth that he had allied with the corrupt and planned to overthrow the kingdom.
Even if he managed to escape from there alive, no future awaited him.
He had no alternative.
To catch prey the size of Aint Armian, he also had to offer an equivalent bait.
He had played the best card possible.
What he hadn’t foreseen was the appearance of Fernan Pellenberg, and even less that he would bring Hakon Kaelin with him.
“I have no other choice. Do you think my brother will waste this opportunity?”
He had no qualms about allying with the corrupt, even though he was aware of their terrible reputation.
Getting out of there meant giving up the dream of becoming king.
“…It doesn’t matter anymore whether I live or die. Only one path remains—turn Hakon Kaelin into bread or soup, but kill him.”
“B-But Your Highness, he’s a Royal Knight!”
Tulwin’s senseless words baffled his knights.
Accepting that he allied with the corrupt was one thing; ordering them to kill a Royal Knight was something else entirely.
“Don’t you understand the situation yet? It’s not a matter of whether we can or not.”
It’s that we must do it.
Otherwise, there will be no future.
“…If that is Your Highness’s will, we shall obey.”
“But… where is Count Daniel…?”
Then.
Boom!
A body was violently thrown through the monsters, landing at their feet. It was, without a doubt, the severed head of a Rahnas.
“Hakon Kaelin…!”
“Prince of Esrin. After orchestrating such a conspiracy, where do you think you can flee?”
He extended his hand.
“Come with me. At the very least, I’ll guarantee your safety.”
“Nonsense! I’ll kill everyone here today!”
“What a curious statement. Do you really think you can do that?”
He didn’t say it mockingly or angrily, but with a calm so natural it was even more terrifying.
“Of course.”
A knight who had served the third prince since childhood stepped forward.
“And you are…?”
“Knight Baylor Harper, servant of Prince Tulwin.”
“I see the traitor to humanity has a capable knight by his side. Are you going to stop me?”
“I will. Because His Highness has so ordered.”
“Your resolve is strong, but do you really think you can succeed? Surrender, and at least your lord will be spared.”
“I tried, but His Highness refused. Then my duty is to follow my lord’s will.”
He pointed his sword at him.
“Nonsense.”
Hakon Kaelin clicked his tongue.
“If your lord takes the wrong path, a knight’s duty is to correct him with counsel, even by force if necessary.”
“I tried… but I couldn’t.”
No one was unaware that the corrupt were an abomination. Everyone knew, but closed their eyes and kept silent.
Baylor knew his lord was on a twisted path, yet still failed to bring him back.
“And yet you call yourself a knight, letting your lord fall into ruin?”
“I have no excuses. I know I was wrong.”
He bowed and assumed a combat stance.
“Maybe it sounds like an excuse, but at that time there was no other way out.”
“That’s nothing but a justification.”
“It is. Perhaps that’s why now I’m paying the price. The punishment for not stopping His Highness back then.”
Baylor’s aura burst forth. A blood-red energy enveloped his sword.
“Whether it’s punishment or not, it no longer matters. I knew His Highness was on a misguided path and still didn’t oppose him. The only thing left for me is to follow him to the end, even with my life.”
That was his knightly code—to risk his life following his lord, even knowing he was wrong.
He silently apologized to the sacrificed citizens, but still thought it wasn’t so bad—he would have the honor of facing a Royal Knight in his final moment.
“Repulsive.”
Did he say it was an honor to face a Royal Knight after sacrificing so many innocents?
“You call it an honor to cross swords with me?”
Hakon Kaelin sheathed his sword.
“W-What are you doing…?”
“You don’t have the right to cross weapons with me.”
Trash remains trash, even if you dress it up in chivalrous words.
“You uphold the chivalry of serving your lord but ignore the chivalry of protecting the people?”
The elderly Royal Knight clenched his fist.
────!
The body of the knight who had remained by his lord’s side until the end was sent flying like a puppet with its strings cut.
____
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