Arthur was least interested in biology, so he didn't know if being sweaty ran through genes. However, when the baron's son tried to answer his question about visitors, he turned into a mini fountain.

"We receive many visitors, mostly young nobles wishing to hone their skills and face hardships," Randolph tried to wipe away his sweat. "As for any-any others, I don't remember. After all, they were many, haha."

Arthur squinted his eyes at the man, who was clearly of a guilty conscience. However, he kept stuttering and sweating meant that he at least knew that something was off. The rest could easily be uncovered using his submission art.

"I understand," Arthur wanted to save his art for last after he gathered enough clues himself. "Then, we should visit the lake first. What do you think?"

"That would be wise," Randolph smiled and stood up. "I'll prepare a few drivers who are well-versed in the terrain. My Lord can rest until then. Well then," Randolph bowed and left the room.

"What do you think?" Arthur turned toward the winged demi, who startled at his question.

"Ah," the demi scratched his head. "He looks nice. I don't think he's a bad person."

"Why so?"

"His smell," the demi said seriously, and Ma looked at him as if he was an idiot, but Arthur knew better. Demis were instinctual species, and he felt the same from the young noble. So, even though he wasn't bad, he still hid something from Arthur. 

"What's your name?" Arthur asked the winged demi, who simply shook his head.

"The moment I became your knight, I had no name but the one you want to call me."

"What?"

Arthur was surprised and turned to Ma, who nodded as if it was a common thing. But, now that Arthur thought about it, all of Solomon's knights had titles instead of names, which was the highest rank a knight could attain.

"When a knight pledges his loyalty to a Lord, he is stripped of his name and identity, becoming nothing but a vessel for the lord," Ma explained.

"That's very inconvenient," Arthur was amazed. "How do I address them without names?"

"You can just give them titles."

"Wouldn't that make them Titled Knights?"

"No, only a king's knights are Titled. A Lord's handpicked knights are called Chosen Knights, or Rising Stars. The Lord would train them into becoming at the very least captains, commanders, and so on."

"I didn't know it was this messy," Arthur sighed. "If I did, I would have just picked more powerful people. These sound like childish titles."

"My Lord. The knights are quite proud of these ranks," Ma glanced at the demi, who wore an uncomfortable face. His face amused Arthur, who mocked his so-called honor.

"Ma. Go and gather the knights in the field," Arthur stood up. "I want to test them. You," Arthur stopped the demi from leaving, "should stay."

Ma never saw Arthur acting like this before, so he didn't dare question his words and simply hurried to leave. The demi was uncomfortable in front of Arthur, and his feathers rose in fear.

"What is honor for you?" Arthur smiled as he touched the knight to teleport him away, and he followed right after to appear in the field. The knight was disoriented, and he was on his knees.

Arthur waited until all of them were here. The proud Mad Prince, Kaza, and Veran, who never left each other, the giant, and the waves rider.

"I believe there has been a misconception," Arthur said as the six stood in front of him, confused and wary. "You six seem to believe that me choosing you has made you 'The Chosen Knights' or whatever bullshit that is."

"My Lord," the Mad Prince stepped forward to say something.

"If you dare interrupt me again, I'll gut you," Arthur said with a smile that sent chills down their spine. The Mad Prince's body shook before she saluted and retreated.

"The six of you are worthless to me at the moment. Nothing will change if any of you disappear, but I failed to make that clear. You still care about the honor of being a knight, and there is still pride in the names you were given but never deserved."

Arthur has failed to see the arrogance of these six, but it was understandable. Of course, individual pride is essential for his followers, but it shouldn't stem from their titles but their value.

"Attack me at once," Arthur said. "All of you, attack me with everything you have. Work together or separately, but you need to land an attack on me to pass this test. If you can't even do that, I'll strip you of your knighthood."

The words made the six knights grow pale, and they looked at Ma to appease the Seika. However, Ma stood there expressionless, and he even cleaned his nails in a relaxed manner.

Since the beginning, those who have been with Arthur knew that he placed great emphasis on value rather than honor and pride. Even if Arthur killed his knights, Ma wouldn't bat an eye and simply lament the lack of hardworking knights.

"Speak," Arthur said to Kaza, who stepped forward and knelt on the ground.

"A knight should never attack his lord, and I'd prefer to lose my knighthood than to..."

"Alright, then you are discharged," Arthur waved his hand and looked at the others who were getting panicked. "Anyone else wants to play this knighthood game?"

The rest looked at each other, and the Mad Prince was the first to grit her teeth and rush toward Arthur. Her sword left a streak of light as it attacked Arthur, who simply grinned as the blade was about to strike him.

"Slow," as he said, his spiritual energy exploded to strike the knight, and it sent her flying, slamming into the pavilion's outer walls.

The moment that the knight crashed into the walls, someone sneaked up on him from behind. Like a ghost from the underworld, Veran stabbed his dagger at Arthur's back.

A barrier appeared behind Arthur, and the attack was deflected. Arthur appeared beside the unsteady Veran and sent him flying in the air with a kick.

Boiling mana burst from Kaza as he saw his friend get attacked, and the rapier's was about to strike Arthur's chest. With a tap of his fingers, the repair changed direction to miss before Arthur used his spiritual energy again to send the knight toward his friend, slamming the two against each other.

"Come forth or abandon your titles," Arthur gestured as the two knights fell from the sky and the Mad Prince stood up from the rubble. Then, all of them rushed to attack him.

***

Randolph came back with a few drivers, but the scene that greeted him was one he could have never imagined. There were sounds of fighting earlier, but he thought that the knights were training.

The Seika of Living Beings stood in the middle of the destruction and the upturned field of the pavilion. There were no walls to talk about, as there was barely a trace of them.

"Young master, should we call for help?" the driver beside him trembled, and Randolph didn't have an answer for that.

"No need, the Seika is training his knights," the Manager of Hidden City stepped forward to calm them down. "I believe the training will be over soon."

'Training?' Randolph's thoughts were chaotic. 'This looks like a scene from hell.'

The Chosen Knights of the Seika, the same ones he envied a few hours ago, were on the ground with their armor broken apart and their faces black and blue.

"Really? Not a single hit?" the Seika yawned in boredom as if his knights didn't even pose a challenge to his safety. "If you can't even defeat me, why would I need you to protect me?"

"Then why did you choose us?" one of the female knights, who Randolph heard was the leader of the group, asked as she stood up. "If we are worthless, then why did you knight us?"

"For your potential, not for your stupid ideals," the Seika was ruthless. "If you want to be proud knights who care more about their honor than their value to me, then you deserve to be discharged."

"I will have to ask you to give us some time," the Manager stepped forward as if he felt something was going to happen. Of course, Randolph wanted to see the end of the fight, but he knew wiser than to be impolite.

The Seika was an eccentric man, after all.

As he walked away from the pavilion with a heart full of curiosity, Randolph felt mana change from within the pavilion. The feeling was ominous, as if the world's ending was starting from their estate.

Then, blinding light came from within the pavilion.. Randolph closed his eyes as the light blinded everything within their estate, and it made flowers and plants bloom everywhere.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.