Chapter 43

First Flash.

A lightning-fast thrust using the tensed muscles of the arms and legs.

In response to that move, Killian lightly swung his wooden sword.

Thwack.

Haman, who was sent flying, tumbled on the floor and dropped his wooden sword.

Thump.

Killian then pointed his sword at Haman's neck.

“It's over.”

“Ah…”

Haman gasped for breath.

Despite giving it his all, he couldn't even graze the Young Master's clothes.

The Young Master had defended too easily, and ironically, the one who had dropped the wooden sword was the one who had attempted the attack.

It was a defeat for which there was no room for excuses.

His confident stamina had reached its limit, and he was on the verge of exhaustion.

His body trembled belatedly. His welling emotions wouldn't calm down, and tears streamed down his face.

This was the same Haman who had gone to Zodiac and swallowed his pride to ask for lessons.

He had planned to formally learn swordsmanship once Killian returned from the subjugation.

He had not neglected his physical training and had vowed countless times to work even harder in the future.

But now he was told it was over.

After making him train his body to the bone, he was told he was disqualified!

Haman, gritting his teeth, looked up at Killian.

“I just wanted to be of help to you, Young Master.”

Haman's muttering voice trembled.

“I haven't even learned proper swordsmanship yet.”

He tried to speak calmly, but it was not easy to hide his resentment.

“Are you going to say that to the enemy?”

“If you give me time…”

“If you were given time, the result would be different. Is that what you want to say?”

“……”

“The more half-heartedly one learns the sword, the more one's life is in danger. And…”

Killian looked at Haman's muscles, which had not yet calmed down.

“I never said you didn't have talent.”

“What…?”

To even imitate the First Flash, the muscles of the upper and lower body must be in balance.

The fact that Haman, with a Mana Heart the size of a fingernail, had managed to implement the technique plausibly meant that he had at least the physique of a 1-star knight.

‘He has talent.’

He had enough perseverance for a knight, and his Mana sensitivity was not bad either.

Although he learned the sword late, if he continued to train diligently, he could be called a 6-star knight in 40 years.

However, the real talent Killian had discovered in Haman was not in that direction.

“D-do I really have talent as a knight?!!”

“Yes. But you don't have just one talent.”

“……?”

“Talent is the ability to discover things for oneself. In that respect, your talent as an apothecary is more prominent.”

“Whaat…?”

“I thought you would react like that, so I asked the Head Apothecary in advance.”

Loen had guaranteed that with just a few years of education, Haman would have no problem growing into an intermediate apothecary.

If he gained more experience from there, he would become a senior apothecary within a decade, and it was not impossible for him to become a top-ranking apothecary someday.

A top-ranking apothecary who could handle Mana.

That alone could make him one of the most prominent figures on the continent.

He was a necessary talent, even for the grand plan of Eurasia.

“Don't tell me… you planned this from the beginning?”

“Yes. I've been thinking about your career path since before the subjugation.”

The chamberlain trembled at the sight of Killian's sly smile.

“You…”

He picked up the wooden sword lying on the floor and suddenly charged.

“If that's the case!!”

Fwoong.

Killian easily dodged the wooden sword aimed at him.

“You could have told me beforehand!!”

Fwoong.

“If I had, there would have been no way to confirm your full strength.”

“Eek…!!”

Fwoong. Fwoong. Fwoong.

It was while Killian was chuckling and dodging the wooden sword Haman was swinging.

Click.

The door to the training ground opened and someone entered.

It was the Vice-commander of the Blue Knight Order, Xenon.

“Tactician!!”

“Oh, Vice-commander. What brings you here during the rest period? As you can see, I'm in the middle of accepting the insubordination of an impertinent chamberlain.”

Fwooooong. Fwoong.

“……”

Xenon's gaze briefly turned to Haman, who was still swinging his sword without reaching its target.

He revealed the reason for his visit.

“A summons has been issued.”

“Suddenly? Was it from Lord Escardo?”

“No.”

Xenon shook his head and met Killian's eyes with a serious gaze.

“The Head has summoned the family's responsible personnel and the young masters.”

***

Eterno Hall, located in the center of the Eurasia main castle.

The elders and senior knights of Eurasia gathered there.

Killian, the Tactician of the Blue Knight Order and the Fourth Young Master of the family, was also one of them.

“Young Master, I told you to change your clothes and go.”

“Don't make a fuss.”

“This is the first time you are seeing the Head since you regained consciousness, isn't it? And why did you bring that wooden sword?”

Haman sighed, looking at the training wooden sword in Killian's hand.

“A knight should always have a sword, no matter where he goes.”

“Oh, my Young Master…”

Ignoring Haman's anxious words, Killian moved his feet.

Eterno Hall was a place used only when Simon discussed or announced the family's major and minor affairs.

‘I'm finally meeting him.’

The current head of Eurasia, a knight who had reached the 8th star and stood at the pinnacle of the eastern frontier.

His heart pounded at the thought of facing him.

Having arrived at Eterno Hall, the two stopped in front of the entrance.

The summoned elders and knights were entering with calm but quick steps.

“Young Master, please be careful with your words and actions…”

“I'll be back.”

Cutting Haman off, Killian stepped through the entrance.

The members of the Eurasia family who had arrived first were standing in rows.

It seemed the elders and Matriarchs were on the left, and the senior knights and servants were on the right.

In the front row of the knights stood the three young masters who were serving as commanders.

‘Is that my place?’

This time, he had been summoned not as the Tactician of the knight order, but as the Fourth Young Master.

Killian quietly stood next to Julian.

A moment later.

“The Head is entering.”

At Escardo's words, everyone present bowed their heads.

The sound of footsteps could be heard in the descended silence.

With each step closer, a pressure as if Mount Tai was weighing down on them could be felt.

“Everyone, raise your heads.”

A voice imbued with a true command tickled their hearts.

The single seat prepared in Eterno Hall.

A man with neatly cut silver hair was sitting there.

The Head, Simon Eurasia.

He looked down at everyone with a confident smile.

Simon's gaze, which had been scanning the knights, turned to the young masters.

After briefly meeting Killian's eyes, he opened his mouth.

“I have called you here to praise your meritorious deeds in the subjugation. There is no need for a long introduction, so let's begin right away.”

“Yes, my lord.”

Fwoooong.

Escardo's Mana covered the area.

From now on, his words would be imprinted in the minds of those gathered.

“First Young Master, Demian Eurasia, step forward.”

Demian, who had stepped forward before Simon, raised the iron sword he was wearing and performed a sword salute.

“As the overall commander of the subjugation, you have performed your duties well.”

“I was lacking and failed to meet your expectations, my lord.”

Demian replied, bowing his head.

“Raise your head. If you had chosen to retreat, the damage would have spread to the estate and the private houses. That would have been no different from a failure.”

Simon nodded to Escardo, giving him a silent signal.

“Master Swordsmith, bring the sword.”

At Escardo's command, a large-framed old man walked forward before the head.

His short-cut hair was white, but his body, packed with muscles, was enough to overwhelm most knights.

Master Swordsmith Hummel.

A figure who had flowed into the frontier from the continent, a master swordsmith who had dedicated himself to Eurasia for a long time.

He handed the sword he was holding to Demian.

Simon, meeting Demian's eyes, opened his mouth.

“It is a sword made of meteoric iron.”

The famed sword, Pisaro.

The finest famed sword that the head himself had used in his youth.

It was an item that had already been on the lips of gossips discussing the rewards for the subjugation.

Giving that sword to Demian was no different from acknowledging him as the one who had contributed the most to this subjugation.

“Do not be satisfied with your current achievements and strive even harder. If it's you, you will be able to break through the wall before long.”

“I will keep your words in mind, my lord.”

Demian, who had handed the iron sword to the Master Swordsmith, performed a sword salute with Pisaro and returned to his place.

Escardo opened his mouth again.

“Second Young Master, Paian Eurasia, step forward.”

“……”

Paian, wearing a prosthetic arm, walked forward with a stiff face and performed a sword salute.

Due to the unfamiliar prosthetic arm, he looked somewhat clumsy even when handling a normal iron sword.

“You lost your entire knight order.”

“I apologize.”

Paian's gaze was directed at the floor.

“Are you going to say that to the families of the knights who lost their lives?”

“……”

Paian's head bowed even lower.

Cali Eurasia quietly watched him.

“The fact that you were able to return alive with only one arm lost is because of the sacrifice of the other knights. Commander of the Knights.”

“Yes, my lord. Master Swordsmith, bring the shield.”

At Escardo's call, the Master Swordsmith brought a large shield.

Simon looked at Paian, who had received the shield, and continued.

“It is a shield that the Master Swordsmith made in the past, and that the Commander of the Knights used. It will be helpful until you get used to the prosthetic arm.”

“……!!”

“As a knight of Eurasia, do not forget today's humiliation.”

“I will keep it in mind!”

Thump.

Paian struck the iron sword to pay his respects to the head and returned to his place.

Escardo's gaze, which had been following him, now turned to Julian.

“Third Young Master, Julian Eurasia, step forward.”

Julian, who had been called, stepped forward and swallowed hard.

His body trembled slightly as he met Simon's eyes.

“The Commander of the Knights had much praise for you.”

“Ah, I am still at a lacking level!”

“Yes. You are certainly at a lacking level.”

“……!!”

“However.”

Simon, who had been scanning Julian's body for a moment, smiled pleasantly.

“What's important now is that a knight who had been stagnant has begun to take a new step.”

His gaze briefly turned to the elders.

“Head Apothecary, bring the prepared item.”

“Yes, my lord.”

At Simon's call, Loen, holding a golden box, headed towards Julian.

Simon watched him receive the box and opened his mouth.

“It is a spiritual medicine specially prepared by the Head Apothecary, considering your level. Strive to gain a new enlightenment without any shortcomings.”

Julian, who had received the head's recognition and reward, grinned for a moment.

“I will obey the Head's command!!”

He performed a loud sword salute and returned to his place.

“Fourth Young Master, Killian Eurasia, step forward.”

Killian, who had walked forward calmly, raised his wooden sword and performed a sword salute.

“……”

Simon's gaze briefly rested on the training wooden sword.

“This is the first time I have seen you since I finished my seclusion.”

Simon's gaze scanned Killian's body.

Broad shoulders under the rather clumsily grown silver hair.

A body so complete that it was hard to believe it had been less than two years since he had forged a Mana Heart.

“I heard you reached the 6th star and cut down a Knight Slayer. However…”

The corners of Simon's mouth slowly curled up.

“It seems the report was mistaken. Am I wrong?”

“……”

Simon's gaze was fixed on the chest where the Mana Heart would be located.

“What is the Fourth Young Master doing, not answering the Head's question?”

At Escardo's reprimand, Killian met the head's eyes.

Just by meeting his gaze, his suppressed aura threatened to run wild.

‘There's no need to hide it.’

He was pleased.

That the man who had followed in Edan's footsteps and aimed for the rebuilding of Eurasia was a knight who more than met his expectations.

“I had an enlightenment after the subjugation.”

“Interesting. Can I see that enlightenment here?”

Before Killian could answer.

Fwooooosh.

A huge amount of Mana suddenly erupted from Simon's body.

The ground where Killian was standing caved in.

“M-my lord…”

The bewildered Escardo tried to calm the head belatedly, but.

Rumble.

Simon's aura only grew stronger.

The Mana the head was emitting was that of a 6-star, but the aura contained in the Mana was not on a level that an ordinary 6-star master knight could withstand.

‘To a child who hasn't even fully recovered from his reflux, what is this…’

It was the moment Escardo was about to hastily unfold a Mana barrier.

Sssss.

A sapphire-like blue Mana rose from Killian's body.

He took a step towards the head.

Saaaaaaaah.

The blue Mana that collided with Simon's aura scattered in all directions.

In the midst of Eterno Hall becoming chaotic with the bewildered reactions of the elders and knights.

Killian paid them no mind and strengthened his Mana.

Saaaaaaaaaaaaah!

At that moment.

A joyful smile spread across Simon's previously indifferent face.

And Killian, meeting his eyes, calmly threw a single line.

“My lord, what do you plan to give me?”

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