Chapter 84
q8MfAlthough Fernan delivered the message, nothing happened immediately.h0L
FJuGThe border count it was meant for was not in the region’s capital.yZxET
XD96TA day passed, and at dawn, Fernan woke up. After washing and dressing, he heard a knock at the door.ftt9x
xqIvt“Are you awake?”f6O1O
zPSN1“Yes.”tHNDsn
x3FrXL6“You got up early.”rmqv3NI
HdkSJ“I don’t think you’re the one to say that, after heading out at dawn to swing a sword.”WD6
cWpTzWhen he opened the curtains, the first thing he had seen was Luina heading to the training yard with her weapon.Y5rEVXg
nX6vIp“Any knight would do the same.”fSBS
5fwC“I see.”fnfnAwg
zDB33cAnd not just her. Aint, Armon, Alia, and Verian were there too.UatFS
4MuZfiAll the students from the Knight Department had used the Altrierc training grounds to practice since dawn.Xr0JU
NaJA good sign.54LHo
f4qXkqRBecause regardless of what the prophecy book said, all of them would have to face demons sooner or later—unless they sold their souls and became corrupted.d2vaU
Ggk“Looks like you motivated them.”290dlC
EDoA47e“Me? I don’t think so…”GNRnYj
BKBo49v“Top of second year in the Knight Department.”yyrNup5
vj5Mo“Being first is important, but not that much…”gL6
xEBEjvx“You won the jousting tournament. And also.”3o5
OK5“Also?”PpFsFDm
GEVL“You’ll become a Royal Knight.”gSANpPe
ct8u“…You think I’ll make it?”OhK4u
ADi89“Without a doubt.”9M1N
PeLUFernan replied without hesitation.nfzR0
VQLVI“You’ll become a Royal Knight, Luina. And an outstanding one.”Wvj
GWNdgLuina’s face darkened again, although she couldn’t hide the burning desire that welled up inside her.XZ9
gbPLtShe held her breath and forcefully suppressed her racing heart.f74c6XW
jE0gXgp“I’m still far from it. Compared to real Royal Knights, I’m just a firefly.”qWRtkAP
LcOj334“You think so?”4OcDa6
p0i“But I want to live up to that faith. Because of you.”kUsZ
7wqYWf“That’s enough.”TwWSocJ
0gmhFernan handed her a chocolate.o9X
m779“Want one?”OqYVOMF
vxbaIx8“Where do you keep getting these from?”TTL
x0g12“Subspace.”VxZO
eZF“You always carry them?”IKg5x
p4VClR“I don’t like sweets.”5Psr
gfu“But earlier you also said the sam—”GoXLCM
3VMZSuddenly, some chocolate crumbs slipped from Luina’s hand and fell to the ground.rbKHgfp
XHG“…What do you mean by that? Explain yourself properly!”oR4mt
ArRfMnHer bewildered shout echoed behind Fernan.5Ra
hp2***WcTN
mcPOGBefore sunrise, the students stood before fifty Iron Knights and two hundred soldiers.GcGQ2CM
90Og“I am Elion Sloth, captain of the Iron Order.”kUBDBk
YW2zwHe was a commanding man, with a firm presence.mJyiZ
quAQFl“I’m Professor Grad, from the Academy. If I’m not mistaken, the Iron Order is the First Order of Altrierc…”Z5tFV
lSaTG“That’s correct. We are proudly the First Knight Order of Altrierc.”yE1EV8
PprWhich was to say, they were the strongest shield in the region.W482w
Z09KIB‘No wonder—they each commanded presence just by standing there.’ef15sXa
et6He never imagined the First Order would personally escort them.ssCP
sjKwDK5But on second thought, it made sense. Because the Academy students weren’t just any visitors.ymg71
pAOTZLook at them.tiwKw
YvdFr— The heir of the Pellenbergs.Joyfc
fGB— The daughter of the Bercheffs.edG4wRX
PF4Y3vk— The daughter of the Fridians.8Mn7
uBDLJBb— The prince of Schwaben and the descendant of the Armians.3l4Cg
Ne9Five direct lines from the electors, plus houses like Kalburdern, which couldn’t be overlooked.idoMhb
hmlI‘And if we count the professors, there’s also Rosalia of the Vienderks.’HEY
5WW4CtIf anything happened to them, the consequences for Altrierc would be incalculable.Hsp
46bmJRY“We’ll depart now.”VT6K5B
DeXC“In your hands.”1g2
DMO0mhThe Altrierc administration provided horses, and since riding was part of basic training, all students could ride.Duk
7ypD33Thus, the 262 members of the group rode out from the region’s capital.DCq67Az
YG18X“The horses are in excellent condition.”5uXjwy
fwi“They’re comparable to our household’s.”0jX
ghhVkLBoth Bercheff and Altrierc had vast plains where herds were raised. Horses from those lands were known across the Empire as the best.sn0Fw3
0EnH‘With the war, demand will grow even more. We’ll have to breed as many as possible.’qL7
uaxBut Bercheff had been devastated by monsters, and its horse breeding was in ruins.l8UUK
pNbXjgOne of the Empire’s three pillars had fallen, and the only path forward was to open a new one or restore what was lost.cy1r
fSht‘It won’t be easy. Ideally, we’d reclaim Bercheff, but…’DTEJNU
nrLQAs long as monsters still nested along its northern border, the territory remained like a candle in the wind.NHB
x4H‘Even so, Bercheff must endure.’J00
hQXMzThey couldn’t abandon fortresses and experience built over a thousand years. Even as a tactical retreat, leaving those lands meant even greater risks.YVL
jLfEspecially because—nVE
vM6o‘If Bercheff falls, the Empire loses two Royal Knights.’ILJKU
hnvDAlbinos Bercheff, the border count.DGc6c1
1YtAnd Luina Bercheff, future Royal Knight.HZX
r25UFernan knew. They’d rather fall with their land than abandon it.SuhG
qcd‘But how can it be done?’7qEPepf
yd3IWould it be a matter of pouring in unlimited money?rYUiC3v
nnFFgzWith what backing?bFboN
DPmjiYvAnd even if invested, was there a guarantee it would work?ayHbRL
Un5The answer wasn’t simple.wqsU4
4Hit***KJhqX
qUDN“…….”EOn2
wp7A pair of eyes watched Fernan, lost in thought.XF8GAl8
8fVBep‘How did it come to this…?’jJz
yD2The owner of that gaze was Carlo Deneb. At the start of the semester, he never imagined things would come to this.A3LAxr
G38ZgIf he had lost first place to Ludger Schwaben, he could’ve accepted it with resignation.02eqS
7jK5qBut… Fernan?TZLfkN
SLjfIn first year, he barely placed tenth. Thinking it had all been a farce still made him shiver.ahqfqGF
tUDHe let himself be fooled by his act and—U1fIm
hQpynRU‘No, in the end, I simply wasn’t good enough.’bfen8
EAyEven if Fernan had used artifacts or hidden himself, if Carlo had been strong enough, he could have overcome everything.9TGQp
fndKvpuAnd later, Carlo ended up using artifacts too.HElXcyZ
BHi6ZeeStill, he couldn’t help but feel frustrated.WGwDN0
XArCfG‘Aria Fridian…’26w
5si4HHe turned his head. There was Aria, chatting with Aint and Verian. More painful than losing first place was remembering that mistake.n642qB
cQuUaGT‘Losing to a first-year.’dGki
c4F5X0And not even to a saint of the Dragon Cult, those anomalies born outside all standards.tPzsLoM
1r9To Aria Fridian.u11nHvW
BfYhXYEven if she was from an elector family, even if she was an elf, even if back then he’d been unbalanced because of Fernan and his mana flow wasn’t stable—VdkjMQ
exFOP‘I should never have lost to Aria Fridian.’Rmk32
QNPJBecause of that shame, he drank for the first time in his life.1KLnYb
ZThl3He went against his master’s teaching—that a mage must always keep a clear mind.d1QeF
ApyBut it helped.OGw
53rrpzWhen he looked at himself in the mirror, drunk, defeated by a junior—that pathetic image woke him up. It wasn’t the time to drown in alcohol, but to devote himself more seriously to magic.Kw1gp
8AddSjThat was the real reason he volunteered for this expedition.WxIAD
wYkMwoSure, Fernan’s participation had pricked his pride, but more than anything, it was to temper himself in battle—to never experience that again.eYvT4O
5uG5wI“Senior? Do you need something from me?”ju72i
rEM656“No.”xfn
iebIz“Ah, has your wound healed? My spirit was a bit rough…”U8j
k7Ua“It’s nothing.”lwqJn
PSCr6z“Doesn’t seem like it.”LwC6ry
rs9Mz6“It won’t happen again—that you defeat me.”BVx
IHvG“We’ll see. Don’t they say the first time is hard, but the second is easy?”0lDiSkl
LbhPYrCarlo barely held back the urge to fire a lightning bolt right then.vxia
s6i“Go away.”yDxE
WfrNHTw“But you were the one staring at me like that.”aWewUtP
4IXoUDF“Are all elves like this?”duEh
Fntr3“Like what?”g7p
iqXQwCarlo brought a hand to his forehead, wincing from a headache.1tF
e1Nk2aH“Aint! Let’s fight again when we make camp.”g7Tni
4O4EmvS“Anytime.”tEXnnl
7Og“Jeez, weren’t you way below me when we enrolled?”7vI
0k7jnZ“And you’re still hung up on entrance rankings?”anDBMG6
lP50zfAint and Verian argued animatedly.fU1s84W
MfQU“The last time doesn’t count.”NtF
PEHAxhX“In a fight, there’s no doesn’t count. Win or lose—it’s that simple.”uym
EDRWAaG“Aren’t you embarrassed?”KtyNCR
w74“Why should I be ashamed of a legitimate victory?”SK3N38
KAdu“I wasn’t in normal condition.”PYEKy
aoQ3jAt“That’s your fault for not taking care of your body.”Ofb2
akCqvn“…And since when do you talk back so well?”7Jpy9
T5MW“Do I have to answer that too?”SZutg
JlLXAlmon, for his part, was still pestering Luina, still bitter about not being able to finish the jousting match.GG9u2
hyseA4X“What an entertaining sight.”ggJbh
PbFu2WLudger, pulling on his reins, watched the whole scene.hK2
AFpo5a“I never thought I’d see this.”xXeS8
MKO“You say it’s fun, but you’re not smiling.”Xdbmh
Q5mfX“How could I laugh, Fernan? If I think about it, you’re the main culprit.”XgdDrU
9LBti“Me?”foas
klftb2qFernan shrugged.VAIRAFm
mB9“Yes, you. You’re not even trying to hide it anymore. Is it because of the corrupted?”1tEk6
rbBaiT“You’re talking strangely.”5km
5V6uFernan chuckled softly.HJbn
LohL8t1“Don’t think that just because you’re a prince, or because Schwaben is the imperial family, I need to tiptoe around you. I don’t have to live worrying about you.”UbRn0m3
CEIAt first, he had acted cautiously, but that was because he still had no certainty and didn’t want to make unnecessary enemies.34i
yBHNow, things had gone too far.pG4
PWFtVXIf the world was at risk of falling into the hands of demons, he had to use all his resources to support Aint.mNfO
ubh“Of course, I know that. But I’m curious…”nMZg67E
cmjdpLudger’s voice grew serious.TF7
0pGiCI“…What you plan to do by using Armian.”LRW39PA
gBYON“I’m forging a better weapon to hunt demons. You can’t kill an ox with a chicken knife.”WeMEnjp
zY7lv4“That’s a legend from a thousand years ago. The Armians already lost their secret sword, their pride, and their legacy.”XBA9Y
EsGIFernan didn’t bother provoking him further. If Schwaben seriously decided to interfere with Aint, everything would become more troublesome.8DTniDt
zxA8nq“That may be true. But even half a legacy is better than none.”HocK
NOKFiWs“Well, better that than nothing, yes.”v5cD
dbCS1kQ“And you? Do you really see Aint Armian as a threat?”nrwpd
FlHVl7P“Of course not. He might be annoying, but comparing him to Schwaben is ridiculous.”FnC99a5
P0OyREven if Aint was talented, that wouldn’t make him emperor. Without power behind him, he was just a descendant of a fallen family.xRH
rkgosThe first emperor had the Armian kingdom behind him, but Aint only had a ruined lineage.oFz
HgO2xio“No matter how much the corrupted stir things up, with an incomplete legacy, he won’t get far.”wYx
11SyAnd yet, there was a symbol in him.LNYL4
6KpyAnd if a wealthy backer decided to exploit that symbol, he could become troublesome.KYo
hHXLudger’s eyes turned cold. Fernan sensed the hidden anger in his gaze.HeOgE
OEgiTU2“What was it again? That Pellenberg saying…”tTUvhPr
fVW9CV“‘Make no enemies, only money.’”Gkxb
qvIjrRC“That one.”92Gx
1pgqh“And I still follow it.”YpVxbq
9xFN“I know. I trust that…”fpoNvU
5Tn“Stop right there!”0pVq7Y
xd14xThe voice of the knights at the front interrupted their conversation.TkAYV5i
TuxU8“We’ll set up camp here. If we depart at dawn, we’ll reach the wall before noon.”dNbf0Of
xYJkThe sun was setting, and the soldiers began preparing the camp.l8x
P1xwJ“This is also part of your training, so you’ll set up camp yourselves. Ask the soldiers if you need help.”zzo
CPR“Yes!”vT7evem
ELWDuveThe students helped pitch tents and dig drainage trenches.84G8hDs
kiQFernan, using magic, did his part while inspecting the surroundings.9ie
3OJ8They were on a mountain slope, with a high plain large enough to hold hundreds of people.BMyZAPl
MoiNot far off rose jagged cliffs.Tavj
pDd‘It’s here.’P3yjRn4
RqMAccording to the prophecy book, between those cliffs was the Itarium. Ludger would find it during the night patrol, claim discovery rights, and take the leaves and fruit.f0cnN
4r0pXMeanwhile, Aint would secretly obtain the root, which held the highest concentration of mana.jNVl
RFgThat was the key to this episode.vbzf
cE6EXFernan was clear on it.fEyp
YpNrpl‘I’ll let Ludger have the leaves and fruit. The root will go to Aint.’xVRC
zRfAnd that was enough. He didn’t want to risk a future where Aint was weakened and unable to defeat the demons.dydbhBR
3prsMAs they finished setting up, Professor Grad gathered the students again.kqM9wi
HWvPVR“Exploring and surveying the surroundings is essential. It’s also valuable experience. The soldiers will go on patrols—we need volunteers to accompany them.”myzvc
53te“I’ll go.”Mj9JF05
vaU1Fernan raised his hand without hesitation.5XRVPAl
jeFqLudger, who was about to do the same, lowered his hand with a frown.4m8
Qdr“I’ll go too.”O9ECQmM
UK0uB“And me!”s2O
HS7In the end, Luina and Aria volunteered.aOX
0JkJ“One is enough. Luina will go.”DHF5
H1IoJJ“Understood.”FAi
rTSrIvLThus, Fernan and Luina armed themselves and joined the patrol.XZOVT
GEN“Follow us and observe how we track. Ask whatever questions you want.”PLm
yqlAKap“Yes.”cCl
PElQ0tl“Yes.”Pyv
pTk8The ten-man detachment set out at full speed. The trained horses ran effortlessly even on the mountain terrain.VyNL4
QKFqvNO“What are you plotting?” Luina murmured beside him.Jy2b
idlD5Wa“What?”maS9g8i
tiz1aRU“You never do anything that doesn’t benefit you. What do you expect to gain?”h5XtDau
OyzkS“…It’s nothing.”4oM
CC6He felt like she had read his mind and turned away.Xhy
yLoN3PThe patrol focused on searching for monster tracks.morhs40
xMdABG1“It’s not common, but sometimes some manage to slip past the wall.”mJ4UJI
eBh“So the wall doesn’t cover everything.”A61FWK
Mvr5c“Actually, it’s called that, but it’s made up of several fortresses at key points. It doesn’t span the entire territory.”fyiaTB
UXgYY“I see.”BlSjNg
zbq7XThat was when Fernan saw it.5Fl
dO3hO[Between three cliffs forming a kind of trident.]2oYF9
Ipag36lThere they were, ahead—the trident-shaped cliffs.rA8lDb
9Wwgw“How about we check there? Looks like a good monster hideout.”7NOCC
BThbV“Let’s go.”vi4WgFJ
FdaHThey ventured into the ravine formed by the rocks.E4W0B
TNcN8B5According to the book, the Itarium should be there, with roots embedded in stone.QXhZURK
yCSavIt should be there.y1t
bOKtIt should…LhkMPb
cqCB“…What?”1wp
iTPq“Something wrong?”RA7MSXz
MjICG“No, nothing…”Hgy3B6G
HhCEvGiWhy wasn’t it there?CUg
2A9Even when he infused mana into his eyes to check, he found nothing.Qobi
nD5gOnly traces remained—empty cavities in the rock, proof that someone had already pulled up even the roots.cF509T
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