Chapter 110
VhhNorvek only wanted Lucian’s life. However, Lucian, as commander-in-chief, was protected by layer upon layer of escorts.OxBEwN
gt6Even if he suffered a crushing defeat in battle, it was normal for a commander-in-chief to survive and retreat.6ScEgd
V72GWKEven if they provoked chaotic combat, it was doubtful they’d get close enough to reach him with a blade.AivO
GUIP‘And even if they did, that wouldn’t be the end of the problem either. It’s not like his personal strength is pitiful; wasn’t he the one who defeated Harald head-on?’KMz8L
sFEjfFHe didn’t resort to trickery or make up for lesser strength with technique. He simply, in a direct clash of power, emerged victorious, throwing the axe and demonstrating overwhelming strength.8yW
QKbZA mediocre knight wouldn’t even have time to think about cutting that guy’s neck; he’d first have to worry about his own.9TtG0
V3YxQAnd yet, that man, who was in such a difficult position to kill, had declared he would walk out on his own.gPw
Nw5It was no surprise that Norvek’s eyes, half-crazed with hatred, were bloodshot.g0nU
Ltf‘But if this keeps up, aren’t we playing right into the enemy’s game?’tv3
0qnHe didn’t know who the first knight to come out would be, but he certainly wouldn’t be an easy opponent.N6mUtmI
nYVdMIf Count Calix’s side suffered consecutive defeats, it could trigger the worst-case scenario.Ae9
jQpm7“My lord.”n6t4rNB
e05aEH6“You’ll go?”Dd3
cV2lH7The moment Palmir opened his mouth to dissuade him, Norvek’s eyes gleamed coldly.61H
e3BCSSIt was clear that if he said anything other than something about the duel, Norvek would send Palmir himself as the first sacrifice.slZqO
36unw7After hesitating for a long moment, Palmir swallowed the sigh rising in his throat and said,xP4
ADT“…I’ll send Sir Dain.”auUlh
eWwhP“Do it.”etx6CXV
ERQwNorvek didn’t seem inclined to speak further.Kzr
A20ZgpAs he had said before, it didn’t matter how many died as long as they could drag Lucian out.aIrOym
IJZSeeing that attitude, Palmir turned away, swallowing his bitterness.DxTWzeR
xCrEmIt pained him deeply to think of his comrades, knights who wouldn’t die with honor, but would be discarded like mere consumables.3lVUuj
QCeK***8ngo2uU
hjaaBwooo.ObrUn
nOroGShortly after, the horn announcing the start of the duel echoed over Raven Hill. At the same time, a knight stepped out from Lucian’s side.wcZ
YdGHe wore full white armor, so pristine that his face couldn’t even be seen.MxjNVn
TRXX31Then, from Calix’s side, the designated duelist appeared Dain.reL
ZKevo“I am Dain Volkov, in service to the house of Count Calix! Who are you?!”iAf
wxs84OW“Ha.”Msa
V079KFrom within the inscrutable helmet came a mocking laugh. The voice was youthful, but resonating inside the helmet, it was impossible to determine the exact age.tYIw
4etVr“A bunch of traitors playing at being knights? Cut the nonsense and stretch out your neck.”tU58
pRCQhva“…!”nPGpLVe
eF4YeDain’s face flushed with rage as he glared at the white-armored knight.SyxnfZH
1PdHe didn’t deny that the cause of this war lay with Calix. But mixing the sins of the house he served with his personal honor as a knight was excessive.UVIMrxI
KPJFwHe was only fulfilling his duty to the lord he had sworn loyalty to, and they treated him like a bandit.6HH
XDcm“Let’s see if your sword is as sharp as your tongue!”3Hm
XrgknouDain drew his sword and charged at the white knight. The armor might be excellent, but if his swordsmanship was poor, it was nothing more than tough decoration.lj4b
gZlmAll he had to do was deflect the weapon and drive his blade into the joints.35E
nFiB‘I’ll crush him with the opening charge!’lH3MPMV
c77At the moment he unleashed his first strike with full force, determined not to let the opponent dodge—uYMyHZ
CTSaVbdWhoosh!Ckwuf
1dX“…?”cmSgGAB
9yffAt the same time the white knight’s sword flew out, there was a sound like reeds brushing against each other.jpgPX
uhWqkM7Dain blinked, wondering what that was, and then his field of vision tilted to the side.P42
0weWith that final thought—“Why suddenly…?”—Dain Volkov met his death.68hv
IyRzXqThud. Splash.bfO
fj4hzcThe head hit the mud first, followed by the body, which splattered into the mire.aZbbtlM
AoEThe white knight shook his sword, even though it wasn’t stained with blood, as if he had cut through something impure.dIdcLgX
mu0AvqMWhile everyone remained stunned, unable to grasp what had happened, the white knight spoke.XLZN3bu
MK5gY2c“Next.”l6DDDFH
PheHHH***3pU8
KRGCrnf“…”dNv
q82L9r“…”lWGs3O
NZ0zwBoth armies were left speechless at the shocking scene.O0V
9AjDain wasn’t an extraordinary knight, but he was undoubtedly a veteran with countless experiences in real combat.YUDM
iZfxjVTAnd yet, he had lost his head without even crossing swords once.2hZExR
PZY‘He didn’t aim for the gap between the helmet and the breastplate. Even with the armor in the way, he cut through it like paper.’6DsKO
shQmdSSeeing the fragments of armor lying beside Dain’s severed head, Palmir swallowed hard.jKUrPZ
W6rIt was true that knights enhanced their bodies to wield superhuman strength.1BrG
7rbtMBut an enhanced body only allowed one to swing a sword faster and with more precision; it didn’t make the blade itself sharper.UvE5
xPBwnHowever, his opponent had not only reinforced their body but had also absurdly enhanced the cutting power of the sword itself.bvGln
2uFONYk‘Has he reached the level of materializing mana and coating his sword with it?’oTkIt
bCsJK8It wasn’t just about increasing cutting power. If one could freely manipulate materialized magic during combat, the precision of their movements existed in another dimension.ushL
kwYUnless a knight of the same caliber stepped forward, they could sweep through any opponent like scarecrows.tdy8FIJ
jPVJ“My lord.”b4O9R
b9BdZ“Send the next one.”54xn
tZBuSrQ“My lord!”oXoYM8
o7NdrkL“No matter how many die. That’s what I said.”RGfti4
nYzs“…”l6O
T6bGUUJ“No matter how strong he is, he’s still only one. If needed, use poison or whatever. We’ve come too far. You know there’s no turning back now. So don’t cling to things like honor.”zEXP
ovQRzWith a hollow gaze, Palmir looked up at the sky. The fact they had hired a mage was already out, and the heir, Godfrey, had long been a corpse.FJp2Q
flpYThe downfall of House Calix had been set in stone for quite some time.Sny8b
6vb90UAnd still, he had come here to find a place to die fulfilling his oath as a knight.Vmd
DnTYqw‘Did I live all this time just to die like this?’ac7
KeqA56The crushing weight of deep regret tightened around Palmir’s chest. Even if he continued to follow a lord already in decline, no good ending awaited him.5ks
Mw4K“This time, I’ll go.”5bZ
xcN“I leave it to you. I won’t forget your sacrifice.”eEY
SWrLHGAt his lord’s flat voice, Palmir only nodded silently.QwU
YVzdThere was no reason to pour heart and soul into empty courtesy. As he drew his sword in silence, the white-armored knight asked,UDfN
V3cF“You won’t say your name?”Xu0GK
zyF“It’s meaningless.”2X0w
S8bPJkd“I see.”I94966h
BgamThe white knight raised his sword, sensing Palmir’s despair.NNo5e
TAelKI“I won’t feel pity. No matter what happens, it was the lord you chose yourself.”pvd
TrV“I have no way to refute that.”oODa
d1GMCZcWith a bitter smile, Palmir raised his sword. Even in a state of resignation, his body moved automatically along the optimal path.qF6Zj
s7dMPerhaps because he had discarded all useless thoughts, his strike was more perfect than ever before—surpassing the days when ambition clouded his form.vHgVmVb
zLUX0In the instant he realized he had broken through a barrier, the flash of the opponent’s blade lit up.VfFCm
K88fyIn a fraction of a second, seeing the arc of the blade flying toward him, Palmir felt admiration.Su4f
LGp‘How beautiful.’LZ2
jFRPgxThat was his final thought before Palmir’s head flew into the air.fZRiR2
j5SuiEt***Yqd
vnbmASplat.DNO3E
MczKc“Hmm.”cys6
EpaFeamAnother head sank into the mud. For the first time, the white knight let out a soft sound.sq7LFaJ
0PASo many corpses had piled up that there was hardly any space left to stand. They didn’t deserve pity, but he still didn’t enjoy stepping on bodies unnecessarily.ghRj9
SPBM54X“Better to move over a bit.”dKVTE
uWT7Ji“……”WqX
NdkKDaM“Should I go over there? Or is the next one coming here?”0pOM9H
VhkxNorvek clenched his fists, trembling. On the hill covered in knight corpses, the white knight didn’t show the slightest trace of fatigue.sLZs3
SN0flHe had expended an enormous amount of mana reinforcing his body throughout the duels. How could a human still be standing?QjdlWh
ORCFJD“…Who are you?”sdmZ
eNLbdHuFor the first time, the eyes that had been fixed on Lucian turned fully toward the white knight.OtL8KN
f3Q0d“You don’t need to know.”oMNuyuV
KBHX“No, I must know! I’m not going to sit here watching that brat flaunt someone who isn’t even his vassal!”lIq1
lmD“An outsider?”X8LPN
N0T7kEz“Eisen Brightner! Doesn’t that so-called Swordmaster feel ashamed? Helping that brat just because he’s the son of his lord!”sGv
Gh1CK“Ha.”xDH
4Vecd2If it wasn’t a Swordmaster, none of this made sense. At Norvek’s assumption, the white knight let out a scornful laugh.4Rb
pQjURWithout hesitation, the knight reached up to their helmet. As they removed it, long hair fell to their shoulders.sb8CmIq
aAG“Swordmaster? What kind of misunderstanding is that? I’m not my father.”QwrsElK
1P2s“…!”UFzIO
kfUaab“My name is Felicia Brightner. I am a knight in service of the duke. I am fighting for my lord; I don’t see what the problem is.”oXhz
Mo9Norvek bit his lip. At first, he had thought the knight girl was just a decoration the boy kept by his side.2EQQ3xC
J2crLWhen rumors of the Swordmaster spread, he learned she was the adopted daughter and direct disciple.XSo
jb7fMVEven then, he hadn’t considered her a threat. No matter how much of a genius she was, she was still just a budding sprout without real experience.KY6
Qw7srKXHe had assumed they wouldn’t bring her to the front lines until she matured further.Nwp3
V6k‘…She already had enough strength to massacre any average knight? Damn it!’GikfPVM
8H8URDiThe veteran knights had all lost their heads to Felicia. The remaining three would die the moment they stepped out.UXoJ
Z50LS6At this point, dragging Lucian out was nearly impossible.r9XKLY
AY2Fl“How unfair. Calix is wiped out, and that brat rules the north as the victor.”5p0
X9fmVM“It’s all the result of your own actions. What’s unfair about that?”BNnw
W9BETJ“But if I take the Swordmaster’s disciple with me, at least I’ll see regret on his face.”lEiajD
WM1LnIgnoring Felicia, Norvek muttered to himself. Then he raised a hand, and the soldiers in front of him drew something from behind their thighs.QF7A
qWG8k1“Shortbows?”oNq
VSJ2Felicia murmured, putting her helmet back on.jlV5X
FSkElIn the north, where blizzards were frequent, large and powerful bows were preferred. However, these weren’t ordinary bows—they were so small they could be hidden at the waist.TfI
vchThey weren’t for harassment, but for stabbing a blow in the back during an event like this.9Iw
cvdI9eg“Seriously, even now…”cVKXaNl
hnG69IU“Fire!”HUt
jGkCsKBefore Felicia could finish, the arrows were loosed.CHBwIj
TRrUIt wasn’t a simultaneous volley, but rather five staggered waves.Q0hBlV1
m5UEven if she could deflect them all at once, continuous fire would be impossible to withstand. Just as Norvek smiled in confidence—vKmrg1
R4YSNQThud thud thud thud thudaLxr4
AP2V0n9“…?”1Aq
yXI76oAs the arrows hit Felicia’s armor, a faint light flickered and the arrows lost momentum, falling to the ground. They didn’t break against the metal.ZR7
k16uwThey bounced off without touching her, repelled by a subtly deployed runic barrier.EuG9U1
R9f12Seeing all five waves fail, Norvek cried out in horror.oE4jX
FkY7SWT“This is insane! What kind of armor is that…?!”AKVRK
3N0“As expected. It doesn’t disappoint.”DthxC
FjAQezLucian’s voice pierced Norvek’s ears. Looking up, he saw Lucian slowly approaching, separated from his troops.zxZrsyh
EeJKzRealizing he had entered shortbow range, Norvek’s eyes widened.DzE
blDA“What are you doing?! Fire! Kill him! Kill him now!”VIN
RonciB“With what arrows?”irgs4KH
0gsXAt Lucian’s taunt, Norvek clenched his teeth.XGkuR
PsL1WMThey hadn’t brought full quivers—those were hidden weapons meant not to draw attention.FRHiZ
3prJRNBarely enough for a single shot.oy7fik
5U0“Enough! Drop the bows and grab your spears! Prepare to charge!”ljMX
nnR4i“……”PMl
7vW“……”7JO1G7y
vhbDespite the order, the soldiers hesitated and didn’t move. At their unexpected disobedience, Norvek’s face twisted.d1dcxU
1rUq“What are you doing?! Prepare to charge!”2khaj
SQh“No matter how loud you shout, they won’t obey.”1CxxOM
yxNoQTJ“What?”4NVF
6hcdW“Did you really expect morale to stay intact after you used your knights like disposable pawns in front of your soldiers?”MG08
q8tyUEven as it was, soldiers were treated far worse than knights.Oz724P
wtUCG0And on top of that, they had watched the knights be used so cruelly. Of course they were thinking they’d be next.9If
p9c0RThere was no way they’d follow an order to march toward death.kAhxOLl
Hfszad“If you still had knights left, maybe you could force them to move. But you crushed them with your own hands. There’s no one left to push the soldiers forward and kill them to set an example.”EyW0
emxcxiThere were still three left, but they were irrelevant. Even if their unit obeyed, the others wouldn’t move.1HmVp
shYBPoWithout support from the rear, any charge would stall halfway.9AKREID
3kN“The shortbow squad moved by reflex—they were trained to respond to your signal. But the rest? No. The moment you stripped away their leadership and gave them time to think, everything was over.”bDp
tDcLM“You bastard…!”t0jS8f
YWA“Thanks to such a foolish count, I came out ahead. With this many people, they’ll make a great workforce. And if they bring their families, the taxes won’t be small.”ohXy7
dk2oqjcNorvek froze. Had he deliberately reduced casualties to keep the population and collect taxes? Had he used the duel just to wipe out Calix’s loyal knights?mgsl4e
AtSygI“It’s over, old man.”Walb
VJJoauYAs if confirming his suspicions, Lucian smiled. Driven mad by that expression, Norvek lunged at him.AUkCB17
qcTNio“I’ll kill you—!”WS9h
L3bThud!0KGLyJS
5MD733Before he could spit out all his curses, Lucian struck him on the head with the sword’s sheath. Looking down at the fallen lord of House Calix, Lucian gave the order.K3H
dBcB5“Bind him. We’ll execute him after transferring him to Asagrim.”vT1
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
0 Comments
There are no comments yet. Be the first!