Reincarnated with the King’s Power

Chapter 14

“What gives you the right…… to dare spew such nonsense!!”

“Hear me out. In your current state, you won't even reach the 3rd star by the time you're thirty.”

“This bastard……”

If someone was rude to me, I immediately switched to informal speech. It meant that if they wanted respect, they should show a corresponding attitude.

“Hoo.”

Julian let out a long breath and glared at Killian.

“Are you trying to say I should quit the succession competition because I have no talent?”

“Having no talent in swordsmanship doesn't mean you can't defeat our brothers, and defeating our brothers doesn't mean you'll become the family head.”

“……Don't beat around the bush.”

“It's simple. I will deal with our two brothers in your stead, Lord Julian.”

“What?”

“To catch a beast, you must become a beast.”

“What do you gain from this? Are you trying to use me to belatedly enter the succession competition?”

“What's the point of becoming the head of a family in a frontier like this?”

“What are you……”

“You know, don't you? The things Eurasia is doing to establish an independent kingdom.”

A muscle in Julian's face twitched.

“The family head is preparing for a territorial war. This subjugation will be a preliminary battle to check the knights' standards before that.”

‘How does this guy know that…….’

It was exactly what Emma Eurasia, his mother, had told him.

“At most, three years. The succession competition will be over by then.”

“……!!”

Julian's eyes wavered.

That was information he hadn't even heard from his own mother.

“Will the family head also be participating in this subjugation?”

“I've heard that the family head and Sir Escardo will be participating…… on the last day.”

At that answer, it was Killian's turn to furrow his brow.

‘As I thought. Is the family head after something else?’

Just as there was an unbridgeable gap between the 6th and 7th star, a massive gap also existed between the 7th and 8th star.

And though it wasn't known to the public, those who reached the 8th star experienced a certain side effect.

‘Heart Break.’

The enlarged Mana Heart would inflict shock on the original heart.

It was a problem that could be solved by familiarizing the Mana Heart and the heart through meditation, like seclusion, but that method took a long time.

‘The current family head would never make such a choice.’

If so, there was only one way.

‘Strengthen the heart with medicinal preparations.’

Coincidentally, the family also had an outstanding apothecary named Loen, so if he just obtained the ingredients, he would be able to create a secret medicine or a spiritual medicine.

‘If Julian doesn't know, it's highly likely the other young masters don't either.’

It wouldn't be good for the family if Simon's unstable condition became known to the outside.

‘It's highly probable that only Sir Escardo and Head Apothecary Loen know about it.’

It was while I was thinking that.

“I…… must become the family head.”

Julian said, as if making a vow.

‘We’ll have to move together from now on anyway.’

There was nothing like instilling hope to resolve lingering resentment.

“It won't be easy, but it's not impossible.”

“……What do you mean by that?”

“Exactly what I said. It won't be easy for you and me to defeat our two brothers individually, but……”

Killian paused for a moment and read the desire in Julian's eyes.

Then he gave him the answer he wanted.

“I will become your sword.”

“……!”

At the unexpected words, Julian's body trembled faintly.

Absurdity? Anger? Excitement?

No, his lips went dry from the sense of elation welling up in a corner of his chest.

‘Killian's skill has already surpassed Lord Paian. He might even be on par with Lord Demian.’

A man with that level of skill was saying he would become his sword.

Though his true intentions couldn't be fully grasped, to Julian, who had fallen into a slump, those words were like a ray of light.

Hadn't his own mother advised him to work with him, not antagonize him?

‘If I can just use this guy, I won't have to fall behind in the power struggle with my brothers anymore.’

A modest wish he had never told anyone. Just imagining it for a moment brought a smile to his lips.

The decision didn't take long.

“How can I help you? If you wish, the vice-commander position……”

“I don't need to go as far as vice-commander. For now, please create the position of strategist for me.”

“Strategist?”

A strategist was a position that held the right to speak and make decisions regarding the knight order's training and official missions.

Normally, it was common to invite scholars who had studied tactics and strategy to take the position, but in all knight orders except the Red Knight Order, the young masters who were the commanders held the position concurrently.

This was because the family head did not permit outsiders to be seated in the position, in order to test the young masters' abilities.

‘Right, this guy is also a young master in name. He's not an outsider, so it's not like I'm disobeying the family head's command.’

The knights' opposition wouldn't be too strong for a position like strategist.

“That won't be a problem. I'll take care of it right away.”

Julian's voice was buoyant with excitement.

Watching his reaction, Killian smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

‘He thinks of the strategist position more lightly than I expected.’

What was important was that his attitude had become significantly softer.

“To grasp the full strength of the Blue Knight Order, it would be best to meet them as soon as possible. The Matriarch will have to lend her strength as well.”

Killian began in a rather serious tone, then started to lay out his demands one by one, as if unpacking a bundle.

The plans and schemes, tactics and strategies he had thought of before coming here.

Julian's expression gradually changed as he quietly listened to them.

***

The four knight orders that supported Eurasia. Among them, the training ground of the Blue Knight Order was located behind the family's main castle.

Killian, who had followed Julian into the training ground, let out a small exclamation of admiration.

Since the Sepia Merchant Guild was sponsoring them, I had expected it to be of a certain size, but seeing it with my own eyes, it boasted a scale beyond my expectations.

Hoo-wook.

As soon as I entered the training ground, the smell of sweat tickled the tip of my nose.

Hundreds of knights were engrossed in their training.

“How is it?”

Julian asked in a triumphant voice.

A sight of a knight order of this size training was not something one could see often, even throughout the entire frontier.

Although he had personally failed to subjugate Killian, Julian was confident in his ability to establish a clear hierarchy by showing his overwhelming hand.

Just then, two men approached and offered a sword salute.

“Greetings to the Young Master!”

“Greetings to the Commander!”

One was a middle-aged knight with a chin beard.

The other was a young man wearing a blue epaulet, indicating he was a member of the Blue Knight Order.

“Introduce yourselves. This is Sir Miller, the invited swordsmanship instructor of the knight order, and Sir Xenon, the vice-commander. Sir Miller has mastered the 5th star, and Sir Xenon recently mastered the 3rd star.”

Julian didn't hide his proud expression.

Killian raised the Cheonghwageom that was fastened to his waist and returned the sword salute.

“I am Killian Eurasia. Starting today, I will be performing the duties of the knight order's strategist.”

It was a clean and impeccable etiquette.

Miller and Xenon looked at Julian with questioning gazes.

“From today, ‘my younger brother’ Killian Eurasia will join the Blue Knight Order. He will assist me and fulfill his duties as a strategist.”

His voice was stern but not loud.

The training ground, which had been filled with shouts of spirit, fell silent. The training knights had also been paying attention, curious about the sudden visit from Julian and Killian.

The first to speak was the vice-commander, Xenon, with a sour expression.

“Commander, as a rule, only those who have forged a Mana Heart are permitted to join the knight order. Even if it is the Fourth Young Master…… sir, according to procedure, he must start from the cadet course……”

“My younger brother has already forged a Mana Heart. Furthermore, his skills are more than sufficient to take on the duties of a strategist, so there is no need to worry.”

Julian, who had particularly emphasized the word ‘younger brother’, grinned.

“How is it, Killian.”

“What do you mean?”

“Didn't you say you wanted to see the knight order's full strength?”

Killian scanned the gazes directed at him.

They were gazes closer to hostility or disbelief than goodwill.

“These are the men who have sworn loyalty to me and promised their future to the family. Within the family, their numbers are the greatest, second only to the Red Knight Order commanded by Sir Escardo. Even when compared to the White and Black, their skills are greatly……”

“It's impossible.”

“What……?”

“I'm saying that with these men, let alone winning the succession competition, it's impossible to even accumulate merit in the subjugation.”

Apart from the flustered Julian, the training ground began to murmur.

“You've gone too far, Fourth Young Master.”

The one who said that was the vice-commander, Xenon, who was standing beside him.

Killian gave a slight nod.

“Vice-commander Xenon, speak.”

“……!!”

His face flushed at the attitude, as if being addressed by a subordinate, but he was in front of his commander, Julian.

Xenon collected himself and raised his voice.

“Even if the Fourth Young Master has forged a Mana Heart, it would be a 1st star at best. To judge the knight order's strength with such a narrow perspective is, I believe, arrogant.”

It was a response that blatantly revealed his disregard and hostility towards Killian.

“A narrow perspective…… do you really think so?”

His speech pattern had changed to a plain tone. He didn't force respect for himself upon others, but he also had a unique way of speaking where he treated them accordingly.

‘The family's troublemaker…… I heard he's under the protection of the Commander and the Matriarch, but he doesn't seem to know his place.’

Recalling the rumors, Xenon glanced at Julian.

The commander, who should be resolving this situation, was strangely avoiding his gaze.

‘Is Commander Julian really planning to seat this fool as the strategist?’

If it was an order stemming from the succession competition, he couldn't refuse it either.

But before that, he needed to make the hierarchy clear.

“Fourth Young Master. Originally, to join the knight order, the permission of both the commander and the vice-commander is essential.”

“And?”

“I am saying that before the commander entrusts you with the position of strategist, I also have the authority to confirm your enlistment.”

“The vice-commander wishes to confirm my skills himself?”

“There's no reason why not. Isn't that right?!!”

“Yes, sir!!!”

At Xenon's question, the scattered knights shouted so loudly that the training ground seemed to shake.

They, too, were not without complaints about Julian's one-sided introduction.

“Commander. I will personally conduct the Fourth Young Master's enlistment test.”

The knights' cheers followed Xenon's attitude, which felt like he was scratching an itch for them.

‘This is…….’

Looking troubled, Julian glanced back and forth between Xenon and Killian.

“Vice-commander Xenon, Killian is……”

Already at the 5th star.

He was about to say that, but.

“A knight should speak with his sword.”

Killian accepted Xenon's proposal one step ahead.

“Hearing you say that makes my heart feel much lighter. Then…… everyone, pause your training! From this moment on, the Fourth Young Master's enlistment test will take place!!”

The knights, who let out cheers at the unexpected event, moved swiftly to surround the two men.

In an instant, a stage suitable for a sword duel was created in the middle of the training ground.

It all happened before the commander, Julian, could say anything to stop it.

“Young Master. Good luck.”

A knight whose name I didn't know approached, handed Killian a wooden training sword, and disappeared.

‘Smooth as silk.’

Regardless of the knights' skill level, their teamwork was excellent from rubbing shoulders every day.

Julian, who had stepped back, crossed his arms and tried to put on a calm expression.

‘He's making things bigger. There's nothing to be gained from defeating the vice-commander in front of everyone.’

Xenon, who had raised his wooden sword, spoke in a booming voice that echoed through the training ground.

“Xenon Hertz. I am the second son of the Hertz Family and the vice-commander of the Blue Knight Order. I am also a knight who has entered the end of the 3rd star!!”

He displayed the aura of a knight who had mastered the 3rd star through the faintly blooming mana.

Waaaaah.

The knights let out a spirited shout as if in response.

Waiting for the commotion to die down, Killian stroked the blade of the wooden sword.

There was no need for a long introduction.

“Killian Eurasia. 4-star.”