NOVEL NEXT Ch. 21
Chapter 21
Edan Eurasia.
The monarch who saved the nation, the undefeated knight, and the partner of the Magic Sword Adamas, who was stronger than anyone.
The blurry vision gradually became clearer.
The five senses were returning.
“Edan? What is this……”
[You haven't forgotten me completely, have you?]
Edan had the appearance of when he was twenty-one, just like myself, and his sly smile was also the same.
The gladness was brief.
I, who had been reincarnated as Killian Eurasia, knew.
How much blood Eurasia had to shed to fend off the Grotesquery.
How much pain the descendants who had shared Eurasia's dream had suffered.
“After all that showing off. What is this sorry state you're in now!”
[…….]
“When no one in the world even acknowledges it.”
For the Eurasia that we had poured our heart and soul into raising to be a mere sword family of the frontier.
“Does this even make sense……”
I asked as if interrogating him, but my voice lost its strength at the end.
Edan, who had remained silent throughout my shouting, opened his mouth.
[You were the same.]
“What……?”
[I told you until my ears were sore, have you already forgotten?]
“……?”
I didn't know what he was talking about.
Edan let out a sigh.
[Didn't you also sacrifice yourself to save the humans?]
A long time ago, a past not even recorded in history. A story Adamas had only told his close friends.
He was referring to the battle between the ancient humans who had awakened Mana and the Gods.
[Adamas, do you regret it?]
Edan, who asked that, shook his head.
[I do not regret it. And what happened to Eurasia is not your fault either.]
“What nonsense are you spouting. The Gods and the Grotesquery are clearly different……”
['My enemy' and 'your enemy' are not dead yet.]
“What……?”
For a moment, the light that formed Edan's shape flickered.
[There isn't much time, Adamas. No, I should call you Killian now.]
“Edan, what are you talking about right now……”
[The Grotesquery will appear again soon.]
The darkness pushed back by the flickering light was replaced by a bluish Mana.
In an instant, what I thought was light and darkness began to be filled with Mana.
Edan's Carpe. A spatial domination using Mana like the great sea.
[Killian Eurasia.]
My vision started to blur again.
My body was heavy, as if sinking into an abyss, and I couldn't breathe.
[This time, you will surely be able to break your real curse.]
With those words as the last.
Killian's vision flickered, and his consciousness faded.
‘Did I…… lose consciousness?’
That thought was fleeting.
“……Young Master!”
“Heok……!!”
Killian opened his eyes at the shout that rang in his head.
He saw the gaunt face of Haman.
“Young Master!! Are you alright?!!”
“Haman……?”
“Oh my goodness…… Didn't I tell you that the body is more important than mental strength. Just because you have the Head Apothecary's recovery potion, if you push yourself like this, your body won't last……”
It was a familiar situation.
I recalled the time I first created my Mana Heart.
‘Was it a dream……’
I felt my tension release.
Of course, there was no way Edan could be alive.
What he had taken upon himself was a curse of such intensity that even a blade sealed by the ancient Gods could not withstand it.
“……”
A bitter smile bloomed on Killian's lips.
After obtaining a human body, I had a few dreams, and every single one was as vivid as if I had been hit by an Authority of illusion.
Sometimes, partners before Edan poured out their resentment.
Sometimes, the Grotesquery poured out an irresolvable curse, defiling Edan's body.
And sometimes, the dead Killian shouted for me to give his body back.
Each time such moments repeated, he quickly composed his mind.
While clicking his tongue at how inconvenient a human body made of bone and flesh and flowing with blood was, he did not stop training his body to its limits.
It was because he only felt sorry for the last partner he couldn't protect and his descendants.
He wanted to become a Superhuman as soon as possible and shake off that guilt.
[I do not regret it. And what happened to Eurasia is not your fault either.]
[The Grotesquery will appear again soon.]
[This time, you will surely be able to break your real curse.]
“……”
To think that fellow Edan would appear in my dream and say such things.
“How long was I asleep?”
“Asleep?!! That's called being unconscious! The subjugation starts in three hours!!”
‘Three hours…… that was close.’
If it weren't for Haman, I would have probably come to my senses only after the subjugation had started.
I closed my eyes, letting the chamberlain's fussing words flow past me.
I could feel the energy of the pulsating Mana Heart.
And.
“……!!”
Killian's body flinched, having confirmed an unexpected fact.
“Ha.”
At first, a dry laugh escaped, and soon, his body shook, unable to contain the laughter that flowed out.
“Young Master…… why are you laughing?”
What he had tried to achieve using the Head Apothecary's recovery potion was the stage of 5-star.
But from the heavy Mana Heart, which was located to the right of his heart and was no smaller than it, he felt an energy far beyond that.
‘Thank you, Edan.’
Even when I had a 4-star Mana Heart, I was on par with a 6-star knight, but.
“Now, I can handle about two masters with ease.”
On the day of the subjugation.
In the pupils of Killian, who had forged a 6-star Mana Heart, a deeper blue Mana than before shimmered.
***
The Red Knight Order Commander's Office.
Escardo, wearing heavy armor unlike his usual simple attire, received reports from three men.
Demian Eurasia, Commander of the White Knight Order.
Paian Eurasia, Commander of the Black Knight Order.
Julian Eurasia, Commander of the Blue Knight Order.
They were all respectable knights who had grown up in the blink of an eye and were leading the three knight orders.
‘It's been a long time since we've all gathered in one place like this.’
Escardo quietly scanned the faces of the young masters.
All three young masters had the silver hair that symbolized Eurasia, but their features each resembled their Matriarchs, giving off different atmospheres.
The twenty-six-year-old Demian, with a sturdy build, had strong eyes and an indifferent face.
The twenty-five-year-old Paian was large in stature and had belligerent eyes.
The twenty-four-year-old Julian had a thin frame and a nervous impression.
Unlike his two audacious older brothers in front of him, Julian was clearly nervous.
‘Has Demian achieved the stage of 6-star?’
Since he had already spread his Mana and taken control of the commander's office, it was not difficult to grasp the achievements of the three young masters.
‘Paian is at the entry of 5-star. He should be able to enter the stabilization stage within a few months.’
That fellow was learning not only Eurasia's swordsmanship but also the secret techniques of his maternal family, the Vaskia. He hadn't neglected his physical training either, so in terms of pure physical strength, he was the best among the young masters.
‘At this rate of growth, he could reach 6-star within a few years.’
Next, as he observed Julian, a strange light appeared in his eyes.
‘He's overcome his slump.’
He had thought he would still be stuck at master 2-star, but he had already acquired the momentum of a 3-star.
‘The Matriarchs were being a nuisance. They must have had something to rely on.’
Escardo recalled Emma Eurasia, who had been visiting him persistently for some time now.
All three Matriarchs possessed an uncommon spirit, but Emma Eurasia was particularly overbearing.
‘Putting Killian in the position of the knight order's tactician must have been her idea too.’
Perhaps because she was raised as the daughter of a merchant guild, her ambition is great.
If Julian had shown a slightly more outstanding performance, the aspect of the competition for the family headship would have been different from now.
After hearing the reports from all three commanders, ending with Julian, Escardo opened his mouth.
“Demian, you've reached 6-star.”
Demian's eyebrow twitched.
‘I thought I had hidden my momentum perfectly…… Is a Superhuman's spatial domination different?’
He had planned to quietly build up his level until he reached master.
But now that it had been mentioned directly, there was no reason to hide it.
“That is correct.”
“How long has it been?”
“It has been less than ten days.”
A pleasant smile hung on Escardo's lips.
“Excellent. Looking at you reminds me of the family head in his younger days.”
“You flatter me.”
Demian bowed his head politely in a gesture of respect. For a knight, there was no greater praise than being compared to the family head who had achieved 8-star.
The pleased smile was brief.
Escardo, his face hardening, soon began to relay orders to the three young masters.
“The vanguard of the subjugation will be led by the White Knight Order. You must be careful in the middle of the mountain range, as high-level monsters travel in packs.”
“I will keep your words in mind.”
Escardo's gaze turned to Paian.
“The Black Knight Order will take the left flank of the mountain range. There are also reports that a considerable number of high-level monsters have been found there. You must always keep the monsters' counterattacks in mind when carrying out the subjugation.”
“I will keep it in mind.”
He replied in a gruff voice and met his gaze with a confident face.
Escardo nodded and looked at Julian.
Slightly nervous, he met Escardo's gaze.
“The Blue Knight Order will take the right flank of the mountain range. The Red Knight Order, participating as the advance party, will disperse and provide support. Maintain balance with the Black Knight Order and help the White Knight Order's advance.”
“I will do my best!”
Julian revealed his spirit by answering loudly as if shouting.
In his eyes, which had been shrunken just a moment ago, a competitive spirit emerged.
‘This is a chance.’
Even though the Red Knight Order would support the rear, he had been assigned a mission alongside the Black Knight Order, which was considered a step above.
It was no different from having the strength of the Blue Knight Order, which had always been evaluated as weak, officially recognized.
‘Just you wait. I will subdue the right flank, advance to the center, and prove our true worth.’
Julian had recently reached the mid-level of 3-star.
Vice-commander Xenon had entered 4-star, and the three Centurions had mastered 3-star.
All of this was a change brought about by Killian.
‘A monstrous fellow.’
Not only his personal martial prowess, but his ability to teach was also beyond common sense.
“Sir Alessandro will provide separate information about the Knight Slayer that is said to appear in the mountain range. The three commanders should proceed with the subjugation with caution.”
Afterward, Escardo informed them of the number of members of the Red Knight Order who would depart as the advance party and the schedule for himself and the family head to join as the rear guard.
“From now on, we will begin the subjugation of the Kurt Mountain Range for one month. The three commanders should use their discretion and bring honor to the family's name.”
“Yes, sir!!”
The three young masters stood up from their seats with a sharp reply.
Demian went out first, followed by Paian, and just as Julian was about to leave last.
“Julian.”
Escardo softly called out to the family's Third Young Master.
Julian opened his mouth with an excited voice.
“Is there something you wish to say?”
“I hear you appointed Killian as the knight order's tactician. He joins the training too, I'm told?”
“……That is correct.”
Julian replied, forcing himself to manage his expression that was about to stiffen.
He had maintained a rather tight security regarding his tactician's level.
‘Don't tell me he heard through the annihilation squad.’
A secret mobile unit that did not belong to any knight order of the family.
As he thought of them, cold sweat trickled down Julian's back.
But the words that came out of Escardo's mouth were different from what he had expected.
“Well done.”
“……?”
“He is lacking as he learned the sword late, but he is a kind-hearted fellow.”
“……”
“Take good care of him. If you treat him with sincerity, that child will also follow you with sincerity. You will be able to build a good brotherly bond.”
Unlike Escardo's intention, Julian's body flinched.
“……I will keep that in mind.”
“Yes. There is no need to feel impatient about your brothers' growth rate. Continue to walk your own path of the sword, just as you are now.”
Pat, pat.
At the hand that patted his shoulder with a bright smile, Julian nodded with a stiff expression.
‘You really know nothing about him.’
Killian was the secret weapon of the Blue Knight Order.
Right now, his two older brothers probably didn't even consider him a rival, but by the end of the subjugation, they would have a different perspective.
‘This subjugation will be my stage.’
Julian, reaffirming his ambition once more, left the commander's office.