Ch. 6
Chapter 6. A Knight Does Not Die With Empty Hands! Question: How Do Mages Allocate Stat Points? Urgent!
Whenever sunlight bathes the land, when its brilliance shines upon every corner—
The figure of a hero will appear. Heroes live within the hearts of all people.
As long as you open your eyes, you can find that radiance called “protection”, called “courage,” and sometimes even called “faith.”
In ancient times, there was a king who established a profession that gave a clear definition to the word "hero"—the Knight!
And among Knights, there are Ten Declarations, carried on throughout history along with the King's name:
"I swear to the heavens, to make clear my resolve;
I shall not bully the weak, but live with humility."
"In battle, I shall not fear mighty foes;
all that is wicked, I shall strike down!"
"For women, the frail, and children, I shall fight;
to those imprisoned, I shall lend my full aid."
"Women are delicate, never to be violated;
With comrades who share my path, I shall strive together."
"To friends, I show sincerity, as a true gentleman;
and to the one I love, my loyalty will never waver!"
A knight—such are the people who, holding iron swords in their hands, would willingly stake their lives to protect those who cannot defend themselves.
Night fell. Inside the quiet attic room—Yan's room.
He sat on the bed, holding Giselle in his arms, telling her stories about knights.
The promise he made to her during the day had stirred her curiosity toward this unique "profession."
For in this otherworld, no such class as "Knight" existed.
To the people here, a warrior was simply a warrior, perhaps subdivided into swordsman, lancer, archer, and so forth—professions named only after their weapons.
There was no chivalry in this world, no so-called knightly spirit. Still, Yan didn't mind the idea of one day spreading the path of "Knights" throughout this land.
But right now, what mattered more was satisfying his little sister's curiosity.
"Big Bro-ther... I still don't understand!"
Giselle looked up at him, her face full of confusion, seeking help.
Though Yan had just recited the Ten Knightly Declarations, Giselle still didn't have a clear impression.
"You don't understand? Well, that's fine. One doesn't need to be understood or acknowledged by everyone to be a knight. All you need to know is this—knights are proud souls who, for the sake of protecting what they love, will risk their lives without hesitation."
Giselle thought it over and nodded lightly.
"Then, let me tell you the story of the Knight of the Lake!"
In the flickering candlelight, Yan guided water with his magic, weaving a glowing screen before them like something out of a fairy tale.
A gentle smile curved his lips, and a faint light of interest flickered in his eyes.
Giselle nestled her little head against his chest, rubbing in like a kitten, her face showing a comforted, adorable expression.
If one were to speak of chivalry, then the so-called Knight of the Lake—the flawless knight of the Round Table, Lancelot—was without a doubt an excellent model.
Of course—
That was if one ignored the second half of his life's story.
This was without considering the experiences of his later life. The stain Lancelot brought to the widely renowned Knight King could not be washed away.
Naturally, Yan had no intention of telling Giselle the full story of the Knight of the Lake and the King of Knights.
In Richard the Lionheart's era, there had also been a General William, a man praised as the most perfect knight in English history.
But compared to Lancelot's unparalleled legendary life, Yan still leaned toward the "Knight of the Lake."
For one simple reason—because in a certain world, that man had a power Yan greatly admired:
the Noble Phantasm, "A Knight Does Not Die With Empty Hands!"
And the story he was about to tell Giselle was precisely about that legendary martial feat.
"Once upon a time, there was a knight. He was brave, strong, and always willing to help others..."
......
Lancelot was the son of King Ban and Queen Elaine. When he was still an infant, he was abandoned by a lakeside.
It is said that he was picked up and raised by the Lady of the Lake, and thus came to be known as the Knight of the Lake, or Lancelot of the Lake.
As he grew, Lancelot became not only tall and handsome but also gentle and considerate. He rose to be a knight of the Round Table, unmatched in martial prowess and courageous in battle.
He was even honored with the title: The Flower of Knighthood.
His peerless skill transcended an entire era, eventually crystallizing into a technique known as “Eternal Arms Mastery.”
Yet this same knight, in one battle, fell into a dire predicament due to the stratagem of an enemy named Felot—forced to fight unarmed, without a sword at his side.
In that desperate situation, he snapped off a branch from a nearby tree and, wielding it as a weapon, defeated Felot and his men.
From that legendary tale was born the Noble Phantasm: 【A Knight Does Not Die With Empty Hands.】
As Yan's voice painted the tale of how Lancelot was tricked, fell into danger, and struggled to escape pursuit—
Giselle's little face tensed up along with the twists and turns of the story.
When she heard that Lancelot, without armor or weapons, had been surrounded by mounted enemies, she let out a soft cry of alarm, her round eyes widening.
She clutched Yan tightly without even realizing it, her tiny body going stiff with tension.
'Is she imagining herself as Lancelot?'
Yan chuckled softly as he looked down at the little girl in his arms.
Then he described how Lancelot, in a flash of inspiration, tore down a tree branch to use as a weapon.
Giselle tilted her head in confusion, her expression blank like a curious baby chick.
"H-how can you even use a tree branch as a weapon? That's so silly!"
Even she knew a flimsy branch couldn't possibly stand against sharp iron swords.
But Yan only smiled, not answering her, and continued.
Relying on his unmatched martial skill, Lancelot turned the tide of battle. With nothing but a branch in hand, he defeated the sword-bearing, armor-clad foes, seized a horse, and rode away in triumph.
The story ended there.
Giselle gasped in wonder.
This "Knight of the Lake" story Yan told her—
Though it had no “Demon Kings,” no "Heroes" in the way this world's tales usually did—
Though the enemies weren't terrifying monsters—
Lancelot, with only a branch in hand, had still overcome the gap in weaponry and triumphed purely through his skill.
Such a tale, which elevated martial prowess alone to the highest peak, had never once appeared in this world's "Heroic Chronicles."
The bards who wove those stories...
They always reduced their protagonists to empty words like "strong" or "incredibly strong."
So how strong were heroes, really?
Their prowess was never described in detail, for no bard had ever seen a Hero slay a Demon King with their own eyes.
Instead, they exaggerated the Demon King as a fearsome monster, using that as the only measure of the Hero's power.
But Giselle—who had never heard such a novel, vivid kind of tale before—was utterly captivated by Yan's story.
That night, that story etched itself into her young mind as something unforgettable.
Why was the Knight of the Lake so strong?
That question lingered in the girl's heart.
The peerless martial prowess she now admired seemed far greater than the "Hero" in her father's "The Demon King and the Hero: Unspoken Tales, Volume 303."
And then she remembered what Yan had said earlier—
They are a proud people. For the sake of protecting what they love, they will risk their lives without hesitation. They need no one's understanding, only their own knightly spirit and faith.
Thinking of her brother, who had declared himself her "Knight"—
"Big Bro-ther... you'll definitely become the greatest knight of all!!"
Giselle's eyes sparkled like little stars.
She still didn't fully understand what a knight was.
But since her brother said he would become one, she believed he would.
Seeing how much she loved the tale, Yan rested his chin on one hand, deep in thought.
Maybe he should take the time to write down all of Earth's fairy tales one day... and let the people of this world experience the charm of "Heroic Spirits."
At the same time, having just finished Lancelot's story, Yan's mind began running simulations of the ability "A Knight Does Not Die With Empty Hands."
If he could reproduce that Noble Phantasm with his knowledge of magic...
He pictured himself holding a staff—only to instantly enhance it to maximum sharpness and swing it like a holy sword!
Sword Saint of Britannia—guaranteed!
A sly grin curled his lips. Since he had transmigrated, of course, he had to let this world taste the true charm of a “melee mage!”
Magic? Ha! What's the point of that?
What's the point of spells? A Mage should allocate stats like this: dump all points into Health and Endurance! Skills: One-Handed Sword! Two-Handed Sword! Block! Critical Hit! Charge! Whirlwind Slash! Decapitate! Armor Break! Max them all out!
As for spells? Just put a single point into Holy Light. That's enough!