Surviving as a Knight in a Trash Game

Chapter 170

Having escaped the deep and dark mental world, Karl had already left his inner world and was slowly contemplating his body.

The pure darkness left by Decarabia combined with the numerous energies that constituted his existing body, forming a massive flow.

The ceaselessly flowing energy was once again transforming his body, which had been reconstituted several times.

And in that process, Karl could feel that he had stepped into a world distinctly different from before.

If he wished, he could grasp the energy flowing in the world, let it flow, create it, or destroy it.

The sensation he felt now, enough to make him feel like a small god, was of a completely different kind than before.

Pajik.

The Dark Lightning he had shown in his fight with Decarabia materialized in his hand.

Karl, adjusting the power he was handling for the first time by increasing and decreasing its size, moved freely in the infinite world of consciousness.

His physical body had not yet awakened, and it was constantly expanding its vessel to contain his expanding spirit.

Karl, who had been expanding his senses for a long time, at some point realized that his physical body had completely matched the specifications of his soul.

And at that moment, Karl’s eyes flashed open.

Huuuuuuung!

For a moment, wind swirled around his body as if enveloping him, and the tent Karl was lying in rustled.

“Commander…?”

Rogério let out a short gasp as he saw the commander suddenly float into the air.

Karl nodded as if it were natural and slowly descended towards the floor.

Tadak.

For a person to fly into the sky and then land like a feather.

At that marvelous sight, as if it were the descent of a god, Rogério was lost in a daze for a while, just staring at Karl.

Was the commander really human?

The image of him fighting Prince Patrick, who had been possessed by a demon before Karl collapsed yesterday, resurfaced once more.

That movement was not human.

Watching him, who had far surpassed the Master level, Rogério realized that Karl had become a Grand Master, a figure who only appeared in legends.

And that wasn't a sentiment only Rogério agreed with.

“Now it’s really awkward to even call him the same kind of person.”

An old man of enormous build, who had arrived at some point, pushed aside the tent flap and stepped inside.

“The soldiers are already spinning tales about your battle yesterday, Commander.”

Led by Kelvin, all the key figures of the Arthur Domain gathered inside the barracks.

“The battle?”

“After Your Lordship lost consciousness and collapsed, the monsters started rampaging, so we were able to subdue them more easily than expected.”

Karl nodded after hearing Rogério’s brief report.

“Rogério, please get as much food as possible.”

A short while later, while listening to reports from various people, Karl devoured food equivalent to more than 10 servings.

Although his reconstituted body was, of course, created using the energy spread throughout the world, it seemed that the energy consumption in that process was clearly not insignificant.

Only after wolfing down an enormous amount of food did Karl feel his hunger slightly subside.

“The key issue is what to do with the Postasia prisoners. Considering what they’ve done and their past actions, nothing comes to mind other than execution.”

As Rogério said, the heinous acts they had committed were difficult to forgive.

“Try to sort out those who can be saved and those who must be killed. Not everyone’s sins would have been the same. However, do not forget that even those who did not directly participate but condoned and accompanied them must also pay a price.”

At Karl’s instruction, Rogério bowed his head and walked out of the barracks.

While the post-battle arrangements were being made, Karl and the leaders began to contemplate the issue of Postasia’s treatment.

Most of them were from the dregs of this continent, and without a fanatical focal point, they were merely bombs waiting to explode at any moment.

“What would be the best course of action?”

The report that came this morning stated that their remaining forces had also suffered a thorough defeat in a siege, so in the end, Postasia had now lost all its military power.

Fundamentally changing their ideology and guiding them onto the right path was a difficult problem.

It might have been an easier path to kill them rather than change them.

“Even if it takes time, we’ll try it slowly, one step at a time.”

That was the conclusion Karl had reached.

Since it wasn't a problem that could be solved in a short time anyway, he intended to give them time slowly until they opened their hearts.

Having reached that conclusion, Karl walked towards the place where the leader of the remnant forces was.

***

“…Why did you come?”

The woman, Rakshasa, the second-in-command of Postasia, bound in a makeshift prison, looked at Karl with eyes that had given up on everything.

“I just wanted to confirm. I wanted to know if they were the kind of people who would kill indiscriminately.”

“So, have you confirmed it?”

“Well, there’s not much difference from me.”

The reasons were different, but in the end, Karl too had killed more people than them.

Could he truly call himself absolute justice?

There might be many various reasons, but Karl couldn’t just blindly condemn them.

“I cannot let you live. Especially you. Taking human lives like flies and offering people as live sacrifices for your purpose can never be justified. I too cannot be free from the sin of killing people, but that much is certain.”

“Hmph, kill me. But, know that in the end, you are no different from us. In the end, there’s not much difference in the fact that you also kill opponents for your own sake.”

Karl found her words somewhat amusing.

Because he had indeed received power from a demon.

Moreover, from the very demon they revered so much.

“It’s a truly funny world.”

“What’s so funny?”

“Well, if there’s a chance later, I’ll let you know.”

Though it didn’t seem likely there would be a chance.

The next day, Rakshasa and many others from Postasia vanished, becoming dew on the executioner's block.

The survivors were sent to labor camps in various regions or became semi-cripples with parts of their bodies missing.

Paying the price for the numerous sins they had committed, the Postasia army was thus disbanded.

***

These days, the West Continent was abuzz with stories about the recent fierce battle between the Postasia army and the Arthur Domain.

In particular, the two most talked-about topics in this battle were the appearance of a demon and the birth of a Grand Master.

“No, I mean, Sir Karl is the Grand Master who appeared after hundreds of years, you know?”

“Eh, isn’t that a realm that only appears in legends?”

“No, didn’t everyone who was there see it? And if he’s not a Grand Master, how on earth could he stop a reincarnated demon?”

“Rumors are always bound to be exaggerated and added to. Who believes them verbatim?”

Sometimes, fights would even break out in taverns over whether Karl was a Grand Master or not.

“By the way, a demon… Is the end of the world really coming…”

The people of the West Continent shivered at the story that not only had this new race suddenly appeared, but a demon had also emerged.

Having lived for hundreds of years without any particular changes, it was not easy for them to adapt to such significant changes that came all at once in a short period.

“Grand Master, huh.”

The person sipping tea instead of alcohol in the tavern had an appearance that made it difficult to distinguish whether they were male or female.

They had a strangely beautiful androgynous appearance, and as if they hadn't been out in the world for long, they were restlessly scanning their surroundings.

“Hey there, missy, I don’t know what you’re so curious about. But shall we tell you a few things?”

Three muscular men, who looked at a glance like they had considerable experience in the brawling business, approached the green-haired person, whose gender was unknown, with a swagger.

And less than a minute after they approached, all three men were rolling on the floor with something broken.

“I can’t stand being curious. I have to go.”

The green-haired person left the place like the wind and headed towards the Arthur Domain.

***

After the decisive battle with the Arthur Domain, peace had returned to the domain for the first time in a long while.

Peace without any particular incidents was, in one sense, stability, but in another sense, it was a source of anxiety.

“Embraga?”

“Not yet….”

Embraga was the son of Definir, who had died heroically while defending the domain in the recent Horsaes defensive battle.

The immature brat who had tried to sell out the knights for a few coins had, at some point, disciplined himself for years and become a Superior-grade knight.

And not long after he became the pride of his father, Definir, Embraga had to hear the news of his father’s death in battle.

“…”

He dropped the sword he had been swinging madly in the training ground and collapsed on the spot.

Today marked 30 days.

His body could no longer endure, as he had swung his sword every day since hearing the news of his father’s death.

He lay sprawled on the ground, looking up at the sky.

“Did you have to go so early? You leave me as an unworthy son.”

Embraga recalled what happened at Horsaes Castle, which he had visited during a short vacation.

-Do you not resent me?

-Why would I resent you?

-Wasn’t I an unworthy child?

-Whether an unworthy child or a worthy child, it’s all the same to a parent. I simply hope that you will steadfastly follow your own path correctly.

Come to think of it, Definir had never once severely scolded him.

Moreover, even when he had gone severely astray, his father had said he cherished him.

Now that he had come to his senses a little and was doing his part as a knight.

Just as he was about to try living as a somewhat proud son, his father was no longer a person existing in this world.

“Even Essus is too much….”

He let out a lament mixed with complaint.

He knew that everything was his own fault for coming to his senses too late, but he needed a place to vent his regrets.

“Swinging your sword until your body breaks won’t improve your skills. Nor will the thoughts in your head disappear.”

“…”

Karl, who had arrived at some point and plopped down on the training ground floor, offered him a cup.

“Thank you….”

“Sir Definir was a more excellent knight than anyone. His end will become a record that will never be forgotten. I will make it so, and the many people who were saved by Sir Definir that day will make it so. I know this won’t be a comfort. But I’m just telling you.”

“Thank you….”

Embraga emptied the cup Karl offered and looked up at the sky once more.

Whether he lay down or got up, Karl simply sat on the floor without saying much, just watching Embraga.

He spent the day like that in the training ground, drinking the alcohol Karl offered him.

***

[To the great knight, Lord Karl Reitz Arthur Meyer.]

A considerable amount of time had passed since the end of the Horsaes defensive battle.

Karl, in his own way, and the people of the Arthur Domain, in their own way, were moving diligently to endure the aftermath of the numerous battles that had taken place.

“No, I mean, why is His Lordship going there alone!”

“Yes, Karl, no matter how strong you are, as long as you are human, one can never know what might happen.”

“That’s right, Your Lordship. We don’t even know what ulterior motives they might have, do we? Looking at those elves, the dwarves might be the same.”

While everyone was busily moving about inside the Arthur Domain’s lord’s castle, an unexpected debate was taking place.

“His Lordship is no longer a free knight wandering alone. He is a great lord ruling over this entire northern region and now even that Saraban Island.”

If in the past, because he was alone, there was no one to oppose however he moved, now too many relationships were intertwined here.

Even those who knew and trusted him best would not let him move alone.

“…Lady Anne, please say something. His Lordship isn’t listening to us, so shouldn’t even you, Lady Anne, say something?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to Anne.

“You all know very well that if Karl sets his mind to something, no one can stop him, right?”

“Hmph….”

Everyone sighed with the same expression.

“I’ll send Sancho. Our intelligence agents will be on standby nearby. Let’s agree to send only knights selected for long-range escort as his guard. And they must absolutely not interfere with Karl.”

As Anne created a compromise, Karl reluctantly nodded.

And the remaining personnel also concluded the negotiations around that point.

While the meeting was thus roughly concluding, Karl was looking at an invitation made luxuriously with gold.

[We invite the great hero, Sir Karl Reitz Arthur Meyer, to the world of the dwarves.]