The Devouring Knight

The moment it touched her, her eyes widened.

"What is…" Her voice cut short as the essence flooded into her. It was not just strength, it was memory, fragments of a life not her own.

She staggered, clutching her head as visions filled her mind, endless drills beneath a blazing sun, the harsh bark of instructors, the ache of muscles pushed to their limits, the pride of holding a blade steady for the first time.

Her body trembled as the flood continued, foreign discipline etching itself into her bones. Her breath caught, half in shock, half in awe.

The weight of those years pressed upon her, and then, just as suddenly, something broke open inside.

It was like standing before a sealed door all her life without knowing it existed, and now that door was being forced wide, light pouring through. A shiver ran down her spine, her body responding instinctively to the awakening force within.

Her knees nearly buckled, but she steadied herself, eyes shining. She was no longer just watching the path of Knighthood from afar, she had stepped onto it, dragged forward by essence not her own, yet now intertwined with her very being.

As the memories and strength finally receded, Liraeth's breathing slowed. She opened her eyes, dazed but steady, her gaze locking on Lumberling.

"What… what was that?" she whispered.

"I told you," Lumberling replied with a small smile. "Essence. So, how was it?"

She blinked, trying to form words, then shook her head in disbelief. "This… this is a miracle."

The words slipped from her lips before she realized it, and the unguarded tone made Lumberling chuckle.

Her cheeks warmed at once. "You… stop laughing!" she pouted, though her lips curved despite herself.

But then, almost without thinking, she stepped closer. Her heart beat faster, her body moved on its own, and she gently wrapped her arms around him.

Lumberling stood surprise for an instant. Then, slowly, his own arms came around her.

"Thank you," Liraeth whispered against his chest.

He leaned down, his voice low. "Now you know how my men and I grew stronger so quickly."

"Guess what? You've tied yourself to me now. Knowing this means you belong to me." His eyes burned with possessive fire, carrying both warmth and hunger.

Her face flushed crimson at his words, but she did not push him away. Instead, she let herself stay in his embrace, feeling both safe and restless all at once.

For a long while, they simply held each other, the battlefield's chaos fading to silence around them. Then, at last, Lumberling's voice broke the quiet.

"The essence. Think you can handle more?" Lumberling asked softly, his arms loosening from their embrace.

"There are more?" Liraeth's eyes lit up, shimmering with eagerness. The taste of strength, of stepping onto the path she had long dreamed of, had awakened a hunger she never knew was there.

Lumberling tilted his head toward the ground behind him. Several Knights still writhed in pain, their limbs severed, and their armor bloodied.

Liraeth's breath caught. She hadn't expected so many.

But before she could speak, Lumberling's tone grew firm. "Don't get too greedy. Absorbing too much essence too quickly… it can damage the mind. And wounds of the mind," he met her gaze, "are harder to heal than any cut on the body."

"Because of the foreign memories?" she asked quietly.

He nodded. "Too many lives crammed into your head, and you'll lose yourself. Forget who you are."

Her lips pressed into a thin line as she nodded back, taking his words seriously. The thought of strength tempted her, but the risk of losing herself, of becoming something unrecognizable, made her shiver.

Lumberling studied her for a moment, then chose carefully. Two Knight Pages, both swordsmen, their life flickering like candles ready to go out. He ended them, threads of violet essence spilling from his chest and piercing their bodies before latching onto Liraeth.

She gasped as the essence poured into her. Images, sword drills, stances, and the weight of discipline slammed into her mind all at once. Her body tensed, her hands clenched, then slowly she straightened, sweat beading her forehead.

Lumberling watched her carefully as the violet threads sank deeper, essence and memories intertwining with her spirit. She trembled, yet her eyes stayed steady.

He believed she could bear it, her body might still be fragile, but her will was forged of sterner stuff, shaped by the trials and burdens she had carried growing up as a noble. That strength of mind would hold her steady where others might shatter.

While Liraeth was lost in the storm of foreign memories, Lumberling turned his gaze to the others writhing on the ground. Pleas and groans rose weakly, but he didn't falter. He moved from one to the next, and with every strike, another voice fell silent.

(You have devoured the Knight Page's essence. 55 essence absorbed. Absorbing a portion of the Knight Page's memories and experience.)

(You have devoured the Knight Page's essence. 55 essence absorbed. Absorbing a portion of the Knight Page's memories and experience.)

(You have devoured the Knight Apprentice's essence. 250 essence absorbed. Absorbing a portion of the Knight Apprentice's memories and experience.)

(You have devoured the Knight Apprentice's essence. 250 essence absorbed. Absorbing a portion of the Knight Apprentice's memories and experience.)

(Beginner Dagger Fang has been learned Lv. 0 (1/1000).)

(Beginner Shadow Glide has reached Lv. 7. Power +299.)

(Beginner Shield Bash has reached Lv. 2. Power +120.)

The last body stilled, and silence returned to the blood-soaked clearing.

Moments later, Liraeth stirred. She opened her eyes, blinking away the haze. Her breathing was steady, though her expression carried the dazed awe of someone who had walked through another's life and returned.

"You should start practicing meditation too," Lumberling said, his tone gentle.

"Like the one Jen does every morning? Those exercises?" she asked, still catching her breath.

Lumberling nodded. "Yes. Meditation anchors your mind. It strengthens your core, so when you take in foreign memories in the future, you won't lose yourself. Identity is more fragile than the body. Always guard it."