The Knight Who Devours Magic

Chapter 14: The Princess’s Ambition

‘Why…….’

The bewilderment was brief.

Soon realizing that this was a customary part of the party, Muno knelt on one knee to show his respects the moment the princess came within close range.

“I greet the ruler of the north, the rose that bloomed on steel, the representative of Trian.”

It was a little awkward, but it didn't seem to be wrong, as a slight smile appeared on the princess's face when I glanced at her.

“Young Master Muno Drasen. A pleasure to meet you.”

I was about to lightly kiss the left hand she offered, as I had learned, and stand up.

Karina, who was standing behind her, stepped forward and drew her sword.

Clang!

‘What is this?’

I didn't feel any killing intent, so I stood still, and the princess took the inverted sword from Karina and spoke with a cold gaze.

“Kneel respectfully again, Prince.”

What?

‘Picking a fight out of nowhere?’

I hadn’t heard anything about this.

I turned around in bewilderment and saw my father, his eyes wide in surprise for some reason, giving me a signal with his eyes. Understanding his meaning, Muno knelt again.

Then, the princess placed the sword on his shoulder.

“The rose that bloomed on steel.

By the will of its master, in the name of the Trian County, I hereby grant the title of knight to Muno Drasen, the eldest son of the Drasen family, who is fully qualified.”

After the sword had touched both his shoulders and his head once.

The princess smiled again and held out her hand.

In her hand was a silver identification plaque symbolizing a quasi-noble, engraved with the name ‘Muno Drasen’ and the crest of a gray rose.

“Please forgive the rude test from before. It was my grandfather's will as well.

To see if this gift was truly fitting.”

And only at that moment did sounds of admiration erupt from all sides.

“Oh……!”

“Really……?”

“Hoo…….”

Everyone here knew.

That Muno Drasen was an adopted son of the Drasen family, and that eventually, the second son, who was connected to the Trian bloodline, would inherit this territory.

However, if the rumors about his brilliant talent were true, he was more than qualified to become a knight of another family.

But for the renowned Trian County of the kingdom to grant him the title of knight in their name without even receiving an oath of loyalty, it meant.

“You have become a free knight whose status is guaranteed by Trian.

No one in the kingdom will disregard that name.

Of course, if you wish, you can be appointed as a regular knight of the Trian Knightly Order immediately.”

As the princess said, since the Margrave who protected the northern part of the kingdom was personally guaranteeing his status as a quasi-noble.

The identification plaque Muno had just received was no different from an all-access pass that would allow him to be treated better than most lower nobles anywhere in the kingdom.

A precious gift, far better than some mediocre present.

However, to Muno, who was confident he could receive a knighthood anywhere, even that felt ambiguous.

‘They could have just given me an Artifact. No, is that too greedy? Tsk……. Ah!’

He, who had been momentarily lost in thought, only bowed his head and accepted the silver plaque with both hands after recognizing the signals from his father and mother.

And his eyes gleamed again at the touch of the identification plaque, which felt as if it wasn't just silver, but hardened by some special power.

A presence that seemed to recognize its master and respond to his touch.

‘Is this Spirit Arts.’

Spirit Arts, an ability to process the power of nature and the elements with one’s will.

Unlike the strange reaction the Demon Devourer had shown to demonic energy, the power of another world, this identification plaque only gave off a comfortable and gentle feeling.

This was probably not just a gift for him alone.

Muno, who glanced at his father, smiled and bowed his head again.

“……I am grateful for His Excellency’s grace.”

The princess received his thanks with a bright smile.

“My grandfather loves talented people. The same is true for my father, who will soon inherit the title. Trian will always be waiting for you, Prince.”

At the princess’s final words, Karina, who was standing behind her, flinched, and the people around them also had their eyes light up.

Muno had thought that the Flower of Trian had come to this coming-of-age ceremony to choose him as her partner, and probably everyone present here had the same expectation.

But the princess’s words now sounded as if she wanted Muno to come to Trian as a knight, not as her partner.

Those who knew even a little about the County’s circumstances couldn’t help but recall the rumors that had been rampant since Roanna Trian’s own coming-of-age ceremony.

The words that had spread before the rumor that Count Enoch Trian loved his granddaughter so much that he wouldn’t even let her get engaged.

- The Flower of Trian has no intention of marrying.

And so, the cute princess who had left a ripple in everyone’s mind, retreated from before Muno.

From then on, other nobles approached Muno in turn to offer their greetings.

With servants carrying all sorts of coming-of-age gifts, and with beautiful (?) young ladies of Muno’s age.

* * *

“Ugh……. This is exhausting.”

Even though it was only nine greetings, including the princess, a groan escaped Muno’s lips.

At that, his father, who had approached his side, looked at him with an incredulous expression.

“Ha. They were all such lovely ladies, is that really all you have to say?”

“Lovely my ass…… Ah, no. More than anything, the smell was a bit…….”

The moment Muno lowered his voice and slightly pinched his nose in front of his father, Ryan finally remembered the fact he had forgotten.

That his eldest son was overly sensitive to smells.

‘This is…….’

His expression contorted as his plan to change his son’s mind fell apart.

Then.

“Well, it still feels good. At least I won’t be treated like a child anymore.”

Muno raised his wine glass and grinned, and seeing his slightly flushed face, a dry laugh escaped him again.

He had toasted with the young ladies who came to greet him a mere eight times, excluding the princess.

The sight of his son, drinking for the first time, was simply amusing.

“It’s still too early, you brat. After this winter passes, let’s have a proper drink together then, you and your old man.”

He gently took the glass from his son, who seemed to be already tipsy.

The moment their hands touched, Muno quickly wrote letters on his palm.

At that, Ryan’s face hardened slightly, and his son began to sway even more.

“Ah, dizzy…….”

“You rascal, don’t drink any more. Go get some air.”

As he gently supported his constantly staggering son.

“Ah, yes. A little…….”

Muno’s fingers, which were holding onto his shoulder, quickly wrote again.

This time, it was felt more clearly.

[Acting Viscount Moeno Kannel, magician.]

“Umm…….”

The moment he let out an awkward groan, not being very good at acting.

‘He definitely recognized it.’

Muno, having passed the troublesome problem to his father, moved towards the second-floor balcony to clear his head.

It was true that he had exaggerated his drunkenness, but since it was the first time drinking with this body, he really was a little dizzy.

However.

“Ah. Prince, you seem a little drunk?”

The magician, whose identity he had just relayed to his father, had suddenly appeared in front of him.

“My, my. You seem to be having a hard time.”

“Huh?”

A middle-aged man with brown hair and a warm impression.

He was a man named Quasi-Baron Toine Randel, who had come as the representative of Viscount Moeno Connel, one of the three Viscounts of the Trian County.

“……Ah, yes. A little. What can I do for you?”

“There was something I failed to mention earlier.”

“……What is it?”

- Kill!! Eat!!

It was the same as before, but the moment I saw him up close, the Demon Devourer in my head raged even more.

My brows furrowed as I tried to forcibly separate my consciousness while slightly drunk.

‘You little pest…….’

Putting aside the unpleasant feeling, the thought that the person responsible for the Eli incident might be the man in front of me made me want to interrogate him right away.

But even if I killed a magician who wasn't a demon, only a normal person's corpse would remain.

I heard that among the great magicians who had reached a certain level, some had transformed into some kind of monster at the moment of death, but the demonic energy possessed by most magicians was a heterogeneous energy that could not adapt to the world, so it would simply disappear into thin air.

I also heard that a rapidly decaying corpse was left as a price, but it was just something I had heard in passing.

I couldn't just kill someone at a party to confirm it.

‘I shouldn’t do that.’

I was certain that the man was a magician, but if I rashly started something, it would only cause problems between the Drasen territory and the Connel Viscounty.

To deal with him, I had to find conclusive evidence that he was a magician.

And at that moment.

“That the scent in my gift makes one a little drunk.”

“What?”

Toine’s two eyes, which had come closer, gleamed with an eerie light.

At that moment, a strange energy spread through Muno’s mind and began to paralyze his ability to think.

And in that time, Toine, who had come even closer, whispered lightly into his ear.

“There’s a lot I want to ask, but the place is a bit off. Come find me at night. Got it?”

“……Yes.”

As Muno nodded with vacant eyes.

Toine, with a satisfied smile, patted Muno’s shoulder and nodded his head repeatedly.

“As expected, you are a wonderful young master. Amazing! Well then, I shall be on my way…….”

Toine, who was speaking loudly as if for others to hear, came in for a friendly hug.

At that moment, the light returned to Muno’s eyes.

The moment Toine smiled and turned away, a cold smile also brushed past Muno’s lips as he watched his back.

‘Look at this bastard…….’

The moment the demonic energy rose in his head, what had taken over his consciousness was not Toine’s magic, but the Demon Devourer that had reacted to it.

Thanks to that, the drunkenness disappeared in an instant, and he even felt a little full in his stomach.

Acting with vacant eyes was an easy task if he just separated his consciousness and temporarily returned to his past, slow-witted state.

I had wondered why I was getting drunk so easily with this body's stamina.

‘So, apart from demonic energy, there are also materials that amplify magic…….’

Well, if he was digging his own grave, I just had to help him lie down in it.

“Muno, now…….”

“Ah, it’s nothing. I’m just a little drunk.”

His father approached and looked at his son with worried eyes.

Muno stumbled again, pretending to be drunk, and leaned on his father’s shoulder, and at that moment, he quickly moved his fingers.

“I, I…….”

“Apart from your martial prowess, you seem to be very weak to alcohol.”

“……That’s a flaw.”

To others, it looked like a drunk Muno was staggering, unable to control his body, and having a squabble with his father.

[He tried to pull a trick on me with magic.]

[Are you alright?]

[As you expected, magic doesn’t work on me. He asked me to come find him tonight, so I will take care of it myself.]

[……Be careful. I will make my own preparations as well.]

The reality was very different.

The eyes of the father and son, who were communicating through writing on each other’s hands while one supported the other, glinted fiercely.

Muno, still avoiding the gazes of the people pouring in, headed straight for the balcony.

And there, of all places, was the Trian princess’s party.

“Oh, Prince Muno.”

The moment the princess raised the glass in her hand and greeted him.

‘Oh no.’

I was flustered, but I racked my brain like lightning and chose the appropriate words.

“You were here. I didn’t see you.”

“Were you looking for me?”

“I wanted to thank you for the excessive gift.”

I thought I had covered it up well, but the princess let out a smirk.

“You know, right? That gift was possible because you have the skill and talent to surprise Sir Karina. If the rumors about you had ended as just rumors…….”

“If they had ended?”

“It would have ended with a single high-quality Ramasan diamond.”

Phew.

‘That’s good too, though?’

Afraid that my inner thoughts would be revealed, Muno smiled with a surprised expression.

“It is thanks to Sir Karina’s favorable view of me.”

And as he shifted his gaze to behind the princess and bowed his head slightly, Karina only gave a slight nod with an expressionless face.

“It is because you have the skill. Anyway, I was also impressed. A talent who can fight on equal terms with a 3-Star knight at the age of sixteen. I would have been less surprised if it had been another 3-Star.”

“……You praise me too much.”

Unlike her cute face, this girl, no, this woman, seemed to be a complete noble of this world.

“But no matter how much you’ve fallen for me, unfortunately, I have no intention of marrying you, Prince Muno.”

……Though the fact that she takes it for granted that all men fall for her is a bit of a problem.

Perhaps to her, it was a common sense born from life experience, but in this place, at this moment, those words had a serious side effect on Muno.

“Pfft……!”

I barely managed to hold back a burst of laughter at the feeling of a chubby, cute little kid acting overly haughty.

‘Damn it!’

……It seemed it was already too late.

“……What do you mean? That laugh?”

Fuck.

‘I’m fucked.’

My head was overloaded again as I desperately searched for something to say.

The moment I looked into the princess’s cold eyes, I felt a strange feeling.

Transparent blue eyes that seemed to see through any lie.

In the end, Muno trusted his gut and just went for it, letting things be as they may.

“Princess, I apologize, but my tastes are a little peculiar……. I prefer the appearance of someone like Sir Karina over someone like you, who is admired by all.”

Karina’s face, who had been listening quietly behind the princess, hardened once again.

“I heard that you provoked Sir Karina with her weakness in the previous spar. And now again…… No, no, you’re not.

Are you serious?

This is interesting. Hohoho.”

The princess looked into Muno’s eyes for a moment, then laughed, her eyes shining as if she was truly amused.

The giant Rokam, who had been standing there without a word, also opened his mouth with a blank expression.

At that, Karina’s eyes also widened slightly, and she glanced at Muno before turning her gaze away sharply.

I could see the back of her neck was noticeably red.

Muno’s expression, who had been observing their reactions, couldn’t help but harden slightly.

‘No way, for real?’

My statement just now probably went against the common sense of this world. But the princess believed it right away, and the people around her didn’t doubt it either.

‘I was just hoping, but…….’

Whether it was a natural talent or a trick I didn't know about, it seemed the princess had an eye for detecting lies.

That would explain such a reaction.

‘So this is a fantasy world after all. All sorts of things exist.’

Although extremely rare, I had heard that there were unique abilities in this world that did not belong to magic, Spirit Arts, or Corporeal Arts, like my own metal manipulation ability.

A unique ability that only a very few people were born with.

‘There are probably limits to it, too.’

It had become a little troublesome, but I just smirked at the thought of what was the big deal about revealing my preference in women.

The princess’s eyes suddenly lit up, and she brought up an unexpected topic.

“Since you have revealed your inner thoughts, I shall tell you one of my stories as well.”

……No, you don’t have to.

“I wanted to succeed my grandfather and become the Countess.

But everyone around me said the same thing.

That it’s not possible.

After my grandfather comes my father, and after him, my eldest brother. That’s how it’s decided.”

Damn it…….

Muno’s expression was gradually hardening as it felt like he was being drawn into a serious story, but the princess paid him no mind.

“So I got defiant. If I can’t become a Countess, then I’ll become someone of an even higher status.”

Through the wine glass in her hand, her secret ambition seemed to be reflected in her distorted eyes.

Soon, she raised her glass high towards the moon in the night sky.

As if she wished to fill that glass with the moon.

“To do that, a mere knight or a noble belonging to a county cannot be my husband. A larger, more renowned family, for example…….”

“Royalty…….”

At the words Muno had unconsciously uttered, Roanna, who was looking at the sky, smiled an ambitious smile with her cute face.

“……Yes. It seems the rumors of you being slow-witted are wrong after all.

That makes you even more interesting.

That martial prowess at sixteen, and a not-bad head…….”

Hmm? Her gaze is strange.

“Honestly, my life has been in some danger lately, so I need more trustworthy escort knights.”

“My lady.”

Despite Rokam’s attempt to stop her, Roanna shook her head and continued.

“If I play matchmaker and help you get together with Sir Karina, will you help me, Sir Muno?”

The blue eyes that looked at Muno as she raised her glass were clearly shining.

“My lady!?”

“Ahahaha. I’m kidding, I’m kidding.”

The princess laughed it off, but no one around her could laugh.