Chapter 144

The next morning.

—Chirp chirp

—Whine whine

—Piyooo…….

I opened my eyes.

To the sounds of various animals, of Gryphons, coming from the window.

Clear sunlight streamed in through the gaps in the sound. The morning sun I greeted at the royal palace was clear, but the morning sun here was twice as clean.

‘Somehow… I feel like good things will happen from now on.’

—It was the kind of pleasant sunlight that made me think that.

Ssk—.

I got up, roughly threw on some clothes, and made the bed.

I had taken care of all my business in Foothill’s Rest, so now it was time to hurry back to the royal capital.

***

“You’re leaving already? You’ve only been here for a day.”

At the entrance of Roterion village.

When I said I was returning to the royal capital, Elvandor, who had come out to see me off, spoke with a regretful voice.

Behind Elvandor were quite a lot of other elves. It seemed they had partied until late last night.

“Yes. Time is of the essence if we are to prepare for war.”

“Mm… yes, I suppose so. What about that human child who came with you?”

“She will be here soon. She seems to have woken up a bit late, probably because she was very tired—.”

As I was speaking to Elvandor, I heard Yoanna’s urgent voice from behind the gathered elves.

“Y-Your Highness! I’m here! I’m sorry I’m late!”

It was obvious she had prepared in a hurry. Her hair was a mess, and her armor looked a little awkward, unlike usual.

‘She was with the elves until late last night, so it can’t be helped.’

It didn’t particularly bother me. It’s not like I had told her in advance that I would be leaving early today.

But perhaps Yoanna thought my brief, steady gaze was because of her appearance.

“I-I’m sorry!”

—saying that, Yoanna hastily fixed her hair and adjusted her armor. The elves watching her smiled slightly. Mostly the female elves.

It wasn’t a mocking atmosphere. It was more like the kind of smile one gives when watching a cute girl’s antics.

‘Looks like she got much closer with the elves. In just one day.’

That was a good thing.

In that brief moment, Yoanna bowed her head deeply—her face, for some reason, turning bright red—and stood behind me.

Hmph—.

Elvandor let out a light chuckle as he looked at Yoanna.

He looked back at me and asked.

“Then I shall go with you.”

“Right now?”

“Mm. Since you said you’re in a hurry. Since I’ve decided to fight for you, I should go with you and help with something. It would also be good to attend the war council.”

Attending the war council…

‘He’s very proactive. Does he mean he’ll do his best since he decided to help me?’

“Thank you. But I plan to ride a Gryphon, so how do you plan to go, Elder?”

“Haha, I have a Gryphon too. I won’t be hitching a ride on yours, so don’t worry. And—.”

Elvandor looked at the elves behind him, thought for a moment, and then called a few over.

“Paras, Silvia. You two come along as well.”

—Yes, sir!

—Yes.

“The rest of you, organize the village, pack your things, and come.”

—Understood!

All the elves followed Elvandor’s instructions without any particular complaints.

It seemed like it had all been arranged beforehand.

“Right, Leonardo. Take this.”

Whoosh—.

Elvandor waved his hand in the air, then reached into a green hole and pulled something out.

It was a ‘saddle’ and ‘stirrups’ made of something like tree vines. The kind used for riding horses.

As I took the saddle and stirrups, Elvandor gestured towards the Gryphon with his chin and continued.

“Those are items made specifically for Gryphons, from wood I grew with my magic. No matter how well you ride a Gryphon, it’s much more stable with a saddle and stirrups. I made them yesterday.”

“Ah… thank you. But could I possibly have one more?”

“One more? Are you planning to keep one as a spare? They’re infused with my magic, so they won’t break easily.”

“No. It’s because Yoanna is still clumsy at riding a Gryphon.”

There was the option of having Yoanna ride on my Gryphon with me back to the royal capital.

‘Still, it would be better if she practiced riding a Gryphon on her own. On the way back to the royal capital.’

That was my intention. But.

—Kyaa……!

—See, I told you!

—That’s right!

Inexplicable gasps and whispers came from among the elves, especially the female elves.

I was curious as to why they were acting like that, but I decided not to mind it for now.

“Huhu… I see. Of course, I have one. It’s not as good as the one I gave you, though.”

Elvandor smiled warmly, looking back and forth between me and Yoanna, then pulled another saddle from the green space.

It was similar in shape to the one he gave me, but it was definitely not as good as mine.

“Then let us depart immediately. To your kingdom, the Plank Kingdom.”

“Yes. Ah, and I would appreciate it if the elves could bring the horse I rode here later. It is a valuable horse.”

With those words.

My eventful ‘business trip’ to Foothill’s Rest came to an end.

It was a successful trip where I had gained far more than I had expected.

***

Plank Royal Capital, the castle’s training ground.

Even after Leonardo had left the royal castle, arduous training continued daily in the training ground.

No, if anything, the intensity of the training had increased. On days like today, when Jereuth himself came out to train.

—Hey, you bastard! Can’t you hold your shield straight?!

—Give up! If you move like that, ten other soldiers will die because of you!

—Lower-rank knights! Is that how you’re going to train the soldiers?! Do we have bread to spare?! With this level of training, you’ll be annihilated before you even get to the battlefield!

—This won’t do. Mid-rank knights! Assemble behind the barracks in full gear!! You have 2 minutes!!

Harsh language that could easily break morale was rampant. But no knight or soldier took offense to the words, or had their morale broken by them.

The morale of the kingdom’s army had always been sky-high since Leonardo’s ascension.

It wasn’t just morale; their training was also superb. The reason the high-rank knights were yelling was not because the lower-rank knights and soldiers were incompetent.

It was because they could clearly do better, but weren’t.

Jereuth, standing on the platform of the training ground and watching the training, thought.

‘With an army of this caliber… we could even give the armies of the Angla Empire or the Osius Kingdom a run for their money. It’s all thanks to His Highness.’

The two great powers beyond the northern border of the Plank Kingdom.

Jereuth thought of the Angla Empire to the northwest and the Osius Kingdom to the northeast.

‘It’s only natural, since His Highness Leonardo is more outstanding than the Emperor of the Angla Empire. Even more so than that emperor known as the Iron-Blooded Emperor.’

Then, Jereuth suddenly remembered that the Emperor of the Angla Empire had tried to recruit him personally.

It had happened during the war with the demons.

Jereuth had refused without a moment’s hesitation. Because his heart beat only for the Plank Kingdom.

The training continued. Everyone moved in perfect order.

As the Knight Commander, he couldn’t help but be pleased.

But.

“……”

Jereuth’s expression was not bright at all.

Because no matter how great an army was, it could not guarantee a certain victory in the eventual war against the monster army.

‘The provincial lords must be reinforcing and training their armies as well. The Giants have also agreed to help us. And His Highness said that the Anakros have also become our allies. But… I don’t know. If we have to face all the monsters of the Monster Mountains, it’s still far from enough.’

Jereuth had entered the Monster Mountains more than anyone else in the kingdom.

Therefore, he knew best how many monsters were in the depths of the Monster Mountains.

And how cruel and strong they were.

‘…I wish His Highness would just tell me that we will win. Even if it’s just empty words.’

I’ve gotten old. To think such a weak thought.

—Just as Jereuth was having complex thoughts from a place deep in his heart that he himself was not aware of.

Piyooooo—!

Piyooo!

A ‘sound’ was heard from somewhere in the sky.

It was a sound he hadn’t heard often. It was the first time since he had heard it a long time ago, when he was traveling with Victoria.

‘This cry… a Gryphon?’

Whip!

Jereuth looked towards the source of the sound.

The knights and soldiers training in the training ground did the same.

‘…There are many.’

The number of Gryphons, at a rough estimate, exceeded a hundred.

The sight of those numerous Gryphons covering the sky and flying towards them was truly overwhelming.

Hagen, who was directing the training, looked at the sky and hurriedly shouted.

“…Situation developing! Prepare for battle!!”

Though a hint of panic was in his voice, it was not at all intimidated. As expected of Hagen, who had been through all sorts of battlefields by Jereuth’s side.

Thanks to the commander’s courage, the other knights and soldiers did not fall into chaos.

Of course, they were scared of the sudden appearance of unidentified—and sky-covering—aerial monsters.

“Form a shield wall as you’ve been trained! The enemy is in the air!!”

—Yes, sir!

“Peralta! Go quickly and bring the archers training in the 2nd training ground! Bring the mages too!”

—Y-yes! Understood!

In an instant, all the soldiers gathered and formed a shield wall.

The knights began to command them, each knowing what to do.

—…….

While everyone was tense.

Thud—.

Jereuth dropped his helmet on the ground and carefully observed the Gryphons flying from the sky.

To be precise, he carefully observed a certain ‘man’ riding at the head of the Gryphon flock.

“…Your Highness?”

The moment Jereuth said blankly.

—Piyooooo!

—Kwoong!!

The Gryphon, which he thought was far away in the sky, had landed on the dirt floor of the training ground. It seemed to have landed stably, but due to its speed and power, it made a loud noise.

The sand of the training ground rose up as dust.

Tap, hoo—.

From within the dust, the man on the Gryphon dismounted, let out a breath, and then.

He came out, parting the dust, and spoke.

“You all seem surprised. My apologies.”

It was the king, Leonardo.

The one who had suddenly arrived from the sky riding a Gryphon.

—……?

—……?

—……?

—……?

All the knights and soldiers wore blank expressions.

It was a great relief that their king had returned safely, but it was strange that he had suddenly returned riding an aerial monster, so it was only natural for them to be flustered.

Some of them felt their hearts swell at the ‘greatness’ of their king, but the bewilderment was greater.

—Piyooooo!

—Kung, kung, kung!

—H-kyaaaaaaah!

Three more Gryphons landed in the training ground after that.

A familiar cry—or rather, a scream—from a certain female knight was also heard by the knights and soldiers.

Thump—!

Jereuth jumped down from the platform and ran across the training ground. It was to greet the returned king, Leonardo.

“Your Highness—!”

As Jereuth was calling out to Leonardo.

He saw a certain female elf approaching from behind Leonardo and his body stiffened.

“…Victoria?”

An elf who looked exactly like his queen, his first love, and his last love.

At the sight of that elf, Jereuth forgot even to greet Leonardo and became dazed.

The elf replied to Jereuth with a blank expression.

“Do you know my older sister?”

“…Older sister? Y-you’re not Victoria?”

“I am Silvia. The younger sister of the deceased Victoria.”

“Ah…?”

“You must be Jereuth. I heard about you occasionally from my sister. I’ve heard a lot about you through rumors as well. The great human knight called the ‘single ray of light that parts the battlefield’, right?”

Ah, right.

Victoria was dead.

Jereuth’s reason gradually returned.

Regaining his senses, Jereuth saluted Leonardo.

—Clank!

“…My apologies, Your Highness. I should have greeted you first.”

“No, it’s fine. You all can lower your guard as well. They are allies.”

As Leonardo gestured to the knights and soldiers behind him, the knights and soldiers hesitantly lowered their weapons and shields.

Though they were all still tense about the aerial monsters flying in the sky.

Even in that moment, Jereuth couldn’t help but keep looking at Silvia. It wasn’t because she was beautiful.

How could his eyes not go to a woman who looked exactly like the love of his life, now dead, standing right in front of him?

‘This is the first time I’ve seen Jereuth so dazed.’

Leonardo thought as he looked back and forth between Jereuth and Silvia, but he said what he had to say.

“Commander, first, let me introduce you. This is the chief of the elves, Lord ‘Elvandor’.”

“Ahem.”

As Elvandor cleared his throat and stepped forward.

Jereuth asked hesitantly.

“The chief of the elves… sir?”

“That’s right. I am Leonardo’s grandfather and the chief of the elves, ‘Elvandor Lo Terra Roterion’. You may call me Elvandor.”

“Ah… yes, it is an honor to meet you.”

“It is an honor for me as well to meet the great knight of the humans. Your fame is well-known even among the elves.”

Paras interjected in their conversation.

“Yo, Jereuth. Long time no see.”

“It’s Paras.”

“…What’s with that reaction. Are you not happy to see me?”

“No, it’s not that…. Your Highness, why has the Elven Elder come with you? And what are all those Gryphons?”

Forgetting to maintain his decorum in front of the other knights and soldiers, Jereuth poured out several questions.

Leonardo smiled at Jereuth and answered.

“I told you, they are allies.”

“Allies…?”

“Yes. Allies who will be of great help in the coming war.”

“……”

“With this, victory is decided, Commander. All that’s left is to win with minimal casualties.”

Victory is guaranteed.

—At those words, Jereuth’s mind snapped to attention.

He felt as if a wound that had been bothering him for a long time had been peeled away.

‘If His Highness said victory is guaranteed…? Then it is absolute.’

Leonardo had never once been wrong.

Therefore, there must be a clear reason for him to be so certain.

Jereuth’s face brightened.

“Does the fact that the chief of the elves has come mean that I should understand that the entire elven race is helping our kingdom?”

“Yes. Ah, and there will be knights who can ride Gryphons like myself or Yoanna. If they are chosen by a Gryphon.”

At the sudden mention of her name, Yoanna straightened her posture. However, Yoanna’s expression was not very good.

It seemed like she was trying to hold back vomit.

‘Ugh… I feel sick. We flew too fast, I’m getting airsick… uuurp.’

But she couldn’t throw up in front of the king and the knight commander.

So Yoanna forced the bitter thing down her throat.

Pat, pat.

Leonardo dusted himself off and said to Jereuth.

“Commander, please convene a general meeting. Not just the knights, but the officials, everyone. It’s time to let them know.”

“Let them know… ah.”

“Yes. The crisis that is befalling this kingdom, but a crisis that we can surely overcome.”

“……”

“I will change my clothes and go straight to the meeting hall, so please have everything ready by then.’

After saying that, Leonardo passed by Jereuth and headed for the royal castle.

His steps were not just confident, they were filled with dignity.

In the roughly two months he had been away from the royal castle.

It was unknown what had happened during that time, but Leonardo had grown, both as a king and as a knight.

Jereuth could feel it.

Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump— Thump—.

As Leonardo passed, the knees of the knights and soldiers bent of their own accord.

They hadn’t heard what conversation Leonardo and Jereuth had. But they were in awe of their king’s return in such a ‘tremendous fashion’.

A knight, a king, and a man who rode a flying monster in the sky.

—There was no soldier who did not feel reverence for that.

“……”

Jereuth, who had been watching Leonardo’s receding back, approached Hagen and gave an order.

“Hagen, His Highness has convened a general meeting. The knight order and the officials, everyone.”

“Yes, understood. May I know the purpose of the meeting? I couldn’t hear the conversation you two had very well.”

Jereuth once again looked at Leonardo’s back—

Actually, at the back of Silvia walking beside him, and said.

“It is a meeting to prepare for the war against the monster army.”