Chapter 84: The Beginning of the Competition

Crack!

“……Keck!?”

With a single slap, the thug’s body flew into the air.

The moment something resembling yellow corn scattered in the air with a stream of blood.

Clatter.

Clang!

“Halt!”

“Damn it!”

“Any further use of force will be considered an attack on the Aslan family, Black Knight!”

The escort knights, who had been watching with the thought of ‘no way he’d actually attack,’ were startled and drew their weapons in unison.

However.

“You want to take me on right now?

With just three 2-Star knights?”

Thump.

Crunch.

They flinched and froze at the sight of Muno drawing a massive black two-handed sword from behind his back.

The Ruble incident that made the Black Knight's name known.

An unbelievable rumor was circulating that among the magicians he had beaten there was a 6-Circle.

Of course, not everyone believed it.

- The Genius Knight of Drasen, known to be 2-Star, is in fact a 3-Star, and probably the highest class among them at that.

Even without the power of an artifact.

The public statement left by the Inquisitor, the captain of Mother’s Spear, who had come all the way to the royal palace to deliberate on countermeasures against the ‘Veil,’ carried sufficient credibility.

It was a statement made by a Holy Knight of the Earth Mother Goddess, staking the name of his god.

Of course, evolution has its compatibilities, and the difference in class could be covered by numbers.

- We can’t win.

The same thought was in the minds of the knights confronting Muno.

Not only was there nothing known about the Black Knight’s evolution characteristics, but more than that.

‘That armor.’

The three knights gulped as they stared directly at the armor, which had an eerie sheen and not a single gap in its joints.

No matter how you look at it, it’s not ordinary steel.

‘Artifact armor. Our swords won’t even dent it.’

‘We can’t aim for his head either.’

‘In the first place, could we even hit it if we aimed?

We have to endure. If we don’t want to die a dog’s death…….’

The all-too-easy assessment froze the three knights’ feet to the ground.

It just seemed impossible to win.

Meanwhile.

“Blood!? Ugh, wha are you doin’! Kill him!!”

The tactless thug, whose left cheek had swollen up, making him slightly handsomer, screamed.

Seeing the three knights’ reaction, Muno chuckled and approached the fallen thug.

“If you lay another hand on him, we will consider it an act of hostility against Aslan, Black Knight!”

“Well, weren’t we always hostile?”

“Lord Teron is a direct descendant of the Aslan family……!”

“I know all about it. He’s a discarded pawn.”

“This will be considered the 3rd Prince’s side picking a fight with His Highness, the 1st Prince!”

“I don’t belong to the 3rd Prince.”

“In that case…….”

Smirk.

Thud, thud.

As he, who had silenced the knights, approached with a leisurely stride.

Teron Aslan, as if he had finally grasped the situation, was shuffling backward, dragging his butt.

“What should I do with this guy……”

Thud, thud.

“You, you scoundrel. How dare you, an insignificant adopted son……”

Thump.

“……Hic!”

Seeing him cringe at just a light stomp in front of him made me not want to lay another hand on him.

But it was also awkward to just leave.

“Hey, you.”

“I-I am of the great Aslan……!”

“Do you want to die? Or apologize?”

“……What?”

Was he surprised that I was trying to resolve it with words?

The expression of the man who had been terrified suddenly brightened.

“Pfft, hehehe. You scoundrel, do you finally realize what a terrible thing you’ve done!?

But it’s too late to regret……!”

Fwoosh.

“……Heeik!?”

The tongue that had suddenly regained its courage shriveled up again as it saw the two-handed sword deeply embedded in the floor between his legs.

“So? You choose death?”

If you want, I’ll kill you right here.

Muno stared intently into the man’s blue eyes, conveying that thought entirely.

At that.

The man’s eyes, which had rapidly clouded over, began to tremble as he alternately looked at his escort knights, still frozen as if in ice, and his own pathetic state.

And after a short time had passed.

The man’s pupils completely lost even their faint light and became as empty as a corpse’s.

It seemed he had finally realized that he couldn't overcome the cruel reality before him by just putting forward his family, his only source of pride.

His trembling lips slowly parted.

“……I, apologize, for my rudeness.”

A bowed head, a voice so small.

Even the apology was a condescending address.

“Tsk……”

It was absurd, but Muno looked at the man, clicked his tongue, and turned away.

‘This bastard is broken.’

It seemed he had already inflicted a punishment more severe than he had intended.

This man would probably become a wreck now.

There was a slim chance he might recover, but.

‘Well, it’s not my business anymore.’

From a short distance away, Karina was also smiling and nodding.

For now, I should just be satisfied with having removed the obstacle.

However.

“Even if Lord Teron is a discarded pawn, he is not someone just anyone can touch.”

“Hm?”

“Black Knight, you have crossed the line.”

One of the three frozen knights was glaring at me with resentful eyes.

It meant that the name Black Knight, when viewed from the great house of Aslan, was still nothing more than ‘just anyone.’

“Aslan will not stand still.”

But Muno just chuckled.

“Let them.”

It was already a twisted relationship anyway.

I only found out after coming to the royal castle, but the difficult situation the Aslan family was in now was ultimately a problem that originated from me.

‘The one I hate just did one more hateful thing.’

And putting everything aside, in the first place, I was not the type of person to patiently endure Teron’s thuggish behavior for long.

‘I’m a bit of a lost cause myself.’

I always made excuses that it was a mistake, but the words I blurted out without thinking in situations that got under my skin were ultimately my true feelings.

Even if I force myself to endure it, it will eventually explode and I’ll ram into it.

That’s why I was fired from my job or my life got twisted several times, but.

‘As long as I’m proud of myself, what does it matter.’

That was the most important thing.

To prove that one can live well while living righteously and proudly.

It was the standard of life that both Han Munho and Muno commonly pursued.

That righteousness and pride were ultimately judged by one’s own subjectivity, so it might seem selfish, but.

‘That’s what conviction is all about.’

Therefore.

I live following my conviction.

“Sir Karina, may I ask you to guide me through the royal palace again?”

“……Of course.”

Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere between the two from before seemed to have been forgotten already.

Honestly, it was a little disappointing, but.

‘This is not the time for me to be having other thoughts.’

My life is still difficult, trying to navigate not just the distant future but the one right in front of me.

Therefore.

“Ah, that place is a famous landmark of the Imperial Palace……”

Karina’s expression, which seemed a bit brighter than before.

This distance, which felt a little closer but still far, was just welcome for now.

The way back to the lodging was warm, even though it was the middle of winter.

* * *

My physical condition was definitely at its peak.

But perhaps it was because I had to maintain a state of tension throughout my time in the royal castle after arriving after nearly ten days of camping out.

Muno returned to his quarters, washed up, and immediately fell asleep as if dead.

And the next day.

Knock, knock.

- Sir Muno, it is time to prepare.

Hah…….

My eyes fluttered open at the voice I heard while sleeping.

“Umm?”

I felt like I had a sweet dream, but a gruff voice forcibly brought me back to reality.

It was slightly unpleasant, but.

- Sir Muno! His Majesty’s orders……!

The moment the words I heard from outside the door were interpreted in my head again, I couldn't help but wake up completely.

Damn it.

“I’m up!”

I immediately got up, washed my face with the water I had received by the bed, tidied my hair a bit, and deployed my armor as it was.

Shhhlick.

Clang.

“Good.”

The sound of lightly tapping my armor made a confident smile appear in the mirror.

The fact that I didn't have to wear ugly and cumbersome formal wear today was also a pleasure.

And.

Thump. Thump.

- Sir Muno…….

Creeak.

The sound of someone hurrying me continued from outside.

I opened the door before it got any louder.

“I’m ready.”

Six royal knights who were already waiting outside the door greeted him with a sharp salute in unison.

“We apologize for the early morning. But His Majesty’s orders……”

“Must be followed. I know. Let’s go.”

“Yes.”

The knights immediately started walking without another word.

Looking at their gray armor and pauldrons, they were clearly from the Steel Knightly Order, also known as the 3rd Royal Knightly Order.

‘All of them are probably 3-Star……. Amazing.’

A knightly order where even the common knights dispatched for such trivial matters were 3-Star-level was only the third knightly order of the royal family.

Of course, I had heard about the special nature of the higher-ranking knightly orders called the White Iron and Red Iron yesterday, but it was a moment where I could feel the power of the royal family anew.

And even such skilled knights.

“Are we going directly to the Steel Palace?”

“No. If you wait in the front yard of the Steel Palace, His Majesty will come out in due time.”

Only the one who appeared to be the leader answered my question simply, and everyone was moving silently in a disciplined formation with measured steps.

The strictness of their discipline could be felt on my skin.

‘If people like this were to fight together…….’

As I imagined the power of the Steel Knightly Order, I found myself approaching my destination.

By the time the most splendid palace, the Steel Palace, came into view in the distance.

“We’re here. Please wait.”

“……Yes.”

The place the royal knights and soldiers guided me to was the vast front yard of the main palace.

There, soldiers surrounding the area stood at attention, solemnly looking towards the center.

In that spot, there was already a thin middle-aged man who looked like a Holy Knight, and a large man with short, angular brown hair in red armor.

“Red armor……”

I didn't know the identity of the Holy Knight, but I had heard about the knight in red armor with his hair cut short like a Korean soldier from my past life.

Just yesterday, from Karina.

“That person is Sir Anthony, the Vice-Commander of the Red Iron Knightly Order.

In case you don’t know, let me explain……”

“He rose to 6-Star as a commoner, and at the young age of thirty-five, he is a knight comparable to the Bulwark of the North, who is called the strongest among the 6-Star knights.

His moniker is the Blood Knight……”

They say he got that gruesome moniker because he always turned the battlefields he entered wearing red armor into a sea of blood.

On top of that, he was officially one of the strongest knights in this country, with only the King and the honorary commander, the Dragon Sword Duke, above him.

“You know him well. Haha.

Then that’s fine.”

“What about that Holy Knight?”

“That person, I’m not sure either……”

As the knight who guided me mumbled his answer, Muno’s gaze naturally returned to the Blood Knight, Anthony.

In this country, that red armor signified the strongest.

It was an armor that was like a symbol of the Red Iron Knightly Order, which stood at the pinnacle of the Royal Knightly Orders.

And.

- The knight known to have the highest potential to become a Seven-Star in the next generation.

- I will defeat him and become the best knight in the kingdom.

That is my dream.

Karina’s goal, which she spoke of with a shining face.

But that famous knight seemed to recognize me.

“That black armor, the peculiar gauntlets and boots.

I’ve heard about them recently. Black Knight……was it?”

As if he had approached at some point, he scanned Muno’s entire body with his bright blue eyes.

The moment their eyes met, I felt a pressure as if my whole body was being crushed.

‘This one is truly no less than old man Enoch.’

Only after barely shaking off that momentum could Muno manage to open his mouth.

“It’s an embarrassing nickname……”

But before he could finish his words, Anthony interjected with a slight smile.

“Being a 3-Star at your age is something even I couldn’t do.

Excessive modesty is not good. You should be proud.”

“……Pardon?”

After looking me over like an object, he suddenly offered a compliment.

“Ah, thank…… you?”

While bewildered, I tried to respond with due courtesy.

Huh?

He turned his back and returned to his original spot.

‘What’s with him? Is he some kind of robot?’

I was dumbfounded by his behavior of not even looking this way anymore, as if he had no more business now that he had said his piece.

But I wasn't in a situation to keep looking at him either.

“His Majesty, the King, is entering!!”

“Ha!”

As soon as the main palace gatekeeper knights’ echoing announcement ended.

Everyone waiting in the front yard knelt down at the same time.

As soon as Muno followed suit.

Grrrr.

The huge doors opened, and the lavishly dressed king walked out from within.

‘That crown must be heavy.

Doesn’t his neck hurt?’

The king, who had shown a gallant figure in the Great Hall yesterday, was today wearing an incredibly thick purple and gold thread coat, a tremendously high-looking golden crown, and holding a huge scepter.

It was an excessive attire, but a fairly dense mana could be felt from each and every one of the king’s items.

‘They’re all artifacts. Not just decorations.’

I had heard that powerful artifacts usually have compatibilities or conditions, and that they sometimes conflict with each other, but the artifacts the king wore on his body looked to be over ten at a glance.

But it was also rude to stare at the king’s appearance like that.

Just before our eyes met, I hastily bowed my head, and the king’s mouth opened.

“Good. The knights of our kingdom are indeed reliable.”

Fortunately, the king’s pace of work did not seem much different from what I had seen in the Great Hall yesterday.

“There’s no need for long words, right?

The three knights are to hunt down all the servants of the devil hiding in Ironheart today without fail! Show me your abilities!”

Thump.

Grrrrr.

The moment the king’s scepter struck the floor, the huge gates leading from the front yard to outside the inner castle began to open one after another.