[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 145

    The Royal Guard of the Meier Kingdom consists of 100 elite knights, carefully selected from those gathered at the Sword Throne.

    With the World Tree taking root and the knights rapidly improving due to the Sword Throne, most of them had reached the level of high-ranking Sword Experts, with even five of them attaining the peak of that rank.

    Among them, the most outstanding were Alkas and Lioness, both possessing exceptional swordsmanship.

    Alkas had reached the level of a peak Sword Expert, so close to becoming a Master that it was only a matter of time.

    Lioness, once a promising mage, had picked up the sword only a year ago but had already reached the level of a high-ranking Sword Expert.

    ‘But they are still lacking in many ways.’

    Though he had spent the past year strengthening the Royal Guard, it was still far too weak compared to the knights that Kaylen had commanded during his time as Emperor.

    Back then, a knight commander had to be at least a Sword Master, and even ordinary knights needed to be peak Sword Experts.

    However, while the current level of aura might be lower than before, their overall combat strength was not.

    “Is everyone ready?”

    “Yes, Your Majesty.”

    “Activate the Combine Suits.”

    “Understood.”

    A year ago, the prototype of the Combine Suit had been introduced.

    Recognizing its potential, Kaylen had heavily invested in its development, and now the Royal Guard had reached a level where they could wear them in battle.

    ‘The current Combine Suits surpass A-rank Mana Suits. While they don’t reach S-rank... with 20 of them, we won’t fall short compared to the previous knight order.’

    Rumble—

    As the knights, grouped in squads of five, activated their Combine Suits in unison, the ground trembled, and twenty giants emerged.

    Twenty massive armored figures clad in gleaming white armor.

    The Combine Suits, named “White Knights” by the Myorn Workshop, crushed trees as they revealed themselves from within the forest.

    “What... what is that...?”

    “An attack! We’re under attack!”

    The soldiers of the Geysir Empire shouted in alarm at the sudden appearance of the giants.

    But in the dead of night, they had no time to react—the White Knights advanced too quickly.

    Boom. Boom. Boom. Boom!

    The enormous machines trampled over the hastily constructed defensive perimeter with overwhelming force.

    Since this area was part of the Geysir Empire’s territory, it hadn’t been built with strong defenses in mind.

    As a result, the imperial soldiers failed to put up any resistance and were completely caught off guard.

    “How did they know about this place...?!”

    The commander of the supply depot clenched his teeth.

    The enemy’s choice of attack location and timing was simply too precise.

    It was dawn—the time when the Blood Drake took its first meal.

    The first meal of the Blood Drake had to be something living...

    Because of that, aside from a handful of personnel, all other soldiers had been withdrawn from the supply depot.

    With no defensive formations in place, this attack was devastating.

    “Damn it... Of all times, during the drake’s feeding...!”

    “Send a messenger to headquarters immediately!”

    As the panicked soldiers scrambled in confusion, Kaylen looked at them with cold eyes.

    ‘What a disorderly rabble.’

    Perhaps because their main combat force was the drake horde, the soldiers weren’t even putting up the bare minimum resistance—instead, they were scattering in all directions.

    “Our goal is not the food supplies but the drake itself. While the Dragon Knights are away, we take down the beast first.”

    [Understood, my lord!]

    Standing before the twenty White Knights, Kaylen stepped into the Blood Drake’s supply depot.

    [Is this... the food storage?]

    The Blood Drake’s supply depot was nothing like a typical warehouse.

    Rather than a building, it was an open wasteland, stretching endlessly. Small Blood Drakes, the younger kin of their species, roamed freely as if the entire area belonged to them.

    “Ugh... Ughhh...”

    “N-No... Don’t come closer...!”

    At the feet of the drakes—

    Humans, their entire bodies bound in restraints, writhed on the ground.

    Like worms tossed to birds.

    [How... How could they...]

    [Are they... feeding humans to the drakes?]

    Crunch!

    “Aaaaahhh!”

    “P-Please, spare me...!”

    Chomp. Chomp.

    Flash.

    Golden light shot up into the sky from the group of 101.

    Kaylen and the Royal Guard were engulfed in radiance.

    And soon, they arrived at Meier’s royal castle.

    “Ooooh!”

    “We’ve arrived...!”

    A spatial transfer that only members of the Sanctuary could use—

    As the knights witnessed Kaylen utilizing it, they let out murmurs of awe.

    When they had first departed, it was the Saintess who had used the Sanctuary’s spatial transfer for them. Yet, she herself had not accompanied them.

    – His Holiness has granted His Majesty permission to use the Path of Light. Follow the instructions given for your return.

    Theresia had instructed them to use the "Path of Light" as the Holy See had explained.

    The knights who had listened to the instructions alongside her were doubtful whether this would actually work.

    ‘I’ve never heard of anyone outside the Sanctuary using spatial transfer before.’

    ‘His Holiness must be giving His Majesty special treatment!’

    Seeing Kaylen acknowledged by the Sanctuary and even using spatial transfer filled the knights with pride.

    A king recognized even by the Holy See, the agent of the Celestial Gods!

    Any concerns about his legitimacy from the time of his coronation were now all but gone.

    ‘The Holy See is more favorable than I expected.’

    Kaylen, however, had a different thought.

    ‘He even said he’d help find an S-Class Mana Suit... and now he’s allowing the use of the Sanctuary’s spatial transfer? What is he planning?’

    Kaylen felt suspicion toward the Holy See’s sudden support.

    The Benedict he knew was not someone who would offer help so readily.

    ‘For now, I’ll make good use of what’s given... but the Path of Light—judging by how it functions, it’s entirely dependent on prior approval.’

    A pathway that required pre-authorization.

    If, like earlier, he had been stranded deep in enemy territory and the approval had been denied, what then?

    For now, it seemed like an act of goodwill from the Holy See, but it could become a "leash" at any moment.

    ‘I’ll accept the Holy See’s aid for now, but I must always prepare for the worst.’

    Whether it was the Colonial Observatory Chief or the Holy See, they were allies for now—

    But that could change at any time.

    ‘I must not let my guard down.’

    Kaylen’s eyes grew cold.

    “You were attacked again?”

    “Yes. The Blood Drakes have suffered immense losses. Over 800 drakes have already been killed.”

    “800? The knight order should have been prepared.”

    “Even the Dragon Knights couldn’t stop them... Not a single one survived.”

    “Hmph. Useless.”

    Melvria, the supreme commander leading the vanguard, let out a sigh.

    The drakes’ food stores had already been raided three times.

    During the first attack, they had been completely caught off guard.

    After that, they had stationed the Dragon Knights as a precaution—yet the raiders still beheaded them and completely devastated the drakes’ food reserves before vanishing.

    ‘A Dragon Knight fighting alongside a drake should be nearly as strong as a Sword Master... but they were slaughtered so easily?’

    She hadn’t even ordered them to annihilate the enemy.

    If they had simply stalled for time, the main force could have arrived and crushed the raiders.

    Yet, despite the presence of the Dragon Knights, the food stores had been destroyed in an instant.

    ‘At this rate, the losses will be too great.’

    Melvria furrowed her brows and spoke.

    “This won’t do. I’ll take command personally.”

    “You, Commander?”

    The knight asked in shock.

    Melvria had never concealed her disgust for what went on in the drakes’ food stores, yet now she was willing to go there herself.

    That alone showed how grave the situation had become.

    “Yes. I can’t afford to lose any more of the Emperor’s drakes.”

    “But I still don’t want to witness that filth, so I’ll stay near the food stores.”

    “Understood!”

    The knight let out a sigh of relief.

    If Duke Melvria was personally standing by, those daring raiders wouldn’t last much longer.

    ‘Those bastards... Once we catch them, I’ll strip every last piece of flesh from their bones and feed them to the drakes.’

    The knight sneered darkly, hoping the raiders would strike again soon.

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]